Tagged: St. Louis Blues

jeff-hoggan

12th year undrafted left wing Jeff Hoggan(10) had a nice welcome home campaign after two years abroad in Germany playing in DEL.

He joined Grand Rapid Griffins on a training camp tryout agreement but as of a few days before the start of the regular season had himself a one-year AHL contract and was named team captain from the get-go.

The 6’1″ 190 lbs. forward guided the Griffins to the 2013 Calder Cup Championship, a distinction he previously won as a rookie with Houston Aeros in 2003.

The veteran of 488 regular season AHL games with 5 different teams has scored 131 goals, 125 assists and an overall +19 rating. He lead the league in that category in the 2007-2008 season with a remarkable +39.

He has 107 NHL games to his credit playing two full seasons with St. Louis Blues and Boston Bruins and a couple of cups of coffee as a member of Phoenix Coyotes‘ system.

The 35-year unrestricted free agent signed a two-year deal to continue with Detroit Red Wings‘ minor league affiliate through 2015.

Original story: 7/10-13

After winning the whole she-bang and scoring another pair of years under contract the team captain, steady veteran presence posted identical stats in the next two seasons (14-17-31) although he played a full schedule in 2013/2014 and 59 games last campaign but did also post a huge +23 rating.

He even added another 6 goals and 8 assists in 26 postseason contests.

At 37-years old he wasted zero time signing another one-year extension, his fourth with Grand Rapids Griffins to forge ahead with the team and his 14-year career.

Cam-Janssen2

Originally a New Jersey Devils‘ 4th round pick in the 2002 draft (#117 overall), 9th year right wing Cam Janssen(22) makes an appearance in an AHL game for the first time in 5 years.

Ironically it’s once again with a Devils‘ minor league affiliate and he comes full circle from where he started his career in the last lockout season 2004-2005, Albany. Then it was the River Rats and later became Lowell Devils before changing back to upper state NY with the horned moniker in tow.

In that rookie season, the 6′ 215 lbs. pugilist wrapped up an amazing 337 penalty minutes. He owned stock in that penalty box.

He continued that role and it landed him in the NHL full-time by 2008 with St. Louis Blues, although he did play 95 games with New Jersey.

The 28-year has been signed to a series of 1-year two-way deals on his second go round with the Devils and with this lockout history, he will have a hard time finding a spot on a lineup that has the elements he brings to the table but also can put some points up on the score sheet.

Regardless, he’s a fun player to watch and in his first minor league game in half a decade looked to be more interested in making plays and scoring goals in what turned into a blow out loss.

He’s skated 311 NHL in his pro career and honestly we doubt he’s done.

Original story: 2/3-13

Once the lockout thawed he would start the shortened 2013 season with 3 games for the parent club out of training camp playing very limited minutes before being sent to Albany.

For 2013/2014 he signed another short term deal with New Jersey Devils and begin the new year in the AHL but was quickly recalled and managed to split time between the two affiliated teams and even ended up scoring a career high 3 NHL goals before being returned down.

He must have made a good impression because he inked quickly at the conclusion of the season for his 8th campaign with the Devils and although he failed to skate in a big league game, when he was inserted into the lineup with the farm team he kept opponents honest with 9 fighting majors to his credit.

The recently turned 31-year old is entering his 12th pro season and has decided to try something new as he agrees for 2015/2016 with Nottingham Panthers of the EIHL.

With the announcement he’s already creating quite the stir overseas.

cam-janssen

jason-bacashihua

In his 10th season, veteran goaltender Jason Bacashihua(35) was originally a 1st round draft pick in 2001 for Dallas Stars (#26 overall) but they never played a game in net for them.

After a couple of not so successful seasons with their AHL team, Utah Grizzlies he was traded to St. Louis Blues and tended goal for Worcester IceCats for a season and Peoria Rivermen before getting his chance in the NHL.

He didn’t exactly step up at the opportunity and his stock dropped causing him to get traded to Colorado Avalanche for a bag of rocks.

Two calendars years later he signs a one-year deal with the always fantastic Hershey Bears and posted his first winning record since 2005/2006.

