Tagged: Carolina Hurricanes

Jamie McBain6th year defenseman Jamie McBain(5) signed a one-year two-way contract with Los Angeles Kings after agreeing to a pto with affiliate Manchester Monarchs.

He played 6 AHL games with the farm club scoring a goal and adding three assists with a +3 rating before the parent club came calling to fill in some spots that needed coverage on their blue line.

Originally a Carolina Hurricanes‘ 2nd round pick in the 2006 draft (#36 overall), the 6’2″ 205 lbs. d-man spent the first four years of his career with the team but unfortunately as time passed started to show declining returns.

After the 2012 lockout it definitely appears that he’d lost some of his step.

He managed to pick it up slightly last season after a trade to Buffalo Sabres but not enough for them to revisit extending the unrestricted free agent.

A training camp invite of Arizona Coyotes, they only really had a peak before releasing him.

There was a bit of a murmur that he was set to leave for the KHL but shortly thereafter he signed his tryout deal.

Injuries and a misfortune, along with a sliver of salary cap room, had him at the right place at the right now. Maybe it was a bit of mastery forsight too.

The still young-ish 26-year old will either have to step up his offensive numbers (25-67-92 in 276 NHL games) or start using some of that size to shut down the attackers.

It’s a coin flip to see how this one materializes.  It really could become a great fit though.

Original story: 11/14-14

He appeared in 26 games with LA Kings scoring 3 goals and 6 assists with a +4 rating, making him accountable enough to keep around.

They wasted no time as free agency started re-signing him to a one-year, tw0-way extension.

Starting the season with a new contract, the 27-year old should be able to connect on the score sheet more often and continue to elevate his game.

Collin Bowman

Undrafted 2nd year defenseman Collin Bowman(20) had a strong rookie season with home state team Colorado Eagles.

In 69 ECHL games he scored 11 goals and 23 assists (tied for first in points), while adding another pair of tallies and 3 helpers in 6 Kelly Cup Playoff contests. He also had over 100 penalty minutes in his first year.

Traded in the off-season to San Francisco Bulls, the 6’3″ 215 lbs. blue liner quickly signed a 2-way AHL contract with Worcester Sharks and appeared in their training camp before being reassigned back down to start his sophomore campaign.

He didn’t exactly put up the same kind of numbers with his offensively challenged new squad and recently had his playing rights swapped (with the blessing from the parent club) to Bakersfield Condors.

The younger brother of Carolina Hurricanes’ Drayson Bowman has skated 3 times with his new team and although he’s only bolstered his 2nd year totals by an assist, he has been a part of a pair of victories and one shootout loss on their current 4-game unbeaten streak.

Given the opportunity in the higher league, the 22-year old has all the qualities of becoming an impact player as he continues to develop.

He was a member of the 2009 WHL Championship Kelowna Rockets.

Original story: 1/20-14

His sophomore season with Bakersfield would end with point totals slightly under his first campaign but in extended postseason play he scored a pair of goals and added 5 assists in 16 games through to the Western Conference Finals before an exit.

For 2014/2015, he decided to go back to a familiar place, returning to Colorado.

In 20 less regular season games (48) than his initial two seasons he achieved new high marks for goals with 15 goals and 38 points and for a blue liner had a monstrous +28 rating. He would also raise his fight total to 6 after no battles the previous year and 5 in 2012/2013.

The low game total was only because he was loaned to Iowa Wild for the last two months and would appear in 21 AHL games getting 2 tallies, 6 helpers and remarkably kept his game at a 0 plus/minus on the last place squad.

As the 24-year old enters his 4th season he’ll keep it close to home and skate his third year with Colorado Eagles.

It would be a surprise to see the All-Star d-man play the full tilt in the ECHL without another extended call-up.

philippe-paradis

Syracuse Crunch center Philippe Paradis(63) was held pointless in 12 Calder Cup Playoff games until he finally erupted with a hat trick in the team’s Eastern Conference Finals‘ clinching 7-0 victory over Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.

