Chicago Wolves | CollegeHockeyPlayers

23Feb

Colin Stuart(49) Providence Bruins

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11th year left wing Colin Stuart(49) started 2014/2015 in Sweden’s tier 2 league Allsvenskan with Malmo. It was his second tour of overseas hockey. He played in 2012/2013 for Iserlohn Roosters of the German elite DEL.

He played in 31 games scoring 5 goals and 4 assists with a +4 rating but after a few months decided to leave and sign an spc with Providence Bruins for the remainder of the season.

The 32-year, former three time captain (once in his senior campaign at Colorado College) and 2008 Calder Cup Champion is a good guy to have around for his goal scoring and leadership abilities.

In 28 AHL contests the 6’2″ 205 lbs. forward has already amassed a tidy 8 goals and 8 assists.

He also has 58 games of NHL experience mostly with draft team Atlanta Thrashers and a couple of spins on the ice over two years under contract with Buffalo Sabres.

He should easily help the Boston farm club into a playoff berth.

See related: 12/6-10, 9/9-11, 12/12-11

21Feb

Petteri Lindbohm(48) St. Louis Blues

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St. Louis Blues‘ 6th round pick in the 2012 draft (#176 overall) Finnish-born rookie defenseman Petteri Lindbohm(48) has been on a slingshot between the parent club and affiliate Chicago Wolves.

He has already been reassigned and recalled 10 times (5 of those in December alone) since the start of the 2014/2015 season.

The fairly large 6’3″ 198 lbs. d-man connected with his first NHL goal in his most recent journey back.

The tally goes along with his one assist in 10 games.

In that contest he played a season high 26 shifts for 17:06 of total ice, including a small amount of time on the power play and penalty kill, had 3 shots on net and got into his first fight in the big league.

He has 4 fighting major in 41 AHL games, so is not afraid to mix it up, and has scored 6 goals and 11 assists with a +5 rating.

The 21-year old came in with 2 years of pro experience, 72 contests in Liiga with Jokerit and Assat and looks to be well on his way to a permanent roster spot with the Blues.

03Feb

Ty Rattie(18) St. Louis Blues

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St. Louis Blues‘ 2nd round pick in the 2011 draft (#32 overall) 2nd year right wing Ty Rattie(8) potted over 100 points in each of his last two seasons of juniors with Portland Winterhawks.

He won the 2012 WHL Championship with the team, went to the Finals 2011-2013, had the most playoff goals 2012-2013, most points in the 2013 postseason and named 2013 MVP.

The 6′ 192 lbs. forward continued his scoring trend as a rookie on reassignment with minor league affiliate Chicago Wolves getting most goals in the league at 31.

He looks to be on his way to another 30 goal season in the current campaign but could get slightly sidetracked as he scored his second career recall.

In a pair of games with the parent club he’s skated an average of 13 shifts for 9 minutes, had one hit, one breakup and even got in :54 of power play time but no points in two team wins.

The 21-year old could be looking at some extended time up with the injury bug bearing down on the Blues.

20Jan

Jordan Binnington (30)

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St. Louis Blues‘ 3rd round pick in the 2011 draft (#88 overall) goaltender Jordan Binnington(30) has one of the more interesting artist renderings on his mask for 2014/2015.

That’s Will Smith as The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air that graces one side of his cage.

The story goes he is a huge fan of the actor in the tv show and thinks he can basically do no wrong on the silver screen.

Between the pipes the 2nd year net minder is earning his keep with minor league affiliate Chicago Wolves.

The 6’1″ 176 lbs. backstop has a 11-6 record in 19 AHL games with a 2.33 GAA, .911 SV% and one shutout.

He played the majority of his rookie season in the ECHL posting similar stats but was fairly outstanding in three Kelly Cup Playoff games going 1-1-1 with a 1.89 GAA and .946 SV%.

The 21-year old won the 2011 OHL Championship and was voted Outstanding Goalie at the Memorial Cup despite not winning.

He was also named 2013 Goaltender Of The Year in his final season with Owen Sound Attack.

He’s received one recall and probably isn’t too far from an NHL start.

15Jan

John McCarthy(17) Worcester Sharks

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6th year veteran center John McCarthy(17) got a bit of a surprised when he was reassigned back to Worcester Sharks‘ organization in a minor league transaction after less than half a season on a one-year, two-way deal with St. Louis Blues.

He has spent his entire pro career in the San Jose Sharks‘ system, playing 267 AHL games with their farm team (59-82-141, +31 rating) and one campaign as team captain.

The 6′ 195 lbs. plays a power forward style despite being a little shy of the usual size but only in his rookie season was he able to attain 20/20 scoring status.

He’s also thought of as a good checking, somewhat agitating to play against opponent, which completely goes against his real good-guy off ice persona.

In 25 games on reassignment with Chicago Wolves he only has a 5 goals and 3 assists so far this season but was injured for a spell, which might have thrown his game off.

At 28-years old it’s tough to say where this train will stop next but it would be little surprise to see him succeed quite nicely taking his game overseas in 2015/2016.

