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03Feb

T.J. Hensick(28) Hartford Wolf Pack

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7th year veteran center T.J. Hensick(28) returns to North American hockey after a half season away in the SHL with MODO.

He was released by the team after under-producing on the score sheet.

Signed to an AHL contract by Abbotsford Heat but then claimed off waivers by Hartford Wolf Pack, his last two pro years were spent with Peoria Rivermen, under a 2-way contract with St. Louis Blues.

The 5’9″ 195 lbs. forward was originally a Colorado Avalanche 3rd round pick in the 2005 draft (#88 overall) and played three seasons with the team and in their system.

He’s played 112 NHL games scoring 12 goals and 24 assists, last appearing in the league in 2012 with the Blues.

The 28-year old has skated in 332 minor league games with impressive numbers: 103 goals and 246 assists, making him more than a point-per-game player.

He had impressive numbers through his college career at University Of Michigan, winning a national championship in 2005 and being named a Hobey Baker Award finalist in two of his four season.

Where he goes next year is up for grabs but his contributions with his new team are already being noticed.

01Nov

Brett Skinner(24) Norfolk Admirals

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9th year veteran defenseman Brett Skinner(24) interestingly signed with the Central Hockey League Allen Americans, eventual President’s Cup winners, after returning from a couple of seasons overseas. Two years ago he ended up playing for teams in Germany, Finland and Sweden, but in the season before that one he played a full campaign in the KHL.

He put up some pretty impressive numbers in the lower league, skating 27 games, scoring 7 goals and 30 assists with a +4 rating.

Grand Rapids Griffins swooped in and signed him to a pto half way through 2012/2013. They upped that to a standard players contract in short order and their season culminated 100 games later as the 2013 Calder Cup Champs.

The 6’1″ 195 lbs. blue liner was originally a Vancouver Canucks‘ 3rd round pick in the 2002 draft (#68 overall) but only played a single year in their system before bouncing around with a few AHL teams until he signed in the off-season of 2008 with New York Islanders for a spell, played his only 11 NHL games with them. The next season he scored some fairly decent numbers reassigned to minor league affiliate Lake Erie Monsters while under contract with Colorado Avalanche.

Probably helped him get some decent money in Russia.

At 30 years old with his new team Norfolk Admirals, he already has three assists in 7 games. His AHL stats are pretty amazing at 369 games (and counting) 28 goals and 151 assists.

It’s all about the break out pass.

23Sep

Marc-Andre Cliche(22) Colorado Avalanche

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Colorado Avalanche claimed 7th year center Marc-Andre Cliche(22) off waivers from Los Angeles Kings.

He’s on the 2nd year of his current contract which pays him a one-way salary regardless of getting reassigned to a minor league affiliate.

The seemingly under-sized 6′ 205 lbs. forward was Manchester Monarchs‘ captain for the last three seasons and has skated in 341 AHL games with the team scoring 68 goals and 83 assists. He also owns a highly accountable +19 rating.

In his last two years of junior hockey with Lewiston Maineiacs, he was also team captain leading them to the 2007 QMJHL Championship.

He’s only been recalled for a single NHL game but could find his way to becoming a regular in the parent club’s lineup like former teammate Richard Clune did once Nashville Predators pulled him out from the Kings‘ prospect system.

The 26-year old former New York Rangers‘ 2nd round pick in the 2005 draft (#56 overall) will definitely be looking to getting into his new training camp and prove he’s ready to become a full-time member in the big league. His tenacious, never-say-quit playing style and endless ability to stick up for teammates will definitely help his case.

See related: 10/11-11

21Aug

Joel Chouinard(2) Hamilton Bulldogs

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4th year defenseman Joel Chouinard(2) signs a one-year AHL contract to skate with Hamilton Bulldogs or ECHL affiliate Wheeling Nailers in the 2012/2013.

Originally a Colorado Avalanche 6th round pick in the 2008 draft (#187 overall), he was left unqualified after three seasons in the their prospect system, where he played in 98 games with minor league affiliate Lake Erie Monsters but only 10 last year.

Instead he was reassigned for most of the campaign to the Central Hockey League appearing in 42 contests with Denver Cutthroats.

The 6’1″ 190 lbs. blue liner posted career highs in assists and points in the lower league.

He had similar strong marks in his rookie season, putting up a team leading 8 goals and 9 assists in only 35 AHL games.

This first year pro performance extended what he was able to accomplish in his final run of junior hockey with Victoriaville Tigres. He struck for phenomenal 23 tallies, good for first in the league and 35 helpers, which made him a more than point per game guy as a d-man.

The 23-year old will need to step it up again to spend the full season with the Bulldogs.

27Jun

Philippe Dupuis(19) Hamburg Freezers

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Heading into his eighth pro year, unrestricted free agent center/right wing Philippe Dupuis(19) will take his game to Germany joining Hamburg Freezers of DEL for the 2013/2014 season.

He was last spotted with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins but only appeared in 34 games scoring a pair of goals with 9 assists and a -7 plus/minus. He was signed by Pittsburgh Penguins for a 1-year, two-way deal and did appear in their shortened training camp before getting waived.

