Carolina Hurricanes | CollegeHockeyPlayers

04May

Joey Mormina(3) WBS Penguins

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Unlikely hero #2: 7th year Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins‘ defenseman Joey Mormina(3) scored the game-winning goal in the second contest of the best-of-seven AHL Calder Cup Eastern Conference Semi-Finals vs. St. John’s IceCaps to even the series at one apiece.

It was his first-ever postseason point in 39 games and what a big one to get for the extra-large 6’6″ 220 lbs. blue liner. Making matters even more exciting, it happened to be a shorthanded goal for the mostly stay-at-home d-man that happened to jumped into the play.

He’s played in 456 AHL games (21 goals, 82 assists) with four different teams and this is his second-go-round with the Baby Pens in 4 seasons.

He even had a career high in goals in 2011/2012 scoring 6.

The 29-year old signed a one-year AHL contract and chances are he’ll re-sign with them for a 5th campaign as he plays is fairly accountable in his own zone and was a league 2nd best +37 plus/minus a couple of seasons ago.

He has only appeared in one NHL career game with Carolina Hurricanes in ’07/’08 and was originally a Philadelphia Flyers‘ 6th round pick in the 2002 draft (#193 overall). He didn’t sign with them initially but did ink a contract in 2009 and was reassigned to Adirondack Phantoms.

10Mar

Patrick O’Sullivan(16) Peoria Rivermen

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One time Minnesota Wild 2nd round pick in the 2oo3 draft (#56 overall) 7th year left wing Patrick O’Sullivan(16) gets bounced from one AHL team, Portland Pirates, to another, Peoria Rivermen in a offensive-minded forward swap.

He played 23 NHL games with Phoenix Coyotes scoring a pair of goals and assists before last being reassigned to the Pirates in early January. He put up 10 goals and 20 assists in 26 games but went a -6 plus/minus on a pretty good team.

In each of his last 6 seasons, he’s appeared in NHL games, 334 of them. He’s basically a point per every other game producer with 58 goals and 103 assists. In 183 AHL games his stats are 97 goals and 120 assists, better than a point per game. 3 goals and 4 assists of that are in 3 contests since the trade that brought him to the Rivermen.

He lists at 5’11” 189 lbs., which seems a little light. He doesn’t play a very physical game. It’s all about getting into those open spaces and creating them in his style.

He’s either got to turn on those jets or play with a bit more of an edge while scoring those goals and setting up those assists. Make sure that helmet’s on tight.

17Feb

Bryan Rodney(33) Oklahoma City Barons

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Undrafted 7th year defenseman Bryan Rodney(33) is one of those stories of endurance and sticktoitiveness that defines a pro.

His first couple of seasons were predominantly spent in the ECHL. By his third year he made the jump up to an AHL regular after a call-up with Albany River Rats.

With his impressive play on the blue line that season, Carolina Hurricanes stepped in an signed him to a one-year, two-way contract. He would sign two more similar contracts with them and skate his only 33 NHL games with Carolina (1 goal, 12 assists).

For the 2011/2012 he was once again a free agent but this time in need of a new home. Anaheim Ducks wasted no time signing him to a one-year, two-way deal that has him skating with their AHL affiliate, Syracuse Crunch. He has 5 goals and 15 assists.

Then, almost without warning, the Ducks have dished him to Edmonton Oilers, where he’ll report to their affiliate Oklahoma City Barons.

He’s definitely become a team leader on the ice but the big knock with his game is his tendency to be a minus player. Despite that, it would be little surprise to see the Oilers give him a look to see if they can’t ignite that scoring touch.

03Feb

Danny Richmond(7) Lake Erie Monsters

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Defenseman Danny Richmond(7) is one of those high draft picks (Carolina Hurricanes‘ 2nd round in 2003, #31 overall) that just have never quite lived up to expectations.

He was just traded out of Hershey, where he saw limited action, and just couldn’t find his spot on a fairly deep roster after signing a one-year, two-way deal with Washington Capitals in the offseason. This happened to be his 8th AHL team in six years.

