Ottawa Senators | CollegeHockeyPlayers

25Oct

Derek Grant (57)

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Ottawa Senators‘ 4th round pick in the 2008 draft (#119 overall) center Derek Grant(57) scores his second NHL recall in as many years.

In a pair of appearances he has yet to hit the score sheet but does sport a +1 rating.

He spent 5 games with the parent club in 2012/2013 scoring no points while trying to assert his 6’3″ 206 lbs. presence.

In the final year of his three-year entry level contract with 140 AHL games with affiliate Binghamton Senators to his credit, he’s definitely looking to make an impact.

His 19 goals and 28 points in the minors last season established new career highs.

He already notched two tallies in three games with the B-Sens, which gained him enough notice to warrant a promotion to the parent club searching for more winning consistency.

The 23-year old could stand to add a bit more muscle on his frame and to his game to achieve true power forward status but has proven his effectiveness in the face-off circle, winning more than half his draws, which gives him some additional clout.

He changed his number this season so his “57” would be the same in both leagues.

See related: 4/19-11

06Jun

Chris Wideman (6) Binghamton Senators

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Ottawa Senators‘ 4th round pick in the 2009 draft (#100 overall), defenseman Chris Wideman(6) started his pro career in the ECHL with affiliate Elmira Jackals.

It only took him less than a few weeks and games (posting 4 assists) to earn his first recall to Binghamton Senators in the AHL.

Other than one reassignment for an overnight and a game, in which he got his fifth helper, he was back up with the B-Sens for the remainder of his rookie season and playoffs.

In 60 games, the 5’10” 185 lbs. blue liner (those numbers seem a tad inflated) scored a pair of goals and 16 assists with a +8 rating. He added a goal and 2 assists in three Calder Cup Playoff contests, tying him for the lead in postseason scoring, while he was second on the team for assists in the regular season.

The 23-year old signed a two-year entry level deal that makes him a restricted free agent at the end of the upcoming season.

He may seem small out there but he plays responsibly and showed the potential to have an offensive upside in his first campaign and throughout four years at Miami University.

Despite the abundance of good defensive specialists in the system, it would be no surprise to see him score an NHL recall.

31May

Curtis McElhinney(30) Columbus Blue Jackets

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Entering his ninth pro season, 30-year old goaltender Curtis McElhinney(30) doesn’t have to worry about where he will play, as he signed a one-year, one-way extension to stay in Columbus Blue Jackets‘ system.

He had an outstanding regular season in 2012/2013 with an AHL record 9 shutouts and was named to the All-Star Game.

He also set a team and career best .923 SV% and was named MVP, while also posting his most saves in a season at 1349 and a 29-16-2-3 record in 49 games to help the Falcons win the Northeast Division title by 20 points.

Although the 6’2″ 209 lbs. net minder failed to score a recall, he could be in line for one next season, if he game continues to excel.

He has appeared in 69 NHL games with Phoenix, Ottawa, Anaheim and Calgary. He was originally a 6th round pick in 2002 (#176 overall) by the latter team. He made his most appearances in the show, 21 games with the Ducks just a couple of seasons ago.

He’s always seemed to fall under the radar for a real shot as a starting goalie in the show but also seems to have a stick-to-it-ive-ness that just won’t quit.

See related: 7/4-12

14May

Shane Prince (18)

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Ottawa Senators‘ 2nd round pick in the 2011 draft (#61 overall), rookie left wing Shane Prince(18) had himself a good first pro season, 18 goals and 17 assists in 65 AHL games for minor league affiliate Binghamton Senators and added another marker in three playoff contests.

He absolutely exploded in his last two seasons in juniors with Ottawa 67’s notching basically a point and a half per game.

At 5’11” 189 lbs., he’s not exactly small but never really plays a big game and more than anything seems to slip almost unnoticed into the open areas to come up with scoring opportunities.

He has a three year entry level deal that keeps him in the system through 2015.

The 20-year is currently on recall with the parent club serving as one of the “black aces” playoffs’ practice squad.

He’s likely due an NHL look in his sophomore season.

08May

Brian Lee(25) Syracuse Crunch

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Former Ottawa Senators‘ 1st round pick in the 2005 draft (#9 overall), 6th year defenseman Brian Lee(25) was a 2012 trade deadline acquisition of Tampa Bay Lightning.

He played the rest of the regular season with the Lightning recording no goals but his 8 assists set a new career high mark for helpers (15) and points (16).

Not exactly ice shattering marks for such a high draft selection that was pegged to have an offensive upside.

The 6’3″ 205 lbs. blue liner is signed through next season on a one-way contract but was recently reassigned to their minor league affiliate Syracuse Crunch, when he was failing to put up the numbers in the lockout shortened campaign and the parent club wanted to have some longer looks at younger players in the system.

In 10 AHL games, his first appearance in the league in a few years, he had only one assist through the remainder of the regular season. In 3 Calder Cup Playoff games he has yet to put up any points but at the very least maintains a +2 rating.

The recently turned 26-year old may not be a shoe-in for a roster spot to start 2013/2014.

He’s played in 209 NHL games and will need to have a breakout year or might have a tough time finding future deal in the show.

