Milwaukee Admirals | CollegeHockeyPlayers

20Dec

Jed Ortmeyer(22) Minnesota Wild

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33-year old undrafted 9th year vet wing Jed Ortmeyer(22) has skated in 311 NHL games counting his current call up to Minnesota Wild, a team he has been signed with for the last couple seasons mostly for his leadership with the younger guys on their AHL affiliate Houston Aeros.

In 4 games with the Wild in 2010/2011 he failed to register a point but he plays big and can’t really shut opposing players done.

Throughout his career he skated 3 years with New York Rangers to start, followed by a couple of seasons in Nashville Predators‘ system and then his career best full season with San Jose Sharks in 2009/2010 (8 goals, 11 assists) before ending up in Minnesota.

In his first NHL game of 2011/2012, he skated almost 12 minutes of ice time.

17Dec

Drew MacIntyre(31) Rochester Americans

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9th year Rochester Americans‘ goaltender Drew MacIntyre(31) keeps an eye on the play in front of his net.

He was originally picked by Detroit Red Wings in the 4th round of the 2001 draft (#121 overall) and spent the first three years of his pro career with their AHL and ECHL affiliates before getting a short chance in the NHL with Vancouver Canucks, where he made a couple of appearances.

From there he bounced around in the minors signing one-year deals with Nashville Predators, Atlanta Thrashers and Montreal Canadiens before inking another one-year two-way contract with Buffalo Sabres for the 2011/2012 season, ultimately ending up in Rochester.

He has played in 250 AHL games.

12Dec

Benn Olson(33) Bridgeport Sound Tigers

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Get that man the puck.

Undrafted 5th year defenseman Benn Olson(33) is known more for his fighting abilities than he is for scoring touch but got his first AHL goal (in 74 games played) over the weekend.

The 6’4″ 215 lbs. pro has amassed a healthy 277 penalty minutes in the league and 300+ pims with Florida Everblades and Cincinnati Cyclones in the ECHL.

This was his first season, where he was signed to a one-way AHL deal and looks to be making the best of the opportunity with Bridgeport Sound Tigers. He skated in 17 games with the team last year and obviously made an impression.

26Nov

Dov Grumet-Morris(1) San Antonio Rampage

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It’s a bit of a wonder that 7th year pro goaltender Dov Grumet-Morris(1) didn’t sign with at least an AHL team in the offseason after posting solid numbers for Connecticut Whale in 22 games last season (13 wins against 5 losses, 2.12 GAA and .923 SV%).

But seemingly no one bit, until recently when the first team he tended net for in the league along his journeyman career would come calling once again.

San Antonio Rampage signed him to a standard player contract, a scenario he’s a bit unfamiliar with in his time spent with 10 different teams in North American hockey. Only his two seasons overseas had him on one team for the duration, but otherwise it’s been mostly pto’s for the former star goalie at Harvard University.

The Whale did eventually sign him to a contract last year but he was third wheel as soon as their starters were healthy. The Rampage are in a similar pickle.

He posted a 5-0 shutout in his first game. It’s a wonder that he has yet to appear in the NHL.

08Nov

Cory Conacher(89) Norfolk Admirals

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Cory Conacher is small (5’8″ 175 lbs.), undrafted and has flown under the radar for the most part.

He signed an AHL contract with Norfolk very soon after the summer free agency period began.

Tampa Bay Lightning was smart and invited him to training camp, where he scored an NHL preseason goal in his first game and impressed the management folks in St. Petersburg.

In 12 games with the Admirals, he’s already put up 4 goals and 10 assists in 12 games.

Straight out of college last year, he joined three teams on ato’s (Rochester, Cincinnati of the ECHL and Milwaukee) and lit the lamp mightily registering 13 points (9 goals, 4 assists) in 10 games.

On a side note, the 21-year old pro also plays and lives with Type 1 diabetes.

Great story about that here.

19Oct

Dave Leaderer(20) Milwaukee Admirals

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For the last couple of seasons, 4th year pro defenseman Dave Leaderer(20) has received call-ups to the AHL from his ECHL team, Trenton Devils. First it was with Milwaukee Admirals in 2009 and the next year he was called up within the system to Albany Devils for 5 games, where he registered his first point, an assist.

Leaving the Devils‘ nest after 212 games with Trenton, he signed for 2011/2012 with Cincinnati Cyclones, the affiliate of Milwaukee Admirals. He was called up today and will appear in his fourth game ever with the team this weekend. Coincidence?

03Sep

Benn Olson(38) Bridgeport Sound Tigers / New York Islanders

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4th year agitator defenseman Benn Olson(36) was in New York Islanders‘ rookie camp this summer and will also be with the team during training camp.

He signed a one-way AHL deal with Bridgeport Sound Tigers for 2011/2012 season after playing 17 games for the team last year picking up 3 points and 78 pims.

Undrafted, he’s fairly large at 6’4″ 215lbs and could be viewed as sort of a poor man’s Chris Pronger.

22Aug

Oren Eizenman(19) High 1 / Connecticut Whale

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Israel-born, 5th year pro forward Oren Eizenman(19) trades in North America and signs for 2011/2012 with High 1 of the 7-team Asia League Ice Hockey featuring teams from South Korea, Japan and China.

He’s another player that has bounced around a lot from team-to-team never quite finding a home with any one. In 2008/2009, he played games with no less than five teams in the ECHL and AHL (Fresno Falcons, Stockton Thunder, Manitoba Moose, San Antonio Rampage, Milwaukee Admirals).