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University of Massachusets Athletics
Eight Minutemen Attending NHL Training Camps
September 18, 2014 | Hockey
AMHERST, Mass. - With the National Hockey League opening its preseason this week, the UMass hockey program has eight former players who will be attending NHL training camps. In addition to 2014 Stanley Cup champion Jonathan Quick of the Los Angeles Kings, Justin Braun and Matt Irwin of the San Jose Sharks and Casey Wellman and Mike Kostka who both spent time in the NHL last season, Conor Allen, Danny Hobbs and Conor Sheary are in preseason camps as well.
Braun, who recently inked a five-year contract extension with the Sharks, is entering his fourth full NHL season. The 2010 UMass grad played in 82 games for San Jose last season and was a +19 to go along with 17 points on four goals and 13 assists.
Irwin, who made his NHL debut in 2012-13 and was the Sharks' Rookie of the Year that season, saw action in 62 games with San Jose in 2013-14 and totaled 20 points on two goals and 18 assists.
Quick is coming off his second Stanley Cup win with the Los Angeles Kings in 2013-14 and will embark upon his seventh NHL campaign. The former Minutemen netminder, who is currently recovering from off-season wrist surgery, appeared in 49 games in 2013-14 and logged a 27-17 record with a 2.07 goals-against average and a .915 save percentage over 49 games.
Kostka is attending New York Rangers' training camp after signing with the club in July as a free agent. The 2008 UMass grad spent time with both the Chicago Blackhawks and the Tampa Bay Lightning last season and appeared in 19 games for Tampa Bay, registering eight points on two goals and six assists.
Beginning his third season as a member of the Washington Capitals' organization, Casey Wellman appeared in 13 games with the Capitals last season, logging two goals and an assist during that stint. Wellman spent the bulk of the season with Washington's AHL affiliate, the Hershey Bears, and had 37 points (18g, 19a) in 58 games.
Allen became the 10th former Minuteman to play in the NHL when he made his New York Rangers' debut on Dec. 29, 2013. Allen appeared in three games for New York before being reassigned to the Hartford Wolf Pack where he recorded 31 points on six goals and 25 assists over 72 games.
Sheary received a camp invitation from the Pittsburgh Penguins after making a name for himself as a postseason scoring threat for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins during the 2014 Calder Cup Playoffs. After appearing in just two regular season games while on an ATO with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Sheary was one of the top point producers in the AHL during the postseason with 11 points (6g, 5a) over 15 games.
Hobbs has been invited to Ottawa Senators camp after seeing time with the club's ECHL affiliate, the Elmira Jackals, and the AHL affiliate, the Binghamton Senators, in 2013-14. Hobbs saw action in 52 games for Elmira and posted 35 points on 17 goals and 18 assists.
In addition to the eight former Minutemen in NHL camps, 2014 UMass graduate Joel Hanley has been at Rookie Camp with the Arizona Coyotes this past week. Hanley had five assists in 15 games with the Coyotes' AHL affiliate, the Portland Pirates in 2013-14.