NHL draft pick | CollegeHockeyPlayers

02Mar

Linden Vey(9) Manchester Monarchs

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Manchester Monarchs‘ rookie right wing Linden Vey(9) proved he could put up points almost at will in juniors and jumps to the pro ranks mostly retaining those abilities.

In 57 AHL games he has 17 goals and 19 assists with a steady +9 plus/minus and minimal penalty minutes.

He was originally a Los Angeles Kings 4th round pick in 2009 (#96 overall).

Listed at 6′ 187 lbs. he doesn’t seem quite that big but digs in every time he’s out on the ice.

For the month of February, he was chosen as the AHL Rookie Of The Month putting up 6 goals and 8 assists in 12 games.

His consistent play has to have him on the short list of prospective forward call-ups to the NHL, especially if the Kings start to slide out of the Stanley Cup playoff picture.

The 20-year old signed a 3-year entry level contract that takes him through the 2013/2014 season.

01Mar

Keith Aulie(3) Tampa Bay Lightning

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Keith Aulie(3) is a monster of a 22-year old, 2nd year defenseman at 6’6″ 217 lbs.

He’s been in Toronto Maple Leafs‘ system from the start of his pro career and played in 57 NHL games (2 goals and 2 assists).

With their AHL affiliate Toronto Marlies, he’s skated in 64 games (3 goals, 7 assists).

All of that ain’t so bad but in 2011/2012 with the two teams, he has only 3 assists and is a -10 plus/minus.

He must have slipped pretty low on their depth chart because they dumped him at the trading deadline for prospect forward Carter Ashton.

Could be that they just needed more up front than on the blue line.

He will debut with his new team Tampa Bay Lightning in the upcoming weekend. The team needs to make sure it has defense that takes up a lot of space with their goaltending worries, as they stumble and surge, pushing for a playoff spot.

He was originally a Calgary Flames‘ 4th round draft pick in 2007 (#116 overall) but played most of his rookie season with Abbotsford Heat.

28Feb

Andrew Gordon(10) Vancouver Canucks

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Vancouver Canucks added more depth at forward position by acquiring 5th year right wing Andrew Gordon(10) from Anaheim Ducks and reassigned to Chicago Wolves before anything even settled.

He started the season playing 37 NHL games (2 goals, 3 assists) but was reassigned to their AHL affiliate Syracuse Crunch in mid-January and skated in 19 games (3 goals, 5 assists) with them up until his trade from an organization he wasn’t even with for a full season.

Originally drafted by Washington Capitals in the 7th round of 2004 (#191 overall) he spent his first 4 years as pro in their system, playing 12 NHL games with them (1 goal, 1 assist). He was mostly known as being one of the team leaders for Hershey Bears, where in 313 regular season and playoff games he put up 124 goals and 136 assists.

He won back-to-back Calder Cups with the Bears in 2009 and 2010.

In his rookie season, he even played some games in the ECHL with South Carolina Stingrays but overpowered the competition in that league with 8 goals and 6 assists in 11 games.

26Feb

Cam Atkinson(13) Columbus Blue Jackets

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Columbus Blue Jackets‘ rookie right wing Cam Atkinson(13) is currently on his 3rd NHL call-up. In 7 games he has one goal and one assist but is a shaky -7 plus/minus.

He was originally a 6th round pick in the 2008 draft (#157 overall) and signed to a 2-year entry level contract.

In 50 AHL games with Springfield Falcons he dominates with 29 goals and 15 assists while going a +4.

He’s another small player entry to pro hockey at 5’8″ 175 lbs. but fully engulfs himself into the action and as far as prospects go, big things are expected of the compact but mighty 22-year old forward.

26Feb

Ben Maxwell(49) St. John’s Ice Caps

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4th year center has been on a bit of a roller coaster ride between a few teams this season, but has settled in pretty well in his AHL home with St. John’s Ice Caps, scoring 7 goals and 10 assists in 26 games.

He started 2011/2012 with Winnipeg Jets and appeared in 4 games before being waived for reassignment in mid-November, only to get picked up by Anaheim Ducks.

He skated in 6 games with them picking up an assist before he was sent down and reclaimed by the Jets.

Originally a Montreal Canadiens‘ 2nd round pick in the 2006 draft (#49 overall), he played 20 NHL games but spent most of his time with their affiliate Hamilton Bulldogs.

