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AHL News Notes

Bolstered by a series of progressive rule changes designed to enhance offensive production, plus a veritable galactica of bright young stars, the American Hockey League is enjoying a renaissance in their 69th year of operation.
There is an added level of excitement this season, as the influx of locked-out NHLers such as Jay Bouwmeester, Eric Staal, Jason Spezza and Patrice Bergeron, have contributed to an overall increase in skill and speed across the board.
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And, most importantly, fans have been treated to top-drawer entertainment at a fraction of the NHL cost.
The very presence of the NHLers is having a trickle-down effect on the quality of play in general.
A first-year pro like Kevin Bieksa out of Bowling Green University is suddenly running a power play alongside a Ryan Kesler and a red-hot Jason King, both of whom would otherwise be full-time Vancouver Canucks.
The defending champion Milwaukee Admirals are off to a 6-0-1 start with NHLer Dan Hamhuis leading what looks like Nashville’s future defense. Hamhuis should help accelerate the development of high-profile rookies such Ryan Suter and Kevin Klein, not to mention third-year pro Andrew Hutchinson.
Though a Kimmo Timonen and a Marek Zidlicky need not worry about job security, one wonders what the impact of an extended lockout will be on the likes of Shane Hnidy, Andreas Lilja and Jamie Allison?
The early signs from the AHL indicate that many borderline NHLers might be in for a rude awakening.
The Boys of October
Mathieu Garon was acquired this summer to backup Roman Cechmanek, and hopefully earn more NHL starts than he got behind Jose Theodore in Montreal.
However, judging from the early returns, the 26 year-old Quebec native may be running the show in Los Angeles once NHL play resumes.
Garon, sporting a pair of shutouts and a sparkling .960 save percentage, has helped guide the Manchester Monarchs to a perfect 7-0 start, aided by fellow Adam Hauser, who has allowed just five goals in his three starts.
Veterans Tom Kostopoulos and Brad Smyth lead a lineup brimming with young talent. Third-year pro Yanick Lehoux leads the charge with an eye-popping nine goals in his seven games, after notching just 14 as a sophomore.
A number of the Monarchs will be challenging for roster spots in Los Angeles with Mike Cammalleri, Denis Grebeshkov, Petr Kanko, Dustin Brown and Tim Gleason all flourishing in a winning environment.
Manchester has been matched stride-for-stride by their nearby Atlantic Division rivals in Hartford.
The Wolf Pack boast an even hotter goalie in Jason LaBarbera, whose unconscious .971 save percentage has been instrumental in the team allowing just seven goals in their opening seven games.
LaBarbera has been aided by the outstanding top pairing of Lawrence Nycholat and the emerging Bryce Lampman, while the Russian tandem of Fedor Tyutin and Maxim Kondratiev round out an impressive blueline.
The defensive corps stands to get even stronger with the imminent return of Austrian freshman Thomas Pock, out since suffering an abdominal strain in training camp.
Return of the other King
The Hamilton Bulldogs peaked in 2002-03, finishing atop the regular-season standings and then surging through the playoffs, before succumbing to the Houston Aeros in the Calder Cup final.
The leader that year was AHL MVP Jason Ward, a former first-round pick, who parleyed his performance into full-time NHL job with the Montreal Canadiens.
The lockout couldn’t have come at a worse time for the Chapleau, Ontario native, though he has taken steps to stay in the organization’s spotlight.
Ward opted to sign an AHL contract and return to Hamilton this season, rather than taking an extended sojourn in Europe like so many of his NHL brethren.
Loaded with young talent up front like Chris Higgins, Corey Locke, Andrei Kostitsyn and Tomas Plekanec, the Bulldogs are hoping the return of Ward provides much-needed veteran leadership to a club hurt by the off-season loss of stalwart offensive threats such as Benoit Gratton, Eero Somervuori and Marcel Hossa.
Though not nearly as dominant in the opening weeks, Ward is gradually regaining a prominent position in their offensive structure.
CCM Vector/AHL Player of the Week
St. John’s Maple Leafs center Kyle Wellwood had a memorable game against the Cleveland Barons on Saturday night, registering a franchise-record five goals in his squad’s 8-3 victory.
Wellwood totaled six goals and three assists for nine points in his four games during the week, en route to being named AHL Player of the Week. Wellwood, a fifth-round pick of the Maple Leafs in 2001, led all AHL rookies in scoring last season with 55 points in 76 games.
Five Hot Prospects
Corey Locke (MTL), C, Hamilton
Two-time OHL MVP is making a surprisingly smooth transition to the pros, answering critics who felt his lack of size and elite speed would hinder him at the next level. Logging impressive minutes, Locke sees time on the power play and, more notably, is used late in games, displaying good intelligence on both sides of the puck. He is also developing strong chemistry with Chris Higgins, particularly on the power play as both players not only move the puck smartly, but have an innate ability to read and anticipate their linemates. Currently tied for fifth in the league in rookie scoring, Locke made a statement on his first AHL marker, a laser that blew over the shoulder of veteran Manitoba goalie Wade Flaherty from the faceoff circle.
Dennis Wideman (STL), D, Worcester
A stellar overage season with the London Knights helped Wideman land a free-agent deal with St. Louis this summer, after failing to come to terms with the Sabres. The stocky Kitchener, Ontario native hasn’t let up, earning AHL Rookie of the Month honors for October. He currently leads all rookies in scoring with 10 points after 8 games, identical totals to fellow IceCats’ scoring leader Peter Sejna. Worcester is off to a 6-2 start, yet are only in third place in the ultra-competitive Atlantic Division behind the unbeaten pair of Manchester and Hartford. Wideman has shown remarkable poise and defensive reliability for a rookie pro, as well as a strong ability to quarterback the power play, bolstered by a lethal point-shot. The Blues appear to have landed a real gem.
Carlo Colaiacovo (TOR), D, St. John’s
Toronto first-rounder has been asked to carry a big load on a young and inexperienced blueline in St. John’s. Logging upwards of thirty minutes a game early in the season, Colaiacovo has responded with strong two-way play. Most importantly, the multi-talented rearguard is staying healthy after an injury-married rookie campaign in `03-4, though he got a bit of a scare earlier when his hip seized up after blocking a shot. Fortunately for Colaiacovo and the Leafs, he missed just one game, and appears to be playing pain-free. He currently leads the Baby Bud blueliners with five points in eight games (8-2-3-5), and would make a strong case for a full-time NHL promotion, especially if he can lead the organization to a playoff berth during their swan song in Newfoundland (the Leafs are moving their farm team to the deserted Ricoh Center in Toronto next fall).
Jason King (VAN), LW, Manitoba
AHL goalie are likely praying a new CBA gets signed soon so they can see the end of the Corner Brook, Newfoundland native, who leads the league with 12 goals and 17 points in 12 games. The talented sharpshooter is quick to credit linemates Peter Sarno and Jesse Schultz for the fast start, however, King has stood head and tails above most of his AHL company. He continues to display an uncanny nose for the net, while his shot is at its’ sizzling best. King’s scoring exploits look to be one of the more compelling stories to watch this year if the NHL season is indeed cancelled.
Marcel Goc (SJ), C, Cleveland
The San Jose Sharks have to be salivating at the start of second-year pro Marcel Goc, who has been a one-man scoring machine for the youthful Barons with seven goals in his first eight games, including a league-high three shorthanders (also leads the league with three unassisted tallies). Goc has taken his game to a new level and appears to be gaining confidence with each passing game. Though originally penciled into a fourth-line role with the Sharks, he seems set to bite off an even bigger role post-lockout.
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