Report: Mastumoto making the move to Germany

By Jared Clinton (@JPDClinton)

American Hockey League veteran Jon Mastumoto has, according to a report from player agency group Markovic & Binder, signed a contract with a team in the German DEL.

Drafted by the Flyers in the third round of the 2006 NHL entry draft, Mastumoto hasn’t been able to translate his game to the NHL. With his contract expiring, now seems as well-timed as this move could have been for the 27-year-old Ottawa native.

A tremendous college player, Matsumoto registered over a point-per-game while playing for the NCAA’s Bowling Green, and was able to carry his play over to the AHL. In 486 regular season AHL games, Matsumoto has racked up 145 goals and 179 assists for 324 points.

After spending three seasons in the Philadelphia system, the centreman signed a deal with the Hurricanes and spent the better part of his two years in Charlotte with the Checkers. Following his stint in Carolina, Matsumoto jumped around, spending time in San Antonio, Worcester, AHL Chicago, before playing out last season back in San Antonio.

In 29 games in 2013-14, Matsumoto tallied six goals and four assists.

UPDATE: The Schwenningen Wild Wings have announced the signing of Matsumoto. Terms of the deal have not been released.

From the Wild Wings release — and roughly translated — the team will bring him in to fill a top-six role.

 

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Adirondack celebrates 25 years and pushes for more

The Adirondack Phantoms unveiled a logo to commemorate the 25th season of the Adirondack region hosting the American Hockey League, but a cloud of uncertainty hung overhead.

The Phantoms will wear a jersey with this commemorative crest on Nov. 23 to celebrate 25 years of hockey in Adirondack.

At the end of this year, the Phantoms will be leaving Glens Falls, N.Y., for Allentown, P.A., a move that brings them closer to their parent club in Philadelphia. The move from Glens Falls to Allentown doesn’t come as much of a shock — for 14 years the Flyers kept their affiliate in the same city before the team left for Adirondack — but it does signal an unceremonious end to the quarter century of AHL hockey in the region. However, during a press conference today to unveil the celebratory logo, the mayor of Glens Falls,  Jack Diamond, made a point of saying the wheels were in motion for a team to return as soon as the 2014-15 season.

Diamond said the city jumped at the opportunity to bring the Phantoms to Glens Falls in 2009 — he said they “immediately reached out” upon hearing the team could be on the move — and it appears he’s prepared to do that if any AHL team becomes available.

“We anticipate some movement [of teams in the league],” said Diamond. “We want to make sure we get out ahead of that. We are dedicated and committed to bringing the AHL back to Glens Falls.”

Peter Aust, the President and CEO at Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce, added that he could, “almost assure [another team will be coming].”

The logo, designed by Glens Falls native Jesse Tyree of black dog DESIGNS, celebrates the city, the game, and the “rich history” of Adirondack in the AHL. The Phantoms will wear jerseys with the logo on Nov. 23, and fans who have bought a special ticket package will receive a pint glass with the logo.

But at the end of the day, while the logo is a nice touch, you’d have to imagine the fans would give it up for another year of hockey.

On The Bus: Devils host birthday bashes, Barons paint ice, and other news and notes

With the AHL season right around the corner, and rookie camp already underway, it’s time to get ready for another year of following the future stars of the National Hockey League in our favourite small towns. Below is a collection of links of some stories from around the AHL. If you have any tips, news, or notes you’d like to see, reach us at americanhockeyblog@gmail.com.

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• The Albany Devils have selected a couple season ticket holders to celebrate their birthdays with the team:

• …and the Oklahoma City Barons are bringing a few fans along to help in the painting of the rink. [OKC Barons]
• The Pittsburgh Penguins, and, in turn, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, are getting a look at some fresh blood between the pipes. [masslive.com]
• Finally, the Adirondack Phantoms have given the following silhouette to try to pique your interest about the coming special logo unveiling on Monday:
  

 

Adirondack To Unveil 25th Anniversary Logo

The Adirondack Phantoms have announced that they’ll unveil a special logo in commemoration of the 25th season of AHL hockey in the region.

The unveiling of the special logo, which hasn’t surfaced online as of this writing, will be accompanied by a discussion with members of the Phantoms inside the Glens Falls Civic Center on Monday, Sept. 9 at 2 p.m.

After the Adirondack Red Wings left the Civic Center in 1999, the building was without an AHL tenant for a decade. However, it was announced in February, 2009, that Philadelphia Flyers had reached an agreement to move their AHL operation from Philadelphia — which was the home of the Phantoms for 13 seasons — to Adirondack.

In the combined 25 seasons of AHL hockey played at the Civic Center, the faithful saw four Calder Cups awarded to their home team (’80-’81, ’85-’86, ’88-’89, ’91-’92), but haven’t watched playoff hockey since the Phantoms moved to town.

The celebrations will be short lived, however, as the Phantoms will be heading to Allentown, Pennsylvania to become the Lehigh Valley Phantoms in 2014-15.

Asselin gets try-out deal with Phantoms

Guillaume Asselin has landed himself a chance to suit up in the AHL next season.

