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30Jan

The AHL moves west

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At 3:30pm ET AHL president Dave Andrews announced the creation on a Pacific Division that will play in the Western Conference of the league starting 2015/2016.

The cities effectively losing teams are Oklahoma City Barons, which happened earlier this season, Norfolk Admirals, Glens Falls/Adirondack Flames after only one run, Worcester Sharks and rivals Manchester Monarchs.

Picking up teams will be soon to be former ECHL franchises Ontario (Los Angeles), Bakersfield (Edmonton) and Stockton (Calgary). San Diego (Anaheim) will be a new city for triple A hockey although did at one time have a Gulls, and San Jose‘s farm club will play out of the same building as the Sharks; and will likely be renamed.

It’s fairly well-thought that Manchester, Adirondack and Norfolk make announcement to join the double A league and there’s rumors racing around Worcester is exploring the options and would have the best chance at success by resurrecting the Ice Cats, while Oklahoma City may get back into the fold under their old successful Blazers‘ banner after a year on the sidelines.

This move was 100% inevitable and can easily make fiscal sense. Those west coast teams draw fairly well with their fan base of hockey lovers.

On the plus side for Eastern Conference folks, chances are Utica, Rochester, Charlotte, Hamilton and even possible Toronto enter in their rivalry picture.

The big news is the top level of minor league hockey in California has arrived.

01Dec

Ian White(28) Providence Bruins

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11th year veteran defenseman Ian White(28) last played a game in the AHL in 2006 with the newly introduced Toronto Marlies, while still under his entry level contract with Toronto Maple Leafs.

He was a 6th round pick in the 2002 draft (#191 overall) and up until the 2013/2014 season he strung together 503 NHL appearances, 6 years with the Leafs, stops with Calgary Flames, Carolina Hurricanes, San Jose Sharks and most fruitfully late career two campaigns with Detroit Red Wings, where he put up a career high 25 assists and 32 points with a phenomenal +23 rating.

The not huge 5’10” 185 lbs. d-man had season ending injury in 2013/2014 limiting him to only 25 games for 2 goals and 2 assists but a tidy +5.

He was a beast on the score board in four years of juniors in the WHL with Swift Current Broncos. His totals of 77 goals and 145 assists in 246 games with a +31 is impressive for such a late selection.

Regardless, he was an unrestricted free agent was in Winnipeg Jets‘ training camp but released and found himself over in Russia with Traktor Chelyabinsk for a minimal 10 games.

At only 30 years old, he’s definitely still got a lot of game left in the tank.

He signed a pto with Providence Bruins and has appeared in 7 games scoring 1 goal and 3 assists but is a kind of bad -7 plus/minus on a team that’s been struggling.

His veteran presence works on this roster and it would be no surprise to see him score a deal.

02Nov

Kenny Ryan(25) Lake Erie Monsters

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4th year unrestricted free agent right wing Kenny Ryan(25) was offered a training camp invite via Colorado Avalanche but was released pretty early in the running.

He wound up reporting to their minor league affiliate Lake Erie Monsters‘ camp and earned his way onto their opening night roster, so at the very least he’s signed to a pto (for now).

The former Toronto Maple Leafs‘ 2nd round pick in the 2009 draft (#50 overall) skated three years in their system but never seemed to materialize.

Through 125 AHL games, he scored a not so dynamic 15 goals and 23 assists with their minor league affiliate Toronto Marlies.

In 23 Calder Cup Playoff games the 6′ 200 lbs. forward added a goal and four helpers with a promising +5 rating.

He certainly comes from a place where he’s been a winner and able to put the puck in the net on a regular basis playing a pair of seasons with Windsor Spitfires of the OHL and capturing both the OHL Championship and Memorial Cup in the same year ’09/’10, and before that two years in the NAHL development with U.S. National Team.

The 23-year old is off to a career year start posting 3 goals and 2 assists with a +3 plus/minus is 8 games.

With stats that good, he may just play himself into another NHL contract.

13Oct

Eric Knodel (40)

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Toronto Maple Leafs‘ 5th round pick in the 2009 draft (#128 overall), the absolutely huge 6’6″ 225 lbs. defenseman Eric Knodel(40) will start the first full season of his pro career on double reassignment to Orlando Solar Bears.

He signed an ato after completing his fourth year at University Of New Hampshire, where as a senior he was named team captain.

Skating in 10 AHL games with minor league affiliate Toronto Marlies he recorded his first two points, assists and was a +1 plus/minus.

He’s definitely shown flares for putting up points, especially helpers but might need a little more coaching and practice on the next level to give him the confidence to produce.

He attended a pair of Leafs’ prospect camps and this year’s training camp but was cut early.

At 24-years old he’s a bit of a late starter but easily has the size to blossom into a powerhouse on the blue line.

He’ll need to do it quickly though, as he’s only signed to a one-year entry level deal.

09Oct

Spencer Machacek (17)

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After attending both Toronto Maple Leafs and Toronto Marlies‘ training camps on invites, 7th year unrestricted free agent, veteran right wing Spencer Machacek(17) was having a hard time finding a new hockey home.

He was released from his tryout agreement with the AHL team just before the beginning of the new season but did manage to quickly find a landing spot overseas in the German elite league DEL with Augsburger Panther.

In a pair of games he already has his first point, an assist.

Since leaving Winnipeg Jets‘ organization, where he was originally an Atlanta Thrashers‘ 3rd round pick in the 2007 draft (#67 overall) and stayed with them until a late season trade sent him to Columbus Blue Jackets‘ affiliate Springfield Falcons.

Signed to a one-year extension as a restricted free agent, he once again was dealt in late season move and found himself skating with Pittsburgh Penguins‘ farm club, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

They did not offer the 6’1″ 201 lbs. forward a contract to stay on.

