Manchester Monarchs | CollegeHockeyPlayers

Tagged: Manchester Monarchs

29Sep

Jamie McBain(5) Los Angeles Kings

Posted in AHL, NHL | Leave a comment

6th year defenseman Jamie McBain(5) signed a one-year two-way contract with Los Angeles Kings after agreeing to a pto with affiliate Manchester Monarchs.

He played 6 AHL games with the farm club scoring a goal and adding three assists with a +3 rating before the parent club came calling to fill in some spots that needed coverage on their blue line.

Originally a Carolina Hurricanes‘ 2nd round pick in the 2006 draft (#36 overall), the 6’2″ 205 lbs. d-man spent the first four years of his career with the team but unfortunately as time passed started to show declining returns.

After the 2012 lockout it definitely appears that he’d lost some of his step.

He managed to pick it up slightly last season after a trade to Buffalo Sabres but not enough for them to revisit extending the unrestricted free agent.

A training camp invite of Arizona Coyotes, they only really had a peak before releasing him.

There was a bit of a murmur that he was set to leave for the KHL but shortly thereafter he signed his tryout deal.

Injuries and a misfortune, along with a sliver of salary cap room, had him at the right place at the right now. Maybe it was a bit of mastery forsight too.

The still young-ish 26-year old will either have to step up his offensive numbers (25-67-92 in 276 NHL games) or start using some of that size to shut down the attackers.

It’s a coin flip to see how this one materializes. It really could become a great fit though.

Original story: 11/14-14

He appeared in 26 games with LA Kings scoring 3 goals and 6 assists with a +4 rating, making him accountable enough to keep around.

They wasted no time as free agency started re-signing him to a one-year, tw0-way extension.

Starting the season with a new contract, the 27-year old should be able to connect on the score sheet more often and continue to elevate his game.

04Aug

Robbie Czarnik (27)

Posted in ECHL | Leave a comment

6th year center Robbie Czarnik(70) would play for three different teams in the 2014/2015, spending the first part of the year with Indy recording almost a point-per-game, 17 goals and 13 assists in 31 and then traded to Ontario Reign, 21 contest (6-4) before being dished to Gwinnett Gladiators until he failed to pass a physical and was returned.

That transaction wouldn’t last as he was recalled on to join Norfolk Admirals on a pto.

He finished the regular season skating 10 AHL games with a goal and 3 assists, which almost matched his output from 2013/2014 in a third less appearances.

For 2015/2016 the 25-year old has inked for another year in the ECHL with Reading Royals and will likely be a training camp invite to affiliate Lehigh Valley Phantoms, where he could impress to stick.

20Mar

Andrew Campbell(45) Arizona Coyotes

Posted in AHL, NHL | Leave a comment

Arizona Coyotes‘ 7th year defenseman Andrew Campbell(45) is finding his place in the NHL.

He’s been up with the parent club for 22 games and looks to be holding his spot.

The former Los Angeles Kings‘ 3rd round pick in the 2008 draft (#74 overall) was in the prospect system for the previous six seasons skating 414 regular season games and 35 more in the playoffs with AHL affiliate Manchester Monarchs.

Never one to excel on putting the puck in the net or feeding the man for a goal, he’s always there to play an absolutely in your face, bruising style without taking many penalty minutes, the 6’4″ 208 lbs. blue liner has also been a plus player at +26.

He got into three games with the Kings last year during the final year of his 2-year extension but as an unrestricted free agent he went looking for more time; and found it.

Although the now 27-year old still doesn’t connect on the score sheet with only one assist, he plays a good 20+ minutes a game for a team that struggles to win, survive.

Set to become unrestricted once again, it is probably a good bet the former Portland Pirates‘ assistant captain will agree on another year to continue the rebuild.

14Mar

Nic Dowd(26) Manchester Monarchs

Posted in AHL, NHL | Leave a comment

Los Angeles Kings‘ 7th round pick in the 2009 draft rookie center Nic Dowd(26) was selected after his well-played 1st year of US junior hockey in the NAHL with Wenatchee Wild.

