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Tagged: Kalamazoo Wings

26Jan

Yanni Gourde(37) Syracuse Crunch

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Undrafted 3rd year left wing Yanni Gourde(37) is poised to set new career highs in all scoring categories this season.

He’s already eclipsed his goals total from last year with 15 in 41 AHL games with Syracuse Crunch, while holding a +14 rating.

It’s very likely that the small 5’9″ 168 lbs. forward will also reach new bests for points and assists in his first full year as a Tampa Bay Lightning prospect.

He was signed to a two-year two-way entry level contract after putting up point-per-game numbers on a pto with Worcester Sharks after being loaned from Kalamazoo Wings.

He had 15 goals and 19 assists in 30 ECHL at the time of his recall.

Looking for an NHL deal, it didn’t materialize with their parent club San Jose Sharks, so he smartly went elsewhere and found it.

20Jan

Jordan Binnington (30)

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St. Louis Blues‘ 3rd round pick in the 2011 draft (#88 overall) goaltender Jordan Binnington(30) has one of the more interesting artist renderings on his mask for 2014/2015.

That’s Will Smith as The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air that graces one side of his cage.

The story goes he is a huge fan of the actor in the tv show and thinks he can basically do no wrong on the silver screen.

Between the pipes the 2nd year net minder is earning his keep with minor league affiliate Chicago Wolves.

The 6’1″ 176 lbs. backstop has a 11-6 record in 19 AHL games with a 2.33 GAA, .911 SV% and one shutout.

He played the majority of his rookie season in the ECHL posting similar stats but was fairly outstanding in three Kelly Cup Playoff games going 1-1-1 with a 1.89 GAA and .946 SV%.

The 21-year old won the 2011 OHL Championship and was voted Outstanding Goalie at the Memorial Cup despite not winning.

He was also named 2013 Goaltender Of The Year in his final season with Owen Sound Attack.

He’s received one recall and probably isn’t too far from an NHL start.

28Dec

Yann Sauve(3) Orlando Solar Bears

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Orlando Solar Bears‘ 5th year defenseman Yann Sauve(3) was late to come to the table signing a one-year minor league deal for 2014/2015 two months into the new season.

He was originally a Vancouver Canucks‘ 2nd round pick in the 2008 draft (#41 overall) and in their system for four campaigns, first signing a three-year entry level contract and then an extension for 2013/2014.

The fairly big 6’3″ 215 lbs. blue liner was assistant captain for affiliate Utica Comets, had a career high 13 assists and tied the 14 points he recorded as a rookie, but was also a disappointing -20 plus/minus.

He was recalled to the NHL for the first time since his initial year, when he appeared in 5 games.

In 3 more games as the parent club’s blue line was injury depleted, he again didn’t connect with the score sheet.

He was productive in the QMJHL with Saint John Sea Dog s averaging 20 assists each season and had an unreal +42 rating before he turned pro.

The 24-year old had already played portions of two seasons on reassignment in ECHL teams, so is familiar with the league.

His best run was in 2012/2013, when he had 19 points in 32 games and is off to a good start with a goal and an assist in 5 contests.

On 12/29-14 he has moved back up the hockey ladder for the moment, signing to a pto with Saint John’s IceCaps.

11Oct

Joe Cannata(35) Utica Comets

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Vancouver Canucks‘ 6th round pick in the 2009 draft (#173 overall) goalie Joe Cannata(35) finds himself in a bit of a logjam to find any time between the pipes with their minor league affiliate Utica Comets.

The Massachusetts-born net minder is on a one-year contract extension with the parent club and will start down a notch on the pro ladder with Ontario Reign.

He’s played in the league before, appearing in 7 ECHL games in his rookie campaign.

The 6’1″ 200 lbs. backstop spent the entirety of 2013/2014 in the AHL posting a respectable 11-12 record with a 2.83 GAA and .907 SV% on a mostly shaky team.

He also played in 14 games with then farm team Chicago Wolves in his first year and had even slightly better numbers.

The 24-year old played four seasons at Merrimack College putting up stellar totals.

He’ll definitely have to work hard to get back on the radar.

20May

Alexandre Grenier(28) Utica Comets

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Vancouver Canucks‘ 3rd round pick in the 2011 draft (#90 overall), rookie right wing Alexandre Grenier(28) had a good first year under a two-year entry level deal signed to start in the 2013/2014 season.

Playing on reassignment with their expansion affiliate Utica Comets, he managed to connect for a team third high ranking in goals, assists and points (17-22-39).

This was actually the hulking 6’4″ 200 lbs. forward second season as a pro.

After only a year and a half in the QMJHL, he decided it was time to take his game to the next level.

Signing with EC Salzburg of the Austria Elite League as players waited for the lockout to thaw, he gained some solid playing experience in 25 games overseas and joined Kalamazoo Wings to begin his quest to get make it to the NHL.

Wasting no time, he contributed 10 goals and 11 assists in 37 games before being recalled late in the season to Chicago Wolves.

Impressed by his skating, he would ink a contract at the conclusion of the regular season.

With a bit more muscle and weight on his full-sized frame, the 22-year old should compete for a spot on the parent’s club roster to start his sophomore campaign.

03Apr

Cade Fairchild(2) Portland Pirates

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3rd year defenseman Cade Fairchild(2) was picked up in an AHL trade deadline deal by Phoenix Coyotes for future considerations and reassigned to their farm club, Portland Pirates.

