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Tagged: Syracuse Crunch

07Sep

Philippe Paradis(63) Syracuse Crunch

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Syracuse Crunch center Philippe Paradis(63) was held pointless in 12 Calder Cup Playoff games until he finally erupted with a hat trick in the team’s Eastern Conference Finals‘ clinching 7-0 victory over Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.

Originally a Carolina Hurricanes‘ 1st round pick in the 2009 draft (#29 overall) he was traded to Toronto Maple Leafs before he could ever take the ice for the team as a prospect.

He lasted only four games with Toronto Marlies, scoring a pair of assists before he changed hands quickly a second time, becoming property of Chicago Blackhawks.

He started with their minor league affiliate Rockford IceHogs much like he did the previous season on an ato after finishing up his last junior campaign in the QMJHL with PEI Rocket.

The 6’2″ 209 lbs. forward was signed to a three-year entry level contract and spent his rookie season in the AHL.

He continued to ply his trade in the league to start his sophomore run but when he was either playing too diminished a role or failing to put up the numbers found himself reassigned to Toledo Walleye of the ECHL for a short, five-game run tallying no points before being returned.

Once again trade bait and shuffled off to Tampa Bay Lightning‘s organization just before the deadline, he started up right away with their minor league affiliate and in 8 games leading up to the postseason contributed only an assist.

He’s still not seeing a lot of minutes on the ice but has been pretty much consistently in the lineup. Nothing like answering the bell at the right time to keep the parent club interested.

The 22-year year old has one year left on his deal after which he becomes an restricted free agent at the end of next season.

Original story: 6/2-13

He would post AHL career 6 goals and 9 assists for 15 points in 56 games but that’s still far short of the marks he put up in his last three years of juniors.

Although maybe still short of what is expected it was enough to earn him another one-year look.

For 2014/2015 he increased goals scored to a still modest 8 and tied those 15 points from the previous campaign but was also a surprising nice +10 rating in just 34 games due to a late season injury that shortened his progress.

Entering his second restricted free agency, Tampa Bay has decided to continue watching the 24-year old possibly thinking he’s late to develop.

26Aug

Mathieu Carle(27) Adler Mannheim

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After 5 seasons of towing the blue line in the AHL 25-year old Montreal Canadiens‘ 2nd round pick in the 2006 draft (#53 overall), Mathieu Carle(27) reportedly will leave North American hockey for some Russian action with Dinamo Riga in the KHL in 2012/2013. He would have been a restricted agent with Anaheim Ducks in line for a qualifying offer.

He’s appeared in 296 AHL games with Hamilton Bulldogs before he was traded and reassigned last season to Syracuse Crunch.

The 6’0 206 lbs. d-man is almost always an effective plus player on the ice, this season notching a +7. He also had career highs in games played (72), assists (31) and points (37).

He’s only ever appeared in 3 NHL games with the Canadiens but you know what? He went a +1. Good luck to him.

Original story: 5/6-12

He would play most of the 2012/2013 season in the KHL but very close to the end of his first visit overseas signed to play the remainder of the year in the Swiss’ NLA with Geneve Survette HC and even skated 7 postseason games helping out on three assists.

For the next pair of years he had pretty good success heading back to Russia under contract with Medvescak Zagreb. In 81 games he had 5 goals and 31 assists.

As he enters his 9th pro season he trades in one country for another on a third occasion and will try his hand in DEL with Adler Mannheim.

The pretty tough guy defensive styled game the 28-year old plays should do quite well here.

21Aug

Patrick Cullity(3) Missouri Mavericks

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2nd year undrafted defenseman Patrick Cullity(22) scored his 1st AHL goal (to go along with a pair of assists) in his 27th career game, 17th this season with Springfield Falcons, who he signed a pto contract with in December. That’s either up for renewal soon or an upgrade to an spc.

He also skated in 5 games this season with Abbotsford Heat registering one assist. Two years ago he got his AHL debut with Syracuse Crunch right after he completed his college career at UVM. He’s under contract for 2011/2012 with Utah Grizzlies of the ECHL but may not be going back.

In his rookie season he played 71 games with South Carolina Stingrays, where he had a pair of goals and 15 assists while going a +14 plus/minus.

He was born in Tewksbury, MA.

