Category: NHL

03Feb

Jon Matsumoto(10) San Antonio Rampage

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Originally a Philadelphia Flyers‘ 3rd round pick in the 2006 draft (#79 overall) center Jon Matsumoto(10) was a team prospect for the first three years of his pro career and had two 60+ point AHL seasons with the Phantoms before being traded at the end of his 3-year entry level contract to Carolina Hurricanes 2010 for what amounted to a bag of rocks, a 7th round draft selection.

He played with their AHL affiliate Charlotte Checkers for a season and a half (including 13 games, scoring 2 goals last season with the Hurricanes) before being recently dished to Florida Panthers for another up-and-coming forward that was primarily playing with San Antonio Rampage.

In 46 AHL games he has 17 goals and 24 assists, which puts in on pace for his third 60 point season. At 6′ 185 lbs. he isn’t the biggest forward but he plays that style and has to ramp it up to the next level.

 

02Feb

Joel Rechlicz(19) Washington Capitals

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Washington Capitals is in desperate need of adding some necessary roughness to their game and turn 5th year undrafted tough guy Joel Rechlicz(19) contract into an NHL deal and he’s immediately recalled from his AHL team, Hershey Bears. In 27 games he has 1 goal and 1 assist to go along with 184 penalty minutes, which pretty much equal career highs all around for him in a season.

In a pair of games for the Caps he’s played a minute and a half and 2:37 of ice time in each of the games with no fighting majors (yet). This season he leads the AHL in penalty minutes.

He did have 23 games of NHL experience with New York Islanders, a team he spent a couple of seasons with, first playing in the ECHL with Utah Grizzlies and AHL with Bridgeport Sound Tigers.

He has one assist to his scoring credit and 95 pims. At 6’4″ 220 lbs. he could convert himself into some sort of power forward but doesn’t have the most deft hand abilities, except for fighting. He’s very much a Dale Hunter, coach of the Capitals‘ style of player.

01Feb

Spencer Machacek (10)

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4th year right wing Spencer Machacek(10) was originally selected by Atlanta Thrashers/Winnipeg Jets in the 3rd round of 2007 draft (#67 overall).

He’s been in their system ever since he signed a 3-year two-way entry level deal with the team, followed by accepting their qualifying offer to stay for 2011/2012.

In the AHL he’s put up 50 points give or take in each of his first three seasons and is on course to achieve that again this year with St. John’s IceCaps.

He has 11 goals and 23 assists in 44 games.

Recently recalled, he skated in his first NHL game with Winnipeg Jets.

In 13 games he has yet to register a point and will likely need to step it up when he gets his opportunities or find a new home for 2012/2013.

He’s still only 23-years old though.

01Feb

Steve Bernier(25) New Jersey Devils

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steve-bernier

7th year winger, originally a 1st round pick of San Jose Sharks in 2003 (#16 overall), Steve Bernier(25) signed an AHL contract with Albany Devils in late October.

Before this season he only ever played 59 games in the minors as a rookie and in his 3rd year.

He’s skated 385 NHL games (76 goals and 83 assists) with the Sharks, Buffalo Sabres, Vancouver Canucks and in 2010/2011 with Florida Panthers.

Not exactly the best totals for a former high draft selection.

At 6’3″ and 220 lbs., you got to think the 26-year old has plenty left to use that big frame and blossom into the power forward he was always pegged to become.

New Jersey Devils just stepped in and turned his contract into a big league one-year, two-way deal.

He made his 2012 NHL debut as the league reconvened post All-Star game and skated 18 shifts for 13:30 minutes of total ice, including some power play time.

He had one shot on goal and went a -1 plus/minus, which maybe wasn’t all that great but his team did win in the shootout.

31Jan

Casey Cizikas(11) Bridgeport Sound Tigers

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1st year center Casey Cizikas(11) leads the AHL Bridgeport Sound Tigers in team scoring with 14 goals and 24 assists in 44 games played.

He’s tied for third in the league in rookie scoring and leads all rookies in plus/minus with a +20, which is good for 2nd overall.

