21 replies to this topic

[hockey2k]

I am anticipating some of my 'Birds getting signed in the near future, and wanted to start a thread!

First to leave the nest, Ryan Gibbons!

MANCHESTER, NH – The Manchester Monarchs, the primary affiliate of the Los Angeles Kings, have signed right wing Ryan Gibbons to an amateur tryout agreement, Monarchs Director of Hockey Operations Hubie McDonough announced today.

Gibbons Signs Amateur Tryout Agreement With Monarchs

[DropThePuck]

Whoa now! Does this mean he could possibly play against our beloved Pirates in the Playoffs??

[hockey2k]

Whoa now!  Does this mean he could possibly play against our beloved Pirates in the Playoffs??

Guess so!

[hockey2k]

Bryan Bridges has signed a ATO with the Reading Royals of the ECHL. He will be replacing former TBirds goaltender Cody Rudkowsky who is injured, coincidentally! No link yet, but I'm sure I'll have one soon. Go Bridgey!!

Here is the official link: Royals Sign Bryan Bridges As Emergency Back-Up Goaltender

Edited by hockey2k, 18 April 2006 - 03:10 PM.

[hockey2k]

Well, Reading got bounced from the playoffs already, but Bridgey did get to see some ice time.

The goal chased netminder Yutaka Fukufuji, who had been playing with a toe injury and collapsed to the ice following the score.

When he could not continue, Reading coach Karl Taylor had no choice but to put in 20-year-old Bryan Bridges, who has signed just two days before following a groin injury to Reading goalie Cody Rudkowsky.

Bridges played admirably, stopping 23 of 25 shots.

Nailers Beat Reading 5-4

[hockey2k]

June 1st...the trade deadline, and none of the drafted 'Birds have been signed yet. I am sad today.

[Reb]

Last year's draftees?

[hockey2k]

No...2004. Gagnon, Tomanek (Pheonix), Scurko (Philly) and Barthel (Washington). I guess they can join Bridgey and Gibby as free agents.

Now the 'Brids have to decide who to bring back as over agers next year. We have the ex-draftees plus Opsahl, Pess and Klinkhammer. Tomanek won't be back and Scurko is out because we won't want to blow a euro and overager spot simutaneously. Wouldn't mind Pess or Klink, but it will be Gags and Barts for sure if they don't get picked up as FA's. And of course we need Opsahl unless we can trade for a goalie...we won't put two rookies in net.

As much as I'd love to see Gags and Barts for another year, I was so hoping those boys would make it!

[Reb]

I would definitely try to hang on to Opsahl for sure. Too bad Portland didn't.
Pess and Klinkhammer, as I recall (you know how my recall is ), both seemed to be good players for you guys. ALL these guys are over-agers? WoW, time flys when you're havin' fun.

[hockey2k]

Yeah, we've ended up with a lot of overagers somehow! I'm sure the plan was to keep Ops, Klink and Pess...but we all expected Gags and Bart to get signed.

[hockey2k]

Well, my boy Brian Bridges has signed an ECHL contract with the Victoria Salmon Kings. Of course I was hoping for an NHL try-out, but this is a step in the right direction. He gets to play in his hometown, so he must be excited about that. The team is pretty happy to have him.

“We are very happy with acquiring Bryan. He is a very talented, young goaltender and we look forward to helping him hone his skills and move up to the next level,” said Dan Belisle, Vice-President of Hockey Operations and General Manager for the Salmon Kings.

Ryan Gibbons has signed on with the Springfield Falcons, the AHL affiliate to the Lightning. Sounds like the Tampa scouts were quite pleased with him.

Bruce Landon, the Falcons President and General Manager had this to say about Gibbons’ signing: “Ryan Gibbons, according to the Tampa scouts, is a solid two-way winger who plays with an edge and goes to the net very well. He is very strong along the boards and plays well in all three zones. He is another player that Tampa feels will give us depth at the forward position and create some competition for jobs at training camp.”

TWO T-BIRDS SIGN PRO CONTRACTS

Good luck to my boys!

[hockey2k]

Now Bryan Bridges has been invited to the Canucks Prospect Camp! Go Bridgey!

Victoria, BC- The Victoria Salmon Kings announced today that 20-year-old Netminder, Bryan Bridges, has been invited to the Vancouver Canucks prospect camp in Burnaby, British Columbia.

The Victoria native replaces injured Goaltender Julien Ellis, after a request from Dave Nonis, Canucks Executive Vice-President and General Manager, and Alain Vigneault, Canucks Head Coach. Dan Belisle, Salmon Kings Vice President of Hockey Operations and General Manager, was called into a meeting with Nonis and Vigneault, in which they asked for his recommendation.

“This is a great opportunity for Bryan to showcase his abilities to Vancouver and Manitoba,” said Belisle. “We are very excited for him and hope he is competitive thorough the remainder of the camp.”

