Abbotsford Heat | CollegeHockeyPlayers

21Jul

Brendan Mikkelson (26)

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8th year defenseman Brendan Mikkelson(26) signs with his 4th NHL team for the 2013/2014 season, inking a one-year two-way deal with Pittsburgh Penguins that will likely see him added as a veteran presence with their minor league affiliate Wilkes Barre/Scranton Penguins to help with the squad of younger players in the system.

He’s skated in 131 NHL games scoring just 1 goal and 9 assists.

In 196 AHL games with 5 different teams those numbers tick upwards slightly to 18 goals and 48 assists but the large 6’3″ 210 lbs. d-man has never been noted for his offense production.

Almost ironically though he did strike for 4 goals and 3 assists in 17 contests for Västerås in Allsvenskan, the 2nd tier Swedish league during the lockout last season.

The blue liner only just turned 26-years old.

He was a part of the Syracuse Crunch team that went to the 2013 Calder Cup Finals but still seems to have untapped potential that no club has been able to locate.

Originally an Anaheim Ducks‘ 2nd round pick in the 2005 draft (#31 overall), if it doesn’t work out he would likely have a good ride playing the remainder of his pro career overseas.

22May

Peter Merth(4) WBS Penguins

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3rd year, undrafted defenseman Peter Merth(4) has seemed to enjoy his playing time in the pros with Wheeling Nailers. He signed three successive one-year deals to stay with the club.

He’s also received AHL call-ups for the past couple of seasons and training camp invites from Adirondack Phantoms and Abbotsford Heat.

The sturdy 6’3″ 225 lbs. d-man had season bests in 2012/2013 for assists (16) and points (17) but surprisingly only received one pto deal with Hamilton Bulldogs for 7 games. He fared better the previous year appearing in 11 contests with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, connecting for a pair of helpers and was with them through a winning streak.

With 167 ECHL games to his credit, he has scored 5 goals and 36 assists with a mammoth +24 rating and not a lot of unnecessary time in the sin bin.

The 26-year old was recently brought back up to rejoin WBS Penguins’ Calder Cup run as their defense corps became depleted with injuries.

He was inserted into the lineup at exactly the right time, as the team was down 3-0 in the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals but made a comeback charge to tie the series at 3 apiece going into a decisive game 7.

He has one assist and a +2 plus/minus in the three contests he’s suited up for.

Seems likely that he’ll make a more permanent jump to the higher league in 2013/2014.

02Apr

Mark Cundari(15) Calgary Flames

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3rd year undrafted defenseman Mark Cundari(15) was a key component in a trade deadline deal that saw him move from St. Louis Blues‘ system to Calgary Flames.

He was chosen to appear in the 2013 AHL All-Star Game, where he had one assist to help the Western Conference to a 7-6 win, in what has been his breakout campaign.

He’s appeared in 172 minor league contests scoring 10 goals and 59 assists, all with Peoria Rivermen.

The under-sized 5’9″ but solid as a rock, 200 lbs. agitator defenseman has yet to make his NHL debut but could net a recall from farm team, Abbotsford Heat before the current season wraps up.

He won back-to-back OHL and Memorial Cup titles in juniors with Windsor Spitfires.

The soon-to-be 23 year old is in the final season of his 3-year entry level deal and scheduled to become a restricted free agent as the end of 2012/2013.

As the Flames are rebuilding a more youthful future, he will undoubtedly be qualified with a contract extension.

04Feb

David van der Gulick(7) Colorado Avalanche

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7th year left wing David van der Gulik(7) has received NHL call-ups in his last three pro seasons through his current team of contract, Colorado Avalanche. He also played 6 games for Calgary Flames, who picked him deep in the 7th round of the 2002 draft (#206 overall).

In 38 games he’s managed to connect for a pair of goals and 9 assists and skated in a career high 25 big league contests last season.

Although not an overly large player, at 5’11” 185 lbs. he has always managed to stay accountable on ice with a +7 rating.

He’s signed to a one-year, two-way deal, his third with the Avalanche; and at 29-years old his game continues to show improvement and there’s little reason to think that they will let him slide to another team anytime soon.

In 39 AHL games this season with affiliate Lake Erie Monsters he has 12 goals and 13 assists. He has 463 total regular season and playoff games to his credit, scoring 107 times and dishing 143 helpers.

He recently got his first recall of the lockout shortened campaign and once again had valuable contributions in the 3-1 despite playing only 7 minutes and 31 seconds. With injuries seemingly piling up, he could be in for an extended stay.

11Jan

Mark Mitera(17) Reading Royals

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Anaheim Ducks‘ former 1st round pick in the 2006 draft (#19 overall) defenseman Mark Mitera(17) must have been doing his own workouts with a wait and see attitude before finally signing with ECHL Reading Royals for the remainder of the 2012/2013. He did have a tryout agreement with St. John’s IceCaps that fizzled.

His three year entry level deal was up at the end of last season. He finished with 75 games for Hamilton Bulldogs after being traded to parent club Montreal Canadiens early at the start of free agency in 2011.

At 6’3″ 213 lbs. he figured to be a bruising blue liner that simply beat his opponents into submission once he turned pro after four big years playing college hockey but that has yet to be realized.

