Sea Dogs At NHL Camps Update

HUBERDEAU

The on-ice part of Florida Panthers training camp got underway today but Jonathan Huberdeau did not take part due to a minor injury/injuries.

The Miami Herald reports that Panthers head coach Kevin Dineen described Huberdeau’s injury as "a few aches and pains" from the World Junior Hockey Championship. He is expected to practice with the club tomorrow.

Florida’s regular season begins on Saturday at home against the Carolina Hurricanes at 8:30pm.

DESPRES

Some interesting stuff going on in Pittsburgh where former Sea Dogs defenseman Simon Despres is taking part in Penguins training camp.

Despres, who played 18 regular season games with the Pens last season, has four goals and three assists in 27 games with the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins this season. Most seem to think the logical move would be to send Despres back to the AHL for the rest of the season. See this article in the Pittsburgh Tribune Review and Mike Colligan’s piece over at The Hockey Writers.

Then today, Penguins head coach Dan Bylsma said there is a chance Despres could be paired with Kris Letang on Saturday when Pittsburgh takes on the Flyers in Philadelphia at 4pm on NBC. So we’ll see what happens over the next few days.

HOFFMAN

Mike Hoffman is the only other former Sea Dog that got an invite to a NHL camp as far as we know. He is one of 15 forwards who got an invite to Ottawa Senators training camp.

Hoffman, who played a game with the Senators last season, has 10 goals and 12 assists in 34 games with the AHLs’ Binghamton Senators this year.

The Kitchener native played one season with Saint John, recording 85 points in 56 games in 2009-10.

AEROS

The Houston Aeros are up in Minnesota this week to take on the Wild in a couple scrimmages. Cool idea. They are scrimmaging tonight and on Wednesday as well.

Charlie Coyle is having a solid rookie campaign with the Aeros. He has 12 goals and nine assists in 38 games.



Meanwhile, Zack Phillips has two goals and 11 assists in 35 games with Houston.

GALIEV

Former Sea Dog Stanislav Galiev has been sent down to the ECHL’s Reading Royals again. He has just one assist in 17 games with the AHL’s Hershey Bears this season.

In his last stint with the Royals, Galiev registered six goals and seven assists in 12 games.

Galiev is expected to be in the Reading lineup on Wednesday in Trenton. The Royals will also be action tomorrow.

The #Caps will be taking on the Reading Royals -- their ECHL affiliate -- in Tuesday's 10:30 am scrimmage. Royals just arrived at Kettler.
— Mike Vogel (@VogsCaps) January 14, 2013

On an unrelated note, the Bears are playing an outdoor game on Sunday in Hershey against the WB/S Penguins.

BEAUREGARD

The ECHL’s South Carolina Stingrays announced last week that they have signed former Sea Dogs forward Alexandre Beauregard. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

According to the Stingrays release, “Beauregard, 21, skated in 12 games with the Stingrays earlier this season adding one assist.”

Beauregard played in three games this past weekend, recording an assist.

The Stingrays are affiliated with the Boston Bruins.

Photo: Marc Henwood/Station Nation