Tagged: Elmira Jackals

25Apr

Mike Brodeur(29) Houston Aeros

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For the first time in his 8-year pro career, goaltender Mike Brodeur(29) didn’t sign a contract to play with a team  for the 2011/2012 season.

This is after two seasons in the Ottawa Senators‘ system, where he appeared in 7 games from 2009-2011. Last season he appeared in NHL, AHL and ECHL games.

Then seemingly out of nowhere, he signs a pto 3 weeks before the end of regular season with Houston Aeros and finds himself to be the back-up but would come in to relieve an injured Matt Hackett in each of the first two games AHL Calder Cup Playoffs and got the call to start game 3 backstopping 31 shots for the 1-0 win to put them back in the series.

Aeros did get bounced from the Calder Cup Playoffs by Oklahoma City Barons on Tuesday night.

Originally a Chicago Blackhawks‘ 7th round pick in the 2003 draft (#211 overall), it’s a wonder where the 29-year old will end up next season.  We wouldn’t be surprised to see him go the Europe route.

02Apr

Corey Cowick(23) Binghamton Senators

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Last season, Binghamton Senators‘ 2nd year left wing Corey Cowick(23) split time his playing time equally between the AHL and ECHL Elmira Jackals.

In 2011/2012, the Ottawa 6th round pick in the 2009 draft (#160 overall) has doubled his time with the B-Sens playing in career high 52 games, scoring 5 goals and 6 assists.

By no means did these numbers immune him from getting reassigned, as he was sent down in early February for the first time this season and has been on the road between the two New York hockey teams on a pair of occasions.

The 22-year old, 6’3″ 208 lbs. forward is signed to an entry level deal with Ottawa through 2012/2013. He’s going to have to use that size more to his advantage next season is how we see it.

 

05Mar

Shawn Weller(23) Texas Stars

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5th year right wing Shawn Weller(23) found himself in the uncomfortable scenario of getting traded from the first place St. John’s IceCaps in the AHL Eastern Conference to Texas Stars, who sit in last place of the Western Conference.

It was a deal that enabled some room for the IceCaps to pick up one of the Stars players on reassignment as some teams rework their lineups as the Calder Cup Playoffs approach.

He already had AHL career highs in points (24) and assists (14) and was heading towards his best year for goals (10 in 41 games) in a season as well.

Originally an Ottawa Senators‘ 3rd round pick in the 2004 draft (#77 overall), the 25-year old has consistently shown improved skating and puck handling abilities to go along with his average-sized 6’2″ 205 lbs. frame that he uses all of on the ice.

The move may land him another NHL deal and could put him in a big league game before too long.

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.

11Jan

Tim Spencer(33) Springfield Falcons

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5th year, undrafted forward Tim Spencer(33) started the 2011/2012 season in the ECHL with Chicago Express and Trenton Titans but it didn’t take long for him to earn a call-up to the AHL with Springfield Falcons.

Originally signing a pto with the team in November, he was recently upped to a standard player contract after just 12 games and three fights where he just pummeled his opponent.

He’s oversized at 6’6″ 230 lbs. and has no problem stepping in to protect his teammates or give a beat down on a deserving member of the other team.

24Dec

Stu Bickel(4) New York Rangers

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Sometimes there’s a player that might not look like much in the AHL. He’s undrafted and almost completely falling under the radar. But then out of nowhere, that player gets his shot to play in the NHL. And he explodes.

4th year defenseman Stu Bickell(4) fits that description perfectly.

In 27 games with Connecticut Whale this season, he has a goal and 3 assists.

After his first three games with New York Rangers, he has four assists and a 3 game point streak going. He’s also a +4 plus/minus and has one fighting major and two roughing penalties to his credit.

Who knew? Obviously Rangers’ scouts did because they traded for him with Anaheim Ducks last season and re-signed him to a one-year, two-way contract.

He did have a strong training camp and accompanied the team to Europe to start the season but didn’t appear in any games before getting reassigned.

21Dec

Brett Motherwell(25) Chicago Express

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Undrafted 5th year defenseman Brett Motherwell(25) played his first full season in the AHL last year with Bridgeport Sound Tigers.

Unable to find the right deal in the offseason, he finally signed a deal in early December with Chicago Express of the ECHL to join them for 2011/2012.

It’s very likely that he’ll play some games in the AHL this season on call-up, possibly with the Express affiliate Springfield Falcons.

 

20Oct

Jody Pederson(25) Stockton Thunder

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Undrafted 2nd year defenseman Jody Pederson(25) starts the season pretty much where he ended last year with the ECHL Stockton Thunder. He also appeared in 11 games with their AHL affiliate, Worcester Sharks on two separate call-ups (one from Elmira), registering 3 assists but was also a healthy scratch much of the time.

If the injury bugs bites the Sharks like it did last season look for him to be in more games with Worcester this season but he could also get called up by any AHL team and that could very well happen too.

15Oct

Tyler Donati(14) Chicago Express

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Right wing, Tyler Donati(14) has spent most of his 5 years pro playing career in the ECHL with Elmira. He’s been called-up to the AHL for a total of 66 games (6 goals, 13 assists) but has mostly underproduced at the higher level of hockey.

Chicago Express signed him for the new season. I would expect him to earn a call-up or two, especially if he can return to the AA hockey form that won him league MVP in 2009/2010 with 38 goals and 76 assists for 114 points in 67 contests.

Undrafted, he’s still young at 24 years old but the knock on him seems to be his small-ish size (5’10” 193 lbs.) and lack of physical play.

 

 

01Oct

Obi Aduba(37) Springfield Falcons

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3rd year undrafted local pro from Walpole, MA (played his college hockey at UMass-Amherst), Obi Aduba(37) got an invite to Springfield Falcons‘ AHL training camp after posting some good numbers last season with Quad City Mallards (21 goals, 30 assists in 66 games) in the Central Hockey League. It was his second year with the team that he’ll in all likelihood rejoin for the 2011/2012 season after recently signing a new contract.

At age 27, he’s the type of player that very well could be a bit of a late bloomer and find himself climbing the professional hockey league ladder.

Seeing him in action for the first time since his rookie season with Danbury Mad Hatters, I wouldn’t doubt if he scores himself a couple of call-ups.