NHL draft pick | CollegeHockeyPlayers

28Jan

John McCarthy(7) Worcester Sharks

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3rd year, San Jose Sharks‘ 7th round pick in the 2002 draft (#202 overall), center John McCarthy(7) received his first 3 game call-up to the NHL this season. He had no points. In 44 games with San Jose, most of them in 2010/2011, he has a pair of goals and assists.

With the steady play of some of the other players that have been recalled from their AHL affiliate Worcester Sharks, he’s seemingly falling a bit off the club’s depth chart for the moment.

In all likelihood, he will be signed on for a fourth season in the system as his numbers in the minors indicate there still could be a break through for the 25-year old. He currently leads Worcester in scoring with 11 goals and 16 assists in 37 games.

28Jan

Aaron Gagnon (25)

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Originally a Phoenix Coyotes‘ 8th round pick in the 2004 draft (#240 overall), center Aaron Gagnon(25) got his first crack at the big league a couple of seasons ago, while under contract with Dallas Stars.

In 21 games over two seasons, he registered 0 goals and a pair of assists.

He mostly skated with their AHL affiliate Texas Stars and has played over 250 career games, picking up 57 goals and 78 assists with 4 different teams.

Winnipeg Jets signed him to a one-year, two-way contract just after free agency began.

In 33 games this season with St. John’s IceCaps he has 8 goals and 12 assists but as a 5th year pro plays with a sense of purpose and accountability out there.

He was recently call-up for his first taste of NHL this year but was quickly returned as the team went into a low period off for the All-Star break.

In the game, which all his IceCaps‘ teammates attended he skated 12 shifts for 8:38 of ice time and went a -1 plus/minus.

27Jan

Sean Sullivan(37) San Antonio Rampage

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After only a year and a half in Worcester signed to a pair of one-year, two-way contracts with San Jose Sharks, fan-favorite, 5th year defenseman Sean Sullivan(37) uproots from Central MA and moves himself back to South Texas, where he played the first two-and-a-half seasons of his pro career with San Antonio Rampage. He’ll return to a team he holds many defensive records with.

He was originally a 9th round pick of Phoenix Coyotes in 2003 (#272 overall) but has yet to appear in an NHL game. Soon he will hit a landmark 300 AHL games played.

He’s a sort of small-ish 6′ 190 lbs. player but is accountable in his defensive zone (he’s a +10 plus/minus this season) and has steadily been putting up some offensive numbers.

The trade with Florida Panthers that brings him back to the South will likely give him his first playing time in the NHL.

26Jan

Justin Falk(4) Minnesota Wild

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Large-sized (6’5″ 215 lbs.) Minnesota Wild defenseman Justin Falk(4) got his first NHL goal in his fourth season with the team.

He was originally a 4th round pick in the 2007 draft (#110 overall) and has career highs this year for games played (29), goals (1), assists (4) and points (5). This also looks to be his first full season in the big league.

He’s skated in 233 games (including 44 Calder Cup Playoff contests) over 3 years with their AHL affiliate Houston Aeros. The 2010/2011 season was a big breakout year for the 23-year old in points and overall play, as he’s growing into his game nicely.

25Jan

Marc-Antoine Pouliot(23) Phoenix Coyotes

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Former Edmonton Oilers‘ 1st round pick in 2003 (#22) and former Rimouski Oceanic linemate of Sidney Crosby, forward Marc-Antoine Pouliot(23) got an early New Year’s gift with a recall by the new NHL team he signed with as a free agent in the offseason, Phoenix Coyotes.

In 9 games he has a pair of assists and is a -3 plus/minus.

He skated in 168 NHL games with the Oilers to start his career and had 21 goals and 32 assists. In three games last season with Tampa Bay Lightning he had no points.

In the AHL he’s basically a point per game player but just has yet to be able to translate that to the higher league.

For Portland Pirates he has four goals and 12 assists in 25 games and is a +4 player.

In his 7 pro seasons he’s played more games in the NHL 4 times to 3 in the AHL.

24Jan

Andre Petersson(20) Ottawa Senators

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Ottawa Senators‘ 2008 4th round pick (#109 overall), right wing Andre Petersson(20) received his 1st NHL called up in his rookie season.

With their AHL affiliate Binghamton Senators he has 25 points (12 goals, 13 assists) in 30 games and is a +2 plus/minus.

He’s not so big at 5’9″ 172 lbs. but the 21-year old Swedish-born player had been playing professionally in his home country for two full campaigns before signing a 3-year entry level deal at the end of last season to come over and play in North America.

Used sparingly in his first big league game, he skated 5:02 of ice time over 7 shifts but failed to post any other stats.

23Jan

Joe Callahan(7) Hamilton Bulldogs

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8th year defenseman Joe Callahan(7) signed a one-year, two-way contract with Montreal Canadiens in the offseason and has been keeping it fairly real for them on the blue line in the AHL.

He has 46 games experience and was a +5 player on defense for the Islanders and +1 for the Sharks in one game.

If the Habs continue to sink look for him to get his first playing time of the season (his fourth straight) and I wouldn’t be surprised if he pulls an NHL rabbit out of his helmet.

In 38 games with Hamilton Bulldogs he has a goal and 12 assists.

He was originally a Phoenix Coyotes‘ 3rd round pick in the 2002 draft (#70 overall)

22Jan

Mark Bell(18) Anaheim Ducks

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11 year veteran, former Chicago Blackhawks‘ 1st round draft pick in 1998 (#8 overall), 31-year old center Mark Bell(18) received his first NHL call-up with his new team for the 2011/2012 season, Anaheim Ducks.

He now has 446 big league games to his credit, registering 87 goals and 95 assists to go along with 597 penalty minutes.

For the last couple of seasons he played in the Swiss-A League but signed a one-year, two-way contract to come back to North American pro hockey early in the offseason.

In 32 games with the Ducks‘ AHL affiliate Syracuse Crunch he has 5 goals and 8 assists but is a kind of miserable -11 plus/minus.

21Jan

Colton Gillies(18) Columbus Blue Jackets

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Former 1st round pick, center Colton Gillies(18) was handed a new two-year, one-way deal with Minnesota Wild and played 37 games with the team this season. The downside was he only recorded 2 assists.

With little point production for the slumping team, he was put on the waivers to be reassigned to their AHL affiliate Houston Aeros.

That was all the motivation last place Columbus Blue Jackets needed, as they claimed him to hopefully bolster their offense with his sizable 6’4″ frame.

In his first game with the team he was initially credited for a goal but was later changed to an assist. Either way, it was a good way for him to start a new phase in his career with the Blue Jackets.

18Jan

Brett Carson(7) Calgary Flames

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After 5 seasons in the Carolina Hurricanes‘ system, the team he was originally drafted by in the 4th round of 2004 (#109 overall), defenseman Brett Carson(7) was plucked from the waiver wire late last season by Calgary Flames.

They saw a big NHL future for the 6’4″ 220 lbs. blue liner.

He had been having some injury problems with his back that required surgery in the offseason. Still hindered, he has only skated in two games with the Flames this season and has been down to their AHL affiliate Abbotsford Heat on conditioning stints twice already for a total of 11 games.

He was recently recalled and hopes to start contributing with the team soon. So far in 80 NHL games, he has 2 goals and 10 assists but no points yet with his new team.