Tagged: Anaheim Ducks

john-gibson-1

Anaheim Ducks‘ 2nd round pick in the 2o11 draft (#39 overall) goaltender John Gibson(43) got the ultimate call-up in his young career when he was chosen to be the starting net minder for Team USA at the IIHF World Championships.

He helped backstop the team to a bronze medal, their first ranking in almost ten years at the competition.

After participating in two NHL training camps, including the shortened 2013 camp, the still only 19-year old was sent back to rejoin his junior club Kitchener Rangers.

Signed to a three-year entry level deal at the end of the 2012 season, the parent club elected to wait and used a first year slide based on his age.

The sizable 6’3″ 209 lbs. backstop is highly touted in a Ducks‘ system that is already very deep at the goalie position but he already looks to be capable to stealing a job in his first year with the team.

If that doesn’t happen, he’ll likely shoulder a lot of the playing time with AHL affiliate Norfolk Admirals, a team he joined briefly, appearing in one game before their 2012/2013 season concluded.

kevin-gagne

Anaheim Ducks apparently think much of their latest prospect, undrafted defenseman Kevin Gagne(36) since signing a three-year entry level deal and joining minor league affiliate Norfolk Admirals on an ato.

He posted junior career bests in his final year as an over-ager, basically doubling his scoring totals from the previous two seasons.

The small 5’8″ 170 lbs. forward split his final campaign between Saint John Sea Dogs, a team he’d spent the four and a half years with, winning a pair of QMJHL championships, one Memorial Cup, and was voted “Defenseman Of The Year” and then traded to Rimouski Oceanic.

He played pretty effectively in all situations in the two AHL contests we saw him skate.

Finishing with 5 games played, he registered one assist and a -3 rating on a team that fell apart late to see their spot in the postseason berth slip away.

He was a Hamilton Bulldogs‘ training camp invitee at the beginning of 2012/2013 but ended up being one of the last players released.

It will be interesting to see if the Ducks recall him to become a member of the black aces for their Stanley Cup run.

He will no doubt be in prospect camp in the next couple months.

nicolas-deschamps

Originally an Anaheim Ducks‘ 2nd round pick in the 2008 draft (#38 overall), center Nicolas Deschamps(9) is in the last season of his 3-year entry level deal.

He was skating with AHL affiliate Syracuse Crunch, putting up good numbers (15 goals and 31 assists in 80 games) in his rookie campaign before his point production all but evaporated in the first half of his sophomore season.

The 6′ 173 lbs. forward was dished mid-year to Toronto Maple Leafs in a minor league transaction and was reassigned to the Marlies.

It was easily the change of scenery he needed because he finished the regular season with 7 goals and 23 assists in 40 games and added another 3 strikes and 9 helpers in a playoff run that went the distance to the Calder Cup Finals before falling.

The 23-year has been erratic at best in 2012/2013, barely marking up the scoresheet.

Realizing there’s still potential and really having nothing to lose, Washington Capitals become the latest suitors hoping he can kickstart that scoring touch and help Hershey Bears gain a more solid run in the postseason.

Chances are the low-risk gamble will put the fire back on his stick in the last 20 or so games that remain, but will it be enough?

 

7th year center Kyle Wilson(25) joins his 5th NHL team as he was involved in a recent trade that sent him from Tampa Bay Lightning to Anaheim Ducks‘ organization.

He never suited up for the Lightning in his short time with the team after an offseason deal with Nashville Predators.

Signed in 2011 for two years (1-way in the 2nd year), he spent almost his entire first campaign with minor league affiliate Milwaukee Admirals, where the 6’1″ 200 lbs. forward had an AHL career high 32 assists in 68 games. He did suit up for 5 games with the Preds but registered no points.

As the lockout loomed to put off the start of 2012/2013 season, the 28-year old sat out until it was resolved, reporting to Tampa Bay training camp but reassigned to Syracuse Crunch, where he stumbled with only 5 goals in 22 games.

A former Minnesota Wild 9th round pick in the 2004 draft (#272 overall), he spent the first 4 seasons of his pro career with Washington Capitals but only appeared in 2 games (2 assists) with them.

He won back-to-back Calder Cup Championships in 2009 and 2010 with farm club Hershey Bears.

Looking for renewed opportunity, he reports to a streaking Norfolk Admirals to play out the remainder of his contract unless recalled by the equally hot Ducks.

Where the unrestricted free agent ends up from here is another puzzle piece but we’re guessing he heads to Europe to see what’s left in the tank.

Kyle Wilson

Anaheim Ducks‘ 3rd round pick in the 2008 draft (#85 overall) center/left wing Brandon McMillan(15) is in the final season of his 3-year entry level contract.

He played more NHL games in his rookie campaign than he did through his sophomore season, spending more time with their minor league affiliate Syracuse Crunch.

