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Tagged: Carolina Hurricanes

22Dec

Justin Shugg(52) Carolina Hurricanes

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Carolina Hurricanes‘ 4th round pick in the 2010 draft (#105 overall) 4th year right wing Justin Shugg(52) came off his best season yet playing his first full campaign for one team, farm club Charlotte Checkers.

He reached career highs in games played (75), goals (16), assists (22), points (38) and shots on net (160), all good enough to get him a one-year extension to continue in the prospect system.

In his rookie season he was on a see-saw of call-ups and reassignments with ECHL affiliate Florida Everblades and eventually sent back down as the AHL club’s season ended to help them with their postseason run.

The former two-time Memorial Cup Champion with Windsor Spitfires of the OHL stepped back in with a team he had already posted more a point-per-game for during the regular season and went right to work putting up 7 goals and 5 assists in 11 games to help them with their first Kelly Cup Championship.

The 5’11” 185 lbs. forward would start his sophomore year in the lower league but when he was called up to the Checkers that would be his last visit to the sunshine state.

To start 2014/2015, the 22-year old got off to a hot start and looks to eclipse his goals and point total marks set last season.

It was good enough to earn him his first recall. He played in three NHL games skating an average of 8 shifts and almost 6 minutes of ice time with no points but did register three shots and three hits and 2 penalty minutes in his time up.

He was returned to the minors and will likely continue to light the lamp in the minors.

01Dec

Ian White(28) Providence Bruins

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11th year veteran defenseman Ian White(28) last played a game in the AHL in 2006 with the newly introduced Toronto Marlies, while still under his entry level contract with Toronto Maple Leafs.

He was a 6th round pick in the 2002 draft (#191 overall) and up until the 2013/2014 season he strung together 503 NHL appearances, 6 years with the Leafs, stops with Calgary Flames, Carolina Hurricanes, San Jose Sharks and most fruitfully late career two campaigns with Detroit Red Wings, where he put up a career high 25 assists and 32 points with a phenomenal +23 rating.

The not huge 5’10” 185 lbs. d-man had season ending injury in 2013/2014 limiting him to only 25 games for 2 goals and 2 assists but a tidy +5.

He was a beast on the score board in four years of juniors in the WHL with Swift Current Broncos. His totals of 77 goals and 145 assists in 246 games with a +31 is impressive for such a late selection.

Regardless, he was an unrestricted free agent was in Winnipeg Jets‘ training camp but released and found himself over in Russia with Traktor Chelyabinsk for a minimal 10 games.

At only 30 years old, he’s definitely still got a lot of game left in the tank.

He signed a pto with Providence Bruins and has appeared in 7 games scoring 1 goal and 3 assists but is a kind of bad -7 plus/minus on a team that’s been struggling.

His veteran presence works on this roster and it would be no surprise to see him score a deal.

13Nov

Rob Zepp(72) Lehigh Valley Phantoms

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14th year goaltender Rob Zepp(72) has taken quite the path to signing his first NHL deal over 10 years after he inked his last one with draft team Carolina Hurricanes.

He was selected, for a second time, in the 4th round of 2001 (#110 overall) after his initial pick in again the 4th round of 1999 by Atlanta Thrashers (#99 overall), but was never signed by the team before being returned to the draft pool.

The back stop played in the ‘Canes‘ system for four years mostly reassigned down to Florida Everblades of the ECHL with only 7 AHL games with the long gone Lowell Lock Monsters.

After a one-year extension, he decided he’d had enough of North American hockey and split for a pair of stints in Finland’s Liiga with SaiPa.

From there the 6’1″ 195 lbs. net minder moved to Germany’s elite league DEL coming to terms with Eisbaren Berlin Polar Bears and his game started to take off.

He stayed with the team for seven seasons, playing over 40 games each year, 50 in 2009/2010, 5 league Championships and was named European Best Goalie twice (2011, 2013).

