NHL draft pick | CollegeHockeyPlayers

16Nov

David Steckel(39) Norfolk Admirals

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10th year center, former Los Angeles Kings‘ 1st round pick in the 2001 draft (#30 overall) center David Steckel(39) had to hang around for a little while before he found himself a deal for the 2013/2014 season.

He was invited to join Minnesota Wild training camp and eventually signed a pto to continue with their minor league affiliate Iowa Wild but was released after only 4 appearances.

Rumor has it he was fishing for a one-year, NHL deal and there was little room there for him to sign.

So, onto the next and he takes up Norfolk Admirals but inks an spc with the promise of signing with the parent club and team he last skated with, Anaheim Ducks.

He’s played 419 NHL games scoring 33 goals and 46 assists and lead the league in best faceoff percentage in 2010/2011, his last of 6 seasons with Washington Capitals.

The mammoth 6’6″ 215 lbs. forward is killer on the dot and it could be his ticket back to the show.

He scored a handsome two-way deal, was put on waivers and sent back to the AHL.

The 31-year old is a veteran of 219 games in the league with 56 goals, 60 assists and a pretty hefty +37 rating.

His last appearance in the A was Hershey Bears‘ deep playoff run in 2007.

It would be little surprise to see him leave for the KHL to finish out his pro career.

15Nov

Scott Timmins(17) Albany Devils

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New Jersey Devils‘ newly acquired 4th year center Scott Timmins(17) is off to his fastest start on the score sheet in his pro career with minor league affiliate Albany Devils.

In 12 games, he has 13 points (5 goals, 8 assists) with a +4 rating, which currently ties him for the team lead in scoring. The change of scenery has obviously done him some good.

Originally a Florida Panthers‘ 6th round pick in the 2009 draft (#165 overall), he has skated 24 NHL games over three seasons in their prospect system on an entry level deal, scoring one goal.

In 180 AHL contests with farm clubs San Antonio Rampage and Rochester Americans he hit the mark for 32 goals and 41 assists, which hardly reflects the kind of season he’s looking at for 2013/2014.

Although he may not be blessed with big size, the 5’11” 191 lbs. forward uses all he’s got and isn’t afraid to get himself in the center of the action for opportunities.

In 4 seasons of OHL juniors, he won three straight league championships on two different teams and consecutive Memorial Cups.

If he continues on the pace he’s setting for himself early on, the 24-year will be in line for another shot at the show.

13Nov

Nick Cousins(25) Adirondack Phantoms

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Philadelphia Flyers‘ 3rd round pick in the 2011 draft (#68 overall), center Nick Cousins(25) was more than a point-per-game player in 4 years of junior hockey with Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds.

His totals in his last two seasons were completely off the hook, scoring 62 goals and 129 assists in 129 OHL games and picking up another 6 in 6 in the playoffs.

In 14 AHL games, the 5’11” 190 lbs. rookie forward leads minor league affiliate Adirondack Phantoms in scoring with 3 goals and 6 assists.

He is signed through 2016 on a three-year entry level deal and despite his sort of small-ish size, he moves pretty quickly into the open spaces on the ice and does look to have almost unassumingly good play-making abilities.

At only 20-years old, he may even be a little ahead of the parent club’s schedule for his progress but seeing as where the NHL team is in the standings at this point, they could use some nice surprises to add to the roster.

12Nov

Cody Ceci(7) Binghamton Senators

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Ottawa Senators‘ 1st round pick in the 2011 draft (#15 overall), defenseman Cody Ceci(7) is off to an explosive start in his rookie season.

In 13 games with minor league affiliate Binghamton Senators he already has a pair of goals and 10 assists with a +4 rating on what’s turning out to be a good team at the start of 2013/2014.

He made his pro debut in the AHL at the end of last season after his four year OHL career wrapped up with Owen Sound Attack. He managed to pocket his first tally and added a helper before playing three postseason games.

The fairly large 6’2″ 209 lbs. blue liner proved his ability to mark up the score sheet finishing up juniors with nearly a point-per-game in his final two years.

He’s signed through 2016 and looks to be soundly on track to make his NHL debut in his current campaign.

The still unbelievably young 19-year old is certainly a player to watch.

10Nov

Oscar Lindberg (16)

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New York Rangers‘ Swedish-born rookie center Oscar Lindberg(16) has come to this side of the pond and wasted no time establishing himself as a scoring presence with AHL affiliate Hartford Wolf Pack.

In 13 games he has 3 goals and 6 assists.

The 22-year old forward has already skated in 178 games through four years of pro play in his home country SHL with Skellefteå AIK and managed to light it up last season scoring 17 goals and 25 assists, win the league championship and was even named the playoffs MVP.

Originally a Phoenix Coyotes‘ 2nd round pick in the 2010 draft (#57 overall), he was traded to the Blueshirts before ever skating a game.

The 6’1″ 195 lbs. forward is signed to a three-year entry level deal through 2015, was a spark plug in preseason and looks to be making a statement that he belongs in the NHL sooner than later.

