Its one of my favorite times of the year - as junior and NCAA seasons end - and our prospects take their first steps out into the big pro world of hockey. Thought it would be a fun thread to discuss and follow your prospects as they sign and play.
For the Flames - Alex Killorn signs with the Tampa Bay Lightning. I'm pretty excited with this one as its hard to be patient and wait almost 5 years after you drafted a player to see them take this step. Drafted by the Lightning 77th overall in 2007. Finished with 23 goals and 46 points in his final season in Harvard, usually the place where prospects go to die. Boltsprospects.com lists him as the #1 prospect in the Lightning organization and say he's "almost NHL ready."
Brad Ross also signed with the Maple Leafs but since he's on the powerhouse Portland Winterhawks it's doubtful he'll see any pro hockey till next year.
In bad news, the Islanders weren't able to convince Anders Lee to go pro and he'll go back to Notre Dame for his Junior year next season. More patience needed.. BAH
Julian Melchiori - Melchiori, 20, started the 2011-12 season with the Kitchener Rangers of the OHL where he played in 25 games for 19 points (2G, 17A) and 42 penalty minutes. The left-handed defenceman was acquired by the Oshawa Generals on Jan. 8/12 and since then has suited up for 25 games with the OHL club. In his time with the Generals, the Richmond Hill, ON native has recorded 17 assists and 22 penalty minutes.
Matt Puempel had signed with the Sens a while back, but rather surprisingly, has joined Binghampton in the AHL, even though he hasn't played an OHL game since the beginning of January. He has been cleared to play, is practicing with Bingo and is expected to suit for a game this weekend.
Given he still has another year of CHL eligibility, he CAN'T play for Bingo next year and has to play in the CHL (or NHL), so it is a rather unique situation whereby a guy gets to play in the AHL likely before his CHL career is close to over. Happens with some of the elite guys (Eberle comes to mind), so pleasantly surprised the Sens went this route with Puempel. Trying to salvage a bit from what has been a brutal year for Puempel between a late start recovering from hip surgery, to a lengthy suspension, to a major concussion. I'm sure it won't be an easy debut given how rusty he must be, but good experience just the same.
Matt Puempel had signed with the Sens a while back, but rather surprisingly, has joined Binghampton in the AHL, even though he hasn't played an OHL game since the beginning of January. He has been cleared to play, is practicing with Bingo and is expected to suit for a game this weekend.
Excellent news. I've seen in recent years that players have played AHL when signed but never while their CHL teams were still playing. Regardless its good to see Puempel back from the concussion.
Adding one more, the Dallas Stars just signed Reilly Smith to an ELC, after Miami was eliminated over the weekend. Smith was 2nd in the NCAA in goals with 30 and lead the country in game winners with 9.
What is MOST surprising, is the Stars then immediately assigned Smith to Dallas, versus their AHL Affiliate in Austin. A few of the other top prospects for the Stars like Austin Smith and Alex Chiasson were assigned to Austin, not Dallas, and their AHL team already has established pro forwards Scott Glennie, Matt Fraser and a few others.
Not sure if Smith is expected to suit of for Dallas this week in the thick of a playoff race, but interesting to see him join the Stars ahead of some other solid forward prospects.
Columbus prospect netminder Mike Lee signs with Phoenix.
(from USCHO.com)
St. Cloud State junior goaltender Mike Lee has signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Phoenix Coyotes.
Lee posted an 8-6-2 record with a 2.23 goals against average and a .930 save percentage in 16 games this season and also served as SCSU’s captain.
“Mike had a tremendous career here at St. Cloud State and has played a key role in the success of our program over the past three seasons,” SCSU coach Bob Motzko said in a news release. “Mike’s skills and play-making abilities placed him among the best in college hockey and he will certainly be remembered as one of the premiere goalies in the history of the Husky hockey program at St. Cloud State.”
Lee, drafted in the third round (91st overall) by the Coyotes in the 2009 NHL draft, appeared in 74 games with the Huskies, posting a record of 32-29-9 with a 2.59 goals against average and a .919 save percentage.
***EDIT: former Jackets second-round pick Jason Zucker played his first NHL game last night, the siphomore signing with the Minnesota Wild following the Denver Pioneers' elimination from the NCAA tournament.
He had 3 shots in just under 11 minutes of play in the Wild's 3-2 overtime win over Florida, and didn't look out of place - good news for his current rights holder, te new Jersey Devils.
Last edited by Ohio Jones: 03-30-2012 at 01:58 AM.
Columbus prospect netminder Mike Lee signs with Phoenix.
Wow. Does that mean Phoenix (NHL) will have Lee, Louis Dominique AND Mark Visentin turning pro next year? Not sure there enough starts to go around in San Antonio. Might be an off-season trade in the works given the glut of goalies. it's the one thing your depth chart can only handle so much of given the limited number of "Starts" you have at the AHL levels.
Wow. Does that mean Phoenix (NHL) will have Lee, Louis Dominique AND Mark Visentin turning pro next year? Not sure there enough starts to go around in San Antonio. Might be an off-season trade in the works given the glut of goalies. it's the one thing your depth chart can only handle so much of given the limited number of "Starts" you have at the AHL levels.
I fully expect Lee to start in the ECHL, for what it's worth.
Brett Bulmer will join the Houston Aeros for the rest of the season and the playoffs
He would be eligible to play in the Calder Cup playoffs because he's a signed junior player.
The feisty, good-skating, hard-nosed forward scored 34 goals and 62 points in 53 games for the Rockets this season and had 93 penalty minutes and 19 multi-point games.
Joining Bulmer with the Aeros is graduating Notre Dame Captain D Sean Lorenz. Lorenz brings good size (6-1/207) and mobility from the back end, and was voted the top defensive defenseman on the CCHA for the 2010-11 season. His instincts are to be a bit of a tweener, but the expectation is he will be groomed into a shutdown D type following a similar progression to Greg Zanon. He's signed with Houston in the AHL, with an ATO in the unlikely event a call-up is needed in the Wild's last handful of games.
Lorenz has a shot at a third-pairing shutdown role in the NHL in 2-3 years if he pays attention to Aeros Head Coach John Torchetti's instruction.
Shame for the Ducks, but doesn't hurt the HFNHL Blue Jackets any, especially if there is another situation that can offer him a quicker road to the NHL. With young puck movers like Fowler and Sbisa on the team, there wasn't necessarily room for Schultz in Anaheim.
Last edited by Ohio Jones: 03-31-2012 at 11:14 AM.
Shame for the Ducks, but doesn't hurt the HFNHL Blue Jackets any, especially if there is another situation that can offer him a quicker road to the NHL. With young puck movers like Fowler and Sbisa on the team, there wasn't necessarily room for Schultz in Anaheim.
Ok send him to me his time has come to play with Flyers.
