Tagged: Bridgeport Sound Tigers

23Jan

Cory Conacher(89) Bridgeport Sound Tigers

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Cory-Conacher

Undrafted, 4th year left wing Cory Conacher(89) has been on a bumpy ride with four different teams since signing his first NHL contract before the lockout shortened season with Tampa Bay Lightning.

He inked his initial 2-year 2-way entry level deal after winning the 2012 Calder Cup with then affiliate Norfolk Adrmirals, being named AHL rookie of the year, playoff MVP and putting up more assists than any other first year player during the regular season and in the playoffs.

Although he is most definitely under-sized at 5’8″ 179 lbs., he was merely following up a celebrated run at Canisius College, where he recorded all-time highs for goals, points and game-winning tallies and an incredibe first run with three teams in two different leagues he recorded 8 goals and 4 assists in 10 games but was held to only an assist in seven postseason contests.

He jumped out quickly when the big league got back under way 9 goals and 15 assists in 35 games but ultimately he was expendable when the parent club needed goal tending and found himself traded off to Ottawa Senators at the deadline.

He played his only full slate of regular season games in 2013/2014 but fell short of expectations with 4 goals and 16 assists in 60 games.

Ultimately he was to be reassigned back down but the horrible Buffalo Sabres picked him up on waivers.

He skated with them for the remaining 17 games and got himself a nifty 3 goals and 3 assists but was a woeful -7 plus/minus.

Heading into his second unrestricted free agency, first since he signed a minor league contract to start his pro career, he didn’t have to wait long as New York Islanders saw something they liked and swooped right in on opening day getting him to agree to a one-year two-way deal.

It looked like he’d come out strong but through 15 games faltered on a roster filled with lots of bigger, younger studs with only a goal and a pair of assists.

The 24-year was waived and sent to farm team Bridgeport Sound Tigers, where he’s settled in quickly hitting the back of the net 4 times and dishing 11 helpers in 15 games.

He be a free agent at the end of this year and it’s looking like the small forward might have better luck taking his game across the pond.

See related: 11/8-11

17Jan

Parker Milner(30) Quad City Mallards

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Parker-Milner

2nd year undrafted net minder Parker Milner(30) was a 2-time NCAA Championship with Boston College Eagles and voted MVP in the 2012 Tournament but can’t seem to catch a break.

After signing a one-year, two-way minor league deal with Bridgeport Sound Tigers, he barely got to show anything on a training camp invite to parent club New York Islanders, who were reported to sign him over the summer but already had a glut of goaltenders, before being released.

With little room to play on the AHL club, he was reassigned to start his pro career with Stockton Thunder, where he spent the majority of his rookie season.

In 25 ECHL games he may not have posted a winning record at 9-14-1-1 but had a respectable 2.84 GAA and .907 SV% with a pair of shutouts. He had similar numbers in 8 games on recall but managed a 4-2 record on a farm team that struggled and even won three straight starts.

The 6’1″ 188 lbs. backstop inked a one-year deal with Quad City Mallards for his sophomore campaign and looks to be on his way to setting new high marks.

In 18 contests he’s 9-6-2 with a 2.48 GAA and .919 SV%.

He earned a call up to Iowa Wild and was thrown into the net as they were getting shellacked and unable to stop the bleeding.

The 24-year old has worked hard to gain notice and will continue to earn every inch he gets.

10Jan

Sebastian Collberg(49) Bridgeport Sound Tigers

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Sebastian-Collberg

New York Islanders‘ Swedish-born rookie right wing Sebastian Collberg(49) got the wake-up call pretty quickly as he was reassigned down to affiliate Stockton Thunder when he wasn’t really producing much with farm club Bridgeport Sound Tigers.

In 6 ECHL games he produced 4 goals and 3 assists that proved he definitely belonged on a higher level of hockey. He already had 3 seasons of pro experience in his home country’s top league SHL skating for Frolunda.

He rebounded nicely, in 18 AHL games he now has 3 goals and 5 assists and is definitely starting to contribute. Two of those tallies were notched when he returned up the ladder.

The 5’11” 186 lbs. forward, who was originally a Montreal Canadiens‘ 2nd round pick in the 2012 draft (#33 overall) then traded, is only officially signed through the end of this season, when his three-year entry level deal with two years on loan, expires.

The only 20-year old will need to continue to step it up and prove himself worthy for a look at the next level to earn a qualifying offer.

11Nov

Brandon DeFazio(39) Vancouver Canucks

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Brandon-DeFazio

Undrafted right wing Brandon DeFazio(39) has been consistently working hard on his game to move up to playing in the show.