08Nov

Adam Almquist(5) Detroit Red Wings

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2nd year Detroit Red Wings‘ 7th round pick in the 2010 draft (#210 overall), Swedish-born defenseman Adam Almquist(5) scores his first NHL recall from the minors. He scored his first big league goal in his second appearance.

He skated 50 shifts over the pair of appearances and average almost 17 minutes of playing time with 2 shots on net and a -1 rating.

The 5’11” 178 lbs. d-man won a 2013 Calder Cup with Grand Rapid Griffins in his rookie campaign. He also put up 3 goals and 7 assists in 21 playoff contests after scoring 10 goals and 21 assists in 68 games during the regular season. His combined +18 plus/minus for a smaller blue liner was also a nice stat.

He impressed pretty well in training camp and was in a group of last cuts to be reassigned.

He’s signed to a three-year entry level deal but that included a season he only played in 3 AHL games after finishing up his final run in the SHL, so this is the last of his initial contract. He already has 7 assists in 10 games with the Griffins.

The 22-year old will almost certainly get qualified, if not be offered a 2-year extension to stay in the system.

07Nov

Zack Stortini(26) Norfolk Admirals

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Mammoth 6’4″ 234 lbs., 9th year right wing Zack Stortini(26) is in familiar playing territory leading the AHL in penalty minutes with 66 and 8 fighting majors, currently skating for a good squad in Norfolk Admirals this season. In 12 games he also has a goal and an assist.

He signed a 1-year, 2-way contract with Anaheim Ducks for 2013/2014 early in free agency. He was coming off a pair of single campaigns with Hamilton Bulldogs and Nashville Predators, all but one game in the minors, after spending the first 6 years in Edmonton Oilers‘ system.

Originally an Oilers‘ 2003 3rd round pick (#94 overall), he appeared in 256 NHL games with the team scoring 14 goals and 27 assists while amassing 718 pims.

It may be a little late in the 28-year old’s pro career to change up his playing style, especially considering he looks poised to lead the league in time spent in the box and fisticuffs’ battles, but he has shown some skill to be a power forward.

He did put up a point in every other game through four years of OHL juniors and was captain for Sudbury Wolves in three of those years but also learned how to battle ferociously in his early playing days.

05Nov

Rickard Rakell(13) Anaheim Ducks

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Anaheim Ducks‘ 1st round pick in the 2011 draft (#30 overall), Swedish-born center Rickard Rakell(13) received his first recall to the parent club but was returned a few days later before he had the opportunity to appear in his first big league game.

He played another couple of AHL contests with affliate Norfolk Admirals, the team he started his rookie campaign with, before being reassigned up again and got the nod for his first NHL game in a close 2-1 win against New York Rangers.

The 6’1″ 192 lbs. forward skated 16 shifts for 14:02 of total ice time, won more than half his face-off draws and registered three shots on net.

He was a point-per-game player in three seasons of junior hockey with Plymouth Whalers and even was on the Ducks‘ roster for 4 games to start after the lockout but was returned to the OHL to continue his development.

The 20-year old is signed to a three-year entry level deal through 2016 and although he may split time between playing in the show and the minors in his first season, he will likely not be spending too much more time in Virginia.

04Nov

Jon Merrill(5) New Jersey Devils

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New Jersey Devils‘ 2nd round pick in the 2010 draft (#38 overall) defenseman Jon Merrill(5) almost didn’t get to enjoy his chance to turn pro on an ato late last season with minor league affiliate Albany Devils.

But after his third year at University Of Michigan and a broken vertebrae suffered in college hockey exhibition play that left him almost paralyzed, he returned to his Wolverines for one more campaign, and when that was completed signed a three-year entry level deal realizing his dream.

He stepped in an scored a goal and 7 assists in 12 AHL games at the end of 2012/2013 and then picked up in his rookie season right where he left off.

In 11 contests, he already has 2 more tallies and another 5 assists to his totals.

The 6’4″ 205 lbs. blue liner received his first NHL recall to join the parent club but suffered an early game-ending, when he was racing for a defensive zone puck, pursued by an opposing player and went face first into the boards, officially ending his big league debut.

The 21-year old was helped off the ice but should be ok to return to action and won’t be suffering any more setbacks.

02Nov

Nick Shore(37) Manchester Monarchs

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Los Angeles Kings‘ 3rd round pick in the 2011 draft (#82 overall) center Nick Shore(37) starts his pro career with minor league affiliate Manchester Monarchs.

He decided to forgo his final year at University Of Denver, where he struck for 35 goals and 59 assists in 115 games before leaving to pursue his dream.

The 6′ 195 lbs. forward is signed to a three-year entry level deal that already has one year on the books and runs through the 2014/2015 season.

In 11 AHL games, he’s not exactly out of the gates quickly with just a pair of strikes and a helper and a +4 rating but he’s on an exceptionally good team that should improve those numbers maybe in a hurry.

At just 21-years old there’s still plenty of time to develop, although he’s in a prospect system with a lot of talent in its’ depth chart.

His slightly larger older brother is Drew Shore.