Atlanta Thrashers | CollegeHockeyPlayers

09May

Alex Bourret(22) Wichita Thunder

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Wichita Thunder 6th year right wing Alex Bourret(22) was originally an Atlanta Thrashers‘ 1st round pick in the 2005 draft (#16 overall).

He started his pro career playing 168 AHL games with a few different teams, a couple of trades later.

By his fourth year, he seemed to burn out or something because he went off the pro map playing a couple of games in the LNAH, 16 in the Czech Elite League and even 16 in the Asian Hockey League but each of the last two seasons also kept a toe-hold in North American hockey with a couple of teams in the ECHL.

For 2011/2012 season, he signed with the Thunder of the Central Hockey League and tore it up with 57 points (20 goals, 37 assists) in 43 games and a mighty +20 plus/minus.

The 5’10” 205 lbs. 25-year old forward was called up for 6 games with Worcester Sharks this season and chipped in with 3 helpers. It was his first action in the A since 2009.

By all indications he should be playing in higher league. He helped Wichita to the Ray Miron President’s Cup Finals but was injured and limited to 14 games (5 goals, 9 assists).

26Apr

Riley Holzapfel(26) Syracuse Crunch

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Love this minor (league) detail when the AHL Calder Cup Eastern Conference Quarterfinals Playoff match-ups were set.

4th year center Riley Holzapfel(26) was traded from Winnipeg Jets‘ affiliate St. John’s IceCaps to Anaheim Ducks AHL team, Syracuse Crunch for Maxime Macenauer.

In 28 games with the Crunch he has 8 goals and 14 assists but nothing in the postseason as of yet.

At 6’3″ 190 lbs. the Atlanta Thrashers/Winnipeg Jets‘ 2nd round pick in the 2003 draft (#43 overall), the 23-year old can get in there and get points but he sometimes plays more of a finesse game than he should considering his size.

Macenauer has only appeared in one of the 3 games, an IceCaps‘ loss but looks to be on the team that will continue their playoff push.

06Apr

Paul Postma(4) Winnipeg Jets

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St. John’s IceCaps‘ 3rd year defenseman Paul Postma(4) was picked as an 2011/2012 AHL First All-Star Team.

In 55 games he has registered 13 goals and 31 assists, including three game winning tallies.

He played a career high 3 games with Winnipeg Jets this season but in 4 games total has still yet to get his first NHL point.

He is currently on the final year of his 3-year entry level deal.

In 3 AHL seasons the 6’3″ 195 lbs. 23-year old has skated in 187 games scoring 40 goals and 78 assists.

23Mar

Ben Chiarot(18) St. John’s IceCaps

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Rookie defenseman Ben Chiarot(18) started the season with St. John’s IceCaps and played 14 games registering a goal and an assist.

In late January he was reassigned to their ECHL affiliate Colorado Eagles, where he’s fit in nicely, helping the team win scoring 6 goals and 7 assists in 24 games.

The big 6’3″ 222 lbs. blue liner was an Atlanta Thrashers/Winnipeg Jets‘ 4th round pick in the 2009 draft (#120 overall).

He was recently recalled back to St. John’s probably to tune up a bit in the higher league and give some of their regulars a rest as they have already punch their ticket into the Calder Cup Playoffs.

Chances are good that the 20-year old won’t be going back to Loveland, CO unless the IceCaps are given a swift exit from the postseason.

11Mar

Brett Sterling (9)

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6th year left wing Brett Sterling(9) slides over to Portland Pirates from Peoria Rivermen as collateral in the Patrick O’Sullivan deal.

Originally Atlanta Thrashers‘ 5th round pick in the 2003 draft (#145 overall), he has played a scant 30 NHL games with a few different teams, including four games with St. Louis Blues this season registering no points.

His career totals are 5 goals and 4 assists but what’s sort of puzzling is in 7 games with Pittsburgh Penguins a couple of seasons ago he had 3 goals and a pair of assists but they had no interest in re-signing him.

He’s played 376 AHL games and scored 195 goals and 149 assists.

The head scratching part of this player swap is Portland is a small team to begin with and at 5’7″ 175 lbs. it’s not like he’s the most intimidating guy on the ice, but he can score goals and that makes him dangerous.

Tough to say which team gets the best of this deal.

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.

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. . .

01Feb

Spencer Machacek (10)

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4th year right wing Spencer Machacek(10) was originally selected by Atlanta Thrashers/Winnipeg Jets in the 3rd round of 2007 draft (#67 overall).

He’s been in their system ever since he signed a 3-year two-way entry level deal with the team, followed by accepting their qualifying offer to stay for 2011/2012.

In the AHL he’s put up 50 points give or take in each of his first three seasons and is on course to achieve that again this year with St. John’s IceCaps.

He has 11 goals and 23 assists in 44 games.

Recently recalled, he skated in his first NHL game with Winnipeg Jets.

In 13 games he has yet to register a point and will likely need to step it up when he gets his opportunities or find a new home for 2012/2013.

He’s still only 23-years old though.

30Jan

Edward Pasquale(40) St. John’s IceCaps

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2nd year Atlanta Thrashers/Winnipeg Jets‘ 2009 4th round pick (#117 overall) goaltender Edward Pasquale(40) looks to put up career highs this season playing very impressively for their AHL Eastern Conference leading affiliate St. John’s IceCaps.

In 16 games he has a 10-6 record with a 2.88 GAA and a so so .897 SV% but he’s been very focused and tough to beat in net the couple of starts we’ve seen him play recently. He notched his 1st shutout of 2011/2012 last weekend going into the AHL All-Star Game break.

He split his rookie season with Chicago Wolves and Gwinnett Gladiators of the ECHL and played decently for both.

31Dec

Patrice Cormier (28)

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Center Patrice Cormier(28) was originally a New Jersey Devils‘ 2nd round pick in the 2008 draft (#54 overall) but before he could play a game with them he was involved in the blockbuster trade that would send Ilya Kovalchuk out of Atlanta for the first time in his pro career.

He’s most infamously known for putting a vicious elbow check to an opposing player while playing in his last season of juniors.

The hit got him suspended for the remainder of the season.

As a rookie, he played 21 games for Atlanta Thrashers registering one goal and one assist.

He also skated in 11 games with their AHL affiliate Chicago Wolves picking up 2 goals and 3 assists.

After 28 games with St. John’s IceCaps (9 goals, 4 assists), he received his first recall by Winnipeg Jets.

His gritty play could find him a home with the team for the remainder of the season.