WHL | CollegeHockeyPlayers

Tagged: WHL

01Aug

Bretton Stamler(48)

Posted in AHL | Leave a comment

After 5 games (3 assists) to start the season with new team, Gwinnett Gladiators defenseman Bretton Stamler(48) would get his recall, once again via Hartford Wolf Pack and spent the next month in the AHL before being returned.

The reliable and rugged d-man played 7 games recording no points but had other plans worked out to move his game overseas joining Hamburg Freezers for the balance of the regular season.

He would record a new career high 11 assists with a goal and a +6 rating on his third team of ’14/15 campaign through 24 DEL games.

For 2015/2016 he will continue in the league but switch squads signing for a year with Augsburger Panther.

It will be interesting to see if a full slate of games will elevate his game even further for the 28-year old.

27Jun

Griffin Reinhart(8) Edmonton Oilers

Posted in AHL, NHL | Leave a comment

New York Islanders‘ 1st round pick in the 2012 draft (#4 overall) rookie defenseman Griffin Reinhart(8) was likely chosen after his stock had risen by winning the WHL Championship with Edmonton Oil Kings.

He put up some impressive numbers in the postseason through 20 games, 2 goals and 6 assists with a +14 rating.

The quite sizable 6’4″ 217 lbs. d-man is highly regarded to blossom on the blue line.

He managed to impress enough at training camp in his first try to land a spot on the 2014/2015 opening night roster and stick around for three games, all wins, but management decided to move forward with some older prospects in the system rewarding them with the playing time but also the first year skater is a no risk to reassign.

The 20-year old would continue his development with minor league affiliate Bridgeport Sound Tigers.

He lands into a pretty similar playing situation, as the farm club is also a young, hungry to win team.

He seems to have acquainted himself nicely with 2 goals and 6 assists in 15 AHL games but will definitely need to work on that -8 plus/minus.

It’s pretty likely this will be the former Memorial Cup and 2 time junior hockey championship winner’s only season in the lower league but he’s signed through 2017 so there is time.

Original story: 11/26-14

After 59 AHL games scoring 7 goals, 15 assists, 8 NHL games with one assist and 1 Stanley Cup Playoff contest with a -2 plus/minus, he becomes a draft day casualty being traded to Edmonton Oilers to move up in the selection process.

The now still super-young 21-year old is expected to grab a spot on the big club’s roster for his sophomore season.

25Jun

Teigan Zahn(18) Colorado Eagles

Posted in AHL, ECHL, NHL | Leave a comment

Double NHL draft pick defenseman Teigan Zahn(33) was first a Chicago Blackhawks‘ 2008 5th round selection (#132 overall) but went unsigned and back into the pool and later chosen by Tampa Bay Lightning in the 7th round of 2010 (#186 overall) but not tendered an offer. He attended training camps with both teams.

After his overage season serving as captain of WHL Saskatoon Blades in which he posted career bests in games played, assists, points and +39 plus/minus, he decided to go the college route and enrolled at University Of Calgary.

The 6’2″ 221 lbs. blue liner with good size and grit to his game signed a one-year AHL contract with Oklahoma City Barons to start his pro career but was dispatched to affiliate Stockton Thunder, where he stayed for most of his first campaign. He was recalled for a month and appeared in 5 games registering his first point, an assist.

To start his sophomore season he scored a training camp tryout with Anaheim Ducks before he was reassigned to farm club, Norfolk Admirals‘ camp and continued to get passed along landing with Utah Grizzlies.

The 24-year old was again summoned up and got into three more games in the higher league notching yet another assist but was returned a couple of weeks later.

In 42 ECHL games, he has 3 goals and 9 assists putting him on pace for career highs in all categories.

He will need to keep connecting and finding his game or he may be looking overseas for his next hockey home.

Original story: 2/20-14

After posting career highs for goals, assists and points (7-11-18) in 2013/2014, he signed his next contract with Colorado Eagles.

He continued to increase his totals achieving new marks for games played (70), assists (17), points (20), plus/minus (12), shots on goal (107) and more than doubled his penalty minutes to a whopping 298, good enough for 2nd in the ECHL.

Another stat that made a huge jump for the increasingly agitated skater was fighting majors, which made a big step up to 20, almost doubling what he had in two previous seasons.

The still just 25-years old agreed to return for another season in Loveland, CO and will likely continue to see his overall game step up.

22Jun

Art Bidlevskii(27) Kallinge/Ronneby

Posted in AHL, ECHL, NHL | Leave a comment

Undrafted 2nd year defenseman Art Bidlevskii(27) has decided to stay put with Bakersfield Condors for the 2013/2014 season.

He played 10 games with the team at the end of his rookie year after being dished at the trade deadline by South Carolina Stingrays, where he was released to and signed after attending Providence Bruins‘ training camp on a tryout.

