Atlanta Thrashers | CollegeHockeyPlayers

Tagged: Atlanta Thrashers

18Sep

Dany Heatley(51) Nurnberg Ice Tigers

Posted in AHL, NHL | Leave a comment

Anaheim Ducks‘ 14th year veteran left wing Dany Heatley(51) signed a one year deal over the summer after spending a three seasons with Minnesota Wild (two as assistant captain), 2 with San Jose Sharks, 4 with Ottawa Senators and his first three with 2000 draft team (1st round, #2 overall) Atlanta Thrashers.

He was hampered by an early groin injury at the beginning of the campaign and then had to fight to gain a roster spot on an already pretty deep team with many prospects in the wings.

When he did get in, reports have it that he looked out of step, unable to keep up and failed to connect with the score sheet in six contests.

Before Christmas for the first time ever he was put on waivers for reassignment to under performing minor league affiliate Norfolk Admirals.

The somewhat huge 6’3″ 219 lbs. forward looks a lot out of place skating in the AHL but basically seems to only have it in third gear most of the time.

He has an unimpressive 2 tallies and 5 helpers in 24 games.

Where the former two-time 50 goal scorer goes next is fully up in the air but retirement may not be out of the question for the 34-year old.

In a career 869 NHL games, he has scored an absolutely phenomenal 372 goals and 419 assists with a +38 rating and won an Olympic Gold Medal in 2010 with Team Canada, pretty great stats to hang up the skates with.

Original story: 2/24-15

Four days after this article was posted he would get traded from the Ducks‘ organization to Florida Panthers and be reassigned to their minor league affiliate San Antonio Rampage.

Even though he wasn’t going to be skating more NHL games with the big club, it was easily a much happier landing place as he was on a high scoring squad in playoff contention.

His play pointed towards better surroundings as he scored 6 goals and 7 assists in 18 contests but failed to connect in three postseason match-ups.

As his 15th season of pro hockey approaches he makes the commitment to join Nurnberg Ice Tigers as the new DEL calendar is just getting started.

He should be able to fully find his scoring touch on the bigger sheets of ice and may play out a few more years overseas before deciding to move onto the next chapter post-hockey life.

31Jul

Julian Melchiori(44) Manitoba Moose

Posted in AHL, NHL | Leave a comment

Atlanta Thrashers/Winnipeg Jets‘ 3rd pick in the 2010 draft (#87 overall), second year defenseman Julian Melchiori(44) proves third time is the charm for a recall. He was summoned on a couple of occasions but returned without cracking the lineup.

Appearing in his first NHL game, he logged 14 shifts for 8:41 minutes total ice time with a -1 rating, 1 block shot, 1 hit and 1 giveaway in the team’s 6-4 victory.

The big 6’5″ 215 lbs. blue liner is mostly a stay-at-home style player but is noticing a bit of an uptick in point production in his sophomore season with 5 helpers in 18 AHL games with affiliate St. John’s IceCaps.

He managed only a goal and 7 assists in 52 games through his rookie campaign.

The 22-year old is signed through 2015 after only a pair of seasons in junior hockey and although he was reassigned back to the farm club, he will probably see more time in the show to continue to prove he has what it takes to stick.

Original story 12/28-13

The fairly huge d-man appeared in only the single game and seemed to fall on the team’s prospect depth chart spending the rest of the season in the minors collecting one goal and a new career high 10 assists with a second best +19 rating but was never inserted into the lineup through 21 postseason match-ups.

He would stay with the farm team for a new season high 70 AHL games but fell to a -16 plus/minus on a squad that was mostly out of the playoff picture for the entire run of 2014/2015.

With his 3-year entry level deal reaching its conclusion he was set to become a restricted free agent and it was looking like the Jets would be giving up on him but have elected to sign him to another 1-year two-way extension.

It will be interesting to see how he emerges from training camp to see if he can find his way back onto the parent club’s future plans but is bound to spend the majority of his playing time with new affiliate Manitoba Moose.

21Jun

Carl Klingberg(48) Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod

Posted in AHL | Leave a comment

Recalled to skate a few games near the conclusion of the 2013/2014 season, he finally netted his first NHL goal before being returned to farm club St. John’s IceCaps for their incredible Calder Cup Playoff run that took the team all the way to the Finals.

