South Carolina Stingrays | CollegeHockeyPlayers

02Jun

Garrett Mitchell (36) Hershey Bears

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Heading into his fifth season, Washington keeps the speedy, aggressive skating forward for another 2-years inking him to an extension through 2016/2017.

He’s been the club’s assistant captain for the last two seasons and although his numbers dipped to half of what he was able to score in his sophomore campaign, he’s always a pesky presence on the ice.

The 23-year old also suffered a season-ending shoulder injury that required surgery and put him on the sidelines for the second half of the final year of his entry level deal but was still offered another shot with an additional year.

He will likely get the opportunity to prove what he can do in the NHL sooner than later.

11Dec

Adam Morrison(31) South Carolina Stingrays

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Boston Bruins‘ 3rd year goaltender Adam Morrison(31) is off to his best start on reassignment with South Carolina Stingrays, where he’s spent most of his pro career.

In 8 ECHL games he has 5 wins and 3 losses with a 2.11 GAA, a .922 SV% and one shutout.

An injury that required surgery sidelined him for all but two games last season.

He was originally a Philadelphia Flyers‘ 3rd round pick in the 2009 draft (#81 overall) but signed a 3-year entry level deal as an unrestricted free agent with the Bruins in late 2012.

The 6’3″ 194 lbs. back stop is in the final year of his contract and caught in a bit of a log jam for playing time as the parent club has a pair of prospects ahead of him.

He’s only appeared in two AHL games with Providence Bruins, the first when he was initially and was between the pipes for another during the current campaign but has been recalled and served as back-up on numerous occasions.

Tough to say if the 23-year will be given a qualifying offer to stay in the prospect system but if he can put in an impressive numbers and keep his team going with a deep playoff run, it will give them something more to think about.

24Sep

Nick Larson(17) HC Banska Bystrica

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2nd year right wing Nick Larson(17) has decided to take his game overseas, joining HC Banska Bystrica of the Slovakian league for 2014/2015.

He was originally a Calgary Flames‘ 4th round pick in the 2008 draft (#108 overall) but was never signed.

Instead he become an unrestricted free agent upon completion of four years at University Of Notre Dame. He signed an ato with Peoria Rivermen, where in 5 games he he went pointless.

The 6’2″ 200 lbs. forward put up ok numbers in college but was much better at putting the puck in the net through a pair of campaigns in USHL junior hockey with Waterloo Blackhawks.

To start his rookie season he eventually signed a two-way deal with Bridgeport Sound Tigers.

He was reassigned to ECHL affiliate Stockton Thunder to begin the year and was quickly recalled.

Through 17 AHL games he scored 4 goals and 2 assists with a +5 rating but to failed to stick on the young squad and was eventually sent back down a couple of months later.

He was later loaned to South Carolina Stingrays to play out the season and almost ironically started to regain his scoring touch, putting in 7 goals and 2 assists in 23 games.

It’s almost surprising that the 24-year old decided to take his game to another country but maybe a fresh start is what he needs to move up the ranks.

He was rumored to have inked a deal with Orlando Solar Bears but decided to jump ship.

10Oct

Jack Downing(80) South Carolina Stingrays

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3rd year undrafted right wing Jack Downing(80) starts the 2013/2014 season much like he did in his first couple of years, in the ECHL on reassignment. He joins South Carolina Stingrays.

He was in both Boston and Providence training camps. Signed to a 1-year deal with P-Bruins, he was an invite to the parent club’s camp.

Despite beginning his campaigns in the lower league, he’s played in more AHL games with Binghamton Senators in two seasons than he did with their affiliate Elmira Jackals.

The fairly big 6’3″ 200 lbs. forward has almost a point-per-game average in the ECHL but has only half the success in the AHL.

At 24-years old he still has plenty to prove to move up more permanently.

08Oct

Steven Spinell(78) South Carolina Stingrays

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Undrafted rookie defenseman Steven Spinell(78) will start his pro career in Boston Bruins‘ prospect system on reassignment to ECHL affiliate South Carolina Stingrays.

He was originally in development and training camps before being cut and sent to their main farm team, Providence Bruins.

The 6’2″ 216 lbs. blue liner signed a 2-way AHL contract and looks to be on the short list for an early season recall.

He’s never really been known to put up big numbers on the score sheet but in four years of college hockey at Miami University, the 23-year old won an NCAA Championship in 2011 and he was a combined +60 rating through 149 games.

This will definitely be an interesting player to watch in the upcoming season.

11Aug

Ryan Hayes(18) Stockton Thunder

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Undrafted 3rd year right wing Ryan Hayes(18) played for three different ECHL teams last season after being involved in a pair of trades that eventually brought him to Stockton Thunder to finish out the remainder of 2012/2013.

And what a finish it was. In 12 games he scored 5 goals and added another 6 assists bringing his totals to 14-13-27 in 40, which was under what he put up in his rookie campaign but close and in 23 less games played.