He virtually mirrored his debut performance in his next season of USHL with Indiana Ice before heading off to St. Cloud State University.

It took the 6’2″ 196 lbs. forward a couple of years to pick up the pace but by his last two campaigns, serving as team captain as a senior, he was back up to point-per-game production.

For his efforts he was named a Hobey Baker Award finalist.

Upon completion of his college playing days, he signed a one-year entry level deal and was assigned immediately to join affiliate Manchester Monarchs.

In 7 AHL games he posted three assists and added his first pro goal in 4 postseason contests.

After a strong showing in training camp he was one of the final cuts to be sent down and got right to work. Through 58 games he has 5 goals and a healthy 23 helpers.

The 24-year old from the unlikely hockey home of Huntsville, AL leads his team in rookie scoring with 28 points and assists.

He still awaits his first NHL recall but his tenacious playing style and good size probably put him in line sooner than later.

08Feb

Fight Card: Paul Bissonnette(15) vs. David Dziurzynski(22)

Posted in Fight Card | Leave a comment

10-year veteran Paul Bissonnette(15) is credited for 52 NHL fighting majors via hockeyfights.com.

It took him the 8 games he skated with Portland Pirates on a pto and a while with Manchester Monarchs to finally drop the gloves but once it finally occurred he’s getting into a scrap almost once a week and his total is up to 4.

For his second battle of the 2014/2015 and recently signed to a one-year AHL contract, the 6’3″ 220 lbs. battler squared off David Dziurzynski(22) who almost exactly matches his measurements at 6’3″ 218 lbs.

Dziurzynski is no stranger to fisticuffs having 7 scraps this year to bring his overall to 27 in the league.

06Feb

Mike Richards(18) Manchester Monarchs

Posted in AHL, NHL | Leave a comment

Los Angeles Kings‘ 10th year veteran center Mike Richards(18) was recently put on waivers and reassigned to minor league affiliate Manchester Monarchs for the first time ever, save for the time he spent winning the 2005 AHL Calder Cup with Philadelphia Phantoms after finishing up 4 years of juniors with Kitchener Rangers.

One season previous he won the 2003 OHL Championship and subsequent Memorial Cup.

As a 20-year old playing his first pro games he was a point per game guy in the playoffs with 8 goals and 7 assists. He was also a +8 plus/minus.

You’d think the sports’ world stopped for a second when in his first game not so unhappily reporting to skate, he failed to get a point.

In his second appearance though he came up with the night’s first goal, assisted on two others and was chosen the game’s first star.

Through 704 NHL games he has 179 goals and 302 assists with a +21 rating.

He’s four times connected for over 60 points in a season, once had 80 points, twice over 30 tallies and on three occasions had over 40 helpers with 50 in one campaign.

The 5’11” 196 lbs. two-time 2012 and 2014 Stanley Cup Champion was originally a Philadelphia Flyers‘ 1st round pick in the 2003 draft (#24 overall).

He played 6 years with the team and was captain for his last three.

Signed to a 12-year deal in 2007 he’s officially under a big league contract through 2020.

It’s likely that a buy out will be exercised and he’ll be free to pursue a fresh start, which is easily what the still young 29-year old needs moving forward.

30Jan

The AHL moves west

Posted in AHL, ECHL, NHL | Leave a comment

At 3:30pm ET AHL president Dave Andrews announced the creation on a Pacific Division that will play in the Western Conference of the league starting 2015/2016.

The cities effectively losing teams are Oklahoma City Barons, which happened earlier this season, Norfolk Admirals, Glens Falls/Adirondack Flames after only one run, Worcester Sharks and rivals Manchester Monarchs.

Picking up teams will be soon to be former ECHL franchises Ontario (Los Angeles), Bakersfield (Edmonton) and Stockton (Calgary). San Diego (Anaheim) will be a new city for triple A hockey although did at one time have a Gulls, and San Jose‘s farm club will play out of the same building as the Sharks; and will likely be renamed.

