Tagged: NHL draft pick

31May

Josh Leivo(14) Toronto Marlies

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josh-leivo

Toronto Maple Leafs‘ 3rd round pick in the 2011 draft (#86 overall) rookie right wing Josh Leivo(14) has put together a fantastic first year, mostly on reassignment with minor league affiliate Toronto Marlies.

In 59 AHL games he posted 23 goals (good enough for 2nd on the team) and 19 assists with a +6 rating.

He was also recalled to the parent club, skating in 7 NHL games with one tally and one helper to his credit.

The 6’2″ 195 lbs. power forward plays an aggressive but smart style, hard and honest without taking unnecessary penalties. His time in the sin bin is minimal.

Through three years of junior hockey in the OHL, he was virtually a point-per-game guy that showed an uptick of performance come playoff time, putting up 28 points in 22 games.

In the 2014 Calder Cup Playoffs, the 21-year old is back at it. In 11 games he has 3 goals and 5 assists.

With continued hard work in the off-season, he could easily make a strong bid for a more permanent roster spot with the Leafs.

27May

Nic Kerdiles(8) Norfolk Admirals

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Nic Kerdiles

Anaheim Ducks‘ 2nd round pick in the 2012 draft (#36 overall) left wing Nic Kerdiles(8) leaves two years of college on the shelf after a pair of successful seasons to sign his entry level deal that runs through 2016.

He was a more than a point-per-game player at University Of Wisconsin and won an NCAA/WCHA Championship as a freshman. He was named MVP after a 10-point tournament effort.

The 6’1″ 200 lbs. forward joined minor league affiliate Norfolk Admirals on an ato to finish off 2013/2014, where he notched his first pro goal and three assists, helping the team to a Calder Cup Playoff berth.

In 10 postseason contests through the first two rounds he added another 3 tallies and another helper to help solidify his standing as he heads into his rookie year.

The only 20-year old born in the heart of hockey, Lewisville, TX, skates an aggressive game, always digging for the puck and getting himself into the open spots for scoring chances.

He should make an impact going into training camp and make it difficult to send him down to start his first full season in the AHL.

24May

T.J. Brennan(3) Toronto Marlies

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TJ Brennan

Toronto Maple Leafs‘ 5th year defenseman T.J. Brennan(3) is continuing his career year in the minors with affiliate Toronto Marlies.

He played in a season high 75 AHL regular season games scoring a new best 25 goals and 47 assists for 72 points, which basically doubled his previous yearly totals in the three scoring categories. His 2013/2014 totals were also good enough for lead on the team in tallies and overall. He was also 3rd in the league for points.

The 6’1″ 213 lbs. blue liner recently won the Eddie Shore Award for best d-man this year.

He only has 40 NHL games to his credit, despite being a Buffalo Sabres‘ 2nd round high selection pick.

The irony to those numbers is his best numbers with on a short, freshly traded 19-game stint with Florida Panthers, where he put up a pair of goals and 7 assists in 19 games.

He was picked up for a draft pick and then sent in an off-season trade to Nashville Predators, who decided not to qualify the pending restricted free agent.

Picked up by the Leafs, they, as the story goes never recalled him because they didn’t need him long-term and feared potentially losing him on waivers. It is so much easier to just call up an entry level player.

Now marching the Marlies through the Calder Cup Playoffs he has 4 goals and 4 assists in 9 games without a loss going into the Western Conference Finals.

The 25-year old is set to become a free and in the clear unrestricted free agent this summer. He received one-way contract money but will someone step up for 2014/2015 to try his experience for a full campaign? We’d sign him.

See related: 4/7-11, 11/24-11

21May

Harri Sateri (35)

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harri-sateri-1

San Jose Sharks‘ 6th year Finnish-born goaltender Harri Sateri(35) heading into his second restricted free agency decides it’s time to leave and signs a 1-year deal in the KHL with Vityaz Podolsk for 2014/2015.

It comes after 4 seasons tending net for minor league affiliate Worcester Sharks.

He played a regular season high 45 AHL games last season, winning a career best 18 but also losing a worst 24. His goals against average and save percentages also started slipping on a team that has struggled more often than not.

The 6’1″ 205 lbs. goalie played two seasons pro in his home country’s top league Liiga for Tappara before joining the Sharks‘ prospect system.

He’ll likely be qualified for another year to keep his North American playing rights but it seems likely that the 24-year old won’t be returning to these shores again.

20May

Alexandre Grenier(28) Utica Comets

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Alexandre Grenier

Vancouver Canucks‘ 3rd round pick in the 2011 draft (#90 overall), rookie right wing Alexandre Grenier(28) had a good first year under a two-year entry level deal signed to start in the 2013/2014 season.

