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28Aug

Jesse Blacker(4) Texas Stars

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3rd year defenseman Jesse Blacker(4) was swapped to Anaheim Ducks‘ organization earlier this season in what amounted to a mostly minor league transaction.

He was originally a Toronto Maple Leafs‘ 2nd round pick in the 2009 draft (#58 overall) and spent a couple of good campaigns with their farm team, Toronto Marlies.

The change of scenery to the Ducks‘ AHL affiliate Norfolk Admirals has done him lots of good, as he’s already surpassed his career high with 5 goals and 17 points and is well on his way to recording more helpers than he’s put up in one season.

The 6’2″ 190 lbs. blue liner received a pair of late call-ups in 2012/2013 but was never inserted into the lineup.

The 22-year old’s entry level deal is up at the end of the current campaign and he’s set to become a restricted free agent but with his consistent play it would be easy to see him finally make his NHL debut and extended at least another season.

He was also on 2009 Memorial Cup and OHL Champion junior hockey team, Windsor Spitfires.

Original story: 1/9-14

Finishing the 2013/2014 with an AHL career high 6 goals, 19 assists and 24 points, he would also own an abysmal -16 plus/minus on a team that squeaked into the postseason.

He played another 10 Calder Cup Playoff games contributing a goal.

With his initial deal expiring he was extended for another year and finally made his first NHL appearance.

He skated 9 shifts for 6:03 with one hit and one break-up but was a -2 in the loss.

The recall was in all likelihood to display him for a trade option, which happened as he was dished to Florida Panthers just days later.

He was immediately sent to affiliate San Antonio Rampage, where he finished out the season but the parent club with another rough -15 rating chose not to qualify him, rendering the 24-year old an unrestricted free agent.

For his 5th pro campaign he signed a one-year minor league contract with Texas Stars for 2015/2016.

He may see better results going forward with the pressure from above to excel and may just re-find his footing.

13Aug

Danick Gauthier(81) Wichita Thunder

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Tampa Bay Lightning rookie center Danick Gauthier(81) went undrafted but that doesn’t mean he wasn’t well sought after.

He signed a handsome three-year entry level deal after back-to-back junior hockey titles and a Memorial Cup win with Saint John Sea Dogs.

His numbers in his final year were more than a point per game.

The 6’2″ 210 lbs. forward started his pro career with minor league affiliate Syracuse Crunch but has also found himself to be a healthy scratch probably more than he wanted, playing 30 AHL games with 5 goals and 2 assists.

Recently reassigned to ECHL farm team Florida Everblades, he spent 10 days down south and pocketed 3 goals and 3 assists in 5 games.

The 21-year old has been recalled and needs to put up some numbers like he did in the lower league as the team edges closer to clinching a playoff berth.

Original story: 3/17-13

He would finish his first season with 5 goals and 5 assists in 38 games but was not inserted into the lineup for any playoff contests despite the team making it all the way to the 2013 Calder Cup Finals.

To open his sophomore campaign he would start with Florida Everblades and stayed there a month before getting the nod to come back up.

He ended splitting time between the two clubs but spent more time in the lower league.

In the final year of his contract, he once again was sent south at the onset of the season but only stayed for a few appearances before being summoned for three games, then dispatched to Wichita Thunder, where he started to bloom.

He would go on to score a career high 30 goals and 40 assists for 70 points, all team leading, with a -3 rating in 69 ECHL games. He would also put up a crazy 250 shots on net.

For 2015/2016, he’ll turn just 24-years old as the new season starts and re-signed with the Thunder hoping to continue his scoring surge.

25Jul

Konrad Abeltshauser(10) Chicago Wolves

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San Jose Sharks‘ 6th round pick in the 2010 draft (#163 overall) German-born defenseman Konrad Abeltshauser(10) is expected to make a big splash, which would make sense considering he stands 6’5″ and currently weighs 212 lbs.

He’s starting his pro career with their AHL affiliate Worcester Sharks after an impressive four-year run in the QMJHL patrolling the blue line for Halifax Mooseheads.

He won the 2013 league championship in his final season of junior hockey and also went on to capture the Memorial Cup in what was thought to be an outstanding run by the team.

The 21-year old has shown a tremendous offensive upside especially when it comes to setting up goal scoring opportunities.

He finished juniors with 122 assists in 219 games and is already making his presence felt in minor league preseason play.

His 3-year entry level deal with the Sharks takes him through the 2014/2015.

Original story: 9/30-13

In his rookie campaign he would get a very respectable 6 goals and 15 assists in 57 games.

Although he seemed to establish himself as a regular on the farm team’s blue line, he somehow fell out of favor and was listed as a healthy scratch more often than even he thought possible despite putting up a career high 16 assists in 50 contests.

