KHL | CollegeHockeyPlayers

19Dec

Ilari Melart(22) Yugra Khanty-Mansiysk

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Columbus Blue Jackets‘ undrafted, large-sized Finnish-born rookie defenseman Ilari Melart(22) has decided to pack his bags and move his game “on loan” to the KHL joining Yugra Khanty-Mansiysk for the remainder of the 2013/2014 season.

The 6’4″ 227 lbs. blue liner was playing on reassignment with minor league affiliate Springfield Falcons. In 24 AHL games, he netted one goal and two assists but connecting on the score sheet has yet to really become part of his impact.

Through four pro seasons with HIFK in SM-Liiga, he never put up big numbers but was always a leader in penalty minutes and never shies away from the rough stuff, playing a very defensive-minded game.

Signed to a 1-year entry level deal with the Blue Jackets, it’s a bit doubtful they will qualify him to keep him around but the still young 24-year old might be better suited for pro hockey closer to home.

07Dec

Rostislav Klesla(20) Portland Pirates

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13th year former Columbus Blue Jackets‘ 1st round draft pick in the 2000 draft (#4 overall), Czech Republic-born defenseman Rostislav Klesla(20) finds himself reassigned to the AHL for the first time in his pro career.

Signed to a lucrative four year deal extension that ends at the conclusion of the 2013/2014 season, he was the last remaining player with the team since they were introduced to the league in 2000/2001 but was traded to Phoenix Coyotes during the first year of his new contract.

Never a big contributor on the score sheet, the big 6’3″ 215 lbs. blue liner failed to gel in the system and was waived then quickly recalled (maybe with hope a deal was in place to send him elsewhere) but never manifested and he was sent down again, joining minor league affiliate Portland Pirates.

In three games he’s recorded an assist.

The 31-year old has appeared in 649 NHL games scoring 48 goals and 110 assists with a -44 rating. Most of his plus/minus downfall was within the first couple of seasons with the expansion team.

In all likelihood, he’ll make the move towards playing out the final years of his pro career in a league like the KHL.

19Nov

Yann Danis(34) Adirondack Phantoms

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Undrafted 10th year veteran goalie Yann Danis(34) has played NHL games in four of his five last seasons. He had one campaign on the interim in the KHL.

Signed to a 1-year two-way deal with Philadelphia Flyers, he’s splitting time between the pipes for their minor league affiliate Adirondack Phantoms and is an invaluable mentor to young prospects in the system.

He has 284 regular season games of AHL experience with a roughly 2.46 GAA and .913 SV%. He was named goaltender of the league in 2012 for his consistent play.

The 5’11” 182 lbs. net minder also has 53 NHL games, mostly in one run with New York Islanders but also appearances with Montreal Canadiens, New Jersey Devils and most recently for Edmonton Oilers.

His numbers in the show are a bit less impressive at 3.02 GAA and .891 SV% but they’ve mostly been when called in as the back-up.

The 32-year old will likely get his chance at another big league game and the trend will continue.

It will definitely be interesting to see where he lands for his 11th season in 2014/2015.

01Nov

Brett Skinner(24) Norfolk Admirals

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9th year veteran defenseman Brett Skinner(24) interestingly signed with the Central Hockey League Allen Americans, eventual President’s Cup winners, after returning from a couple of seasons overseas. Two years ago he ended up playing for teams in Germany, Finland and Sweden, but in the season before that one he played a full campaign in the KHL.

He put up some pretty impressive numbers in the lower league, skating 27 games, scoring 7 goals and 30 assists with a +4 rating.

Grand Rapids Griffins swooped in and signed him to a pto half way through 2012/2013. They upped that to a standard players contract in short order and their season culminated 100 games later as the 2013 Calder Cup Champs.

The 6’1″ 195 lbs. blue liner was originally a Vancouver Canucks‘ 3rd round pick in the 2002 draft (#68 overall) but only played a single year in their system before bouncing around with a few AHL teams until he signed in the off-season of 2008 with New York Islanders for a spell, played his only 11 NHL games with them. The next season he scored some fairly decent numbers reassigned to minor league affiliate Lake Erie Monsters while under contract with Colorado Avalanche.

Probably helped him get some decent money in Russia.

At 30 years old with his new team Norfolk Admirals, he already has three assists in 7 games. His AHL stats are pretty amazing at 369 games (and counting) 28 goals and 151 assists.

It’s all about the break out pass.

31Jul

Nikolai Prokhorkin(17) CSKA Moskva

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Los Angeles Kings‘ 4th round pick in the 2012 draft (#121 overall), Russian left wing Nikolai Prokhorkin(17) bounced around a lot and never really playing any amount of games last season (rookie?) but will pretty much stay put in the KHL to skate with CSKA Moskva for a fourth straight campaign.

He’s still only 19 years old and has skated in 35 games since 2010 – 2011 scoring 3 goals and 2 assists. He legitimately took that up to the next level with 3 goals and an assist in 9 playoff games.

The 6’2″ 183 lbs. forward also played in 8 AHL games with Manchester Monarchs at the start of 2012/2013 but only managed one assist.

