As Albany winds down what may be its final season in the American Hockey League, we take a look back at its previous affiliate and their final run. In 2009-10 the Carolina Hurricane- affiliated Albany River Rats went 43-29-3-5 with 94 points and finished second in the East Division. The team outscored its opponents by a total of 244-231.
During the Calder Cup playoffs, the River Rats swept the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins 4-0 in the first round. Though they pushed them to the limit as much as one can, the River Rats were swept in the second round 4-0 by the eventual Calder Cup champion Hershey Bears.
Under head coach Jeff Daniels, it was the farthest an Albany AHL team had advanced in the postseason since 1997-98.
We take a look back at this club and where they all ended up.
Jerome Samson – RW
Samson was named to the 2009-10 First Team All-Star Team, placing second in the League in goals and fourth in points. The River Rats right winger was tops on the squad with 37 goals, 41 assists and 78 points. An AHL All-Star, Samson netted a team-best six playoff goals and was tied for best with nine points. He netted two goals in 46 NHL games with the Hurricanes. This season he’s playing with the Schwenningen Wild Wings of the Deutsche Eishockey League in Germany.
Chris Terry – LW
Terry tied for first with 80 games played and was second on the River Rats with 47 points. During the postseason the River Rats left winger registered six points. Between 152 games with the Hurricanes and Montreal Canadiens, Terry has 22 NHL goals. This season the St. John’s IceCaps sharpshooter was named an AHL All-Star.
Jacob Micflikier – F
In his lone season at Albany, Micflikier tied for third in points with 40. After two more seasons in the “A,” the fiery foward went overseas and is skating with Biel HC of the Switzerland Hockey League A.
Jamie McBain – D
McBain led all defensemen and was tied for third on the club with 40 points. McBain’s four goals were second most among the River Rats postseason performers. Among those tallies was an eventual game-winner during the third period of Game 2 of their first-round series against the Penguins. The offensive-minded defenseman has logged 348 games and 30 goals between the Hurricanes, Buffalo Sabres, Los Angeles Kings and Arizona Coyotes. McBain is now skating with the AHL Tucson Roadrunners.
Join us in wishing #Roadrunners defenseman Jamie McBain (@jbain4) a very Happy Birthday today! 🙌🏻🎉🎁🎂 pic.twitter.com/VrJPW9jowW
— Tucson Roadrunners (@RoadrunnersAHL) February 25, 2017
Stephane Chaput – C
The River Rats center netted 10 goals and 38 points in 75 contests. Chaput was last playing professionally with the Frankfurt Lions in Germany in 2015-16.
Nick Dodge – RW
The Clarkson University product notched a career-high 16 markers with the River Rats. It was Dodge’s third period tally at the 19:09 mark which helped the River Rats take Game 1 of their first-round series against the Penguins. Dodge played one more season with the AHL Charlotte Checkers, before hanging up his skates following the 2010-11 campaign.
Zach Boychuk – C
Boychuk netted 15 tallies with the River Rats. The former first-round draft choice scored the series-clinching marker in Game 4 of the River Rats first round series against the Penguins. Boychuk posted 12 goals across 127 NHL contests with the Hurricanes, Pittsburgh Penguins and Nashville Predators. This season Boychuk is skating with the KHL Novosibirsk Sibir.
Bryan Rodney – D
Named an AHL All-Star, Rodney was tied with McBain among team defensemen with seven goals. The London, Ontario native registered 13 points in 34 NHL games with the Hurricanes. Rodney was last playing with the Karlovy Vary HC of the Czech Republic League in 2015-16.
Drayson Bowman – LW
During his first professional season with the River Rats, Bowman posted 17 goals. Bowman was tied with Samson in postseason points, recording nine. The Grand Rapids, Michigan native scored 15 goals in a Hurricanes sweater. This season the left winger is in his second year with Duesseldorf EG in Germany.
Mike Angelidis – C
After Patrick Dwyer was called up early in the season, Angelidis became the de facto captain. In his fourth season with the River Rats, the gritty center recorded 12 markers. Angelidis potted two goals in 14 NHL contests with the Tampa Bay Lightning. In 2011-12 he helped the AHL Norfolk Admirals win the Calder Cup. This season the Woodbridge, Ontario native is skating with the AHL Stockton Heat.
