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06Sep

Jeff Hoggan(10) Grand Rapid Griffins

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12th year undrafted left wing Jeff Hoggan(10) had a nice welcome home campaign after two years abroad in Germany playing in DEL.

He joined Grand Rapid Griffins on a training camp tryout agreement but as of a few days before the start of the regular season had himself a one-year AHL contract and was named team captain from the get-go.

The 6’1″ 190 lbs. forward guided the Griffins to the 2013 Calder Cup Championship, a distinction he previously won as a rookie with Houston Aeros in 2003.

The veteran of 488 regular season AHL games with 5 different teams has scored 131 goals, 125 assists and an overall +19 rating. He lead the league in that category in the 2007-2008 season with a remarkable +39.

He has 107 NHL games to his credit playing two full seasons with St. Louis Blues and Boston Bruins and a couple of cups of coffee as a member of Phoenix Coyotes‘ system.

The 35-year unrestricted free agent signed a two-year deal to continue with Detroit Red Wings‘ minor league affiliate through 2015.

Original story: 7/10-13

After winning the whole she-bang and scoring another pair of years under contract the team captain, steady veteran presence posted identical stats in the next two seasons (14-17-31) although he played a full schedule in 2013/2014 and 59 games last campaign but did also post a huge +23 rating.

He even added another 6 goals and 8 assists in 26 postseason contests.

At 37-years old he wasted zero time signing another one-year extension, his fourth with Grand Rapids Griffins to forge ahead with the team and his 14-year career.

31Aug

Joel Broda (19)

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4th year center Joel Broda(6) is playing his first season as an unrestricted free agent after his 3-year entry level contract with Minnesota Wild was not qualified.

He signed a one-year minor league deal with Bakersfield Condors for 2013/2014, returning to the team he skated with on reassignment from Houston Aeros during his rookie season.

He played 124 AHL games through three seasons with the Aeros scoring 21 goals and 17 assists.

The 6′ 203 lbs. forward was an Oklahoma City Barons‘ training camp invite and impressed enough to score a call-up for 8 games near the start of the season, potting a goal and an assist quickly but then cooled off before being returned a month later.

He would get right to it in the ECHL, where he struck for 19 goals and 16 assists in 35 games.

His explosion on the score sheet gained him notice from Bridgeport Sound Tigers, who signed him to a pto and out of the gate he’s fitting right in with team chemistry.

Again, he scored early in his recall netting a pair of tallies and a helper in his first three contests.

Originally a Washington Capitals‘ 5th round pick in the 2008 draft (#144 overall), he had a notable junior hockey career scoring a league leading 53 goals in 2008/2009 and winning the WHL Championship with Calgary Hitmen in the following campaign.

The 24-year plays a speedy skating style, knows how to get himself into the open spaces on the ice for scoring chances and generally unloads a ton of shots on net.

Original story: 2/26-14

His time with Bridgeport Sound Tigers would finish with the 2 goals and 4 assists in 17 games.

Released from his pto near the end of the regular season, he rejoined Bakersfield Condors as team captain for their playoff run, which last 16 games through the Kelly Cup Western Conference Finals.

Once again, he exploded on the score sheet potting 8 goals and 4 assists with a +5 rating in 16 playoff games.

His 2013/2014 performance was enough to put him on the radar of Hershey Bears, who signed him to an AHL contract roughly a month before training camps started.

Through 53 contests, he would have a somewhat rough campaign in Chocolatetown falling out of favor as he was mostly a healthy scratch down the stretch and throughout the Calder Cup Playoffs.

It was obvious his 7 goals and 3 assists fell far short of the mark.

For his 6th pro season he’s decided to take his game elsewhere, signing a one-year deal with HC Bolzano Foxes of Erte Banke Eishockey Liga.

The now 25-year old that will turn 26 a month into the new season should easily be able to duplicate the kind of numbers he put in the ECHL overseas.

09Aug

C.J. Stretch (12)

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Undrafted 5th year center C.J. Stretch(12) was a late signing for Bridgeport Sound Tigers after attending New York Islanders‘ training camp on a tryout.

