Anaheim Ducks | CollegeHockeyPlayers

26Feb

Ben Maxwell(49) St. John’s Ice Caps

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4th year center has been on a bit of a roller coaster ride between a few teams this season, but has settled in pretty well in his AHL home with St. John’s Ice Caps, scoring 7 goals and 10 assists in 26 games.

He started 2011/2012 with Winnipeg Jets and appeared in 4 games before being waived for reassignment in mid-November, only to get picked up by Anaheim Ducks.

He skated in 6 games with them picking up an assist before he was sent down and reclaimed by the Jets.

Originally a Montreal Canadiens‘ 2nd round pick in the 2006 draft (#49 overall), he played 20 NHL games but spent most of his time with their affiliate Hamilton Bulldogs.

He was sent to Atlanta Thrashers before the trade deadline and scored his 1st NHL goal last season.

Tough to say when he’ll get another look in the show.

He’ll likely have to ignite that scoring touch and play a bit tougher of a game to stick.

17Feb

Bryan Rodney(33) Oklahoma City Barons

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Undrafted 7th year defenseman Bryan Rodney(33) is one of those stories of endurance and sticktoitiveness that defines a pro.

His first couple of seasons were predominantly spent in the ECHL. By his third year he made the jump up to an AHL regular after a call-up with Albany River Rats.

With his impressive play on the blue line that season, Carolina Hurricanes stepped in an signed him to a one-year, two-way contract. He would sign two more similar contracts with them and skate his only 33 NHL games with Carolina (1 goal, 12 assists).

For the 2011/2012 he was once again a free agent but this time in need of a new home. Anaheim Ducks wasted no time signing him to a one-year, two-way deal that has him skating with their AHL affiliate, Syracuse Crunch. He has 5 goals and 15 assists.

Then, almost without warning, the Ducks have dished him to Edmonton Oilers, where he’ll report to their affiliate Oklahoma City Barons.

He’s definitely become a team leader on the ice but the big knock with his game is his tendency to be a minus player. Despite that, it would be little surprise to see the Oilers give him a look to see if they can’t ignite that scoring touch.

15Feb

Devante Smith-Pelly (34)

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Anaheim Ducks‘ 2010 2nd round draft pick (#42 overall), right wing Devante Smith-Pelly(34) was reassigned to minor league affiliate Syracuse Crunch for a brief conditioning stint after missing a month of game action due to a fractured foot he suffered while on loan to Team Canada for the IIHF World Junior Championship.

In 4 AHL games, the 6′ 211 lbs. 19-year old rookie only produced one assist.

In 26 NHL games he has 3 goals and a pair of assists but is a miserable -10 plus/minus.

He still looks a bit lost out there skating with the men but plays with enough fire that it shouldn’t take him long to get deep into the mix on a streaking team in the playoff hunt.

07Feb

Erik Christensen(40) Minnesota Wild

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It had been only a couple of seasons since 8th year center Erik Christiansen(40) played in the AHL, but before that it had been a few years when he appeared in 16 games with the affiliate of the team he was originally drafted and signed by, Pittsburgh Penguins (3rd round of 2002, #69 overall).

His only full season in the minors was his rookie campaign in 2004/2005, the year of the NHL lockout.

In his third season with New York Rangers, he came out of the gate slow and was eventually squeezed out of the lineup as the Blueshirts were looking for that right winning combination to click.

After many healthy scratches, he was finally demoted to Connecticut Whale on a “conditioning stint”.

In 5 games he scored a pair of goals and added an assist.

Looking to add some punch to their now struggling team, Minnesota Wild stepped in and gave up a prospect for some help up front they hope will pay immediate dividends.

He’s played 359 NHL games scoring 62 goals and 94 assists.

We shall see. . .

22Jan

Mark Bell(18) Anaheim Ducks

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11 year veteran, former Chicago Blackhawks‘ 1st round draft pick in 1998 (#8 overall), 31-year old center Mark Bell(18) received his first NHL call-up with his new team for the 2011/2012 season, Anaheim Ducks.

He now has 446 big league games to his credit, registering 87 goals and 95 assists to go along with 597 penalty minutes.