He put up some pretty decent numbers, in 55 AHL games scoring 12 goals and 18 assists. The small-ish 5’11” 190 lbs. forward actually produced respectably for the Ducks in first season with 10 goals and 11 assists in 60 games and added another goal and an assist in 6 playoff match-ups.

No telling which league he would spend more time in for 2012/2013 with the lockout effectively knocking out half the year, but he received his first recall after 36 games with new farm team, Norfolk Admirals.

In his 2013 debut he skated 11 shifts for 6:32 total ice time, was a -1 plus/minus in the overtime loss and won 62% of his face-offs. He’s making his 2nd appearance of the season and looks to be getting some increased opportunities.

Brandon McMillan

 

Philadelphia Flyers‘ 13th year Swedish defenseman Andreas Lilja(6) is having a bit of a tough time finding a spot on the big club’s roster this lockout shortened season and has found himself reassigned to their farm team, Adirondack Phantoms on more than one occasion.

He’s played only a single NHL game thus far but has appeared in 11 AHL games and has three helpers.

The 37-year old has appeared through a smattering of loans to minor league clubs in the last few years but hasn’t spent significant time in the league since his rookie campaign with Lowell Lock Monsters in 2000/2001.

He was originally a Los Angeles Kings‘ 2nd round pick (#54 overall) in 2000 that already had 4+ years pro experience in SEL.

The sizable 6’3″ 220 lbs. blue liner has played an outstanding 577 NHL games scoring 16 goals and 77 assists with an overall +32 rating. He was also a member of the 2008 Detroit Red Wings’ Stanley Cup Championship team.

He’s set to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the current season and it would be no surprise to see him sign with his 6th team for at least one more run.

Andreas Lilja

 

 

New York Rangers‘ 10th year veteran defenseman Steve Eminger(4) last saw playing time in the minors during the 2004/2005 lockout. He was recently reassigned to AHL affiliate Connecticut Whale on a conditioning loan as space on the parent club’s blue line was a bit scarce.

He started the shortened 2012/2013 campaign on the roster and found his way into four games but was unable to put up any points and was a healthy scratch for half a dozen games before being reassigned.

The 29-year old former Washington Capitals‘ 1st round pick in the 2002 draft (#12 overall) has skated in 457 NHL games scoring 19 goals and adding 77 assists. He’s an unfortunate -50 plus/minus but has show better on ice accountability in recent years.

The Blueshirts are the 6th team the 6’2″ 207 lbs. has signed with. After 6 seasons with the Caps, he was signed for one-year deals with the Flyers, Lightning, Panthers and Ducks before being involved in a trade that brought him back east.

He scored his first AHL goal in 8 years and honestly even at this later stage in his pro career he looks a bit out of place and overqualified to be spending much more time on the farm.

Steve Eminger

Anaheim Ducks‘ undrafted 7th year defenseman Jordan Hendry(6) has appeared in NHL games in 5 of his pro years. In 130 contests he has 4 goals and 9 assists, while maintaining a reliable +2 rating. He was also on the Chicago Blackhawks2010 Stanley Cup Championship team but left unsigned after his fifth season in the system.

As an unrestricted free agent, he agreed to a training camp tryout last year with Minnesota Wild and by all accounts had a good run during preseason. He reported to their AHL affiliate Houston Aeros on a pto but was ultimately released after only 10 games.

He then signed a deal to skate with Lugano of the NLA in Switzerland to finish out the season.

The 28-year returned for 2012/2013 when offered a 1-year 2-way deal with the Ducks.
He was on the NHL opening night roster but reassigned to Norfolk Admirals (his second go round with the team under his only two parent clubs), when he didn’t crack the lineup for a second appearance. In 31 AHL games, he had a pair of goals and assists before he was recently recalled.
The 6′ 194 lbs. blue liner skated 24 shifts and was on the ice for an average of 17 minutes in both wins. He’s easily a 5-6 depth guy on defense but fairly accountable and that won’t hurt his chances to continue making visits to the show.
Jordan Hendry1

12th year former Washington Capitals‘ 1st round pick in the 2000 draft (#26 overall) center Brian Sutherby(14) started the season on a  pto with St. John’s IceCaps but was released after being a healthy scratch from the first two games.

Two and a half months later, the 30-year forward signs a standard player contract with Lake Erie Monsters.

A veteran of 460 NHL games with Anaheim Ducks and Dallas Stars and the Capitals, he’s quite literally under-scored where he should be with only 41 goals and 49 assists.

An unrestricted free agent last season, he signed a minor league deal with San Antonio Rampage but failed to produce as they would have liked and was released. He spent the rest of the year sidelined with back ailments. In 85 AHL games he’s scored 13 goals and 31 assists.

At 6’2″ 209 lbs. he’s built like a power forward and skates like one.

Despite having no points in 5 games with the Monsters, he really seems to fit into this team pretty well, making sure that if he has yet to quite hit the scoresheet yet, he’s still a big pest to play against.

Brian Sutherby

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.

Mark Mitera