With his stellar play he was definitely getting noticed back home but it was in the lockout shortened 2012/2013, when a pair of Philadelphia Flyers‘ players joined him for a brief spell that conversations about bringing him back really started to gain traction.

The 33-year old signed a one-year, two-way deal with the Flyers for 2014/2015 that had will likely have him play in his first regular season NHL game but most of his time should be spent in between the pipes for affiliate Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

In 8 games he’s already making an argument for recall going 5-2-1 with a 2.75 GAA and .910 SV%.

This follows an impressive training camp, where there were murmurs that he could easily steal the back-up job but for now he provides great insight as a mentor for their rookie in the minors and may even turn goaltending coach when he decided to hang up the skates.

10Nov

Kevin Westgarth(15) Belfast Giants

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Undrafted 8th year right wing Kevin Westgarth(15) found no takers for his gritty game in the NHL so he has decided to join storied English hockey franchise Belfast Giants for the 2014/2015 campaign.

The exceedingly large 6’4″ 234 lbs. forward was invited to Edmonton Oilers‘ training camp before being released right before the start of the new season.

He last played a full year with Calgary Flames and seemed to enjoy it as a most productive landing spot in 2013/2014 scoring a career high 4 goals and 3 assists in 36 games.

His last stint four+ years ago in the AHL with Manchester Monarchs he showed signs of converting his fists into scoring chances landing 11 goals and 14 assists in 76 games.

The now 30-year old is off to a hot start getting a pair of goals in his first two appearances and of course, already has one fighting major penalty too.

He should be a point per game kind of player in this league.

It remains to be seen if good play away from home for a season will get anyone interested in paying for his services to return.

30Sep

Jeremy Welsh(15) Chicago Wolves

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Undrafted center Jeremy Welsh(15) has already been with his share of teams as he enters his third professional season.

An unrestricted free agent heading into 2014/2015, his former team Vancouver Canucks decided to not re-sign the fairly large 6’3″ 208 lbs. Ontario, Canada native.

He originally inked a 1-year entry level deal with Carolina Hurricanes and skated his first NHL game after winning an ECAC Championship at Union College in his third and final season before turning pro.

The physical presence up front split his time in his rookie year up with the big club on numerous recalls but mostly with affiliate Charlotte Checkers, where he notched some decent numbers (14+12-26 in 69 AHL games).

His potential abilities led him to receive a two-year extension with the 2nd year being a one-way contract.

He was traded to Vancouver before the start of 2013/2014 and split his time with Utica Comets.

The 26-year old joined St. Louis Blues early in free agency on a 1-year, 2-way contract and was recently reassigned to affiliate Chicago Wolves.

He’ll easily be on the short list for a recall to prove his mettle once again but will need to show up big.

15Mar

Tyson Strachan(5) Hershey Bears

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Big 6’3″ 225 lbs. 7th year defenseman Tyson Strachan(5) has been signed to an NHL contract and played in big league games since his sophomore campaign.

He is currently under a one-year two-way deal with Washington Capitals and has one assist but has mostly been on reassignment with farm club Hershey Bears, where he serves as an assistant captain.

He’s never been exactly the biggest point production d-man scoring only one goal and 13 helpers in 132 big league contests.

His point totals are better in the minors.

This season in 49 AHL games he has a pair of markers with 15 assists, which could easily ascend to a career high by the end of 2013/2014.

He also has a remarkable +13 rating.

Through 264 games he’s potted 15 goals and 70 assists.

Originally a Carolina Hurricanes‘ 5th round pick in the 2003 draft (#137 overall).

He signed his first entry level deal with St. Louis Blues after attending Ohio State University and played in their organization for 4 years before moving on to Florida Panthers for a couple of seasons.

No doubt the 29-year old is an asset to any team he joins and will likely continue where he is or score another big league contract elsewhere, unless he decides to move his game overseas for more money.

