Peoria Rivermen | CollegeHockeyPlayers

24Aug

Cam Paddock(11) Frederikshavn

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9th year grisly veteran center Cam Paddock(11) started last season with Manchester Monarchs after signing a one-year, two-way contract with Los Angeles Kings right before the 2011/2012 season started.

He appeared in 39 AHL games scoring 2 goals and 3 assists and then seemingly disappeared. The 29-year resurfaced, without much of an explanation from the parent club other than they terminated his contract, back in Germany (where he skated in ’10/’11) with Ausburg Panthers for the remainder of the year.

The one-time 5th round pick of Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2002 draft (#137 overall) switches up countries for the new season, joining Frederikshavn White Hawks in the Danish hockey league AL-Bank Ligaen.

The 6’2″ 192 lbs. forward has nasty written all over his game and has played in 16 NHL games, all with St. Louis Blues, registering a goal and a pair of assists to his credit.

It’s likely he’ll ride out his pro career overseas at this point.

16Jul

Eric Neilson(29) Syracuse Crunch

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8th year right wing Eric Neilson(29) is known mostly for not shying away from any on ice situation and it certainly serves a much needed role on any team. In 47 games last season he scored one goal and was assessed 74 minutes in the penalty box, a surprising career low.

For the 2012/2013 he signed a one-year standard AHL contract with Syracuse Crunch, which essentially keeps him in the same system that he spent last season with, the Calder Cup winning Norfolk Admirals. He did not appear in a playoff game though.

Still at 6’1 201 lbs., the almost 28-year old forward is one of those players that’s better to have on your team than have to play against.

He was originally a Los Angeles Kings‘ 5th round pick in the 2004 draft (#143 overall) but really didn’t spend any time with the team but rather played a few seasons in the ECHL before moving up a notch.

He was also one of the guys on that 2005 Rimouski Oceanic QMJHL champion team with Sidney Crosby.

12Jun

Trevor Gillies(51) Vityaz Chekhov

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Soon-to-be 14th veteran left wing, Trevor Gillies(51) will be taking his brute force game over to Russia, joining Vityaz Chekhov in the KHL for 2012/2013.

The 6’3″ 231 lbs. forward has been with NY Islanders‘ organization for the last three seasons and appeared in 56 NHL and 50 AHL games with their affiliate Bridgeport Sound Tigers. During that time he’s amassed a whopping 474 penalty minutes in the two leagues.

At 33-years old this is in all likelihood a good move for him to make as there’s no telling how many years he can continue to use his fists to protect teammates.

He sat out a good chunk of last season with a groin injury that limited him to 29 games.

The stocky forward was also seen helping out as an “assistant coach” behind the Sound Tigers‘ bench while he was on the sidelines.

Ironically after watching him play for the last 10 years, he skating and stick work has improved greatly over the last couple campaigns since he started extra sessions with Isles’ Skills’ Development Coach Bernie Cassell.

He will be missed at North American hockey barns, because he may be one of the toughest guys to lace up the skates but he’s also one of the nicest.

01Jun

Nathan Oystrick(20) HC Lev Praha

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7th year unrestricted defenseman Nathan Oystrick(20) is heading to the KHL to skate for HC Lev Praha as he reported on his twitter @Oystie74.

The former Atlanta Thrashers‘ 7th round pick in the 2002 draft (#198 overall) has played 65 NHL games with three different teams but skated all of 2011/2012 with Portland Pirates after signing a one-year, two-way deal with Phoenix Coyotes.

He’s played in 383 AHL regular and postseason contests putting up some respectable stats (69 goals, 162 assists) and won the Calder Cup Trophy with Chicago Wolves in 2008.

At 6′ 210 lbs. he always plays an imposing game and should fit in well with the style of Russian hockey.

12May

Mike Zigomanis(93) Toronto Marlies

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Everyone’s favorite 12th year vegan pro, Toronto Marlies‘ center Mike Zigomanis(93) got the OT winner in the series vs. Abbotsford Heat to lift them into the AHL Calder Cup Western Conference Finals for the second time in the team’s history.

He becomes an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season after spending the last two in Toronto Maple Leafs‘ system. His last NHL appearance was eight games in 2009/2010.

