Category: NHL Draft Pick

27Sep

Alex Stalock (32)

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13th year goaltender Alex Stalock(32) sees his career come full circle as he returns to 2005 draft team San Jose Sharks  (4th round, #112 overall) in a trade to have him back.

He was tending net with infrequency for Edmonton Oilers‘ affiliate Bakersfield Condors and existed on the team’s taxi squad last season after being picked up on waivers from 3 years with Minnesota Wild.

The 5’11” 170 lbs. net minder has appeared in 151 NHL games with a 61-48-18 record and 2.61 GA, .909 SV%.

He is a former USHL junior hockey Clark Cup Champion, playoff MVP, best SV% and Goaltender Of The Year recipient.

The 34-year old, 3-year University Of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs is likely just a little happy to return to where it all started.

As an unrestricted free agent, he heads to Chicago Blackhawks for 2022/2023 on a 1-way deal to help them shore up their crease.

He would actually play 27 games, striking a 9-15-2 with not terrible stats on a non-playoff team, but he unrestricted and signs a 1-year, 2-way deal with the rebuilding Anaheim Ducks for 2023/2024.

San Diego Gulls enjoy his presence for 15 games last season and now at age 37, it’s time for him to announce his retirement and he will immediately take that winning personality of his to the Sharks‘ broadcast booth, starting 2024/2025.

16Sep

Benton Maass (11) with video feature: 1-question interview

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Washington Capitals‘ 6th round pick in the 2017 draft (#182 overall) defenseman Benton Maass(11) goes from a four-year skate for University Of New Hampshire Wildcats to a fifth year of eligibility, playing close to home on the start of a graduate degree with Minnesota State University Mavericks.

Although maybe not the biggest point-getter on the ice, the 6’2″ 205 lbs. blue liner did manage 23 assists as a senior at the hometown Elk River High in 25 USHS-MN games and 13 helpers at a freshman as his new college.

He also had 16 points (a high of 7 tallies and 9 assists) in 26 NAHL games, when he arrived at Fairbanks Ice Dogs upon completing high school.

It’s all happened fairly quickly for the 22-year old but the player who’s been in three NHL development camps looks ready at every turn.

As he finishes up, his 5th college season, he signs an ato with affiliate Hershey Bears and will join them for the remainder of the AHL frame.

Almost oddly, he plays only 2 games with his contract club, getting 1 assist and a +2 rating and is reassigned to affiliate South Carolina Stingrays, where he gets 4 goals and 7 assists in 55 ECHL games with a +13 rating.

His play is good enough to earn a continued look in Chocolatetown.

In his 2nd frame further down south, he scores a new career best 8 goals and 19 assists in 64 games with a +17 rating, so things are looking up.

Something is amiss though, as he decides to accept an assistant coach role at Lindenwood University Lions for 2024/2025, changing the role he will play in pro hockey.

11Sep

Garrett Metcalf (39)

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Undrafted rookie net minder Garrett Metcalf(39) originally signed on with Knoxville Ice Bears to start his pro career in the SPHL, but within a week off that occurring his home town Utah Grizzlies had a better offer ready.

After graduating from his third school on record, Long Island University Sharks, he would go 4-4 in his first ECHL stint with a 2.33 GAA and .915 SV%.

These stats proved good enough for them to offer the 6’4″ 195 lbs., former Anaheim Ducks‘ 6th round pick in the 2015 draft (#179 overall), now unrestricted free agent a 1-year deal to return to the crease.

The 25-year old 1st commit to UMASS-Lowell Riverhawks for only 1 year of little usage before pushing off to Mercyhurst University Lakers for 2 for the Salt Lake City, NV native, who will definitely help his team win games.

After going 2-2-1 for his new club with an outstanding 1.84 GAA and .932 SV%, he gets the nod from Lehigh Valley Phantoms and in his AHL debut gets a 2-1 win in overtime with 25 saves, posting a 0.99 GAA and .962 SV%.

He will return to Maverik Center his home state again for 2022/2023, the team he’s spent most of his time with since graduating college.

It will be little surprise to see him compete for the starter’s job.

For 2023/2024, the parent club of the team he spent most of last session with Colorado Eagles sign him to a contract.

He would head back to Utah to start the current frame, but through 4 games it is determined he should have dual hip replacement surgery (we can’t even imagine), so that will wrap up a very short-lived career, but what he turns it into next will be something to watch.

Looks like he is heading back to LIU Sharks and will jump behind the bench as an assistant coach, starting 2024/2025.

02Sep

Graham McPhee (27)

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Edmonton Oilers‘ 6th round pick in the 2016 draft (#149 overall) left wing Graham McPhee(27) signed a minor league contract with affiliate Bakersfield Condors to start his rookie season.

He originally left to start overseas with Vienna Capitals of the ICEHL, where he played 21 games scoring 2 goals and 3 assists with a +1 rating.

The seems bigger than 6′ 189 lbs. forward started as the AHL 2021 began but was only able to break what was a tough lineup to crack in hunt of a playoff berth for 3 games (no points).

Although he has never been the biggest scorer through two years of juniors with the USNTDP and four years at Boston College Eagles, where his best effort was as a sophomore tallying 12 goals and 12 helpers in 36 NCAA Hockey East games.

It seems like the still super young 22-year old, kid of Vegas Golden Knights’ President Of Hockey Operations, George McPhee, is looking for a breakout moment that seems to be right on the edge of happening.

The recently turned 23-year old re-signs to stay in Southern California and in the system of the team he was selected by.