9/21-12: The 25-year old signed a one-year deal with the ECHL Idaho Steelheads for 2012/2013. He ended last season scoring 1 goal and 9 assists in 49 AHL games for Springfield Falcons and Abbotsford Heat.

Original story: 2/6-12

He would start the new campaign with Idaho but upon his first recall to old friend Springfield he was offered an AHL contract. It didn’t end his time in the lower league as he was sent down and back on a few occasions.

Near the end of the season he was acquired by St. John’s IceCaps for the remainder of the schedule, playing 14 games with 2 assists to his credit. He was returned for the Kelly Cup Playoffs and he had a great showing notching 2 goals and 3 helpers in 9 match-ups.

As the 2013/2014 approached he was re-signed to a one-year deal with the IceCaps but was reassigned back to the Steelheads at the beginning of the season and stayed there.

He would play a career high 70 ECHL games scoring a best 4 goals and 28 assists for 32 points. He led the team in assists and points for d-men.

After what had to be a year of mixed emotions it didn’t take him long to realize he would be most served to stay put in the Great Pacific Northwest for a third stint.

The Falcons once again summoned him for a short term but once again the majority of his time was with Idaho, where he was an impressive +20 plus/minus.

Entering his 6th season, the now 28-year old leaves the nest and joins Missouri Mavericks for 2015/2016.

19Aug

Stefan Chaput(21) Olimpija Ljubljana

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5th year center Stefan Chaput(21) hooks up with Hamilton Bulldogs for the 2012/2013 season on a one-year AHL contract.

He missed all but 11 games with Providence Bruins last year due to hip surgery, groin, upper body, you name it. Apparently healthy once again, he’ll look to regain some of that scoring spark he had when he first came to the P-Bruins in 2010 and from his “rookie” season in the Carolina Hurricanes‘ system with Albany River Rats.

The 6′ 192 lbs. forward was originally a Canes‘ 5th round pick in 2006 (#153 overall). He’s not an overly big player and doesn’t really play that style of game but given some room he can make things happen and the Bulldogs are counting on some of that magic to reappear. He has yet to appear in an NHL game.

Original story: 9/19-12

He would start his new season on reassignment down to Wheeling Nailers, where in 15 ECHL games he scored 3 goals and 6 assists before being recalled to spend the rest of the campaign with Hamilton.

Although not what he was able to achieve in his earlier career, he still was able to do ok with 5 goals and 12 assists in 48 games but was a woeful -12 plus/minus.

It was good enough to get him another contract for 2013/2014, but when he was once again to start the new year in the lower league he decided to split signing briefly with Cornwall River Kings of the LNAH.

He received another AHL look on a pto with Utica Comets but failed to connect in three games and was released.

His next step may have been one of his most important, as he agreed to terms halfway through the season to head overseas joining Ravensburg Towerstars of DEL2.

Seemed like the right move as he found that scoring touch connecting for 9 goals and 11 assists in 16 games and added another tally and 4 more helpers in 5 playoff match-ups.

For 2014/2015 he decided to stay put in Germany but switch allegiances inking a deal with rivals Dresdner Eislowen.

He would post career highs for his new squad notching 20 goals and 34 assists for 54 points in 43 games but came up a bit empty in a short postseason.

Heading into his 8th year, the now 27-year old has decided to move on to Austria’s Erste Bank Eishockey Liga to skate with Olimpija Ljubljana, where he may be a bit more challenged to keep up those scoring stats from last season but will be a good challenge.

13Aug

Danick Gauthier(81) Wichita Thunder

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Tampa Bay Lightning rookie center Danick Gauthier(81) went undrafted but that doesn’t mean he wasn’t well sought after.

He signed a handsome three-year entry level deal after back-to-back junior hockey titles and a Memorial Cup win with Saint John Sea Dogs.

His numbers in his final year were more than a point per game.

The 6’2″ 210 lbs. forward started his pro career with minor league affiliate Syracuse Crunch but has also found himself to be a healthy scratch probably more than he wanted, playing 30 AHL games with 5 goals and 2 assists.

Recently reassigned to ECHL farm team Florida Everblades, he spent 10 days down south and pocketed 3 goals and 3 assists in 5 games.

The 21-year old has been recalled and needs to put up some numbers like he did in the lower league as the team edges closer to clinching a playoff berth.

