NHL draft pick | CollegeHockeyPlayers

Tagged: NHL draft pick

27Sep

Trent Vogelhuber(38) Springfield Falcons

Posted in AHL, ECHL, NHL | Leave a comment

Columbus Blue Jackets‘ 7th round pick in the 2007 draft (#211 overall), rookie right wing Trent Vogelhuber(38) has been mentioned as one of those later selection diamond in the rough, potential power forwards.

He was not signed to an NHL contract by the parent club (although he has a player page with a photo no less) but affiliate Springfield Falcons stepped in to offer him a one-year AHL deal. No doubt there was some kind of coordinated effort at work with the early free agency inking. He did appear in a couple of games with the team at the end of last season on an ato.

The 6’2″ 195 lbs. forward participated in exhibition play with the Falcons but with the lockout, their opening roster was deep and tough to crack. He was reassigned to ECHL Evansville IceMen, where in 34 games he posted 6 goals and 10 assists with a +3 rating on a team that has struggled mightily to win.

In his 4th game on recall, he put his first in the net to break the ice as he hopes to stay in the lineup as the push towards an imminent first playoff berth in 10 seasons awaits the Cinderella squad. The 24-year old will have to put all of himself into every shift to make it happen but no doubt it is possible for the first year pro.

He also has the distinction of being the first player to be selected by the Ohio team that was born and played his college hockey in the state.

Original story: 3/5-13

He would split time almost evenly between the AHL and ECHL in his first season, doing decently in both leagues.

For his sophomore campaign, he re-signed with the Falcons but was all too often a healthy scratch and skated only 30 games with a goal and 8 assists.

In his third year, he would achieve career high totals for games played (64), goals (8) and points (16). His 8 assists tied the mark from the previous season.

The 27-year has decided to stay in Columbus Blue Jackets‘ system for his 4th pro year.

He once again started in the parent’s club training camp but signed a one-year deal over the summer with new affiliate Lake Erie Monsters and will continue to develop his game.

We do expect the tenacious checking style skater to increase his scoring output.

22Sep

Brandon Gormley(46)

Posted in NHL | Leave a comment

4th year defenseman Brandon Gormley(46) would go on to have a relatively good first year scoring 5 goals and 24 assists in 68 AHL games.

In his sophomore campaign he increased in all categories finishing with 7 goals, 29 assists and 38 points in less games at 54 played but did have a pretty bad -22 rating.

He did however receive his first pair of recalls and 5 games in the big league near the end of the 2013/2014 season. Although he didn’t managed to get any points he was a +4 plus/minus.

Heading into the final year of his entry level deal he would split time between leagues almost evenly with a slight edge towards minutes with the parent club.

In 27 games he produced his first 2 NHL goals and 2 assists. He had a -7 rating but that might be tough to blame on such a rebuilding team.

Recalled on three occasions he basically finished off the regular season with the team before being sent back to Portland Pirates to help them with their postseason push, and he did scoring one goal and 4 assists going to a deciding fifth game of the first round before their exit.

A restricted free agent heading into 2015/2016, the now 23-year old accepted his qualifying offer, a 2-way deal to prove he has what it takes to stick.

Later in the season, the fourth year d-man was traded in a swap of relatively high draft picks to Colorado Avalanche and just may find life on their blue line.

20Sep

Raymond Sawada(27) Oji Eagles

Posted in AHL, ECHL, NHL | Leave a comment

5th year right wing Raymond Sawada(27) signs an AHL contract to join St. John’s IceCaps for the 2012/2013. He was reassigned from Texas Stars to the team near the end of last year appearing in 17 regular season and 15 Calder Cup games.

Originally a 2nd round pick of Dallas Stars in the 2004 draft (#52 overall), he has skated in 11 NHL games over three seasons with one goal to his credit. He scored it on his birthday.

In the AHL, the power forward has played in 289 regular and postseason contests for 45 goals and 80 assists, which are somewhat surprisingly low scoring totals for the 6’2″ 205 lbs. high draft pick.

At 27-years old, he’s seemingly still waiting for his breakout campaign but has to be running low on time in North American pro hockey to prove his abilities.

Original story 8/10-12

He would tie his best offensive output in his first full season with St. John’s scoring a new high 13 goals and 16 assists for 29 points but was a dismal -24 in 65 games.

Going into 2013/2014 he signed a deal at the start of the ECHL season with Colorado Eagles, his first venture playing in the lower league.

His numbers were that of a point-per-game player (7-8-15 in 18 contests with a +7 plus/minus) but he must have gotten a bit stir crazy as he up and left for SM-liiga of Finland, joining Tappara but his numbers were similar to what he’d put up in the AHL.