He would sign a one-year extension to stay on but still played almost exclusively with their minor league affiliate until he was once again summoned for another pair of games.

As it turned out, his short stint with the big club may have been merely a showcase for a trade.

He was sent to New York Rangers‘ prospect system on the day before the deadline and finished out 2014/2015 with Hartford Wolf Pack, where he would finish the season with a career high 24 assists, 180 shots on goal and 45 penalty minutes.

He also recorded a best 4 postseason tallies in 13 games.

The 24-year was once again entering a restricted free agency but has decided it’s time to take his game elsewhere and signed a two-year deal with Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod of the KHL through 2016/2017.

23Feb

Colin Stuart(49) Providence Bruins

Posted in AHL, ECHL, NHL | Leave a comment

11th year left wing Colin Stuart(49) started 2014/2015 in Sweden’s tier 2 league Allsvenskan with Malmo. It was his second tour of overseas hockey. He played in 2012/2013 for Iserlohn Roosters of the German elite DEL.

He played in 31 games scoring 5 goals and 4 assists with a +4 rating but after a few months decided to leave and sign an spc with Providence Bruins for the remainder of the season.

The 32-year, former three time captain (once in his senior campaign at Colorado College) and 2008 Calder Cup Champion is a good guy to have around for his goal scoring and leadership abilities.

In 28 AHL contests the 6’2″ 205 lbs. forward has already amassed a tidy 8 goals and 8 assists.

He also has 58 games of NHL experience mostly with draft team Atlanta Thrashers and a couple of spins on the ice over two years under contract with Buffalo Sabres.

He should easily help the Boston farm club into a playoff berth.

See related: 12/6-10, 9/9-11, 12/12-11

26Dec

Jeremy Morin(9) Columbus Blue Jackets

Posted in AHL, NHL | Leave a comment

Columbus Blue Jackets‘ fifth year left wing Jeremy Morin(9) was recently acquired via minor league prospect deal from Chicago Blackhawks, where he’s spent all of his pro playing time.

He was originally an Atlanta Thrashers‘ 2nd round pick in the 2009 draft (#45 overall) but was involved in a massive 7-player deal before his skates ever touched the ice.

The 6’1″ 189 lbs. forward has always been on the cusp between playing in the big league and minors after tearing it up at every level of play until he turned pro after only a single dynamite season 47-36-83 in 56 games) in the OHL with Kitchener Rangers.

That followed a pair of more than point-per-game performances in the NAHL with the US National Junior Team.

Appearing in 54 NHL games in each of his years with the ‘Hawks registering 8 goals and 9 assists with +7 rating, he was never quite able to stick.

He has be a dominant force with their farm club, Rockford IceHogs scoring 81 goals, 78 assists in 208 contests and a massive +21 rating on a team that didn’t always put up a winning record.

Coming to the Blue Jackets, the 23-year old may have seen the last of bus rides as he joins a squad that has a knack for developing their young future stars.

So far, he’s got 1 assist in 4 games but did get a shootout goal that was almost the game-winner against his former team.

04Dec

Brent Sopel(55) Chicago Wolves

Posted in AHL, NHL | Leave a comment

Enduring 17th year defenseman Brent Sopel(55) has not appeared in an AHL game since 1999-2000 with Syracuse Crunch, then affiliate of Vancouver Canucks.

He was originally a ‘Nucks 6th round pick in the 1995 draft (#144 overall) and last skated in the minors with the old Kansas City Blades in the last year of the IHL. His stint was a short 4-game stay as this would be his first complete season in the show.

The 37-year old has skated an absolutely phenomenal 659 NHL games and was a key member of the 2010 Stanley Cup win with Chicago Blackhawks.

Only one season removed hockey’s biggest prize he would disappear for three years to the KHL.

Returning to North America to be play closer to home, he entered training camp on an invite with Chicago Wolves and signed a one-year deal as the 2014/2015 season started.

The 6’1″ 201 lbs. blue liner is already contributing nicely with 7 assists in 21 games and a +2 rating, plus is the senior member of his squad so his vast knowledge and leadership both on and off the ice is priceless.

He recently appeared in his 1000 pro game as his career continues and still eyes a return to the highest league of hockey.

09Oct

Spencer Machacek (17)

Posted in AHL, NHL | Leave a comment

After attending both Toronto Maple Leafs and Toronto Marlies‘ training camps on invites, 7th year unrestricted free agent, veteran right wing Spencer Machacek(17) was having a hard time finding a new hockey home.

