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19Sep

Chris McKelvie(16) Albany Devils

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Albany Devils‘ assistant captain, undrafted 4th year left wing Chris McKelvie(16) looks very likely to set career highs in his second season under contract with the team.

In 31 AHL games he already has a new best 6 goals to go along with 6 helpers, which is only 4 off the mark and only two points away from tying the 14 he put up in 2012/2013.

This will be his first full season in the top development league after stint reassignments to Greenville Road Warriors in his rookie and sophomore campaigns and a pair of ECHL contests last year with Trenton Titans.

The 6’1″ 190 lbs. forward has also been invited to NHL training camps three of his four pro seasons. He was in two with New York Rangers before being sent back to Connecticut Whale and started his second run with Albany after an invite to join New Jersey Devils in their camp.

At 28-years old he may just starting to find his game late.

Original story: 1/3-14

He would go on to elevate his game across the board in 2013/2014, skating 57 AHL games scoring 9 goals, 12 assists and 21 points with a +6 rating, all as projected.

The final season of his 2-year contract extension wouldn’t be quite as good for the winger as he struggled to get only 3 tallies and 5 helpers in a similar amount of games as the previous campaign.

All-in-all it was still good enough to keep him around for another run as the 30-year old has signed for 2015/2016 to stay in the Albany system.

11Sep

Tim Erixon(44) Pittsburgh Penguins

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New York Rangers‘ rookie defenseman Tim Erixon(44) is trying to make the most of his 3rd recall from Connecticut Whale this season.

He’s appeared in 16 NHL games but has yet to register a point.

He leads the AHL in assists by rookie defensemen with 30 in 43 games.

Originally a Calgary Flames‘ 1st round pick in the 2009 draft (#23 overall), he refused to sign with the team and was traded to the Rangers on draft day 2011. He made their opening night roster out of training camp.

He was already playing professional hockey in Sweden before coming to North America as a 20-year old.

His life has come full circle, as his dad Jan Erixon played 10 seasons for the Blueshirts from 1983 – 1993.

Tim was born in the U.S. but grew up in Sweden when his family moved back home after his dad retired.

Original story: 3/22-12

He would finish his first season with 18 games and two assists for the Rangers and stick at that 30 assists mark in the AHL.

Maybe a little out of nowhere, he would get dished during the summer to Columbus Blue Jackets as part of the Rick Nash trade.

He started his sophomore campaign with affiliate Springfield Falcons but once he was called up near the start of the second half of the season, finished the season with the parent club.

2013/2014 was the lockout for the big league, so he went straight to the farm team and stayed there until the show was ready to start.

He started on the opening night roster but was on a yo-yo chain between teams for much of the short run and would rejoin the Falcons for their playoff push.

He ended up having a career year in the minors scoring 5 goals and 33 assists for 38 points in 40 games, then added another tally and helper in 5 postseason contests.

Given a one-year extension to continue he would once again make the roster out of training camp but after 19 games and his first NHL goal and new mark set for points at 6, he was traded to Chicago Blackhawks.

In and out of the lineup he lasted only 8 games before being reassigned back down but before that could happen was scooped off the waiver wire by his third team of 2014/2015 Toronto Maple Leafs, where he would finish the year but not before adding another goal to his totals.

He inked another extension but that only lasted a week and he found himself as another piece to a blockbuster deal that would send him to Pittsburgh Penguins with Phil Kessel.

Entering his 8th pro season (3 in Sweden with Skelleftea), the still super-young 24-year should find his place with the new squad as they are very thin on the blue line and will definitely be able to use him.

11Aug

Steven Delisle(5) Springfield Falcons

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4th year towering 6’6″ 233 lbs. defenseman Steven Delisle(5) signed a one-year AHL contract for 2013/2014 with Adirondack Phantoms.

He was a healthy scratch for most of the start of the season but injuries to their top six d-men brought him into the lineup, where he’s been since late December.

Originally a Columbus Blue Jackets‘ 4th round pick in the 2008 draft (#104 overall), he spent the first campaign of his 3-year entry level deal on the sidelines with a recurring shoulder injury.

Available for most of his second season, he was mostly reassigned to then ECHL affiliate Chicago Express, skating in only six games with Springfield Falcons.

A minor piece of a major off-season trade that sent him to New York Rangers‘ prospect system, he was dished back to the Blue Jackets‘ organization later that same year.

Almost ironically he found a bit of a scoring touch for Greenville Road Warriors, where he put up career highs with 4 goals, 16 assists, 20 points and was an outstanding +23 plus/minus in 61 games. He was allowed to stay with them despite the transaction.

Given the opportunity and maybe a little more offensive-minded coaching the 23-year old could definitely be a key contributor to whatever team he signs with next.

Original story: 1/15-14

He finished 2013/2014 skating 50 games scoring one goal and three assists with a -10 rating.

