Stockton Thunder | CollegeHockeyPlayers

25Apr

Alan Quine(22) Stockton Thunder

Posted in AHL, ECHL, NHL | Leave a comment

New York Islanders‘ 6th round pick in the 2013 draft (#166 overall) rookie left wing Alan Quine(22) was ready to sign his three-year entry level contract and turn pro immediately upon being selected a second time.

He was originally a Detroit Red Wings‘ 3rd round pick in 2011 (#85 overall) but was left to go back into the pool.

He did however appear in training camp and skated three games at the end of 2012 with Grand Rapids Griffins but somewhere along the line they lost interest.

No worries, he put up some nifty rookie season numbers in the AHL with Bridgeport Sound Tigers, scoring 9 goals and 18 assists. On the downside, he was a -24 but matters deteriorated on a number of occasions through the 61 games he suited up for.

Reassigned near the end of his first season, he was sent down to join ECHL affiliate Stockton Thunder for 7 games, which was enough to keep him skating into the postseason.

The 5’11” 190 lbs. forward produced at a point-per-game clip in the lower league, getting 2 goals and half a dozen helpers in 7 games.

He only has one tally in 3 Kelly Cup Playoff games but he’s on a team that looks to go deep and will very likely add more points to that start.

2014/2015 will be an important season that should help better define the type of player the still young 21-year old will become.

20Apr

Joey Martin (14)

Posted in AHL, ECHL | Leave a comment

Stockton Thunder undrafted center Joey Martin(10) posted career highs for games played, assists and points in his third ECHL season.

He skated in 66 contests, scoring one less goal than he did as a rookie, with 21 tallies and a new record 45 helpers, 66 points; all team leading offensive totals.

He also managed to tie his AHL scoring mark in 2013/2014 with a pair of goals on loan to affiliate Bridgeport Sound Tigers; and his 2 assists for 4 points with a +3 rating in 9 games were new personal bests.

He’s skated in higher league games in each of his years.

The 5’10” 174 lbs. forward is now once again lighting up the postseason score sheet and will undoubtedly eclipse his former totals as in just 2 games he has already evened up with his 5 points, including a new best 4 assists.

09Apr

Andrey Pedan(3) Bridgeport Sound Tigers

Posted in AHL, ECHL | Leave a comment

New York Islanders‘ 3rd round pick in the 2011 draft (#63 overall), extra large 6’4″ 215 lbs. Russian-born defenseman Andrey Pedan(3) missed a good portion of his rookie season with minor league affiliate Bridgeport Sound Tigers due to an upper body injury that put him on the sidelines for almost three months.

Appearing in only 25 AHL games, he still was able to connect for 5 goals and 5 assists while playing a punishing shutdown style in his own zone.

His -1 rating is also nicely accountable on a team with a league second worst goal differential.

He’s been in the parent club’s training camps ever since he was selected but returned to junior hockey as a teenager, where he skated a few seasons with Guelph Storm before signing his three-year entry level deal.

No doubt this is a player that has been widely scouted, as he was a first round grab in both the 2010 KHL and OHL drafts.

He obviously decided to try his skates on North American ice for a shot at the NHL.

The 20-year old may return to the farm club for a full year of development in 2014/2015, but could very well be on the short list for a recall, especially if he continues to display more of his offense-minded upside.

03Oct

Gabriel Levesque(12) Quad City Mallards

Posted in AHL, ECHL | Leave a comment

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.

04Sep

Matt Bergland(17) Stockton Thunder

Posted in ECHL | Leave a comment

Undrafted, 2nd year left wing signs on for another season with ECHL Stockton Thunder.

In his rookie campaign he skated in 59 games scoring 11 goals and 18 assists with a +6 rating. He added another 6 goals and 4 helpers in 22 playoff games all the way to the 2013 Kelly Cup Finals.

The 5’11” 181 lbs. forward doesn’t look like the biggest guy on the ice but he’s starting his pro career much the same way he did in his first season with Providence College Friars. He posted his best point totals as a first year guy but they continued to decline until graduating.

He’ll definitely be looking to avoid a sophomore slump but chances are the 23-year old will continue to step up his game.

17Aug

Thomas Heemskerk(33) Quad City Mallards

Posted in AHL, ECHL, NHL | Leave a comment

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.

11Aug

Ryan Hayes(18) Stockton Thunder

Posted in AHL, ECHL | Leave a comment

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.

05Aug

Nathan Deck(8) Stockton Thunder

Posted in AHL, ECHL | Leave a comment

3rd year, undrafted defenseman Nathan Deck(8) will return to Stockton Thunder for another season.

He has signed three 1-year deals with the team but spent the majority of 2012/2013 in the AHL with Oklahoma City Barons.

Initially recalled in December and signed to a pto he was upped to an spc on Valentine’s Day. He marked his first league goal and 7 assists in 33 contests.

The 5’11” 185 lbs. blue liner was on the roster to start the postseason with OKC but was returned to the Thunder for their run that took them all the way to the last round. He skated 8 games through the Western Conference and Kelly Cup Finals scoring a goal and three assists.

In 88 ECHL games he has a tidy 14 tallies and 34 helpers with a +18 rating.

The still very young 23-year old has always shown he can be an offensive threat, an attribute he showed in juniors with Prince Albert Raiders compiling 96 assists in 4 years.

It would be no surprise to see him score an AHL training camp invite.

27Jul

Matt Reber(10) Fife Flyers

Posted in ECHL | Leave a comment

Undrafted 3rd year center Matt Reber(10) has decided it’s time to take his game overseas after making it to the 2013 Kelly Cup Finals with Stockton Thunder.

The 6’2″ 185 lbs. forward spent a year and a half with the team after being traded half way through the 2011/2012 season by Utah Grizzlies, where he signed after completing four years of college hockey at Dartmouth. He connected big out of the gate in his first pro postseason visit with 3 goals and 7 assists in 8 games.

He settled down some in his pair of minor league seasons, scoring 20 goals and 52 assists in 122 ECHL games.

The 26-year old signed a one year deal to join Fife Flyers of the EIHL for 2013/2014.

It’s seems likely that he detonates the score sheet in the English hockey league.

26Jul

Garet Hunt (24)

Posted in AHL, ECHL | Leave a comment

Undrafted left wing Garet Hunt(24) re-signs for his 6th pro season with Stockton Thunder, the only pro team he’s ever been under contract with.

He has skated in 314 ECHL regular season games and was named their 2012/2013 captain, going all the way to the Kelly Cup Finals.

The 25-year old has skated in 10 AHL games, 1 during his rookie campaign with Springfield Falcons and in his third year he actually was on the opening night roster with Worcester Sharks.

That stint lasted 9 games and he got his first point in the league, an assist.

He also totaled 35 penalty minutes, a leader distinction he held in the ECHL last season with a mark of 235.

The almost irony of that number is he’s used to put up closer to or over 250 pims in a season and has over 1200 career.

The small but sturdy, scrappy style 5’8″ 190 lbs. forward pays the price out there and also shows the ability at least on this level to help out on the score sheet as well.

He has 37 goals and a handy 65 assists with only a -6 rating, which is low for a guy that spends as much time in the box as he does.