Originally a Carolina Hurricanes‘ 1st round pick in the 2009 draft (#29 overall) he was traded to Toronto Maple Leafs before he could ever take the ice for the team as a prospect.

He lasted only four games with Toronto Marlies, scoring a pair of assists before he changed hands quickly a second time, becoming property of Chicago Blackhawks.

He started with their minor league affiliate Rockford IceHogs much like he did the previous season on an ato after finishing up his last junior campaign in the QMJHL with PEI Rocket.

The 6’2″ 209 lbs. forward was signed to a three-year entry level contract and spent his rookie season in the AHL.

He continued to ply his trade in the league to start his sophomore run but when he was either playing too diminished a role or failing to put up the numbers found himself reassigned to Toledo Walleye of the ECHL for a short, five-game run tallying no points before being returned.

Once again trade bait and shuffled off to Tampa Bay Lightning‘s organization just before the deadline, he started up right away with their minor league affiliate and in 8 games leading up to the postseason contributed only an assist.

He’s still not seeing a lot of minutes on the ice but has been pretty much consistently in the lineup. Nothing like answering the bell at the right time to keep the parent club interested.

The 22-year year old has one year left on his deal after which he becomes an restricted free agent at the end of next season.

Original story: 6/2-13

He would post AHL career 6 goals and 9 assists for 15 points in 56 games but that’s still far short of the marks he put up in his last three years of juniors.

Although maybe still short of what is expected it was enough to earn him another one-year look.

For 2014/2015 he increased goals scored to a still modest 8 and tied those 15 points from the previous campaign but was also a surprising nice +10 rating in just 34 games due to a late season injury that shortened his progress.

Entering his second restricted free agency, Tampa Bay has decided to continue watching the 24-year old possibly thinking he’s late to develop.

stefan-chaput

5th year center Stefan Chaput(21) hooks up with Hamilton Bulldogs for the 2012/2013 season on a one-year AHL contract.

He missed all but 11 games with Providence Bruins last year due to hip surgery, groin, upper body, you name it. Apparently healthy once again, he’ll look to regain some of that scoring spark he had when he first came to the P-Bruins in 2010 and from his “rookie” season in the Carolina Hurricanes‘ system with Albany River Rats.

The 6′ 192 lbs. forward was originally a Canes‘ 5th round pick in 2006 (#153 overall). He’s not an overly big player and doesn’t really play that style of game but given some room he can make things happen and the Bulldogs are counting on some of that magic to reappear. He has yet to appear in an NHL game.

Original story: 9/19-12

He would start his new season on reassignment down to Wheeling Nailers, where in 15 ECHL games he scored 3 goals and 6 assists before being recalled to spend the rest of the campaign with Hamilton.

Although not what he was able to achieve in his earlier career, he still was able to do ok with 5 goals and 12 assists in 48 games but was a woeful -12 plus/minus.

It was good enough to get him another contract for 2013/2014, but when he was once again to start the new year in the lower league he decided to split signing briefly with Cornwall River Kings of the LNAH.

He received another AHL look on a pto with Utica Comets but failed to connect in three games and was released.

His next step may have been one of his most important, as he agreed to terms halfway through the season to head overseas joining Ravensburg Towerstars of DEL2.

Seemed like the right move as he found that scoring touch connecting for 9 goals and 11 assists in 16 games and added another tally and 4 more helpers in 5 playoff match-ups.

For 2014/2015 he decided to stay put in Germany but switch allegiances inking a deal with rivals Dresdner Eislowen.

He would post career highs for his new squad notching 20 goals and 34 assists for 54 points in 43 games but came up a bit empty in a short postseason.

Heading into his 8th year, the now 27-year old has decided to move on to Austria’s Erste Bank Eishockey Liga to skate with Olimpija Ljubljana, where he may be a bit more challenged to keep up those scoring stats from last season but will be a good challenge.