Originally a St. Louis Blues‘ 4th round pick in the 2007 draft, he skated mostly with their minor league affiliates apart from 5 NHL games in his rookie season (one assist).

In a somewhat surprisingly move he was also sent down to the ECHL for a pair of contests for Kalamazoo Wings near the beginning of the current season.

The slightly small-ish looking 5’11” 178 lbs. blue liner has appeared in 150 AHL contests scoring 10 goals and 55 assists with a massive +30 rating.

He dished out his fair share of helpers in four years at University Of Minnesota.

Tbe 25-year old is set to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the current campaign after signing a one-year extension.

It will be interesting to see where he ends up playing in 2014/2015, but I doubt anyone will be surprised if he decides to take his talents overseas.

06Sep

Yanni Gourde(18) Kalamazoo Wings

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Small 2nd year left wing Yanni Gourde(18) somewhat surprisingly signs for one-year with ECHL Kalamazoo Wings after spending his entire rookie season under an AHL contract with Worcester Sharks.

In 54 games the 5’9″ 170 lbs. forward scored 8 goals with 6 assists adding to his first pro goal and a pair of helpers he posted at the end of the previous year signed with the team to an ato.

He did get reassigned for a brief spell with affiliate San Francisco Bulls and lit the lamp for 4 goals and 6 assists in 8 games.

The young 21-year old will probably continue on a tear through the lower league and it would not be surprising to see him get called up somewhere for the long-term.

In four years of junior hockey with Victoriaville Tigres he was a 1.11 point per game guy in 199 games and won the most valuable player and scoring titles in his final campaign.

See related: 4/17-12

02Sep

Dean Strong(23) Valpellice Bulldogs

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Entering his fifth pro season, small but sturdy right wing Dean Strong(23) will once again try his hand overseas.

He signed a one-year deal with Italy’s Valpellice Bulldogs for 2013/2014.

It’s his second stint playing hockey outside of North America, as the 5’8″ 190 lbs. forward spent his sophomore campaign successfully in Germany2 with Eispiraten Crimmitschau before he returned, joining Kalamazoo Wings of the ECHL for the remainder of the regular and postseason run.

He put up point per game numbers and was re-signed to continue with K-Wings but started his third year with Chicago Wolves out of training camp on a pto before being sent back.

Later loaned to Lake Erie Monsters he found his spot and finished off the year with the team after being inked to an spc midway through. He re-upped for 2012/2013 but suffered and injury that derailed his progress.

He was reassigned for a very short time in the Central Hockey League with affiliate Denver Cutthroats but was quickly back with the Monsters to complete the season.

The 28-year old has played in 106 AHL games scoring 11 goals and 24 assists.

He will likely break out on a scoring spree once again in the lower tier league and will likely continue to move up over there as age and veteran status will start to factor in to any future signing.

05Jun

Riley Gill(30) Reading Royals

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3rd year undrafted goaltender Riley Gill(30) is likely used to being bounced around from team-to-team in his thus far short pro career.

By our count, he’s worn a minor league sweater for 8 different teams and played in games for 7.

He started with Kalamazoo Wings right after finishing up four years at University Of Michigan. He played a few regular season games and then appeared in four more in the playoffs, almost getting them past the opening round.

After that impressive performance, he was given a one-year deal.

The 6’1″ 211 lbs. net minder was recalled twice to the AHL and got in between the pipes for one game with Worcester Sharks and a pair with Bridgeport Sound Tigers. Both outings were less than impressive.

He signed an extension to continue with the K-Wings and spent virtually the entire year with the team, helping them all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals, but found himself without a contract for 2012/2013 as the NHL lockout was trickling down talent and few doors were open for the 28-year old.

Utah Grizzlies invited him to their training camp but he failed to catch on and ultimately dropped down, signing on to play with Louisiana IceGators of the SPHL.

As just about anyone would have predicted, he excelled in the lower league with most wins and shutouts before leaving the team a month prior to the end of the season. His play earned him Goaltender Of The Year honors.

He was recalled to join Reading Royals, where he stepped right into action, posting a 10-3-1 record with a 1.28 GAA and .952 SV% to go along with three shutouts in 14 games played.

He would continue the stellar play into the playoffs, where he would snatch the starting goalie spot in short order as he showed no signs of slowing down putting up a 13-3 record with a 1.91 GAA and .930 SV%, while adding another 4 shutouts.

For his efforts, he was named Kelly Cup Playoffs MVP as winning goaltender for the 2013 Championship team.

There’s a push to have him under contract for the 2013/2014 with parent club Washington Capitals but it remains to be seen if what materializes next for the journeyman backstop.

See related: 12/4-10

05Nov

Mike Matczak(54) Manchester Monarchs

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Undrafted 2nd year defenseman Mike Matczak(54) has been recalled from Kalamazoo Wings of the ECHL to Manchester Monarchs for the first time in short pro career. He did sign an ato fresh out of college and played 4 AHL games with Adirondack Phantoms at the end of 2010/2011, so it’s not like he’s a complete novice.

He’s currently spending his second season in a K-Wings‘ jersey, where in 69 games he’s scored 11 times and added 25 assists. He only has one assist so far this year but did produce pretty well for them in the 2012 Kelly Cup Playoffs with a goal and 4 assists in 14 contests.

The slightly small 5’11” 185 lbs. blue liner spent training camp with the Monarchs and played in exhibition games with the team, so he’s on their radar.

He made zero mistakes in his first game, a 1-0 shootout loss, and the Manchester defense corps are currently beat up, so the 24-year old could possibly stick around awhile.

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