Syracuse Crunch | CollegeHockeyPlayers

08Nov

Cedric Paquette (13)

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Tampa Bay Lightning 2nd year prospect center Cedric Paquette(13) is starting to click.

Starting his sophomore season where he’s familiar with AHL affiliate Syracuse Crunch he’s already put up a tidy 4 goals, 3 assists and a +8 rating in 5 games.

Plus, he’s been the recipient of a pair of recalls and just skated in his fifth game with the parent club.

Going scoreless in his first four games, he was a bit of a non-factor aside from a few shots on net and a fighting major in one contest.

He absolutely exploded for his first and second NHL goals in his next appearance but more importantly each time he’s in the lineup it’s been a team win.

The 6’1″ 198 lbs. forward will likely be making many trips between Florida and upper state New York as he’s free to move between the leagues on an offensively stacked squad.

If he keeps being a contributor though, he’s going to force them into another difficult roster decision, where this season they’ve already lost a big gun to waivers.

We saw it coming.

See related: 1/10-14

03Nov

Jonathan Marchessault(18) Syracuse Crunch

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Despite basically exploding the score sheet (98 goals, 141 assists, 233 games) in four years in the QMJHL with Quebec Remparts, fourth year right wing Jonathan Marchessault(18) went undrafted, signing his first contract with Connecticut Whale.

Maybe his small stature at 5’9″ 177 lbs. kept the parent clubs away from selecting him but he was able to replicate what he did in juniors in his first pro season putting up 24 tallies and 40 helpers in 76 AHL games, which was best on the team for assists and had him tied for overall points.

For his sophomore campaign he was signed by Columbus Blue Jackets for a 3-year entry level deal on the first day of free agency going into his sophomore campaign.

He spent all but 2 NHL games with affiliate Springfield Falcons connecting for another 21 goals, 46 assists and 77 points, once again leading his team and was second with a phenomenal +20 rating.

Near the end of his second season in the Blue Jackets‘ system he was somewhat surprisingly traded in a mostly minor league transaction to Tampa Bay Lightning, where he was immediately sent to Syracuse Crunch.

Heading in the current hockey year, he had a strong camp going as one of the last cuts to be reassigned.

The 23-year old is off to a mightily quick start with 2 goals and 5 assists in 6 contests, earning him a one game call-up.

He has yet to record a point in the show but is still waiting for longer stint with the big club and that should happen if he continues on the pace he’s at.

See related: 11/3-11

23Oct

Jonathan Drouin(27) Tampa Bay Lightning

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Tampa Bay Lightning 1st round pick in the 2013 draft (#3 overall) left wing Jonathan Drouin(27) played a pair of AHL games for minor league affiliate Syracuse Crunch after breaking his thumb early in training camp workouts and getting reassigned to start his pro career.

He scored the game-winning goal in his debut and added a pair of assists the next night. He also had a +4 rating.

That was all the parent club needed to see before he was recalled to the NHL.

He was scheduled to be a healthy scratch after a long day of travel but was inserted into the lineup and skating 22 shifts for 16:01 of total ice time with a -1 in a 3-2 loss.

The next night he added to his totals, recorded his first big league point, an assist and came away with a +1 in an overtime victory.

At only 5’11” 186 lbs. he is thought of as the whole package.

He recorded over 100 points in his last two seasons of the QMJHL with Halifax Mooseheads, where he won a Memorial Cup and league championship in his second season.

The 19-year is poised to have an outstanding rookie campaign on a team stacked with offensive talent.

22Oct

Matt Taormina(20) Worcester Sharks

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Undrafted 6th year defenseman Matt Taormina(20) has definitely bounced around from team-to-team in the last few seasons.

For 2014/2015 he signs his first AHL contract joining Worcester Sharks, since turning pro with Lowell Devils in 2009.

As a rookie, coming of four seasons at Providence College, he had a hefty 40 helpers and 10 goals in 75 games.

The effort earned the small but accountable in his own end 5’10” 185 lbs. a two-year entry level deal with New Jersey Devils, where he spent the majority of the next two seasons.

An unrestricted free agent he tested the waters and signed for a year with Tampa Bay Lightning but found himself playing mostly with their minor league affiliate Syracuse Crunch. He was re-signed but once again was unable to crack the parent club’s roster, skating in only 7 NHL games with no points.

Then close to the trade deadline he was dealt in a farm team deal to Columbus Blue Jackets and reassigned to Springfield Falcons.

If the just turned 28-year old can find the scoring sheet like he did at the beginning of his career, he may find himself signing another big league contract.

See related: 12/17-11

15May

Pascal Pelletier(23) Utica Comets

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Undrafted 10th year center Pascal Pelletier(23) returned to North American hockey signing a one-year two-way deal with Vancouver Canucks for 2013/2014.

He spent the last three seasons in the Swiss elite league NLA, skating games for SCL Tigers, putting up close to point-per-game numbers.