He spent last season under contract with Oklahoma City Barons after playing well for the team on loan late in the campaign from Ontario Reign, where he spent the first three years of his pro career.

Upon his recall, he was having a career year, ultimately playing in 60 ECHL games with 28 goals, 34 assists and 62 points, all high marks.

The 6′ 192 lbs. forward would be returned to skate in 4 Kelly Cup contests, adding 5 more tallies to his totals.

He had contributed nicely while up as well, getting 5 goals and 3 assists in 17 AHL games.

Once his lower league club was knocked out of the playoffs, he was again summoned to join the Calder Cup push and went right to work, playing in another 17 games, improving his numbers by one with 5 goals and 4 assists in the playoffs.

The 25-year old started 2014/2015 as a healthy scratch but found his spot in the lineup as of game 2, recorded 3 assists and has been a bit of a spark plug ever since.

He’s on pace to shatter last season’s total with 5 goals and 12 assists in 22 games and could be in line for his first NHL contract, if he can keep it up.

Original story: 12/8-14

Just shy of a few months later he would return to the more playoff bound Oklahoma City Barons and finish the 2014/2015 campaign with 10 goals, a new career high 27 assists and 37 points in the AHL.

He would only add another two helpers in 9 postseason match-ups.

Entering his 6th pro season the 26-year old heads overseas on a one-year deal with Starbulls Rosenheim of DEL2.

He should almost easily be a point-per-game guy in this league as he was in his third stint of ECHL action.

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.

19Mar

Matt Dumba(55) Minnesota Wild

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Minnesota Wild 1st round pick in the 2012 draft (#7 overall) defenseman Matt Dumba(55) has been on a wild ride to start his pro career but is starting to settle nicely now.

He started in 2013 with then affiliate Houston Aeros skating in three regular season contests and 5 in the playoffs.

The very tough, hard hitting 6′ 189 lbs. d-man with the rocket blast from the point made his NHL debut out of training camp and played 13 games on the roster until he was reassigned to join the Canadian National Team at the WJC, then subsequently sent back for his final year of junior hockey with Portland Winterhawks.

Once again he made the squad to start 2014/2015 but his game was a bit slow to materialize, so he was sent down to farm team Iowa Wild, where he spent the next six weeks skating hard, proving his abilities were ready to step up.

He was recalled but returned to the minors once again for a shorter stint.

In 20 AHL appearances he ended up getting 5 goals and 9 assists with a +2 rating and 39 shots on net and that was probably the last time he’ll be on the bus heading to games.

23Dec

Johan Larsson(22) Buffalo Sabres

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Buffalo Sabres‘ 3rd year left wing from Sweden, Johan Larsson(22) is looking to prove he is ready for prime time in his second recall from AHL affiliate Rochester Americans, where he clearly looked to be blowing the lid off his previous bests in goals, assists and points.

In 26 games he has already amassed 8 goals and 15 assists.

He had similar rookie and sophomore campaigns getting 16 and 15 goals with 25 and 26 assists, both very respectable.

Maybe more importantly though and being seen frequently these days is his pro career start with two years in the SHL.

He was under contract with Brynas but in the second year had signed his three year entry level deal and was loaned on a slide to the club for another round of seasoning, which seems to have worked.

The 5’11” 198 lbs. forward was originally a Minnesota Wild 2nd round pick in the 2010 draft (#56 overall).

He played his rookie season with Houston Aeros and got into his first big league game with no results before he was involved in a pair of prospects deal for a vet goal scorer that landed him in Buffalo.

The still young 22-year old is in the final run of his three-year entry level deal and even though he appeared in 28 games with the parent club had yet to realize the back of the net but did have 4 assists.

Something clicked in his latest summons, as he struck for his first NHL goal and was credited with an assist in the next game, so he officially has a point-scoring streak established and this team does have available roster spots.

