Anaheim Ducks | CollegeHockeyPlayers

06Jan

Sami Vatanen(9) Norfolk Admirals

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Anaheim Ducks‘ 4th round pick in the 2009 draft (#106 overall), Finnish defenseman Sami Vatanen(9) isn’t the biggest of the blue liners playing pro hockey measuring in at 5’9″ 163 lbs. but he competes hard and definitely has a huge potential offensive upside.

In 30 games with AHL affiliate Norfolk Admirals, the rookie has 4 goals and 14 assists and isn’t exactly easily beaten in his own zone at a -3 plus/minus on a team that is challenged to win games more than they should be.

The 21-year old is signed to a three-year entry level deal that carries him through 2014 in the Ducks‘ prospect pool.

Tough to say if he makes it stick in the NHL but he’s definitely worth a few looks.

03Jan

Frederik Andersen(30) Norfolk Admirals

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Anaheim Ducks‘ 3rd round pick in last year’s draft (#87 overall), Danish goalie phenom Frederick Andersen(30) signed a two-year entry level deal mostly tending the cage with affiliate, Norfolk Admirals, but he did receive a first recall.

In 17 AHL games he’s posted a so-so 7-7 record on a team that is barely living up to expectations but his 2.42 GAA and .925 SV% is pretty convincing. He’s currently 2nd among rookie net minders in the league.

The 23-year old is a towering 6’4″ 230 lbs. frame in net but moves very well and could become the first goaltender from his country to play in the NHL.

Chances are likely that will happen.

31Dec

Rod Pelley(16) Norfolk Admirals

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7th year undrafted center Rod Pelley(16) has played the agitator role in the NHL for basically the entirety of his pro career.

He was originally signed by New Jersey Devils skating most of his rookie year with their AHL affiliate Lowell Devils but did get the recall for 8 games with the big club.

By the start of his second season he earned a job in Newark and was well on his way to patrolling the ice full-time as part of the show.

The 5’11” 200 lbs. was dropped back to the minors in his following year without ever getting the call to move back up but was squarely back in the NHL mix from 2009-2011.

He’s never been the type of skaters to add much to the scoresheet but consistently gets in the face of opposing players without costing his team by taking cheap penalties.

An early season trade sent him from the east coast to the west, where he took on the same role with Anaheim Ducks that he had during his entire time with New Jersey.

Looking into 2012/2013, the 28-year old was an unrestricted free agent and with no NHL in site, he signed a pto with the Ducks new farm team, Norfolk Admirals.

In 14 games, he has a pair of assists but has yet to spark a team that is easily better on paper than they are in the standings.

21Dec

Hampus Lindholm(4) Norfolk Admirals

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Anaheim Ducks‘ 1st round pick in the 2012 draft (#6 overall) Swedish defenseman Hampus Lindholm(4) goes from playing under 18 leagues and tournaments in his home country to signing a three-year entry level deal that potentially causes him to make an appearance in the NHL, if it wasn’t for the nasty little word that keeps anything from happening: lockout.

With that going on he starts the rookie season of his North American pro career reassigned to AHL affiliate Norfolk Admirals.

In 19 games he’s posted his first professional hockey goal and added 4 assists with a +2 plus/minus on a team that lets up more goals than it gets.

At 6’3″ 195 lbs. he’s pegged to be the type of all around defenseman every team wants in their lineup.

He’s currently the youngest player in the league but left his team temporarily to compete in the 2012 World Junior Championships, which Sweden won last year.

20Dec

Ryan Lasch(11) Fort Wayne Komets

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3rd year, undrafted right wing Ryan Lasch(11) started his pro career with a couple of seasons overseas, first in Sweden and then in Finland with Pelicans of SM-liiga, where he led the league in scoring with 24 goals and 38 assists in 59 games.

The California-born skater comes back to the North American hockey for 2012/2013, signing a deal two-year, two-way deal with Anaheim Ducks, which gives him some stability coming back to these shores.

No chance at him competing for a spot on the NHL roster right now, so he was reassigned to start the year with their new AHL affiliate Norfolk Admirals.

In 11 contests the 5’9″ 170 lbs. forward (who looks a bit bigger on ice than those measurements) scored his first goal and added 3 assists.

Apparently the brass was expecting more or just wanted to try some different looks with a team was slow to start in the first third of the season, so they reassigned him to the ECHL Fort Wayne Komets.

The 25-year wasted zero time proving that his play is above this league. In 10 games, he exploded for 5 goals (including a hat trick) and 9 assists with a +4 plus/minus.

