St. John's IceCaps | CollegeHockeyPlayers

07May

Iiro Tarkki(35) Salavat Yulaev

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Finnish-born, undrafted Syracuse Crunch rookie goaltender Iiro Tarkki(35) put up some pretty impressive numbers in his first season of AHL action with a 24-17 win/loss record and a 2.45 gaa and .925 SV%. He played less well against a loaded St. John’s IceCaps‘ team in the opening round of the Calder Cup Playoffs.

He was signed to a one-year entry level deal by Anaheim Ducks and appeared in one game for them getting his first NHL win in his only game, but he also let up a goal on the first shot he faced and was lit up for another 2 in only 9 more in the two periods he played in relief. It just so happened the Ducks popped in 7 goals to get him the W.

We honestly think he didn’t want to spend another year in the minors so decided to sign on with Salavat Yulaev of the KHL and work that angle. He started his career playing three years for the top league in his own country.

At 26-years old, he may just be one of those late-bloomers, because he seems to have a pretty good skill set.

26Apr

Riley Holzapfel(26) Syracuse Crunch

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Love this minor (league) detail when the AHL Calder Cup Eastern Conference Quarterfinals Playoff match-ups were set.

4th year center Riley Holzapfel(26) was traded from Winnipeg Jets‘ affiliate St. John’s IceCaps to Anaheim Ducks AHL team, Syracuse Crunch for Maxime Macenauer.

In 28 games with the Crunch he has 8 goals and 14 assists but nothing in the postseason as of yet.

At 6’3″ 190 lbs. the Atlanta Thrashers/Winnipeg Jets‘ 2nd round pick in the 2003 draft (#43 overall), the 23-year old can get in there and get points but he sometimes plays more of a finesse game than he should considering his size.

Macenauer has only appeared in one of the 3 games, an IceCaps‘ loss but looks to be on the team that will continue their playoff push.

06Apr

Paul Postma(4) Winnipeg Jets

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St. John’s IceCaps‘ 3rd year defenseman Paul Postma(4) was picked as an 2011/2012 AHL First All-Star Team.

In 55 games he has registered 13 goals and 31 assists, including three game winning tallies.

He played a career high 3 games with Winnipeg Jets this season but in 4 games total has still yet to get his first NHL point.

He is currently on the final year of his 3-year entry level deal.

In 3 AHL seasons the 6’3″ 195 lbs. 23-year old has skated in 187 games scoring 40 goals and 78 assists.

23Mar

Ben Chiarot(18) St. John’s IceCaps

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Rookie defenseman Ben Chiarot(18) started the season with St. John’s IceCaps and played 14 games registering a goal and an assist.

In late January he was reassigned to their ECHL affiliate Colorado Eagles, where he’s fit in nicely, helping the team win scoring 6 goals and 7 assists in 24 games.

The big 6’3″ 222 lbs. blue liner was an Atlanta Thrashers/Winnipeg Jets‘ 4th round pick in the 2009 draft (#120 overall).

He was recently recalled back to St. John’s probably to tune up a bit in the higher league and give some of their regulars a rest as they have already punch their ticket into the Calder Cup Playoffs.

Chances are good that the 20-year old won’t be going back to Loveland, CO unless the IceCaps are given a swift exit from the postseason.

05Mar

Shawn Weller(23) Texas Stars

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5th year right wing Shawn Weller(23) found himself in the uncomfortable scenario of getting traded from the first place St. John’s IceCaps in the AHL Eastern Conference to Texas Stars, who sit in last place of the Western Conference.

It was a deal that enabled some room for the IceCaps to pick up one of the Stars players on reassignment as some teams rework their lineups as the Calder Cup Playoffs approach.

He already had AHL career highs in points (24) and assists (14) and was heading towards his best year for goals (10 in 41 games) in a season as well.

Originally an Ottawa Senators‘ 3rd round pick in the 2004 draft (#77 overall), the 25-year old has consistently shown improved skating and puck handling abilities to go along with his average-sized 6’2″ 205 lbs. frame that he uses all of on the ice.

The move may land him another NHL deal and could put him in a big league game before too long.

