Tagged: Florida Panthers

15Mar

Casey Wellman(19) Connecticut Whale

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casey-wellman

Undrafted 2nd year center Casey Wellman(19) was involved in a pre-deadline deal that sent him from Minnesota Wild‘s AHL affiliate Houston Aeros to New York Rangers‘ AHL team, Connecticut Whale.

He played 41 NHL games with the Wild over three seasons, including 12 contests fresh out of college. He’s managed 4 goals and 9 assists.

In the AHL he’s basically a point per game performer. He has 6 goals and 6 assists in 12 games with the Whale since the deal and had 28 goals and 32 assists in 68 games with the Aeros from 2009 – 2011. He also contributed 11 points (6 goals, 5 assists) in 24 Calder Cup Playoff games last season.

At 24 years old, 6′ 186 lbs. he still needs to put some more muscle into his game before he sticks with an NHL team.

He may get that opportunity in training camp next season with the Rangers, if he can agree to a new deal in the offseason.

7/20-12: In a bit of a surprising move, Wellman gets traded to Florida Panthers for a 5th round 2014 draft pick. He signed a one-year, two-way contract for 2012/2013.

09Feb

Evan Oberg(27) Tampa Bay Lightning

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With a rash of injuries Tampa Bay Lightning has been suffering through this season, call-ups from their AHL affiliate Norfolk Admirals are plentiful, but no one player has seen more time in airports and on airplanes so far than 3rd year, undrafted defenseman Evan Oberg(27).

It honestly seems like he’s been recalled a dozen times in the first half of the season, but in actuality it’s more like 7 or 8 times. He’s played a whopping 1:21 minutes in the one NHL game he did skate in.

Seeing that this is the last season of his 3-year entry level deal he originally signed with Vancouver Canucks, some insiders are looking at him as potential trade bait. He was picked up this season in a minor league deal with Florida Panthers that brought the Lightning a pair of defensive prospects for their system.

He only skated in 5 games in the big league with no points to his credit and has already been returned once again to the minors with no appearance.

 

03Feb

Jon Matsumoto(10) San Antonio Rampage

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Originally a Philadelphia Flyers‘ 3rd round pick in the 2006 draft (#79 overall) center Jon Matsumoto(10) was a team prospect for the first three years of his pro career and had two 60+ point AHL seasons with the Phantoms before being traded at the end of his 3-year entry level contract to Carolina Hurricanes 2010 for what amounted to a bag of rocks, a 7th round draft selection.

He played with their AHL affiliate Charlotte Checkers for a season and a half (including 13 games, scoring 2 goals last season with the Hurricanes) before being recently dished to Florida Panthers for another up-and-coming forward that was primarily playing with San Antonio Rampage.

In 46 AHL games he has 17 goals and 24 assists, which puts in on pace for his third 60 point season. At 6′ 185 lbs. he isn’t the biggest forward but he plays that style and has to ramp it up to the next level.

 

01Feb

Steve Bernier(25) New Jersey Devils

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steve-bernier

7th year winger, originally a 1st round pick of San Jose Sharks in 2003 (#16 overall), Steve Bernier(25) signed an AHL contract with Albany Devils in late October.

Before this season he only ever played 59 games in the minors as a rookie and in his 3rd year.

He’s skated 385 NHL games (76 goals and 83 assists) with the Sharks, Buffalo Sabres, Vancouver Canucks and in 2010/2011 with Florida Panthers.

Not exactly the best totals for a former high draft selection.

At 6’3″ and 220 lbs., you got to think the 26-year old has plenty left to use that big frame and blossom into the power forward he was always pegged to become.

New Jersey Devils just stepped in and turned his contract into a big league one-year, two-way deal.

He made his 2012 NHL debut as the league reconvened post All-Star game and skated 18 shifts for 13:30 minutes of total ice, including some power play time.

He had one shot on goal and went a -1 plus/minus, which maybe wasn’t all that great but his team did win in the shootout.

27Jan

Sean Sullivan(37) San Antonio Rampage

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After only a year and a half in Worcester signed to a pair of one-year, two-way contracts with San Jose Sharks, fan-favorite, 5th year defenseman Sean Sullivan(37) uproots from Central MA and moves himself back to South Texas, where he played the first two-and-a-half seasons of his pro career with San Antonio Rampage. He’ll return to a team he holds many defensive records with.

He was originally a 9th round pick of Phoenix Coyotes in 2003 (#272 overall) but has yet to appear in an NHL game. Soon he will hit a landmark 300 AHL games played.

He’s a sort of small-ish 6′ 190 lbs. player but is accountable in his defensive zone (he’s a +10 plus/minus this season) and has steadily been putting up some offensive numbers.

The trade with Florida Panthers that brings him back to the South will likely give him his first playing time in the NHL.

10Jan

Mike Duco(14) Vancouver Canucks

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One of the last cuts from Vancouver Canucks to be reassigned to their new AHL affiliate Chicago Wolves, wing Michael Duco(14) was making the decision tough for them with his smart preseason play.

He was recalled for the first time this season to play against the only other team he’s played an NHL game with, Florida Panthers. He played 12 games with them over the last two seasons registering no points.

Originally signed to a multi- year entry level contract as an undrafted, free agent out of juniors, he played almost 200 games with Rochester Americans in his first three seasons.

Right before getting called-up he posted his 1st pro career hat-trick with the Wolves.

1/15: After 3 games and his first NHL point (an assist) he is reassigned by Vancouver back to the AHL.

13Dec

Pierre Dagenais(26) Akwesasne Warriors

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14-year veteran wing Pierre Dagenais(26) has spent the last couple of seasons playing in the single A level Federal Hockey League with Akwesasne Warriors and even won the Commissioner’s Cup with the team, as the league’s best.

He’s the leading scoring so far this season with 28 goals and 20 assists in 17 games and a crazy +21 plus/minus.

He’s almost strictly a one-way player for the team and seemingly moves with incredible finesse at half speed out there and never takes the body against the opposing team’s player.

In 142 NHL games most notably with Montreal Canadiens, he put up 35 goals and 23 assists.

New Jersey Devils actually drafted him twice, once in 1996 (2nd round #47 overall) and again in 1998 (4th round #105 overall) and played for four years in their system. He is currently 33 years old.

07Oct

Matt Bartkowski(43) Boston Bruins

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matt-bartkowski

2nd year Boston Bruins defenseman, Matt Bartkowski(43) impressed enough at training camp to score himself a spot in the lineup on opening night. He appeared in 6 games for them last season

Originally picked by Florida in the 7th round of the 2008 draft (#190 overall), he played most of his rookie season in the AHL with Providence appearing in 69 games picking up 5 goals and 18 assists. Only real downside was his -18 plus/minus.

10Sep

Tim Kennedy(13) Florida Panthers / Hartford Wolf Pack

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Tim Kennedy(13) starts a new season in his 4th year after signing a one-year, two-way contract with Florida Panthers, the team he was traded to by New York Rangers at the tail end of the 2010/2011.

He played a full season in the NHL with Buffalo the year before that but has skated mostly in the AHL with Connecticut Whale and Rochester Americans (with the exception of 6 games with the Panthers) since the Sabres walked away from his arbitration away.

Maybe 2011/2012 is the season for the 2005 6th round Washington Capitals draft pick (#181 overall) to reignite his NHL career.