Florida Panthers‘ 3rd year center Chase Balisy(50) signed a one-year two-way extension as restricted free agency approached.
He put up a career high 17 goals and and team leading 28 assists for 45 points in a full slate of 76 AHL games with a +4 rating on a non-playoff bound affiliate Springfield Thunderbirds.
The not exactly huge forward that works hard every time he’s on the ice has a power play and short-handed goal in the early going of 2017/2018.
His efforts earn him a first NHL recall.
He skated a healthy 16 shifts for a conservative 10:47 of total ice with 2 shots, 1 hit, 1 giveaway and 1 takeaway for a nicely rounded game in a. shootout loss.
The 25-year old should continue to excel in the minors but with some heavy lifting could find himself a spot up in the show on occasion.
Chase Balisy (13)
Florida Panthers step in offering 2nd year center Chase Balisy(2) a 2-year entry level deal, which will likely have him starting with new minor league affiliate Portland Pirates.
He finished his first season with a team high 21 goals and second 44 points and will definitely need to continue working hard to get on the radar for a call-up but it’s definitely attainable.
Chase Balisy(13) Portland Pirates
Winnipeg Jets invited unrestricted free agent left wing Chase Balisy(13) to their training camps after encouraging him to sign a minor league deal with affiliate St. John’s IceCaps.
Originally a Nashville Predators‘ 6th round pick in the 2011 draft (#170 overall), he was left unsigned and free to roam after a successful 4-year campaign with Western Michigan University, where he was captain in his senior year and won the 2012 NCAA/CCHA Championship.
The 5’11” 180 lbs. forward is having an eye-opening rookie campaign.
After being a healthy scratch to start the season, in 56 AHL games he is tied on the team for second with 14 goals, his 19 assists has him sitting at third and is also third with 33 points, which has him very much in the lead for as the top scorer amongst first year players.
The irony of his stats is he is close to surpassing the numbers he put up in a single season in college and already better than his two in US juniors.
He has also done it without unloading a whole lot of shots on net, only 82.
The recently turned 23-year old California native is putting himself into a position where the parent club has to give him a look for an entry level contract.
He’s easily well-deserving of one.