15Dec

Justin Peters(35) Carolina Hurricanes

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Carolina Hurricanes‘ 2nd round pick in the 2004 draft (#38 overall) 8th year goaltender Justin Peters is finding his footing and looks to potentially take over the number one job in net.

In 16 NHL games this season he has a 6-8 record but his 2.23 GAA and .925 SV% always gives his team a chance to win.

He’s played 63 total games serving mostly as back-up net minder with appearances in each of the last 5 seasons.

The 6’1″ 210 lbs. goalie has played in 214 AHL games sporting a nifty 2.64 GAA and .912 SV%. He is on the record books with Charlotte Checkers for best in both categories in a single season, most shutouts in a year and overall and has appeared in two All-Star Games receiving best net minder for his play in the 2013 skills competition.

He was re-signed to a two-year contract extension with 2013/2014 as a one-way deal. It will be tough to reassign the player without losing him on waivers.

The 27-year old will likely be staying put with the only team he’s dressed for.

02Dec

Mark Alt(2) Adirondack Phantoms

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Originally a Carolina Hurricanes‘ 2nd round pick in the 2010 draft (#53 overall), rookie defenseman Mark Alt(2) was traded to Philadelphia Flyers just as the lockout thawed.

The sizable 6’4″ 210 lbs. young blue liner skated in 6 games with minor league affiliate Adirondack Phantoms after finishing up his third year at University Of Minnesota. He recorded his first pro goal and assist in his short stint with the team.

He returned on reassignment after attending the parent club’s prospect and regular training camps bringing with him a steady, stay-at-home style that may have been a little light on the score sheet but heeded a solid +39 rating through his collegiate playing time.

In 19 AHL games he’s pocketed another goal and added 5 more assists.

The 22-year old is signed through 2016 on a three-year entry level deal and will likely realize some NHL playing time sooner than later.

30Oct

John Muse (40)

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3rd year, undrafted goaltender John Muse(40) was selected as the AHL player of the week after posting a pair of perfect games with Charlotte Checkers on loan from Fort Wayne Komets of the ECHL.

Irony of ironies, he was signed to a contract with the Checkers for his rookie season after four years at Boston College, where he won 2008 and 2010 NCAA Championships.

The 5’11” 175 lbs. net minder also played more than half his first campaign with Florida Everblades, ultimately helping lead the team to a Kelly Cup Championship.

He was also named Playoff MVP for his outstanding 1.78 GAA and .939 SV% over 13 games to the title.

Carolina Hurricanes took notice and signed him to a 1-year entry level deal but the impending lockout basically derailed any promise of him guarding the cage in the show despite being recalled on one occasion.

In his sophomore season, he spent even more time in Charlotte and Florida but wasn’t retained before ultimately moving on.

Now coming full circle (albeit a small one) he is back where he started, but there could be too many stacked pads for him to steal the starter job or even ride the pine until his next opportunity.

Oh, did we mention the East Falmouth, MA-born native was in Providence Bruins‘ training camp on an invite?

We are still lead to believe that with continued good play the 25-year old with once again find himself signed to an NHL contract.

28Mar

Brian Boucher(1) Adirondack Phantoms

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Philadelphia Flyers‘ 16-year veteran goalie and former 1st round pick in the 1995 draft (#22 overall), Brian Boucher(1) has circled back to tend net for the team three times since leaving the fold after his fifth season in the organization.

He’s only suited up for 4 games in the current campaign and has been shuffled to AHL affiliate Adirondack Phantoms on a few occasions. In 10 starts he owns a 2.50 GAA and .906 SV%. His numbers with the big club in 4 contests are similar.

His most recent venture back to Philly came as the lockout ended and Carolina Hurricanes was already set with their goaltending situation.

The 6’2″ 200 lbs. backstop has worn the pads for seven different NHL squads, amassing an absolute eye-popping 371 regular and postseason games.

The 36-year old is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season but we’re betting he still has something left in the tank and wants to continue his playing career.

Where he will go is an absolute mystery though.

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