Anaheim Ducks | CollegeHockeyPlayers

02Aug

Brett Festerling(5) Nürnberg Ice Tigers

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Heading into his 6th pro season, undrafted defenseman Brett Festerling(5) figures trying out hockey in a different country for right now is the route to take, as he signs with Nurnberg Ice Tigers of the DEL for the 2012/2013 season.

The 6’1″ 208 lbs. blue liner has appeared in 88 NHL games in each of his last 4 years, mostly with Anaheim Ducks, who he was initially under contract with from 2007-2011. He registered no goals and 8 assists.

In 2010/2011, he found himself on the trading block three times, finally ending up with Atlanta Thrashers‘ farm team Chicago Wolves.

From there the now 26-year old re-signed with Winnipeg Jets for 2011/2012 and put up some AHL career highs with their affiliate St. John’s IceCaps scoring 15 assists, 18 points and a +8 plus/minus, while making it to the Eastern Conference Finals with the team in its’ inaugural season. He also appeared in 5 NHL games with the Jets.

An interesting bloodline fact to him picking Germany as his next place to play professionally in, his twin brother Garrett plays there and his grandfather is a native of the country.

He was also captain of the Vancouver Giants team that captured the Memorial Cup in 2007.

01Aug

Nathan McIver(8) New York Islanders

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Long-shot 8th round pick by Vancouver Canucks in the 2003 draft (#254 overall) defenseman Nathan McIver(8) has made the most of his pro career playing 4.5 years in their system on a couple of different occasions, appearing in his first 18 NHL games with the team as well.

He’s played 36 overall, registering only a single assist but scoring isn’t exactly 6’3″ 195 lbs. blue liner’s strong point.

A couple of seasons ago with the Providence Bruins he was assessed a team and career high 178 penalty minutes. Injuries last season hampered his willingness to drop the gloves.

Free to sign with any team of his choosing for 2012/2013, his eighth year pro, the 27-year old inked a one-year, two-way deal with New York Islanders that will probably see him handing out punishment with their affiliate Bridgeport Sound Tigers.

He is a veteran of 345 AHL regular season games.

26Jul

Matt Smaby(4) Anaheim Ducks

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Tampa Bay Lightning‘s 2nd round pick in the 2003 draft (#41 overall) defenseman Matt Smaby(4) almost doesn’t seem like he’s been playing pro for as long as he has but 2012/2013 will be his 7th season.

He re-signed with Anaheim Ducks for another one-year, two-way deal. Last season he played the entire campaign with their AHL affiliate Syracuse Crunch after injuring his thumb in an NHL preseason game that sidelined him for a good three months.

The towering 6’6″ 239 lbs. d-man has skated in 122 NHL games (all with the Lightning) scoring no goals with 6 assists and a less than impressive plus/minus. But in 2010/2011, his first full season in the show, he went a +2 in 32 contests.

Even on the abbreviated by injury season last year, he had a pair of goals and 7 assists in 30 games and went a healthy +12.

Of all the super-ironies to happen to players though, if the 27-year old starts the new season in the AHL or gets reassigned, he will return to Norfolk, where he spent three years of his pro career.

23Jul

Maxime Macenauer(26) Winnipeg Jets

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Entering his 4th pro season, originally an Anaheim Ducks‘ 3rd round pick in the 2007 draft (#63 overall) center Maxime Macenauer(26) re-signs for another year on a two-way deal with Winnipeg Jets, the team he was traded to near the 2012 trade deadline.

He appeared in 27 games to start 2011/2012 with the Ducks, making the team out of training but was reassigned to their AHL affiliate Syracuse Crunch in mid-December and then traded a couple months later.

The 5’11” 188 lbs. forward wasn’t exactly a cornerstone in the Jets‘ AHL affiliate St. John’s IceCaps during the last part of the regular season or in the postseason through three rounds. He did have some nagging injuries during the season that hindered his play.

Still the Jets must see something in the 23-year old to qualify the restricted free agent and sign him up for another season.

see related post: 4/26-12 Riley Holzapfel(26)

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.

08Jul

Jason King(5) St. John’s IceCaps

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Heading into his 11th pro season, St. John’s IceCaps‘ assistant captain Jason King(5) re-signs for two more years with the hometown team.

