The 2014 AHL All-Star Classic Roster

The roster came out today for the 20th AHL All-Star Classic.  If you don't follow AHL hockey, you may have no clue what I am talking about or care for that matter.  But pay attention to some of these guys.  Of the 20 players that were selected, 19 of them have NHL experience, including 14 this season.  Plus, success in this game leads to great opportunities.  Many of these guys are highly touted prospects for their respective NHL teams and could see permanent NHL jobs in the near future.  In fact, 93% of players that appear in the AHL All-Star Classic end up in the NHL.

This year, for the first time ever, the AHL All Stars will be competing against the best team from Sweden.  Ex-NHLer Hakan Loob's team, Farjestad BK from Karlstad, Sweden will be traveling to North America to compete against the best the AHL has to offer.  This team is one of the most successful European franchises ever, winning 9 Swedish league championships and making it to the finals 19 times.

The other reason I'm posting this is another excuse to show off some cards.  Prospecting is definitely not one of my fortes but with the double rookie class this year and the inclusion of many draft picks that see time at the tail end of the NHL season, many of these guys have cards floating around out there.  A lot of them have regular release cards with autos and memorabilia cards to boot, while some have only team releases and other examples from In The Game products.  If you are really motivated, most of them can be had on the secondary market for mere pennies.  If prospecting is your thing, this is a great group of players to target.


Here is the roster with player positions, teams they are on, the prospective NHL team they belong to, and a rough idea of how many instances of cardboard love they have out there.  

Brett Connolly (F), Syracuse Crunch - Tampa Bay Lightning (389 Cards)

Brian Gibbons (F), Wilkes Barre/Scranton Penguins - Pittsburgh Penguins (0 Cards)

Mike Hoffman (F), Binghamton Senators - Ottawa Senators (15 Cards)

Jason Jaffray (F) [named team captain], St. John's IceCaps - Winnipeg Jets (15 Cards)

Travis Morin (F), Texas Stars - Dallas Stars (7 Cards)

Brandon Pirri (F), Rockford IceHogs - Chicago Blackhawks (113 Cards)

Colton Sceviour (F), Texas Stars - Dallas Stars (83 Cards)

Ryan Spooner (F), Providence Bruins - Boston Bruins (174 Cards)

Colton Sissons (F), Milwaukee Admirals - Nashville Predators (33 Cards)

Ben Street (F), Abbotsford Heat - Calgary Flames (33 Cards)

Ryan Strome (F), Bridgeport Sound Tigers - NY Islanders (58 Cards)

Linden Vey (F), Manchester Monarchs - LA Kings (17 Cards)

Chad Billins (D), Abbotsford Heat - Calgary Flames (0 Cards)

TJ Brennan (D), Toronto Marlies - Toronto Maple Leafs (42 Cards)

Cody Goloubef (D), Springfield Falcons - Columbus Blue Jackets (151 Cards)

Alexey Marchenko (D), Grand Rapids Griffins - Detroit Red Wings (0 Cards)

Brayden McNabb (D), Rochester Americans - Buffalo Sabres (80 Cards)

Frederic St. Denis (D), Springfield Falcons - Columbus Blue Jackets (50 Cards)

Jake Allen (G), Chicago Wolves - St. Louis Blues (380 Cards)

Martin Jones (G), Manchester Monarchs - LA Kings (46 Cards)

Next Best Thing

Since the current situation in the NHL lockout drama hasn't really changed, my need for some ice related news is at an all time high.  So, like any hockey fan, I turned to the next best thing.  That, my friends, would be my AHL affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins.

The Pittsburgh Penguins had been maintaining some semblance of normalcy with the optional workouts at the team's practice facility for about a month or so.  We all know that Malkin went to the KHL to play (joining former teammate and house-mate Sergei Gonchar) but Crosby, Kunitz, Dupuis, Neal, Cooke, Vitale, Lovejoy, and a host of others had been actively participating in team related skates.  That was until the CBA expired a few weeks ago.  While they still skated through the week, they were officially locked out by the following Friday.  Now, many players have scattered to other locations to participate in a variety of "charity" games and other events to maintain season conditioning.

Since the NHL allows teams to waive players with two-way or entry-level contracts, the Pens did so to many of their "younger" guys.  Those not claimed off waivers were immediately eligible to play for WBS.  And that's exactly what they are doing.

My PC player du-jour, Eric Tangradi, was one of those guys that was still on the "baby Pens" active roster at the end of last season.  Because of that, he is afforded the opportunity to start the year in Wilkes-Barre and hopefully get a chance to move up if the season starts soon.  But the interesting thing to me as I watch some video and read the reviews of this years training camp thus far is the depth we have on that roster, especially at defense.

Our players are a virtual who's who of big time defensive prospects and top squad guys that would easily be top two line d-men on any AHL team and there are also many potential NHL starters.  Brian Strait, Robert Bortuzzo, Dylan Reese, Joey Mormina, Simon Despres, Joe Morrow, Brian Dumoulin, Alex Grant, Carl Sneep, Philip Samuelsson, and Reid McNeill are all going to be battling for only a few spots between the AHL Pens and the ECHL Wheeling Nailers.  These guys are all in for a fight and it will be interesting to see how that shakes out in the coming weeks.

As for Tangradi thus far, he has become a veteran on a team that is stacked with talent.  My hopes are still high for him to make a roster spot on the Pittsburgh team if there is a season this year.  I could see him on a line with Crosby or Malkin easily.  He tallied a goal in this years Black vs. White intrasquad scrimmage last Sunday.  The black team, coached by another of my PC players, former Penguin Bill Guerin beat the white team coached by current Pens coach Dan Bylsma 2-1 in a shootout.  Also, Wednesday night was the opening exhibition game versus the Rochester Americans.  WBS won 4-3 with an empty netter late in the third period.

As a hockey fan, I say no NHL...no problem (for now).  While the pace of the NHL games can't be matched, the AHL will fill in nicely as the next best thing in it's absence.  I will be following my 'farm' team, WBS, much closer than I usually do at this point forward.  I encourage all hockey fans to go out and support your local clubs too to get your hockey fix.