New York Rangers‘ 4th round pick in the 2014 draft (#118 overall) 5th year Russian-born goaltender Igor Shesterkin(31) is earning his keep guarding the cage for affiliate Hartford Wolf Pack going 7-2-3-1 with a tied for third best in the league 2.06 GAA and .927 SV% in 12 AHL games.
The 6’2″ 182 lbs. backstop has played KHL games going back as far as the 2013/2014 season with Spartak Moskva.
He would play a few games in both leagues in the next session but officially turned pro a couple seasons later with 25 games for SKA-Neva St. Petersburg posting a VHL best 1.19 GAA and .954 SV%.
Parent club SKA St. Petersburg also recalled him for 7 games and he was even given Goaltender Of The Week honors.
In his next season, it’s hard to believe his 1.64 GAA and .934 SV% weren’t tops but he did win the 2017 Gagarin Cup with his club.
He next put up another solid outing while also winning Olympic gold with Team Russia and then in 2018/2019 before coming over had a 2nd time league leading 1.11 GAA and .953 SV%.
The already 23-year old looks to be the future of the net for the Blueshirts.
Boston Bruins‘ 6th year net minder Max Lagace(33) signed a 1-year 2-way deal on the opening day of unrestricted free agency to become a third spoke in the Black n’ Gold crease.
He has been putting up career numbers for affiliate Providence Bruins.
The 6’2″ 190 lbs. back stop has an 8-2-2 record in 13 AHL games with already 4 shutouts and a 2.17 GAA and .930 SV%.
It hasn’t always been smooth sailing for the backstop as he started his pro career through 28 ECHL games on reassignment to Bakersfield Condors and Kansas City Mavericks.
Undrafted he signed a three year entry level deal with Dallas Stars after less than spectacular QMJHL seasons with 4 different clubs but mostly with Prince Edward Island Rocket.
He somehow managed though and found himself as the number 1 for main affiliate Texas Stars by the start of his sophomore campaign, would sign a one-year extension as a first restricted free agency approached and play a full AHL season.
His status entering the next contract was that of an unrestricted group 6 free agent and it was decided to leave him unqualified, which was good news to Vegas Golden Knights, who signed him on the opening day of free agency.
Very likely he was getting comfortable tending the cage for affiliate Chicago Wolves but less than a month in the parent club found themselves with two injured goalies and needed help.
He would be recalled and ended up appearing in 16 NHL games throughout the season posting a 6-7-1 record with a 3.91 GAA and .867 SV% but it wouldn’t end there as he was re-signed a played one more game in the big league and posted career best stats in the minors.
The still young 26-year old could get the nod in net for another shot, especially if one of the top two go down long term.
Toronto Maple Leafs‘ 1st round pick in the 2018 draft (#29 overall), Swedish-born sophomore defenseman Rasmus Sandin(8) started the new season on the big club’s roster playing his first 6 NHL games grabbing a pair of assists skating decent time before being reassigned to affiliate Toronto Marlies.
In 11 AHL games since his return he’s scored two goals and 7 assists with a +1 rating.
The 5’11” 183 lbs. blue liner is in the first year of his entry level deal getting a slide last season.
He scored 6 goals and 22 assists in 44 games as a rookie but was a bit of a bad -10 rating but picked it up with 10 assists in 13 Calder Cup playoff games.
Originally coming across after skating 5 games for Rogle BK of the SHL he joined Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds for the remainder of 2017/2018 before officially turning pro.
The 19-year old is signed through 2022, so does have some time to continue to grow his game.
New York Islanders‘ 16th year left wing Andrew Ladd(16) was reassigned to affiliate Bridgeport Sound Tigers on a long-term conditioning loan.
He played a pair of AHL games last season but hadn’t made an appearance in the league since 2006/2007 with Albany River Rats, when he was under contract with draft club Carolina Hurricanes (round 1, 2004, #4 overall).
The only other stint in the lower league he ever had was splitting time between Lowell Lock Monsters and the big club as a rookie.
Otherwise, the big 6’3″ 192 lbs. forward has skated 946 NHL games and we’re sure wants to get back to 100% and back up in the show to pursue 1000 asap.
He has been a team captain with Winnipeg Jets and Atlanta Thrashers and was an assist captain for the past few seasons on the Isle.
The 33-year old looks like he wants to continue to play but the former Calgary Hitmen standout knows there’s a clock.
Boston Bruins‘ 8th year defenseman Alex Petrovic(6) was signed to a one-year two-way deal on a successful tryout as the new session was about to begin to bolster their blue line after spending all but 9 games last season with draft club Florida Panthers (2nd round, 2010, #36 overall).
He was actually traded to hometown Edmonton Oilers before the new year started but was basically a healthy scratch for most of his time there.
