New York Rangers | CollegeHockeyPlayers

05Feb

Jeff Taffe(20) Hershey Bears

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Hershey Bears‘ 11th year, veteran center was originally a St. Louis Blues‘ 1st round pick in the 2000 draft (#30 overall) but was traded before ever playing with the team.

He signed his first AHL only contract since the last lockout in 2004/2005, when he was a member of Utah Grizzlies for a partial campaign.

Despite only appearing in 180 NHL games, the almost 31-year old forward has managed appearances in each of his pro years. He has 21 goals and 25 assists to his credit, skating with 6 different teams.

In the minors though, he’s amassed a hearty 533 games, scoring 185 goals with 244 helpers.

At 6’3″ 209 lbs. he’s always a big presence to contend with in front of the net and is the consummate team guy.

What the future holds for him is anyone’s guess but with 9 strikes and 29 assists in 43 contests, he leads the Bears . in scoring.

He’s good to have around if a team needs some points and has five 20 goal seasons and 8 years of 20+ assists (with one year where he hit the 50 mark).

He was selected to appear in the 2013 AHL All-Star Game when a teammate was on call-up.

19Jan

Mike Mottau(3) Toronto Marlies

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Heading into 2012/2013 13th year defenseman Mike Mottau(3) was an unrestricted free agent with 313 NHL games to his credit.

Originally a New York Rangers‘ 7th round draft pick in 1997 (#182 overall) he has skated with 5 different teams, his hometown Boston Bruins‘ being the most recent he skated with last season. He was acquired in a trade deadline deal and wore a spoked “B” for 8 games, including 2 in the playoffs.

With a lockout looming, the 34-year old blue liner had a decision to make: either sign a deal with an AHL team or risk not playing for a full year and potentially wrapping up a nice, long career.

He chose the former and inked a pto to join San Antonio Rampage, making his first appearances in the league since 2007. In 16 games, he put up 7 assists and was a +5 plus/minus helping stabilize the team to jump back into the playoff picture.

Offered a chance to fight for a spot on Toronto Maple Leafs‘ roster in a shortened training camp the 6’ 193 lbs., 2000 Hobey Baker Award winner as the best player in college hockey, took it.

He had a strong enough showing that he was signed to a 1-year, two-way contract for the shortened season. Reassigned to their minor league affiliate Toronto Marlies, he played his first game with his new team notched an assist in the loss.

17Jan

Tom Poti(33) Washington Capitals

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Washington Capitals‘ 15th year, veteran NHL defenseman Tom Poti(33) was reassigned to their minor league affiliate Hershey Bears on a conditioning stint. It was the 35-year old’s first AHL games of his career and he even netted a goal in a pair of wins before being returned to the big club to continue his road back to a full-time spot on the blue line.

The two contests were actually his first since a recurring groin injury and fractured pelvis had him sidelined for the full 2011/2012 campaign and the 2nd half of the prior season. He was at the point where it became doubtful that he would lace up the skates to play professionally ever again.

After lots of hard work, he finally passed the team physical and was cleared to play.

The towering 6’3″ 209 lbs. d-man was originally an Edmonton Oilers‘ 3rd round pick in the 1996 draft (#59 overall) and has appeared in over 800 NHL contests scoring 69 goals and 256 assists.

His deal with the Capitals is through this season. If the Worcester, MA native and regain his scoring touch, there’s no reason to believe he won’t get another extension and likely retire with the team he’s been under contract with for 6 seasons.

15Jan

Bryce Lampman(27) Portland Pirates

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Originally a New York Rangers‘ 4th round pick in the 2001 draft (#113 overall) defenseman Bryce Lampman(27) is probably best known for his days with their then farm club, Hartford Wolf Pack. He played 287 AHL regular and postseason games with the team and had two 25 point seasons.

He spent the last couple of years skating with a pair of teams in the German Elite League (DEL) before returning to North America to play in 2012/2013 with the first year ECHL Orlando Solar Bears.

In 21 games, the 30-year old blue liner could be on a bit of a scoring tear with three goals and 9 assists. He could realize career highs on the scoresheet if he’s not careful.

He was recently signed to a pto by Portland Pirates as some of their regulars abandoned them for NHL training camps.

The last time the fairly steady 6’1″ 200 pounder played in the AHL was a cup of coffee a couple of years ago with Houston Aeros but the year prior he was on the ice for 54 games with Peoria Rivermen, where he had a 20 point season.

He has dressed for 10 NHL games (all with the Blueshirts, of course) with no points.

14Jan

Patrick Rissmiller(28) Worcester Sharks

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Heading into the 2012/2013, undrafted 11th year left wing Patrick Rissmiller(28) found himself in somewhat unchartered territory: without a contract to play.

He was signed to a one-year, two-way contract with Colorado Avalanche for last season but for the first time in awhile failed to receive a big league call-up from their minor league affiliate Lake Erie Monsters.

The 6’4″ 220 lbs. power forward has skated in 192 NHL games scoring 18 goals and 28 assists including two full seasons with San Jose Sharks, where he also appeared in 30 postseason match-ups.

In the AHL, he has played a phenomenal 524 games, lit the lamp 125 times and dished out 227 helpers but a disturbing trend to his game is also a combined -40 plus/minus.

