NHL | CollegeHockeyPlayers

21Feb

Michael Stone(28) Phoenix Coyotes

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The injury bug bites Phoenix Coyotes and once again they look to recall a defenseman from AHL affiliate Portland Pirates.

This time 2nd year 2007 3rd round pick (#69 overall) Michael Stone(28) gets his turn.

In 51 games with the Pirates, he already has career highs in goals, assists and points with 9 + 13 for 22 totals and a healthy +5 plus/minus.

At 6’3″ 208 lbs., he’s a big blue liner but could use an extra 20 pounds of muscle to be a real imposing figure out there.

He’s in his second year of his 3-year entry deal but should probably be looked at for more of a long-term signing with his play improving greatly and should add to the Coyotes push towards the playoffs.

In his first NHL game, a 2-1 win in OT, he logged 11:31 ice time and was even out there through 14 shifts.

20Feb

Dwight King(21) Los Angeles Kings

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Los Angeles Kings‘ 4th round pick in the 2007 draft (#109 overall) forward Dwight King(21) got his first NHL goal on the same night as his roommate and teammate Jordan Nolan did. He even got another point, an assist on his friend’s tally, which proved to be the game-winner.

Both players were simultaneously recalled from their AHL team, Manchester Monarchs and have now appeared in four games with the parent club.

King had skated in 6 games for L.A. last season but didn’t register any points.

He’s in the final year of his entry level contract.

20Feb

Alex Stalock (32)

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379 days later, San Jose Sharks‘ 4th round pick in the 2005 draft (#112 overall), goalie Alex Stalock gets another AHL start in net for their affiliate Worcester Sharks.

On February 4, the back of his knee was accidentally stepped on by Manchester Monarchs‘ forward Dwight King and it caused that season to be scrapped and pretty much most of 2011/2012 to be shelved as well.

But pretty much on schedule he arrives back in Central MA after starting his rehab with their ECHL affiliate Stockton Thunder, where he went 5-1 with a 2.83 GAA and .914 SV%.

He’s ready to return to the team he’s lead for the past two seasons and get back on San Jose’s radar.

He won his debut 2-1 against what turned out to be an anemic Springfield Falcons‘ offense that managed only 16 shots, got their goal on a 5-on-3 power play and even had a penalty shot awarded to them.

He’s back!

18Feb

Ty Wishart(6) New York Islanders

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Former 2006 1st round draft pick (#16 overall) defenseman Ty Wishart(6) finally got his first NHL call up by New York Islanders.

He appeared in 20 games with them last season after being acquired from Tampa Bay Lightning and put up a goal and 4 assists with a +5 plus/minus, which was no easy feat on what was a bottom feeding team.

He played a total of 17:16 and was even +/- and played some shorthanded time in the 5-1 loss against St. Louis Blues.

Currently in his fourth season, the sizable 6’4″ 218 lbs. 23-year old may be taking a bit more time to catch on as a full-time NHL-er and considering he’s hits restricted free agent status at the end of this year, he might be dangled as bait for shopping.

17Feb

Joe Whitney(9) Albany Devils

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Undrafted rookie right wing Joe Whitney(9) signed his first pro contract, an AHL deal with New Jersey Devils to play in Albany late last summer and has been putting up points as soon as the 2011/2012 season got started.

In 46 games, he has 12 goals and 14 assists, which has him tied for the team lead in points and 1st at putting the puck in the net.

The 22-year old has to be one of the smallest guys in the league at only 5’6″ 170 lbs but he obviously knows how to find his way into the openings on the ice.

For the month of January, he earned the reGen® Recovery Beverage/AHL Performance of the Month Award.

He’s from Reading, MA and played 4 years for the BC Eagles winning two NCAA Championships with the team.

17Feb

Bryan Rodney(33) Oklahoma City Barons

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Undrafted 7th year defenseman Bryan Rodney(33) is one of those stories of endurance and sticktoitiveness that defines a pro.

His first couple of seasons were predominantly spent in the ECHL. By his third year he made the jump up to an AHL regular after a call-up with Albany River Rats.

