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Tagged: Syracuse Crunch

11Jun

Dan Sexton (23)

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In the 2nd year of his deal, Dan Sexton(42) was swapped out in minor trade with Tampa Bay Lightning that sent him right back to their new affiliate Syracuse Crunch, where he helped them go all the way to the 2013 AHL Calder Cup Finals.

He was offered a qualifying offer for 2013/2014 but decided it was time to move on signing a one-year deal with TPS of Finland’s SM-liiga.

After contributing almost a point-per-game production he sought to be released and received an offer to skate for Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk in the KHL for the remainder of the season.

He would re-sign to stay on for a complete campaign and led the team in all scoring categories for 2014/2015 with 19 goals and 28 assists, 47 points in 49 games.

The now 28-year old will continue where he is for 2015/2016 and could really be finding his scoring stride overseas and potentially pursue a return home to North American pro hockey.

03Jun

Andrew Gordon (10)

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After going to the Calder Cup Finals with the IceCaps 8th year center Andrew Gordon(10) signed a one-year two-way deal with Philadelphia Flyers on the second day of free agency.

Once again he was in the parent club’s training camp but reassigned early and played the complete 76 AHL game slate with new affiliate Lehigh Valley Phantoms without receiving a recall.

He did ok scoring 18 goals and 24 assists on a team that teetered on the .500 mark for most of the season.

With what looks to be diminishing opportunities to skate games in the show, the 29-year old has decided to take his scoring threat over to Europe and gets a one-year deal with Linkoping of the SHL.

See related: 2/28-12

01Apr

Slater Koekkoek(65) Tampa Bay Lightning

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Tampa Bay Lightning 1st round pick in the 2012 draft (#10 overall) rookie defenseman Slater Kookkoek(65) has been working hard putting up points, contributing with minor league affiliate Syracuse Crunch for his first NHL recall.

In 66 AHL games he has 5 goals and a team 19 assists (1st on the team for his position) with a +10 rating as his squad gets ready to clinch their spot in the postseason.

The 6’2″ 197 lbs. blue liner continues a scoring touch from four years in the OHL, where he averaged more than 20+ assists a season, was team captain for Peterborough Petes, assistant in his final campaign of junior hockey with Windsor Spitfires and lead in d-man points on two occasions.

In his debut he skated 21 shifts for 15:31 total ice time, had a pair of shots on net and ended the 3-1 defeat with a -1 rating. He usually manages to get the puck to the net a couple of times each outing with the farm club.

The 21-year old is signed to a three year entry level deal and has probably just started his time in the big league but plays on a team with a lot of defensive depth so will have to be good on a nightly basis.

07Mar

Brendan Bell(14) Chicago Wolves

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12th year veteran defenseman Brendan Bell(14) was acquired by Chicago Wolves from Norfolk Admirals to help boost their back line heading into a potential playoff berth.

In his debut with his new team the 31-year scored a goal and an assist in a tough 4-3 overtime loss against division rival Lake Erie Monsters.

He had only one tally in 47 games with his former team but did compile a sturdy 22 helpers.

The 6’2″ 205 lbs. d-man has almost always consistently put up 20+ assists in each AHL season played through 487 games.

Through his pro career, the former Toronto Maple Leafs‘ 3rd round pick in the in the 2001 draft (#65 overall) has appeared in 102 NHL contests (7 goals, 21 assists) with the last time being 1 game in 2011/2012, when signed with New York Rangers.

After that season, he left for a couple of spins through Europe, his second foray overseas, landing in Sweden’s SHL with Frolunda and then last year skating again for Biel in the Swiss Elite NLA.

Now that’s he’s returned to North America proving he still has plenty left in the tank, his presence definitely helps the youngsters out on any squad he joins.

26Jan

Yanni Gourde(37) Syracuse Crunch

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Undrafted 3rd year left wing Yanni Gourde(37) is poised to set new career highs in all scoring categories this season.

He’s already eclipsed his goals total from last year with 15 in 41 AHL games with Syracuse Crunch, while holding a +14 rating.

It’s very likely that the small 5’9″ 168 lbs. forward will also reach new bests for points and assists in his first full year as a Tampa Bay Lightning prospect.

He was signed to a two-year two-way entry level contract after putting up point-per-game numbers on a pto with Worcester Sharks after being loaned from Kalamazoo Wings.

He had 15 goals and 19 assists in 30 ECHL at the time of his recall.

Looking for an NHL deal, it didn’t materialize with their parent club San Jose Sharks, so he smartly went elsewhere and found it.

23Jan

Cory Conacher(89) Bridgeport Sound Tigers

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Undrafted, 4th year left wing Cory Conacher(89) has been on a bumpy ride with four different teams since signing his first NHL contract before the lockout shortened season with Tampa Bay Lightning.

He inked his initial 2-year 2-way entry level deal after winning the 2012 Calder Cup with then affiliate Norfolk Adrmirals, being named AHL rookie of the year, playoff MVP and putting up more assists than any other first year player during the regular season and in the playoffs.

Although he is most definitely under-sized at 5’8″ 179 lbs., he was merely following up a celebrated run at Canisius College, where he recorded all-time highs for goals, points and game-winning tallies and an incredibe first run with three teams in two different leagues he recorded 8 goals and 4 assists in 10 games but was held to only an assist in seven postseason contests.

He jumped out quickly when the big league got back under way 9 goals and 15 assists in 35 games but ultimately he was expendable when the parent club needed goal tending and found himself traded off to Ottawa Senators at the deadline.

He played his only full slate of regular season games in 2013/2014 but fell short of expectations with 4 goals and 16 assists in 60 games.