For the last couple of seasons he played in the Swiss-A League but signed a one-year, two-way contract to come back to North American pro hockey early in the offseason.

In 32 games with the Ducks‘ AHL affiliate Syracuse Crunch he has 5 goals and 8 assists but is a kind of miserable -11 plus/minus.

04Jan

Luca Caputi(17) Syracuse Crunch

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In one of the most uncomfortable trade scenarios we’ve come across in a little while, 4th year pro Luca Caputi(17) was traded to the team that happened to be visiting his (former) home area that night, Syracuse Crunch.

Toronto Maple Leafs made a minor league trade with Anaheim Ducks that perpetuated this cruel joke.

What makes it worse is the player he was traded for Nicolas Dechamps(16) scored a goal in his debut for Toronto Marlies 2-0 victory over his new team.

A humorous aside from the trade, the two players also traded numbers assuming each other’s numbers for their new teams.

In 23 AHL games this season Caputi has 2 goals and 1 assist.

He has 35 games of NHL experience with the Maple Leafs and the team he was originally drafted by in the 4th round of 2007 (#111 overall) Pittsburgh Penguins. He has 3 goals and 6 assists to his credit.

Anaheim Ducks are slumping so badly that it’s almost certain he will see his 1st NHL call-up of the 2011/2012 season.

24Dec

Stu Bickel(4) New York Rangers

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Sometimes there’s a player that might not look like much in the AHL. He’s undrafted and almost completely falling under the radar. But then out of nowhere, that player gets his shot to play in the NHL. And he explodes.

4th year defenseman Stu Bickell(4) fits that description perfectly.

In 27 games with Connecticut Whale this season, he has a goal and 3 assists.

After his first three games with New York Rangers, he has four assists and a 3 game point streak going. He’s also a +4 plus/minus and has one fighting major and two roughing penalties to his credit.

Who knew? Obviously Rangers’ scouts did because they traded for him with Anaheim Ducks last season and re-signed him to a one-year, two-way contract.

He did have a strong training camp and accompanied the team to Europe to start the season but didn’t appear in any games before getting reassigned.

19Dec

Aaron Voros(34) Connecticut Whale

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8th year wing Aaron Voros(34) signed a pto with Connecticut Whale in mid-November. In 10 games he’s posted 2 goals and 2 assists. He’s played 261 AHL games with 6 different teams.

Originally drafted in the 8th round of 2001 (#229 overall) by New Jersey Devils, he played for three years in their system without ever receiving a call-up. He was traded to Minnesota Wild in the last year of his entry level contract and played his first game with the team in the next season.

Over the next 4 seasons he would appear in 162 NHL games with Minnesota, mostly notably New York Rangers and Anaheim Ducks putting up 18 goals, 19 assists and 395 penalty minutes.

He’s a big presence on the ice at 6’4″ and 215 lbs.

21Sep

Eric Tangradi (25)

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Entering his third season, extra large-sized Pittsburgh Penguins‘ forward Eric Trangradi(25) at 6’4″ 221 lbs. looks to make himself a permanent fixture in the team’s lineup for the 2011/2012 season.

He seemed to be on his way last year but got derailed when he was knocked out for over a month with a concussion.

Originally drafted by Anaheim in 2007 in the 2nd round (#42 overall) he was traded before ever playing with them.

He’s spent most of his first two seasons with the Pens‘ AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton becoming a fan favorite at Casey Plaza.

I would say he should find a spot on the NHL roster for himself if he stays healthy.

18Sep

Brian McGrattan(38) Anaheim Ducks

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Mammoth-sized (6’4″ 235 lbs) 10th year vet, Brian McGrattan(38) signed a one-year, two-way deal to stay in the Anaheim Ducks‘ system after he was traded late last season by Boston in what amounted to a 4-player minor league swap.

He had played mostly in the NHL for the prior five seasons but last year failed to catch on with a club in the big league. The Ducks already have a guy named George Parros to do their dirty work, so he’ll likely find most, if not all of his playing time with their AHL affiliate Syracuse Crunch.