It was a performance that earned him some loyalty as he would be brought back for a second stint with the newly named Lehigh Valley Phantoms, playing a career high 62 AHL games getting a new bests 2 goals, 12 assists for 14 points with 133 penalty minutes and 11 fighting majors to his credit.

He heads into his 6th pro season returning to familiar territory with Springfield Falcons for 2015/2016.

There’s no reason not to believe the now 25-year old will elevate his game yet again. He seems to be just starting to hit his stride.

08Jul

Matt Gilroy(97) Spartak Moskva

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Undrafted 4th year defenseman Matt Gilroy(97) was an unrestricted free agent heading into the 2012/2013 season.

With no deal (or NHL) in the offseason, he inked an AHL contract with Connecticut Whale, a team he skated in 5 games with in his rookie campaign while signed with New York Rangers. He was with the Blueshirts for a couple of years before last season’s ride started with Tampa Bay Lightning and ended with an underdog playoff bid by Ottawa Senators that brought him back to MSG for some postseason play against his former team.

The 6’1″ 201 lbs. blue liner displayed an offensive-minded upside in his college career but has yet to ignite the same sort of chemistry in the show. He was the Hobey Baker award winner in 2009 as the top player in college hockey.

In 13 AHL games this season he has 3 goals and 6 assists but more importantly brings some big league experience and accountability to the ice in every game.

Once/if the NHL gets their sides to meet somewhere in the middle, the 28-year old could find himself with a suitor or two for what will probably be a two-way deal at the league minimum salary cap.

Original story: 11/25-12

After 34 games with the farm team scoring 6 goals and 9 assists with a -16 rating, he was signed for 2013’s post-lockout season with New York Rangers and skated 15 games getting no points.

He parlayed that into a one-year contract with Florida Panthers and opened the 2013/2014 campaign with 16 games for the team until getting reassigned for the balance of the stint to affiliate San Antonio Rampage, where he did pretty nicely popping in 10 goals and 11 assists in 42 contests.

For his sixth pro season he inked an overseas deal with Atlant Moscow Oblast and had some of his best offensive production yet connecting for 9 goals and 24 assists in 60 KHL games.

The 30-year will stay in the country for 2015/2016 and play for Spartak Moskva.

It will be interesting to see if he can maintain his new affinity with the score sheet.

27Jun

Carl Hagelin (62)

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Swedish-born New York Rangers‘ 6th round pick in the 2007 draft (#168 overall), rookie wing Carl Hagelin(26) received his first call-up from their AHL affiliate Connecticut Whale and in his debut recorded his first NHL point, an assist on the game-winning goal.

He’s tied for the team lead in goals with the Whale. He has 7 and 6 assists in 17 games.

On the Rangers he wears the number 62, reversing the digits on his sweater with the Whale.

11/26: In his second NHL game, Hagelin pots his first goal.

12/1: In 4 games, he has 1 goal and three assists.

Original story: 11/26-11

After being called up to the Rangers in his rookie season he would never return to the minors.

He skated 64 NHL games in 2011/2012 scoring 14 goals and 24 assists while boasting a +21 rating and would add another three assists in 17 Stanley Cup Playoff contests.

In his next three seasons he was unable to replicate his initial point total of 38 but would get close and score a career high 17 goals in each of his last two campaigns.

He also skated a full 82-game schedule in last year and in all the team’s postseason appearances going to the 2014 Finals and 2015 Eastern Conference Finals.

Set to become a restricted free agent and looking for a good, long-term deal he was moved to Anaheim Ducks on the second day of the 2015 draft.

11Jun

Blake Parlett(7) Medvescak Zagreb

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Coming off a career year, which also saw him get traded from New York Rangers‘ prospect system with Connecticut Whale to Columbus Blue Jackets and their affiliate Springfield Falcons, 4th year, undrafted defenseman Blake Parlett(7) signs his qualifying offer as a restricted free agent to stay where he is for a full season within the ranks.

In 78 AHL games in 2012/2013, he scored 8 goals and 24 assists with a combined +9 rating.

The seemingly bigger looking than 6’1″ 205 lbs. blue liner started his pro career on a minor league contract with Connecticut but spent most of his rookie season in the ECHL with Greenville Road Warriors.

After a good showing in first campaign, he was signed to a two-year entry level deal by the Rangers.

The 24-year old has yet to receive his first NHL call-up but he’s likely in line for a skate up in the big league if he continues to make a difference, connect for point in the upcoming season.

See related: 3/21-11

Original story: 7/22-13

Just like that the d-man gets dished from the Blue Jackets‘ system to Boston Bruins‘ minor league team Providence Bruins but left unsigned and was quick to pick up a contract as an unrestricted free agent with Florida Panthers for 2014/2015.

He played exclusively for their farm club San Antonio Rampage recording a career high 9 AHL goals and plus 9 rating with second best 26 points and tied for 67 games.

The 26-year old picks up his game and will move it to Russian for at least a season in the KHL with Medvescak Zagreb.