From here he starts his vagabond journey signing another deal and a great year for him later with Colorado. He backstops their AHL affiliate Lake Erie Monsters with a winning record and career highs in GAA 2.29 and SV% .917 and he’s on a roll at 28-years old.

He signed another one-year deal with Philadelphia Flyers but has and probably will only play with Adirondack Phantoms in the AHL. But once again, he’s winning more games than losing with decent GAA and SV%.

Original story: 1/24-12

After three seasons tending net in DEL for Straubing Tigers playing 137 games with a 2.80 GAA and a .911 SV% the soon-to-be 33 year old has decided to switch things up and moves on to Slovak Extraliga joining HC Banska Bystrica for 2015/2016.

It will be his 14th professional season.

James-Livingston2

Originally a St. Louis Blues‘ 3rd round pick in the 2008 draft (#70 overall), 3rd year right wing James Livingston(26) signed a 3-year entry level deal by San Jose Sharks and played with their minor league affiliate Worcester Sharks for the past 2 and a half years.

He was recently picked up by Los Angeles Kings‘ organization at the trade deadline for a future draft pick, giving him a new start.

The 6’1″ 210 lbs. always hard-skating digger is already making an impression with his new squad he’s already very familiar with from playing games against in the AHL, Manchester Monarchs.

In his first outing he got into a scrap late in the first period. In his second skate (on his birthday) he posted the game-winning goal and an insurance marker raising his yearly totals closer to modest career highs, which he should surpass.

At his current pace, it seems like a good prospect for the restricted free agent to get a qualifying offer to stay where he is for a complete season look.

The 24-year old has yet to appear in an NHL game but with some more hard work could be a great fourth line grinder to start.

Original story: 3/12-14

For the final year of his initial contract, he ended the season posting career high totals: 8 goals and 15 assists in 67 games but it wasn’t enough to gain interest from another club.

He would decide to take a step back and sign for a season with Idaho Steelheads of the ECHL posting a handy 13 goals and 21 assists.

Surveying the landscape the now 25-year old has decided to pursue pro hockey elsewhere and agreed to play in Austria’s Erste Bank Eishockey Liga with EC Dornbirner Bulldogs.

He should be able to increase his point totals overseas and may find renewed energy in his game.

james-livingston

Aaron-Palushaj

At least a few players in Montreal Canadiens‘ system are racking up those Air Canada frequent flyer miles, but probably none more than 3rd year right wing Aaron Palushaj(28).

Originally chosen in the 2nd round of the 2007 draft (#44 overall) by St. Louis Blues, he was traded late in his rookie season and has pretty much skated with Hamilton Bulldogs ever since, excluding a 3-game call up to the NHL last season, where he didn’t register a point but at least went a +1 plus/minus.

He’s a point-per-game producer in the AHL this season (13 goals and 18 assists in 31 games) with a +1.

His current recall makes it 5 so far in 2011/2012.

In 19 games he has one assist.

He’s bound to get his first NHL goal before the end of this season.

Original story: 2/19-12

For 2011/2012, he would end up splitting time equally with 38 games for the big club, where he did get his first goal and 35 games with the farm team producing another point-per-game effort.

The 5’11” 192 lbs. forward was given a one year extension but suffered a shoulder injury in the minors a couple of months into the season.

When he was set to return, he was set to be reassigned but claimed off waivers by Colorado Avalanche.

He skated in 25 games scoring a pair of goals and 7 assists, which wasn’t deemed good enough to get him a qualifying offer to stay.

For 2012/2013 he would sign for a year with Carolina Hurricanes but only played two games with them and was mostly once again a big point producer scoring a career tying 22 goals and high 36 assists, 58 points for affiliate Charlotte Checkers.

He would look overseas for his next deal signing with Medvescak Zagreb of the KHL but traded shortly into his term to Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg.

Now, the still only 25-years old, starting his 7th campaign decided to return to North American hockey accepting a two-way contract with Philadelphia Flyers that could see him playing a veteran role mostly with Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

Alexandre-Bolduc

6’1″ 197 lbs., grisly 7th year center, Alexandre Bolduc(49) found himself without a team after basically skating his first six seasons pro in Vancouver Canucks‘ system mostly with their AHL affiliate, the famed Manitoba Moose, a team he skated 232 games with.

