Florida Everblades | CollegeHockeyPlayers

Tagged: Florida Everblades

30Sep

Mike Little(5) Graz 99ers

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Undrafted 3rd year defenseman Mike Little(5) gets traded to Florida Everblades from Stockton Thunder right before the start of the 2013/2014 season.

In 134 ECHL games with the team he scored 18 goals and 57 assists with a +19 rating. He also has tallied another 9 assists in 31 postseason contests and skated in all 23 2013 Kelly Cup games against the ultimate champion Reading Royals, ironically the team he started his pro career with in 2011 after four years of college hockey at American International.

The change of scenery and switch to the Eastern Conference may continue to elevate the small 5’9″ but wide 195 lbs. blue liner defend his zone.

The soon-to-be 26 year old could be just starting to catch his stride. We expect to see career highs this season.

Original story: 9/8-13

In the 2013/2014 he would be limited to just 44 ECHL games with his new team but still put up 4 goals and 18 assist with a +10 rating.

He also appeared in his first three AHL games with Norfolk Admirals but didn’t register a point.

Re-signing for another full campaign with Florida Everblades for 2014/2015, he certainly popped the lid off his previous scoring totals with a new career high 13 goals, 41 assists and 54 points with a mammoth +46 rating, which tied him for the league lead.

He received three call-ups last season (2 with Charlotte Checkers and one for Springfield Falcons). He posted two assists with the latter squad in just 3 contests.

For his 5th pro season he’s elected to go a different route, signing for a year with Graz 99ers of Erste Bank Eishockey Liga.

There’s little doubt the soon-to-be 28-year old will excel mightily here.

28Sep

Vladimir Nikiforov(9) Quad City Mallards

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It’s a bit of a thinker why 4th year pro Vladimir Nikiforov(9) decided to sign to play with Brooklyn Aviators of the 2nd year Federal Hockey League (FHL) for the 2011/2012 season.

In 10 games, he’s put up a mighty 9 goals and 11 assists; not bad for a pint-sized 5’8″ 170 lbs forward.

Last season he had a pretty ragtag year playing with three different ECHL teams but never able to getting into a scoring groove. In two previous seasons, he posted some impressive numbers with Utah Grizzlies.

He was recently recalled to help Central Hockey League‘s last place Bloomington Blaze and did just that. In his first game with the team, they won against the league’s best team, Allen Americans and he put up an assist.

It’s quite possible that he may have just found his new team for this season.

12/1: Nikiforov scores a natural hat-trick for the Blaze in the last place team’s beating of first place in the Central Hockey League, Evansville IceMen. In two games, he has 5 points. There was just no way he is going back to the single A level.

12/5: Nikiforov is named Central Hockey League’s Oakley Player of the Week with his 5 goals and 1 assist in his league debut.

Original story: 11/29-11

He would finish the season with Bloomington Blaze scoring 21 goals and 30 assists for 51 points in 51 games.

For 2012/2013 he moved on to join the Russian KHL development sort of league VHL signing with Lokomotiv Yaroslavl-2.

He played a full 45 game season along with 5 games in the postseason but only connected for 10 goals and 6 assists.

Maybe his experience overseas led him back or whatever but for 2013/2014 he decided to return to the former Central Hockey League to skate with Quad City Mallards.

He skated 63 games and managed to regain his scoring mojo setting a new assist mark at 31.

To follow up another good season in North America he decided it was once again time to split for a different shore and he inked a term in Germany’s DEL3 with Blue Devils Wieden but blew up the score sheet with 6 goals and 11 assists in 10 games and he sacked that deal and was off to Poland suiting up for Orlik Opole.

He lasted there 13 games, two months and left netting 8 goals and 7 helpers.

Next it was off to England’s EIHL to play out the season with Coventry Blaze and his 1 goal and 3 assists in 7 games was like the wind had been taken out of his sails from all the traveling.

Going into his 8th pro season, the soon-to-be 28-year old returns to Quad City Mallards but moves up a level of hockey to the ECHL, where he last played games in 2011.

Our money’s on him producing big.

22Aug

Corey Trivino(18) Admiral Vladivostok

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2nd year center Corey Trivino(23) received his first AHL recall playing 11 games with Portland Pirates on loan from Stockton Thunder. He wound up with four assists and managed a +3 rating before being returned from a team that is mostly slipping in the standings.