It was said that he signed a three-year entry level deal but there’s no confirmation of that on the parent club’s Capgeek and ultimately was revealed he was actually still under contract in his home country.

There was also a thought that he would go play for Barrie Colts in the OHL but that idea was squashed as his abilities were already well above playing junior hockey level. He was originally a 1st round pick by London Knights but had his rights traded.

Regardless, they should continue to keep an eye on his while they still can.

13Jun

Jan Mursak (39)

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Detroit Red Wings‘ 5th year, 6th round pick in the 2006 draft (#182 overall), Slovenian-born right wing Jan Mursak(39) has already made it public knowledge of his intentions next season to join Amur Khabarovsk of the KHL, reportedly to return to playing on the bigger sheets of ice.

He didn’t let that stand in the way of scoring the winning goal in game three of the 2013 Calder Cup Finals to help his current team, AHL affiliate Grand Rapid Griffins, to a sweep-ready 3-0 series lead.

The 25-year old is set to become an unrestricted free agent after signing a two-year, one-way extension as his entry level contract was up.

He has 46 games of NHL experience to his credit scoring a pair of goals and assists.

In 213 contests in the minors, he’s registered 43 goals and 60 assists with a huge +41 rating.

Almost ironically he started the lockout season back in his country skating for Olimpija Ljubljana in Erste Bank Eishockey Liga, where he logged 30 games, connecting for a career high 48 points and 29 helpers.

If he continues to excel overseas, there could be some room for him to return to North American pro hockey, but it remains to be seen if his heart keeps him closer to home.

27May

Dmitry Korobov(44) Syracuse Crunch

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Tampa Bay Lightning‘s extra large undrafted defensemen, 6’3″ 239 lbs. Belarus-born rookie Dmitry Korobov(44) scored his first ever playoff goal, the game-winner for minor league affiliate Syracuse Crunch in game two of the Calder Cup Eastern Conference Finals to help tie the series vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins at 1 apiece.

He also has one assist in 8 playoff contests.

In 65 AHL games in 2012/2013, he scored 3 goals and 19 assists with a +20 rating on what was a very good team.

He signed a 2-year entry level deal after spending the last couple of seasons in the KHL with Dinamo Minsk.

The 24-year old was left off the long list of call-ups in the NHL lockout shortened season but has to be on the short list for 2013/2014.

He’s a big, powerful blue liner with seemingly limited offensive upside but easily keeps the offense at bay in front of his own cage.

28Aug

Scott Munroe(43) Adirondack Phantoms

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After a few seasons tending net for other teams, undrafted, 7th year goaltender Scott Munroe(43) returns to the Phantoms‘ fold signing a one-year AHL contract with Adirondack.

His first three seasons were in the Philadelphia Flyers‘ system before he tested other waters with Bridgeport Sound Tigers, Nizhnekamsk Neftekhimik of the KHL and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in 2011/2012.

Other than his rookie campaign, he has always put up winning records in North American play with respectable GAA and SV% numbers.

He’s only appeared in one NHL contest throughout his pro career.

The 6’2″ 210 lbs. 30-year old goalie’s high point has to be getting the win in the record breaking longest game in AHL Calder Cup Playoff history, a 5OT marathon in the 2008 Eastern Conference Semi-Finals round.

02Jun

Mats Zuccarello(36) Metallurg Magnitogorsk

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New York Rangers‘ restricted free agent, right wing Mats Zuccarello(36) inks a one-year deal with Metallurg Magnitogorsk of the KHL for 2012/2013.

The 24-year old Norwegian forward had signed a 2-year entry level deal through the end of last season and skated 52 NHL games for 8 goals and 18 assists, along with some clutch shootout strikes for Blueshirts’ wins.

In 73 AHL games with Connecticut Whale, he was pretty much a point per game guy at 25 goals and 40 assists.

The 5’7 179 lbs. spark plug winger had an unlucky year with injuries dealing first with an ankle situation that sidelined him for a couple of months. Then when he finally was called up to the Rangers, he was doing ok with a goal and a pair of assists in 10 games and fractured his wrist.

Out for another six weeks during the start of New York’s Stanley Cup Playoff run, he was able to return only near the end of the Eastern Conference Finals but wasn’t used.

We think it’s a bit of a wonder why they don’t just offer him a one-year one-way extension to stay.

01Jun

Nathan Oystrick(20) HC Lev Praha

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7th year unrestricted defenseman Nathan Oystrick(20) is heading to the KHL to skate for HC Lev Praha as he reported on his twitter @Oystie74.

The former Atlanta Thrashers‘ 7th round pick in the 2002 draft (#198 overall) has played 65 NHL games with three different teams but skated all of 2011/2012 with Portland Pirates after signing a one-year, two-way deal with Phoenix Coyotes.

He’s played in 383 AHL regular and postseason contests putting up some respectable stats (69 goals, 162 assists) and won the Calder Cup Trophy with Chicago Wolves in 2008.

At 6′ 210 lbs. he always plays an imposing game and should fit in well with the style of Russian hockey.