[JasonAKADfan8]

Good luck to Bridges!!! Hope he has a nice future with the Canucks!!! That sure would make you and Jenn happy!!!

[hockey2k]

Well, they took a look at him and sent him back to Victoria, but that's good because the Salmon Kings are Vancouver's ECHL affiliate and Bryan will be the starter there this year. The scouts will get to see a lot of him. Caduck and I are planning to get up to see a Victoria game this year, because it convenienty fits in with a trip we're taking to see the Canucks.

The Canucks had another WHL goalie alum in camp this year too, Dustin Slade from the Giants. Sounds like he didn't impress anyone though.

[hockey2k]

Ok...well that last post was from a long time ago! It turned out that Canuck prospect Julien Ellis was the starter for the Salmon this year, so Bridgey didn't play that much, wich is really just as well since the team has been stinking most of the season. And of course we've already told you about our trip to Vic. Fast forward to March 19...the Moose have called up Ellis, leaving the reigns to Bridgey in his stead. Victoria has since played 4 games... the team has won all of them and Bridgey made 150 saves in the process. That's right, four games...150 saves! He's earned 2 first stars. Wednesday's game was a 7-1 blowout in which Bridgey made 45 saves!!

[JasonAKADfan8]

It is awesome to see Bridges doing so well for Victoria!!!

[hockey2k]

Yeah...he won five straight for them but now Ellis is back and Bridgey is kicked to the curb. Your goalie is on a five game winning streak...so you put in the other guy? Politics.

[hockey2k]

Bridgey got ECHL Rookie of the Month for March!
CCM Vector Rookie of the Month

The Salmon Kings will be playing the Alaska Aces in the first round...yipes!

[hockey2k]

I'm surprised I didn't update this thread after the whole Salmon Kings fiasco...after helping Victoria into the playoffs and resigning in the summer, Bridgey was let go by the team in favor of an older ex-AHL goalie they brought in to mentor all the young Canucks goalie prospects. Just a reminder that this is a business after all. Bryan ended up landing on the Colorado Eagles of the CHL. He's doing well there, with a record of 6-2-1-1 and a GAA of 2.78 despite an alarming lack of defense in the Central Hockey League.

Clayton Barthel was invited to the Rangers camp and ended up getting signed by Hartford. He was sent down to the Charlotte Checkers and promptly got a concussion. He hasn't played since. Another 'Bird, Ryan Gibbons, is also in Charlotte.

Zack Fitzgerald was traded from the Blues to the Canucks system. He's played on the Manitoba Moose all year and just got his first call up to Vancouver!

Aaron Gagnon (signed by the Dallas Stars) has had some injury trouble so has spent the year bouncing between the Idaho Steelheads(ECHL)and Iowa Stars (AHL). He seems to be able to score at will in the ECHL, but has yet to register a point in Iowa. My new avatar is Gags skating for Idaho.

Thomas Hickey was, of course, drafted in the first round and signed by the Kings. Much to my chagrin. He's still with the Seattle but is official NHL property now...

[hockey2k]

Looks like my boy Bridgey has no luck...The Eagles brought in a CHL All-Star goalie in for the playoff push a few weeks ago and now he never gets to see any ice. It's tough to be a goalie....the kid still holds the WHL shutout record but can't seem to nail down a steady gig.

Fitz had a cup of coffee in Vancouver, then went back to Manitoba and suddenly started scoring a bunch...then got his jaw broken in a fight. They expect him back in time for for the playoffs.

While following Gagnon in the AHL, I've made some friends over at the "unofficial" Iowa Stars message board. So when a special charity jersey auction came up (Pink in the Rink...for cancer), they didn't hesitate to help me out with the bidding. So I finally have an Aaron Gagnon jersey, something I was never able to achieve in Seattle due to his popularity, and it's pretty sweet. Pink is usually not my thing, but this is one of the coolest "Pink" jerseys I've seen so far. Here's some pics:

Kathy (Iowa boardie) and Aaron at the Auction


Me in Key Arena modeling my new jersey (and haircut).

[DropThePuck]

Me in Key Arena modeling my new jersey (and haircut).

Sweet jersey!

(I'm sure there are better photos to view your new haircut though. )

[DropThePuck]

Seattle Thunderbirds general manager Russ Farwell today announced six T-Birds will be heading to NHL Training Camps this week.
...
Defenseman Thomas Hickey left for the Los Angeles Kings Training Camp on Wednesday, August 27. Hickey was taken by the Kings with the fourth overall pick in the 2007 NHL Draft.
...
Defenseman Stefan Warg is headed to the Training Camp of the Anaheim Duck on Thursday, September 11. Warg was selected by the Ducks in the fifth round, 143rd overall, in the 2008 NHL Draft.

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