Tagged: Greenville Road Warriors

22Jul

Cullen Eddy(20) Philadelphia Flyers

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Undrafted, 3rd year defenseman Cullen Eddy(20) proves that hard work and determination can pay off. After a couple of seasons signed to a pair of two-way AHL contracts with Adirondack Phantoms, he moves up a notch with a two-year, two-way NHL contract with Philadelphia Flyers.

He had career highs last season with 54 games played, 2 goals and 13 assists to go along with 130 penalty minutes, which ranked him second on the team. He also had a dismal -13 plus/minus, which he’ll need to work on.

The 23-year old, 6′ 195 lbs. blue liner was born right down the street from Broad Street and played his college hockey in PA too.

There’s little doubt that he will continue to develop his game in the AHL but with a couple of strong training camps could be eyed as a potential fill-in as the Flyers rebuild their defense.

 

19Jul

Stefan Legein(16) Los Angeles Kings

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Originally a Columbus Blue Jackets‘ 2nd round pick in the 2007 draft (#37 overall) right wing Stefan Legein(16) for some reason seems like he’s been around a lot longer than just 4 pro seasons.

He’s bounced around in the AHL a bit since a very mediocre rookie season with Syracuse Crunch to career highs with Adirondack Phantoms in the Flyers‘ system in his 2nd year. But that only lasted a year.

The 5’10” 185 lbs. forward was dished for future considerations to Los Angeles Kings and had a sort of rebirth in 2011/2012 with their affiliate Manchester Monarchs.

At only 23 years old, he played like a team leader on the ice, doing a lot of penalty killing while occasionally connecting with the scoresheet (14 + 11 in 63 games; 5 of those shorties). He recently re-signed, accepting their qualifying one-year, two-way offer.

You have to wonder if he will find reason to break out of his AHL shell and lace ’em up tight for the forthcoming training camp with the current Stanley Cup Champions.

 

 

07Apr

Jeff Prough(22) Connecticut Whale

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Undrafted forward Jeff Prough(22) played in 17 games this season on call-up to Connecticut Whale (the team he signed a one-year two-way deal with for 2011/2012) but as they were suffering some overcrowding for spots up front, he was reassigned to Greenville Road Warriors of the ECHL to see if he could put some life into their Kelly Cup Playoff postseason run, who were on the brink of opening round elimination.

He scored their first goal but unfortunately it wasn’t enough as they were overmatched and sent packing until 2012/2013.

He’s a point per game guy in the ECHL but the 25-year old, 5’10” 170 lbs. left winger has been less consistent in mostly a fourth line role in the AHL.

He will be back up with the Whale soon as he’s on their clear day roster for the Calder Cup Playoffs.

21Dec

Igor Gongalsky(22) Gwinnett Gladiators

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After starting the season on a pto with Portand Pirates, the team he spent most of last season with, 5th year undrafted wing Igor Gongalsky(22) was released and signed an ECHL contract with their affiliate Gwinnett Gladiators.

In 13 AHL games he only registered an assist, but in 5 games with Gwinnett he already has a goal and a pair of helpers.

He’s played most of his pro career in AA hockey (almost 200 games with four different teams)  but he’s really a player on the cusp of the higher league.

Maybe he’s just a bit of a late bloomer considering he’s only 25 years old.

12/21: Gongalsky signs a pto with Rochester Americans.

03Dec

Marc-Andre Bourdon(3) Philadelphia Flyers

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Philadelphia Flyers‘ 2008 3rd round pick (#67 overall) defenseman Marc-Andre Bourdon(3) is quietly enjoying his first four games in the NHL.

Just one season ago he played 5 games in the ECHL with Greenville Road Warriors. As a pro he’s spent more of his time guarding the blue line with their AHL affiliate Adirondack Phantoms.

He is on the third year or his entry level contract. It’s almost assured that they’ll qualify him for at least another year of service, unless he looks good enough out there to attract some attention.

As said, he’s quietly enjoying his first games in the NHL. The less people notice him out there = a good thing.

02Dec

Chad Johnson(30) / Cameron Talbot(33) Connecticut Whale

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Having a hot backstop heading into the playoffs is always a recipe for success. Having two is flat out insane.

This could very well be the scenario for Connecticut Whale as they march through the 2011/2012 season.

The goaltender tandem of 2006 Pittsburgh Penguins‘ 5th round pick (#125 overall), traded to the Rangers in 2009, Chad Johnson(30) and undrafted free agent signing in 2010, Cameron Talbot(33) looks to make the Whale favorites for the 2012 AHL Calder Cup.

Johnson already picked up AHL Goaltender Of The Month honors for October.

The pair played the majority of last season with the team but something for this team feels a lot different this year.

26Nov

Dov Grumet-Morris(1) San Antonio Rampage

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It’s a bit of a wonder that 7th year pro goaltender Dov Grumet-Morris(1) didn’t sign with at least an AHL team in the offseason after posting solid numbers for Connecticut Whale in 22 games last season (13 wins against 5 losses, 2.12 GAA and .923 SV%).

But seemingly no one bit, until recently when the first team he tended net for in the league along his journeyman career would come calling once again.

San Antonio Rampage signed him to a standard player contract, a scenario he’s a bit unfamiliar with in his time spent with 10 different teams in North American hockey. Only his two seasons overseas had him on one team for the duration, but otherwise it’s been mostly pto’s for the former star goalie at Harvard University.

The Whale did eventually sign him to a contract last year but he was third wheel as soon as their starters were healthy. The Rampage are in a similar pickle.

He posted a 5-0 shutout in his first game. It’s a wonder that he has yet to appear in the NHL.

11Nov

Jyri Niemi(8)

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jyri-niemi3

In a bit of a head scratcher move, Connecticut Whale have reassigned 2nd year defenseman Jyri Niemi(8) to their ECHL affiliate Greenville Road Warriors after posting only 1 assist in 8 games played.

He was injured late last season and it may be a move to give him some time to play a bit of a different style of hockey and build his confidence.

It would be really strange for him to stay in AA, unless he’s really fallen off New York Rangers‘ depth chart.

He was originally picked by New York Islanders in the 3rd round of the 2007 draft (#77 overall).

05Nov

Matt Schepke(45) Reading Royals

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3rd year wing Matt Schepke(45) has skated mostly in the ECHL in his pro career and this year is not much different than the last two as he signed a deal in the offseason to join Reading Royals‘ stacked squad in hopes of capturing the Kelly Cup Championship that’s eluded the team, especially in 2010 and 2011 playoffs.

On call up he’s played in 6 AHL games with 3 different teams but has yet to put up any points on the scoresheet.

He scored the first goal in Greenville Road Warriors history and was a part of the Michigan State University Spartans‘ team that won the NCAA Championship in 2007.

Last year he played a career high 4 games at the end of the regular season with Bridgeport Sound Tigers.

03Oct

Mark Voakes(27) Rochester Americans

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Heading into his third pro season, winger Mark Voakes(27) signs himself an AHL contract for the 2011/2012 season with Rochester Americans after signing a pto late last year with Portland Pirates, the now former affiliate of Buffalo Sabres, and posting some impressive numbers (6 goals, 5 assists in 18 games and 3 goalsand 5 assists in 10 playoff games). He spent the entire early season in the ECHL with Greenville Road Warriors putting up good totals there too (60 games, 17 goals and 37 assists).

AHL News carried a good story about his pro career and him being a bit of a late bloomer.

One thing is for certain, in the games he skated that I was in attendance for, this guy’s got some skills. If he does get sent down again, it would be to Gwinnett Gladiators, where 2008 draft pick Corey Fienhage will likely start the year with a contract.