St. Louis Blues | CollegeHockeyPlayers

25Jan

Andrew Agozzino(11) Lake Erie Monsters

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Lake Erie Monsters‘ undrafted rookie left wing Andrew Agozzino(11) signed a one-year AHL contract with the team to start his pro career.

He’s quickly put up 13 goals and 22 assists in 42 games, which ties him for the team lead in scoring.

He is also a big +15 plus/minus.

At 5’9″ 185 lbs., he’s fairly unassuming out there but obviously sees the ice well and can get the puck to another player for a scoring situation or put the biscuit in the basket on his own.

The under-sized forward consistently put up points in the OHL and was Niagara IceDogs‘ team captain in his last two and a half seasons (one as an over-ager).

He also led them in scoring for three straight campaigns.

The 21-year old did attend a St. Louis Blues‘ prospect camp and suited up for their minor league affiliate Peoria Rivermen at the end of 2010 but that situation failed to go any further.

He was also invited to a Tampa Bay Lightning development camp.

Look for him to score an NHL deal (likely of the two-way variety), maybe not with parent club Colorado Avalanche, but he should latch on with some big league club, especially if he continues to tear up the scoresheet.

He was chosen to participate in the upcoming AHL All-Star Game.

15Jan

Bryce Lampman(27) Portland Pirates

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Originally a New York Rangers‘ 4th round pick in the 2001 draft (#113 overall) defenseman Bryce Lampman(27) is probably best known for his days with their then farm club, Hartford Wolf Pack. He played 287 AHL regular and postseason games with the team and had two 25 point seasons.

He spent the last couple of years skating with a pair of teams in the German Elite League (DEL) before returning to North America to play in 2012/2013 with the first year ECHL Orlando Solar Bears.

In 21 games, the 30-year old blue liner could be on a bit of a scoring tear with three goals and 9 assists. He could realize career highs on the scoresheet if he’s not careful.

He was recently signed to a pto by Portland Pirates as some of their regulars abandoned them for NHL training camps.

The last time the fairly steady 6’1″ 200 pounder played in the AHL was a cup of coffee a couple of years ago with Houston Aeros but the year prior he was on the ice for 54 games with Peoria Rivermen, where he had a 20 point season.

He has dressed for 10 NHL games (all with the Blueshirts, of course) with no points.

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.

21Apr

David Rundblad(2) Phoenix Coyotes

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Swedish-born, 21-year old rookie defenseman David Rundblad(2) started his first season on the blue line with Ottawa Senators and appeared in 24 games scoring his first NHL goal and 3 assists with them before being traded to Phoenix Coyotes in a deal that has maybe paid more immediate dividends for the Senators, as they got Kyle Turris.

The Coyotes only utilized him in 6 regular season games in the 2011/2012 season, but he added another 3 assists to his first year totals.

In 30 AHL games with Portland Pirates, he managed 7 goals and 9 assists but was a not so good -18 plus/minus.

At 6’2″ 190 lbs. he definitely looks like he has good size out there but easily needs to add more muscle and grit into his game to fulfill the promise of being a St. Louis Blues‘ 1st round pick in the 2009 draft (#17 overall). He signed with them but got dished to Ottawa in what amounted to mostly a deal of draft picks.

He was just recalled to join Phoenix in their Stanley Cup run, which is closing in on a first round victory, but it’s doubtful he’ll see any game time action with the depth they have on d.

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.

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.

16Feb

Jeff Woywitka(2) New York Rangers

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9th year New York Rangers‘ defenseman Jeff Woywitka(2) has been in and out of the lineup and injured this season, seeing action in 26 games. He’s on the scoring sheet with a goal and 5 assists and a modest +2 plus/minus.

He was plucked off waivers from Montreal Canadiens early in the season and signed to fill the role as an alternate defenseman.

To start February, he was sent down to get some playing time in the AHL with Connecticut Whale on a conditioning stint. He appeared in 6 games and had three assists to help the team get back into the win column after going on a terrible losing skid.

Now that he has been recalled it will be interesting to see if he’ll be able to find his way back into a lineup that has settled very nicely for the Eastern Conference leaders.

He was originally a Philadelphia Flyers 1st round pick in the 2001 draft (#27 overall). He has played 277 NHL games, recording 9 goals and 55 assists.

01Jan

Jon DiSalvatore(14) Houston Aeros

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Houston Aeros‘ captain and 9 year veteran left winger, Jon DiSalvatore(14) earned his first NHL call-up since the 2005-2006 season when he was with St. Louis Blues.

This was only his sixth ever game in the big league. He skated a total of 14:27 including time on the power play and had 2 shots on net and 2 penalty minutes. He was reassigned back to the Aeros the next day.

In 635 AHL games he has 188 goals and 269 assists. He has scored 20 or more goals in all of his previous 8 pro seasons and looks to be on his way to a 9th consecutive 20 goal campaign as he already has 10 in 33 games.

He was originally a 4th round pick in the 2000 draft by San Jose Sharks (#104 overall).