Tagged: Saint John Sea Dogs

danick-gauthier

Tampa Bay Lightning rookie center Danick Gauthier(81) went undrafted but that doesn’t mean he wasn’t well sought after.

He signed a handsome three-year entry level deal after back-to-back junior hockey titles and a Memorial Cup win with Saint John Sea Dogs.

His numbers in his final year were more than a point per game.

The 6’2″ 210 lbs. forward started his pro career with minor league affiliate Syracuse Crunch but has also found himself to be a healthy scratch probably more than he wanted, playing 30 AHL games with 5 goals and 2 assists.

Recently reassigned to ECHL farm team Florida Everblades, he spent 10 days down south and pocketed 3 goals and 3 assists in 5 games.

The 21-year old has been recalled and needs to put  up some numbers like he did in the lower league as the team edges closer to clinching a playoff berth.

Original story: 3/17-13

He would finish his first season with 5 goals and 5 assists in 38 games but was not inserted into the lineup for any playoff contests despite the team making it all the way to the 2013 Calder Cup Finals.

To open his sophomore campaign he would start with Florida Everblades and stayed there a month before getting the nod to come back up.

He ended splitting time between the two clubs but spent more time in the lower league.

In the final year of his contract, he once again was sent south at the onset of the season but only stayed for a few appearances before being summoned for three games, then dispatched to Wichita Thunder, where he started to bloom.

He would go on to score a career high 30 goals and 40 assists for 70 points, all team leading, with a -3 rating in 69 ECHL games. He would also put up a crazy 250 shots on net.

For 2015/2016, he’ll turn just 24-years old as the new season starts and re-signed with the Thunder hoping to continue his scoring surge.

Stanislav-Galiev

Less than a year ago, Washington Capitals‘ 3rd year Russian-born right wing Stanislav Galiev(49) was barely a consideration to be recalled to the parent club when an injury took down one of the starters.

At the end of 2014 he appeared in first round playoff games for ECHL affiliate Reading Royals. He was also part of their 2013 Kelly Cup Championship team scoring 4 goals and 7 asssists in 10 games as a rookie.

All that changed at the beginning of the final campaign of his three-year entry level deal though, as he has exploded with scoring abilities for farm team Hershey Bears in 2014/2015.

The not exactly huge 6’1″ 187 lbs. forward has a career high (and team leading) 25 goals, 20 assists and 45 points through 64 AHL games with a +5 rating.

His 15 power play tallies also lead the league.

The two-time, consecutive 2011 and 2012 QMJHL Champion and 2011 Memorial Cup winner always put up big numbers in juniors taking the most assist honors in his first season 2009/2010 and leading the way in the 2012 postseason for Saint John Sea Dogs with 16 goals and 34 points.

In his first NHL game, he skated 13 shifts for 9:56 total ice with :18 on the power play and had one shot on net, one hit, one giveaway and one takeaway.

See related: 11/20-12

 

Yann Suave2

Orlando Solar Bears‘ 5th year defenseman Yann Sauve(3) was late to come to the table signing a one-year minor league deal for 2014/2015 two months into the new season.

He was originally a Vancouver Canucks‘ 2nd round pick in the 2008 draft (#41 overall) and in their system for four campaigns, first signing a three-year entry level contract and then an extension for 2013/2014.

The fairly big 6’3″ 215 lbs. blue liner was assistant captain for affiliate Utica Comets, had a career high 13 assists and tied the 14 points he recorded as a rookie, but was also a disappointing -20 plus/minus.

He was recalled to the NHL for the first time since his initial year, when he appeared in 5 games.

In 3 more games as the parent club’s blue line was injury depleted, he again didn’t connect with the score sheet.

He was productive in the QMJHL with Saint John Sea Dogs averaging 20 assists each season and had an unreal +42 rating before he turned pro.

The 24-year old had already played portions of two seasons on reassignment in ECHL teams, so is familiar with the league.

His best run was in 2012/2013, when he had 19 points in 32 games and is off to a good start with a goal and an assist in 5 contests.

On 12/29-14 he has moved back up the hockey ladder for the moment, signing to a pto with Saint John’s IceCaps.

kevin-gagne

Anaheim Ducks apparently think much of their latest prospect, undrafted defenseman Kevin Gagne(36) since signing a three-year entry level deal and joining minor league affiliate Norfolk Admirals on an ato.

He posted junior career bests in his final year as an over-ager, basically doubling his scoring totals from the previous two seasons.

The small 5’8″ 170 lbs. forward split his final campaign between Saint John Sea Dogs, a team he’d spent the four and a half years with, winning a pair of QMJHL championships, one Memorial Cup, and was voted “Defenseman Of The Year” and then traded to Rimouski Oceanic.

He played pretty effectively in all situations in the two AHL contests we saw him skate.

Finishing with 5 games played, he registered one assist and a -3 rating on a team that fell apart late to see their spot in the postseason berth slip away.

He was a Hamilton Bulldogs‘ training camp invitee at the beginning of 2012/2013 but ended up being one of the last players released.

It will be interesting to see if the Ducks recall him to become a member of the black aces for their Stanley Cup run.

He will no doubt be in prospect camp in the next couple months.

Former Saint John Sea Dogs‘ captain and Memorial Cup winner, undrafted winger Mike Thomas(17) signed an spc to play with Springfield Falcons to start his pro career.

To start 2012 though, he was reassigned to the ECHL Chicago Express, where he posted no points in 2 games before being quickly called back up.

In 25 AHL games, he only has a goal and 3 assists to go along with a -6 plus/minus in limited minutes of play.

He has never been a prolific goal scorer but has good size (6’1″ 204 lbs.), which Grand Rapids Griffins look to develop in the 21-year old, when they traded veteran defenseman Greg Amadio for him.