Original story: 3/17-13

He would finish his first season with 5 goals and 5 assists in 38 games but was not inserted into the lineup for any playoff contests despite the team making it all the way to the 2013 Calder Cup Finals.

To open his sophomore campaign he would start with Florida Everblades and stayed there a month before getting the nod to come back up.

He ended splitting time between the two clubs but spent more time in the lower league.

In the final year of his contract, he once again was sent south at the onset of the season but only stayed for a few appearances before being summoned for three games, then dispatched to Wichita Thunder, where he started to bloom.

He would go on to score a career high 30 goals and 40 assists for 70 points, all team leading, with a -3 rating in 69 ECHL games. He would also put up a crazy 250 shots on net.

For 2015/2016, he’ll turn just 24-years old as the new season starts and re-signed with the Thunder hoping to continue his scoring surge.

07Aug

Igor Bobkov(35) Admiral Vladivostok

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Anaheim Ducks‘ 3rd round pick in the 2009 draft (#76 overall), 2nd year Russian goaltender Igor Bobkov(35) found himself dropping in the team’s depth chart and reassigned to ECHL affiliate Utah Grizzlies to start the final year of his 3-year entry level deal. The first season had a “slide” as he was signed but returned to junior hockey with Kingston Frontenacs.

He turned pro with a pair of AHL starts in 2011 and 4 more at the end of 2012 but officially began his rookie campaign with minor league affiliate Norfolk Admirals last year.

The gigantic 6’6″ 235 lbs. goalie has yet to put up decent numbers on this side of the ice and there’s now a bit of a logjam in net with hot prospects, so could find himself on the trading block to see if there’s any takers.

The still super-young 22-year old will either have to find his game pretty quickly at this point or return to his home country and join a KHL team. Or he could head elsewhere.

He was recently recalled to the higher league after three starts in double A hockey but ultimately may still play out the remainder of his contract in Utah.

Original story: 10/27-13

He would bounce between Ducks‘ affiliates for much 2013/2014 playing more games with better success in the lower league, but he was still signed to a one-year extension approaching restricted free agency and continued to battle to get back on the parent club’s radar.

In his new contract year though, he would play a fewest 7 games with a less than great 4.27 GAA and .852 SV% on a Norfolk team that struggled mightily.

He reached new career highs with Utah Grizzlies playing in a high 34 contests with 19 wins and 4 shutouts and continued his good play helping them get into the 2nd round of the playoffs before their exit.

At 24-years old and looking at another season working on his game in the minors, he has decided to jump ship heading home to the KHL on 2-year deal with Admiral Vladivostok.

18Jul

Gilbert Brule(7) Medvescak Zagreb

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In late November he re-signed with Arizona Coyotes and was recalled after posting 7 goals and 5 assists in 11 games with Portland.

He skated 3 NHL games but failed to connect for any points and was set to be reassigned back down.

Not wanting to spend any more time in the minors he decided not to report and he was released by the team for breach of contract.

Unable to find another suitor he would sit for the remainder of 2013/2014.

For 2014/2015 he would sign a 1-year deal with Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg. In 44 KHL games he went on to score 10 goals and 5 assists.

It was rumored he was set to leave for the league a year earlier but decided to stay in North America.

The now 28-year old will spend his second season in the KHL but switch it up to skate with Medvescak Zagreb.

17Jul

Luke Witkowski (53)

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Tampa Bay Lightning 6th round pick in the 2008 draft (#160 overall) brutish defenseman Luke Witkowski(82) survives over 200 penalty minutes through a complete 76 game AHL regular season schedule to receive his first recall to the parent club from affiliate Syracuse Crunch.

At 6’3″ 213 lbs. he’s certainly a bit of a wide body protecting his zone and delivering crushing checks to opposing team members.

He definitely showed an affinity for the rough stuff in 2 years of USHL American junior hockey but was making smarter decisions to avoid the penalty box once he arrived at Western Michigan University.

He was made team captain in his senior year after winning the 2012 NCAA (CCHA) Championship as a junior, where he wore an “A”.

The 24-year old may only be filling in for a spot due to a starter’s injury but could easily carve out more time protecting teammates with some hard-nosed play.

Original story: 10/20-14

He was in and out of the lineup for his first recall but managed to stick around for a good six weeks before being sent back to the minors in early March and getting his second call-up at the end of the same month that would stick until the end of the regular season.