Great marks all around for the only 5’9″ 185 lbs. forward but once it hit playoff hockey time he stepped his scoring output to the next level.

In 23 Kelly Cup postseason match-ups he was able to strike for 9 tallies and 15 helpers while going a +8, good enough for 2nd overall in scoring.

Those postseason numbers were in line with what he attained in 22 OHL playoff games with Plymouth Whalers (12-13-25).

Very smartly Stockton taps into his scoring performance for another season signing him to a one-year deal.

It won’t be surprising to see the 24-year old earn his first AHL call-up or appear in a higher league training camp.

10Aug

Dustin Stevenson(9) WBS Penguins

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Undrafted 4th year giant-sized defenseman Dustin Stevenson(9) signs a 1-year deal to join Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins for 2013/2014.

After his 3-year entry level contract with Washington Capitals was up, he was not qualified for the upcoming season and became an unrestricted free agent.

The 6’5″ 220 lbs. d-man was always in the parent club’s training camp and released to AHL‘s Hershey Bears but never found a roster spot and reassigned double A affiliates.

He has skated in 200 ECHL contests (3 goals, 26 assists) in his first two years with South Carolina Stingrays and won a Kelly Cup Championship last season with Reading Royals.

His game has never been about scoring. He’s seen as more of a steady, shutdown blue liner that’s tough to play against.

The soon-to-be 24-year old did however connect for a goal and 8 assists in 22 playoff match-ups with a +17 rating. He also put up big points in 3 seasons of Saskatchewan junior hockey, so it’s possible those offensive abilities have been kick started and will blossom in his new environment.

25Jun

Brent Henley(44) Nottingham Panthers

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Giant-sized 6’7″ 249 lbs., undrafted 11th year defenseman Brent Henley(44) will don the jersey of his 21st pro hockey team, when he jumps shores to continue his career in the EIHL with Nottingham Panthers for 2013/2014.

He has skated most of his time in the ECHL amassing 248 games and 1189 penalty minutes in the league, while posting 9 goals and 38 assists.

He’s also played in 114 AHL contests, most recently last season in 5 appearances with Lake Erie Monsters.

The 32-year old was a member of Fort Wayne Komets through three different leagues, playing 164 games and won a pair of titles with the team, 2008 IHL Turners Cup and 2012 Central Hockey League President’s Cup.

Most awesomely though, he started his career with Colorado Gold Kings of the WCHL in 2001/2002.

15Apr

Hunter Bishop (11)

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Undrafted, 2nd year left wing Hunter Bishop(11) signed with South Carolina Stingrays to begin 2012/2013 after an injury put him on the sidelines for all of the previous season.

It just so happened to be the final year of his 2-year entry level deal with Montreal Canadiens.

He became an unrestricted free agent at the end of the contract.

He put up great numbers: 2 goals and 3 assists in 9 games with minor league affiliate Hamilton Bulldogs, when he joined the team after leaving his college career at Ohio State University on the shelf.

Come Calder Cup Playoff time though, he was unable to duplicate the success scoring only one assist in 12 contests.

The 6′ 196 lbs. forward started his rookie season on the injured reserve list and was reassigned to Wheeling Nailers, when he was ready to return and duplicated his output on an ato in higher league just six months earlier.

He was recalled and stuck in the AHL through the entire campaign but was limited to only 4 goals and 4 assists in 34 games.

The 25-year old struck stats gold again in the ECHL with the Stingrays hitting the back of the net on 24 occasions and offering up 25 helpers in 48 games.

He finished the season as their leading scorer with a +13 rating.

He received a brief pair of call-ups to Lake Erie Monsters and Rochester Americans but was held scoreless.

It wasn’t until a couple of months ago that he found another home in the AHL with Manchester Monarchs.

He has been with the club for 21 games on a pto putting up 3 goals and 2 assists (another 5 point mark).

He meshes well with team chemistry and will likely play out the regular season, or return home to Alaska as his lower league team was bounced from the playoff picture in the first round.

He is likely to be on an AHL roster out of training camp in 2013/2014.

07Apr

Ryan Grimshaw(32) South Carolina Stingrays

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Undrafted, rookie defenseman Ryan Grimshaw(32) signed a deal to join Trenton Titans to start the first full season of his pro career.

He inked an ato with them after his college playing career playing three games with the team.

The 6′ 195 lbs. hard-nosed blue liner attended Toronto Marlies‘ training camp on an invite but was reassigned to the ECHL at the start of the season.

In 23 games he registed 3 goals and 3 assists before being recalled to the AHL at the beginning of the new calendar year.

On a pto with the Marlies, he proved he deserved a place on the roster in 16 games of gritty play and was upped to an spc to finish out the 2012/2013 season.

While up in the higher league, his rights were traded to South Carolina Stingrays to complete an earlier season swap.

He was recently reassigned to help them in their bid for the Kelly Cup.

The 23-year former Harvard Crimson captain will likely be back soon as it appears the quest for ECHL excellence will end in the first round.