Anaheim Ducks | CollegeHockeyPlayers

21Nov

Brad Staubitz(16) Toronto Marlies

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Undrafted 9th year tough guy, right wing Brad Staubitz(16) has a one-way NHL deal for 2013/2014, but has been unable to find his spot on a roster. Signed to a 2-year contract with Anaheim Ducks, he was only played sparingly in the lockout shortened season and landed south with Norfolk Admirals to start the new campaign.

Disgruntled there after 7 AHL games, he was traded in hopes of finding a new start in Toronto Maple Leafs‘ organization but might have the same problem, few openings in the lineup and was reassigned to Toronto Marlies.

Never a player to mark up the score sheet with points, the 6’1″ 207 lbs. forward has never shied away from the rough stuff, amassing more than 100 penalty minutes in virtually every season and is strictly looked at as a fourth line energy source for a team.

It’s maybe a bit doubtful that the rugged winger will find another home in the show unless he reinvents his game some going into camp next season and catches the attention of a team in need of an enforcer.

16Nov

David Steckel(39) Norfolk Admirals

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10th year center, former Los Angeles Kings‘ 1st round pick in the 2001 draft (#30 overall) center David Steckel(39) had to hang around for a little while before he found himself a deal for the 2013/2014 season.

He was invited to join Minnesota Wild training camp and eventually signed a pto to continue with their minor league affiliate Iowa Wild but was released after only 4 appearances.

Rumor has it he was fishing for a one-year, NHL deal and there was little room there for him to sign.

So, onto the next and he takes up Norfolk Admirals but inks an spc with the promise of signing with the parent club and team he last skated with, Anaheim Ducks.

He’s played 419 NHL games scoring 33 goals and 46 assists and lead the league in best faceoff percentage in 2010/2011, his last of 6 seasons with Washington Capitals.

The mammoth 6’6″ 215 lbs. forward is killer on the dot and it could be his ticket back to the show.

He scored a handsome two-way deal, was put on waivers and sent back to the AHL.

The 31-year old is a veteran of 219 games in the league with 56 goals, 60 assists and a pretty hefty +37 rating.

His last appearance in the A was Hershey Bears‘ deep playoff run in 2007.

It would be little surprise to see him leave for the KHL to finish out his pro career.

07Nov

Zack Stortini(26) Norfolk Admirals

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Mammoth 6’4″ 234 lbs., 9th year right wing Zack Stortini(26) is in familiar playing territory leading the AHL in penalty minutes with 66 and 8 fighting majors, currently skating for a good squad in Norfolk Admirals this season. In 12 games he also has a goal and an assist.

He signed a 1-year, 2-way contract with Anaheim Ducks for 2013/2014 early in free agency. He was coming off a pair of single campaigns with Hamilton Bulldogs and Nashville Predators, all but one game in the minors, after spending the first 6 years in Edmonton Oilers‘ system.

Originally an Oilers‘ 2003 3rd round pick (#94 overall), he appeared in 256 NHL games with the team scoring 14 goals and 27 assists while amassing 718 pims.

It may be a little late in the 28-year old’s pro career to change up his playing style, especially considering he looks poised to lead the league in time spent in the box and fisticuffs’ battles, but he has shown some skill to be a power forward.

He did put up a point in every other game through four years of OHL juniors and was captain for Sudbury Wolves in three of those years but also learned how to battle ferociously in his early playing days.

05Nov

Rickard Rakell(13) Anaheim Ducks

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Anaheim Ducks‘ 1st round pick in the 2011 draft (#30 overall), Swedish-born center Rickard Rakell(13) received his first recall to the parent club but was returned a few days later before he had the opportunity to appear in his first big league game.

He played another couple of AHL contests with affliate Norfolk Admirals, the team he started his rookie campaign with, before being reassigned up again and got the nod for his first NHL game in a close 2-1 win against New York Rangers.

The 6’1″ 192 lbs. forward skated 16 shifts for 14:02 of total ice time, won more than half his face-off draws and registered three shots on net.

He was a point-per-game player in three seasons of junior hockey with Plymouth Whalers and even was on the Ducks‘ roster for 4 games to start after the lockout but was returned to the OHL to continue his development.

The 20-year old is signed to a three-year entry level deal through 2016 and although he may split time between playing in the show and the minors in his first season, he will likely not be spending too much more time in Virginia.

29Oct

Andrew Ebbett (25)

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8th year undrafted left wing Andrew Ebbett(25) wasted no time in free agency signing a one-year, two-way deal to join Pittsburgh Penguins‘ system for a season.

In 8 AHL games with minor league affiliate Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins he already has a tidy 2 goals and 5 assists. He’s pretty much a point per game guy in the league at 78 goals and 165 assists in 254 games, now skating with his 6th team. He also owns a remarkable +32 rating.