It ended up equaling his first 16 NHL games for 2014/2015.

He had no points and a 0 rating, while inflicting pain on any opposing forward that happened to roam into his zone.

He returned once again to Syracuse Crunch and played three Calder Cup Playoff games with 1 assist before exiting in the first round.

The now 25-year old signs on for another season on a two-way deal but you can bet he’s going to make it difficult for them to send him back to the farm.

15Jul

Brian McGrattan(22) Anaheim Ducks

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For his 14th pro season Brian McGrattan(22) signed a one-year two-way deal with Anaheim Ducks and could find himself playing a decent amount of NHL for the first time in a couple of campaigns to protect all the players in that deep pool of talent in California.

He’ll turn 34-years old before the new season starts.

The huge force, who’s obviously in great shape and last had 11 fights playing for Calgary Flames in 2013/2014, just keeps on ticking.

Original story below 3/15-15:

Calgary Flames‘ 13th year right wing Brian McGrattan(22) was reassigned to the minors for the first time in a couple of seasons, joining affiliate Adirondack Flames .

He last played six games on a conditioning loan with Milwaukee Admirals while under contract to Nashville Predators but returned to Calgary (he spent 2009/2010 with the team) via trade.

The larger than life 6’4″ 240 lbs. rugged forward skated only 8 games (no points) with the parent club and was listed as a healthy scratch all too often, so the parent club ultimately decided it was best to see if some more ice time could get him back into the lineup on what had become a much speedier squad.

In 2013/2014, he achieved career highs for games played (76), goals (4) and assists (4) while keeping the peace on ice.

The big man was originally a Los Angeles Kings‘ 4th round pick in the 1999 draft (#104 overall) but first signed with Ottawa Senators, who he spent his first six seasons with, scoring his first NHL goal.

After a trade to then Phoenix/Arizona Coyotes, he bounced around from team-to-team on one-year deals and even spent the full 2010/2011 with a pair of farm clubs.

A veteran of 278 AHL games he has the record for the most penalty minutes and fighting majors in one season (2004/2005) with Binghamton Senators, when he drop the mitts 39 times and recorded 551 minutes in the sin bin.

The 33-year old enforcer has skated in 317 big league contests but is set to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.

He may either decide to take his game overseas for a year as he’s yet to explore the landscape outside of North America or hang up those skates and continue to help players with substance abuse problems, an issue of close importance to him.

See related: 11/1-10, 1/19-11, 2/17-11, 9/18-11,

07Jul

Kyle Wilson(7) MODO

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After 7 seasons of pro hockey in North America, 28-year old center Kyle Wilson(7) opts for a 1-year contract to join 2012 and 2013 KHL champs Dinamo Riga.

He was most recently signed to a two-year deal by Nashville Predators with the second year of the deal on a one-way contract.

The 6’2″ 200 lbs. forward was moved in the off season to Tampa Bay Lightning, playing only 22 games for their minor league affiliate Syracuse Crunch but was once again on the chopping block after scoring only 5 goals.

He was traded to Anaheim Ducks, where he was reassigned to Norfolk Admirals and seemed to regain some of his scoring touch with 3 goals and 9 assists in 16 games.

In 427 AHL games, he has amassed an impressive 319 points (149 goals and 170 assists) with an outstanding +48 rating and won back-to-back Calder Cup Championships with Hershey Bears.

Originally a Minnesota Wild 9th round pick in the 2004 draft (#272 overall), he has skated in 39 NHL games with 3 different teams recording a modest 4 goals and 9 assists.

He was set to become an unrestricted free agent upon deciding to take his game overseas.

Original story: 6/12-13

He had an exceptional first season with Dinamo Riga scoring close to point-per-game numbers (17-27-44) in 49 games but was sidelined late in the campaign with a back injury.

The Oakville, ON native would switch KHL teams in the offseason on a pair of occasions and start 2014/2015 with Traktor Chelyabinsk but returned to Dinamo Riga after 22 contests.

His production suffered greatly, as he was possibly still recovering from surgery, only connecting for 2 goals and 13 assists.

Heading into his 9th season the 30-year old moves on to join MODO of the SHL for 2015/2016 and should be able to get his mojo back.

See related: 3/8-11, 3/12-13

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