See related: 1/28-12, 4/7-11, 3/16-11, 2/4-11

08Jan

Colin Fraser(24) Chicago Wolves

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10th year veteran center Colin Fraser(24) signed a one-year two-way deal to join St. Louis Blues‘ organization after three seasons with Los Angeles Kings that saw him score a second 2012 Stanley Cup.

He won his first final hardware a couple of years earlier with Chicago Blackhawks and story has it even though he only appeared in 3 postseason contests still was granted his name engraved on the trophy.

You could even stretch it a bit and suggest he was part of a team that has won it all every other season for the last 6 years, as he skated with the Kings for 33 games, but was reassigned to the minor league affiliate Manchester Monarchs for the first time since 2008 with the intent of sending the soon to be unrestricted free agent on his way elsewhere.

And although he was only part of the practice squad for the 2014 run, he was still given his day with the Cup.

The 6’1″ 190 lbs. former Philadelphia Flyers‘ 3rd round pick in the 2003 draft (#69 overall) has played 359 NHL games scoring only 20 goals and 38 assists but given his track record of being around a championship, he has his upside.

He was recalled for a game recently raising his years of appearances in the highest hockey league to 9.

Used ultra sparingly with only 6 shifts and 4:42 total ice he did at least manage a shot on net, one hit and one break up play.

Where the 29-year old takes his game next is anyone’s guess but if he is even associated with another team that wins it, then you can be sure luck will give him yet another shot in the show.

31Dec

Dmitrij Jaskin(23) St. Louis Blues

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St. Louis Blues‘ 2nd round pick in the 2011 draft (#41 overall) 2nd year Russian right wing Dmitrij Jaskin(23) is starting to blossom.

28Dec

Yann Sauve(3) Orlando Solar Bears

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Orlando Solar Bears‘ 5th year defenseman Yann Sauve(3) was late to come to the table signing a one-year minor league deal for 2014/2015 two months into the new season.

He was originally a Vancouver Canucks‘ 2nd round pick in the 2008 draft (#41 overall) and in their system for four campaigns, first signing a three-year entry level contract and then an extension for 2013/2014.

The fairly big 6’3″ 215 lbs. blue liner was assistant captain for affiliate Utica Comets, had a career high 13 assists and tied the 14 points he recorded as a rookie, but was also a disappointing -20 plus/minus.

He was recalled to the NHL for the first time since his initial year, when he appeared in 5 games.

In 3 more games as the parent club’s blue line was injury depleted, he again didn’t connect with the score sheet.

He was productive in the QMJHL with Saint John Sea Dog s averaging 20 assists each season and had an unreal +42 rating before he turned pro.

The 24-year old had already played portions of two seasons on reassignment in ECHL teams, so is familiar with the league.

His best run was in 2012/2013, when he had 19 points in 32 games and is off to a good start with a goal and an assist in 5 contests.

On 12/29-14 he has moved back up the hockey ladder for the moment, signing to a pto with Saint John’s IceCaps.

04Dec

Brent Sopel(55) Chicago Wolves

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Enduring 17th year defenseman Brent Sopel(55) has not appeared in an AHL game since 1999-2000 with Syracuse Crunch, then affiliate of Vancouver Canucks.

He was originally a ‘Nucks 6th round pick in the 1995 draft (#144 overall) and last skated in the minors with the old Kansas City Blades in the last year of the IHL. His stint was a short 4-game stay as this would be his first complete season in the show.

The 37-year old has skated an absolutely phenomenal 659 NHL games and was a key member of the 2010 Stanley Cup win with Chicago Blackhawks.

Only one season removed hockey’s biggest prize he would disappear for three years to the KHL.

Returning to North America to be play closer to home, he entered training camp on an invite with Chicago Wolves and signed a one-year deal as the 2014/2015 season started.

The 6’1″ 201 lbs. blue liner is already contributing nicely with 7 assists in 21 games and a +2 rating, plus is the senior member of his squad so his vast knowledge and leadership both on and off the ice is priceless.

He recently appeared in his 1000 pro game as his career continues and still eyes a return to the highest league of hockey.

23Nov

Kellan Lain(19) Oklahoma City Barons

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Undrafted Vancouver Canucks‘ exceedingly large 6’6″ 222 lbs. center Kellan Lain(19) found himself in an early season mostly minor league deal that ships him to Edmonton Oilers‘ prospect system for the final year of his two-year extension.

Initially signed to an entry level deal for just one season coming out of his third tour with Lake Superior State University, he started his pro career with 13 AHL games for then affiliate Chicago Wolves.

Although he was credited for no points he must have played with enough jam to keep the restricted free agent around for more than one more look.

In his official rookie season with Utica Comets he is credited for 7 tallies and 12 helpers in 63 games with a +4 rating on a mostly struggling first year squad.

He earned himself a pair of call ups after the new year and stuck around for 9 NHL game scoring his first big league goal and was a +1 plus/minus.

Heading into a contract year, he was maybe a bit slow out of the gate, getting reassigned to the farm club early in training camp and coming out of the gate slowly with only 1 assist in 10 games.

Maybe the new surroundings skating with Oklahoma City Barons will wake the sleeping giant.