Florida Panthers‘ 5th year center Mike Sgarbossa(48) maybe had to question if he would see another chance to crack an NHL roster after an early season trade from Anaheim Ducks, where he spent the last pair of years, mostly with affiliate San Diego Gulls but also appeared in a career high 9 big league to start the current calendar.
The small-ish hard skating forward recorded a career high two assists before being dealt, then reassigned to the minors joining new farm squad Springfield Thunderbirds.
The 24-year old was really starting to make it pop after entering the new surroundings scoring 4 goals and 8 assists in 14 AHL contests and really seeming to control the play a lot better.
It’s paid off as he’s received a recall and already appeared in another 7 games pushing his new high up to 16 games skating lots of minutes but still looking to grab more points and his first goal.
He’s set to become a restricted free agent one more time and it would be a likely bet that they look to keep him around.
Mike Sgarbossa(43) Lake Erie Monsters
Undrafted Colorado Avalanche rookie center Mike Sgarbossa(43) is going to someday (maybe really soon) play in the NHL.
The promising pivot was originally acquired in a 6-player trade with San Jose Sharks before he ever took to the ice as a pro.
For now though, he’ll continue to put up points in the AHL with their minor league affiliate Lake Erie Monsters. The 5’11” 180 lbs forward (knock on his size?) has 14 goals and 18 assists in 36 games, tying him for first on the team.
In his last two seasons in juniors, he was virtually a two-point per game guy.
The almost 21-year old is signed with the ‘lanche through 2015 so there’s time to develop but his game might just be ready now.