Originally a New York Islanders‘ 2nd round pick in the 2008 draft (#36 overall) he was never signed, although attended many team training camps and eventually inked his first deal to join Florida Everblades of the ECHL.

The 6’1″ 190 lbs. forward put up stellar numbers in his rookie season with 18 goals, 33 assists and a +17 plus/minus in 63 games and added another 3 goals and 8 assists in 13 Kelly Cup Playoff contests.

He was also outstanding through a pair of OPJHL seasons at age 16 and 17, where he amassed 127 points (43-84) in 88 games.

Next up, he chose to attend Boston University and won an NCAA National Title in his first campaign at the school.

Personal problems would arise from there and he was eventually expelled in his fourth year of college despite having his most productive goal scoring start with 13 strikes in 15 games.

At this point the 24-year old is looking to only put any past crossroads behind him and continue what he does best: putting points up on the score sheet.

Original story: 2/17-14

With Stockton he would finish playing 46 games scoring 11 goals and 32 assists and then added another 5 assists in 9 playoff games.

A month into 2014/2015 he would join Florida Everblades but after only 5 games (3 goals, 6 assists) Portland Pirates came calling once again.

Only this time he would reach a new career 39 games played and best 3 goals, 11 assists and 14 points with a +2 rating before being sent back to help the Everblades with their playoff push.

In 11 posteason games he scored 5 goals and 3 assists.

For his 4th pro year he’s decided to take his game overseas signing a one-year deal after a try-out with Admiral Vladivostok of the KHL.

13Aug

Danick Gauthier(81) Wichita Thunder

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Tampa Bay Lightning rookie center Danick Gauthier(81) went undrafted but that doesn’t mean he wasn’t well sought after.

He signed a handsome three-year entry level deal after back-to-back junior hockey titles and a Memorial Cup win with Saint John Sea Dogs.

His numbers in his final year were more than a point per game.

The 6’2″ 210 lbs. forward started his pro career with minor league affiliate Syracuse Crunch but has also found himself to be a healthy scratch probably more than he wanted, playing 30 AHL games with 5 goals and 2 assists.

Recently reassigned to ECHL farm team Florida Everblades, he spent 10 days down south and pocketed 3 goals and 3 assists in 5 games.

The 21-year old has been recalled and needs to put up some numbers like he did in the lower league as the team edges closer to clinching a playoff berth.

Original story: 3/17-13

He would finish his first season with 5 goals and 5 assists in 38 games but was not inserted into the lineup for any playoff contests despite the team making it all the way to the 2013 Calder Cup Finals.

To open his sophomore campaign he would start with Florida Everblades and stayed there a month before getting the nod to come back up.

He ended splitting time between the two clubs but spent more time in the lower league.

In the final year of his contract, he once again was sent south at the onset of the season but only stayed for a few appearances before being summoned for three games, then dispatched to Wichita Thunder, where he started to bloom.

He would go on to score a career high 30 goals and 40 assists for 70 points, all team leading, with a -3 rating in 69 ECHL games. He would also put up a crazy 250 shots on net.

For 2015/2016, he’ll turn just 24-years old as the new season starts and re-signed with the Thunder hoping to continue his scoring surge.

30Jul

Yannick Tifu(10) Reading Royals

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8th year, undrafted veteran center Yannick Tifu(10) captured his first Kelly Cup Championship as team captain with Reading Royals after 400 regular and 57 postseason ECHL games.

He was only ever close to grabbing a title back in 2007, when he was a first year player in the league and went to the Finals with Dayton Bombers.

The 28-year old forward has spent 7 seasons with 7 different ECHL teams and scored over 500 points (170 goals and 342 assists) with an astonishing +62 rating. He was the leading scorer in the 2013 playoffs with 25 points.

Although he has appeared in 81 AHL contests, he’s never had any luck sticking despite putting up decent numbers with 9 goals and 23 assists and signing a one-year deal with Binghamton Senators in 2010.

He ended up skating most of that season with their affiliate, Elmira Jackals.

He’s not the biggest skater at 5’11” 203 lbs. but easily effective enough to get the job done quite well.

Chances are he’ll re-sign for a third season in Reading but it could also be time for him to earn some better money by moving his game to some European ice.

Original story: 5/28-13

After winning the ECHL title he went on to re-sign with Reading Royals to resume as team captain.

He didn’t have as stellar a season and for the first time playing in the league failed to be a point-per-game guy and was a quick exit with the team from the playoffs.

Quite possibly he felt that was an indicator, so he signed for the first time in his pro career to play hockey in another country.