Brian-Dumoulin2

Originally a Carolina Hurricanes‘ 2nd round pick in the 2009 draft (#51 overall), rookie defenseman Brian Dumoulin(8) signed a three-year entry level contract with the team but was traded to Pittsburgh Penguins in the Jordan Staal in a draft day deal.

The 6’3″ 210 lbs. blue liner won an NCAA Championship last season with BC Eagles before deciding to turn pro after three years.

With no NHL in sight at the start of his rookie season, he was reassigned with every eligible player to their AHL affiliate Wilkes-Barres/Scranton Penguins. In 31 games he has a pair of goals and 7 assists.

For a big guy d-man he did show an offensive upside at the college level and would be quite the asset if he can parlay that talent consistently in the big leagues.

It’s quite possible that he’ll get a quick look at Penguins‘ training camp when it starts up next weekend.

Original story: 1/9-15

His first year would finish with a nice 6 goals and 18 assists but a not so great -11 rating. He continued to improve in his Calder Cup Playoff debut getting 2 goals and 6 assists in 15 contests.

In his sophomore campaign his minor league totals fell very slightly but he played 20 less games, while scoring his first recall and making his first 6 appearances with the parent club. He would get his first point, an assist in his second game.

Upon his return to the Baby Pens he would come up with a new personal best 3 goals and 9 assists in 17 postseason match-ups.

A late training camp cut to start 2014/2015 he was summoned fairly early for 8 games and got his first NHL goal before being sent back putting up AHL career high 29 assists, 33 points and a crazy good +25 plus/minus.

His sturdy, steady play earned him a spot on the Stanley Cup Playoff roster, where he skated all 5 first round games with no points and a +1 rating.

Once again returning to the farm team to help them with their postseason push he notched three assists in 6 games bowing out in the second round.

Pittsburgh has given him a 2-year extension and it looks like the soon-to-be 24-year old will be playing his first full season in the show.

brian-dumolin

9th year defenseman Alexandre Picard(45) signed a one-year two-way deal with Pittsburgh Penguins shortly after free agency started in the offseason.

With 243 NHL games to his credit (19 goals, 46 assists), he is looks to be mostly considered a 6th or 7th defenseman.

He’s off to a good start this season with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the AHL. In 12 games, he has 1 goal and 4 assists but it’s the +9 that’s getting most of the attention.

Into his second recall, he’s already a +5 with the Pens in 7 games with no points.

Original story: 12/1-11

After skating 17 games with Pittsburgh recording 4 assists with a +4 rating and playing 12 Calder Cup Playoff games getting 6 assists, he decided that he would try his game overseas joining HC Lev Praha of the KHL but suffered a shoulder injury and was later released.

After only appearing in 11 games in the 2012/2013 season, he moved on signing a one-year deal with Graz 99ers of Erste Banke Liga.

The 6’3″ 215 lbs. d-man would once again go elsewhere and departed for DEL, where he inked to play with ERC Ingolstadt.

Now 29-years old he’s decided to head to yet another country agreeing to lace up the skates for HC Fribourg-Gotteron of NLA.

There’s no telling if he’ll finally settle but chances are probably not.

 

harrison-reed

6th year right wing Harrison Reed(19) has decided it’s time to go try his game overseas joining up with Eispiraten Crimmitschau of DEL2, the second tier pro hockey league in Germany.

He’s coming off a season of career highs with Stockton Thunder of the ECHL. In 46 games he put up 21 goals and 24 assists. It was his first time hitting the 20/20 club. He also added another 9 tallies and 11 helpers in 23 Kelly Cup Playoff games getting the team all the way to the finals before falling.

Originally a Carolina Hurricanes‘ 3rd round pick in the 2006 draft (#93 overall), he signed a 3-year entry level deal and joined their then affiliate Albany River Rats for 119 games before being involved in a trade that made him property of Colorado Avalanche for the last season of his contract.

He joined Lake Erie Monsters for 2010/2011 but was also reassigned for about half the time to Tulsa Oilers of the Central Hockey League.

