Columbus Blue Jackets | CollegeHockeyPlayers

07Dec

Rostislav Klesla(20) Portland Pirates

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13th year former Columbus Blue Jackets‘ 1st round draft pick in the 2000 draft (#4 overall), Czech Republic-born defenseman Rostislav Klesla(20) finds himself reassigned to the AHL for the first time in his pro career.

Signed to a lucrative four year deal extension that ends at the conclusion of the 2013/2014 season, he was the last remaining player with the team since they were introduced to the league in 2000/2001 but was traded to Phoenix Coyotes during the first year of his new contract.

Never a big contributor on the score sheet, the big 6’3″ 215 lbs. blue liner failed to gel in the system and was waived then quickly recalled (maybe with hope a deal was in place to send him elsewhere) but never manifested and he was sent down again, joining minor league affiliate Portland Pirates.

In three games he’s recorded an assist.

The 31-year old has appeared in 649 NHL games scoring 48 goals and 110 assists with a -44 rating. Most of his plus/minus downfall was within the first couple of seasons with the expansion team.

In all likelihood, he’ll make the move towards playing out the final years of his pro career in a league like the KHL.

11Oct

Aaron Johnson(44) New York Rangers

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11th year defenseman Aaron Johnson(44) signs a 1-year, 1-way contract with New York Rangers, his 7th NHL team.

He was made their affiliate Hartford Wolf Pack team captain to start the season and there could be similar thoughts like what Nashville Predators did when signing him to a one-year deal, ship him to their minor league affiliate, Milwaukee Admirals for the season. But the parent club’s slow out of the gate and may need to switch things up even further, which would open the door for the 30-year defenseman to get some more games in the show on his stat sheet.

He’s played 297 big league games scoring 17 times with 45 assists and a nifty little +1 rating.

In the AHL his numbers are sort of phantomly similar with 26 goals and 86 helpers but he has a -5 plus/minus.

The former Columbus Blue Jackets‘ 3rd round pick in the 2001 draft (#85 overall) still has some left in the tank.

A couple of seasons ago, back with the team that drafted him, he put up a career tying 3 goals and a high mark 13 assists.

We think it’s likely he gets to the 300 NHL game club this season.

12Jul

Nathan Paetsch(4) Grand Rapid Griffins

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11th year, double-drafted defenseman Nathan Paetsch(4) re-ups with Grand Rapid Griffins for another couple of seasons after a year overseas in DEL with Grizzly Adams Wolfsburg.

He appeared in 70 AHL games scoring 4 goals and 27 assists with a +13 rating and added another 11 assists in 24 Calder Cup Playoff contests on the way to the league championship.

The 6′ 195 lbs. blue liner has 319 AHL games to his credit.

He had been under NHL contract from 2006-2011 and skated in 167 match-ups mostly with Buffalo Sabres, the second team that drafted him in the 7th round in 2003 (#202 overall).

He was initially picked by Washington Capitals in 2001 in the 2nd round (#58 overall) but never signed.

The 30-year old is likely to happy to have secured a place to play pro hockey through the 2015 season, if not beyond that and will likely continue in his assistant captain role with the team.

07Jun

Tomas Kubalik(19) HC Lev Praha

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3rd year, Czech Republic-born right wing Tomas Kubalik(19) was originally a Columbus Blue Jackets‘ 5th round pick in the 2008 draft (#135 overall), signed to a three-year entry level deal.

He was playing in his third season with their AHL team, Springfield Falcons, where in the last couple seasons his point production had slipped to a level that was equal to the totals of his rookie campaign.

Although part of that story can be attributed to the injury bug that seemed to follow him.

Reports suggested the 6’3″ 220 lbs. skater with all the attributes of a power forward wanted out of town, because he wasn’t get a fair shot with the parent club.

In 12 NHL games over a couple of seasons he had one goal and three assists with a -6 rating.

He was involved in a late season trade of minor league players with Winnipeg Jets that had him reassigned to their affiliate St. John’s IceCaps for the remainder of his contract.

He only connected for 3 assists in 10 games, which resulted in at least a couple of games as a healthy scratch.

The 23-year old, who has been playing pro hockey since he was 16, was set to become a restricted free agent but decided it’s time to take his game back overseas, signing a 1-year deal to join HC Lev Praha of the KHL.

One has to think if he is able to connect there, he may be invited back for another go at the North American style game.

31May

Curtis McElhinney(30) Columbus Blue Jackets

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Entering his ninth pro season, 30-year old goaltender Curtis McElhinney(30) doesn’t have to worry about where he will play, as he signed a one-year, one-way extension to stay in Columbus Blue Jackets‘ system.

He had an outstanding regular season in 2012/2013 with an AHL record 9 shutouts and was named to the All-Star Game.

He also set a team and career best .923 SV% and was named MVP, while also posting his most saves in a season at 1349 and a 29-16-2-3 record in 49 games to help the Falcons win the Northeast Division title by 20 points.