Originally picked by New York Islanders in the 4th round of the 2009 draft (#92 overall) look for him to get his first NHL call-up sooner than later.

He’s currently on a scoring tear getting 4 goals and 5 assists in his last three games and was chosen to play for the Eastern Conference in the 2012 AHL All-Star Game and collected himself a goal in the 8-7 shootout loss.

30Jan

Boyd Kane(12) Hershey Bears

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14-year veteran, Hershey Bears‘ left wing Boyd Kane(12) got the nod to captain the 2012 Eastern Conference All-Star squad for the Atlantic City, Boardwalk Hall match-up vs. the West.

He won back-to-back Calder Cups, first with Philadelphia Phantoms in 2005 and then with Hershey in 2006. He also won the AHL title with the Bears again in 2010.

His last three seasons have been spent in Washington Capitals‘ farm system and 5 of 6 seasons before that with Philadelphia, except the stop back in Hershey. He started his pro career with four years with New York Rangers‘ AHL (Hartford Wolf Pack) and ECHL (Charlotte Checkers) affiliates.

In 31 NHL games (23 with the Flyers, 8 with the Capitals) the 31-year old has three assists but has yet to pot his first goal. At 6’2″ 225 lbs. he’s  easily more relied upon for his physical game.

30Jan

Edward Pasquale(40) St. John’s IceCaps

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2nd year Atlanta Thrashers/Winnipeg Jets‘ 2009 4th round pick (#117 overall) goaltender Edward Pasquale(40) looks to put up career highs this season playing very impressively for their AHL Eastern Conference leading affiliate St. John’s IceCaps.

In 16 games he has a 10-6 record with a 2.88 GAA and a so so .897 SV% but he’s been very focused and tough to beat in net the couple of starts we’ve seen him play recently. He notched his 1st shutout of 2011/2012 last weekend going into the AHL All-Star Game break.

He split his rookie season with Chicago Wolves and Gwinnett Gladiators of the ECHL and played decently for both.

 

29Jan

Peter Harrold(5) Albany Devils

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Undrafted defenseman Peter Harrold(5) has skated NHL games (all with Los Angeles Kings) in each of his 6 years pro. In 165 games he has 8 goals and 18 assists.

2011/2012 was just added. He was recalled by New Jersey Devils from their AHL affiliate in Albany right before the All-Star break for a game and sent back. He had 8:01 of ice time and register one shot but oddly enough skated at right wing instead of playing defense.

He’s a small looking (6′ 190 lbs.) back there for d but fairly reliable like a player that’s been in the league longer than he has. Could be due to him turning pro after four years of college.

In 43 AHL games this season he has a pair of goals and 12 assists with a +5 plus/minus.

28Jan

Mitch Wahl(51) Utah Grizzlies

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After suffering a season ending concussion in his 2010/2011 rookie year, Calgary Flames‘ 2nd round pick in the 2008 draft (#48 overall), center Mitch Wahl(51) is starting it a bit slow to begin his second campaign in the pros.

After appearing in 6 games to start the season with ECHL Utah Grizzlies, where he put up 5 goals and two assists, he was recalled to Abbotsford Heat to find a spot in their lineup. He skated in 5 games with them but failed to get on the scoring sheet and was loaned by the Flames to Hamilton Bulldogs.

Recently recalled and reassigned once again to Utah, he picked up where he left off scoring a goal in his first game back.

With the Bulldogs, he had 2 goals and 3 assists in 22 games and went a +1 plus/minus.

28Jan

John McCarthy(7) Worcester Sharks

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3rd year, San Jose Sharks‘ 7th round pick in the 2002 draft (#202 overall), center John McCarthy(7) received his first 3 game call-up to the NHL this season. He had no points. In 44 games with San Jose, most of them in 2010/2011, he  has a pair of goals and assists.

With the steady play of some of the other players that have been recalled from their AHL affiliate Worcester Sharks, he’s seemingly falling a bit off the club’s depth chart for the moment.

In all likelihood, he will be signed on for a fourth season in the system as his numbers in the minors indicate there still could be a break through for the 25-year old. He currently leads Worcester in scoring with 11 goals and 16 assists in 37 games.