Tagged: Calgary Flames

6th year, former Calgary Flames‘ 1st round pick in the 2005 draft (#26 overall) redwood tree tall defenseman Matt Pelech(23) re-signed for another 0ne-year, two-way deal for 2012/2013 with San Jose Sharks that will likely see him skating mostly with their AHL affiliate Worcester Sharks, where he spent all of last season.

The 6’4 235 lbs. menacing blue liner played in 59 games with 1 goal and 8 assists. He was sometimes sent out there as a forward in certain games when they were short up front. That may have been how he got his goal.

He’s appeared in 269 regular season and 13 Calder Cup Playoff games, mostly in his first four years with the Flames‘ affiliate Quad City Flames, then Abbotsford Heat.

Last in the 2008/2009 season he was recalled for his only 5 NHL games. The almost extraordinary part is that he notched 3 assists and even a +1 plus/minus.

But that was it.  Not another even toe dip on the ice in the show.

The soon-to-be 25 year old does have a bit of an awkward, seemingly almost off balance skating style but he’s such a big dude that some skating coach should work with that and turn him into a machine. He can obviously throw down some punches when necessary; he had 168 pims that included 16 fights in 2011/2012.

 

Heading into his 13th season, Hershey Bears‘ goaltender Dany Sabourin(35) signs a one-year, two-way extension with Washington Capitals‘ organization for a third straight season.

Originally a Calgary Flames‘ 4th round pick in the 1998 draft (#108 overall), he has almost always consistently put together a winning season for whatever club he’s been with.

The 31-year old has played in 59 NHL games mostly with Pittsburgh Penguins over a few seasons and appeared in net with Vancouver Canucks and the Flames as well.

In the AHL he has 278 regular and postseason contests to his credit.

Whomever the Bears end up with to split time with him in the upcoming season, he is more than capable of shouldering the starting job or splitting the 76-game schedule with another netminder as he did in 2011/2012.

He has been recalled by the Caps but yet to tend for them in a game.  Maybe that will change in 2012/2013.

4th year pro, right wing J.D. Watt(10) signed an AHL contract with Manchester Monarchs‘ for the 2011/2012 season after opting out of his one-year deal with Calgary Flames.

He was originally a Flames‘ 4th round pick in 2005 (#111 overall) and played 139 AHL games with their affiliates in Quad City then Abbotsford Heat before leaving.

Starting the season with the MonarchsECHL affiliate Ontario Reign he was recalled three times and played 19 games scoring a goal to go along with a pair of helpers.

He was most recently reassigned to the ECHL again to help out in the Reign‘s Kelly Cup Playoff push. They did get to game 5 before losing in that decisive matchup.

He will likely be recalled unless the Monarchs wait to see how their final weekend unfolds as they are in a battle for their playoff lives. The 24-year has been mostly a 4th line energy forward throughout his playing career.

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Keith Aulie(3) is a monster of a 22-year old, 2nd year defenseman at 6’6″ 217 lbs.

He’s been in Toronto Maple Leafs‘ system from the start of his pro career and played in 57 NHL games (2 goals and 2 assists).

With their AHL affiliate Toronto Marlies, he’s skated in 64 games (3 goals, 7 assists).

All of that ain’t so bad but in 2011/2012 with the two teams, he has only 3 assists and is a -10 plus/minus.

He must have slipped pretty low on their depth chart because they dumped him at the trading deadline for prospect forward Carter Ashton.

Could be that they just needed more up front than on the blue line.

He will debut with his new team Tampa Bay Lightning in the upcoming weekend. The team needs to make sure it has defense that takes up a lot of space with their goaltending worries, as they stumble and surge, pushing for a playoff spot.

He was originally a Calgary Flames‘ 4th round draft pick in 2007 (#116 overall) but played most of his rookie season with Abbotsford Heat.

After suffering a season ending concussion in his 2010/2011 rookie year, Calgary Flames‘ 2nd round pick in the 2008 draft (#48 overall), center Mitch Wahl(51) is starting it a bit slow to begin his second campaign in the pros.

After appearing in 6 games to start the season with ECHL Utah Grizzlies, where he put up 5 goals and two assists, he was recalled to Abbotsford Heat to find a spot in their lineup. He skated in 5 games with them but failed to get on the scoring sheet and was loaned by the Flames to Hamilton Bulldogs.

Recently recalled and reassigned once again to Utah, he picked up where he left off scoring a goal in his first game back.

With the Bulldogs, he had 2 goals and 3 assists in 22 games and went a +1 plus/minus.

After 5 seasons in the Carolina Hurricanes‘ system, the team he was originally drafted by in the 4th round of 2004 (#109 overall), defenseman Brett Carson(7) was plucked from the waiver wire late last season by Calgary Flames.

They saw a big NHL future for the 6’4″ 220 lbs. blue liner.

He had been having some injury problems with his back that required surgery in the offseason. Still hindered, he has only skated in two games with the Flames this season and has been down to their AHL affiliate Abbotsford Heat on conditioning stints twice already for a total of 11 games.

He was recently recalled and hopes to start contributing with the team soon.  So far in 80 NHL games, he has 2 goals and 10 assists but no points yet with his new team.

Calgary Flames‘ 3rd round pick in the 2008 draft (#78 overall) center Lance Bouma(10) earned his first call-up from the AHL‘s Abbotsford Heat. He played 16 NHL games last season and notched one assist.

In his first game up he scored his first NHL goal, the first of the game vs. Minnesota Wild in the team’s 3-1 win.

He’s in the second year of his entry level contract so it’s easy to bring him back up and down.

In 31 AHL games this season he has 3 goals and 3 assists but is kind of a miserable -9 plus/minus.

 

After 4 years in Calgary Flames‘ system, 2006 1st round pick (#26 overall) goaltender Leland Irving(37) got the call-up and played probably as well as you can in his debut 3-2 shootout loss. He backstopped 39 of 41 shots in regulation posting a 1.85 GA and .951 SV%.

He has always been pretty steady between the pipes in 143 AHL appearances with their affiliate Abbotsford Heat. Last season he played in 61 games for the team. In 23 games this season he’s already posted a pretty handy 15 wins, 7 losses record.

In the offseason he only signed for one more year with the Flames after his 3-year entry level contract expired.

He wears the same number 37 in both leagues.

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In his 10th year, undrafted wing Jason Jaffray(15) has always been a leader for the AHL squads he’s played for.

Through 41 NHL games, most of those with Vancouver Canucks, he’s defined as mostly a character player, who does what he needs to get the job done.

With his new team for the 2011/2012 season, Winnipeg Jets, he received his first call up and has been making the most of it.

He recently notched his first point with the team, an assist, in 5 games.

He’s the captain of affiliate St. John’s IceCaps, a team he has helped to a first place overall standing in its’ debut AHL season.

He is one of the most storied players in Manitoba Moose history and holds 6 different team records.

Calgary Flames‘ 2nd year defenseman T.J. Brodie(29), picked in the 4th round of the 2008 drafted (#114 overall), received his first call-up of the season and recorded his first NHL point (an assist) during the team’s win over Chicago Blackhawks.

In his rookie season with the FlamesAHL affiliate, Abbotsford Heat, he was steady and impressive registering 5 goals and 29 assists in 68 games. He’s continued that solid play this year.