The 5-foot-10, 170 pound forward has been invited to the Adirondack Phantoms camp on a try-out deal, and will be given a shot at making his professional debut as a member of Philadelphia’s top affiliate.

Asselin, a native of Quebec City, joins the Phantoms camp after wrapping up his QMJHL career. In five seasons between the Chicoutimi Sagueneens and Montreal Juniors, Asselin racked up 340 points (146-194) in 376 career games. In his past three years, Asselin was over a point-per-game player, and had career highs in 2010-11 with 35 goals, 47 assists, and 82 points.

Asselin was passed over in the entry draft, but the Phantoms will give him a shot to make his professional debut. If he is passed over, chances are the Quebec native will suit up with the Greenville Road Warriors.

Tough guy Fitzgerald back with Phantoms

After a 36 game, 202 PIM season with Adirondack in 2012-13, Zack Fitzgerald will be suiting up for the Phantoms again in 2013-14.

Fitzgerald, who has spent nearly his entire professional career in the AHL, will be entering his ninth season in the league. Over that time, the 6-foot-1, 214 pound defenceman has amassed a jaw dropping 1510 PIM in 409 games. In that same period, Fitzgerald has only scored 11 goals and added 37 assists.

Last season could have been a banner year for Fitzgerald, who would have blown his career high 311 PIM in 2009-10 out of the water. His 202 PIM in 36 games would have put him around 400 minutes in the box had he been healthy enough to play the remainder of the year.

Fitzgerald, who has only seen game action in one NHL game, signed an AHL deal with the Phantoms.

Garrett Roe heads to Austria

After two seasons in the AHL, Garrett Roe is heading overseas to suit up with EC Salzburg.

Roe, who signed an AHL contract with the Adirondack Phantoms in 20110-11, came to the Phantoms after four years with the NCAA’s St. Cloud State University. While with St. Cloud, the 25-year-old tallied 65 goals and 113 assists in 156 games before heading to the professional ranks.

Drafted in the seventh round of the 2008 draft by the Los Angeles Kings, Roe was never offered a contract with the Kings and signed on with the Phantoms as a free agent. In two seasons with the Flyers top affiliate, Roe scored 20 goals and added 60 assists in 129 games.

The deal with EC Salzburg is for one year.

Barons add Joensuu, lose Danis

The Oilers have been making moves to help the big club today, but the signing of forward Jesse Joensuu signals some help for the farm club in Oklahoma.

Joensuu, a second-round pick of the Islanders in 2006, spent the last two seasons overseas. In 2011-12, Joensuu primarily spent his time with HV71 of the SHL, where he put up a respectable 13 goals and 16 assists over 50 games. In 2012-13, Joensuu spent time with Assat of SM-Liiga, where he was a point a game player. In 24 games with Assat, the 25-year-old Joensuu scored 11 times, adding 14 helpers.

Joensuu will likely slot into the spot in Oklahoma vacated by Teemu Hartikainen, helping to round out the Barons top-six.

Shortly after the signing of Joensuu was announced, the Philadelphia Flyers let it be known that they had inked goaltender Yann Danis to a one-year deal, who will now likely start for the Adirondack Phantoms.

With Danis out of the picture, the battle for the starting role in OKC will be between Olivier Roy and Frans Teohimaa.

 

Devils, Phantoms announce preseason tilt

The Adirondack Phantoms and Albany Devils have announced a date for their first preseason matchup.

Both teams will get their preseasons underway on Saturday, Sept. 28, at the Glen Falls Civic Center, according to a Devils release. Puck drop will be shortly after 7 p.m. The teams will announce the remainder of their schedules at a later date.

During the 2012-13 season, the Phantoms and Devils met 12 times, with Albany winning the season series 8-3-0-1.

Tickets have not yet been released.

 

Rangers, Flyers deal impacts AHL rosters

The Adirondack Phantoms and Hartford Wolfpack will be welcoming some fresh faces when the 2013-14 season gets underway.

The Flyers sent 28-year-old defenceman Danny Syvret to the Rangers in exchange for forward Kris Newbury.

Syvret, a third-round draft pick of the Oilers in 2005, never lived up to the Oilers hopes for him, and has subsequently been shuffled around the league. The Rangers will be Syvret’s fourth big club in his young career.

Kris Newbury will suit up with the Phantoms next season.

After the Flyers acquired Syvret in a trade with Oilers in 2008, they’ve had a penchant for reacquiring the blue liner. Syvret has returned to the Flyers organization on two separate occasions, and most await his third once his stint in New York comes to an end.

Newbury is most commonly known for taking ill-advised penalties while a member of the Rangers, but the 31-year-old has had himself a productive AHL career. In 599 career games in the A, Newbury has posted 142 goals and 297 assists. While still having a nose for the penalty box, Newbury brings a bit more offensive flair with the farm clubs.

The deal won’t dramatically change either roster, but it serves to add a nice piece to both teams as Adirondack looks to add some scoring up front and Hartford — formerly the Connecticut Whale — look to improve a defense that gave up the 11th most goals last year.