NHL draft pick | CollegeHockeyPlayers

03Mar

Rick DiPietro(39) Bridgeport Sound Tigers

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New York Islanders‘ 1st round draft pick in 2000 (#1 overall) goalie Rick DiPietro(39) was recently waived by the team and reassigned to minor league affiliate Bridgeport Sound Tigers.

It’s not his first time back since he predominantly played there in his first pair of pro seasons. He was sent down a few years ago on a conditioning stint for four games.

The 11-year veteran net minder has run into more than his share of bad luck with injuries but feels 100% ready to play in the lockout shortened 2013 season but was ineffective in three starts with an 0-3 record.

Hitting the AHL pipes again to regain his confidence was seen as the best possible scenario for the now 31-year old with 8 years left on his 15-year, $67.5 millon contract.

In his first start, he was shelled for 5 goals on a meager 12 shots (on 3 of them he could have sued teammates for non-support) and was mercifully pulled after the first period. He managed much better the next night making 22 of 25 saves in the Sound Tigers‘ 4-3 victory.

Where his story will go from here is anyone’s guess.

See related: 4/13-10

25Feb

Adam Comrie(24) Worcester Sharks

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Reading Royals‘ 3rd year defenseman Adam Comrie(24) is enjoying his most productive season as a pro scoring 17 goals and 16 assists in 45 ECHL games to go along with a +22 rating on a team that has been on top most of the year.

The tower of a 6’4″ 215 lbs. blue liner he was originally a Florida Panthers‘ 3rd round pick in the 2008 draft (#80 overall) but something went amiss in his second season and he asked to be released from his 3-year entry level deal that would have taken him through the end of the current season.

The details of what happened are hazy at best.

He spent most of his rookie season with Rochester Americans but was also reassigned to lower league affiliate Cincinnati Cyclones on a number of occasions.

He started his sophomore campaign with the Cyclones and was quick to strike with 3 goals and 3 assists in 4 games before departing. He would eventually sign a contract with Greenville Road Warriors to finish out the season.

The 22-year old inked a deal with the Royals about a month before the start of 2012/2013. He attended new affiliate Hershey Bears‘ training camp and was involved in exhibition game play.

He was sent back and that’s when things started to take better shape for the big d-man.

Recently signed to an spc by Worcester Sharks on an AHL call-up, he fits in pretty nicely in the higher league and will likely hit the scoresheet with decent frequency. He already has an assist in 3 appearances and should continue to step up.

23Feb

Evan Brophey (20)

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6th year right wing Evan Brophey(20) was an unrestricted free agent at the end of 2012 and with no offers and the NHL lockout looming had to find a home for the new season.

Originally a Chicago Blackhawks‘ 3rd round pick in the 2005 draft (#68 overall), he only appeared in one big league game with the team in 4 years and 3 last season with Colorado Avalanche. He has yet to convert for any points.

The 6’1″ 203 lbs. forward isn’t exactly a prolific scoring in the minors but in 407 regular season games he does have 67 goals and 94 assists.

Last season with Lake Erie Monsters, he matched a career high for points (39) and pocketed a best 18 goals, which led the squad in scoring.

Just as the 2012/2013 season started the 26-year old signed a pto with Portland Pirates. He was recently bumped up to an spc after 37 games (5 goals, 10 assists) to finish out the 2012/2013 campaign with them.

Even though he’s not exactly lighting it up as prolifically as he did last year, he’s still a gritty, invaluable player for the Pirates to have in the fold as they push towards the postseason.

18Feb

Jason Zucker(16) Minnesota Wild

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Minnesota Wild 2nd round pick in the 2010 draft (#59 overall) rookie left wing Jason Zucker(16) cashed in on his first NHL goal in his first game on recall from minor league affiliate Houston Aeros, where he leads that team in scoring with 19 goals and 22 assists.

He started his pro career at the end of last season, signing a three-year entry level deal upon leaving college after two years of more than a point per game production.

In 6 contests with the Wild to finish off a 2011/2012 without a playoff berth, the 5’11” 180 lbs. forward got his first points in the show with a pair of assists.

He was selected to appear in the 2013 AHL All-Star Game, in which he scored a goal and an assist and tied a team high with 5 shots on net in the 7-6 Western Conference win. He was also a close second in the fastest skater contest in the Skills Competition.

In the 21-year old’s 2013 NHL debut, he logged 15 shifts for 11:09 of total ice time, scored the goal, went a +1 plus/minus and had 2 shots on net in the 3-2 victory. His tally tied the game at 2.

Minnesota is going to have to put his picture and add some more visual content up on his player page and soon, so fans can get to know this potential rising star, born in Las Vegas (of all places), on their team.

15Feb

Michal Jordan (29)

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Carolina Hurricanes‘ 4th round pick in the 2008 draft (#105 overall), Czech-born defenseman Michal Jordan(29) received his first NHL recall.

He is in the final season of his three-year entry level deal and in 48 AHL games this season with Charlotte Checkers he has connected for a career high 6 goals and 15 points, which also puts him on pace to put up a best in that scoring category as well.

While listed at a moderate 6’1″ 195 lbs. he looks a lot bigger than those numbers. There’s little doubt his game is all about muscle and punishing opponents and he’s relatively effective in that role without getting himself into penalty trouble. He’s also a tidy +11 plus/minus on a team that knows how to win games.

In his debut the 22-year old skated 17 shifts for 12:18 total ice time and had one shot on net in a decisive 3-1 victory. He could stick around or at the very least be given a contract extension at the end of the season to see where it goes after a taste of the show.

