Syracuse Crunch | CollegeHockeyPlayers

04Jan

Luca Caputi(17) Syracuse Crunch

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In one of the most uncomfortable trade scenarios we’ve come across in a little while, 4th year pro Luca Caputi(17) was traded to the team that happened to be visiting his (former) home area that night, Syracuse Crunch.

Toronto Maple Leafs made a minor league trade with Anaheim Ducks that perpetuated this cruel joke.

What makes it worse is the player he was traded for Nicolas Dechamps(16) scored a goal in his debut for Toronto Marlies 2-0 victory over his new team.

A humorous aside from the trade, the two players also traded numbers assuming each other’s numbers for their new teams.

In 23 AHL games this season Caputi has 2 goals and 1 assist.

He has 35 games of NHL experience with the Maple Leafs and the team he was originally drafted by in the 4th round of 2007 (#111 overall) Pittsburgh Penguins. He has 3 goals and 6 assists to his credit.

Anaheim Ducks are slumping so badly that it’s almost certain he will see his 1st NHL call-up of the 2011/2012 season.

31Dec

Nikita Filatov(24) CSKA Moscow

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Instead of accepting his reassignment back to the AHL to play with Binghamton Senators (15 games, 7 goals, 5 assists), Ottawa Senators‘ recent acquisition, 1st round pick in 2008 by Columbus (#6 overall) winger Nikita Filatov(24) has once again asked to be returned to his Russian team CSKA Moscow to play instead of going to the lower league in North America.

He was granted his request and in 2 games he’s scored 0 points, has 2 penalty minutes and is a -3 plus/minus.

We think the move is foolish for 21-year old and he just needs to put on more muscle to help him with all that skill he has and staying close to the big club would have done him much better. But we’ll see…

26Dec

Tom Sestito(21) Philadelphia Flyers

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Left wing Tom Sestito(21) was originally chosen by Columbus Blue Jackets in the 3rd round of the 2006 draft (#85 overall) and played in their system for almost 4 seasons. Appearing in 13 NHL games he put up 2 goals and 2 assists before getting traded to Philadelphia Flyers and was assigned to their AHL affiliate Adirondack Phantoms where he finished off the year.

In the offseason he signed a one-year, two-way deal. He received his first call-up to the Flyers and skated in three games with no points but 15 penalty minutes.

He’s not exactly known for his scoring touch but at 6’5″ 228 lbs. it would be nice to utilize him as a power forward in front of the net to go along with his fighting skills. In 24 AHL games he has 8 goals and 6 assists.

24Dec

Stu Bickel(4) New York Rangers

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Sometimes there’s a player that might not look like much in the AHL. He’s undrafted and almost completely falling under the radar. But then out of nowhere, that player gets his shot to play in the NHL. And he explodes.

4th year defenseman Stu Bickell(4) fits that description perfectly.

In 27 games with Connecticut Whale this season, he has a goal and 3 assists.

After his first three games with New York Rangers, he has four assists and a 3 game point streak going. He’s also a +4 plus/minus and has one fighting major and two roughing penalties to his credit.

Who knew? Obviously Rangers’ scouts did because they traded for him with Anaheim Ducks last season and re-signed him to a one-year, two-way contract.

He did have a strong training camp and accompanied the team to Europe to start the season but didn’t appear in any games before getting reassigned.

21Dec

Brett Motherwell(25) Chicago Express

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Undrafted 5th year defenseman Brett Motherwell(25) played his first full season in the AHL last year with Bridgeport Sound Tigers.

Unable to find the right deal in the offseason, he finally signed a deal in early December with Chicago Express of the ECHL to join them for 2011/2012.

It’s very likely that he’ll play some games in the AHL this season on call-up, possibly with the Express affiliate Springfield Falcons.

19Dec

Aaron Voros(34) Connecticut Whale

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8th year wing Aaron Voros(34) signed a pto with Connecticut Whale in mid-November. In 10 games he’s posted 2 goals and 2 assists. He’s played 261 AHL games with 6 different teams.

Originally drafted in the 8th round of 2001 (#229 overall) by New Jersey Devils, he played for three years in their system without ever receiving a call-up. He was traded to Minnesota Wild in the last year of his entry level contract and played his first game with the team in the next season.

Over the next 4 seasons he would appear in 162 NHL games with Minnesota, mostly notably New York Rangers and Anaheim Ducks putting up 18 goals, 19 assists and 395 penalty minutes.

He’s a big presence on the ice at 6’4″ and 215 lbs.

04Dec

Dylan Reese(2) New York Islanders

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5th year defenseman (his 3rd in the Islanders‘ system) Dylan Reese(2) is making the most of his 1st NHL call up of the 2011/2012 season.

He potted a flutterer from the point in his 2nd game with the team, which also turned out to be a win for the team.

Originally a 7th round pick by New York Rangers in 2003 (#209 overall), the Isles is the only team he’s played in the NHL with. He has just under 300 games of AHL experience with Bridgeport Sound Tigers (his current team), Syracuse Crunch, San Antonio Rampage and Hartford Wolf Pack.

He does have the ability to be an offensive threat from the point.

07Nov

Mark Flood(8) Winnipeg Jets

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7th year defenseman Mark Flood(8) scored his first NHL goal with Winnipeg Jets, the team that signed him at the end of last year. He skated last season with Manitoba Moose, who were the old tenant of the MTS Centre.

It was only his 7th NHL game in a career that has seen ice time in 317 AHL games. He was called up after 11 games with St. John’s IceCaps, where he put up a goal and 6 assists in 11 games and is a respectable +4. In 3 games with the Jets he’s put up a couple of points.

He was originally drafted by Montreal Canadiens in the 6th round of the 2003 draft (#188 overall).

No doubt about it, I need to find a better picture of him, but he’s off to the left in this shot (a little out of focus).

11/9: Flood scores his 2nd NHL goal in his 4th game with the Jets.

05Nov

Danny Taylor(1) Springfield Falcons

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By the numbers, 6th year pro goaltender Danny Taylor(1) is making an argument for Springfield Falcons to sign him to an American Hockey League standard player contract.

He is currently signed to a pto.

His 2.31 GAA puts him at #17 on the AHL goalie leaders and his .931 SV% ranks 6th.

As of October 7 he signed a contract with Cincinnati Cyclones of the ECHL but did not appear in a regular season game.

We’ve seen it: this former Los Angeles Kings‘ 7th round pick in the 2004 draft (#221 overall) may have found his zone.

He has one game of NHL experience.

21Oct

Ryan Garlock(22) Springfield Falcons

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Chicago Blackhawks‘ 2004 2nd round draft pick (#45 overall) center Ryan Garlock(22) signed a pto to start the season out of camp with Springfield Falcons and 5 games into the season and 5 assists later, he’s up it to an spc for 2011/2012.

He might be starting the argument that there was a good reason Chicago picked him so high but he never played in their system. At age 25, he’s already a veteran of just under 200 games played. Columbus could be watching.

For the last couple of seasons he’s been with Hartford Wolf Pack / Connecticut Whale.