Signing with the affiliate of AHL Hershey Bears could be a smart move for the 25-year old as chances are reasonable that he’ll receive a call-up with them, or he’ll sign a pto elsewhere as soon as post-lockout hockey begins to unfold and settle.

28Dec

Hugh Jessiman(19) Binghamton Senators

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8th year, former New York Rangers‘ 1st round pick in the 2003 draft (#12 overall), gigantic right winger Hugh Jessiman(19) signed a one-year, two-way deal with Ottawa Senators for the 2012/2013 season.

He (and every other eligible player) was reassigned to their AHL affiliate Binghamton Senators to start the new campaign.

The 6’5″ 233 lbs. mammoth has only ever skated in a pair of NHL games a couple of seasons ago with Florida Panthers.

He’s played 455 AHL regular season games with 7 different teams and last season posted a career high 27 goals and 44 points with Lake Erie Monsters and Abbotsford Heat.

By all accounts he should be a power forward that is impossible to move from the front of the net and a consistent 20+ goals, 20+ helpers forward.

In 25 games so far this season the 28-year old has 6 goals and 4 assists.

28Sep

Russ Sinkewich(32) Alaska Aces

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5th year, undrafted big guy (6’3″ 202 lbs.) defenseman Russ Sinkewich(32) signed on for a third season with Alaska Aces of the ECHL.

His time with the team last year was limited to only 23 regular season games as he was recalled on two separate occasions: first by Abbotsford Heat for 21 games, then Bridgeport Sound Tigers rang him up in late February and signed him to an spc out of the gate. He only skated in 8 AHL games but was also watching from the cheap seats for a lot of that call-up.

The 27-year old may spend the duration of 2012/2013 with one ECHL team, like he did with Johnstown Chiefs in his sophomore campaign, mainly due to the glut of players occupying the higher league.

He has skated AHL games in each of his pro seasons including 10 games for Lake Erie Monsters and Milwaukee Admirals after leaving his college team early in his final year. He eventually signed to a two-way AHL/ECHL deal with the latter for his 2nd season.

22Sep

Ryley Grantham(16) Allen Americans

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4th year right wing Ryley Grantham(16) was not qualified by Calgary Flames when his 3-year entry level deal was up. He was originally their 6th round pick in the 2008 draft (#168 overall).

In the final season of his contract, he was skating mostly with Gwinnett Gladiators of the ECHL before being reassigned in a minor swap with Chicago Express.

The 6’4″ 210 lbs. bruiser played 89 AHL games with Abbotsford Heat and put up a pretty hefty 163 penalty minutes in 67 games of his rookie season. He only minimally hit the scoresheet with a goal and 3 assists.

In an interesting lock out move, the 24-year old signed a contract to play in the Central Hockey League with Allen Americans for 2012/2013. While with them he should really look to pick up his offensive game; put more points than pims on the scoresheet.

04Sep

Bobby Robins(21) Providence Bruins

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Undrafted 7th year center Bobby Robins(21) signed his first AHL contract since his rookie season with Binghamton Senators by re-upping for a full campaign with Providence Bruins, the team he spent 33 games with in 2011/2012. He was originally recalled from the ECHL, signed to a pto and upped to an spc as he continue to stick with the team.

The stat that pops out from his sheet is penalty minutes. He ended the regular season with 150 pims. That’s 3 games shy of a five minute (fighting) major per game. His actual number of incidents was more like 20 though, good enough for a three-way tie for 3rd in the league. It’s likely that he accomplished his feat in lesser contests than the other players did, which is a key reason why the P-Bruins found it necessary to get him under contract before the new season starts.

The knock on the team the last few years of postseason drought has been how undersized they were. This, at the very least, gives them 6’1″ 220 lbs. of protection out on the ice. The almost 31-year old also had a pair of goals and 10 assists (a career high) and we’d expect that number to go up too.

26Aug

Tyler Ruegsegger(7) Alaska Aces

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Originally a Toronto Maple Leafs‘ 6th round pick in the 2006 draft (#166 overall), center Tyler Ruegsegger(7) was suppose to figure in the team’s future plans based on his stats leading up to his selection and then later with his excellent play in the last year of his college career.

Somewhere along the line though something happened because he didn’t sign to start his rookie season until late October of 2010; and that was with Utah Grizzlies of the ECHL.

From there he gets traded to Alaska Aces, but in the final month of his first year the then 23-year old gets his first AHL called-up by Abbotsford Heat. scoring 1 goal and 4 assists in 12 games. He was returned to the Aces just in time to help them win the 2011 Kelly Cup.

In a surprising move for his second campaign, the 6′ 195 lbs. forward re-signed with the Aces to continue with the team for 2011/2012. Once again, he was recalled: first by Bridgeport Sound Tigers, then the Heat for a second run.

If he wasn’t accidentally clocked in the face by a one-timer in practice, it’s speculated that he could have played his first Calder Cup Playoff games or participated in another playoff run with the Aces.

For the upcoming 2012/2013 season, the now 25-year old re-signs for his third go with Alaska.

In 105 ECHL games he has 29 shots on goal into the net and assisted on another 25. Will this be his breakout year?