St. John's IceCaps | CollegeHockeyPlayers

14Jan

Ivan Telegin (22)

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After refusing to start his sophomore campaign with minor league affiliate St. John’s IceCaps, Winnipeg Jets‘ Russian-born left wing Ivan Telegin(22) is being loaned back to his native country to skate in the KHL with CSKA Moskva for the balance of the regular season.

Originally an Atlanta Thrashers‘ 4th round pick in the 2010 draft (#101 overall), he only managed to play in 34 AHL games in his rookie year due to concussion symptoms that dragged on into the off-season.

He posted 3 goals and 7 assists in his limited time on ice.

In his three seasons of OHL junior hockey with a pair of teams he was over a point-per-game player.

The fairly large 6’3″ 198 lbs. forward is signed to a three-year entry level deal through 2015 but may only lace up his skates again in North America if he’s traded.

For now it’s a wait and see process for the 21-year old’s future.

31Dec

Adam Lowry(47) St. John’s IceCaps

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Winnipeg Jets‘ 3rd round pick in the 2011 draft (#66 overall) rookie center Adam Lowry(47) has all the size and skill set to become a power forward in the NHL but needs to prove his worth first with minor league affiliate St. John’s IceCaps before he gets his opportunity.

The 6’5″ 205 lbs. skater has 3 goals and 4 assists in 23 AHL games with a -3 rating but is always positioning himself in the middle of the action, using his extra large frame to control the puck.

He was awarded WHL Player Of The Year for 2012/2013, tallying 88 points (45 goals, 43 assists) with a +18 rating and 102 penalty minutes for a well-rounded campaign.

In four seasons of junior hockey with Swift Current Broncos, he was very nearly a point-per-game player and served as team captain in his final run.

The still very young 20-year old is signed to a three year entry level contract and may never quite get the point production expected of him but when he receives his recall he’ll likely never look back.

20Nov

Brenden Kichton (8)

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Double draft pick (most recently Winnipeg Jets‘ 7th round in the 2013 draft, #190overall) rookie defenseman Brenden Kichton(8) was making a huge splash on the back line in his last few years of juniors with Spokane Chiefs.

He managed 240 assists in 202 WHL games, good enough for most helpers in the league from 2010-2012 and lead all d-men in points those years as well.

It’s surprising his number slipped so far down in the most recent draft, especially considering his offensive explosion.

He was originally taken by New York Islanders in the 5th round of 2011 (#127 overall) but failed to work out a contract with the team.

The 6′ 190 lbs. blue liner was also invited to join Detroit Red Wings‘ prospect camp in 2010.

He was reassigned to Winnipeg‘s minor league affiliate St. John’s IceCaps to start his debut campaign and has continued to effectively head man the puck for scoring chances.

In 17 AHL games he has 2 goals and 9 assists with a +5 rating.

Signed to a three-year entry level deal, the 21-year old looks to have a bright future ahead of him and will likely realize his first NHL recall this season.

28Oct

Cody Lampl(32) Saint John’s IceCaps

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Undrafted 5th year Idaho-born defenseman Cody Lampl(32) pulls a go figure move to begin the 2013/2014 season.

Under contract for another campaign with Toledo Walleye of the ECHL after a successful run, reaching a career high 6 goals and tying his point total of 15, he looked to build on the success and was invited to join St. John’s IceCaps‘ training camp.

One thing leads to another and by early October he finds himself on the an AHL roster.

In 8 games, the 5’11” 183 lbs. blue liner has yet to hit the score sheet with a -2 rating but definitely doesn’t look a bit out of place.

He has 214 ECHL games, first for a pair of seasons with hometown team Idaho Steelheads and then he moved slightly more east for a year with Utah Grizzlies.

To his credit he’s scored 8 goals and 49 assists with a +9 plus/minus.

The 27-year old played four years at Colorado College after three seasons in the USHL en route to turning pro.

However this story ends up it’s already a good one.

07Aug

Jason Gregoire(17) Södertälje

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3rd year unrestricted free agent left wing Jason Gregoire(17) signs a one-year deal to join second tier Swedish pro league team, Södertälje in Allsvenskan for the 2013/2014 season.

He was originally a New York Islanders‘ 3rd round draft pick in 2007 (#76 overall) but never signed and instead inked a two-year entry level contract with his hometown team, Winnipeg Jets. He was not given a qualifying offer to continue in the prospect system.

The 5’11” forward was virtually a point per game player in 3 years at University of North Dakota and won an NCAA Championship in ’09 and ’10. He was also selected twice to the All-Academic Team.

Upon turning pro he spent two seasons in the AHL with affiliate St. John’s IceCaps.

He skated in a career high 60 games, posting sophomore season marks slightly above what he had in his rookie campaign with 10 goals and 18 points, but his two-year totals at 16-16 in 104 may have been a bit underwhelming.

The still very young 24-year old will probably light the lamp big in Europe and progress to greater heights overseas and could return to North America in the future.