Playing on reassignment with their expansion affiliate Utica Comets, he managed to connect for a team third high ranking in goals, assists and points (17-22-39).

This was actually the hulking 6’4″ 200 lbs. forward second season as a pro.

After only a year and a half in the QMJHL, he decided it was time to take his game to the next level.

Signing with EC Salzburg of the Austria Elite League as players waited for the lockout to thaw, he gained some solid playing experience in 25 games overseas and joined Kalamazoo Wings to begin his quest to get make it to the NHL.

Wasting no time, he contributed 10 goals and 11 assists in 37 games before being recalled late in the season to Chicago Wolves.

Impressed by his skating, he would ink a contract at the conclusion of the regular season.

With a bit more muscle and weight on his full-sized frame, the 22-year old should compete for a spot on the parent’s club roster to start his sophomore campaign.

18May

Josh Archibald(42) WBS Penguins

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josh-archibald-1

Pittsburgh Penguins‘ 6th round pick in the 2013 draft right wing Josh Archibald(42) leaves his final year at University Of Nebraska-Ohama, turning pro with a freshly inked 3-year entry level deal.

He was a Hobey Baker Award finalist in 2012/2013 hitting the back of the net 29 times in 37 NCAA games.

The undersized 5’10” 170 lbs. forward joined minor league affiliate Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins for the remainder of 2013/2014 and pocketed his first pro goal.

He plays a fairly tenacious style game to open up scoring opportunities and it certainly paid off with his first tally of the 2014 Calder Cup Playoffs in his AHL postseason debut.

The 21-year old will be in the parents’ club training camp once again, competing for a roster spot but most likely will be spending the majority of his rookie season with the farm team to see if he can produce on a regular basis.

17May

Dane Byers (38)

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Dane Byers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hershey Bears‘ 9th year veteran Dane Byers(38) needs not worry where he’ll play next season as the team captain been invited back to continue his role in Chocolatetown.

Maybe a bit of a less than surprise move, as the 28-year old left wing signed his first minor league deal to join the much-storied AHL team last season.

The solid 6’3″ 203 lbs. forward has appeared in only 14 NHL games, 6 with New York Rangers (drafted 2nd round, 46th overall in 2004) and 8 with Columbus Blue Jackets.

He was able to pot one goal.

A proven leader on and off the ice, he plays a gutsy style that never shies away from delivering a crushing hit or fisticuffs if called upon to drop the gloves.

He had the most penalty minutes last season, 211 since his rookie campaign in 2006/2007.

No doubt what will be foremost on his mind will be returning the club to a postseason berth, which they missed for the first time in 8 straight years of appearances.

See related: 11/14-10, 12/25-10, 9/8-11, 9/6-12

16May

Andre Petersson(20) Norfolk Admirals

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Andre Petersson

Anaheim Ducks‘ Swedish-born right wing Andre Petersson(20) is at the end of his 3-year entry level deal he signed with draft team Ottawa Senators (2008 4th round #109 overall).

He was involved in a minor trade on the deadline date that sent him from one AHL affiliate, Binghamton Senators to Norfolk Admirals.

In the meantime though, the small but shifty 5’9″ 177 lbs. was managing to put up some career highs with 33 assists and 56 points, while his 23 goals tied a rookie campaign marker he put up quickly.

Having already played two seasons in the SHL before putting his hat in the ring for a shot at the NHL, he’s played only one game in 2011/2012.

The 23-year old is set to become a restricted free agent and will almost certainly be qualified, especially after a nice 2014 Calder Cup Playoff debut appearance with 3 goals and 3 assists in 10 games to get the underdog team to the second round.

The question might just be, will he still want to stick around to go after the North American hockey dream.

See related: 1/24-12

13May

Josh Morrissey(6) St. John’s IceCaps

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Josh Morrissey

Winnipeg Jets‘ 1st round pick in the 2013 draft (#13 overall) defenseman Josh Morrissey(6) is impressing up to expectations skating his first pro games with minor league affiliate St. John’s IceCaps.

He joined the farm club on an ato after his third season with Prince Albert Raiders. where he served as team captain.

The seemingly kind of small and skinny 6′ 185 lbs. d-man played in 8 regular season AHL games notching a single assist and has really come out swinging in the postseason with 2 goals and 4 helpers with a +5 rating in 9 Calder Cup contests.

Signed to a 3-year entry level deal before the start of the 2013/2014 season, he was on a slide due to his young age and reassigned to his WHL club.

He was a huge point-getter in three campaigns and won a pair of gold medals in recent junior competitions.

The 19-year old should compete in the upcoming training camp for an NHL job on the parent club’s roster in his official rookie year, but for now is enjoying the ride in a bid for a league championship.