It didn’t last long though, as Arizona Coyotes picked up his unrestricted free agency status with a one-year two-way deal. He’s mostly skated with Portland Pirates putting up 3 goals and 11 assists in 19 games.

He’s played 46 NHL games and scored a pair of goals and three assists. He was originally a St. Louis Blues‘ 4th round pick in the 2003 draft (#127 overall) but never signed with them.

He technically signed as a rookie with ECHL Bakersfield Condors but skated more games in the AHL. For the next season he inked a two-way AHL contract with the Moose, then a one-way deal with Manitoba before scoring a contract with the Canucks for 2008/2009.

An upper body (um, shoulder) injury kept him sidelined for most of this season but he’s come back strong.

Original story 3/25-12

After inking for a second year in the Coyotes‘ system as captain of their farm team, he moved on circling back to skate for the team that selected him out of junior hockey, St. Louis Blues.

He spent the entire 2013/2014 season on reassignment with Chicago Wolves.

The following campaign he would again be signed by Arizona and once more take the lead of affiliate Portland Pirates.

He ended up having a career second best 23 goals and highs of 29 assists and 52 points to lead the team in 62 AHL games.

For his 11th pro season the 29-year old leaves North American hockey for his first run at the KHL with Traktor Chelyabinsk.

 

Tyler-Shattock

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.

Taylor-Chorney3

Pittsburgh Penguins‘ 7th year defenseman Taylor Chorney(44) spent the last pair of seasons exclusively in the minors while under contract with St. Louis Blues.

Previously he’d skated in at least a couple contests each campaign, and spent over half of 2009/2010 with draft team Edmonton Oilers (2005 round 2, #35 overall). He’s appeared in 65 NHL games scoring a goal and 5 assists.

The 6’1″ 201 lbs. blue liner has reached 20+ points in the AHL five times, including his 4 goals and 16 assists mark this season.

He’s received a pair of recalls and played in 4 games, increasing his time on ice to 24 shifts for 15:24, including 1:38 on the power play and 2 shots on net, 2 hits and one break up.

The 27-year old is only signed through the end of the season but could extended to stick around in eastern Pennsylvania.

Eric-Selleck

Portland Pirates‘ 5th year left wing Eric Selleck(25) plays an almost unassuming tough guy style.

He’s had 12 fighting majors in 63 AHL games but also has a career tying 6 goals and best 13 assists with a +3 rating and a likely to increase 164 penalty minutes.

At 6’2″ 220 lbs. he’s definitely big enough to hold his own against just about anyone but will probably not eclipse the 200+ minutes he put up in his first two seasons.

He had a battler 28 bouts as a rookie a personal best/worst 214 minutes in the box.

After a couple of seasons putting up points at SUNY-Oswego, Florida Panthers signed the unrestricted free agent to a 2-year entry level deal and extended it twice before trading him in a farm squad deal to St. Louis Blues.

He managed to get himself a single NHL recall from the Panthers and got tossed in his debut for instigating a fight that caused him to wobble off ice.

He would remain up with the team but waited over another month for his next appearance, in which he put up his first point, an assist.

Without a contract for 2014/2015, he signed a minor league contract and has found himself a not so bad possibly temporary home in Maine.

Petteri-Lindbolm

St. Louis Blues‘ 6th round pick in the 2012 draft (#176 overall) Finnish-born rookie defenseman Petteri Lindbohm(48) has been on a slingshot between the parent club and affiliate Chicago Wolves.

He has already been reassigned and recalled 10 times (5 of those in December alone) since the start of the 2014/2015 season.

The fairly large 6’3″ 198 lbs. d-man connected with his first NHL goal in his most recent journey back.

The tally goes along with his one assist in 10 games.

In that contest he played a season high 26 shifts for 17:06 of total ice, including a small amount of time on the power play and penalty kill, had 3 shots on net and got into his first fight in the big league.

He has 4 fighting major in 41 AHL games, so is not afraid to mix it up, and has scored 6 goals and 11 assists with a +5 rating.

The 21-year old came in with 2 years of pro experience, 72 contests in Liiga with Jokerit and Assat and looks to be well on his way to a permanent roster spot with the Blues.