With his impressive play on the blue line that season, Carolina Hurricanes stepped in an signed him to a one-year, two-way contract. He would sign two more similar contracts with them and skate his only 33 NHL games with Carolina (1 goal, 12 assists).

For the 2011/2012 he was once again a free agent but this time in need of a new home. Anaheim Ducks wasted no time signing him to a one-year, two-way deal that has him skating with their AHL affiliate, Syracuse Crunch. He has 5 goals and 15 assists.

Then, almost without warning, the Ducks have dished him to Edmonton Oilers, where he’ll report to their affiliate Oklahoma City Barons.

He’s definitely become a team leader on the ice but the big knock with his game is his tendency to be a minus player. Despite that, it would be little surprise to see the Oilers give him a look to see if they can’t ignite that scoring touch.

16Feb

Jeff Woywitka(2) New York Rangers

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9th year New York Rangers‘ defenseman Jeff Woywitka(2) has been in and out of the lineup and injured this season, seeing action in 26 games. He’s on the scoring sheet with a goal and 5 assists and a modest +2 plus/minus.

He was plucked off waivers from Montreal Canadiens early in the season and signed to fill the role as an alternate defenseman.

To start February, he was sent down to get some playing time in the AHL with Connecticut Whale on a conditioning stint. He appeared in 6 games and had three assists to help the team get back into the win column after going on a terrible losing skid.

Now that he has been recalled it will be interesting to see if he’ll be able to find his way back into a lineup that has settled very nicely for the Eastern Conference leaders.

He was originally a Philadelphia Flyers 1st round pick in the 2001 draft (#27 overall). He has played 277 NHL games, recording 9 goals and 55 assists.

16Feb

Stephane Veilleux(19) New Jersey Devils

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11-year left wing Stephane Veilleux(19) split to Liiga and NLA for a season but the stats suggest he was a little unhappy with the decision, so he returned to sign a one-year, two-way deal for 2011/2012 with New Jersey Devils that has seen him appear in 40 AHL games with Albany Devils.

He has 11 goals and 11 assists and +3 on the ice with them and plays like a team leader every game out there, which is why he wears an “A” on his jersey.

He has 439 NHL appearances to his credit and was originally a Minnesota Wild 3rd round pick in 2001 (#93 overall).

He played his first 8 seasons with the Wild and Houston Aeros.

As a Valentine’s gift, he received his 1st call-up and played a sparing 4:36 in the 4-1 win.

15Feb

Devante Smith-Pelly (34)

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Anaheim Ducks‘ 2010 2nd round draft pick (#42 overall), right wing Devante Smith-Pelly(34) was reassigned to minor league affiliate Syracuse Crunch for a brief conditioning stint after missing a month of game action due to a fractured foot he suffered while on loan to Team Canada for the IIHF World Junior Championship.

In 4 AHL games, the 6′ 211 lbs. 19-year old rookie only produced one assist.

In 26 NHL games he has 3 goals and a pair of assists but is a miserable -10 plus/minus.

He still looks a bit lost out there skating with the men but plays with enough fire that it shouldn’t take him long to get deep into the mix on a streaking team in the playoff hunt.

14Feb

Andrew Murray(44) Worcester Sharks

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Columbus Blue Jackets‘ 8th round pick in the 2001 draft (#242 overall), 30-year old center Andrew Murray(44) hasn’t played in an AHL game in almost four seasons. Recently he was reassigned by San Jose Sharks to Worcester to pick up some increased playing time as the parent club shifts some of their younger guys in the system through the lineup to see where they stand with them before the NHL trade deadline at the end of the month.

He’s been rightfully given the assistant captain nod on the Worcester team and got his first goal (an empty-netter) in the league since the 2007/2008 season where he split time with the Blue Jackets and Syracuse Crunch. He did it while wearing this pink jersey the whole team donned for “Pink In The Rink” to benefit the Cup Crusaders.

He has 220 NHL games to his credit, scoring 24 goals and 16 assists as mostly a fourth line contributor.

San Jose management says they fully intend to recall him but that won’t likely happen until around March 1.