NHL draft pick | CollegeHockeyPlayers

04Oct

Brad Larsen (coach) Springfield Falcons

Posted in AHL, NHL | Leave a comment

12-year, double drafted (Ottawa Senators 1995 & Colorado Avalanche 1997) defenseman Brad Larsen head coached his first (preseason) game for Springfield Falcons after being named to the position back in May of this year.

He served as the team’s assistant coach for the last couple of seasons after wrapping up his pro skating career with 55 games for Portland Pirates in 2010. The then 32-year old connected for 13 goals and 14 assists and equaled an AHL career high +9 plus/minus.

The 6′ 200 lbs. blue liner appeared in 294 NHL games (19 goals, 29 assists) with Colorado Avalanche and Atlanta Thrashers, the only two teams he played for.

In the AHL, he skated in 384 games scoring 96 goals and 120 assists.

He lost the preseason opener 4-1; get the L out of the way before it starts counting. To be fair, their opponent Providence Bruins had more A-lister on the squad, while the Falcons fielded more of a training camp tryout lineup.

02Oct

Kenndal McArdle(22) Norfolk Admirals

Posted in AHL, ECHL, NHL | Leave a comment

6th year left wing Kenndal McArdle(22) was a former Florida Panthers‘ 1st round pick in the 2005 draft (#20 overall) but has yet to realize his potential, putting it lightly.

At 5’11” 190 lbs. he really doesn’t have that much size up front yet he definitely can be a pest to play against.

He’s never had what you’d call a stellar goal scoring season in the AHL, where he’s mostly been relegated to, aside from the 42 NHL games he’s appeared in with the Panthers and last season with Winnipeg Jets one year removed.

His totals are minimal at one goal and a pair of assists.

In 54 games last season split with St. John’s IceCaps to start before being loaned to Portland Pirates, he scored 10 goals and 8 assists, while amassing 98 minutes in penalties.

He was also part of that magical Vancouver Giants‘ team that won the Memorial Cup in 2007.

The still young 25-year old signed a try-out deal to play with Norfolk Admirals in 2012/2013. There’s no time like the present for this player to start answering the bell.

29Sep

Kory Nagy(21) Trenton Titans

Posted in AHL, ECHL, NHL | Leave a comment

New Jersey Devils‘ 5th round pick in the 2008 draft (#142 overall) left wing Kory Nagy(21) signed a 3-year entry level deal to start his pro career and ended up bouncing between their AHL and ECHL affiliates.

In his final season of the contract he skated the full year with Albany Devils playing in a career high 53 contests, scoring 4 goals and 4 assists but was not qualified an offer to stay with the organization.

For 2012/2013 he decided to stay in familiar territory, inking with Trenton Titans.

With the signing, the somewhat small-ish looking 5’11” 195 lbs., 22-year old forward will have the ability to be called up to any team in the higher league.

26Sep

Ashton Rome(44) Greenville Road Warriors

Posted in ECHL, NHL | 1 Comment

Double draft pick, 7th year right wing Ashton Rome(44) makes an interesting move for the 2012/2013 season by signing with Greenville Road Warriors of the ECHL.

The move comes one season removed from his most productive AHL campaign with Portland Pirates, where he had league career highs in games played, goals and points.

He has skated in 91 games over a couple of years in the ECHL with a pair of different teams scoring 42 goals and 38 assists, so point productivity isn’t a problem for him in the lower level of hockey.

With the glut of talent being absorbed in the AHL, it’s seemingly a smart move for the almost 27-year old, who could also be setting up a path for himself post-playing pro hockey. There is little doubt he will help mentor the younger teammates and be a huge asset on ice and in the locker room.

He’ll also almost assuredly be on the short list for call-up by a number of teams and if the lockout lifts for the NHL he could find a permanent spot in the AHL sooner than later.

The 6’1 205 lbs. forward was originally a Boston Bruins’ 4th round pick in the 2004 draft (#108 overall) but was thrown back in the pool and picked up in the 5th round of 2006 by San Jose Sharks (#143 overall).

25Sep

Troy Bodie(20) Norfolk Admirals

Posted in AHL, ECHL, NHL | Leave a comment

7th year left wing Troy Brodie(20) was part of a list of six players recently signed to an AHL contract by Norfolk Admirals, the new minor league affiliate of Anaheim Ducks.

He had a one-year, two-way deal with Anaheim last season but skated no NHL games.

In all, split half with the Ducks and one season picked up on waivers by Carolina Hurricanes, the 6’4″ 219 lbs. forward has skated in 107 games in the show registering 6 goals and 5 assists. He should be a bigger, more intimidating upfront power forward than his style indicates.

The 27-year was originally an Edmonton Oilers‘ 9th round pick in the 2003 draft (#278 overall).

He started his pro career with Stockton Thunder of the ECHL, put up some big numbers and that was his only stop there.