The 6’1″ 192 lbs. forward plays with bigger size than his measurements might indicate but was never really able to connect in the AHL, where in 208 games he has 11 goals and 16 assists but is a terrible -39 overall.

For his first season as an unrestricted free agent he signed a contract to play with Toledo Walleye but also received a pair of call-ups to Houston Aeros and the familiar Lake Erie team. He would also rejoin them again last season for 14 contests.

The 25-year should be able to continue his domination on the score sheet, which may bring him back to North America or help continue his rise in Europe.

Original story: 8/1-13

After a year in the 2nd tier German league potting an astounding 40 goals and 50 assists in 54 games and another 27 points in 17 playoff contests, he was awarded forward of the year title for his efforts.

He decided to make the jump up to DEL signing with Straubing Tigers and came back down to earth with 25 points in 50 games.

For 2015/2016 he circles back to DEL2 inking for a season with Dresdner Eislowen.

At 27-years old now he very well could explode on the score sheet once again and look to move on to a different country’s top league.

jerome-samson

In his 5th season with Carolina Hurricanes, undrafted wing Jerome Samson(17) received his first call up to the NHL of 2011/2012 and promptly put the puck in the net. It was the first big league goal of his career.

The team is struggling again this season and need someone that will give them point production. He’s played 32 games and has just 5 points (1 goal, 4 assists) but at age 24, he may be just starting to hit his stride.

With Charlotte Checkers, he leads the team in goals with 15 and adds 12 assists for a respectable 27 points in 37 AHL games.

He is in the final year of the two-year extension he signed in 2010.

He wears the inverse of his AHL numbers in the NHL.

Original story: 1/14-12

7/20-12: Signs a one-year, two way contract to stay with Carolina Hurricanes.

For 2013/2014 he leaves to ink another one-year deal with Winnipeg Jets but spends the entire season with affiliate St. John’s IceCaps reaching his second highest totals in the minors.

Once again he looks for an opportunity to play in the NHL and agrees to terms with Tampa Bay Lightning but is very slow to start with their farm club Syracuse Crunch and asks to be released.

He eventually is put on unconditional waivers and heads overseas joining Biel of the NLA in Switzerland.

Now 27-years old he’ll stay across the pond with EHC Munchen of the German elite DEL and will in all likelihood regain that scoring touch.

tom-kostopoulos-1

The 36-years old, Tom Kostopoulos(29) will lace up the skates signing his third contract, his 17th pro campaign, to continue as captain of Wilkes Barre-Scranton Penguins for 2015/2016.

He’s managed to put up 40+ points in each of the past two seasons and will like reach that mark for an 8th time in the AHL.

His highest totals were in the 2004/2005 lockout, where he amassed 71 points for Manchester Monarchs before embarking of 9 straight years in the NHL with Los Angeles Kings, Montreal Canadiens, Carolina Hurricanes, Calgary Flames and New Jersey Devils.

ryan_murphy

Carolina Hurricanes‘ 1st round pick in the 2011 draft (#12 overall) defenseman Ryan Murphy(7) has made the at least 2.5 hour commute between Raleigh and minor league affiliate Charlotte Checkers so many times in his short 2-year pro career that he must be feeling like a bit of a yo-yo.

The not so big 5’11” 185 lbs. blue liner definitely has shown an ability to put up points on the scoreboard.

He was virtually a point per game performer in 4 years of OHL with Kitchener Rangers and his 17 assists in 22 AHL games nears his 19 helper mark set last season.

That is unless he stays rooted with the parent club, where he has 5 assists in 17 NHL games, only slightly off the 2 goals and 10 assists in 48 contests he put up as a rookie.

The 21-year old is signed through 2016 on a three-year entry level deal and knows he has to work his tail off to stay put.

He was recently sent back down to the farm team so he could appear in the All-Star Game.

He helped the Western Conference to a 14-12 victory with 3 assists and a +5 rating and then immediately was recalled.