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.
Knoxville Ice Bears‘ rookie forward Mike Gornall(13) got his feet wet immediately scoring a goal in his debut with his new team but was somewhat unceremoniously put on waivers after his 5th game.
It wasn’t much time before he signed a new contract with Macon Mayem. In 7 contests he only has one more tally.
He’s currently played 8 total SPHL games but has also has been suspended for 7 due to an on-ice incident.
Starting with two years at University Of North Dakota, and an NCAA Division 1 Championship as a freshman, he transferred to RPI to finish out his schooling and ended with career best 5 goals and 14 assists for 19 points.
The 5’11” 201 lbs. winger played two years of NAHL including one as captain of Topeka Roadrunners, where he amassed a tidy 15 goals and 33 assists.
If he can start striking with more consistency, he should gain notice at the higher level considering he was signed with Cincinnati Cyclones.
Undrafted, small (5’7″ 175 lbs.) center Odeen Tufto(29) was signed to a 1-year entry level deal, starting 2021/2022 by back-to-back Stanley Cup Champions Tampa Bay Lightning, after finishing up four super good seasons at Quinnipiac University Bobcats.
He was a 10 goal, 30+ assist guy in ECAC play, earning him awards for most assists 2020/2021 with 39 as team captain, Division Player Of The Year and a top 10 for Hobey Baker.
The Chaska, MN native basically has put up points everywhere he’s played: St. Thomas Academy USHS-MN and two campaigns of junior hockey, one in the BCHL and one for three different teams in the USHL.
He played 4 AHL games on an ato for affiliate Syracuse Crunch without scoring a point, but we feel once the 24-year old gets himself situated for a full run at a title, he’ll start to heat up.
Playing only 4 games up, he would spend most of his rookie season with Orlando Solar Bears, running up some points with 7 goals and 24 assists in 36 ECHL games that after not being qualified, he parlays to a new deal for 2022/2023 with Tuscon Roadrunners.
After no games with his contract club, he was eventually sent to Atlanta Gladiators for some playing time and in 12 games he turns over 3 goals and 4 assists, but is all set with his time in the minors here and agrees to see out the rest of 2023 with Krefeld Pinguine of DEL2.