03Mar

Brock Trotter(9) St. John’s IceCaps

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25-year old undrafted 5th year center BrockTrotter(9) moves for a second time in the 2011/2012 season. He was acquired by Phoenix Coyotes at the beginning of the year in a three player and draft pick deal and sent to their AHL affiliate Portland Pirates.

In 35 games he has 12 goals and 19 assists but is a dismal -11 plus/minus.

He spent the 1st three years of his pro career signed with Montreal Canadiens to a three-year entry level contract. In the final year of that deal, he put up 36 goals and 41 goals in 75 games and went a mighty +33 on ice.

You can bet that he was looking for a one-way contract after that kind of season. Although in a pair of games with Montreal he didn’t register a point and went a -1.

For 2010/2011 he decided to sign in the KHL and played pretty well for Riga Dynamo but was offered a one-year, two-way contract with the Canadiens again and decided to return to North American hockey.

Now he has been reassigned in an AHL player swap by Phoenix to St. John’s Ice Caps for the remainder of the season and if healthy will play against his former teams before the end of the year and possibly in the Calder Cup Playoffs.

26Feb

Ben Maxwell(49) St. John’s Ice Caps

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4th year center has been on a bit of a roller coaster ride between a few teams this season, but has settled in pretty well in his AHL home with St. John’s Ice Caps, scoring 7 goals and 10 assists in 26 games.

He started 2011/2012 with Winnipeg Jets and appeared in 4 games before being waived for reassignment in mid-November, only to get picked up by Anaheim Ducks.

He skated in 6 games with them picking up an assist before he was sent down and reclaimed by the Jets.

Originally a Montreal Canadiens‘ 2nd round pick in the 2006 draft (#49 overall), he played 20 NHL games but spent most of his time with their affiliate Hamilton Bulldogs.

He was sent to Atlanta Thrashers before the trade deadline and scored his 1st NHL goal last season.

Tough to say when he’ll get another look in the show.

He’ll likely have to ignite that scoring touch and play a bit tougher of a game to stick.

01Feb

Spencer Machacek (10)

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4th year right wing Spencer Machacek(10) was originally selected by Atlanta Thrashers/Winnipeg Jets in the 3rd round of 2007 draft (#67 overall).

He’s been in their system ever since he signed a 3-year two-way entry level deal with the team, followed by accepting their qualifying offer to stay for 2011/2012.

In the AHL he’s put up 50 points give or take in each of his first three seasons and is on course to achieve that again this year with St. John’s IceCaps.

He has 11 goals and 23 assists in 44 games.

Recently recalled, he skated in his first NHL game with Winnipeg Jets.

In 13 games he has yet to register a point and will likely need to step it up when he gets his opportunities or find a new home for 2012/2013.

He’s still only 23-years old though.

30Jan

Edward Pasquale(40) St. John’s IceCaps

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2nd year Atlanta Thrashers/Winnipeg Jets‘ 2009 4th round pick (#117 overall) goaltender Edward Pasquale(40) looks to put up career highs this season playing very impressively for their AHL Eastern Conference leading affiliate St. John’s IceCaps.

In 16 games he has a 10-6 record with a 2.88 GAA and a so so .897 SV% but he’s been very focused and tough to beat in net the couple of starts we’ve seen him play recently. He notched his 1st shutout of 2011/2012 last weekend going into the AHL All-Star Game break.

He split his rookie season with Chicago Wolves and Gwinnett Gladiators of the ECHL and played decently for both.

28Jan

Aaron Gagnon (25)

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Originally a Phoenix Coyotes‘ 8th round pick in the 2004 draft (#240 overall), center Aaron Gagnon(25) got his first crack at the big league a couple of seasons ago, while under contract with Dallas Stars.

In 21 games over two seasons, he registered 0 goals and a pair of assists.

He mostly skated with their AHL affiliate Texas Stars and has played over 250 career games, picking up 57 goals and 78 assists with 4 different teams.

Winnipeg Jets signed him to a one-year, two-way contract just after free agency began.

In 33 games this season with St. John’s IceCaps he has 8 goals and 12 assists but as a 5th year pro plays with a sense of purpose and accountability out there.

He was recently call-up for his first taste of NHL this year but was quickly returned as the team went into a low period off for the All-Star break.

In the game, which all his IceCaps‘ teammates attended he skated 12 shifts for 8:38 of ice time and went a -1 plus/minus.