This will be an interesting year him. It’s his first without an NHL contract and he definitely has something to prove.

22Sep

Ryley Grantham(16) Allen Americans

Posted in AHL, ECHL, NHL | Leave a comment

4th year right wing Ryley Grantham(16) was not qualified by Calgary Flames when his 3-year entry level deal was up. He was originally their 6th round pick in the 2008 draft (#168 overall).

In the final season of his contract, he was skating mostly with Gwinnett Gladiators of the ECHL before being reassigned in a minor swap with Chicago Express.

The 6’4″ 210 lbs. bruiser played 89 AHL games with Abbotsford Heat and put up a pretty hefty 163 penalty minutes in 67 games of his rookie season. He only minimally hit the scoresheet with a goal and 3 assists.

In an interesting lock out move, the 24-year old signed a contract to play in the Central Hockey League with Allen Americans for 2012/2013. While with them he should really look to pick up his offensive game; put more points than pims on the scoresheet.

20Sep

Josh Godfrey(3) Las Vegas Wranglers

Posted in AHL, NHL | Leave a comment

He was a high draft pick of Washington Capitals in 2007 (round 2, #34 overall), defenseman Josh Godfrey(3) never seemed to materialize much higher than their then ECHL affiliate South Carolina Stingrays, although he did play 18 games with Hershey Bears registering no goals and 6 assists.

Last season on pto’s with a poor Binghamton Senators‘ team is where he has mostly come alive, scoring a couple of goals and adding 6 assists in 38 games, all AHL career highs.

In the ECHL he’s skated in 120 games and netted 26 goals and 45 assists for a modest 71 points. He also holds the league’s hardest slap shot at 102.7 mph as clocked at the 2011 All-Star Classic.

For 2011/2012 he returns to the league signing a one-year deal to join Las Vegas Wranglers, while the AHL pool is fairly well stocked.

18Sep

Brent Regner(28) Peoria Rivermen

Posted in AHL, NHL | Leave a comment

Columbus Blue Jackets‘ 5th round pick in the 2008 draft (#137 overall), defenseman Brent Regner(28) found himself without a team heading into his fourth pro season, despite putting up career high games played, assists and points (75 – 29 – 31) with Springfield Falcons in 2011/2012.

Turns out the Jackets weren’t interested in qualifying him for another campaign and cut ties with the 23-year old, who also displayed better on-ice accountability with a +4 plus/minus.

No worries as Peoria Rivermen stepped in an offered the 6′ 190 lbs. blue liner a one-year AHL contract for 2012/2013.

In 181 AHL games he has 12 goals and 58 assists. With the NHL lockout looming, he may be in a dog fight for a spot on his new team’s roster.

He also was a part of the fabled 2007 Vancouver Giants‘ squad that captured the Memorial Cup.

17Sep

Radko Gudas(3) Syracuse Crunch

Posted in AHL, NHL | Leave a comment

Czech Republic born defenseman Radko Gudas(3) will be entering the final season of his 3-year entry level deal he signed with Tampa Bay Lightning in 2010.

He was originally a 3rd round draft pick in 2010 (#66 overall) but has yet to receive a call up on a team that stocked fairly well with blue liners.

In 2011/2012 he won the Calder Cup with the Admirals in a fairytale run to capture the title. He also grew the most enormous playoff beard pro hockey has seen.

At 6′ 201 lbs he doesn’t seem like the biggest of guys out on the ice but he plays a much bigger game than his size stats may point towards and is not afraid to drop the mitts, ending last season with 195 penalty minutes and 11 fighting majors to his credit.

Although his offensive numbers ticked up slightly last year in a few less games, he’s not what you’d deem as an offensive powerhouse. Still at a two season combined +33 there is plenty of accountable upside to his game.

He along with just about every other eligible player was recently reassigned to their new affiliate Syracuse Crunch.

16Sep

Tye McGinn(16) Adirondack Phantoms

Posted in AHL, NHL | Leave a comment

Philadelphia Flyers‘ 4th round pick in the 2010 draft (#119 overall) left wing Tye McGinn(16) is in the second season of this three-year entry level contract.

In his rookie season with their AHL affiliate Adirondack Phantoms, the 6’2″ 205 lbs. played a big game, unafraid to get into those situations on ice that some other players would shy away from.

The 22-year may not quite be ready for his first NHL call-up (not that it’s going to matter this season) but it wouldn’t be surprising to see him cut his existence into a strong 4th line guy and effect special teams, pk specialist when he has a few more seasons to his credit.

In 63 regular season games he scored a healthy 12 goals but somehow only feed another scorer for 6 assists (dish that thing) and was a strong -1 plus/minus. He put up impressive numbers in his last two years of juniors.

Not surprising his older brother is Jamie McGinn. They play a similar game of pro hockey.