Former Bulldogs Moved on Deadline Day

The last week has been newsworthy for former UMD Bulldogs playing pro hockey.

On Feb. 21, Matt Niskanen was dealt from the Dallas Stars to the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Penguins have given Niskanen plenty of ice time so far, though he'll have to play well to keep it, given the number of guys they have banged up.

The bulk of the activity came on Monday.

Former UMD sniper MacGregor Sharp was dealt from the Anaheim Ducks to the Vancouver Canucks. Sharp has 33 points in 96 career AHL games, and was scoreless in eight appearances last season with the Ducks.

He will report to the Manitoba Moose of the AHL.

Evan Oberg -- who played two years at UMD from 2007-2009 before turning pro -- was dealt by Vancouver to the Florida organization. Oberg has four NHL games under his belt, including two this season, but he will report to the Rochester Americans of the AHL. He has seven goals and 11 points in 38 AHL games this season.

Oberg is the second former UMD defenseman to make his home in the Florida Panthers organization. Jason Garrison is in his third professional season, and his first full NHL season. In 53 games, Garrison has three goals and 11 points, but his role is likely to increase, now that Florida has traded half their defensemen. Included in their fire sale were captain Bryan McCabe and power play quarterback Dennis Wideman. Garrison should get some power play time to go along with the more than 23 minutes per game he's already on the ice for.

Meanwhile, the San Jose Sharks have signed goalie Antti Niemi to a four-year contract extension. This is likely bad news for former UMD All-American goalie Alex Stalock, who is recovering from a serious injury to his left leg that required surgery. Stalock was having a good second season in the AHL -- and had picked up his first NHL win in a brief call-up -- before he was injured.

Now, one has to wonder what Al's future in the organization is, because $3.8 million per year goalies usually don't sit on the bench for very long.

As for other former UMD players currently in the NHL, Mason Raymond has ten goals and 31 points in 52 games for the Vancouver Canucks. Tim Stapleton has one goal and two points in 26 games for the Atlanta Thrashers. Also, Jay Rosehill -- who would have set all sorts of records for sin-bin time had he played four years of college hockey -- has one goal and two points in 18 games for the Toronto Maple Leafs. A defenseman for most of his career, Rosehill plays forward now, and brings the kind of truculence Brian Burke likes.