Florida Panthers | CollegeHockeyPlayers

27Jan

Anthony Stewart(21) Manchester Monarchs

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Former Florida Panthers‘ 1st round pick in the 2003 draft (#25 overall), right wing Anthony Stewart(21) was one of the NHL signed players to head overseas during the lockout. He somewhat ironically inked with Nottingham Panthers of the EIHL and scored 6 goals and 5 assists in 19 games.

He has played 262 (27 goals and 44 assists) NHL games with the Panthers, Atlanta Thrashers and Carolina Hurricanes. The latter team dished him and his $1M contract to Los Angeles Kings in favor of a tough guy.

With little space in their front line, the Kings reassigned the 6’2″ 230 lbs. winger to their AHL affiliate Manchester Monarchs, a league he hadn’t been in since 2010, but has 42 goals and 56 assists in throughout his 8-year pro career

In 3 games, he posted a goal and two fighting majors but appears a bit disinterested out there, although that could just be his style of play.

At 28-years old it’s a bit of a wonder where the power forward will land next.

14Jan

Patrick Rissmiller(28) Worcester Sharks

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Heading into the 2012/2013, undrafted 11th year left wing Patrick Rissmiller(28) found himself in somewhat unchartered territory: without a contract to play.

He was signed to a one-year, two-way contract with Colorado Avalanche for last season but for the first time in awhile failed to receive a big league call-up from their minor league affiliate Lake Erie Monsters.

The 6’4″ 220 lbs. power forward has skated in 192 NHL games scoring 18 goals and 28 assists including two full seasons with San Jose Sharks, where he also appeared in 30 postseason match-ups.

In the AHL, he has played a phenomenal 524 games, lit the lamp 125 times and dished out 227 helpers but a disturbing trend to his game is also a combined -40 plus/minus.

Signing a pto halfway through the season with Worcester Sharks, the 34-year old Massachusetts’ native comes full circle as he spent his college playing time at Holy Cross and started his pro career in 2002 with then San Jose farm team Cleveland Barons.

The hope is that he comes alive with some hometown cooking.

28Dec

Hugh Jessiman(19) Binghamton Senators

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8th year, former New York Rangers‘ 1st round pick in the 2003 draft (#12 overall), gigantic right winger Hugh Jessiman(19) signed a one-year, two-way deal with Ottawa Senators for the 2012/2013 season.

He (and every other eligible player) was reassigned to their AHL affiliate Binghamton Senators to start the new campaign.

The 6’5″ 233 lbs. mammoth has only ever skated in a pair of NHL games a couple of seasons ago with Florida Panthers.

He’s played 455 AHL regular season games with 7 different teams and last season posted a career high 27 goals and 44 points with Lake Erie Monsters and Abbotsford Heat.

By all accounts he should be a power forward that is impossible to move from the front of the net and a consistent 20+ goals, 20+ helpers forward.

In 25 games so far this season the 28-year old has 6 goals and 4 assists.

07Nov

Bracken Kearns(16) Worcester Sharks

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8th year undrafted veteran center Bracken Kearns(16) signed a 1-year, two-way deal with San Jose Sharks just as free agency started in the offseason.

The 6′ 195 lbs. forward was coming off one of his best all around seasons in the AHL with San Antonio Rampage, where he posted a career high 22 goals and 52 points in 69 games and added another 7 points in 10 postseason contests.

He also played in his first 5 NHL games on a couple of recalls by Florida Panthers but failed to register a point in roughly 7 minutes of playing time a night.

The 31-year old brings a gritty style game to the table and can definitely connect on the scoresheet. He also knows that it takes hard work on the ice to achieve his goals having come up from over 100 games in the ECHL in his first couple pro seasons to make his mark felt in the higher level of play.

In just 10 games with Worcester Sharks to start 2012/2013 he already has 3 goals and 5 assists, roughly putting him on pace for another record setting season.

02Oct

Kenndal McArdle(22) Norfolk Admirals

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6th year left wing Kenndal McArdle(22) was a former Florida Panthers‘ 1st round pick in the 2005 draft (#20 overall) but has yet to realize his potential, putting it lightly.

At 5’11” 190 lbs. he really doesn’t have that much size up front yet he definitely can be a pest to play against.

He’s never had what you’d call a stellar goal scoring season in the AHL, where he’s mostly been relegated to, aside from the 42 NHL games he’s appeared in with the Panthers and last season with Winnipeg Jets one year removed.

His totals are minimal at one goal and a pair of assists.

In 54 games last season split with St. John’s IceCaps to start before being loaned to Portland Pirates, he scored 10 goals and 8 assists, while amassing 98 minutes in penalties.

He was also part of that magical Vancouver Giants‘ team that won the Memorial Cup in 2007.

The still young 25-year old signed a try-out deal to play with Norfolk Admirals in 2012/2013. There’s no time like the present for this player to start answering the bell.

23Jun

Marc Cheverie(30) Pittsburgh Penguins

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2nd year goaltender Marc Cheverie(30) has split his first couple of seasons between ECHL and AHL teams with most of his appearances in the former.