He left there for a year in the EIHL with Belfast Giants and fully exploded with 22 goals and 41 assists in 58 games and added another 2 tallies and 2 helpers in 4 postseason match-ups.

For his 8th pro season, the former Cornell University captain has made a somewhat surprising decision to play 2015/2016 in the Asia League with Oji Eagles, where he should once again dominate on the score sheet.

The 30-year was likely offered a lot of money he couldn’t turn down.

11Sep

Tim Erixon(44) Pittsburgh Penguins

Posted in AHL, NHL | 1 Comment

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.

31Aug

Joel Broda (19)

Posted in AHL, ECHL, NHL | Leave a comment

4th year center Joel Broda(6) is playing his first season as an unrestricted free agent after his 3-year entry level contract with Minnesota Wild was not qualified.

He signed a one-year minor league deal with Bakersfield Condors for 2013/2014, returning to the team he skated with on reassignment from Houston Aeros during his rookie season.

He played 124 AHL games through three seasons with the Aeros scoring 21 goals and 17 assists.

The 6′ 203 lbs. forward was an Oklahoma City Barons‘ training camp invite and impressed enough to score a call-up for 8 games near the start of the season, potting a goal and an assist quickly but then cooled off before being returned a month later.

He would get right to it in the ECHL, where he struck for 19 goals and 16 assists in 35 games.

His explosion on the score sheet gained him notice from Bridgeport Sound Tigers, who signed him to a pto and out of the gate he’s fitting right in with team chemistry.

Again, he scored early in his recall netting a pair of tallies and a helper in his first three contests.

Originally a Washington Capitals‘ 5th round pick in the 2008 draft (#144 overall), he had a notable junior hockey career scoring a league leading 53 goals in 2008/2009 and winning the WHL Championship with Calgary Hitmen in the following campaign.

The 24-year plays a speedy skating style, knows how to get himself into the open spaces on the ice for scoring chances and generally unloads a ton of shots on net.

Original story: 2/26-14

His time with Bridgeport Sound Tigers would finish with the 2 goals and 4 assists in 17 games.

Released from his pto near the end of the regular season, he rejoined Bakersfield Condors as team captain for their playoff run, which last 16 games through the Kelly Cup Western Conference Finals.

Once again, he exploded on the score sheet potting 8 goals and 4 assists with a +5 rating in 16 playoff games.

His 2013/2014 performance was enough to put him on the radar of Hershey Bears, who signed him to an AHL contract roughly a month before training camps started.

Through 53 contests, he would have a somewhat rough campaign in Chocolatetown falling out of favor as he was mostly a healthy scratch down the stretch and throughout the Calder Cup Playoffs.

It was obvious his 7 goals and 3 assists fell far short of the mark.

For his 6th pro season he’s decided to take his game elsewhere, signing a one-year deal with HC Bolzano Foxes of Erte Banke Eishockey Liga.

The now 25-year old that will turn 26 a month into the new season should easily be able to duplicate the kind of numbers he put in the ECHL overseas.

28Aug

Jesse Blacker(4) Texas Stars

Posted in AHL, NHL | Leave a comment

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.

26Aug

Mathieu Carle(27) Adler Mannheim

Posted in AHL, NHL | Leave a comment

After 5 seasons of towing the blue line in the AHL 25-year old Montreal Canadiens‘ 2nd round pick in the 2006 draft (#53 overall), Mathieu Carle(27) reportedly will leave North American hockey for some Russian action with Dinamo Riga in the KHL in 2012/2013. He would have been a restricted agent with Anaheim Ducks in line for a qualifying offer.

He’s appeared in 296 AHL games with Hamilton Bulldogs before he was traded and reassigned last season to Syracuse Crunch.

The 6’0 206 lbs. d-man is almost always an effective plus player on the ice, this season notching a +7. He also had career highs in games played (72), assists (31) and points (37).

He’s only ever appeared in 3 NHL games with the Canadiens but you know what? He went a +1. Good luck to him.

Original story: 5/6-12

He would play most of the 2012/2013 season in the KHL but very close to the end of his first visit overseas signed to play the remainder of the year in the Swiss’ NLA with Geneve Survette HC and even skated 7 postseason games helping out on three assists.

For the next pair of years he had pretty good success heading back to Russia under contract with Medvescak Zagreb. In 81 games he had 5 goals and 31 assists.

As he enters his 9th pro season he trades in one country for another on a third occasion and will try his hand in DEL with Adler Mannheim.

The pretty tough guy defensive styled game the 28-year old plays should do quite well here.