The next chapter in his pro career takes him to Cleveland to skate for Lake Erie Monsters, as he was traded out of Chocolatetown. We’ll see if he’s able to gain any traction and maybe another look with Colorado Avalanche.

He has 49 games of NHL experience, registering 0 goals and 3 assists and a -12 plus/minus. He mostly has been less than accountable in his defensive zone.

03Feb

Jon Matsumoto(10) San Antonio Rampage

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Originally a Philadelphia Flyers‘ 3rd round pick in the 2006 draft (#79 overall) center Jon Matsumoto(10) was a team prospect for the first three years of his pro career and had two 60+ point AHL seasons with the Phantoms before being traded at the end of his 3-year entry level contract to Carolina Hurricanes 2010 for what amounted to a bag of rocks, a 7th round draft selection.

He played with their AHL affiliate Charlotte Checkers for a season and a half (including 13 games, scoring 2 goals last season with the Hurricanes) before being recently dished to Florida Panthers for another up-and-coming forward that was primarily playing with San Antonio Rampage.

In 46 AHL games he has 17 goals and 24 assists, which puts in on pace for his third 60 point season. At 6′ 185 lbs. he isn’t the biggest forward but he plays that style and has to ramp it up to the next level.

25Jan

Mike Angelidis(10) Tampa Bay Lightning

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6th year, undrafted left wing Mike Angelidis(10) scored his 1st NHL goal in his 1st NHL game on his 1st shot on net. He only played a 4:01 of ice time through 7 shifts (the goal came during his 2nd time out there) in Tampa Bay Lightning‘s Monday night 4-2 win.

After four seasons to start his pro career in Carolina Hurricanes‘ system, he signed a one-year, two-way deal with the Lightning last year and re-signed with the team for the 2011/2012 season. He was named captain of Norfolk Admirals at the start of the year.

He’s on pace to set career highs in goals and assists in the AHL, if he can continue along the pace he started in the first half of the season.

18Jan

Brett Carson(7) Calgary Flames

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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.

30Dec

Tim Conboy(38) Binghamton Senators

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It took 139 games for Binghamton Senators‘ defenseman Tim Conboy(38) to put the puck in the net but he finally got the monkey off his back the night after Christmas with one, his first since 2009 when he was playing with Albany River Rats.

He was in Carolina Hurricanes‘ prospect system for four seasons and played 59 NHL games with them (0 goals, 6 assists).

From there he signed to one-year, two-way deals, last season with Buffalo Sabres and this year with Ottawa Senators, which has him assigned to their AHL affiliate.

Originally a San Jose Sharks‘ 7th round pick in the 2002 draft (#217 overall), he’s a fairly big guy at 6’2″ 210 lbs. but more importantly he’s the type of player that gets under other guy’s skin and causes penalties to happen. He also spends a good amount of time in the box.

Last season in 70 games he had 233 pims.

26Dec

Riley Nash(20) Charlotte Checkers

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It looked like second year Carolina Hurricanes‘ center Riley Nash(20) had his first NHL goal in the first shift of his second game ever but later it was deemed he never touched the puck on it’s way into the net, so he settled for a first point in the big league instead, an assist.

Originally a 1st round pick by Edmonton Oilers in the 2007 draft (#21 overall), he was traded to the Hurricanes before ever playing in a game for them.

He lasted a couple of games in his debut recall and put up a point while averaging 10 minutes of ice time before being reassigned to AHL affiliate Charlotte Checkers.

In 31 games he has 2 goals and 7 assists but is a dreadful -8 plus/minus.

He wears the same #20 in both leagues.

16Dec

Drayson Bowman(27) Carolina Hurricanes

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3rd year Carolina Hurricanes‘ prospect, wing Drayson Bowman(27) doubled his NHL career goal scoring numbers and games played in the 2011/2012 season in one night on his most recent call-up from the AHL Charlotte Checkers.

He now has 4 goals and 1 assist in 36 games played. In 23 games with the impressive Checkers he’s a +6 with 8 goals and 6 assists in 23 games.

He’s in the last year of his entry level draft contract. He’ll likely sign an extension, as he’s a good fit in the Hurricanes‘ style of game.