The 6’ 198 lbs. blue liner started his pro career in the AHL signed to an ato by Bridgeport Sound Tigers after 5 years of juniors with Prince George Cougars.

He plays a style of hockey that seems like he constantly has a chip on his shoulder and is not afraid to drop the mitts. He had 9 dust ups last season and a 2nd career high 14 in his final WHL season with another four more scuffles in his first 10 pro games. He’s regularly in the triple digit club for penalty minutes.

The 22-year old has never been known for his point totals; last season 2 goals, 3 assists in 54 ECHL games but could work his way up with a strong defensive zone game and maybe a few more marks on the score sheet.

Original story: 8/8-13

Literally right before the 2013/2014 season started he got traded to Ontario Reign. He stayed with the team for 26 ECHL games before sort of unceremoniously getting traded to Gwinnett Gladiators, where he finished out the season scoring a career high one goal and 8 assists with a +8 rating. He also had 8 fighting majors.

With an offer to come back to Gwinnett for another season, he took it but ended up getting injured early in the campaign and only managed to appear in 13 games getting three assists.

For 2015/2016 the now 24-year old has decided to take his game overseas signing a one-year deal with Kallinge/Ronneby IF of Sweden’s Hockeyettan.

13Jun

Colton Yellow Horn(17) Orli Znojmo

Posted in AHL, ECHL | Leave a comment

5th year, undrafted left wing Colton Yellow Horn(17) took a good season and a half to settle where he was going to play to start his pro career after a highly successful run in the WHL with Tri-City Americans, which he left as the leading goal scorer in his final year.

He headed for Austria but lasted less than a dozen games before returning to North America, signing with Elmira Jackals. He finished out his rookie season and started his sophomore campaign with the team but was traded to Stockton Thunder after only two games.

His time with the Thunder only last a couple more games than he did overseas and he was off to the Central Hockey League to try his hands with Allen Americans.

The small 5’9″ but wide 190 lbs. forward played for the next two years with Allen leading them in scoring with 88 points in 2010/2011 and was a combined +24 plus/minus.

Having basically accomplished everything he could in the lower double A league, the 25-year old stepped up and signed a one year deal with Ontario Reign of the ECHL.

In 48 games, he currently sits atop the scoring leaders with 58 points (36 goals and 22 assists) but that will have to wait as he received his first AHL call-up and signed a pto with Manchester Monarchs.

In his debut, he notched an assist in a 3-2 losing effort but more importantly looks like he can play in the league and have an impact at this level.

He may be pint-sized in relation to other players but he’s wide like Sergei Samsonov was during his lengthy playing career.

Original story: 2/11-13

He managed to finish the season in the AHL skating in 28 games and he even appeared in four playoff contests scoring 6 goals 12 assists with a +5 rating and added a goal and an assist in the postseason.

After having a career year, he decided to head back to where it started signing a year deal in Erste Bank Liga Austria with Szekesfehervar.

No doubt he would hit the score sheet often to the tune of 20 goals and 23 assists in 43 games.

In another move that had folks wondering, for 2013/2014 he went to play for Nippon Paper Cranes of the Asia League.

The 28-year old continues to make interesting decisions where to lace up his skates as he returns to Austria once again to play for Orli Znojmo.

08Apr

Tyler Shattock(16) Stockton Thunder

Posted in AHL, ECHL, NHL | Leave a comment

After four seasons in the St. Louis Blues‘ prospect system right wing Tyler Shattock(16) was not given a qualifying offer to continue with the team after putting up career best assists (16) and points (20) in the AHL with affiliate Chicago Wolves.

Originally a 4th round pick in the 2009 draft (#108 overall), he skated his first three seasons with then farm team Peoria Rivermen but was unable to replicate the numbers he achieved in four campaigns of the WHL, where he put up back-to-back more than a point-per-game totals first with Kamloops Blazers, then finishing out juniors with Calgary Hitmen.

The fairly big 6’3″ 200 lbs. forward was likely looking around for another contract but with no takers signed a one year minor league deal with Stockton Thunder and he has exploded on the score sheet.

He was already at least a bit familiar with the ECHL when he was reassigned for a brief stint early in 2012 with Evansville Icemen. Wasting little time connecting with the back of the net he scored 3 goals and 2 assists in 3 games and was quickly recalled.

Again, he got right to work with his new club and through 63 games has a team second 23 goals and a leading 39 assists and 62 points, while firing 141 shots on net and a new high 99 penalty minutes.

He was loaned temporarily for three games to Worcester Sharks earlier in the season but played more of an energy line, checking role and came away with no points.

The 25-year seems like he should be higher up on the hockey ladder than he is currently but it may be a better bet for him to take his game overseas for 2015/2016.