In his first season he signed a one-year agreement to join Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and as a youngster put in a respectable 11 goals and 5 assists.

He was rewarded for his efforts with a one-year entry level contract with New York Islanders. He skated exclusively for their affiliate Bridgeport Sound Tigers and saw his point totals rise with another 11 goal season and an assist increase to 14 on a mostly very young, struggling squad.

The feisty 6’1″ 205 lbs. forward that looks slightly smaller than his measurements indicate was noticed by Vancouver Canucks and received another 1-year, 2-way deal.

He stuck with their AHL farm club Utica Comets for the entirety of 2013/2014 but kept escalating his scoring game, hitting the net for a career high 17 goals and 17 assists, 34 points in 76 games.

He’s also been good for over 100 penalty minutes for each of his pro campaigns.

The 26-year old was extended for another season and got right to work, scoring 4 goals to lead the team and adding another pair of tallies resulting in his first NHL recall.

He skated 10 shifts for 6:04 of total ice time with no other stats but it was a team shootout win, so he may stick at least temporarily with the club.

See related: 7/17-12

26Oct

Scott Munroe(33) Springfield Falcons

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Scott Munroe39th year undrafted goaltender Scott Munroe(33) returned to North American hockey for a second time after tending net for Vaxjo Lakers of the SHL last season. He also spent an earlier year overseas in the KHL with Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk.

Although he put up pretty excellent numbers in Sweden (2.05 GAA, .913 SV% in 36 games) he was cut loose.

He decided to come back to this side of the pond signing a one-year, two-way deal with Springfield Falcons.

To start the new season the now 32-year old was for the first time in his pro career dispatched to ECHL affiliate Kalamazoo Wings, where he appeared in one game, getting the win.

The 6’2″ 194 lbs. backstop was immediately recalled and started his first AHL game in about a year and a half, winning his second straight of 2014/2015 in two different leagues.

His last stint was his second go-round with Adirondack (Philadelphia) Phantoms.

He’s had three NHL contracts and was invited to Columbus Blue Jackets’ training camp but never played an official big league game.

When he finally decides to hang up the skates, he’d be a great goaltending coach for a team.

See related: 8/28-12

14Oct

Colton Gillies(17) Bridgeport Sound Tigers

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Colton-Gillies

7th year former Minnesota Wild 1st round pick in the 2007 draft (#16 overall) right wing Colton Gillies(17) is currently minus a contract for the 2014/2015 but skating AHL games with Bridgeport Sound Tigers after being released from his New York Islanders‘ training camp invite.

He played the entirety of the 2013/2014 season on a minor league deal with Rochester Americans putting up close to career high numbers but even those are barely something to write home about (9-15-24).

The fairly large 6’4″ 190 lbs. forward has skated most of three full campaigns in the NHL with a pair of clubs.

His numbers up in the big league are minimal as well (6-12-18 in 154 games).

He never really produced on the score sheet through three years of junior hockey in the WHL with Saskatoon Blades. which makes it a bit of a wonder how he was ever selected so high and even traded up to get.

In a pair of games in this early season, he has yet to record a point playing on a pto.

He’s definitely a good leader type figure for the young squad to retain but it’s a wonder if they will.

24Sep

Nick Larson(17) HC Banska Bystrica

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Nick Larson2nd year right wing Nick Larson(17) has decided to take his game overseas, joining HC Banska Bystrica of the Slovakian league for 2014/2015.

He was originally a Calgary Flames‘ 4th round pick in the 2008 draft (#108 overall) but was never signed.

Instead he become an unrestricted free agent upon completion of four years at University Of Notre Dame. He signed an ato with Peoria Rivermen, where in 5 games he he went pointless.

The 6’2″ 200 lbs. forward put up ok numbers in college but was much better at putting the puck in the net through a pair of campaigns in USHL junior hockey with Waterloo Blackhawks.

To start his rookie season he eventually signed a two-way deal with Bridgeport Sound Tigers.

He was reassigned to ECHL affiliate Stockton Thunder to begin the year and was quickly recalled.

Through 17 AHL games he scored 4 goals and 2 assists with a +5 rating but to failed to stick on the young squad and was eventually sent back down a couple of months later.

He was later loaned to South Carolina Stingrays to play out the season and almost ironically started to regain his scoring touch, putting in 7 goals and 2 assists in 23 games.

It’s almost surprising that the 24-year old decided to take his game to another country but maybe a fresh start is what he needs to move up the ranks.

He was rumored to have inked a deal with Orlando Solar Bears but decided to jump ship.