Chicago Wolves | CollegeHockeyPlayers

30Dec

Peter Mannino(35) Manchester Monarchs

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Undrafted 5th year goaltender Peter Mannino(35) had quite the wild ride in his rookie season playing minutes in three different leagues: ECHL (Utah Grizzlies), AHL (Bridgeport Sound Tigers) and NHL (New York Islanders).

He was officially signed to a one-year entry level deal with the Isles before being scooped up by Atlanta Thrashers as an unrestricted free agent for sophomore run. His solid play in net for their farm team Chicago Wolves got him re-signed for another two seasons in their system.

The 6’1″ 195 lbs. netminder eventually found himself, after a bit of a logjam in the St. John’s IceCaps‘ backstop prospects, returned to the ECHL to play with the now extinct Chicago Express. Eventually the former NCAA Championship goalie was loaned to Portland Pirates for the remainder of the regular season in a minor league transaction to finish out the remainder of his contract.

Looking into 2012/2013, the 28-year old found himself in unchartered territory without a place to play. He signed a training camp invite with Manchester Monarchs that turned into a pto and was recently upped to a one-year AHL spc.

He’s off to a fantastic start with a 7-3 record in 12 appearances and a 2.00 GAA and .932 SV%, as he looks to be regaining his form. He’s played NHL games in each of his pro career years.

Got to love the old style look to the pads he uses. Although rumor has it he’s in line for some more modern looking gear.

01Dec

Eric O’Dell(14) St. John’s IceCaps

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St. John’s IceCaps‘ 2nd year center Eric O’Dell(14) is in the final season of his 3-year entry level deal he signed with parent club, Winnipeg Jets (technically Atlanta Thrashers, who picked him up in a trade at the end of 2010/2011, their curtain closer).

In 13 appearances this season he’s notched 4 goals and 4 assists but like last season he has also found himself on the wrong side of being a healthy scratch on too many occasions. Admittedly though, they did have an uncanny amount of depth on that 2011/2012 squad, which is probably why they went to the Conference Finals.

The one-time Anaheim Ducks‘ 2nd round pick in the 2008 draft (#39 overall) managed only 39 games but struck for 12 goals, which was 9th in scoring, and added 10 assists while skating a +6 game.

It’s a bit of a wonder why the 6’ 195 lbs. forward isn’t in the lineup on a regular basis. It will be interesting to see what the Jets have in mind after this season when he hits restricted free agent status.

12Nov

Ryan Parent(3) Norfolk Admirals

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6th year, former 1st round draft pick of Nashville Predators in 2005 (#18 overall) defenseman Ryan Parent(3) has over 100 games of NHL experience but none since a couple of seasons ago, 4 games with Vancouver Canucks despite signing a two-year one-way contract with the team.

He spent all of 2011/2012 that he was healthy enough to play for with their new AHL affiliate Chicago Wolves but only managed to be 22 of a 76-game season.

Ironically he finished the season with a goal and 5 assists, which would have put him on pace for career highs on the scoresheet.

He also have a goal and 6 assists in the NHL.

As an unrestricted free agent approaching 2012/2013, he signed a pto with Norfolk Admirals a couple of weeks into the season.

The 6’2″ 205 lbs. d-man has one assist in 6 games but is a -5 plus/minus.

Admirals must like having the 25-year old on their team though, because they inked him to an spc. Still, it looks to be a smart move on their part.

04Oct

Brad Larsen (coach) Springfield Falcons

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12-year, double drafted (Ottawa Senators 1995 & Colorado Avalanche 1997) defenseman Brad Larsen head coached his first (preseason) game for Springfield Falcons after being named to the position back in May of this year.

He served as the team’s assistant coach for the last couple of seasons after wrapping up his pro skating career with 55 games for Portland Pirates in 2010. The then 32-year old connected for 13 goals and 14 assists and equaled an AHL career high +9 plus/minus.

The 6′ 200 lbs. blue liner appeared in 294 NHL games (19 goals, 29 assists) with Colorado Avalanche and Atlanta Thrashers, the only two teams he played for.

In the AHL, he skated in 384 games scoring 96 goals and 120 assists.

He lost the preseason opener 4-1; get the L out of the way before it starts counting. To be fair, their opponent Providence Bruins had more A-lister on the squad, while the Falcons fielded more of a training camp tryout lineup.

02Aug

Brett Festerling(5) Nürnberg Ice Tigers

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Heading into his 6th pro season, undrafted defenseman Brett Festerling(5) figures trying out hockey in a different country for right now is the route to take, as he signs with Nurnberg Ice Tigers of the DEL for the 2012/2013 season.

The 6’1″ 208 lbs. blue liner has appeared in 88 NHL games in each of his last 4 years, mostly with Anaheim Ducks, who he was initially under contract with from 2007-2011. He registered no goals and 8 assists.

In 2010/2011, he found himself on the trading block three times, finally ending up with Atlanta Thrashers‘ farm team Chicago Wolves.