He was released from his tryout agreement with the AHL team just before the beginning of the new season but did manage to quickly find a landing spot overseas in the German elite league DEL with Augsburger Panther.

In a pair of games he already has his first point, an assist.

Since leaving Winnipeg Jets‘ organization, where he was originally an Atlanta Thrashers‘ 3rd round pick in the 2007 draft (#67 overall) and stayed with them until a late season trade sent him to Columbus Blue Jackets‘ affiliate Springfield Falcons.

Signed to a one-year extension as a restricted free agent, he once again was dealt in late season move and found himself skating with Pittsburgh Penguins‘ farm club, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

They did not offer the 6’1″ 201 lbs. forward a contract to stay on.

In his first four seasons he pretty much averaged 30 helpers in each of his campaigns.

He also dominated on the score sheet in 3 years of junior hockey with Vancouver Giants, where he won a WHL Championship and a Memorial Cup.

It would be surprising if the 26-year old doesn’t become a top scorer where he is.

We shall see.

14Jan

Ivan Telegin (22)

Posted in AHL | Leave a comment

After refusing to start his sophomore campaign with minor league affiliate St. John’s IceCaps, Winnipeg Jets‘ Russian-born left wing Ivan Telegin(22) is being loaned back to his native country to skate in the KHL with CSKA Moskva for the balance of the regular season.

Originally an Atlanta Thrashers‘ 4th round pick in the 2010 draft (#101 overall), he only managed to play in 34 AHL games in his rookie year due to concussion symptoms that dragged on into the off-season.

He posted 3 goals and 7 assists in his limited time on ice.

In his three seasons of OHL junior hockey with a pair of teams he was over a point-per-game player.

The fairly large 6’3″ 198 lbs. forward is signed to a three-year entry level deal through 2015 but may only lace up his skates again in North America if he’s traded.

For now it’s a wait and see process for the 21-year old’s future.

01Nov

Brett Skinner(24) Norfolk Admirals

Posted in AHL, ECHL, NHL | Leave a comment

9th year veteran defenseman Brett Skinner(24) interestingly signed with the Central Hockey League Allen Americans, eventual President’s Cup winners, after returning from a couple of seasons overseas. Two years ago he ended up playing for teams in Germany, Finland and Sweden, but in the season before that one he played a full campaign in the KHL.

He put up some pretty impressive numbers in the lower league, skating 27 games, scoring 7 goals and 30 assists with a +4 rating.

Grand Rapids Griffins swooped in and signed him to a pto half way through 2012/2013. They upped that to a standard players contract in short order and their season culminated 100 games later as the 2013 Calder Cup Champs.

The 6’1″ 195 lbs. blue liner was originally a Vancouver Canucks‘ 3rd round pick in the 2002 draft (#68 overall) but only played a single year in their system before bouncing around with a few AHL teams until he signed in the off-season of 2008 with New York Islanders for a spell, played his only 11 NHL games with them. The next season he scored some fairly decent numbers reassigned to minor league affiliate Lake Erie Monsters while under contract with Colorado Avalanche.

Probably helped him get some decent money in Russia.

At 30 years old with his new team Norfolk Admirals, he already has three assists in 7 games. His AHL stats are pretty amazing at 369 games (and counting) 28 goals and 151 assists.

It’s all about the break out pass.

17Jul

Will O’Neill(23) St. John’s IceCaps

Posted in AHL, NHL | Leave a comment

2nd year defenseman Will O’Neill(23) signed a 1-year entry level deal for 2012/2013 with Winnipeg Jets after completing his college playing career at University Of Maine, where he was team captain and had a knack for feeding scoring chances.

He was originally an Atlanta Thrashers‘ 7th round pick back in 2006 (#210 overall) before he started a couple of seasons in the USHL, American junior hockey with Omaha Lancers.

The 6’1″ 205 lbs. blue liner played 59 games with AHL affiliate St. John’s IceCaps last season, scoring 3 goals and 18 assists. He had also joined them on an ato to finish out 2011/2012 and notched his first professional hockey tally.

Heading into the new year, the 25-year was set to become an unrestricted free agent.

The IceCaps took care of that inking him to a one-year contract to stay with the team. He could also score himself an invite to the parent club’s training camp.

« Older posts