Tagged: Hartford Wolf Pack

12Mar

Dean Arsene(29) Portland Pirates

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11th year undrafted veteran defenseman, current captain of Portland Pirates, Dean Arsene(29) played his 500 career AHL game over the weekend.

He’s so excited about the prospect, he’s seen blowing bubbles during warm-ups before game 499. He was supposed to set the mark last month but an upper body injury has hampered his ability to play consistently.

He accomplished the feat playing games with only 5 different teams, but 6 of his pro seasons have been spent with Hershey Bears, a team he won two Calder Cup Championships with in 2006 and 2009.

The 31-year old has only appeared in 13 NHL games (all with Edmonton Oilers) but no tallies on the scoresheet to show for it.

He’s never been the biggest point producer (13 goals and 64 assists) but his leadership presence in the locker room and out of the ice is priceless.

No doubt about it, after his playing career he would be an excellent coach.

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.

30Jan

Boyd Kane(12) Hershey Bears

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14-year veteran, Hershey Bears‘ left wing Boyd Kane(12) got the nod to captain the 2012 Eastern Conference All-Star squad for the Atlantic City, Boardwalk Hall match-up vs. the West.

He won back-to-back Calder Cups, first with Philadelphia Phantoms in 2005 and then with Hershey in 2006. He also won the AHL title with the Bears again in 2010.

His last three seasons have been spent in Washington Capitals‘ farm system and 5 of 6 seasons before that with Philadelphia, except the stop back in Hershey. He started his pro career with four years with New York Rangers‘ AHL (Hartford Wolf Pack) and ECHL (Charlotte Checkers) affiliates.

In 31 NHL games (23 with the Flyers, 8 with the Capitals) the 31-year old has three assists but has yet to pot his first goal. At 6’2″ 225 lbs. he’s  easily more relied upon for his physical game.

22Jan

Mark Bell(18) Anaheim Ducks

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11 year veteran, former Chicago Blackhawks‘ 1st round draft pick in 1998 (#8 overall), 31-year old center Mark Bell(18) received his first NHL call-up with his new team for the 2011/2012 season, Anaheim Ducks.

He now has 446 big league games to his credit, registering 87 goals and 95 assists to go along with 597 penalty minutes.

For the last couple of seasons he played in the Swiss-A League but signed a one-year, two-way contract to come back to North American pro hockey early in the offseason.

In 32 games with the Ducks‘ AHL affiliate Syracuse Crunch he has 5 goals and 8 assists but is a kind of miserable -11 plus/minus.

 

17Jan

Tomas Kundratek(34) Washington Capitals

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Originally a New York Rangers‘ 3rd round pick in 2008 (#90 overall), 2nd year defenseman Tomas Kundratek(34) was traded to Washington Capitals in the 2nd year of his 3-year two-way entry level deal. Word has it he asked for out of town.

Whatever he did it worked, because he was recently recalled to play in his first NHL games and so far he’s appeared in three, all wins for the team. He’s averaged roughly 10 hours of ice time per game. The Caps are fairly stocked on defense but as guy’s continue to get healthy, he’s making the most of his chance to play.

In 21 games with Hershey Bears, he has 6 an AHL career high 6 goals and a pair of assists.

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.

20Dec

Jed Ortmeyer(22) Minnesota Wild

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33-year old undrafted 9th year vet wing Jed Ortmeyer(22) has skated in 311 NHL games counting his current call up to Minnesota Wild, a team he has been signed with for the last couple seasons mostly for his leadership with the younger guys on their AHL affiliate Houston Aeros.

In 4 games with the Wild in 2010/2011 he failed to register a point but he plays big and can’t really shut opposing players done.

Throughout his career he skated 3 years with New York Rangers to start, followed by a couple of seasons in Nashville Predators‘ system and then his career best full season with San Jose Sharks in 2009/2010 (8 goals, 11 assists) before ending up in Minnesota.

In his first NHL game of 2011/2012, he skated almost 12 minutes of ice time.

15Dec

Dane Byers(34) Columbus Blue Jackets

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6th year wing Dane Byers(34) received his first call-up to his new team Columbus Blue Jackets and played in his first  NHL game in a couple of seasons.

He was originally a 2nd round pick in the 2004 draft (#48 overall) by New York Rangers. He played over 250 games in their system with their AHL affiliate, Hartford Wolf Pack and appeared in 6 games of two seasons with the Blueshirts scoring one goal.

Last season was an interesting one for him as he was involved in three minor league deals that had him go first to  Springfield Falcons, then San Antonio Rampage to finish the year.

In the offseason, the Blue Jackets signed the unrestricted free agent to a one-year, tw0-way contract. He is the current team captain for Springfield and shows great leadership on the ice.

11Dec

Jason Williams(18) Pittsburgh Penguins

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Since 2000, undrafted center Jason Williams(18) has played games in the NHL and he played his first of the 2011/2012 season with Pittsburgh Penguins in their win over New York Islanders. He skated for 11:28 minutes, took a tripping penalty and had a shot on net.

In 448 NHL games he has 93 goals and 132 assists with Detroit (7 seasons, including a Stanley Cup with them in 2002), Chicago, Atlanta, Columbus, Dallas and now with the Pens.

He has far less career games in the AHL numbering 210 at last check (77 goals, 113 assists = a point per game) and this season with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins has 3 goals and 14 assists in 20 games.

11Dec

Evgeny Gratchev(91) Peoria Rivermen

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After failing to connect like he did in preseason, the monstrous (6’4″ 225 lbs.) center Evgeny Gratchev(91) is reassigned by St. Louis Blues to their AHL affiliate Peoria Rivermen to go find that scoring touch after only producing two assists in 17 games played to start the season.

He was acquired by the Blues in an offseason trade with New York Rangers for a 3rd round pick in the 2011 draft. He was originally drafted by the Rangers in the 3rd round of the 2008 draft (#75 overall).

At 21 years old, it seems like he’s struggling a bit to find his form in the NHL game. It’s still only his third pro season and he may be something of a late developer to becoming the power forward he is projected to be.