He should really play in Chicago though.

14Feb

Tyler Toffoli(26) Manchester Monarchs

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Los Angeles Kings‘ 2nd round pick in the 2010 draft (#47 overall) rookie center Tyler Toffoli(26) has yet to realize an NHL call-up quite yet but it has to be imminent, unless all the players on the parent club perform well and stay healthy. He was one of the last skaters to be reassigned to start the shortened season.

He’s 2nd in scoring for AHL affiliate Manchester Monarchs with 35 points, leading the team with 21 goals and a +15 plus/minus. He was also selected to play in the 2013 AHL All-Star Game and collected a goal and an assist in the heart-breaking Eastern Conference loss.

The 6’1″ 194 lbs. forward had three outstanding final three years of junior hockey and even led the highly competitive OHL in scoring for 2010/2011.

He’s signed to a three-year entry level deal that keeps him with the Kings through the 2015 season.

There’s little doubt that the 20-year old is going to blossom into a full-time NHL player but he’ll have to continue to excel on the farm and wait for his turn to prove he can step it up.

13Feb

Drew Shore(36) Florida Panthers

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Florida Panthers‘ 2nd round pick in the 2009 draft (#44 overall), rookie center Drew Shore(36) is getting his opportunity to impress in both the minors with affiliate San Antonio Rampage and up in the show with the big club.

He notched his first NHL goal (not the prettiest of shots that’s ever made it inside the net) in his 10th game to go with the three helpers he already has.

For a player listed at 6’3″ 200 lbs., he deceptively looks a bit smaller than credited for and has the quick hands of a smaller-sized forward.

In 41 AHL games he’s scored 10 goals and 20 assists with a +4 rating on a team that is challenged to string together wins.

He was named to the lineup for the 2013 AHL All-Star Game and netted a goal and an assist to help the Western Conference to a 7-6 victory.

The 22-year old, who left his last year of college hockey to turn pro after a point per game production, is signed through 2015 and looks to already be paying dividends for the scouts that found him.

10Feb

Scott Parse(20) Albany Devils

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Albany Devils‘ 6th year right wing Scott Parse(20) has somehow sat most of the team’s 44 games so far this season. He signed a one-year AHL deal as the 2012/2013 season was approaching.

In 13 games he has a low-end 1 goal and 2 assists, -7 rating, so he definitely needs to step it up. The 28-year old has recently been reinserted into the lineup.

He spent the first 5 years of his pro career in the Los Angeles Kings‘ prospect system. The 5’11” 188 lbs. forward was originally a Kings‘ 6th round pick in the 2004 draft (#174 overall).

He’s skated in 73 NHL games and has 14 goals and 16 assists, which are pretty decent numbers.

In his career year 2009/2010 he skated 59 games and scored 11 goals and 13 assists while going a +13 plus/minus. The effort earned him a 2-year extension.

Unfortunately from here injury problems settled in for his next couple of campaigns.

Ironically when he did play in early 2010, the first year of his new contract, he got a goal and 3 assists in 5 games. It would have easily put him on pace for a career year on the scoresheet.

The next season wasn’t much better; he only appeared in 9 games.

As an unrestricted free agent going into a year when the NHL was a wish away, he decided to get back to work and rejoined a league he has over 100 games experience in.

08Feb

Petr Mzarek(34) Detroit Red Wings

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Detroit Red Wings‘ 5th round pick in the 2010 draft (#141 overall) rookie Czech net minder Petr Mzarek(34) got the nod for his 1st NHL start and absolutely commanded a 5-1 win over Division rivals St. Louis Blues.

Not bad for a goalie that started his still shiny new pro career in the ECHL with Toledo Walleye for a few games before being recalled to Grand Rapid Griffins.

He posted a 2-1 record with a 2.02 GAA and .944 SV% on a team that looks to be a Kelly Cup contender before receiving the start in his 2nd game back in the AHL and began winning, a lot, all the time.

His 16-7 in 25 games with a 2.26 GAA and .916 SV for the division leading squad is pretty dazzling.

These efforts earned him an invite to the 2013 AHL All-Star Game and was in net for the Western Conference late 3rd period victory.

It would almost be no surprise to see the 6’1″ 187 lbs. goaltender work his way into the mix of starters for the Wings going forward. He’s signed through 2015 on a three-year entry level contract.

The win was a nice early birthday present for the soon-to-be 21-year old Valentine’s Day baby backstop.

04Feb

David van der Gulick(7) Colorado Avalanche

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7th year left wing David van der Gulik(7) has received NHL call-ups in his last three pro seasons through his current team of contract, Colorado Avalanche. He also played 6 games for Calgary Flames, who picked him deep in the 7th round of the 2002 draft (#206 overall).

In 38 games he’s managed to connect for a pair of goals and 9 assists and skated in a career high 25 big league contests last season.

Although not an overly large player, at 5’11” 185 lbs. he has always managed to stay accountable on ice with a +7 rating.

He’s signed to a one-year, two-way deal, his third with the Avalanche; and at 29-years old his game continues to show improvement and there’s little reason to think that they will let him slide to another team anytime soon.

In 39 AHL games this season with affiliate Lake Erie Monsters he has 12 goals and 13 assists. He has 463 total regular season and playoff games to his credit, scoring 107 times and dishing 143 helpers.

He recently got his first recall of the lockout shortened campaign and once again had valuable contributions in the 3-1 despite playing only 7 minutes and 31 seconds. With injuries seemingly piling up, he could be in for an extended stay.