23Aug

Frank Corrado(26) Vancouver Canucks

Posted in AHL, NHL | Leave a comment

Vancouver Canucks‘ 5th round pick in the 2011 draft (#150 overall) defenseman Frank Corrado(26) has been under contract with the club for a couple of years now but only played a full slate of pro games this past season.

He first appeared in a few AHL games (2 assists) with then affiliate Chicago Wolves and from there jumped up to play his first 3 NHL contests with the parent club and was impressive enough to appear 4 times in the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The 6’1″ 191 lbs. blue liner started his official rookie season on reassignment with the expansion farm team Utica Comets but just before the new year was recalled and that set a path for 3 more trips to the show.

He ended his first campaign with 15 games in the big league. In this time he connected with his first goal.

Through 59 games with the Comets, he had 6 goals and 11 assists.

In four years of junior hockey in the OHL he was a pretty good set up guy that with continued digging could become a regular contributor to the score sheet.

The 21-year old’s entry level contract runs through 2015 and could very well spend most of his time in his sophomore season in the NHL.

Original story: 6/2-14

He started the final year of his initial deal on the parent club but it was only because he sustained an injury. As soon as he was healthy enough he was reassigned to Utica Comets.

That lasted only a few appearances as he was recalled, but it took him two more trips to the big club before he would see any action.

Upon being inserted into the lineup he stayed in for 7 games and connected with another NHL goal before waiting another month or so on the sidelines to get back on the ice.

He would finish skating about 15 shifts for roughly an average of 15 minutes per contest but was a bit of a shabby -7 on a team that didn’t qualify for the postseason.

Only 10 days into restricted free agency the soon-to-be 4th year forward signed for another one-year two-way extension to continue the progress.

At only 22-years old he’s pegged to make the ‘Nucks out of training camp and would have to clear waivers at this point, so it may be now or never and they are looking now.

22Aug

Corey Trivino(18) Admiral Vladivostok

Posted in AHL, ECHL, NHL | Leave a comment

2nd year center Corey Trivino(23) received his first AHL recall playing 11 games with Portland Pirates on loan from Stockton Thunder. He wound up with four assists and managed a +3 rating before being returned from a team that is mostly slipping in the standings.

Originally a New York Islanders‘ 2nd round pick in the 2008 draft (#36 overall) he was never signed, although attended many team training camps and eventually inked his first deal to join Florida Everblades of the ECHL.

The 6’1″ 190 lbs. forward put up stellar numbers in his rookie season with 18 goals, 33 assists and a +17 plus/minus in 63 games and added another 3 goals and 8 assists in 13 Kelly Cup Playoff contests.

He was also outstanding through a pair of OPJHL seasons at age 16 and 17, where he amassed 127 points (43-84) in 88 games.

Next up, he chose to attend Boston University and won an NCAA National Title in his first campaign at the school.

Personal problems would arise from there and he was eventually expelled in his fourth year of college despite having his most productive goal scoring start with 13 strikes in 15 games.

At this point the 24-year old is looking to only put any past crossroads behind him and continue what he does best: putting points up on the score sheet.

Original story: 2/17-14

With Stockton he would finish playing 46 games scoring 11 goals and 32 assists and then added another 5 assists in 9 playoff games.

A month into 2014/2015 he would join Florida Everblades but after only 5 games (3 goals, 6 assists) Portland Pirates came calling once again.

Only this time he would reach a new career 39 games played and best 3 goals, 11 assists and 14 points with a +2 rating before being sent back to help the Everblades with their playoff push.

In 11 posteason games he scored 5 goals and 3 assists.

For his 4th pro year he’s decided to take his game overseas signing a one-year deal after a try-out with Admiral Vladivostok of the KHL.

19Aug

Alexander Urbom (6)

Posted in NHL | Leave a comment

6th year defenseman Alexander Urbom(6) would finish out his second campaign in the minors and by his third season had seemingly slipped off New Jersey‘s depth chart, appearing in only one game to finish the year.

As training camp was winding down for the start of 2013/2014, he would be a late cut having to clear waivers before reassignment but was claimed by Washington Capitals and start the season on their opening night roster.

He stayed with the big club for 20 games scoring a goal and an assist while skating a good 20 shifts for an average of 15 minutes per game but something happened near the end and his ice time was cut significantly, then sat on the sidelines for a month before being set to be sent down.

The Devils was paying attention though and reclaimed him but he was immediately sent to Albany, where he would unhappily conclude his time in North America.

Entering restricted free agency, he would reportedly sign a two-year agreement with Severstal Cherepovots of the KHL but must have had an out clause because for his 7th year, the 24-year old returned home to the SHL signing with Skelleftea AIK.

« Older posts