Vancouver Canucks | CollegeHockeyPlayers

09Feb

Evan Oberg(27) Tampa Bay Lightning

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With a rash of injuries Tampa Bay Lightning has been suffering through this season, call-ups from their AHL affiliate Norfolk Admirals are plentiful, but no one player has seen more time in airports and on airplanes so far than 3rd year, undrafted defenseman Evan Oberg(27).

It honestly seems like he’s been recalled a dozen times in the first half of the season, but in actuality it’s more like 7 or 8 times. He’s played a whopping 1:21 minutes in the one NHL game he did skate in.

Seeing that this is the last season of his 3-year entry level deal he originally signed with Vancouver Canucks, some insiders are looking at him as potential trade bait. He was picked up this season in a minor league deal with Florida Panthers that brought the Lightning a pair of defensive prospects for their system.

He only skated in 5 games in the big league with no points to his credit and has already been returned once again to the minors with no appearance.

01Feb

Steve Bernier(25) New Jersey Devils

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7th year winger, originally a 1st round pick of San Jose Sharks in 2003 (#16 overall), Steve Bernier(25) signed an AHL contract with Albany Devils in late October.

Before this season he only ever played 59 games in the minors as a rookie and in his 3rd year.

He’s skated 385 NHL games (76 goals and 83 assists) with the Sharks, Buffalo Sabres, Vancouver Canucks and in 2010/2011 with Florida Panthers.

Not exactly the best totals for a former high draft selection.

At 6’3″ and 220 lbs., you got to think the 26-year old has plenty left to use that big frame and blossom into the power forward he was always pegged to become.

New Jersey Devils just stepped in and turned his contract into a big league one-year, two-way deal.

He made his 2012 NHL debut as the league reconvened post All-Star game and skated 18 shifts for 13:30 minutes of total ice, including some power play time.

He had one shot on goal and went a -1 plus/minus, which maybe wasn’t all that great but his team did win in the shootout.

16Jan

Pierre-Cedric Labrie(20) Tampa Bay Lightning

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5th year undrafted forward Pierre-Cedric Labrie(20) has been finding his scoring touch in the 2nd season of a standard player contract he signed in December 2010 with Norfolk Admirals.

He was initially signed to a pto to start the year with the team.

In 29 AHL games this season he is on pace for career scoring highs with 6 goals and 13 assists and a +17 plus/minus.

Through 2010/2011 he put up 7 goals and 19 assists in 64 games with an impressive +14 mark.

He’s impressed the brass with Tampa Bay Lightning enough that they signed him to a two-year, two-way NHL contract last month and he was recalled in earlier this month for his first action in the show.

So far, he has only played limited minutes in 3 games (all losses) averaging less than 5 minutes a game but already has a first big league fight on his stat sheet.

An argument could be made that December is his best month, as it’s the month he celebrates his birthday and when signed his last two major contracts.

10Jan

Mike Duco(14) Vancouver Canucks

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One of the last cuts from Vancouver Canucks to be reassigned to their new AHL affiliate Chicago Wolves, wing Michael Duco(14) was making the decision tough for them with his smart preseason play.

He was recalled for the first time this season to play against the only other team he’s played an NHL game with, Florida Panthers. He played 12 games with them over the last two seasons registering no points.

Originally signed to a multi- year entry level contract as an undrafted, free agent out of juniors, he played almost 200 games with Rochester Americans in his first three seasons.

Right before getting called-up he posted his 1st pro career hat-trick with the Wolves.

1/15: After 3 games and his first NHL point (an assist) he is reassigned by Vancouver back to the AHL.

25Dec

Matt Pope (27)

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For a few moments it looked like 4th year, undrafted forward Matt Pope(27) was making some waves and there might have been some under the breath mutterings of him being someone to look at in Vancouver Canucks‘ prospect system.

His 2nd full pro season was spent with their AHL affiliate Manitoba Moose but he was signed to a two-way NHL contract.

