NHL draft pick | CollegeHockeyPlayers

11Apr

Trent Hunter(47) Manchester Monarchs

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12-year veteran of 497 NHL games, right wing Trent Hunter(47) was reassigned by Los Angeles Kings to their AHL affiliate Manchester Monarchs in mid-February after skating in 38 games and only putting up a pair of goals and 5 assists.

It’s his first stint in the minors since the 2002/2003 season.

He spent 10 years with New York Islanders starting in 2001, scoring 99 goals and 130 assists.

Originally drafted by Anaheim Ducks in the 6th round of the 1998 draft (#150 overall), the 6’3″ 210 lbs., 31-year old never skated a game with the team before being traded in 2000 to the Isles.

In 17 games with the Monarchs‘ he has 4 goals and 5 assists but most notably will be a leadership asset to the team if they complete their bid for a Calder Cup Playoff spot in the upcoming postseason.

09Apr

Sean Collins(17) Springfield Falcons

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Columbus Blue Jackets‘ 7th round pick in the 2008 draft (#187 overall) center Sean Collins was another freshly signed player to pot his first professional goal over the weekend. He adds the tally to his 3 assists he has in 6 games played.

He was signed to an NHL two-year entry level contract upon completion of his four year college career and then as is the case with most newly inked players accepted an ato to join their AHL affiliate Springfield Falcons for the rest of the season.

At 6’3″ 195 lbs. he very much looks to already be developing into a future big-time power forward.

08Apr

Peter Holland (22)

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Anaheim Ducks‘ 1st round pick in the 2009 draft (#15 overall) rookie center Peter Holland(22) lit it up and gets some notice in the month of March earning the AHL Rookie of the Month honor.

He notched 4 goals and 14 assists in 15 games, not to mention had a tidy +12 plus/minus on a team that’s all of the sudden streaking at the right time towards a Calder Cup Playoff berth, Syracuse Crunch.

In 4 NHL games he got his 1st goal but hasn’t been back since mid-November 2011.

In 69 AHL games he ranks 2nd on the Crunch in scoring with 23 goals and 37 assists.

At 6’3″ 200 lbs. the 21-year old is probably still at a bit light for where his prime playing weight will be but he’s not afraid to get dirty and should get a longer look in what might be a bit of a rebuilding Ducks for 2012/2013, especially considering he’ll only be in the 2nd year of his three-year entry level deal.

06Apr

Paul Postma(4) Winnipeg Jets

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St. John’s IceCaps‘ 3rd year defenseman Paul Postma(4) was picked as an 2011/2012 AHL First All-Star Team.

In 55 games he has registered 13 goals and 31 assists, including three game winning tallies.

He played a career high 3 games with Winnipeg Jets this season but in 4 games total has still yet to get his first NHL point.

He is currently on the final year of his 3-year entry level deal.

In 3 AHL seasons the 6’3″ 195 lbs. 23-year old has skated in 187 games scoring 40 goals and 78 assists.

05Apr

Gabriel Dumont(40) Montreal Canadiens

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Montreal Canadiens‘ 5th round pick in the 2009 draft (#139 overall) centre Gabriel Dumont(40) received his first NHL call-up and skated 13 shifts for 8:25 minutes of ice time in his debut.

The 5’9″ 180 lbs. forward is in the 2nd season of his 3-year entry level deal.

He’s having a career year in the AHL with Hamilton Bulldogs for goals and points this season with 13 markers and 22 points. He also performed pretty well with them in last year’s Calder Cup Playoffs hitting the scoresheet for 6 goals and 3 assists in 20 games.

The one knock for 2011/2012 is his plus/minus, which is a lowly -14.

Without much size, the 22-year old is going to have to rely on his speed and tenacity if he wants to make it to the NHL on a more permanent basis.

04Apr

Matt Donovan (46)

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New York Islanders‘ rookie defensemen Matt Donovan(46) is having an impressive pro debut with their AHL affiliate Bridgeport Sound Tigers.

He was originally a 4th round pick in the 2008 draft (#96 overall).

In 69 games he has 10 goals and 32 assists with a +9 plus/minus on a team that has fought hard for every victory in their playoff bound 2011/2012 season. He happens to lead rookie d-men in assists and points.

At 6′ 202 lbs. he isn’t the biggest guy defending the blue line but always plays a rough and tumble style of hockey.

Earlier this week he received his first NHL recall and skated 24 shifts for almost 22 minutes of ice time going a -1 in the team’s 3-1 loss.

The soon to be 22-year old will likely receive a good, long look in next year’s training camp for roster spot on the Isles.

It will be the 2nd year of his 3-year entry level contract.

4/4: Donovan was one of a pair of defensemen named to the 2011/2012 AHL All-Rookie Team.

04Apr

Mat Clark(2) Anaheim Ducks

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2nd year Anaheim Ducks‘ 2nd round pick in the 2009 draft (#37 overall), defenseman Mat Clark(2) played his first NHL game on April Fool’s. He skated 11 shifts for 11:02 of even strength ice time and pretty much that was his lone pair of stats, which isn’t a bad thing in the 2-1 loss.

At 6’3″ 205 lbs. the 21-year old still has time to grow into his game and at the very least this year in the AHL, his second with Syracuse Crunch, he’s become a more accountable d-man.

He has another year left on his 3-year entry level deal.

Another guy that just has to take a million shots from the point and get them in on net consistently.

02Apr

Corey Cowick(23) Binghamton Senators

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Last season, Binghamton Senators‘ 2nd year left wing Corey Cowick(23) split time his playing time equally between the AHL and ECHL Elmira Jackals.

In 2011/2012, the Ottawa 6th round pick in the 2009 draft (#160 overall) has doubled his time with the B-Sens playing in career high 52 games, scoring 5 goals and 6 assists.

By no means did these numbers immune him from getting reassigned, as he was sent down in early February for the first time this season and has been on the road between the two New York hockey teams on a pair of occasions.

The 22-year old, 6’3″ 208 lbs. forward is signed to an entry level deal with Ottawa through 2012/2013. He’s going to have to use that size more to his advantage next season is how we see it.

01Apr

Dalton Prout(4) Columbus Blue Jackets

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Columbus Blue Jackets‘ 6th round pick in the 2010 draft (#154 overall) rookie defenseman Dalton Prout(4) received his first recall to the NHL.

The 6’3″ 219 lbs. blue liner has skated well in his first season with their AHL affiliate Springfield Falcons recording 4 goals and 8 assists in 60 games with a -3 plus/minus.

He’s appeared in two games for the Blue Jackets over the weekend playing an average of 14 minutes with no points but was a +1 on ice in a pair of winning efforts.

The 22-year old was signed to a three-year entry level deal, so there’s still plenty of time to see if the big man will continue to develop that shutdown ability while adding a few points to the scoresheet.

30Mar

Nicolas Tremblay(27) Providence Bruins

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Boston Bruins‘ 6th round pick in the 2008 draft (#173 overall) center Nicolas Tremblay(27) signed an ato with Providence at the conclusion of his fourth and final year playing college hockey.

In 4 games he got himself his first pro goal in the team’s desperate shootout win last weekend, also has an assist and looks to be fitting in nicely as the P-Bruins push for a spot in the postseason for the first time in a couple of seasons.

We expect him to sign an entry level contract with the B’s.