With all the pro leagues that said they’ll be playing this season apparently having started, we can take our first look at how some former Worcester pros are doing. Unfortunately, it’s not going to take long to look.
For the North American pro leagues at the ECHL level or higher any player in their league’s top-20 gets listed, and for the overseas leagues, it’s just those in the top-five for the league. Goaltenders only get a mention if they meet their league’s qualifying minimums. All of the stats and rankings are as of March 7th.
In the NHL it’s just two players getting a mention, with Dallas’ Joe Pavelski leading the league with ten power play goals. His 12 goals tie him for eighth in the NHL with several other players, including former San Jose Sharks teammate Logan Couture.
There aren’t many former Worcester pros playing in the AHL this season, and it shows with only two players making this posting. Binghamton’s Ben Thomson comes in at ninth in the league with his 20 penalty minutes, and Bridgeport’s Jakub Skarek places 19th with his 3.25 goals-against average.
As one would expect it’s the ECHL that sees the greatest amount of success from former Worcester pros, with three players in the league’s top-20 in four different categories. Indy’s Nic Pierog leads the ECHL in goals with 16, is tied for the league lead with five power play goals, is tied for second with two overtime goals, and is tied for fifth with three game-winners. Brodie Reid returned to North American this season to play for Kansas City, and his 14 goals and 31 points tie him for second in the ECHL. His 17 assists tie him for eighth, and he joins Pierog co-leading the ECHL with five power play goals.
Jacksonville’s Nick Saracino is the third player with four top-20s. His nine goals tie him for 19th, his 14 assists tie him for 14th, and his 23 points tie him for 12th. His tie for 13th with three power play goals rounds out the ECHL multiple mention players.
Those in the league’s top-20 in one category include Indy’s Michael Pelech 13 assists tying him for 17th, with teammates Willie Raskob‘s +14 tying him for sixth and Ross Olsson‘s 43 penalty minutes tying him for 15th. Kansas City’s Lane Scheidl has four power play goals, good enough for a tie in sixth place, and Eamon McAdam, currently in Lehigh Valley (AHL) but whose ECHL rights are held by Jacksonville, is tied for 17th in the ECHL with four wins.
In the SPHL Pensacola’s Eddie Matsushima hits the listing four times, with his seven goals tying him for eighth, his 11 assists tying for fifth, his 18 points tying for fourth, and he leads the league in shorthanded goals with three. Macon’s Brian Bowen is the only other former Worcester pro in the SPHL’s top-20, with his seven goals tying for eighth.
Overseas Trevor Parkes has 15 goals in the DEL, tying him for the league lead. James Sheppard has 12 DEL goals, tying him for fourth. In the Erste Liga, Jack Combs‘ 22 goals tie him for fifth. Daniel Ciampini ranks second in the ICEHL with 28 goals and 58 points, and Zack Phillips, playing in the Polska Hokej Liga, closes out the posting with his 25 assists tying him for fourth and his 42 points placing him second in the league.
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