NHL draft pick | CollegeHockeyPlayers

04Aug

Brett Hextall(24) Phoenix Coyotes

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Phoenix Coyotes‘ 6th round pick in the 2008 draft (#159 overall), 3rd year right wing Brett Hextall(24) signed his qualifying offer to stay in the team’s prospect system for another season.

He was initially signed to a 2-year entry level deal after three seasons at the University Of North Dakota, where he won a championship in 2009.

The 5’10” 190 lbs. forward excelled in scoring in college hockey with 39 goals and 42 assists in 115 games but in 138 AHL contests with minor league affiliate Portland Pirates has just 16 tallies and 14 helpers.

His numbers were virtually identical in his first pair of pro seasons but he’ll likely have to take that up a notch to gain the notice of the parent club potentially score his first NHL call-up and stick around.

Although he does play a strong energy game and is good at getting in the face of opposing skaters, so could fill 4th line duties quite well if given the opportunity.

31Jul

Nikolai Prokhorkin(17) CSKA Moskva

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Los Angeles Kings‘ 4th round pick in the 2012 draft (#121 overall), Russian left wing Nikolai Prokhorkin(17) bounced around a lot and never really playing any amount of games last season (rookie?) but will pretty much stay put in the KHL to skate with CSKA Moskva for a fourth straight campaign.

He’s still only 19 years old and has skated in 35 games since 2010 – 2011 scoring 3 goals and 2 assists. He legitimately took that up to the next level with 3 goals and an assist in 9 playoff games.

The 6’2″ 183 lbs. forward also played in 8 AHL games with Manchester Monarchs at the start of 2012/2013 but only managed one assist.

It was said that he signed a three-year entry level deal but there’s no confirmation of that on the parent club’s Capgeek and ultimately was revealed he was actually still under contract in his home country.

There was also a thought that he would go play for Barrie Colts in the OHL but that idea was squashed as his abilities were already well above playing junior hockey level. He was originally a 1st round pick by London Knights but had his rights traded.

Regardless, they should continue to keep an eye on his while they still can.

30Jul

Joel Champagne(24) Braehead Clan

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In somewhat of an interesting pro hockey move, third year center Joel Champagne(24) signs to play with Braehead Clan of the EIHL for 2013/2014.

He won the Kelly Cup Championship last season with Reading Royals, playing pretty much all of the regular season and playoff games on reassignment from Hershey Bears. Technically he was signed to an AHL contract last season but never recalled. His ECHL numbers were decent: 18+31=49 points and then put up another 3 goals and 5 assists in 21 postseason match ups.

The 6’4″ 217 lbs. XL forward was originally a Toronto Maple Leafs‘ 5th round pick in the 2008 draft (#129 overall) but signed his first deal with Milwaukee Admirals. He had 6 goals and 6 assists in 55 games with a +4 rating. He also played a 6 games with their affiliate Cincinnati Cyclones and put up 5 goals and 3 assists.

It’s maybe just that the 23-year has yet to find his place to show his abilities but as a more than a point per game player in his final three years of juniors in the QMJHL, he’s definitely shown the ability to connect and should be able to light the lamp like crazy in the English pro league.

24Jul

Marek Viedensky(25) San Jose Sharks

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San Jose Sharks‘ 7th round pick in the 2009 draft (#189 overall), 3rd year Slovakian-born center Marek Viedensky(25) signs his qualifying offer to stick with the team’s prospect system for another season, despite going through some rough stretches of injury and healthy scratches in last year’s overpopulated AHL talent pool.

Even reassignment to ECHL affiliate San Francisco Bulls on a couple of occasions, where he was a point per game player (8 goals, 12 assists), and only appearing in a quarter of the games he did in his rookie campaign, the 6’3″ 195 lbs. emerging power forward was still able to put up 4 goals and a pair of assists in 14 contests while maintaining a +4 rating.

Those totals were not far off what he achieved in his first season.

He will soon turn 23-years old prior to the start of 2013/2014 and should be able to have a breakout campaign with Worcester Sharks, like he did in his final run in juniors with Saskatoon Blades.

He struck for 36 goals and 52 assists in 63 games in 2010/2011, which was also the start of his 3-year entry level deal.

When given the green light and 100% on his game he really seems to be an emerging prospect who could become an NHL regular in years to come.

20Jul

Nick Crawford(20) Buffalo Sabres

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Buffalo Sabres‘ 6th round pick in the 2008 draft (#164 overall), restricted free agent defenseman Nick Crawford(20) re-signs to rejoin the team’s prospect system for a fourth season.

He has yet to earn an NHL call-up but has skated in 199 games for AHL affiliates Rochester Americans and Portland Pirates scoring 18 goals and 54 assists.

