Toledo Walleye | CollegeHockeyPlayers

12Oct

Luke Glendening(41) Detroit Red Wings

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2nd year right wing/center Luke Glendening(33) signed a one-year, two-way entry level deal with Detroit Red Wings just after free agency started.

The undrafted forward had an outstanding rookie season on an AHL contract with minor league affiliate Grand Rapid Griffins and then took it up another notch in the playoffs striking for 6 goals and 10 assists in 22 games on the way to the 2013 Calder Cup Championship.

It wasn’t exactly a breeze for the 24-year old forward though as he was reassigned to start 2012/2013 in the ECHL with Toledo Walleye, where he detonated the score sheet with 14 goals and 7 assists in 27 games before being recalled permanently a couple of months into the campaign.

His unrelenting work ethic continued to impress the parent club that was closely watching his early strides and inked him quickly before any other suitors could step in.

The 5’11” 195 lbs. sophomore skater earns his first NHL recall after a quick start with their farm club, putting up a pair of assists in the opening two contests.

He was captain of his college hockey squad at University Of Michigan and won an NCAA title two seasons ago. He also was chosen as the best defensive-minded forward, which is primarily his style but he’s quickly adding goal scorer to that depth chart.

29Jul

Tom McCollum(30) Grand Rapids Griffins

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Detroit Red Wings‘ 1st round pick in the 2008 draft (#30 overall) goaltender Tom McCollum(30) signs a one-year AHL deal to continue with Grand Rapids Griffins, the team he won the Calder Cup Championship with last season.

Heading into his 5th season, after much bandying about, he was ultimately given a qualified offer as a restricted free agent by the parent club for the upcoming campaign, but is staying put in the minors hoping to regain the form he had in junior hockey with Guelph Storm to become such a high selection.

He showed promise last season posting his first winning record at 18-11 in 31 starts on what obviously was a great team but the suits had to be looking at his overall performance to want to keep him around for another shot.

The big 6’3″ 219 lbs. net minder has appeared in 113 regular season games with the Griffins, 42 with ECHL affiliate Toledo Walleye but only one disastrous NHL contest, despite being recalled on a half a dozen or more occasions to serve as back-up.

At this point the still very young 23-year old goalie may need to catch the attention of another club to grab another big league contract.

Even though he had a winning record and better numbers than any of his previous years pro, he’s fallen low on the Red Wings‘ depth chart and will need to prove himself big.

06May

Derek Nesbitt(16) WBS Penguins

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8th year undrafted right wing Derek Nesbitt(16) is one of those players that has consistently worked hard for every break he’s ever received playing pro hockey.

He joined his ninth team, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins to help them with their AHL Calder Cup playoffs push. He was traded from Peoria Rivermen, who was out of postseason contention.

The 6′ 185 lbs. forward started his career in the ECHL for a couple of seasons and won a Kelly Cup Championship in his sophomore campaign with Idaho Steelheads. He also put up 81 points in 66 games and another 6 goals and 12 assists in 22 playoff contests that breakout year.

It also set him up to move up to the higher league on a more permanent basis. In 211 ECHL games he has 86 goals and 154 assists.

He signed his only NHL deal with Phoenix Coyotes, a one-year two-way deal, a couple of seasons later.

He has spent most of his playing time in the AHL for the past 6 seasons, where he also has some pretty impressive numbers with 92 goals and 111 assists in 320 games.

The 31-year old is an unrestricted free agent pretty much like he’s always been, heading in 2013/2014 and is coming off his third straight 40+ point year and one where he tallied a career best 26 goals.

28Apr

Peter LeBlanc(18) Hershey Bears

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Hershey Bears‘ third year center Peter LeBlanc(18) had an assist hat trick to help his team with the 5-4 overtime win giving them a 2-0 series lead in the best of five AHL Eastern Conference Semi-Finals.

This effort followed up a pair of helpers he had in game 1 and the points currently tie him for the league lead.

He was originally a Chicago Blackhawks‘ 7th round pick in the 2006 draft (#186 overall) but only signed an NHL contract, a one-year entry level deal, at the start of his third pro season and is set to become a restricted free agent at the end of this campaign.

He spent all of his time with their minor league affiliate Rockford IceHogs putting up a little more than a point in every other appearance for 40 goals and 56 assists in 164 games. He was signed consecutive AHL deals and even started his rookie season in the ECHL with Toledo Walleye for 22 games until permanently recalled.

The 5’11” forward may be not be the biggest guy on the ice but has power forward weight at 200 lbs.

With his breakout early playoff performance (his first time in the postseason), chances are good Washington Capitals will re-up with him for another year and who knows he may even get a look for a few games in the show.

08Feb

Petr Mzarek(34) Detroit Red Wings

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Detroit Red Wings‘ 5th round pick in the 2010 draft (#141 overall) rookie Czech net minder Petr Mzarek(34) got the nod for his 1st NHL start and absolutely commanded a 5-1 win over Division rivals St. Louis Blues.