17Jul

Will O’Neill(23) St. John’s IceCaps

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2nd year defenseman Will O’Neill(23) signed a 1-year entry level deal for 2012/2013 with Winnipeg Jets after completing his college playing career at University Of Maine, where he was team captain and had a knack for feeding scoring chances.

He was originally an Atlanta Thrashers‘ 7th round pick back in 2006 (#210 overall) before he started a couple of seasons in the USHL, American junior hockey with Omaha Lancers.

The 6’1″ 205 lbs. blue liner played 59 games with AHL affiliate St. John’s IceCaps last season, scoring 3 goals and 18 assists. He had also joined them on an ato to finish out 2011/2012 and notched his first professional hockey tally.

Heading into the new year, the 25-year was set to become an unrestricted free agent.

The IceCaps took care of that inking him to a one-year contract to stay with the team. He could also score himself an invite to the parent club’s training camp.

16Jun

Josh Lunden(42) St. John’s IceCaps

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Third year, undrafted left wing Josh Lunden(42) spent most of last season, first in training camp, then on a pair of pto’s with St. John’s IceCaps. In 31 games, he notched 8 goals and 10 assists playing mostly energy line roles.

In his sophomore campaign he was recalled for AHL games by three different times.

He has been signed for the last two seasons with Las Vegas Wranglers. He also appeared with the team during his rookie season, reassigned while under a one-year entry level contract with Phoenix Coyotes.

The 6’2″ 202 lbs. forward also participated in their 2010 training camp.

In 79 ECHL games he’s pocketed a nifty 33 goals and 36 helpers.

The 27-year old earned a well-deserved one-year contract with the IceCaps for 2013/2014, where he should be able to continue to step up his game.

07Jun

Tomas Kubalik(19) HC Lev Praha

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3rd year, Czech Republic-born right wing Tomas Kubalik(19) was originally a Columbus Blue Jackets‘ 5th round pick in the 2008 draft (#135 overall), signed to a three-year entry level deal.

He was playing in his third season with their AHL team, Springfield Falcons, where in the last couple seasons his point production had slipped to a level that was equal to the totals of his rookie campaign.

Although part of that story can be attributed to the injury bug that seemed to follow him.

Reports suggested the 6’3″ 220 lbs. skater with all the attributes of a power forward wanted out of town, because he wasn’t get a fair shot with the parent club.

In 12 NHL games over a couple of seasons he had one goal and three assists with a -6 rating.

He was involved in a late season trade of minor league players with Winnipeg Jets that had him reassigned to their affiliate St. John’s IceCaps for the remainder of his contract.

He only connected for 3 assists in 10 games, which resulted in at least a couple of games as a healthy scratch.

The 23-year old, who has been playing pro hockey since he was 16, was set to become a restricted free agent but decided it’s time to take his game back overseas, signing a 1-year deal to join HC Lev Praha of the KHL.

One has to think if he is able to connect there, he may be invited back for another go at the North American style game.

19Apr

Brayden Irwin(29) Florida Everblades

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Undrafted, 3rd year giant-sized center Brayden Irwin(29) was released from his pto with Norfolk Admirals and returned to Florida Everblades to help them with another Kelly Cup run.

The 6’5″ 219 lbs. forward has seen action in 20 AHL games in 2012/2013 scoring 4 goals and adding 4 assists.

In 38 ECHL games, he’s struck for 14 goals and 15 assists. He also won last year’s championship with the team, registering 6 goals and 7 assists in 17 postseasons contests on the way to victory.

Originally signed to a 2-year entry level deal with Toronto Maple Leafs, he played his only pair of NHL games directly after wrapping up his collegiate career at University Of Vermont.

From there he skated 45 games with their minor league affiliate Toronto Marlies before becoming an unrestricted free agent.

The 26-year attended St. John’s IceCaps‘ training camp but was released and rejoined Florida for another campaign.

10Apr

Cody Sol (41)

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Big as a redwood, Winnipeg Jets‘ rookie defenseman Cody Sol(41) scored his first AHL goal to go along with 3 assists in his 21st game for minor league affiliate St. John’s IceCaps.

He started his first pro season in the ECHL with Colorado Eagles (5 goals, 3 assists, 25 games) and has been recalled three times with the most recent one occurring in mid-February; and from there he’s stuck with the team.

The absolutely massive 6’6″ 242 lbs. d-man is signed for another season on a three-year entry level deal, one of which appears to have been paid even though he spent the season in his final skate in juniors with Kitchener Rangers of the OHL.

He was originally an Atlanta Thrashers‘ (r.i.p.) 5th round pick in the 2009 draft (#125 overall) and actually played a single game with then affiliate Chicago Wolves at the end of 2010.

At 22-years of age, there’s literally no where to go but up. He plays with all the grit and fight you’d want from a player with his size, but still seems to be finding the finer points of his game.

It’s still officially only his debut season and with the goal we’re sure more confidence follows.