A mostly stay-at-home d-man he has played 263 NHL games with only 5 goals but a pretty good 45 assists.
The 6’4″ 209 lbs. big man had 50 assists in his third year with Red Deer Rebels and another 36 in his final WHL session before turning pro.
At 27-years old, he has been playing for affiliate Providence Bruins (his first return to the AHL since 2014/2015) and has a very solid 2 goals and 13 assists in 19 games.
He could score a recall for a few games in the current calendar but it looks like he’ll leave for some other hockey overseas for his next move.
Pittsburgh Penguins‘ rookie defenseman Pierre-Olivier Joseph(57) was a part of a trade that brought him to the team after finishing up his final season with Drummondville Voltigeurs of the QMJHL.
Originally an Arizona Coyotes‘ 1st round pick in the 2017 draft (#23 overall), he three times amassed 30+ assists in juniors.
On reassignment to affiliate Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, he only has one assist in 8 AHL games but always plays hard and should see points start to appear on the scoresheet.
The 20-year old is only in the first year of his entry level deal but has been under contract since chosen and on slides before it kicked in for the current session, so is signed through 2022.
His older brother, Mathieu Joseph(7) is a Tampa Bay Lightning prospect and while he may not get his 1st NHL recall this season, he can’t be far off.
Washington Capitals‘ undrafted 2nd year left wing Beck Malenstyn(47) earns a 1st NHL recall and skates a pair of games recording no points but 4 shots, 2 hits, 1 takeaway and 1 shot block through 10 minutes of ice time in a pair of oddball losses.
The 6’3″ 200 lbs. forward has mostly been playing for affiliate Hershey Bears, where this season he has 3 goals and 3 assists in 18 AHL games.
He spent his entire first season in the minors getting 7 goals and 9 assists in 74 games with a 0 rating and also had decent penalty minutes with a couple of fights in the mix, so has the ability to add that dynamic to a game.
The former 2018 WHL Champion after a trade sent him from long-time team Calgary Hitmen to Swift Current Broncos is in the 2nd year of his entry level deal.
At just 21-year old, it seems like he has time to continue the development but we do wonder what role he will be looked upon to play.
Ottawa Senators‘ 5th round pick in the 2016 (#133 overall) 3rd year defenseman Max Lajoie(58) played the majority of his sophomore season with the big club skating 56 NHL games getting 7 goals and 6 assists (including a 1st goal and an assist in his debut) but was a very woeful -25 rating on a last place club.
He also played 56 AHL games in his rookie season scoring a goal and 14 assists and was also reassigned further down to Brampton Beast for a single ECHL appearance.
Recently recalled for his first game of 2019/2020 in the big league he played 18 shifts for 9:44 ice time with 1 shot, 1 hit and 1 shot block and was part of a 4-1 victory.
He was twice a 30+ assist guy for Swift Current Broncos of the WHL and reached 29 helpers in the other year, so definitely knows how to head man the puck.
The just turned 22-year old is only in the second season of his entry level deal, as he had two slides entering into the terms of the contract.
It seems like he should play his way into sticking at the higher level on a more permanent basis.
Tampa Bay Lightning‘ undrafted 2nd year center Alex Barre-Boulet(12) is back at it with affiliate Syracuse Crunch grabbing 8 goals and 7 assists in 18 AHL games, which ties him for the early team lead in scoring.
The small-ish 5’9″ 172 lbs. forward led the league last season in goals (34) for a single player and a rookie, most points as a first year player and was voted Rookie Of The Year (Red Garrett Memorial Award).
He was more than a point-per-game in the last three campaigns of junior hockey with Drummondville Voltigeurs and Blainville-Boisbriand Armada of the QMJHL but in his last year had almost an assists-per-outing and two points in each amassing 53-63-116 in 65 games.
The 22-year still has another year left in his entry level deal before he is set to become a restricted free agent but more immediate would be his 1st NHL recall, which seems imminent.
Undrafted 6th year defenseman Alex Gudbranson(24) renewed his contract for a third season with Toronto Marlies but had his season sidelined for a bit with an injury suffered in Toronto Maple Leafs‘ training camp.
Originally signed by Minnesota Wild to a three year entry level deal, he spent his rookie season with affiliate Iowa Wild but was sent further down for his next two seasons to Quad City Mallards before being loaned north at the end of 2016/2017.
The very big 6’2″ 229 lbs. blue liner played most of his first season with his new club reassigned to Orlando Solar Bears and in the next frame to Newfoundland Growlers, where he was an integral part of their 2019 Kelly Cup Championship as a 1st year team.
At 25-years old he will likely seek out some better hockey overseas for his next adventure.