Although the 6’2″ 209 lbs. net minder failed to score a recall, he could be in line for one next season, if he game continues to excel.

He has appeared in 69 NHL games with Phoenix, Ottawa, Anaheim and Calgary. He was originally a 6th round pick in 2002 (#176 overall) by the latter team. He made his most appearances in the show, 21 games with the Ducks just a couple of seasons ago.

He’s always seemed to fall under the radar for a real shot as a starting goalie in the show but also seems to have a stick-to-it-ive-ness that just won’t quit.

See related: 7/4-12

12May

Jake Hansen(14) Springfield Falcons

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Columbus Blue Jackets‘ 3rd round pick in the 2007 draft (#68 overall) rookie right wing Jake Hansen(14) is playing the spark plug of energy role for minor league affiliate Springfield Falcons in the 2013 Calder Cup Playoffs, when he’s been inserted into the lineup.

He’s appeared in 3 of their 6 postseason match ups with no points, a pair of shots and a 0 plus/minus, but has been a ball of fire each and every time he steps on the ice.

The 6’2″ 193 lbs. forward had a fairly successful first campaign with 4 goals and 5 assists in 46 AHL games.

And although he may have not been in every game, he was kept around without being reassigned further down.

He put up increasingly better numbers with each successive year at University Of Minnesota and was just about a point-per-game guy in his final season there.

The 23-year signed a two-year entry level deal through 2013/2014.

If he keeps hustling and can increase his production on the score sheet, should find himself getting a phone call to add some oomph to the team chemistry.

30Apr

Cody Bass (26)

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6th year center Cody Bass(26) is back at it in the AHL postseason scoring the game-winners.

He posted back-to-back gwg’s for Springfield Falcons to take a 2-0 lead in their best of 5 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals’ Series. He is only the third player in league history to post such a feat.

The 26-year old power forward has been sidelined with an injury for most of the regular season, appearing in only 18 games with 2 goals and 5 assists.

Undoubtedly the type of player every team wants in their lineup at 6′ 205 lbs., he’s a leader both on and off the ice and plays the game like the ultimate foot soldier but that often ends him up on the long-term injured reserve list.

In two seasons under his current contract, he’s only appeared in 55 games (14 NHL, 41 AHL) but at least on the minor league level now, he’s making a difference.

Originally an Ottawa Senators‘ 4th round draft pick in the 2005 draft (#96 overall), he won a Calder Cup Championship with Binghamton Senators in 2011.

Signed by Columbus Blue Jackets as an unrestricted free agent for the following season and then re-signed for another year, there is little doubt he will be extended once again or head to another team where his chances of joining an NHL roster on a full-time basis are seemingly better.

He has 48 games in the show to his credit with a pair of goals and 3 assists.

See related: 5/11-11, 6/4-11, 7/26-11, 12/27-11

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.

12Mar

Kyle Wilson(25) Norfolk Admirals

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7th year center Kyle Wilson(25) joins his 5th NHL team as he was involved in a recent trade that sent him from Tampa Bay Lightning to Anaheim Ducks‘ organization.

He never suited up for the Lightning in his short time with the team after an offseason deal with Nashville Predators.

Signed in 2011 for two years (1-way in the 2nd year), he spent almost his entire first campaign with minor league affiliate Milwaukee Admirals, where the 6’1″ 200 lbs. forward had an AHL career high 32 assists in 68 games. He did suit up for 5 games with the Preds but registered no points.

As the lockout loomed to put off the start of 2012/2013 season, the 28-year old sat out until it was resolved, reporting to Tampa Bay training camp but reassigned to Syracuse Crunch, where he stumbled with only 5 goals in 22 games.

A former Minnesota Wild 9th round pick in the 2004 draft (#272 overall), he spent the first 4 seasons of his pro career with Washington Capitals but only appeared in 2 games (2 assists) with them.

He won back-to-back Calder Cup Championships in 2009 and 2010 with farm club Hershey Bears.

Looking for renewed opportunity, he reports to a streaking Norfolk Admirals to play out the remainder of his contract unless recalled by the equally hot Ducks.

Where the unrestricted free agent ends up from here is another puzzle piece but we’re guessing he heads to Europe to see what’s left in the tank.

10Jan

Dalton Smith (33)

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Columbus Blue Jackets‘ 2nd round pick in the 2010 draft (#34 overall) left wing Dalton Smith(33) is the type of player that is at this point mostly flying under the radar but continually gives 110% of himself with every shift.

It’s this tenacity that is bound to get him noticed.

In 25 AHL games, the 6’2″ 206 lbs. built like a power forward rookie has 3 goals and 2 assists, which isn’t a lot but his game is more suited at this point as a pk specialist, 4th line energy skater.

Even in juniors he didn’t always show up on the scoresheet.

The 20-year old signed a three-year entry level deal that will give him plenty of room to develop.

When he gets his first call-up, he definitely could stay, because he’s got pro hockey written all over him.