The 6’1″ 192 lbs. blue liner has shown the ability to be a play maker throughout his playing career, especially in his last two seasons of OHL junior hockey with Saginaw Spirit and Barrie Colts and his first year as a pro.

The 23-year old is fairly steady on ice but will need to step up those appearances on the score sheet to continue to find his spot on the minor league roster and keep the eyes of the suits on his game.

17Jul

Will O’Neill(23) St. John’s IceCaps

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2nd year defenseman Will O’Neill(23) signed a 1-year entry level deal for 2012/2013 with Winnipeg Jets after completing his college playing career at University Of Maine, where he was team captain and had a knack for feeding scoring chances.

He was originally an Atlanta Thrashers‘ 7th round pick back in 2006 (#210 overall) before he started a couple of seasons in the USHL, American junior hockey with Omaha Lancers.

The 6’1″ 205 lbs. blue liner played 59 games with AHL affiliate St. John’s IceCaps last season, scoring 3 goals and 18 assists. He had also joined them on an ato to finish out 2011/2012 and notched his first professional hockey tally.

Heading into the new year, the 25-year was set to become an unrestricted free agent.

The IceCaps took care of that inking him to a one-year contract to stay with the team. He could also score himself an invite to the parent club’s training camp.

16Jul

Riley Boychuk(45) New Jersey Devils

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New Jersey Devils shed more salary cap to pick up 3rd year larger than life left wing prospect Riley Boychuk(45) from Buffalo Sabres, the team that drafted him in the 7th round of 2010 (#208 overall).

He is in the last season of a three-year entry level deal that has seen him play mostly AA pro hockey, last year in the Central Hockey League reassigned to Fort Worth Brahmas and in his rookie campaign he played 20 games with Gwinnett Gladiators of the ECHL.

The 6’5″ 205 lbs. player put up career high goals, assists and points (8-9-17) in his sophomore year.

He’s anticipated to join Albany Devils for 2013/2014. He was recently invited to the parent club’s development camp and will definitely be joining them again in September.

The 23-year old played 26 AHL games in his first season with Rochester Americans and had a pair of helpers but is still looking for his AAA tally.

No doubt, this is a big frame forward that needs to be stepping it up.

12Jul

Nathan Paetsch(4) Grand Rapid Griffins

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11th year, double-drafted defenseman Nathan Paetsch(4) re-ups with Grand Rapid Griffins for another couple of seasons after a year overseas in DEL with Grizzly Adams Wolfsburg.

He appeared in 70 AHL games scoring 4 goals and 27 assists with a +13 rating and added another 11 assists in 24 Calder Cup Playoff contests on the way to the league championship.

The 6′ 195 lbs. blue liner has 319 AHL games to his credit.

He had been under NHL contract from 2006-2011 and skated in 167 match-ups mostly with Buffalo Sabres, the second team that drafted him in the 7th round in 2003 (#202 overall).

He was initially picked by Washington Capitals in 2001 in the 2nd round (#58 overall) but never signed.

The 30-year old is likely to happy to have secured a place to play pro hockey through the 2015 season, if not beyond that and will likely continue in his assistant captain role with the team.

11Jul

Mike Hoeffel(26) New Jersey Devils

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New Jersey Devils‘ 2nd round pick in the 2007 draft (#57 overall), 3rd year left wing Mike Hoeffel(26) was re-signed to a one-year extension for 2013/2014.

He was initially signed to a 2-year entry level contract that saw him play 112 games with their AHL Albany Devils scoring 10 goals and 9 assists. He had virtually identical numbers in each of his first couple campaigns, although he was able to turn a -11 rating into a more formidable +1 on a team that was only 6 points removed from a playoff berth.

The 6’3″ 205 lbs. has power forward size and will definitely be stepping up his game. He should be a 10/10 guy without even blinking, like he was able to achieve in four years of college hockey play with University Of Minnesota. In 149 games he left with 48 goals and 39 assists.

The 24-year awaits his first NHL recall.

07Jul

Jason Demers(5) San Jose Sharks

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Heading into his 6th pro year, San Jose Sharks‘ defenseman Jason Demers(5) signs a 1-year extension to play another season for the only team he’s ever suited up for.

He was originally a 7th round pick in 2008 (#186 overall), but played only one full campaign with their AHL affiliate Worcester Sharks before being recalled to the parent club on a more permanent basis during his sophomore season.

The 6’1″ 195 lbs. blue liner had career lows in a lockout shortened 2013 run that was riddled with injuries for the 25-year old.

They are likely thinking he has what it takes to bounce back. He’s never been the most prolific point getter but is mostly steady in his own zone and dishes out enough punishment to attackers that the suits took notice.

He has skated in 205 NHL games scoring 11 goals and 50 assists, while going a +12 plus/minus.

This pic was taken on December 1, 2009.