It’s fairly well-thought that Manchester, Adirondack and Norfolk make announcement to join the double A league and there’s rumors racing around Worcester is exploring the options and would have the best chance at success by resurrecting the Ice Cats, while Oklahoma City may get back into the fold under their old successful Blazers‘ banner after a year on the sidelines.

This move was 100% inevitable and can easily make fiscal sense. Those west coast teams draw fairly well with their fan base of hockey lovers.

On the plus side for Eastern Conference folks, chances are Utica, Rochester, Charlotte, Hamilton and even possible Toronto enter in their rivalry picture.

The big news is the top level of minor league hockey in California has arrived.

27Jan

Andrew Crescenzi(21) Manchester Monarchs

Posted in AHL, NHL | Leave a comment

Undrafted 3rd year, large but low-scoring center Andrew Crescenzi(21) was involved in a mid-season deal that sent him from Toronto Maple Leafs‘ system to Los Angeles Kings, where they like their forwards big.

Skating in only 14 AHL games with Manchester Monarchs, he found himself to be a healthy scratch on more occasions than he likely considered.

The 6’5″ 208 lbs. pivot enters his contract season and has to be thinking it’s high time to make an impression.

Although it’s a modest boost, in 31 games he’s already tied his 2 goal mark and has new career highs with 3 assists and 5 points with half the regular season remaining.

He’s also firing the puck on net with much more frequency and is asserting his size into play.

The only 22-year old was hardly a hefty scorer in three years in the OHL with Kitchener Rangers but did put up almost a point-per-game in his final campaign before turning pro.

He’ll have to connect with the score sheet with more frequency to be given a qualifying offer to stay in the system but it’s still a long climb for the big man.

19Jan

Nick Shore(37) Los Angeles Kings

Posted in NHL | Leave a comment

Los Angeles Kings‘ 2nd year center Nick Shore(37) is putting up some mightily impressive career highs with affiliate Manchester Monarchs.

In 37 AHL games he is 2nd in the league in points at 41, tied for first in goals (20) and his +22 rating is tops.

The 6’1″ 195 lbs. forward earned his first recall and made his NHL debut with 17 shifts for 10:35 total ice time, including 1:03 on the power play, 1 shot on net and 1 hit in a shootout loss.

He’s set to become a restricted free agent at the end of the current campaign but the 22-year old looks to be in line for a nice extension on his current tear.

08Jan

Colin Fraser(24) Chicago Wolves

Posted in AHL, NHL | Leave a comment

10th year veteran center Colin Fraser(24) signed a one-year two-way deal to join St. Louis Blues‘ organization after three seasons with Los Angeles Kings that saw him score a second 2012 Stanley Cup.

He won his first final hardware a couple of years earlier with Chicago Blackhawks and story has it even though he only appeared in 3 postseason contests still was granted his name engraved on the trophy.

You could even stretch it a bit and suggest he was part of a team that has won it all every other season for the last 6 years, as he skated with the Kings for 33 games, but was reassigned to the minor league affiliate Manchester Monarchs for the first time since 2008 with the intent of sending the soon to be unrestricted free agent on his way elsewhere.

And although he was only part of the practice squad for the 2014 run, he was still given his day with the Cup.

The 6’1″ 190 lbs. former Philadelphia Flyers‘ 3rd round pick in the 2003 draft (#69 overall) has played 359 NHL games scoring only 20 goals and 38 assists but given his track record of being around a championship, he has his upside.

He was recalled for a game recently raising his years of appearances in the highest hockey league to 9.

Used ultra sparingly with only 6 shifts and 4:42 total ice he did at least manage a shot on net, one hit and one break up play.

Where the 29-year old takes his game next is anyone’s guess but if he is even associated with another team that wins it, then you can be sure luck will give him yet another shot in the show.

« Older posts