Has a player who failed to play a single NHL game on his ELC gone on to become a NHLer?

[895]

Edit: typo in title. On to, not into




I'm looking for a player that fits the following criteria

1) Drafted and signed to a 3 year ELC

2) Spent the entire ELC in the AHL without playing a single NHL game

3) Went on to become a regular NHL player. As in at least the 6th defenseman or 12th forward on a fully healthy roster, playing every night, no rotating healthy scratches, for at least a couple of years.

Anyone fit this criteria? Thanks.

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[um]

I'm sure many guys. Players not making the NHL till there mid to late twenties is not unusual at all.

 

[DownIsTheNewUp]

Maybe not the exact criteria, but Yanni Gourde is that type.

Not drafted, signed two-year ELC at age 22 and only played 2 NHL games on that contract. Now he's a top 6 forward on Tampa.

 

[Konnan511]

Nick Jensen I believe.

 

[Binister]

Joonas Donskoi almost fit the criteria. He signed a two year ELC but never wore a Panthers jersey and well he played at FEL

 

[ShelbyZ]

Tomas Kopecky.

-Signed ELC 2 years (2002) after draft (2000).
-Burned all 3 years of his ELC in Grand Rapids (02/03, 03/04 and 04/05) without ever even being recalled - *To be fair, the 3rd year was the lockout cancelled 04-05 season, but had the NHL played he likely wasn't going to see NHL action given he wasn't even a regular at the AHL level that year or the year prior.
-Red Wings decided to give him another year, where they wanted him to add some muscle over the summer and incorporate some physical play to fit more of a bottom 6 role as being a tall/lanky skill player wasn't working out in the AHL
-Cleared waivers and tore it up with Filppula and Hudler in Grand Rapids for 05/06.
-Got in 1 NHL game in 05/06, but it was because the Wings had to emergency recall a ton of guys for the first game after the Olympics since a huge chunk of their roster played on the Gold medal Swedish Olympic team that wasn't back yet
-Red Wings declared during summer/camp prior to 06/07 that Hudler and Kopecky would make 23 man roster
-Kopecky played on the 4th line for all but 4 games in 06/07 before he missed the rest of the regular season and most of the playoffs with a broken collarbone
-When healthy he was a regular for the Red Wings the rest of his time in Detroit and then for Chicago and Florida

 

[Mr. Met]

Thomas Hickey

 

[Jumptheshark]

OP needs to clarify if he means just first rounders. Lots of guys on ELC taken in thev2nd and 3rd round do not play a game

 

[ShelbyZ]

Thomas Hickey is another one. Taken #4OA and burned all 3 years of his ELC without playing a game in the NHL. Kings gave him another year, but he got claimed on waivers by the Islanders where he was a regular for a few seasons.

EDIT:

Thomas Hickey

Beat me to it...

....I feel like the low spending Wang, Garth Snow Islanders would be a gold mine for this thread. Matt Carkner came close but really only had one season where you could call him a "regular".

 

[ShelbyZ]

Nick Jensen I believe.

Depends on how strict OP is on the 3 year ELC requirement. Jensen's was only 2 years. Then he got a 2 year extension, where he continued to not see any NHL action until his 4th year in the pros.

 

[nhlfan9191]

Tim Thomas. Drafted by Quebec in 94, never played a game for them or the franchise. Made his debut in 2002/03 as a member of the Boston Bruins.

 

[traffic cone]

Tim Thomas. Drafted by Quebec in 94, never played a game for them or the franchise. Made his debut in 2002/03 as a member of the Boston Bruins.

Did he sign an ELC?

 

[ShelbyZ]

PA Parenteau

 

[Michael Farkas]

Voynov

I found a bunch that played a single digit amount, but that's not what the thread asked. That said, I'll make one exception for Colt Sceviour...he played five minutes in his entry-level contract AND didn't play in the show the next year, and only played one more game in that fifth year.

 

[ShelbyZ]

Did he sign an ELC?

