Missing Some Great ECHL Players, Status of Allen's 2019-20 Roster, Allen's Connection to Top ECHL Scorers Since 2014-15, NHL/AHL Contracted Players

 

I woke up early this morning and started thinking about all of the great players that have been mainstays in the ECHL over the last number of  years that aren't playing in 2020-21. Some have formally retired, some have informally retired and some haven't been able to finds jobs. With COVID reducing the number of teams playing to just 13 (two others undecided) and only four veterans per team you can see the opportunities have been greatly reduced. Whether they have made a decision to retire, not to play because of the pandemic or haven't been able to find a job the number of top veteran ECHL players not playing this season is a who's who. Just a few of these players, all in the top 40 in points over the last 10 seasons, include Casey Pierro-Zabotel, Justin Taylor, David Pacan, David Vallorani, James Henry, Rocco Carzo, Derek Nesbit, Eric Kattelus, Barry Almeida and Lindsay Sparks. All are in the top 40 in points over the last 10 seasons.

 

- This all got me wondering where did all of the players on the Allen Americans roster in 2019-20 end up for the 2020-21 season. Here is the answer for every player that played more than 10 games for the Americans last season. The list is in games played order (most to least).

Alex Breton - Alex is playing in Slovakia and has 14 points (4G, 10A) in 16 games

Jack Sadek - Jack signed an AHL deal with the Ontario Reign and has been assigned to the Greenville Swamp Rabbits.

Alex Guptill - Alex is unsigned and may have retired 

Kayle Doetzel - Kayle is unsigned but is expected to sign with Allen in the near future

Jordan Topping - Jordan is unsigned, heard he was looking in Europe

Jared VanWormer - signed with Allen

Josh Lammon - signed with Allen

Corey Durocher - signed with Allen but was just released and picked up off waivers by Rapid City

Brett Pollock -  Brett signed to play in Germany's top league (DEL). The league is scheduled to start play tomorrow.

Tyler Sheehy - Tyler signed an AHL deal with the Iowa Wild and has been assigned to Allen.

Olivier Archambault - Olivier signed with Allen but it is unknown when he will report. The expectation is he will report at some point in the season.

Spencer Asuchak - signed with Allen

Stepan Falkovsky - Stepan returned home to Belarus after his three year NHL deal with the Wild expired. He is playing in his hometown (Minsk) in the KHL. He has four points (2G, 2A) in 12 games.

Josh Brittain - Josh is unsigned

Gabe Gagne - Gabe signed an AHL deal with the Rockford IceHogs. The AHL is tentatively scheduled to start February 5.

Cole Fraser - signed with Allen

Les Lancaster - signed with Allen

Nick Boka - Nick signed with the Fort Wayne Komets who are one of two teams (Toledo the other) that have not decided if they are going to play in 2020-21.

Jake Paterson - Jake is unsigned

Greg Campbell - Greg is unsigned

Turner Ottenbreit - signed with Allen

Derek Baribeau - Derek is on the second year of his three year entry level NHL contract with the Minnesota Wild. He is currently on the Iowa Wild roster.

Zach Sawchenko - Zach is signed to an AHL deal with the San Jose Barracuda and has been assigned to Allen.

Ben Owen - Ben is unsigned

 

 

- Here is the updated Allen roster:

Goalies

#31 - C.J. Motte

#34 - Zach Sawchenko

 

Defensemen

#4 - Turner Ottenbreit

#5 - Phil Beaulieu

#14 - Les Lancaster 

#20 - Ben Carroll

#23 - Cole Fraser

#25 - Nolan Kneen

#43 - Matt Register

Forwards

#8 - Joe Garreffa

#9 - Braylon Shmyr 

#11 - Kam Kielly

#15 - Corey Mackin

#17 - Jared VanWormer

#18 - Jake McGrew

#19 - Alex Lavoie

#22 - Tyler Sheehy    

#26 - Spencer Asuchak

#27 - Sam Laberge

#28 - Jake Gricius

#29 - Jesse Mychan

#40 - Josh Lammon

#44 - Zane Franklin

#71 - Dyson Stevenson

#15 - Corey Mackin

 

- Andrew Zadarnowski (@AZadarski on Twitter) put together a chart of NHL and AHL contracted players that have been loaned to ECHL teams. A total of 62 players have been loaned (39 AHL contracted and 23 NHL contracted) to the 13 ECHL teams as of yesterday. Three teams (Allen, Greenville, Orlando) have been assigned the maximum allowed eight players. Five of the 13 ECHL teams have been assigned one or more players from other than their affiliate. Here are the number of NHL/AHL contracted players loaned to each ECHL team per the chart:

8 - Greenville

8 - Orlando

8 - Allen

7 - South Carolina

7- Florida

5 - Utah

4 - Tulsa

4 - Wichita

3 - Jacksonville

3 - Indy

2 - Wheeling

2 - Rapid City

1 - Kansas City

 

 

DID YOU KNOW: Of the top 50 ECHL players in total points since Allen joined the league in 2014 there are 14 who played for the Americans at some point. Here is the list which shows the player's rank in total ECHL points since 2014-15. The number in parenthesis is points.

#3 - Chad Costello (350)

#6 - Casey Pierro-Zabotel (310)

#10 - Tyler Barnes (273)

#12 - Matt Register (266)

#28 - Spencer Asuchak (217)

#30 - Alex Krushelnyski (211)

#32 - Jamie Schaafsma (208)

#35 - Greger Hanson (202)

#36 - Matt Willows (201)

#37 - Olivier Archambault (199)

#39 - Thomas Frazee (197)

#40 - David Makowski (193)

#41 - Chris Crane (190)

#47 - Gary Steffes (183)