Tagged: Allen Americans

14Jun

Greger Hanson(15) Allen Americans

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Greger-Hanson

4th year undrafted Swedish-born left wing Greger Hanson(15) has received his first pair of AHL call-ups this season. From his impressive play, he looks like he could easily find a spot on a roster in the league.

Signed for a second year with Allen Americans of the ECHL, he won the last Central Hockey League President’s Cup with the team in 2014.

He was a point-per-game skater in the playoffs and throughout the regular season, continuing that scoring pace in the current campaign with a +26 rating.

The not huge 5’10” 185 lbs. forward scored his first higher league goal on loan to Worcester Sharks, adding three assists and got another one through 3 games with Oklahoma City Barons.

For his first pro season he would return home to skate with Sodertalje of the second tier Allsvenskan after four years at Northern Michigan University putting up stellar numbers in his junior campaign.

The already 27-year old proven goal scorer may be running short of time to prove his game in North America but he’s easily right on the cusp of jumping up a notch on the hockey ladder.

Original story 3/18-15

For a second straight season he wins a title, this time it’s Allen Americans‘ first year in the ECHL for the 2015 Kelly Cup.

His 12 goals and 17 assists in 25 games earned him the Most Valuable Player award.

Will he head overseas next to collect some earnings that he should get or stick around. We shall see.

13Jun

Colton Yellow Horn(17) Orli Znojmo

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5th year, undrafted left wing Colton Yellow Horn(17) took a good season and a half to settle where he was going to play to start his pro career after a highly successful run in the WHL with Tri-City Americans, which he left as the leading goal scorer in his final year.

He headed for Austria but lasted less than a dozen games before returning to North America, signing with Elmira Jackals. He finished out his rookie season and started his sophomore campaign with the team but was traded to Stockton Thunder after only two games.

His time with the Thunder only last a couple more games than he did overseas and he was off to the Central Hockey League to try his hands with Allen Americans.

The small 5’9″ but wide 190 lbs. forward played for the next two years with Allen leading them in scoring with 88 points in 2010/2011 and was a combined +24 plus/minus.

Having basically accomplished everything he could in the lower double A league, the 25-year old stepped up and signed a one year deal with Ontario Reign of the ECHL.

In 48 games, he currently sits atop the scoring leaders with 58 points (36 goals and 22 assists) but that will have to wait as he received his first AHL call-up and signed a pto with Manchester Monarchs.

In his debut, he notched an assist in a 3-2 losing effort but more importantly looks like he can play in the league and have an impact at this level.

He may be pint-sized in relation to other players but he’s wide like Sergei Samsonov was during his lengthy playing career.

Original story: 2/11-13

He managed to finish the season in the AHL skating in 28 games and he even appeared in four playoff contests scoring 6 goals 12 assists with a +5 rating and added a goal and an assist in the postseason.

After having a career year, he decided to head back to where it started signing a year deal in Erste Bank Liga Austria with Szekesfehervar.

No doubt he would hit the score sheet often to the tune of 20 goals and 23 assists in 43 games.

In another move that had folks wondering, for 2013/2014 he went to play for Nippon Paper Cranes of the Asia League.

The 28-year old continues to make interesting decisions where to lace up his skates as he returns to Austria once again to play for Orli Znojmo.

Colton Yellow Horn

25Oct

Spencer Asuchak(23) Allen Americans

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Spencer AsuchukExceptionally large undrafted center Spencer Asuchak(23) spent his rookie season with Allen Americans eclipsing all his high point marks from 4 years of juniors in the WHL and one year of college before helping the team to win the Ray Miron’s Presidents Cup in the final season of the Central Hockey League.

For his sophomore campaign he got a surprise phone call offering him to join Boston Bruins‘ rookie camp and eventual training camps with the club and it’s minor league affiliate Providence Bruins.

The 6’5″ 220 lbs. forward scored a goal in preseason action but was released as they have a logjam of players signed.

He decided to return to Allen for another round as they moved up the hockey ladder merging with the ECHL for 2014/2015.

This isn’t his first experience in the league as he signed an ato with Ontario Reign and skated three games at the end of his time with Prince George Cougars. He recorded no points.

The still super-young 22-year old will very likely get another chance to show his might with a recall to P-Bruins or another AHL squad.

06Feb

Aaron Dell(29) Utah Grizzlies

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Aaron Dell

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Utah Grizzlies‘ undrafted 2nd year net minder Aaron Dell(29) is giving his team a chance to win games every time he’s between the pipes.

He was loaned on a pair of occasions to higher level clubs, Norfolk Admirals and Manchester Monarchs but has yet to appear in an AHL game.

The 6′ 209 lbs. goalie won the 2013 Central Hockey League President’s Trophy backstopping Allen Americans to their first title in his rookie season. It’s not even like he posted these amazing numbers during the regular season or in his 19 starts through the playoffs, but they were good enough to get the job done and win the 12 games necessary to capture the title.

He was also awarded goaltender of the year for his regular season play.

No stranger to awards, his college hockey team, University Of North Dakota won three straight NCAA (WCHA) titles.

This season since his return, the 24-year old has appeared in 18 games and posted a tidy 13-4 record with a 2.08 GAA and .920 SV%. He has the team positioned to run deep in the Kelly Cup Playoffs.

The 24-year old will likely continue his climb and find himself under contract the next rung up for the 2014/2015 season.

01Nov

Brett Skinner(24) Norfolk Admirals

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Brett Skinner

9th year veteran defenseman Brett Skinner(24) interestingly signed with the Central Hockey League Allen Americans, eventual President’s Cup winners, after returning from a couple of seasons overseas. Two years ago he ended up playing for teams in Germany, Finland and Sweden, but in the season before that one he played a full campaign in the KHL.

He put up some pretty impressive numbers in the lower league, skating 27 games, scoring 7 goals and 30 assists with a +4 rating.

Grand Rapids Griffins swooped in and signed him to a pto half way through 2012/2013. They upped that to a standard players contract in short order and their season culminated 100 games later as the 2013 Calder Cup Champs.

The 6’1″ 195 lbs. blue liner was originally a Vancouver Canucks‘ 3rd round pick in the 2002 draft (#68 overall) but only played a single year in their system before bouncing around with a few AHL teams until he signed in the off-season of 2008 with New York Islanders for a spell, played his only 11 NHL games with them. The next season he scored some fairly decent numbers reassigned to minor league affiliate Lake Erie Monsters while under contract with Colorado Avalanche.

Probably helped him get some decent money in Russia.

At 30 years old with his new team Norfolk Admirals, he already has three assists in 7 games. His AHL stats are pretty amazing at 369 games (and counting) 28 goals and 151 assists.

It’s all about the break out pass.

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.

 

 

20Jul

Marco Cousineau(31) Anaheim Ducks

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Anaheim Ducks go for another swim in the shallow pool with their 3rd round pick in the 2008 draft (#83 overall), goaltender Marco Cousineau(31). He signed a 3-year entry level deal midway through 2009/2010, but has only officially played in their system for the last two.

He was outstanding in his last two seasons in juniors and won the outstanding goaltender award in the 2009 Memorial Cup Tourney.

Maybe their continuing to bank on 6′ 200 lbs. net minder finding his pro game like he did when he was younger but in a couple of seasons, he’s mostly been limited to appearances with Elmira Jackals in the ECHL and Central Hockey League.

With the Allen Americans last year he played well winning 16 and losing 4 with a 2.53 GAA and a .918 SV%.

He’s still only 22 years old, so there’s plenty of room to grow but he has to be hoping he moves up the ladder and starts a bunch of AHL games in 2012/2013 with Norfolk Admirals.