Not quite sure why he chose France but he once again upped his average and had plenty of success with Les Ducs d’Angers scoring 14 goals and 21 assists in 26 games and added another 7 points (3-4) in 10 playoff contests.

For his 11th season, he will turn 31-years old when it starts, he returns to North America signing for 2015/2016 with Brampton Beast.

We’ll see how he fares on the score sheet with this still developing 2nd year group. You can just about bet he’ll be pegged to captain the young squad though.

And you know you’ve had a long career when 5 of the teams you’ve played for don’t exist anymore.

11Jul

Matt Mangene(26) Texas Stars

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Undrafted center Matt Mangene(57) entered his third pro season with a bit of uncertainty where he would skate next.

He chose to take the one-year option with Florida Everblades of the ECHL for 2014/2015.

The 5’11” 190 lbs. forward was originally on a 2-year entry level deal with Philadelphia Flyers but was a minor Adirondack Phantoms‘ piece of a late season trade that shuffled him to New York Islanders‘ system, reporting exclusively to Bridgeport Sound Tigers.

Set to become a restricted free agent in need of a new deal, he was left unqualified.

He appeared in more AHL games last season than he had in his rookie campaign but ended up with less points and a little more feist in his game.

The 25-year has shown flashes of scoring prowess in the past, especially in his final year at University Of Maine and early in Northeastern US Junior Hockey.

It’s a good bet the 25-year old will start putting up points on the score sheet once again in a league he’s familiar with from 20 games played (1-10-11) with Trenton Titans and Stockton Thunder but will it be enough to earn him a recall?

Original story: 9/27-14

After scoring 4 goals and 13 assists in 27 ECHL games, the converted defenseman was loaned after a couple of months in the lower league to Texas Stars and never left.

Six weeks in he was given an standard player contract.

As a blue liner he scored 2 goals and set new AHL career highs with 15 assists and 17 points in 36 games, while firing a 60 shorts on net from the point.

For 2015/2016 the now 26-year old signs a new deal to continue with Texas and will need to continue the hard work but is likely see his totals increase again.

16Jun

Bobby Raymond(9) Iserlohn Roosters

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After spending his 1st year of pro hockey playing in France, undrafted defenseman signed with the ECHL Florida Everblades in 2010/2011 to start his North American rookie campaign.

He skated in all 72 games with the ‘Blades and 4 postseason contests as well, scoring 9 goals and 26 assists, while going a big +26 plus/minus.

With his debut season completed, he received a bit of an unexpected call-up to join Binghamton Senators for the 2011 AHL Atlantic Division playoff series.

He played in 9 games through three more rounds leading up to the eventual Calder Cup win.

For the 2011/2012 season, he signed a one-year, two-way deal with the B-Sens and started the year by raising the championship banner to the rafters of Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena.

The 5’10” 185 lbs. d-man split time between the two leagues, appearing in 38 AHL games and was eventually reassigned for the remainder of the season in late February to help the Everblades get into playoff position.

Well, two full seasons playing hockey in the top developmental leagues for the NHL and the 27-year old has captured both championships as Florida Everblades won their first ECHL Kelly Cup in the team’s 14-year existence by knocking off Las Vegas Wranglers.

Original story: 5/24-12

For the 2012/2013 season he would return to Florida Everblades but spent a majority of his time on loan to Charlotte Checkers and eventually ink an spc to finish out the year with the team, where he achieved a career high 4 goals and 14 assists in 44 AHL games.

He would next decide to go play across the pond for Iserlohn Roosters and found the bigger sheets of ice worked well for his game as he scored 7 goals and 20 assists.

He would switched allegiances in the league in the following season, signing with Adler Mannheim and won the DEL Championship.

For 2015/2016, the now 29-year old will spend his third year in the league and returns to Iserlohn Roosters.

02Jun

Harrison Reed(19) Dresdner Eislowen

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6th year right wing Harrison Reed(19) has decided it’s time to go try his game overseas joining up with Eispiraten Crimmitschau of DEL2, the second tier pro hockey league in Germany.

He’s coming off a season of career highs with Stockton Thunder of the ECHL. In 46 games he put up 21 goals and 24 assists. It was his first time hitting the 20/20 club. He also added another 9 tallies and 11 helpers in 23 Kelly Cup Playoff games getting the team all the way to the finals before falling.