In 2011/2012, he posted his best numbers yet with Gwinnett Gladiators winning 10 games, 4 losses and a 2.71 GAA and .910 SV% on a team that should have gone much further in the Kelly Cup Playoffs than their first round exit.

He was involved in a draft day Pittsburgh Penguins‘ trade with Phoenix Coyotes that could land him the job as a back-up for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and/or maybe continue in AA hockey with their affiliate Wheeling Nailers.

The 25-year backstop is decently sized at 6’2″ 185 lbs. and should continue to improve his game, making him a nice pick-up for the Pens‘ system.

He was originally a Florida Panthers‘ 7th round pick in 2006 (#193 overall).

16Jun

Jason DeSantis (6)

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Entering into his 5th pro season, undrafted defenseman Jason DeSantis(6) signed a one-year, two-way contract with Florida Panthers for the 2012/2013 season, which will see him skating for their AHL affiliate San Antonio Rampage.

He signed a minor league deal last season with Winnipeg Jets that saw him appear in 76 games during the regular and postseason with St. John’s IceCaps, where he established career highs in games played (66), goals, assists and points (11-35-46).

His totals were good enough for second on the team for d-men and third overall.

He even spent more time in the sin bin that he had in any previous years with 66 penalty minutes.

Most importantly, the 5’11” 185 lbs. 26-year old established himself as a dependable presence on the blue line that has the ability to help out on the scoring sheet.

We’ll miss seeing him play in the Eastern Conference, but are happy to see him ink an NHL
deal and if he continues to play well it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Panthers‘ recall him for a look in the show.

10Jun

Michael Kostka(21) Norfolk Admirals

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Unlikely hero award: undrafted, 4th year Norfolk Admirals‘ defenseman Michael Kostka(21) scored both the game 3 and game 4 Calder Cup Championship series’ winning goals, which certainly makes it an odd AHL playoff stat I’m sure.

He managed just 7 goals in 52 games during the regular season, yet in 18 postseason contests he had 6 goals and 6 assists, good enough for first in scoring among defenseman in the playoffs.

When Tampa Bay Lightning traded for him back in December, they definitely saw some point-scoring potential from the 26-year d-man.

He put up 16 goals and 39 assists in 80 games with Rochester Americans in 2010/2011, which led the team but were picking him up mostly for some added depth in their own zone.

Signed to a one-year, two-way deal by Florida Panthers, he was a bit surprisingly one of the last roster cuts before being reassigned to their AHL affiliate San Antonio Rampage.

Originally on a 2-year entry level deal out of college with Buffalo Sabres, the 6’1″ 210 lbs. blue liner will in all likelihood be rewarded with at least a two-year extension to stay in the system and a taste of some NHL playing time can’t be far behind.

10Apr

Steve MacIntyre(33) WBS Penguins

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10th year veteran tough guy at a mere 6’5″ 250 lbs. Steve MacIntyre(33) most definitely didn’t take the easy way to the NHL but has made his mark in the league through 90 games.

His “pro” career started in a Continental Elite Hockey League (CEHL) and made its way through, surviving the QSPHL (LNAH), WHA2, UHL and ECHL.

Undrafted, he always played a game of hard knocks totaling over 200 penalty minutes in each of his first 6 seasons. It should be noted he hasn’t come close to that much time spent in the box since 2008.

The season that followed saw him skate his first NHL games with Edmonton, a team he would spend most of the next three seasons with.

For 2011/2012 he was signed by Pittsburgh Penguins and has split time with their AHL affiliate Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. He was recently recalled for their last game of the regular season to keep the peace in a game vs. Philadelphia Flyers before being reassigned again.

There’s little doubt he will police the ice for the Baby Pens in their quest for the Calder Cup.

It’s a wonder where the 31-year old will end up playing next season, if he’ll stay in Steel City or move on.

15Mar

Corey Syvret(6) Trenton Titans

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2nd year defenseman, Corey Syvret(6) was originally drafted by Florida Panthers in the 6th round of 2007 (#181 overall) but only played 4 games with their then AHL affiliate Rochester Americans after his junior career finished.

He was signed a one-year two-way deal with Bridgeport Sound Tigers for his first pro season but was reassigned to their ECHL affiliate Kalamazoo Wings without seeing any action in a higher league.

For the 2011/2012 season he inked a deal to play with newly re-hatched Trenton Titans and set career highs for games played (50) goals and assists (4 apiece).

He received his first call-up of the year to Portland Pirates, where he skated in 3 games, registering no points but did go a +1 before being returned to Trenton, where he will likely finish out the season.

It’s a bit of a wonder why he isn’t under contract with an AHL team but maybe he’s a bit of a late bloomer and needs to grow into his game a bit more. He stands 6’2″ and weighs in at 195, so it not a question of size.

His older brother is Danny Syvret, also a defenseman, has seen action in 59 NHL and 396 AHL contests.

9/19-12: Alaska Aces traded for the signing rights of the 23-year old defenseman. Chances are good that he’ll work out a contract with the team for ’12/’13.