That came about after he signed a pto with the Moose at the end of his rookie season and joined the team for their Calder Cup run (12 games, 3 goals, 3 assists).

In that season with Manitoba he didn’t exactly live up to expectations and fell off the depth chart quickly.

From there he played a season with San Antonio Rampage but that came up short and going into his 4th pro season signed a deal a month before training camp with South Carolina Stingrays.

They just so happen to be the ECHL affiliate of Hershey Bears and on two call-ups he’s starting to gain some traction scoring 3 goals and 2 assists in 10 games.

27Nov

Jason Jaffray(15) Winnipeg Jets

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In his 10th year, undrafted wing Jason Jaffray(15) has always been a leader for the AHL squads he’s played for.

Through 41 NHL games, most of those with Vancouver Canucks, he’s defined as mostly a character player, who does what he needs to get the job done.

With his new team for the 2011/2012 season, Winnipeg Jets, he received his first call up and has been making the most of it.

He recently notched his first point with the team, an assist, in 5 games.

He’s the captain of affiliate St. John’s IceCaps, a team he has helped to a first place overall standing in its’ debut AHL season.

He is one of the most storied players in Manitoba Moose history and holds 6 different team records.

17Nov

Shaun Heshka(37) Peoria Rivermen

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6th year undrafted pro, defenseman Shaun Heshka(37) returned from one season overseas playing in Austria for Salzburg EC and signed a contract to play with Binghamton Senators for 2011/2012.

Only 10 games in, they have dished him to Peoria Riverman for future considerations (a bag of rocks), where he should join the team for tonight’s game vs. Lake Erie Monsters.

Originally signed by Vancouver Canucks to a 3-year entry level deal, he spent 3 seasons with Manitoba Moose without ever getting called up.

It wasn’t until the next season, where he signed a one-year contract with Phoenix Coyotes that he got into his first NHL action (8 games, no goals and 2 assists).

05Oct

Dale Weise(23) Vancouver Canucks

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Still looking to add the right measure of toughness to their starting lineup on opening night, Vancouver Canucks claims forward Dale Weise(23) off waivers from New York Rangers. He was impressive in training camp for the Blueshirts but was one of a few odd-men out when it came down to the final cuts. It’s doubtful the Rangers thought they would lose the big guy (6’2″ 206 lbs.) on his first trip through the wire post his 3-year entry level deal.

He needs to stay healthy (had issues last year) but could be an effective fourth line agitator with the ability to put the puck in the net from time-to-time.

Connecticut Whale will miss this guy.

10/20: Weise scores his 1st NHL goal.

02Oct

Joe Loprieno(3) Bakersfield Condors

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After two seasons with Worcester Sharks, undrafted defenseman found himself looking for a new team for 2011/2012.

He recently signed a contract to play in the ECHL with the seemingly stacked Bakersfield Condors.

He was invited to Chicago Wolves‘ training camp but was cut when they received reinforcements from their new parent club, Vancouver Canucks.

Last year the big defenseman (6’3″ 220 lbs.) found himself playing a few games at the forward position and not too surprisingly it yielded his first professional hockey goals. The trend to put him up front will probably continue with the Condors. And it’s also likely that he’ll receive a call-up or two in the upcoming season.

29Sep

Antoine Roussel(24) Vancouver Canucks

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2nd year forward Antoine Roussel(24) scored himself an invite to Vancouver Canucks‘ training camp after Boston Bruins didn’t pick up his option following his rookie season.

He managed to impress the brass in camp and throughout NHL preseason games enough to stick around longer than most would have expected him to. Assigned to camp with first year AHL affiliate Chicago Wolves he looks poised to pick himself up a contract for 2011/2012.

In 42 games with Providence last season he scored 8 points (1 goal, 7 assists) but brought a feisty attitude onto the ice with every shift. Kind of surprised to see he was a +5 skater for the team.