19Mar

Matt Dumba(55) Minnesota Wild

Posted in AHL, NHL | Leave a comment

Minnesota Wild 1st round pick in the 2012 draft (#7 overall) defenseman Matt Dumba(55) has been on a wild ride to start his pro career but is starting to settle nicely now.

He started in 2013 with then affiliate Houston Aeros skating in three regular season contests and 5 in the playoffs.

The very tough, hard hitting 6′ 189 lbs. d-man with the rocket blast from the point made his NHL debut out of training camp and played 13 games on the roster until he was reassigned to join the Canadian National Team at the WJC, then subsequently sent back for his final year of junior hockey with Portland Winterhawks.

Once again he made the squad to start 2014/2015 but his game was a bit slow to materialize, so he was sent down to farm team Iowa Wild, where he spent the next six weeks skating hard, proving his abilities were ready to step up.

He was recalled but returned to the minors once again for a shorter stint.

In 20 AHL appearances he ended up getting 5 goals and 9 assists with a +2 rating and 39 shots on net and that was probably the last time he’ll be on the bus heading to games.

21Jan

Taylor Vause (34)

Posted in AHL | Leave a comment

Undrafted, 3rd year mini-center Taylor Vause(34) has earned every inch of the ice he’s played on.

He joined Texas Stars on an ato after four plus seasons of junior hockey in the WHL, where he was team captain with Swift Current Broncos scoring more than a point-per-game in his last campaign (37-46-83 in 72 games).

Generously listed at 5’10” 185 lbs. he was able to put up his first pro goal and an assist in 5 AHL contests.

He signed a pto to continue in the lone star state for his rookie year and re-upped with a second tryout before getting a full-on contract.

While it took him a little time to find his spot in the lineup, once in he was a bit slow to start but finished with 4 goals and 13 assists in 55 games, which was a decent debut for the tenacious forward.

He also appeared in 3 postseason matches registering no points.

It was reported he signed a one-year deal with Idaho Steelheads in the off-season but after attending Texas‘ training camp was kept on board once again and split his playing time with both clubs gaining more consistency on the score sheet.

And even though he played in only a pair of playoff games, he did have his name included on the 2013 Calder Cup Trophy.

The 23-year decided to ink his next deal with Colorado Eagles and quickly established himself as a scoring threat.

It didn’t take the Calgary native to earn a recall and signed another pto with Adirondack Flames.

He had been in their training camp.

The small pivot made an impact almost immediately and one month in was given an spc to stay with the team, although he was later reassigned back down after cooling off.

It only took him a week to return as he exploded for a 3 goal, 3 assist performance in his 3-game ECHL stint.

He’ll certainly have to keep his energy level up and connect but he might have found his home for at least the short term and will likely get an NHL camp look.

25Oct

Spencer Asuchak(23) Allen Americans

Posted in AHL, ECHL, NHL | Leave a comment

Exceptionally large undrafted center Spencer Asuchak(23) spent his rookie season with Allen Americans eclipsing all his high point marks from 4 years of juniors in the WHL and one year of college before helping the team to win the Ray Miron’s Presidents Cup in the final season of the Central Hockey League.

For his sophomore campaign he got a surprise phone call offering him to join Boston Bruins‘ rookie camp and eventual training camps with the club and it’s minor league affiliate Providence Bruins.

The 6’5″ 220 lbs. forward scored a goal in preseason action but was released as they have a logjam of players signed.

He decided to return to Allen for another round as they moved up the hockey ladder merging with the ECHL for 2014/2015.

This isn’t his first experience in the league as he signed an ato with Ontario Reign and skated three games at the end of his time with Prince George Cougars. He recorded no points.

The still super-young 22-year old will very likely get another chance to show his might with a recall to P-Bruins or another AHL squad.

13May

Josh Morrissey(6) St. John’s IceCaps

Posted in AHL, NHL | Leave a comment

Winnipeg Jets‘ 1st round pick in the 2013 draft (#13 overall) defenseman Josh Morrissey(6) is impressing up to expectations skating his first pro games with minor league affiliate St. John’s IceCaps.

He joined the farm club on an ato after his third season with Prince Albert Raiders. where he served as team captain.

The seemingly kind of small and skinny 6′ 185 lbs. d-man played in 8 regular season AHL games notching a single assist and has really come out swinging in the postseason with 2 goals and 4 helpers with a +5 rating in 9 Calder Cup contests.

Signed to a 3-year entry level deal before the start of the 2013/2014 season, he was on a slide due to his young age and reassigned to his WHL club.

He was a huge point-getter in three campaigns and won a pair of gold medals in recent junior competitions.

The 19-year old should compete in the upcoming training camp for an NHL job on the parent club’s roster in his official rookie year, but for now is enjoying the ride in a bid for a league championship.

« Older posts