In a new best 5 games, he doesn’t have any points, but it really seems like once he can strike, he will continue to, but needs that breakthrough.

He would finish 2021/2022 with 5 goals and 6 assists in 33 games with a +5 rating to earn an invite to return to the CA team.

As we near the almost end point and trade deadline for 2023, he seem to just be floundering where he was, so gets dealt to Belleville Senators, where he will need a new deal at the end of the year, but looks to be wanted.

After 14 games, recording only 1 assist, the Senators think he can contribute, so bring him back for the full 2023/2024 session.

He isn’t exactly putting up points in the league, but when was assigned to the ECHL for 3 games, had 3 assists.

For 2024/2025, he signs with Savannah Ghost Pirates to see he can activate his game.

02Sep

Stiven Sardarian (7)

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University Of New Hampshire Wildcats‘ Russian-born, sophomore center Stiven Sardarian(7) enters the transfer portal and will take his game to Michigan Tech University Wildcats for his junior frame, 2024/2025.

The 6’1″ 160 lbs. forward scored a college best 7 goals and 7 assists in 32 games last season.

He came over after 1 season of junior hockey back home to play 1 USHL year before commiting to school.

The 21-year old Buffalo Sabres‘ 3rd round pick in the 2021 draft (#88 overall) may show an uptick in his game at his new home for hockey.

01Sep

Matt Donovan (46)

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12th year defenseman Matt Donovan(46) will for a 3rd time take his game overseas, but this time signs for 2022/2023 with Adler Mannheim of DEL.

He twice played for SHL teams, Frölunda HC and HV71.

The former 2-year University Of Denver Pioneers‘ d-man was a New York Islanders‘ 4th round pick in the 2008 draft (#96 overall) and was in that system to start his pro career for 4 seasons.

At 6’1″ 205 lbs., he has skated 69 NHL games.

The 32-year old from of all places, Edmond, OK is likely happy to be still playing at a good level.

He actually does fairly well in German’s top league, scoring 8 goals and 15 assists with a +7 rating in 47 games, then added another 8 helpers in 12 playoff matchups.

For 2023/2024, he decides to come on and sign an AHL deal with Chicago Wolves, which makes a lot of sense.

He records 39 assists in 69 games and that will do it: 69 games in the big league, 524 in the lower league with 232 assists to his credit, 13 years of pro hockey and very quickly Nashville Predators sign him up to be an assistant coach with a team he spent 3 years with, affiliate Milwaukee Admirals.

Smart move.

17Aug

Nikita Nesterenko (62)

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Anaheim Ducks recently acquired Minnesota Wild 6th round pick in the 2019 draft (#172 overall), Boston College Eagles‘ junior center Nikita Nesterenko(62) gets a 2-year NHL entry level deal to leave school a year early to come skate pro.

The 6’2″ 183 lbs. forward had a college career best 13 goals and 21 assists in 36 games that last through the 2nd round of Hockey East tournament.

He gets to skate a first big league game, going 17 shifts for 13:06 of ice time with 4 shots on net and left a 4-1 loss with a -1 rating.

Only 21-years old from Brooklyn, NY there is time for him to develop, but he may be ready to play at the highest level.

He reports to affiliate San Diego Gulls and helps them win games with 16 goals and 21 assists in 70 games and a +6 rating.

Little thought to invite him back to see what more he has to accomplish.

13Aug

Steven Fogarty (29)

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Minnesota Wild 7th year center Steven Fogarty(29) signed a 2-year deal to come “home” as he is a native of right up the road, Edina, MN.

He has managed to skate NHL games in the last 6 seasons, but only scored 1 goal and 2 assists with Buffalo Sabres.

The 6’3″ 205 lbs. former New York Rangers‘ 3rd round pick in the 2011 draft (#72 overall), he off to a nice start with affiliate Iowa Wild, scoring 5 goals and 9 assists in 20 AHL games with a +7 rating.

A 2-year captain at University Of Notre Dame Fighting Irish, the 29-year old always looks to be a leader in the locker room.

After his 8th pro season, 464 AHL games, 31 NHL and the all important 1st goal and 150 NCAA, he decides that’s enough and call it quits.

We could see him starting to coach somewhere this season.

12Aug

Jack Dougherty (5)

Posted in College Hockey Player, Europe, Juniors, Minor League Deal, NHL Draft Pick | Leave a comment

6th year defenseman Jack Dougherty(5) heads back to Belleville Senators after only 1 AHL game with Providence Bruins.

He has signed with that team twice previous with decent enough results to stick.

The 6’1″ 211 lbs. blue liner was originally a Nashville Predators‘ 2nd round pick in the 2014 draft (#51 overall) selected after a solid USNTDP showing, then only one year at University Of Wisconsin Badgers before bolting to put up 41 assists with Portland Winterhawks.

He spent two years in the system before getting dished to Buffalo Sabres to play out his entry level deal.

It wouldn’t be entirely out of the possibility that soon the 25-year old from St. Paul, MN looks overseas for something a little more lucrative.

He has a pair of tough seasons through the COVID shuffle, but decides to stick around and signs his 1st ECHL deal with Orlando Solar Bears for 2022/2023.

This will likely be a very good decision for the now 26-year old.

He actually leaves for DEL near the end of this session, then signs with Nurnberg Ice Tigers for 2023/2024.

Doing just ok wasn’t good enough, so he takes his game to IceHL for 2024/2025, signing with Vienna Capitals, which should equal a lot of fun for him.