Originally a Carolina Hurricanes‘ 3rd round pick in the 2006 draft (#93 overall), he signed a 3-year entry level deal and joined their then affiliate Albany River Rats for 119 games before being involved in a trade that made him property of Colorado Avalanche for the last season of his contract.

He joined Lake Erie Monsters for 2010/2011 but was also reassigned for about half the time to Tulsa Oilers of the Central Hockey League.

The 6’1″ 192 lbs. forward plays with bigger size than his measurements might indicate but was never really able to connect in the AHL, where in 208 games he has 11 goals and 16 assists but is a terrible -39 overall.

For his first season as an unrestricted free agent he signed a contract to play with Toledo Walleye but also received a pair of call-ups to Houston Aeros and the familiar Lake Erie team. He would also rejoin them again last season for 14 contests.

The 25-year should be able to continue his domination on the score sheet, which may bring him back to North America or help continue his rise in Europe.

Original story: 8/1-13

After a year in the 2nd tier German league potting an astounding 40 goals and 50 assists in 54 games and another 27 points in 17 playoff contests, he was awarded forward of the year title for his efforts.

He decided to make the jump up to DEL signing with Straubing Tigers and came back down to earth with 25 points in 50 games.

For 2015/2016 he circles back to DEL2 inking for a season with Dresdner Eislowen.

At 27-years old now he very well could explode on the score sheet once again and look to move on to a different country’s top league.

22Dec

Justin Shugg(52) Carolina Hurricanes

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Carolina Hurricanes‘ 4th round pick in the 2010 draft (#105 overall) 4th year right wing Justin Shugg(52) came off his best season yet playing his first full campaign for one team, farm club Charlotte Checkers.

He reached career highs in games played (75), goals (16), assists (22), points (38) and shots on net (160), all good enough to get him a one-year extension to continue in the prospect system.

In his rookie season he was on a see-saw of call-ups and reassignments with ECHL affiliate Florida Everblades and eventually sent back down as the AHL club’s season ended to help them with their postseason run.

The former two-time Memorial Cup Champion with Windsor Spitfires of the OHL stepped back in with a team he had already posted more a point-per-game for during the regular season and went right to work putting up 7 goals and 5 assists in 11 games to help them with their first Kelly Cup Championship.

The 5’11” 185 lbs. forward would start his sophomore year in the lower league but when he was called up to the Checkers that would be his last visit to the sunshine state.

To start 2014/2015, the 22-year old got off to a hot start and looks to eclipse his goals and point total marks set last season.

It was good enough to earn him his first recall. He played in three NHL games skating an average of 8 shifts and almost 6 minutes of ice time with no points but did register three shots and three hits and 2 penalty minutes in his time up.

He was returned to the minors and will likely continue to light the lamp in the minors.

13Nov

Rob Zepp(72) Lehigh Valley Phantoms

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14th year goaltender Rob Zepp(72) has taken quite the path to signing his first NHL deal over 10 years after he inked his last one with draft team Carolina Hurricanes.

He was selected, for a second time, in the 4th round of 2001 (#110 overall) after his initial pick in again the 4th round of 1999 by Atlanta Thrashers (#99 overall), but was never signed by the team before being returned to the draft pool.

The back stop played in the ‘Canes‘ system for four years mostly reassigned down to Florida Everblades of the ECHL with only 7 AHL games with the long gone Lowell Lock Monsters.

After a one-year extension, he decided he’d had enough of North American hockey and split for a pair of stints in Finland’s Liiga with SaiPa.

From there the 6’1″ 195 lbs. net minder moved to Germany’s elite league DEL coming to terms with Eisbaren Berlin Polar Bears and his game started to take off.

He stayed with the team for seven seasons, playing over 40 games each year, 50 in 2009/2010, 5 league Championships and was named European Best Goalie twice (2011, 2013).

With his stellar play he was definitely getting noticed back home but it was in the lockout shortened 2012/2013, when a pair of Philadelphia Flyers‘ players joined him for a brief spell that conversations about bringing him back really started to gain traction.

The 33-year old signed a one-year, two-way deal with the Flyers for 2014/2015 that had will likely have him play in his first regular season NHL game but most of his time should be spent in between the pipes for affiliate Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

In 8 games he’s already making an argument for recall going 5-2-1 with a 2.75 GAA and .910 SV%.

This follows an impressive training camp, where there were murmurs that he could easily steal the back-up job but for now he provides great insight as a mentor for their rookie in the minors and may even turn goaltending coach when he decided to hang up the skates.

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