The 6’0 200 lbs. forward has appeared in 197 NHL games scoring 21 goals and 19 assists.

Chances are probably pretty good that the Leafs will keep the 31-year veteran around for another year. He’s pretty much the consummate player to have on your team.

26Apr

Nick Drazenovic(10) Columbus Blue Jackets

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Columbus Blue Jackets re-signed soon-to-be 6th year center Nick Drazenovic(10) to another one year, two-way contract for the 2012/2013 season.

He failed to receive an NHL call-up in what was an injury-plagued year for the 6’1″ 200 lbs. forward.

Originally a St. Louis Blues‘ 6th round pick in the 2005 draft (#171 overall), he appeared in three games with the team registering no points.

In 278 games over four seasons with their AHL affiliate Peoria Rivermen, he’s scored 70 goals and 90 assists.

Even being limited to only 41 games with Springfield Falcons, he managed 13 goals and a career high 28 assists, making him a point per game player.

If he’s healthy, the 25-year old should almost certainly see some more time in the show in the upcoming year.

21Mar

Ethan Cox(40) Bridgeport Sound Tigers

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Undrafted 2nd year right wing, Ethan Cox(40) waited the whole season to receive his first call up to the AHL but he’s fortunate to join a potent Bridgeport Sound Tigers in their quest for the Calder Cup Playoffs.

He was recently involved in an late season ECHL deal that sent him from Alaska Aces, a team he’d been with for two seasons and won the Kelly Cup with in his rookie year, to Reading Royals.

He barely got in a pair of games when he was called up. In 3 games he has one assist but already been released from his pto and will rejoin Reading as they push towards a spot in the postseason.

He played three AHL games last season with Portland Pirates and Peoria Rivermen, recording one assist.

16Mar

Trent Whitfield(23) Boston Bruins

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14 years into his pro career and Boston Bruins‘ round 4 pick in the 1996 draft (#100 overall) center Trent Whitfield(23) has put in NHL game minutes for 10 of those seasons, including this one as he was recently recalled to play for a Bruins‘ team that’s looking just about anywhere for some answers, fill-ins.

He’s played 194 NHL games scoring 11 goals and 18 assists.

He has one more year on his current contract and assumes the role of team captain for Providence Bruins.

The 34-year old isn’t ready to quit and rightfully so, because he’s always an effective player out there and a contributor. In 41 AHL games he has 5 goals and 6 assists, but more importantly anchors a young Baby B’s core.

He’s played a phenomenal 755 AHL regular season games scoring 236 goals and 342 assists. We hope he makes it 1000.

12Mar

Dean Arsene(29) Portland Pirates

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11th year undrafted veteran defenseman, current captain of Portland Pirates, Dean Arsene(29) played his 500 career AHL game over the weekend.

He’s so excited about the prospect, he’s seen blowing bubbles during warm-ups before game 499. He was supposed to set the mark last month but an upper body injury has hampered his ability to play consistently.

He accomplished the feat playing games with only 5 different teams, but 6 of his pro seasons have been spent with Hershey Bears, a team he won two Calder Cup Championships with in 2006 and 2009.

The 31-year old has only appeared in 13 NHL games (all with Edmonton Oilers) but no tallies on the scoresheet to show for it.

He’s never been the biggest point producer (13 goals and 64 assists) but his leadership presence in the locker room and out of the ice is priceless.

No doubt about it, after his playing career he would be an excellent coach.

11Mar

Brett Sterling (9)

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6th year left wing Brett Sterling(9) slides over to Portland Pirates from Peoria Rivermen as collateral in the Patrick O’Sullivan deal.

Originally Atlanta Thrashers‘ 5th round pick in the 2003 draft (#145 overall), he has played a scant 30 NHL games with a few different teams, including four games with St. Louis Blues this season registering no points.

His career totals are 5 goals and 4 assists but what’s sort of puzzling is in 7 games with Pittsburgh Penguins a couple of seasons ago he had 3 goals and a pair of assists but they had no interest in re-signing him.

He’s played 376 AHL games and scored 195 goals and 149 assists.

The head scratching part of this player swap is Portland is a small team to begin with and at 5’7″ 175 lbs. it’s not like he’s the most intimidating guy on the ice, but he can score goals and that makes him dangerous.

Tough to say which team gets the best of this deal.