Not bad for a goalie that started his still shiny new pro career in the ECHL with Toledo Walleye for a few games before being recalled to Grand Rapid Griffins.

He posted a 2-1 record with a 2.02 GAA and .944 SV% on a team that looks to be a Kelly Cup contender before receiving the start in his 2nd game back in the AHL and began winning, a lot, all the time.

His 16-7 in 25 games with a 2.26 GAA and .916 SV for the division leading squad is pretty dazzling.

These efforts earned him an invite to the 2013 AHL All-Star Game and was in net for the Western Conference late 3rd period victory.

It would almost be no surprise to see the 6’1″ 187 lbs. goaltender work his way into the mix of starters for the Wings going forward. He’s signed through 2015 on a three-year entry level contract.

The win was a nice early birthday present for the soon-to-be 21-year old Valentine’s Day baby backstop.

03Nov

Sebastien Piche(7) Greenville Road Warriors

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After viewing the first 8 Connecticut Whale 2012/2013 regular season games from the stands, defenseman Sebastien Piche(7) gets reassigned to help their ECHL affiliate Greenville Road Warriors.

Originally undrafted he was signed by Detroit Red Wings to a 3-year entry level deal but spent most of his playing time with either their AHL affiliate Grand Rapid Griffins or in the lower league with Toledo Walleye.

He somewhat luckily went from skating (or not) last season with the Griffins but was traded in a late transaction that sent him to Tampa Bay Lightning, where he was immediately sent all the way down to Florida Everblades for the remainder of the year; and his contract. He was given a qualifying offer at the end of the season.

The 6′ 202 lbs. blue liner played in all 18 Kelly Cup playoff games with the Everblades on their way to winning the Kelly Cup. He scored 2 goals and added 9 assists in postseason play.

He has the ability to connect with the scoresheet and looked pretty solid in the one preseason game we saw him take part in; and also put up numbers in juniors.

Maybe the 24-year is continue to work his game. He signed an AHL contract for 2012/2013 and bets are good he’ll receive a call-up quickly but will need to contribute.

13Sep

Joe Charlebois(51) Kalamazoo Wings

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4th year defenseman Joe Charlebois(51) re-signs a one-year deal with Kalamazoo Wings of the ECHL for 2012/2013.

He’s been with the the team for the last couple of seasons and has skated in 112 regular and playoff games scoring 3 goals and 31 assists with a +22 plus/minus.

The 6’2″ 210 lbs. d-man was originally a Chicago Blackhawks‘ 6th round pick in the 2005 draft (#188 overall) but never officially signed him. Instead he agreed to an spc with their minor league team, Rockford IceHogs. He spent most of his time with their ECHL affiliate Toledo Walleye though.

In 2010, he returned to Toledo inking for a year with them but was traded to the K-Wings, where the 26-year old has found a home of sorts.

In 2011/2012, he was recalled for 13 games by Manchester Monarchs and Lake Erie Monsters. In 28 AHL games he has yet to register a point.

05Jul

Evan Rankin(15) Rochester Americans

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Undrafted, 5th year pro, right winger Evan Rankin(15) spent more time in the AHL this season with Rochester Americans than he did in a lower league.

He spent his most of his first three campaigns almost entirely in the ECHL or the CHL, where he played in his rookie year.

Called up in late November, he signed to a pto and never looked back.

By early March, the 6’1″ 196 lbs. forward inked an spc to finish out 2011/2012 with the team.

He arguably ended up having a career year scoring 15 goals and adding 14 assists in 35 games.

His time in the penalty box much was limited as well with 12 pims and he’s accountable +9 plus/minus.

For 2012/2013, he was rewarded with an AHL contract to return to the Amerks.

This 26-year old could be a late bloomer.

We love this moment from his personal life that’s made it’s way to youtube. masterful.

04Jun

Steve Oleksy(15) Bridgeport Sound Tigers

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Undrafted, 3rd year defenseman Steve Oleksy(15) signed a pto joining the AHL’s Bridgeport Sound Tigers in October after starting the year in the ECHL with Idaho Steelheads, a team he’s played with in each of his pro years (110 total games).

He was returned after a couple of weeks but then recalled again in late November and signed an spc in late February to stay for the remainder of the season including their brief Calder Cup Playoffs‘ bid.

In 50 AHL games he had very decent point totals (a goal and 14 assists) and was an outstanding +16 plus/minus guarding the defensive zone.

The 6′ 195 lbs. also showed a willingness to mix it up when called upon.

Where the 26-year old blue liner will end up next season is anyone’s guess?

He wasn’t available to be put on Steelheads‘ protected list for 2012/2013.

The Sound Tigers should just be smart, sign him to another one-way deal for the upcoming season and be done with it.

In the meantime, he’s back home in Michigan running the Eastside Elite Hockey League, which is a summer program for pros and juniors wanting to stay game-situation sharp by skating in an 11-team non-check league.

7/2-12: Hershey Bears swoop in and grab the unrestricted free agent defenseman, signing him to a one-year AHL contract for 2012/2013.