NHL draft pick | CollegeHockeyPlayers

01Feb

Nick Petrecki(29) San Jose Sharks

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San Jose Sharks‘ 4th year, former 1st round pick in the 2007 draft (#28 overall), defenseman Nick Petrecki(29) played his 1st NHL game earlier this week.

He skated 16 shifts for almost 12 minutes of ice time and didn’t register any other stats in his team’s 3-2 shootout win.

In 216 AHL games with Worcester Sharks he has 7 goals and 33 assists so he’s not overly blessed with offensive skills but at 6’3″ 225 lbs. there’s little doubt he’s a big presence on the blue line and his always triple digit penalty minutes in the minors and college hockey let’s folks know he not afraid to drop the mitts.

The 23-year old was signed to a three-year entry level deal and re-upped on his qualifying offer for another season. He’ll be a restricted free agent at the end of this campaign but it’s likely the Sharks‘ organization will continue to keep him around.

28Jan

Garnet Exelby(2) Providence Bruins

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11th year defenseman Garnet Exelby(2) signed a one-year two-way contract with Boston Bruins for the 2012/2013 season.

An Atlanta Thrashers‘ 8th round pick in 1999 (#217 overall) he has skated in 408 NHL games, mostly with his draft team but played one season patrolling the blue line for Toronto Maple Leafs.

His time as a Leaf was his last in the league. He was with Grand Rapids Griffins in 2011/2012 and Rockford Ice Hogs for the previous campaign. The now 31-year old was selected as team captain for both seasons in the AHL.

He has never been a big point-getter but is a good-sized presence in the defensive zone at 6’1″ 210 lbs., has always been fairly accountable on ice and never afraid to drop the mitts to protect a teammate.

In 19 games with Providence Bruins (he’s been hampered by injuries) he has a pair of goals. If the parent club suffers some injuries at the d-spot, the veteran could get a call-up but it’s a bit of a long shot maybe.

27Jan

Anthony Stewart(21) Manchester Monarchs

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Former Florida Panthers‘ 1st round pick in the 2003 draft (#25 overall), right wing Anthony Stewart(21) was one of the NHL signed players to head overseas during the lockout. He somewhat ironically inked with Nottingham Panthers of the EIHL and scored 6 goals and 5 assists in 19 games.

He has played 262 (27 goals and 44 assists) NHL games with the Panthers, Atlanta Thrashers and Carolina Hurricanes. The latter team dished him and his $1M contract to Los Angeles Kings in favor of a tough guy.

With little space in their front line, the Kings reassigned the 6’2″ 230 lbs. winger to their AHL affiliate Manchester Monarchs, a league he hadn’t been in since 2010, but has 42 goals and 56 assists in throughout his 8-year pro career

In 3 games, he posted a goal and two fighting majors but appears a bit disinterested out there, although that could just be his style of play.

At 28-years old it’s a bit of a wonder where the power forward will land next.

22Jan

Mark Schiefele(42) Winnipeg Jets

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19-year old Winnipeg Jets‘ 1st round pick in the 2011 draft (#7 overall) center Mark Schiefele(42) initially started his pro career last season but was returned to his junior club Barrie Colts after 7 games. In the brief stint, he did manage to pot his first NHL goal.

After the end of the season OHL season for his team, he joined AHL affiliate St. John’s IceCaps for their deep bid at the Calder Cup. That bid ended at the Eastern Conference Finals.

In 10 postseason match-ups he had one helper to add to his pro scoring stats.

Starting the 2012/2013 campaign, he continued his development in juniors, where he is a more than a point per game player.

As soon as the lockout ended, the 6’2″ 184 lbs. forward was ushered to Jets‘ shortened training camp and once again impressed enough to be on the opening night roster with the big club.

In two games he has yet to reach the scoresheet but will likely stick at this level or be reassigned to help the slumping IceCaps.

21Jan

Vladislav Namestnikov(18) Syracuse Crunch

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Tampa Bay Lightning 1st round pick in the 2011 draft (#27 overall), Russian-born rookie center Vladislav Namestnikov(18) starts his pro career with their AHL affiliate Syracuse Crunch. Not that he had a chance to begin in the NHL with the lockout erasing all of 2012.

Seemed a bit peculiar that he wasn’t invited to attend the Lightning‘s shortened training camp but they probably thought it was better for their young prospect to continue uninterrupted development with their farm team.

The 6’ 170 lbs. forward did suffer a fairly bad shoulder injury only a few contests into his 2012/2013 debut that sidelined him for 5 weeks.

Returning to action as the calendar flipped to a new year, the 20-year old has skated in 14 games scoring a pair of goals and 3 assists.

He’s pegged to become an elite power forward in the top league and despite playing at a weight that’s probably 15-20 pounds under where he should be, he muscles his way into situations and looks to have the abilities to turn into what’s projected for his future.

20Jan

Brian Sutherby(14) Lake Erie Monsters

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12th year former Washington Capitals‘ 1st round pick in the 2000 draft (#26 overall) center Brian Sutherby(14) started the season on a pto with St. John’s IceCaps but was released after being a healthy scratch from the first two games.

Two and a half months later, the 30-year forward signs a standard player contract with Lake Erie Monsters.

A veteran of 460 NHL games with Anaheim Ducks and Dallas Stars and the Capitals, he’s quite literally under-scored where he should be with only 41 goals and 49 assists.

An unrestricted free agent last season, he signed a minor league deal with San Antonio Rampage but failed to produce as they would have liked and was released. He spent the rest of the year sidelined with back ailments. In 85 AHL games he’s scored 13 goals and 31 assists.

At 6’2″ 209 lbs. he’s built like a power forward and skates like one.

Despite having no points in 5 games with the Monsters, he really seems to fit into this team pretty well, making sure that if he has yet to quite hit the scoresheet yet, he’s still a big pest to play against.

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.

10Jan

Dalton Smith (33)

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Columbus Blue Jackets‘ 2nd round pick in the 2010 draft (#34 overall) left wing Dalton Smith(33) is the type of player that is at this point mostly flying under the radar but continually gives 110% of himself with every shift.

It’s this tenacity that is bound to get him noticed.

In 25 AHL games, the 6’2″ 206 lbs. built like a power forward rookie has 3 goals and 2 assists, which isn’t a lot but his game is more suited at this point as a pk specialist, 4th line energy skater.

Even in juniors he didn’t always show up on the scoresheet.

The 20-year old signed a three-year entry level deal that will give him plenty of room to develop.

When he gets his first call-up, he definitely could stay, because he’s got pro hockey written all over him.