No surprise he was picked as the ECHL Player Of The Week for 12/10-12/16. If he continues on this tear, look for him to get recalled sooner than later but he’ll still need to put up points consistently to stay.

24Nov

Gabe Guentzel(10) Fort Wayne Komets

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Undrafted defenseman Gabe Guentzel(10) started his rookie season 2012/2013 under contract with Norfolk Admirals of the AHL and has played in 6 of a dozen games so far. He has an assist but is also a dismal -8 plus/minus on a .500 record team.

He was recently reassigned to their ECHL affiliate Fort Wayne Komets, where in his first game on Thanksgiving night he potted his first and assisted on another in the win. Not a bad start in the lower league for the 6′ 187 lbs. d-man.

The 24-year old could stay in the midwest for awhile but look for him to get called back up if he keeps hitting the scoresheet.

He skated in 12 regular season games at the end of 2011/2012 with Syracuse Crunch, the old affiliate of Anaheim Ducks, on an ato after finishing his college career; and appeared in another 4 postseason contests.

So, even though he’s not signed with the Ducks officially, he’s fully on their radar and participated as a free agent in prospect camp with the team.

19Nov

Emerson Etem(26) Norfolk Admirals

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Anaheim Ducks‘ 1st round pick in the 2010 draft (#29 overall), center Emerson Etem(26) is a rare example of a local kid signing with the hometown team and seeing how it’s a California story makes it even more like Twilight Zone.

After three pretty outrageously successful years in juniors, where last year he put up 107 points (61 goals and 46 assists) in 65 regular season games, the 20-year is ready for the next step. He signed a three-year entry level deal that keeps him with the Ducks through 2015.

The 6′ 195 lbs. forward probably didn’t expect to see as much time with the team’s farm team, Norfolk Admirals but with no NHL in site he’s skated 14 AHL games to start 2012/2013.

He’s recorded three goals and no assists. Last season on an ato with then Anaheim affiliate Syracuse Crunch he potted a goal in two games to get things started.

No doubt he seems to have the skill set but in the one game we saw him play, his team was eaten alive in a shutout so no one looked too good.

18Oct

Josh Brittain(17) Fort Wayne Komets

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A few Anaheim Ducks‘ prospects are finding themselves doubly reassigned, when they start at AHL training camp but ultimately will play games in the ECHL to start 2012/2013.

3rd year, 2008 3rd round pick (#71 overall) left wing Josh Brittain(17) is familiar with the process already as he’s skated in 47 games with Elmira Jackals over his first two seasons, so joining Fort Wayne Komets will actually be a step up at least in terms of fans in the stands.

The big 6’4″ 210 lbs., that doesn’t really look like he takes up that much space out there as his size might indicate, spent more time up in the AHL in 2011/2012 with Syracuse Crunch and recorded career highs games played (38), goals (2) and assists (4).

He was in training camp with the Ducks‘ new affiliate Norfolk Admirals and was one of the last cuts before opening night.

The 22-year old definitely needs to open up more room on the ice for himself to increase his scoring chances.

25Sep

Troy Bodie(20) Norfolk Admirals

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7th year left wing Troy Brodie(20) was part of a list of six players recently signed to an AHL contract by Norfolk Admirals, the new minor league affiliate of Anaheim Ducks.

He had a one-year, two-way deal with Anaheim last season but skated no NHL games.

In all, split half with the Ducks and one season picked up on waivers by Carolina Hurricanes, the 6’4″ 219 lbs. forward has skated in 107 games in the show registering 6 goals and 5 assists. He should be a bigger, more intimidating upfront power forward than his style indicates.

The 27-year was originally an Edmonton Oilers‘ 9th round pick in the 2003 draft (#278 overall).

He started his pro career with Stockton Thunder of the ECHL, put up some big numbers and that was his only stop there.

This will be an interesting year him. It’s his first without an NHL contract and he definitely has something to prove.

03Aug

Rick Schofield (9)

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Undrafted 2nd year center Rick Schofield(9) moves just up the road to Rochester Americans from his address in his rookie season with Syracuse signing a one-year AHL contract to join the team.

The 6’2″ 207 lbs. forward had a one-year entry level deal with Anaheim Ducks but it was mostly for their minor league affiliate. He did participate in their training camp and preseason.

The 24-year old was quietly decently effective up front scoring 8 goals and 9 assists in 73 games and kept his head above the water on the ice with a +9 plus/minus.

Kind of surprising that he wasn’t invited to attend Buffalo Sabres’ Rookie Camp on a tryout agreement.