He’s less prolific in the NHL scoring 25 tallies and 39 helpers in 191 games under contracts with 7 different teams but also has an accountable +3 plus/minus.

The small 5’9″ 174 lbs. forward is looked to for bursts of energy he brings to the table and that kind of spark plug often results in wins.

It will be interesting to see where the 30-year old ends up next but he can almost assuredly expect a recall to the parent club before the seasons out, which would give him NHL appearances in his last 7 seasons.

13Oct

Mathieu Perreault(24) Anaheim Ducks

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After his first 5 pro seasons with Washington Capitals‘ organization, center Mathieu Perreault(24) was traded to Anaheim Ducks to help make space and fit its roster under the salary cap.

He started in the team’s system with minor league affiliate Hershey Bears and won consecutive Calder Cup Championships in 2009 and 2010.

The somewhat small-ish 5’10” 185 lbs. forward showed a knack for the net. In 166 AHL games he scored 38 goals and 97 assists in regular season play and added another 12 tallies and 21 helpers in 51 postseason contests. He also has an outrageous combined +62 rating.

He appeared in a decent amount of NHL games in his 2nd and 3rd seasons but became a regular in the league in the last two years.

His totals in the show are also good at 35 goals and 40 assists in 163 games and is a highly accountable +20 plus/minus.

The 25-year old was absolutely outstanding in three years of junior hockey with Acadie-Bathurst Titan putting together 93 goals and 195 assists in 194 games with an almost nutty +81 on ice.

Since the trade to the Ducks, he’s storming out of the gate in 2013/2014 with a pair of goals and 3 assists in 4 games and a +3.

06Oct

Nolan Yonkman(3) Norfolk Admirals

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13th year veteran defenseman Nolan Yonkman(3) continues his streak of NHL contracts, signing a one-year two-way contract with Anaheim Ducks for 2013/2014.

He was originally a Washington Capitals‘ 2nd round pick in the 1999 draft (#37 overall) and will start the season in the AHL with affiliate Norfolk Admirals.

The absolutely huge 6’6″ 247 lbs. blue liner has 601 minor league games to his credit scoring 16 goals and 63 assists. He also unfortunately also possesses a -31 rating. The -28 plus/minus last season didn’t help those numbers any.

His totals in the show of 74 games with a goal and 8 assists are modest but he’s skated in the big league a half dozen of his career years. 38 of those appearance were in one season, ’05/’06 with the Caps.

The 32-year old has been named team captain 5 times in the last six campaigns and it would be no surprise to see his “A” turn into a “C” because he definitely plays like a leader out there.

09Aug

Brennan Evans(44) Grand Rapids Griffins

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11th year defenseman Brennan Evans(44) returns to 2013 Calder Cup Champions Grand Rapids Griffins for another season, signing a 1-year extension to stay with the team. They wasted no time to get him back into the fold.

He has played in a whopping 712 AHL games with 7 different clubs notching 14 goals, 93 assists and a highly accountable +23 rating often while under NHL contract but has never appeared in the big league.

The imposing 6’4″ 230 lbs. blue liner has yet to score over 20 points in a season but he’s been part of the triple digit penalty minutes club since his third year in the pros.

Almost ironically he put up better numbers in the postseason last year (2 goals, 6 assists in 24 contests) than he did in the entire 2012/2013.

At 31-years old, he will in all likelihood reach the elite group of skaters to play in 1000 AHL games but even if he comes up a bit short, he will always be able to look back on a great hockey career.

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.

31May

Curtis McElhinney(30) Columbus Blue Jackets

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Entering his ninth pro season, 30-year old goaltender Curtis McElhinney(30) doesn’t have to worry about where he will play, as he signed a one-year, one-way extension to stay in Columbus Blue Jackets‘ system.

He had an outstanding regular season in 2012/2013 with an AHL record 9 shutouts and was named to the All-Star Game.

He also set a team and career best .923 SV% and was named MVP, while also posting his most saves in a season at 1349 and a 29-16-2-3 record in 49 games to help the Falcons win the Northeast Division title by 20 points.

Although the 6’2″ 209 lbs. net minder failed to score a recall, he could be in line for one next season, if he game continues to excel.

He has appeared in 69 NHL games with Phoenix, Ottawa, Anaheim and Calgary. He was originally a 6th round pick in 2002 (#176 overall) by the latter team. He made his most appearances in the show, 21 games with the Ducks just a couple of seasons ago.

He’s always seemed to fall under the radar for a real shot as a starting goalie in the show but also seems to have a stick-to-it-ive-ness that just won’t quit.

See related: 7/4-12