No doubt, with his size, he has to keep a good attitude in place and put a lot more backbone into his game.

30Apr

Cody Bass (26)

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6th year center Cody Bass(26) is back at it in the AHL postseason scoring the game-winners.

He posted back-to-back gwg’s for Springfield Falcons to take a 2-0 lead in their best of 5 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals’ Series. He is only the third player in league history to post such a feat.

The 26-year old power forward has been sidelined with an injury for most of the regular season, appearing in only 18 games with 2 goals and 5 assists.

Undoubtedly the type of player every team wants in their lineup at 6′ 205 lbs., he’s a leader both on and off the ice and plays the game like the ultimate foot soldier but that often ends him up on the long-term injured reserve list.

In two seasons under his current contract, he’s only appeared in 55 games (14 NHL, 41 AHL) but at least on the minor league level now, he’s making a difference.

Originally an Ottawa Senators‘ 4th round draft pick in the 2005 draft (#96 overall), he won a Calder Cup Championship with Binghamton Senators in 2011.

Signed by Columbus Blue Jackets as an unrestricted free agent for the following season and then re-signed for another year, there is little doubt he will be extended once again or head to another team where his chances of joining an NHL roster on a full-time basis are seemingly better.

He has 48 games in the show to his credit with a pair of goals and 3 assists.

See related: 5/11-11, 6/4-11, 7/26-11, 12/27-11

29Apr

Matt Puempel(9) Binghamton Senators

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Ottawa Senators‘ 1st round pick in the 2011 draft (#24 overall), left wing Matt Puempel(9) scored his first pro postseason goal with minor league affiliate Binghamton Senators in game 2 of their AHL Calder Cup Eastern Conference Semi-Finals series, a 3-2 loss.

He scored his first pro goal period last season on an ato with the B-Sens, but that was his only point in 9 games.

The 6′ 190 lbs. forward was basically a point-per-game guy in juniors with Kitchener Rangers for his final year and Peterborough Petes through the first three.

Signed to a three-year entry level deal that extends him through 2015 in the prospect system, he plays with a good amount of grit and basically digs for the puck all the time, which will likely lead to scoring chances when it’s time for his official rookie season in 2013/2014.

There’s a good chance the 20-year old will return to the AHL to start and will be fun to watch him develop his game.

12Apr

Jean-Gabriel Pageau(10) Ottawa Senators

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Ottawa Senators‘ 4th round pick in the 2011 draft (#96 overall), rookie center Jean-Gabriel Pageau(10) isn’t exactly one of the biggest players on the ice, standing at 5’9″, weighing in at a measly 163 lbs., but in his first pro season with minor league affiliate Binghamton Senators he is proving he can get the job done.

In 67 AHL games, he has 7 goals and 22 assists with a +8 rating on a team near the top of the league standings and ripe with much rookie talent.

He averaged a point-per-game in three seasons of junior hockey before signing his three-year entry level contract that runs through 2015. He decided to forego his last season to ink his deal.

The only 20-year old received his first NHL call-up and recorded his first point, an assist, while skating 18 shifts for 11:17 total ice time, including going 55.6% on face-off draws and a +1 plus/minus in a 3-1 winning effort.

He probably still needs to add a bit more weight and muscle to his game but he’s definitely heading in the right direction.

13Mar

Darian Dziurzynski(26) Arizona Coyotes

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Phoenix Coyotes have officially signed their 5th round pick in the 2011 draft (#141 overall), rookie left wing Darian Dziurzynski(26) to a two-year entry level contract after his feisty play for minor league affiliate Portland Pirates.

He was initially reassigned at the start of the season but signed to an AHL contract only.

In 43 games he has 6 goals and 4 assists with 69 penalty minutes and a -5 rating.

The 6’1″ 204 lbs. forward is a pesky presence on the ice. He seems smaller than that but that’s probably because he’s crouched, skating towards the play so much when he’s out there.

It would be easy to see the soon-to-be 22 year old score some NHL ice time as a fourth line energy skater.

His brother is David, who has appeared his first 10 big league games with Ottawa Senators this season.

08Mar

Mark Stone(16) Ottawa Senators

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Ottawa Senators‘ 6th round pick in the 2010 draft (#178 overall) rookie right wing Mark Stone(16) received his first recall. He did appear in one playoff game, getting his first pro point, an assist, in last year’s surprise postseason berth and great first round for the team.

In his 2013 NHL season debut he skated 24 shifts for 15:14 total ice time in the 5-4 loss. He had a shot on net, two hits, a giveaway, a takeaway and finished a -1 plus/minus. Seems like the coach put a lot of confidence in the 6’2″ 188 lbs. forward to find a spot on what is a seriously injury depleted lineup that somehow survives and is a playoff threat once again.

He was doing well in the AHL with Binghamton Senators scoring 8 times with 13 assists in 38 games and a phenomenally accountable +15 rating on a team that is already surprising critics and opponents.

The 20-year old put up huge numbers in his last two seasons of junior hockey. In his final campaign he was this close to being a 2-point per game guy with 41 goals and 82 assists in 66 games and an unreal +45.

His skills are there. It’s just that question: is this his time?