He had a pretty solid 2011/2012 year playing in a career high 70 regular season games putting up a team leading 22 goals and 19 assists. The only downside was a miserable -14 plus/minus on the second best team in the AHL Eastern Conference.

Originally a Vancouver Canucks‘ 7th round pick in the 2001 draft (#212 overall), the 6’1″ 192 lbs. forward was fairly legendary with their AHL affiliate Manitoba Moose.

He also appeared in 59 NHL games, almost all with the ‘Nucks skating on the “mattress” line with the Henrik and Daniel Sedin: two twins and a King. Now that’s humor right there but he got 12 goals and 9 assists that year. Unfortunately by the next season had fallen lower on the depth chart as was strictly playing in the AHL.

The almost 31-year old is a good fit for the IceCaps.

12Jun

Trevor Gillies(51) Vityaz Chekhov

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Soon-to-be 14th veteran left wing, Trevor Gillies(51) will be taking his brute force game over to Russia, joining Vityaz Chekhov in the KHL for 2012/2013.

The 6’3″ 231 lbs. forward has been with NY Islanders‘ organization for the last three seasons and appeared in 56 NHL and 50 AHL games with their affiliate Bridgeport Sound Tigers. During that time he’s amassed a whopping 474 penalty minutes in the two leagues.

At 33-years old this is in all likelihood a good move for him to make as there’s no telling how many years he can continue to use his fists to protect teammates.

He sat out a good chunk of last season with a groin injury that limited him to 29 games.

The stocky forward was also seen helping out as an “assistant coach” behind the Sound Tigers‘ bench while he was on the sidelines.

Ironically after watching him play for the last 10 years, he skating and stick work has improved greatly over the last couple campaigns since he started extra sessions with Isles’ Skills’ Development Coach Bernie Cassell.

He will be missed at North American hockey barns, because he may be one of the toughest guys to lace up the skates but he’s also one of the nicest.

09Jun

Patrick Maroon(19) Anaheim Ducks

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Anaheim Ducks’ jumbo truck-sized left wing Patrick Maroon(19) signs a one-year contract extension joining them for a 3rd season in their system.

He had a career year in 2011/2012 scoring highs in goals, assists and points (32-42=74) in 75 AHL games for Syracuse Crunch, leading the team in points.

In 289 regular season AHL games (first with Adirondack Phantoms) he’s racked up 92 goals and 136 assists.

The 24-year old was originally a Philadelphia Flyers‘ 6th round pick in the 2007 draft (#161 overall).

He didn’t play his first pair of NHL games until this past season though, not finding his way on the scoresheet.

As the Ducks regroup for the next year, if he has a good training camp there’s reason to think the 6’4″ 225 lbs. forward could find himself on the opening night roster.

07Jun

Andy Thomas(38) Olimpija Ljubljana

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Former Washington Capitals‘ 4th round pick in the 2004 draft (#109 overall), defenseman Andy Thomas(38) leaves North American pro hockey to join Olimpija Ljubljana in the Austria Hockey League.

He initially signed a one-year entry level deal with Anaheim Ducks and was reassigned to their AHL and ECHL affiliates, Iowa Chops and Bakersfield Condors in his rookie season.

From there he was in the Devils‘ prospect system, spending most of the next 3 seasons with Trenton Titans/Devils appearing in 157 games, scoring 5 goals and 29 assists.

The 6’2′ 220 lbs. has also skated in 70 AHL (2 goals, 5 assists) with 6 teams, including 3 in 2011/2012 alone. He failed to hit the scoresheet though.

A move to European hockey may be the best move for him as he considered a veteran in the ECHL now and some new scenery is exactly what the 25-year might need.

01Jun

Nathan Oystrick(20) HC Lev Praha

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7th year unrestricted defenseman Nathan Oystrick(20) is heading to the KHL to skate for HC Lev Praha as he reported on his twitter @Oystie74.

The former Atlanta Thrashers‘ 7th round pick in the 2002 draft (#198 overall) has played 65 NHL games with three different teams but skated all of 2011/2012 with Portland Pirates after signing a one-year, two-way deal with Phoenix Coyotes.

He’s played in 383 AHL regular and postseason contests putting up some respectable stats (69 goals, 162 assists) and won the Calder Cup Trophy with Chicago Wolves in 2008.

At 6′ 210 lbs. he always plays an imposing game and should fit in well with the style of Russian hockey.