02Jun

Tim Kennedy(13) Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk

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4th year center Tim Kennedy(22) has been bouncing around from team-to-team for the last couple of seasons, skating NHL and AHL with 5 different teams.

He went from New York Rangers‘ organization to Florida Panthers and has landed in Worcester with his most current deal getting him traded to San Jose.

He played one full season NHL season with Buffalo Sabres (84 regular season and playoffs games, 11 goals and 18 assists) in 2009/2010, then got waived by them after he was awarded a $1 million deal through arbitration for the next year.

Since he has played in 33 more games, all with the Panthers. 26 of the contests were this year, where he scored 1 goal and 1 assist but had a -11 plus/minus.

In 170 AHL games he has 36 goals and 100 assists.

Since arriving in Worcester he’s almost a point per game player with 3 goals, 8 assists in 12 games but is a dismal -9.

He was originally drafted by Washington Capitals in the 6th round of 2005 (#181 overall).

He’s a small-ish presence out there at 5’10” 179 lbs. but is crafty with the puck and could be a point producer in the NHL, but needs to add a bit more muscle into his game.

Original story: 2/27-12

After spending a full season in San Jose Sharks‘ system playing in another 13 games with the parent club, which netted him a pair of goals, he signed a one-year deal with Arizona Coyotes for 2013/2014 and split time in the NHL and AHL with Portland Pirates.

He skated in a career high 37 games in the show getting 2 more goals and adding 6 assists but was not retained for another run.

Coming full circle he signed for 2014/2015 with the team that selected him 9 years earlier Washington Capitals, but was reassigned early and played the entire season with their farm club Hershey Bears, where he had his second best ever point totals at 59 in 75 games.

For his 8th season, the 29-year old leaves North American hockey for a go in the KHL with Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk.

17Mar

Corey Potter(28) Calgary Flames

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Almost a month after his 2nd recall from affiliate Adirondack Flames, Calgary Flames‘ 9th year defenseman Corey Potter(28) finally got into a couple of games to extend his streak of big league appearances to seven seasons in a row.

In 125 NHL big league contests, for two seasons with Edmonton Oilers he appeared in games only at the highest level and has skated the bulk of his games with the Canadian club (111).

Otherwise, he’s had a few nods here and there: from draft team (4th round in 2003, #122 overall) New York Rangers over a couple of seasons, 1 with Pittsburgh Penguins and most recently 3 looks from Boston Bruins after being grabbed off waivers.

The 6’3″ 205 lbs. has played 352 AHL games scoring a modest 28 goals and 125 assists but is an absolute mammoth of on ice accountability with an overall +97 rating.

At 31-years old he still has some more seasons left in the tank but it’s a bit of a wonder if he gets another major contract or plays out his time in the minors mentoring prospects and heads into coaching when it’s time to finally hang up the skates.

See related: 3/28-11

07Mar

Brendan Bell(14) Chicago Wolves

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12th year veteran defenseman Brendan Bell(14) was acquired by Chicago Wolves from Norfolk Admirals to help boost their back line heading into a potential playoff berth.

In his debut with his new team the 31-year scored a goal and an assist in a tough 4-3 overtime loss against division rival Lake Erie Monsters.

He had only one tally in 47 games with his former team but did compile a sturdy 22 helpers.

The 6’2″ 205 lbs. d-man has almost always consistently put up 20+ assists in each AHL season played through 487 games.

Through his pro career, the former Toronto Maple Leafs‘ 3rd round pick in the in the 2001 draft (#65 overall) has appeared in 102 NHL contests (7 goals, 21 assists) with the last time being 1 game in 2011/2012, when signed with New York Rangers.

After that season, he left for a couple of spins through Europe, his second foray overseas, landing in Sweden’s SHL with Frolunda and then last year skating again for Biel in the Swiss Elite NLA.

Now that’s he’s returned to North America proving he still has plenty left in the tank, his presence definitely helps the youngsters out on any squad he joins.

02Mar

Ronalds Kenins(41) Vancouver Canucks

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Vancouver Canucks‘ undrafted Lativian-born rookie forward Ronalds Kenins(41) is certainly showing the parent club that he’s made to be there since being recalled from minor league affiliate Utica Comets just over a month ago. He left with 5 goals, 8 assists with a +7 rating in 36 AHL games.

In his first big league game he failed to get a point but by his second appearance he got his first point, an assist.

He added another helper in his next contest and by his seventh game he had 3 assists and scored his first NHL goal.

The 6′ 201 lbs. power forward added another pair of assists in his 9th shot on the ice against New York Rangers no less.

In 14 games he has 3 goals and 7 assists with a +2 rating.

Before arriving here to play, he already had three years of pro experience in the Swiss elite NLA with ZSC and won two league championships. His three previous years were playing in the NLB, second tier in Switzerland, so that’s 6 total.

At 24, he’s a bit older than most first year players and plays like his been competing at this level for awhile, yet it’s only his debut at the highest level of hockey.

What’s apparent about his style is he plays a complete game and skates like he’s loaded with a stick of dynamite.

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