He was reassigned down the ladder to affiliate Allen Americans, possibly asking to be sent so he could play and got right to establishing himself as a force in the lower league.

In just 6 ECHL regular season games he scored 5 goals and 2 assists but really got to work in the playoffs, where in 25 games on the way to the 2015 Kelly Cup Championship he recorded 5 goals and 11 assists (tied for third best) with a +3 rating and 73 shots on net.

With a title in hand, he was set to enter his first restricted free agency but was dealt to St. Louis Blues for a deep draft as the Sharks seemed to be all set with the big blue liner.

The soon-to-be 23-year old was quickly signed to a one-year, two-way extension and will start 2015/2016 with his new farm team Chicago Wolves but one can almost expect the change of scenery is going to do great things for this still untapped, young d-man.

27Jun

Griffin Reinhart(8) Edmonton Oilers

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New York Islanders‘ 1st round pick in the 2012 draft (#4 overall) rookie defenseman Griffin Reinhart(8) was likely chosen after his stock had risen by winning the WHL Championship with Edmonton Oil Kings.

He put up some impressive numbers in the postseason through 20 games, 2 goals and 6 assists with a +14 rating.

The quite sizable 6’4″ 217 lbs. d-man is highly regarded to blossom on the blue line.

He managed to impress enough at training camp in his first try to land a spot on the 2014/2015 opening night roster and stick around for three games, all wins, but management decided to move forward with some older prospects in the system rewarding them with the playing time but also the first year skater is a no risk to reassign.

The 20-year old would continue his development with minor league affiliate Bridgeport Sound Tigers.

He lands into a pretty similar playing situation, as the farm club is also a young, hungry to win team.

He seems to have acquainted himself nicely with 2 goals and 6 assists in 15 AHL games but will definitely need to work on that -8 plus/minus.

It’s pretty likely this will be the former Memorial Cup and 2 time junior hockey championship winner’s only season in the lower league but he’s signed through 2017 so there is time.

Original story: 11/26-14

After 59 AHL games scoring 7 goals, 15 assists, 8 NHL games with one assist and 1 Stanley Cup Playoff contest with a -2 plus/minus, he becomes a draft day casualty being traded to Edmonton Oilers to move up in the selection process.

The now still super-young 21-year old is expected to grab a spot on the big club’s roster for his sophomore season.

31Mar

Taylor Leier(23) Lehigh Valley Phantoms

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Philadelphia Flyers‘ 4th round pick in the 2012 draft (#117 overall) left wing Taylor Leier(23) is having an impressive rookie campaign with minor league affiliate Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

Skating in 63 AHL games with a team that hovers around the .500 winning mark he’s managed to put up 13 goals and 15 assists, while directing 109 shots on net.

The not exactly large 5’11” 177 lbs. forward played his junior hockey with Portland Winterhawks for three seasons, always increasing his point totals to become more than a point-per-game in his final run as captain.

He also won the 2013 WHL Championship and helped his squad with 9 goals and 7 assists in 21 games on the way to the title. They actually almost went all the way a 2nd year in a row taking it to game 7 of the 2014 Finals and close yet again in his first year, making it every year he was with them.

Signed to an entry level deal through 2016/2017, this still young 21-year old definitely is a prospect that looks to bring it forward, but he’s going to have to work every day and want to make it happen.

27Feb

Henrik Samuelsson(15) Arizona Coyotes

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Arizona Coyotes‘ 1st round pick in the 2012 draft (#27 overall) US-born, Swedish center Henrik Samuelsson(15) gets the nod for his NHL debut and as luck would have it he is opposing his famous hockey dad and assistant coach for New York Rangers, Ulf Samuelsson.

His pa’s team got the best of his squad in a crushing 4-3 come from behind upset but the lanky 6’3″ 210 lbs. power forward had a good personal showing.

He skated 16 shifts for 9:33 total ice and even got a 1:19 on the power play. He also had one shot on net, one hit, one takeaway and was perfect on the face off dot with no points or penalty minutes.

In his first season with affiliate Portland Pirates he’s doing well with 10 goals and 15 assists in 50 AHL games and is a +1 on a bit of an uneven squad.

The 21-year old is used to doing well coming out of two straight WHL Championships with Edmonton Oil Kings in 2013 and 2014, a Memorial Cup and a regular season of more than a point per game production and a postseason with basically a point in each contest.

There’s little doubt that it should be a short trek for this one to be big league ready just like his dad was spending only half a season in the minors before playing 19 years in the show.

Heck, he already had 15 games of pro hockey experience as a teenager with MODO of the SHL before starting his three years of juniors.