The previous season he was playing on a similar contract with Toronto Maple Leafs but unfortunately put up a goose egg in 30 games. His luck was far better with their minor league affiliate Toronto Marlies, where he put up 15 goals and 16 assists in 34 games with a +12 rating and did even better going all the way to the 2012 Calder Cup Finals. In 17 postseason games he had 4 goals and 10 assists with a +6.

In 2010/2011, the 6′ 196 lbs. forward skated almost the complete season in the NHL with Colorado Avalanche. He appeared in 74 games registering 6 goals and 11 assists.

He was originally a Columbus Blue Jackets‘ 4th round pick in the 2003 draft (#104 overall), spending a couple of seasons in their prospect system and even spent time in the ECHL with Dayton Bombers and went on a nice Kelly Cup run with the team.

It won’t be a surprise to see him become a point per game guy overseas, which he basically was throughout juniors.

15Jun

Bill Thomas(29) Medvescak Zagreb

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29-year old, undrafted 8th year right wing, Bill Thomas(29) has decided it’s time to leave North American pro hockey and joins Medvescak Zagreb of the KHL for 2013/2014.

He had been signed to a one-year, two-way contract with Colorado Avalanche for 2012/2013 but failed to receive a call-up in the lockout shortened season. It was the first time since he was on an AHL agreement for ’09/’10 with Springfield Falcons that he didn’t play in an NHL game.

He also left mid-season that year for the NLA in Switzerland but returned for the next campaign signing with Florida Panthers.

The unassuming 6’2″ 194 lbs. forward has played 87 contests in the show scoring 16 goals and 12 assists with three different teams.

He has 388 minor leagues games with 115 goals and 136 assists to his credit.

Seems like the right choice for the veteran player and chances are he will find his scoring touch.

See related: 12/29-10

18May

Karl Stollery(6) Colorado Avalanche

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Undrafted defenseman Karl Stollery(6) gets rewarded with a Colorado Avalanche one-year two-way NHL entry level deal after putting up solid numbers in his rookie season with affiliate Lake Erie Monsters, while under a minor league contract

In 72 AHL games he had 5 goals and 29 assists, first on the team at the d-spot in points and helpers, while maintaining a +11 rating with an active 119 shots of net.

He originally signed an ato with the team upon finishing up four years of college hockey at Merrimack and got right to the business of marking up the score sheet with a pair of goals and 5 assists in 9 games to finish out the regular season.

He led his Hockey East team in all sorts of categories, while holding down the captain’s spot in his final two years.

At 5’11” 180 lbs., the 25-year old could still use some added weight and muscle to his game but is already pretty impressive out there at his current size.

24Apr

Paul Carey(28) Lake Erie Monsters

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Colorado Avalanche 5th round pick in the 2007 draft (#135 overall), rookie center Paul Carey(28) is another player that quietly had himself a good first pro season.

He spent his entire debut campaign with minor league affiliate Lake Erie Monsters scoring 19 goals and 22 assists with a +2 rating on a team that sits just outside of the 2013 Calder Cup Playoff picture. He also played a couple of games at the end of 2012 when

The 24-year old was also a good point producer in college hockey with Boston College Eagles. He won a pair of NCAA titles in 2010 and 2012 with them, and even scored the gwg in the most recent win.

The 6’1″ 190 lbs. forward signed a two-year entry level deal through 2013/2014, when he’s set to become a restricted free agent.

He has yet to earn his first NHL recall but if he continues to put up the numbers, he can almost be assured his number will be called.

13Apr

Sami Aittokallio (30)

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Colorado Avalanche 4th round pick in the 2010 draft (#107 overall), Finnish rookie net minder Sami Aittokallio(30) got his first crack at an NHL start for a team that is out of the playoff picture in this lockout shortened season.

He performed well only allowing a pair of goals on 25 shots in two periods before having to be relieved in the third with muscle cramps he was suffering due to dehydration.

The Avalanche ended up losing the game 3-2 in the shootout.

In 26 appearances for AHL affliate Lake Erie Monsters, he has a 14-11-1 record with a 2.89 GAA and .903 SV%.

At 20-years old, the parent club believes he could be their starting goalie of the future, signing him to a 3-year entry level deal that runs through 2015.

The 6’1″ 180 lbs. backstop could be their answer between the pipes.

They need one as they ended up signing three goaltender prospects on one day in the offseason.

He performed nicely in the last couple of years as a teenager in Finland’s elite league, SM-liiga, so if he can stay on course he could be their guy.

09Apr

Brad Malone(42) Colorado Avalanche

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Colorado Avalanche 4th round pick in the 2007 draft (#105 overall), 2nd year center Brad Malone(42) notched his first NHL goal in 15 tries.

He is currently on his 2nd recall from their minor league affiliate Lake Erie Monsters, where he’s skated in 133 AHL games scoring 21 goals and 40 assists in regular and postseason play. He’s also a pretty lousy -20 overall plus/minus on a team barely above the .500 mark in 2012/2013. They were a much better team the previous season, just missing a playoff berth.

The 6’2″ 207 lbs. power forward was up for 9 games in his rookie campaign connecting for his first points in the show, a pair of assists.

He put up big numbers in his last two years of college hockey with University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux.

The 23-year old is in the final season of his two-year entry level deal and set to become a restricted free agent. It’s seems likely that he’ll be qualified for at least another season to continue his development.

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