He was sent to Atlanta Thrashers before the trade deadline and scored his 1st NHL goal last season.

Tough to say when he’ll get another look in the show.

He’ll likely have to ignite that scoring touch and play a bit tougher of a game to stick.

24Feb

Eric Wellwood(22) Philadelphia Flyers

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Philadelphia Flyers‘ 6th round pick in the 2009 draft (#172 overall), left wing Eric Wellwood(22) potted his first NHL goal last weekend and has been on a bit of a tear with the big club in his second recall of the 2011/2012 season. In 5 games he also has a pair of assists and is a +6 plus/minus, even though the team has lost 3 of the contests he played in.

He was summoned for 3 games in his rookie campaign and managed to get on the scoring sheet with an assist.

In 105 AHL games with Adirondack Phantoms, the 21-year old is credited for 25 goals and 24 assists.

In juniors, he played for Windsor Spitfires, who won back-to-back Memorial Cups in 2009 and 2010.

At 5’11” 179 lbs. he doen’t look like the most threatening skater on the ice but he does have the ability to be out there contributing on a regular basis.

He is in the 2nd season of his 3-year entry level contract.

22Feb

Mark Fayne(6) New Jersey Devils

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New Jersey Devils‘ 5th round pick in the 2005 draft (#155 overall) defenseman Mark Fayne(6) has developed quickly into a full-time NHL blue liner.

Since his recall from their AHL affiliate Albany Devils last November, he pretty much only had to look back briefly once but hasn’t since.

In 2010/2011 he played career highs for games and scoring in his rookie year and this season is set to eclipse those marks.

He’s a big guy at 6’3″ 218 lbs. and he when he’s out there he plays a big-sized game and is accountable on the ice.

In the last year of his entry level contract, look for the Devils not to wait until the end of the year to sign him to an extension.

22Feb

Matt Watkins(14) Phoenix Coyotes

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3rd year wing Matt Watkins(14) was originally drafted by Dallas Stars in the 5th round of 2005 (#160 overall) but signed his entry level deal with Phoenix Coyotes, where he’s been the entire time progressively putting up points for their AHL affiliates, San Antonio Rampage in his first couple of seasons and this year with Portland Pirates.

At only 5’10” 180 lbs. he’s a relatively small guy (and looks it out there at times) but so are a lot of their prospects. Regardless, he’s next in line for a shot at the show. He’s quietly 6th in team scoring this season with 9 goals and 18 assists, heading toward a career year for points.

He wears the assistant captain “A” this season for Portland.

21Feb

Jon Kalinski(40) Hershey Bears

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4th year Philadelphia Flyers‘ 6th round pick in the 2007 draft (#152 overall) left wing Jon Kalinski(40) was the pawn that got moved by the team to the Tampa Bay Lightning to pick up defenseman Pavel Kubina.

He has appeared in 22 NHL games scoring 1 goal and 4 assists but it’s been almost two full seasons now since his last recall.

At 6’1″ 180 lbs., the 24-year old doesn’t exactly play a big man’s role out on the ice but maybe he’s going to be a bit of a late bloomer and will mesh well with the team in Norfolk to help kickstart his playing career away from the Flyers‘ system for the first time since turning pro.

In 247 AHL games (regular season and playoffs) with Adirondack/Philadelphia Phantoms he has 37 goals and 52 assists and a shaky -15 plus/minus.

9/17-12: The great underachiever signs a one-year AHL contract with the former enemy Hershey Bears for 2012/2013.

21Feb

Michael Stone(28) Phoenix Coyotes

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The injury bug bites Phoenix Coyotes and once again they look to recall a defenseman from AHL affiliate Portland Pirates.

This time 2nd year 2007 3rd round pick (#69 overall) Michael Stone(28) gets his turn.

In 51 games with the Pirates, he already has career highs in goals, assists and points with 9 + 13 for 22 totals and a healthy +5 plus/minus.

At 6’3″ 208 lbs., he’s a big blue liner but could use an extra 20 pounds of muscle to be a real imposing figure out there.

He’s in his second year of his 3-year entry deal but should probably be looked at for more of a long-term signing with his play improving greatly and should add to the Coyotes push towards the playoffs.

In his first NHL game, a 2-1 win in OT, he logged 11:31 ice time and was even out there through 14 shifts.