07Jan

Chris Bruton(16) Bridgeport Sound Tigers

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Bridgeport Sound Tigers‘ 3rd year undrafted center Chris Bruton(16) was given a one-year, two-way NHL contract for 2013/2014 by New York Islanders to captain the young minor league affiliate squad.

Unfortunately he broke his hand early into the campaign and missed a month of action, leaving the team to field three assistants in his absence.

Upon his return, he has skated in 26 AHL games scoring a goal and an assist but is mostly counted on for his leadership and backing up his teammates when called upon.

He was team captain in his last season with Spokane Chiefs when they won both the Western Hockey League Championship and Memorial Cup. There was also an unfortunate incident that happened with the latter trophy.

At only 5’11” 205 lbs. he isn’t exactly the biggest guy out there but as his fighting record and time spent in the penalty box indicate, he welcomes any challenge.

One of those was after his junior career wrapped up, instead of turning pro immediately he decided to attend Acadia University.

After three years in school he signed his first contract with Alaska Aces after attending training camp with Peoria Rivermen but on his second loan to the club inked a deal in the higher league and re-signed for a 2012/2013.

The 26-year old definitely seems to be enjoying his time as mentor and could be headed for a nice coaching career once he’s ready to step off the ice.

27Nov

Mitch Callahan(15) Grand Rapid Griffins

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Detroit Red Wings‘ 6th round pick in the 2009 draft (#180 overall), 3rd year left wing Mitch Callahan(15) is picking up his game big with minor league affiliate Grand Rapids Griffins in the final year of his entry level deal.

In 19 AHL games he already has 8 goals, 4 assists and a smart +10 rating.

It’s almost as if he’s taking up where he left off in the 2013 postseason that ended with a Calder Cup Championship.

In 24 playoff contests he had 6 goals and 5 assists.

The 6′ 195 lbs. forward posted career highs last season with 11 goals, 9 assists and 20 points in 71 games. He looks to shatter that mark before the All-Star break.

Even though he didn’t exactly garner the highest selection spot in the draft, he did put up some impressive numbers in his final year of juniors before turning pro.

The 22-year old also won the WHL Championship with Kelowna Rockets as a rookie and placed 2nd in the subsequent Memorial Cup.

Almost ironically he made the team on a tryout, which would be even more amazing for him to eventually make his NHL debut. Plus, he was born and raised in California.

10Sep

Martin Jones(31) Los Angeles Kings

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Almost shockingly, undrafted 4th year net minder Martin Jones(31) has spent his entire pro career in Los Angeles KIngs‘ prospect system and will be riding with the organization for another two seasons as he just inked an extension through 2014/2015.

He was signed to an entry level deal with a couple of slide seasons as an 18-year old to lay claim to him though.

He’s coming off another campaign with affiliate Manchester Monarchs, where he set record highs in many categories including a phenomenal 56 games played (2nd most overall), wins with 27 but also 25 losses, 5 shutouts, 3347 minutes in the crease and 1601 saves to his credit.

The big 6’4″ but light 189 lbs. goaltender has yet to officially earned an NHL call-up in the juggernaut that was in net for the parent club until recently but was part of the team’s practice squad when they won the Stanley Cup in 2012. He’s easily proving he is worth a look as he maintains a 2.46 GAA and .921 SV% in the minors through 136 AHL games.

He won a WHL Championship in his last season of junior hockey with Calgary Hitmen, plus was playoff MVP and top goaltender in the Memorial Cup and in the league for 2009/2010.

There is still that curtain of let’s see what this kid can do when he gets into a game with the “big boys” but the 23-year old seems to be on the right path.

See related: 2/10-11, 3/3-11, 4/29-12

02Apr

Mark Cundari(15) Calgary Flames

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3rd year undrafted defenseman Mark Cundari(15) was a key component in a trade deadline deal that saw him move from St. Louis Blues‘ system to Calgary Flames.

He was chosen to appear in the 2013 AHL All-Star Game, where he had one assist to help the Western Conference to a 7-6 win, in what has been his breakout campaign.

He’s appeared in 172 minor league contests scoring 10 goals and 59 assists, all with Peoria Rivermen.

The under-sized 5’9″ but solid as a rock, 200 lbs. agitator defenseman has yet to make his NHL debut but could net a recall from farm team, Abbotsford Heat before the current season wraps up.

He won back-to-back OHL and Memorial Cup titles in juniors with Windsor Spitfires.

The soon-to-be 23 year old is in the final season of his 3-year entry level deal and scheduled to become a restricted free agent as the end of 2012/2013.

As the Flames are rebuilding a more youthful future, he will undoubtedly be qualified with a contract extension.

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