In his first four seasons he pretty much averaged 30 helpers in each of his campaigns.

He also dominated on the score sheet in 3 years of junior hockey with Vancouver Giants, where he won a WHL Championship and a Memorial Cup.

It would be surprising if the 26-year old doesn’t become a top scorer where he is.

We shall see.

31May

Josh Leivo(14) Toronto Marlies

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Toronto Maple Leafs‘ 3rd round pick in the 2011 draft (#86 overall) rookie right wing Josh Leivo(14) has put together a fantastic first year, mostly on reassignment with minor league affiliate Toronto Marlies.

In 59 AHL games he posted 23 goals (good enough for 2nd on the team) and 19 assists with a +6 rating.

He was also recalled to the parent club, skating in 7 NHL games with one tally and one helper to his credit.

The 6’2″ 195 lbs. power forward plays an aggressive but smart style, hard and honest without taking unnecessary penalties. His time in the sin bin is minimal.

Through three years of junior hockey in the OHL, he was virtually a point-per-game guy that showed an uptick of performance come playoff time, putting up 28 points in 22 games.

In the 2014 Calder Cup Playoffs, the 21-year old is back at it. In 11 games he has 3 goals and 5 assists.

With continued hard work in the off-season, he could easily make a strong bid for a more permanent roster spot with the Leafs.

24May

T.J. Brennan(3) Toronto Marlies

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Toronto Maple Leafs‘ 5th year defenseman T.J. Brennan(3) is continuing his career year in the minors with affiliate Toronto Marlies.

He played in a season high 75 AHL regular season games scoring a new best 25 goals and 47 assists for 72 points, which basically doubled his previous yearly totals in the three scoring categories. His 2013/2014 totals were also good enough for lead on the team in tallies and overall. He was also 3rd in the league for points.

The 6’1″ 213 lbs. blue liner recently won the Eddie Shore Award for best d-man this year.

He only has 40 NHL games to his credit, despite being a Buffalo Sabres‘ 2nd round high selection pick.

The irony to those numbers is his best numbers with on a short, freshly traded 19-game stint with Florida Panthers, where he put up a pair of goals and 7 assists in 19 games.

He was picked up for a draft pick and then sent in an off-season trade to Nashville Predators, who decided not to qualify the pending restricted free agent.

Picked up by the Leafs, they, as the story goes never recalled him because they didn’t need him long-term and feared potentially losing him on waivers. It is so much easier to just call up an entry level player.

Now marching the Marlies through the Calder Cup Playoffs he has 4 goals and 4 assists in 9 games without a loss going into the Western Conference Finals.

The 25-year old is set to become a free and in the clear unrestricted free agent this summer. He received one-way contract money but will someone step up for 2014/2015 to try his experience for a full campaign? We’d sign him.

See related: 4/7-11, 11/24-11

27Apr

Stuart Percy(10) Toronto Marlies

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Toronto Maple Leafs‘ 1st round pick in the 2011 draft (#25 overall) defenseman Stuart Percy(10) skated his first full season of pro hockey with minor league affiliate Toronto Marlies.

His 4 goals and 21 assists for 25 points in 71 AHL games were good enough for 2nd in scoring amongst blue liners.

He was always able to put up decent helper numbers through 4 seasons of junior hockey play with Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors, which fortunately carried over nicely to his rookie campaign.

The 6’1″ 193 lbs. d-man signed a 3-year entry level deal, including two slide seasons that will keep him in the system through 2015/2016.

He played in regular season and postseason games with the farm team at the end of 2012 and 2013 and is currently looking to help the Marlies go deep in the Calder Cup Playoffs.

The almost 21-year old already participated in three training camps with the parent club and will definitely be competing for an NHL roster spot for his sophomore season.

09Dec

Greg McKegg(39) Toronto Marlies

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Toronto Maple Leafs‘ 3rd round pick in the 2010 draft (#62 overall) center Greg McKegg(9) enters his sophomore season seemingly ready to outdistance his rookie year scoring with minor league affiliate Toronto Marlies by a nice distance.

In 18 AHL games he has 5 goals and 5 assist, which puts him on pace for a 20-20 campaign.

He had 8 goals and 15 assists in 61 games with a +4 rating in his first season. He added another 3 goals and 3 assists in 9 Calder Cup Playoff match-ups.

The 21-year old is signed for a 3-year entry level deal that runs through the end of 2015.

He put up very amazing stats in 4 years of OHL junior hockey, mostly with Erie Otters but last with London Knights, where he won the league championship. He has 125 goals and 145 assists in 262 games.

The 6′ 191 lbs. forward may just be starting to find his space in the pros.

25Nov

Matt Beleskey(34) Anaheim Ducks

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Anaheim Ducks‘ 6th round pick in the 2006 draft (#112 overall), 6th year left wing Matt Beleskey(34) has skated the last couple of seasons exclusively in the NHL with the parent club but is no stranger to the minors.

He was recently reassigned to AHL affiliate Norfolk Admirals on a conditioning loan to rehab a broken thumb suffered at the start of the season, which was also when his brand new 2-year, one-way contract extension kicked in.

He’s appeared in 213 NHL games scoring 27 goals and 30 assists. His numbers in the lower league are similar but through only half the amount of games played.

The 6′ 200 lbs. forward spent only a few games down before being recalled but found the back of the net for a tally, which must have helped him some with his confidence, because as soon as he got back struck for his first goal of the new season and added a helper a couple of nights later.

He put up great numbers in his final season of junior hockey as captain with Belleville Bulls but is probably not expected to post 41 goals and 49 assists in 62 games anytime soon.

The 25-year old could use a breakout 20-point campaign to stay put in the show and could also be more accountable than his overall -23 rating. There’s little doubt he has the tools in his kit to stick.

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