The strong skating, stocky 5’11” 196 lbs. forward was reassigned to expansion team Utica Comets and set a new career high assists with 40 in 69 AHL games.

His 62 points were also second highest of his pro career.

He appeared in 3 games with the parent club but failed to hit the score sheet.

He’s played 16 total NHL games but has not registered a point.

31Mar

Danny Syvret(25)

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Hartford Wolf Pack 9th year veteran defenseman Danny Syvret(25) is quickly approaching his third straight 40-point AHL season (9 goals, 30 assists).

He was traded in the second season of his two-year deal with Philadelphia Flyers, his third contract with the team, to New York Rangers and reassigned to their farm club in Connecticut, where he’s played 67 contests in 2013/2014.

The stocky-looking 5’11” 205 lbs. d-man has skated in 59 NHL games, putting up a modest 3 goals and 4 assists but hasn’t paid a visit to the show since late 2011.

He’s considered a top-two pairing blue liner in the minors but given a full campaign may play a fairly strong role as a bottom six, seventh guy in the lineup more than watching from the sidelines.

25Mar

Dana Tyrell(14) Springfield Falcons

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5th year left wing Dana Tyrell(14) was recently involved in a mostly minor league player transaction that sent his playing rights to Columbus Blue Jackets‘ organization, where he was reassigned to their minor league affiliate Springfield Falcons.

Originally a Tampa Bay Lightning 2nd round pick in the 2007 draft (#47 overall), he signed a one-way, 2-year extension near the beginning of the final season of his entry level deal.

The not exactly big, generously listed at 5’11” 192 lbs. forward played the remainder of the campaign in the NHL but was in and out of the lineup, skating in only 26 games posting 5 assists.

He did slightly better in the first year of his new contract but seemed to slip on the club’s depth chart in the lockout shortened 2012/2013 and only played 7 big league contests this season.

At almost 25-years old, he is set to become a restricted free agent as the hockey calendar winds down, but he’s also putting up some of his best AHL totals with a career high 13 goals.

In 8 games for the Falcons he’s off to a hot start connecting 4 times with the back of the net and adding a pair of helpers on a Calder Cup Playoff bound squad.

He should be invited to return for another season on a 2-way contract.

See related: 11/26-11

18Mar

Tanner Richard(71) Syracuse Crunch

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Tampa Bay Lightning‘ 3rd round pick in the 2012 draft (#71 overall) Canadian/Swiss center Tanner Richard(71) is off to a decent start in his rookie season with a team that knows they’re under-performing in 2013/2014.

In 57 AHL games with minor league affiliate Syracuse Crunch he only has a couple of markers but a decent 15 assists and plays a gritty tough to play against style, which on the downside often ends him up doing time in the penalty box.

When the 6′ 187 lbs. finds his spots on the ice he is going to add potentially dangerous offensive threat to his game like he did in two years of juniors in the OHL with Guelph Storm. He was a better than point-per-game player before he signed a contract to turn pro a season after he was selected.

He also had four years of elite hockey experience as a youngster in Switzerland, where he grew up as his father Mike Richard was playing hockey for Rapperswil of the NLA.

As a 17-year old he got to play 4 games with his dad’s former team and played world juniors competition for the country.

Currently almost a 21-year old, he is signed to a 3-year entry level deal through 2016.

28Jan

John Kurtz(12) Norfolk Admirals

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Norfolk Admirals‘ undrafted 4th year, tough left wing John Kurtz(12) was rewarded last season with his first NHL contract from parent club Anaheim Ducks for his consistently edgy play in the minors with their affiliate clubs.

The 6’2″ 206 lbs. forward was further endorsed by the parent club as he received a one-year extension for 2014/2015.

He’s on pace this season to set AHL career highs in all categories, which may not put him tops on the team in scoring, but for a player that is looked to as protection for their more gifted scoring prospects it’s a nice increase.

Although he will likely spend the entire current campaign with the farm club, it appears he’s being readied for a recall to flex some muscle in the big league.

At only 24-years old he wears an “A” on his jersey serving as one of the alternate captains.

He was captain for his final pair of seasons in junior hockey with Sudbury Wolves, so proven leadership is an important part of his game.

10Jan

Cédric Paquette(17) Syracuse Crunch

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Tampa Bay Lightning 4th round pick in the 2012 draft (#101 overall) rookie center Cedric Paquette(17) has to be loving life since being a surprise selection and deciding to turn pro after only two seasons in juniors with Blainville-Boisbriand Armada.

On reassignment to minor league affiliate Syracuse Crunch, he’s being used in every possible game situation: 5-on-5, power plays and penalty kills.

The ice time is definitely paying off as he has 11 goals and 13 assists in 36 games with a +5 rating.

In his pair of campaigns in the QMJHL, he was easily a point-per-game player but also never shies away from the rough stuff as his penalty minutes indicate.

Signed to a three-year entry level deal through the 2016 season, the 20-year old is already paying dividends for the parent club that chose him on a hunch, and his future is looking quite bright.