14Oct

Colton Gillies(17) Bridgeport Sound Tigers

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7th year former Minnesota Wild 1st round pick in the 2007 draft (#16 overall) right wing Colton Gillies(17) is currently minus a contract for the 2014/2015 but skating AHL games with Bridgeport Sound Tigers after being released from his New York Islanders‘ training camp invite.

He played the entirety of the 2013/2014 season on a minor league deal with Rochester Americans putting up close to career high numbers but even those are barely something to write home about (9-15-24).

The fairly large 6’4″ 190 lbs. forward has skated most of three full campaigns in the NHL with a pair of clubs.

His numbers up in the big league are minimal as well (6-12-18 in 154 games).

He never really produced on the score sheet through three years of junior hockey in the WHL with Saskatoon Blades. which makes it a bit of a wonder how he was ever selected so high and even traded up to get.

In a pair of games in this early season, he has yet to record a point playing on a pto.

He’s definitely a good leader type figure for the young squad to retain but it’s a wonder if they will.

20Apr

Joey Martin (14)

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Stockton Thunder undrafted center Joey Martin(10) posted career highs for games played, assists and points in his third ECHL season.

He skated in 66 contests, scoring one less goal than he did as a rookie, with 21 tallies and a new record 45 helpers, 66 points; all team leading offensive totals.

He also managed to tie his AHL scoring mark in 2013/2014 with a pair of goals on loan to affiliate Bridgeport Sound Tigers; and his 2 assists for 4 points with a +3 rating in 9 games were new personal bests.

He’s skated in higher league games in each of his years.

The 5’10” 174 lbs. forward is now once again lighting up the postseason score sheet and will undoubtedly eclipse his former totals as in just 2 games he has already evened up with his 5 points, including a new best 4 assists.

24Feb

Chad Rau(20) Worcester Sharks

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5th year center Chad Rau(20) recently moved from Minnesota Wild‘s prospect system, the only one he knew, to San Jose Sharks‘ organization and was reassigned from minor league affiliate Iowa Wild to Worcester Sharks.

His point production dipped severely in 33 AHL games, putting in only a single tally and adding half a dozen assists on a team that struggles to connect on the score sheet but continues to be in the hunt of a Western Conference playoff spot.

He has yet to catch fire so to speak with his new club notching only a pair of assists in 8 contests.

The not exactly huge 5’11” 178 lbs. forward averaged 35 points in each of his first four seasons and dipped below that mark last year but also had a career second best 16 goals.

Originally a Toronto Maple Leafs‘ 7th round pick in the 2005 draft (#228 overall), he was never signed and inked a 2-year entry level contract with the Wild.

He has played in 9 NHL games and potted two goals in his short stint and was recalled and sent back numerous times

The 27-year old has definitely attained some pretty good goals: 2005 USHL Rookie Of The Year, four reputable years at Colorado College with close to point-per-game production and a trip to the 2011 Calder Cup Finals in his first year pro with Houston Aeros.

His 2-year extension is up at the end of this season and it’s definitely a wonder where the veteran will end up next.

23Dec

Pierre-Marc Bouchard(96) Bridgeport Sound Tigers

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Former Minnesota Wild 1st round pick in the 2002 draft (#8 overall) veteran left wing Pierre-Marc Bouchard(96) is spending his first time in the AHL since the lockout season of 2004/2005, when he skated with minor league affiliate Houston Aeros.

A veteran of 12 seasons he’s skated 593 NHL games scoring a very tidy 110 goals and 246 assists with an overall +6 rating.

Standing at a mid-sized 5’10” with a small 175 lbs. frame, he’s a quick moving forward with great instincts but has also been injury-prone in the last few years and missed 2009/2010 altogether.

In the four previous seasons though, he was averaging almost 60 points a campaign with over 40 assists.

Reassigned to minor league affiliate Bridgeport Sound Tigers by New York Islanders, his first team other after a phenomenal 11 seasons with the Wild, he’s already put up a goal and 3 assists in 4 games.

The 29-year old is a great stabilizing presence for what is a young squad in the parent club’s prospect system.

He’s likely to reach the 600 game mark in the show but may need to wait another season.

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