From there the now 26-year old re-signed with Winnipeg Jets for 2011/2012 and put up some AHL career highs with their affiliate St. John’s IceCaps scoring 15 assists, 18 points and a +8 plus/minus, while making it to the Eastern Conference Finals with the team in its’ inaugural season. He also appeared in 5 NHL games with the Jets.

An interesting bloodline fact to him picking Germany as his next place to play professionally in, his twin brother Garrett plays there and his grandfather is a native of the country.

He was also captain of the Vancouver Giants team that captured the Memorial Cup in 2007.

10Jul

Patrick Mullen(14) Vancouver Canucks

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4th year, undrafted defenseman Patrick Mullen(14) tries his hand with a new team for 2012/2013, signing a one-year, two-way deal with Vancouver Canucks that will in all likelihood start him with their affiliate Chicago Wolves. He was an unrestricted free agent as of July 1.

He’s coming off his best AHL season yet with Manchester Monarchs that saw him put up more goals, assists and points in one year (13 + 28 – 41) than he did in his first two combined. Plus, he skated in 69 games, which eclipsed his previous high by a couple.

Initially signed to a 2-year entry level contract with Los Angeles Kings in 2009, the 5’10” 184 lbs. blue liner could still use some extra weight to throw around out there but has obviously spent some quality time improving his offensive capabilities.

It will be interesting to see what he does in a new conference and if he can score his first NHL call-up.

He is the son of three time Stanley Cup Champion and Hockey Hall Of Fame defenseman, Joe Mullen.

01Jun

Nathan Oystrick(20) HC Lev Praha

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7th year unrestricted defenseman Nathan Oystrick(20) is heading to the KHL to skate for HC Lev Praha as he reported on his twitter @Oystie74.

The former Atlanta Thrashers‘ 7th round pick in the 2002 draft (#198 overall) has played 65 NHL games with three different teams but skated all of 2011/2012 with Portland Pirates after signing a one-year, two-way deal with Phoenix Coyotes.

He’s played in 383 AHL regular and postseason contests putting up some respectable stats (69 goals, 162 assists) and won the Calder Cup Trophy with Chicago Wolves in 2008.

At 6′ 210 lbs. he always plays an imposing game and should fit in well with the style of Russian hockey.

09May

Alex Bourret(22) Wichita Thunder

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Wichita Thunder 6th year right wing Alex Bourret(22) was originally an Atlanta Thrashers‘ 1st round pick in the 2005 draft (#16 overall).

He started his pro career playing 168 AHL games with a few different teams, a couple of trades later.

By his fourth year, he seemed to burn out or something because he went off the pro map playing a couple of games in the LNAH, 16 in the Czech Elite League and even 16 in the Asian Hockey League but each of the last two seasons also kept a toe-hold in North American hockey with a couple of teams in the ECHL.

For 2011/2012 season, he signed with the Thunder of the Central Hockey League and tore it up with 57 points (20 goals, 37 assists) in 43 games and a mighty +20 plus/minus.

The 5’10” 205 lbs. 25-year old forward was called up for 6 games with Worcester Sharks this season and chipped in with 3 helpers. It was his first action in the A since 2009.

By all indications he should be playing in higher league. He helped Wichita to the Ray Miron President’s Cup Finals but was injured and limited to 14 games (5 goals, 9 assists).

02May

Mike Vernace(48) Connecticut Whale

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6th year defenseman Mike Vernace(48) has been on quite the ride through the AHL this season as he was traded twice and is currently playing for his third team in the 2011/2012 season.

Ironically all three teams he skated for are still in the postseason.

He started the year with Norfolk Admirals, the team he’d been with for the entirety of 2010/2011 and even got into 10 games with the parent club Tampa Bay Lightning.

From there he was dished to Florida Panthers but skated only with San Antonio Rampage.

That relationship lasted only 22 games before he was once again passed along to New York Rangers in a trade deadline deal and reassigned to Connecticut Whale, where he’ll play his former team, the Admirals in the AHL Eastern Conference Semi-Finals in a best-of-seven series.

Originally a San Jose Sharks‘ 7th round pick in the 2004 draft (#201 overall), the 6’ 216 lbs. blue liner has only appeared in 22 NHL games throughout his playing career.

It’s a bit doubtful that he’ll crack New York Rangers‘ lineup next fall or if they’ll even sign him up for another year, as he’ll be a UFA at the conclusion of the playoff run.

We still think he’s got plenty of pop to crack a big league lineup.

06Apr

Paul Postma(4) Winnipeg Jets

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St. John’s IceCaps‘ 3rd year defenseman Paul Postma(4) was picked as an 2011/2012 AHL First All-Star Team.

In 55 games he has registered 13 goals and 31 assists, including three game winning tallies.

He played a career high 3 games with Winnipeg Jets this season but in 4 games total has still yet to get his first NHL point.

He is currently on the final year of his 3-year entry level deal.

In 3 AHL seasons the 6’3″ 195 lbs. 23-year old has skated in 187 games scoring 40 goals and 78 assists.