Tagged: Quad City Mallards

Parker-Milner

2nd year undrafted net minder Parker Milner(30) was a 2-time NCAA Championship with Boston College Eagles and voted MVP in the 2012 Tournament but can’t seem to catch a break.

After signing a one-year, two-way minor league deal with Bridgeport Sound Tigers, he barely got to show anything on a training camp invite to parent club New York Islanders, who were reported to sign him over the summer but already had a glut of goaltenders, before being released.

With little room to play on the AHL club, he was reassigned to start his pro career with Stockton Thunder, where he spent the majority of his rookie season.

In 25 ECHL games he may not have posted a winning record at 9-14-1-1 but had a respectable 2.84 GAA and .907 SV% with a pair of shutouts. He had similar numbers in 8 games on recall but managed a 4-2 record on a farm team that struggled and even won three straight starts.

The 6’1″ 188 lbs. backstop inked a one-year deal with Quad City Mallards for his sophomore campaign and looks to be on his way to setting new high marks.

In 18 contests he’s 9-6-2 with a 2.48 GAA and .919 SV%.

He earned a call up to Iowa Wild and was thrown into the net as they were getting shellacked and unable to stop the bleeding.

The 24-year old has worked hard to gain notice and will continue to earn every inch he gets.

Steve-MacIntyre2

Norfolk Admirals‘ absolutely huge 6’5″ 250 lbs. 13th year veteran left wing Steve MacIntyre(74) has seemingly taken his demotion to Utah Grizzlies of the ECHL for the first time since 2006 in stride this late in his pro career.

He actually played the next season 2006/2007 in the old UHL with Quad City Mallards, who maybe ironically are now playing their games in the same league.

His brick wall, tough guy style and persistent attitude helped take his game to the next level when in 2007/2008 he skated a full AHL season with Providence Bruins.

It would be the last time he put up over 200 penalty minutes in a season and although he threw fists 18 times, that was easily the most fights in a campaign he’d ever settled.

Edmonton Oilers took notice and grabbed him off waivers from Florida Panthers, who reclaimed him a year later.

He would play games mostly in Alberta, but he also got some time with Pittsburgh Penguins.

The 34-year old skated last season with Oklahoma City Barons but only appeared in 11 games.

He’s been held pointless for at least the last three years.

It’s pretty likely that if he wants to still play the sport he will take his game to England next and be a hero.

Brendan BrooksUndrafted 17th year right wing Brendan Brooks(27) has never skated an NHL game but has managed to play in 8 different pro leagues, including 4 with North American teams and across 5 different countries.

The somewhat small-ish 5’10” 185 lbs. forward even had a formidable campaign last season appearing in only 21 games with Valerenga scoring 16 goals and 11 assists.

It was his second stint in Norway GET-ligaen. He had two of his most productive offensive years with 2014 champs Stavenger Oilers.

The 35-year old has scored 20+ goals six times in his career.

His latest stop, signing with Bakersfield Condors brings him full circle.

After only his second season of OHL junior hockey he played a single ECHL game in 1998 for Mississippi Sea Wolves.

He would then officially turn pro with Quad City Mallards of the UHL and stick with them for a couple of years.

Among the impressive resume of stops he even had one appearance along the way in the old IHL with Cincinnati Cyclones.

He worked his way up the ladder and spent four seasons in the AHL most notably for two with Worcester Ice Cats before splitting overseas.

It’s possible that he’s chosen to play closer to home, because he could be eying the next phase of his hockey lifetime.

Gabriel Levesque

3rd year undrafted center Gabriel Levesque(12) decides to switch up his hockey landscape, leaving Stockton Thunder to join the lower Central Hockey League Quad City Mallards for the 2013/2014 season.

The very small but speedy forward with good hands skated in the ECHL for his first two campaigns registering 18 goals and 42 assists in 94 games.

He also suited up for another 27 Kelly Cup Playoff games with the team going all the way to the Finals last season.

At only 5’7″ 160 lbs. there’s no doubt he could be viewed as a bit of a punching bag out there but has proven he can strike gold on the score sheet.

In four years of QMJHL he lit the lamp for almost a point per game production and in his last season was the league’s assist leader putting up 70 helpers and 38 goals through 68 games.

He started his pro career on an invite to Worcester Sharks‘ training camp but was quickly sent down.

There’s little doubt the 23-year old will put up big numbers and likely either transition back to a higher level of play or look overseas to continue his quest.

Thomas Heemskerk

3rd year undrafted goalie Thomas Heemskerk(33) was left unqualified by San Jose Sharks and became an unrestricted free agent after his three-year entry level contract was up.

He spent two years in their prospect system skating mostly for their ECHL affiliates Stockton Thunder and San Francisco Bulls with some sprinkles of ice time with Worcester Sharks. In 6 AHL games he posted a 1.97 GAA and .926 SV%.

The 6’1″ 190 lbs. net minder also received one recall to the NHL to serve as a back-up and practice with the team.

Although only appearing in a fraction of the games, his SV% was better than his junior hockey league best in 2009/2010 with Everett Silvertips.  had a 91-58-19 record in four years of WHL with a 2.81 GAA and .910 SV%.

His marks in the ECHL were less good. In 63 contests his GAA was 3.19 and had a .899 SV%.

For 2013/2014, he almost surprisingly signs a one-year deal with Quad City Mallards of Central Hockey League.

The still very young 23-year old goaltender should score a recall or two in the upcoming season that might elevate him back up into a higher level of pro hockey.

 

10th year veteran tough guy at a mere 6’5″ 250 lbs. Steve MacIntyre(33) most definitely didn’t take the easy way to the NHL but has made his mark in the league through 90 games.

His “pro” career started in a Continental Elite Hockey League (CEHL) and made its way through, surviving the QSPHL (LNAH), WHA2, UHL and ECHL.

Undrafted, he always played a game of hard knocks totaling over 200 penalty minutes in each of his first 6 seasons. It should be noted he hasn’t come close to that much time spent in the box since 2008.

The season that followed saw him skate his first NHL games with Edmonton, a team he would spend most of the next three seasons with.

For 2011/2012 he was signed by Pittsburgh Penguins and has split time with their AHL affiliate Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. He was recently recalled for their last game of the regular season to keep the peace in a game vs. Philadelphia Flyers before being reassigned again.

There’s little doubt he will police the ice for the Baby Pens in their quest for the Calder Cup.

It’s a wonder where the 31-year old will end up playing next season, if he’ll stay in Steel City or move on.

3rd year undrafted local pro from Walpole, MA (played his college hockey at UMass-Amherst), Obi Aduba(37) got an invite to Springfield FalconsAHL training camp after posting some good numbers last season with Quad City Mallards (21 goals, 30 assists in 66 games) in the Central Hockey League. It was his second year with the team that he’ll in all likelihood rejoin for the 2011/2012 season after recently signing a new contract.

At age 27, he’s the type of player that very well could be a bit of a late bloomer and find himself climbing the professional hockey league ladder.

Seeing him in action for the first time since his rookie season with Danbury Mad Hatters, I wouldn’t doubt if he scores himself a couple of call-ups.