Signing a pto halfway through the season with Worcester Sharks, the 34-year old Massachusetts’ native comes full circle as he spent his college playing time at Holy Cross and started his pro career in 2002 with then San Jose farm team Cleveland Barons.

The hope is that he comes alive with some hometown cooking.

07Jan

J.T. Miller (10)

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New York Rangers‘ 1st round pick in the 2011 draft (#15 overall) center J.T. Miller(10) started his pro career with their AHL affiliate Connecticut Whale after only a single season in OHL but could bump up to the NHL now that a new CBA is on the horizon.

In 26 games, he has 5 goals and 9 assists.

He also skated with the Whale for 8 games in last year’s Calder Cup Playoffs.

The 19-year old was reassigned for the period over the holidays to compete with Team USA for the World Junior Championship, which they did in fact win with a victory over last year’s top country, Sweden.

He was an alternate captain.

Now back in North America, the young 6’1″ 200 lbs. burgeoning power forward has been once again reassigned back to Connecticut but will likely first be making a stop at the Rangers‘ brief training camp before finding out where his next home address will settle (at least for the time being).

His three-year entry level deal extends through 2015.

28Dec

Hugh Jessiman(19) Binghamton Senators

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8th year, former New York Rangers‘ 1st round pick in the 2003 draft (#12 overall), gigantic right winger Hugh Jessiman(19) signed a one-year, two-way deal with Ottawa Senators for the 2012/2013 season.

He (and every other eligible player) was reassigned to their AHL affiliate Binghamton Senators to start the new campaign.

The 6’5″ 233 lbs. mammoth has only ever skated in a pair of NHL games a couple of seasons ago with Florida Panthers.

He’s played 455 AHL regular season games with 7 different teams and last season posted a career high 27 goals and 44 points with Lake Erie Monsters and Abbotsford Heat.

By all accounts he should be a power forward that is impossible to move from the front of the net and a consistent 20+ goals, 20+ helpers forward.

In 25 games so far this season the 28-year old has 6 goals and 4 assists.

13Dec

Jason Missiaen(31) Greenville Road Warriors

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New York Rangers‘ goalie prospect Jason Missiaen(31) is signed to a three-year entry level deal through next season.

He played exclusively in the ECHL with affiliate Greenville Road Warriors in his rookie campaign putting up respectable numbers with a couple of visits north to Connecticut Whale on recall but no game minutes.

To start 2012/2013 the mammoth 6’8″ 220 lbs. goaltender was a natural fit for an AHL job and what do you know got the nod in net on opening night. He would eventually get yanked at the start of the third after letting up 5 goals on a 38 shot barrage.

The 22-year old big man in the crease has gotten off to a soft start in his sophomore season posting a 2-3 record, which isn’t horrible but his 4.94 GAA and .850 SV% could definitely use some work.

And work he will likely get as he was recently reassigned back to Greenville to fine-tune his shot-blocking confidence.

He’s got the size and the skills but still looks to be figuring out how to move that frame into position quicker to stop more shots.

He was originally a Montreal Canadiens‘ 4th round pick in the 2008 draft (#116 overall) but was never signed.

22Nov

Shayne Wiebe(24) Connecticut Whale

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Undrafted rookie center Shayne Wiebe(24) signed an AHL contract last season with St. John’s IceCaps after participating in Winnipeg Jets‘ training camp.

12 games and 4 assists into the 2011/2012 season and he worked out a release to pursue his education and skated the rest of the year with University of New Brunswick. He was basically a point per game player.

2012 rolls in and he’s back at the pro level in training camp with Connecticut Whale, a team he played one game with signed to an ato after his career in junior hockey was up.

The 5’10” 190 lbs. forward started the season with the team but only under a pto.

After one game he was reassigned to their ECHL affiliate Greenville Road Warriors and in 12 games has socked away 7 goals and 5 assists with a +7 plus/minus.

The performance earns the 22-year a recall and another pto with the Whale. Let’s see if the former captain of Brandon Wheat Kings can make it stick.

27Oct

Chris Kreider(20) Connecticut Whale

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New York Rangers‘ 1st round pick in the 2009 draft (#19 overall) left wing Chris Kreider(20) probably didn’t expect to be starting his rookie season in the AHL with Connecticut Whale after stepping into the Blueshirts’ Stanley Cup playoffs lineup for 18 games earning 5 goals and 2 assists on the stat sheet.

That doesn’t even take into consideration his Boston College Eagles winning a second national title in his senior year or the point per game effort he posted during the regular season to help them gain that glory.

We’re also leaving out the fact that his first goals during the playoffs were game-winners, a first by any player and he had the most goals by any skater joining a team before appearing in a single contest during regular season.

But that’s what a lockout can manifest for a young player more keen to be kept in close range of the big club to watch his development. Thank the CBA for those two-way entry level deals.

In 4 games with the Whale he only has a pair of assists on a team that’s surprisingly clawing for wins early in the 2012/2013 season.

Maybe he’s not quite giving it his full guns in the minors but if the NHL standoff continues look for him to regain the spark and start pressing for more scoring chances.