Ultimately he was to be reassigned back down but the horrible Buffalo Sabres picked him up on waivers.

He skated with them for the remaining 17 games and got himself a nifty 3 goals and 3 assists but was a woeful -7 plus/minus.

Heading into his second unrestricted free agency, first since he signed a minor league contract to start his pro career, he didn’t have to wait long as New York Islanders saw something they liked and swooped right in on opening day getting him to agree to a one-year two-way deal.

It looked like he’d come out strong but through 15 games faltered on a roster filled with lots of bigger, younger studs with only a goal and a pair of assists.

The 24-year was waived and sent to farm team Bridgeport Sound Tigers, where he’s settled in quickly hitting the back of the net 4 times and dishing 11 helpers in 15 games.

He be a free agent at the end of this year and it’s looking like the small forward might have better luck taking his game across the pond.

See related: 11/8-11

02Jan

Nikita Nestorov(89) Tampa Bay Lightning

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Tampa Bay Lightning 5th round pick in the 2011 draft (#141 overall), Russian-born 2nd year defenseman Nikita Nestorov(89) earned his first recall.

He is well on his way to posting career high totals in his sophomore campaign with affiliate Syracuse Crunch scoring 3 goals and 11 assists for 14 points with a +4 rating, but the stat that seems to jump off the sheet is an average of two shots on net in each of 32 AHL games.

Before turning pro in North America, he already had a full season and a few contests under his belt in the KHL with Traktor Chelyabinsk while also still playing juniors in his home country.

In 45 games he somewhat surprisingly only recorded one assist.

The sturdy 5’11” 199 lbs. blue liner was a standout in WJC competitions winning a pair of bronze and a silver medal while also helping his team on the score sheet.

In his NHL debut he skated 17 shifts for 15:02 total ice time with one giveaway and a couple of takeaways.

The 21-year old also left the 5-1 victory with a +1 rating.

He’s filling in a spot due to an injury but with continued aggressive, smart play could find himself getting a longer look.

He is signed to a three-year entry level deal through the 2015/2016 season.

17Dec

Andrei Vasilevskiy (88)

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Tampa Bay Lightning 1st round pick in the 2012 draft (#19 overall) Russian-born rookie goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy(88) was quick to sign a handsome three-year entry level deal to try his hand at the NHL after two seasons as a teenage backstop for Salavat Yulaev Ufa.

The 6’3″ 207 lbs. net minder put up almost exact numbers through 36 games with 2.21 GAA and .923 SV% and has won medals playing for his country the last five seasons.

He’s putting up some equally impressive numbers through 14 starts in the AHL with affiliate Syracuse Crunch.

His record of 8-3-3 with a 2.34 GAA and .918 SV% is helping a team that was dead last a year ago into second place in the Eastern Conference.

Going on a hunch, the only 20-year old was recalled after the parent club’s starter went down with injury and was pegged to get the nod for his debut.

He was also coming off a weekend run of games with the Crunch, where he was chosen as the league’s player of the week.

He managed to stopped 23 of 24 shots for his first big league win 3-1.

It would be no surprise to see him get another chance right away as he is a highly touted prospect.

04Dec

Brent Sopel(55) Chicago Wolves

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Enduring 17th year defenseman Brent Sopel(55) has not appeared in an AHL game since 1999-2000 with Syracuse Crunch, then affiliate of Vancouver Canucks.

He was originally a ‘Nucks 6th round pick in the 1995 draft (#144 overall) and last skated in the minors with the old Kansas City Blades in the last year of the IHL. His stint was a short 4-game stay as this would be his first complete season in the show.

The 37-year old has skated an absolutely phenomenal 659 NHL games and was a key member of the 2010 Stanley Cup win with Chicago Blackhawks.

Only one season removed hockey’s biggest prize he would disappear for three years to the KHL.

Returning to North America to be play closer to home, he entered training camp on an invite with Chicago Wolves and signed a one-year deal as the 2014/2015 season started.

The 6’1″ 201 lbs. blue liner is already contributing nicely with 7 assists in 21 games and a +2 rating, plus is the senior member of his squad so his vast knowledge and leadership both on and off the ice is priceless.

He recently appeared in his 1000 pro game as his career continues and still eyes a return to the highest league of hockey.

12Nov

Mat Clark (2)

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Anaheim Ducks‘ 2nd round pick in the 2009 draft (#37 overall) tough guy defenseman Mat Clark(2) has skated in the prospect system for 5 seasons, originally signing a 3-year entry level deal and then given a pair of extensions.

The 6’3″ 225 lbs. blue liner played in two NHL games late in his sophomore campaign but has spent most of his time with now affiliate Norfolk Admirals and earlier Syracuse Crunch.

Shoulder surgery limited him to just 23 AHL games last season but the rugged d-man returned raring to go for 2014/2015.

Despite his in-your-face style game he hasn’t spent much time in the penalty box since his rookie year and rarely drops the gloves.

He was one of the final cuts to be reassigned from training camp and came out strong with the farm club getting two assists in his first 11 appearances, which matched last year’s limited time totals.

Through only two years of junior hockey in the OHL he definitely showed an ability to head man the puck and picked up 36 assists in his time with Brampton Battalion.

Recently recalled to the parent club, he skated 22 shifts playing a healthy 16:59 of total ice time, including 1:10 shorthanded minutes in the shootout loss.

Still only 24-years old, he’s filling in a spot due to injury but could find himself being groomed and ready for a full time spot, especially if he can continue to punish opponents.

See related: 4/4-12

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