Steven Goertzen – RW
A solid role player, Goertzen registered 23 points in 71 games with the River Rats. A veteran of 68 NHL contests with Columbus Blue Jackets and Hurricanes, Goertzen last played in 2014-15 with the Coventry Blaze of the British Elite Ice Hockey League.
Nicolas Blanchard – LW
Another hard-nosed player, the fourth-year River Rats forward scored 14 goals and racked up 171 penalty minutes. Blanchard recorded 20 penalty minutes in nine games with the Hurricanes in 2012-13. His final season came in 2015-16 with the ECHL Norfolk Admirals.
Jiri Tlusty – LW
Acquired from the Toronto Maple Leafs, Tlusty recorded 15 points in 20 games with the River Rats. After hopping from the Hurricanes to the Winnipeg Jets and the New Jersey Devils, Tlusty is now skating with Karpat of Finland SM-liiga.
Jay Harrison – D
The former Maple Leafs defenseman registered 14 points in 32 games with the River Rats. Harrison led all River Rats with 23 penalty minutes during the Calder Cup playoffs. After playing with the Hurricanes, and Jets, Harrison last skated with the AHL Manitoba Moose in 2015-16.
Zack Fitzgerald – D
The fan favorite Fitzgerald led all River Rats with 311 penalty minutes in 77 contests. Following four more seasons in the AHL, the rugged defenseman jumped to the EIHL and is playing with the Sheffield Steelers.
Oskar Osala – LW
Obtained late in the season from the Washington Capitals, Osala tallied 10 goals in 16 games with the River Rats. Osala netted two more in the postseason. After one more season in the AHL, Osala jumped to the KHL and is now playing for the Magnitogorsk Metallurg.
Brad Herauf – LW
Never afraid to mix it up, Herauf recorded 194 penalty minutes in 54 contests. The Regina, Saskatoon native would play one more season with the AHL Checkers before hanging up his skates in 2011.
Casey Borer – D
Borer posted nine points in 30 contests and added one assist in six playoff games. The fourth-year River Rats defenseman, who also skated in 16 career games with the Hurricanes, last played in 2015-16 in Germany with the Nuermberg Thomas Sabo Ice Tigers.
Zac Dalpe – C
Joining the club late in the season, the Ohio State product posted six goals in nine games. Appearing in all eight postseason contests, Dalpe registered six points with the River Rats. Having scored 12 goals in 128 NHL games between the Hurricanes, Sabres and Minnesota Wild, Dalpe is now playing with the AHL Cleveland Monsters.
Brett Bellemore – D
Playing in 75 games, Bellemore totaled 81 penalty minutes. Bellemore added an assist in eight postseason contests. The Windsor, Ontario native recorded 20 points and 79 penalty minutes in his NHL career with the Hurricanes. Bellemore is now playing with the Kunlun Red Star of the KHL.
Tim Conboy – D
The fourth-year River Rats defenseman and former captain logged 87 penalty minutes in 37 games. Conboy also added 18 penalty minutes in eight postseason contests. The rugged defenseman racked up 121 penalty minutes in 59 NHL games with the Hurricanes. Following two more seasons in the AHL, Conboy went on to play in Germany and is now skating with Duesseldorf EG.
Justin Peters – G
In his fourth year donning a River Rats mask, Peters was named an AHL All-Star. Playing 47 games, Peters was 26-18-2 with a 2.54 goals-against average, .917 save percentage and one shutout. Peters started all eight playoff games, going 4-4. In 83 NHL contests between the Hurricanes, Capitals and Coyotes, the Blyth, Ontario native has three shutouts, 25 victories and a .901 save percentage. Peters is presently playing with the AHL Texas Stars.
(Note: There were many more players who contributed to the River Rats that season. Those who didn’t appear in the postseason that year are listed here: Jonathan Paiement, Patrick Dwyer, Brett Carson, Matthew Pistilli, Harrison Reed, Rob Hennigar, Brandon Sutter, Cedric McNicoll, Jason Lepine, Elgin Reed, Yannick Tifu, Milan Gajic, Marc Cavosie, Mike McKenzie, Kyle Lawson, Kevin Baker, Matt Schepke, Tom Dignard, Tom Zanoski, Michael Ryan, Benn Olson, Mike Murphy, Mike Morrison, Justin Pogge).
