Windsor Spitfires | CollegeHockeyPlayers

28Aug

Jesse Blacker(4) Texas Stars

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3rd year defenseman Jesse Blacker(4) was swapped to Anaheim Ducks‘ organization earlier this season in what amounted to a mostly minor league transaction.

He was originally a Toronto Maple Leafs‘ 2nd round pick in the 2009 draft (#58 overall) and spent a couple of good campaigns with their farm team, Toronto Marlies.

The change of scenery to the Ducks‘ AHL affiliate Norfolk Admirals has done him lots of good, as he’s already surpassed his career high with 5 goals and 17 points and is well on his way to recording more helpers than he’s put up in one season.

The 6’2″ 190 lbs. blue liner received a pair of late call-ups in 2012/2013 but was never inserted into the lineup.

The 22-year old’s entry level deal is up at the end of the current campaign and he’s set to become a restricted free agent but with his consistent play it would be easy to see him finally make his NHL debut and extended at least another season.

He was also on 2009 Memorial Cup and OHL Champion junior hockey team, Windsor Spitfires.

Original story: 1/9-14

Finishing the 2013/2014 with an AHL career high 6 goals, 19 assists and 24 points, he would also own an abysmal -16 plus/minus on a team that squeaked into the postseason.

He played another 10 Calder Cup Playoff games contributing a goal.

With his initial deal expiring he was extended for another year and finally made his first NHL appearance.

He skated 9 shifts for 6:03 with one hit and one break-up but was a -2 in the loss.

The recall was in all likelihood to display him for a trade option, which happened as he was dished to Florida Panthers just days later.

He was immediately sent to affiliate San Antonio Rampage, where he finished out the season but the parent club with another rough -15 rating chose not to qualify him, rendering the 24-year old an unrestricted free agent.

For his 5th pro campaign he signed a one-year minor league contract with Texas Stars for 2015/2016.

He may see better results going forward with the pressure from above to excel and may just re-find his footing.

01Apr

Slater Koekkoek(65) Tampa Bay Lightning

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Tampa Bay Lightning 1st round pick in the 2012 draft (#10 overall) rookie defenseman Slater Kookkoek(65) has been working hard putting up points, contributing with minor league affiliate Syracuse Crunch for his first NHL recall.

In 66 AHL games he has 5 goals and a team 19 assists (1st on the team for his position) with a +10 rating as his squad gets ready to clinch their spot in the postseason.

The 6’2″ 197 lbs. blue liner continues a scoring touch from four years in the OHL, where he averaged more than 20+ assists a season, was team captain for Peterborough Petes, assistant in his final campaign of junior hockey with Windsor Spitfires and lead in d-man points on two occasions.

In his debut he skated 21 shifts for 15:31 total ice time, had a pair of shots on net and ended the 3-1 defeat with a -1 rating. He usually manages to get the puck to the net a couple of times each outing with the farm club.

The 21-year old is signed to a three year entry level deal and has probably just started his time in the big league but plays on a team with a lot of defensive depth so will have to be good on a nightly basis.

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.

30May

Alex Aleardi(32) Springfield Falcons

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Undrafted right wing Alex Aleardi(32) signed an ato with Springfield Falcons at the end of his 5-year junior career with three different OHL teams.

The under-sized 5’9″ 167 lbs. put up career high assists and points last season with Plymouth Whalers and finished out the year with Windsor Spitfires before turning pro.

He certainly picked up right where he left off in the scoring department as he connected in his first AHL appearance, had a mighty midget fight in his second and added another assist in his 3rd and final game played before being released prior to the start of the Calder Cup Playoffs.

The 20-year old will turn 21 over the summer and wasted no time in deciding to return to Springfield to start his rookie season on an one-year deal.

02Apr

Mark Cundari(15) Calgary Flames

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3rd year undrafted defenseman Mark Cundari(15) was a key component in a trade deadline deal that saw him move from St. Louis Blues‘ system to Calgary Flames.

He was chosen to appear in the 2013 AHL All-Star Game, where he had one assist to help the Western Conference to a 7-6 win, in what has been his breakout campaign.

He’s appeared in 172 minor league contests scoring 10 goals and 59 assists, all with Peoria Rivermen.

The under-sized 5’9″ but solid as a rock, 200 lbs. agitator defenseman has yet to make his NHL debut but could net a recall from farm team, Abbotsford Heat before the current season wraps up.

He won back-to-back OHL and Memorial Cup titles in juniors with Windsor Spitfires.

The soon-to-be 23 year old is in the final season of his 3-year entry level deal and scheduled to become a restricted free agent as the end of 2012/2013.

As the Flames are rebuilding a more youthful future, he will undoubtedly be qualified with a contract extension.

16Oct

Andrei Loktionov(48) Manchester Monarchs

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Los Angeles Kings‘ 2008 5th round draft pick (#123 overall) Russian-born center Andrei Loktionov(48) is definitely an NHL caliber player but due to a shoulder injury in his rookie season has been knocked off track a bit.

He made the team out of training camp last season but had trouble staying in the lineup and was assigned to their AHL affiliate Manchester Monarchs for a couple of stretches, where he put up roughly a point per game.

In the 2011/2012 season, he starts the season with the Monarchs but is out of the gate quickly with 1 goal and 4 assists in 5 games played. What he lacks in size (5’10” 180 lbs.) he makes up for in deft skating and stick handling skills on the ice. In 19 NHL games he has 3 goals, 4 assists.

He won the Memorial Cup and OHL title in 2009 with Windsor Spitfires.

27Sep

Alexander Khokhlachev(76) Boston Bruins

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Boston Bruins‘ 2nd round draft pick in the 2011 draft (#40 overall), the new Russian Rocket, Alexander Khokhlachev(76) was very impressive through all three training camps before recently being returned to his junior team, Windsor Spitfires of the OHL for his second season.

In one game back with them he’s already potted 1 goal and an assist. Last season he was over a point per game player averaging a little over a goal and an assist a contest.

He’s listed as being 5’10” 183 lbs. but they must be dipping him in heavy paint before weighing him, because he looks a lot smaller. He does have wheels and abilities and only just turned 18 a couple of weeks ago (Sept. 9, 1993).

27Aug

Adam Henrique(17) New Jersey / Albany Devils

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Going into the 2nd year of his three-year entry level contract (2008 draft, round 3 #82 overall), Adam Henrique(17) skated his entire rookie season with Albany. That is until the last game of the season, when he was called up to New Jersey to see some action. He was called-up a couple of other times but was a healthy scratch.

The small sampling on ice has left him wanting more and word has it he is fully intent on making the Devils‘ NHL starting lineup out of camp this season.

He scored a healthy 25 goals to go along with 25 assists in the AHL and looks impressive enough to land a spot. The only problem is the team has a good amount of depth at the center position, although their is that lingering void that veteran Travis Zajac leaves open as he recovers from his very recent Achilles tendon surgery.

With the Windsor Spitfires, Henrique won two straight Memorial Cups in 2008 and 2009.