If he did, it wasn't with the team that drafted him and it definitely wasn't for 3 years.

A goalie answer would be Manny Legace.

 

[StoneHands]

Pat Maroon.

- Drafted in 2007, signed an ELC from 2008-2011 and didn't play a single game in the NHL.
- Signed a 2nd contract which was a a 1 year deal for the 2012 season and only played 2 games with Anaheim.
- Signed a 3rd contract which was another 1 year deal for 2013 season and only 13 games with Anaheim.
- Signed his 4th NHL contract before the 2014 season which was his rookie season and when he finally became a full time NHL player.
- He's now in his 7th NHL contract in his 7th NHL season.

 

[StoneHands]

PA Parenteau

I don't think he ever signed an ELC.

 

[Merrrlin]

Maybe not the exact criteria, but Yanni Gourde is that type.

Not drafted, signed two-year ELC at age 22 and only played 2 NHL games on that contract. Now he's a top 6 forward on Tampa.

Is he, though? Gourde is 7th 5v5 ES icetime for the Bolts, and that's without Point who is obviously top 6.

Top 6 in Tampa seems to be some combination of:

• Kuch
• Stammer
• Cirelli
• Palat
• Killorn
• Johnson

+ Point in for one of those guys out.

 

[ShelbyZ]

I don't think he ever signed an ELC.

He did. Drafted by the Ducks in 2001 and signed a 3 year ELC with them in 2003.

 

[DownIsTheNewUp]

Is he, though? Gourde is 7th 5v5 ES icetime for the Bolts, and that's without Point who is obviously top 6.

Top 6 in Tampa seems to be some combination of:

• Kuch
• Stammer
• Cirelli
• Palat
• Killorn
• Johnson

+ Point in for one of those guys out.

This season? We're 6 games in. Gourde was 5th in TOI/GP (6th at EV) for Tampa forwards last year, and his role hasn't changed at all.

 

[StoneHands]

He did. Drafted by the Ducks in 2001 and signed a 3 year ELC with them in 2003.

Interesting. CapFriendly says he didn't sign his first contract until 2006.

Pierre-Alexandre Parenteau Transaction History - CapFriendly - NHL Salary Caps

 

[ShelbyZ]

Interesting. CapFriendly says he didn't sign his first contract until 2006.

Pierre-Alexandre Parenteau Transaction History - CapFriendly - NHL Salary Caps

Sometimes pre-cap stuff doesn't make it into CF's history. I got this from PAP's Sports Forecaster profile: PA Parenteau Stats, Profile, Bio, Analysis and More | | The Sports Forecaster

 

[Djp]

There are numerous players who didnt play in the NHL on an ELC and then played.

im excluding players who got drafted, didnt sign, then reentered a draft or was a college free agent

just some examples with buffalo

Pominville played 3 full AHL seasons having just 1 NHL game in 2002-2004 then cleared waivers and sent down to AHL before being called up in 2004/05

Paul gaustead was similar 3 full AHL seasons with 1 NHL game at end of 0203 season. in NHL for 05/06

cjris Thornburg had 3 AHL seasons before getting 2 games at end of 3rd season in 05/06

andrew peters is another

goalies you can see it more often because they get a 4th waiver exempt year.

In general....

the 1st round picks are given chances in the NHL on an ELC
The 2nd-3rd round picks if junior players who will sign ELC usually get a shot for some time in the NHL
Those drafted in 4th and later tend to be college bound or eropean players who have 4 years of team control and more time on development.

players signed out of college usually get 203 ELC contract. they may burn the first year post college in March. Then the next year is full time in AHL, then year 3 they may be down there full time or they get some call ups totalling 10-20 games

 

[Djp]

He did. Drafted by the Ducks in 2001 and signed a 3 year ELC with them in 2003.

P.A. Parenteau Hockey Stats and Profile at hockeydb.com

 

[ShelbyZ]

P.A. Parenteau Hockey Stats and Profile at hockeydb.com

???