Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins‘ left wing Luke McInnis(21) received his AHL contract right after draft club Carolina Hurricanes let his rights to sign expire.
He was selected in the 5th round of 2015 (#126 overall).
The massive 6’5″ 207 lbs. forward has yet to record a point in 12 games.
He left 4 years at Yale University Bulldogs with a college career high 7 goals and 5 assists for 12 points in a playoff cut short 2019/2020, and was definitely a decent scorer at prep school, especially in his final year, where he popped the sheet with 24 goals and 31 assists in only 28 games.
That’s great math.
It seems a little odd that the huge frame pivot and son of Kevin Stevens (874 NHL games, 329 goals, 397 assists) wouldn’t just sit in front of the net to pop in tallies, but it’s possible the 24-year old is still working on that in his game.
Utica Comets‘ rookie right wing Shawn Cameron(15) spent the first part of his pro career on reassignment to kind of cool ECHL affiliate Greenville Swamp Rabbits, where he pockets 3 goals and 4 assists in 13 games with a +7 rating to be on his way to a recall.
The solid 5’11” 195 lbs. forward came up early last month and has been basically in the lineup going forward, scoring a goal and 2 assists and even has a multi-point streak.
From Sherbrooke, QC, he did junior hockey in the CCHL closer to home before accepting an invitation to come to Rochester Institute Of Technology.
He spent four seasons with the team, leaving with a college career best 11 goals and 18 assists for 29 points with a +5 rating in a COVID busted the playoffs’ season.
The 25-year old will likely find another year where he is or another AHL contract elsewhere for his potential.
Former Northeastern University Huskies‘ 2018/2019 captain, defenseman Eric Williams(24) has bounced between a couple of ECHL squads in this COVID busted season.
He is currently with Indy Fuel and has an assist in 3 games, coming over from Greenville Swamp Rabbits, where in 20 appearances he had only a goal and 2 assists.
Initially signing with Norfolk Admirals and Cincinnati Cyclones for the current session, both unfortunately opted out due to restrictions caused by the pandemic.
The decently sized 6’1″ 200 lbs. blue liner had a more effective campaign as a rookie with Utah Grizzlies, getting himself 7 tallies and 16 helpers, which completely outdid any numbers he produced through four years at college.
A Newmarket, ON native, he had a pair of spectacular showings in junior hockey up north in the OJHL with Aurora Tigers, twice capturing the title of most goals by a defenseman in the league.
Tough to say where the 25-year old will look next to play coming off a disappointing, tough to navigate year.
After 4 seasons with St. Lawrence University Saints, serving as team captain for the last two, defenseman Dylan Woolf(2) turns pro signing with Florida Everblades for what’s left of 2021, but there is a playoff run with this squad, he will definitely hope to be part of.
The 6’1″ 205 lbs. blue liner has never been known for his point totals, instead is more of a stay at home style, handing out punishment to offenders.
It’s likely a really good time for the former, 3 season Lincoln Stars‘ d-man to sign, as his college team had a very good run in the COVID broken 2020/2021.
The 25-year old MN native may find a good home down south but considering how this outing has gone, nothing is for certain.
While undrafted goalie, Michael Houser(32) didn’t go the college route after a single campaign with Des Moines Buccaneers in the USHL 2008/2009, and went the route of junior hockey joining London Knights of the OHL for three seasons before signing his only big league contract to Florida Panthers for 2012-2015.
The 6’1″ 185 lbs. net minder has mostly signed AHL deals with different clubs but somehow has always seemed to circle back to Cincinnati Cyclones of the ECHL, where he’s appeared in a jaw-dropping 149 games for the double A club.
He scored his first major contract in 6 years with Buffalo Sabres after being voted Goaltender Of The Year in 2019/2020 with the Cyclones while under contract to their affiliate Rochester Americans, and maybe would have returned to the team, if they hadn’t needed to opt out due to the COVID restrictions of 2020/2021.
Although he didn’t start a minor league game this season, he was summoned to the taxi squad and for a team that just about couldn’t sink any lower, the 28-years old, Youngstown, OH native scores his first NHL start, wins it with a third period comeback, gets the nod in net for a 2nd straight game and picks up a 2nd victory in the shootout.
This is 2020/2021’s best hockey story right here.
Utah Grizzlies‘ undrafted rookie left wing Matt Hoover(72) is maybe having a bit of a quiet first run scoring 4 goals and 9 assists in 41 ECHL games on a team in a fight for a playoff berth.
It’s a little surprising, considering he was coming off three straight seasons of big numbers for college team, Canisius College Golden Griffins.
He finished with 47 goals and 52 assists in 148 NCAA Atlantic Hockey games.
The 5’10” 181 lbs. forward went north to the OJHL then lit up the BCHL for his junior hockey.
It will be interesting to see what’s next for the 25-year old, Peoria, IL native, but we get the sense he may be just getting situated.
Rookie right wing Steenn Pasichnuk(80) probably just needed to hear San Jose Barracuda intended on playing hockey this season to make the decision to join the team after four years at Arizona State University Sun Devils.
He is a big 6’4″ 190 lbs. forward but never really lit it up on the scoresheet with his best season as a junior amassing all of 8 points (2-6).
It’s not always been like that.
Through three campaigns of AJHL play with Bonnyville Pontiacs, the year in which he committed was looking to be a huge leap for him scoring 19 goals and dishing out 30 assists as 2nd year captain.
He’s actually shown lots of ability to score through U15 and U18 play.
Reassigned for his debut to Allen Americans of the ECHL, maybe to just get him some games immediately, he was unable to connect before being recalled a second month into a delayed AHL start and what do you know, he connects for his first pro goal in his third game, then adds a 2nd a night later.
We think that if the 24-year old can get himself situated, he’ll be an asset up front for any team but will always need to work for it.
Manitoba Moose left wing Jeff Malott(39) is lighting up the AHL as a rookie with 11 goals and 4 assists in 22 games with a +6 rating.
The former four year Cornell University Big Red captain is completely outpacing what he was able to produce at college, which was exactly 6 goals in each of his seasons.
At 6’4″ 205 lbs. he’s a very large on-ice presence committed to school just before producing his best offensive output with Brooks Bandits of the AJHL.
In his 2nd frame of junior hockey the Burlington, ON native scored 25 goals and 35 assists for 60 points in just 46 games.
After a breakout fourth year at Lake Superior State University, Latvian-born goaltender Mareks Mitens(1) signs an ato with Binghamton Devils as his team finishes up, getting bounced in the opening round by the eventual champs.
The 6’1″ 195 lbs. net minder ran up a 14-6-3 record last season with a 1.96 GAA and .930 SV%.
He had a similar, even better run in his only season of junior hockey in America with Aston Rebels, where he posted a 1.63 GAA and .925 SV% and was voted NAHL MVP.
The 23-year old got his first AHL start and came out it on the winning end of a 6-3 game.
No doubt he probably wants to shut that done more but we’re saying he’s making room for a little time to adjust.
Former four year University Of Connecticut Huskies‘ defenseman Wyatt Newpower(40) signed a one-year deal with Cleveland Monsters soon after it was apparent the 2019/2020 season was grinding to a halt on a senior run that saw tie his two-time 3 goal mark and gain a new best 19 assists and 22 points with an outstanding +23 rating.
The pretty big 6’3″ 194 lbs. blue liner committed to college straight from high school.
In 10 AHL games he has his first pro goal and 4 assists with a +5 rating.
It’s definitely quite possible he gets scouted for a contact with the parent club, Columbus Blue Jackets.
