Underhill gone

Matt Underhill is no longer on the Providence Bruins' roster, according to their webpage. Andrew Raycroft has returned to Providence from Boston.

[www.provbruins.com]

any idea what might have happened to him?

He played in the ECHL All-Star Game Tuesday night in Estero, FL. I believe they said he was a member of the Pee Dee Pride (Florence, SC).

The PeeDee Pride player stats still list him with an X, but if he returned to the ECHL, I would assume that's where he went.

Oh, and take a look at this... I think some of the people on here might pay top dollar for it... [echlauction.at.edeal.com]

edit: nevermind, it's already at top dollar

edit again:
it's confirmed:
Saturday, January 25, 2003:
Pee Dee:
Add Jason Brown, G added to roster (1/24)
Add Matt Underhill, G returned from Providence, AHL
CONTRACTED PLAYERS RELEASED (eligible for waivers/waiver claims)
Pee Dee:
Jason Brown, G

I wonder who has his NHL rights... still the Bruins? or no one?

I don't know that much about how the hockey minor leagues are set up. Is the AHL the only league where the teams are directly affiliated with an NHL club, or are there also lower level affiliates? For example, would it be an automatic, intra-organization move for Matt to be sent back and forth between Providence and Pee Dee?

Here is my best guess:

Much like NHLers sign a two-way contract (can be sent to AHL and vice versa),
minor leaguers can sign a two-way contract, moving between AHL and ECHL, UHL, etc..

If a player is a member of an NHL affiliated team he is not necessarily property of that NHL team. Does anyone know if Underhill is indeed property of the Bruins?

Ah, the minor leagues... ask and ye shall receive...

The AHL is the only league where every team is REQUIRED to be the *primary* affiliate of some NHL club. Some are the primary affiliates of two NHL clubs (Springfield and Hamilton currently fit that description), and, when the IHL was around, some were primary affiliates of one and secondary of another. So, yes, this means if you can't find an NHL affiliate, you can't have an AHL club. Some teams have had to fold for this reason - namely the Beast of New Haven in 2000 (I think) and the Quebec Citadelles after last year. A good number of the franchises are actually owned by the major league club as well.

In the AHL, pretty much every player on the team is have their rights owned by the NHL club of that team (or at least one of them). There are probably occassional exceptions, but if they have any success at that level, they'll be scooped up quickly.

All other leagues have no such requirements, but many of the teams have affiliations agreements to get 10-ish players from a major club. The rest come from various other clubs with 'friendly relations' with the ECHL/UHL/CHL team and players they just pick up.

AHL players often have two way contacts too (NHL/AHL), and I wouldn't be at all suprised if players considered to be on the AHL/ (ECHL etc) border had similar contacts for that gap, though I can't say I've ever specifically heard of them.

I think this page (run by a Hartford WolfPack fan) will have as much information on affiliates as you could want to know - including the varying number of official affiliates they have - [www.grumpyscave.com] . It lists the Pee Dee Pride as affiliates for the Lowell Lock Monsters (Carolina Hurricanes) and the Providence Bruins (Boston). So it's very possible it was just a natural move. It's also possible that he just went back where he was when the pro tryout didn't work, but being on the Pride w/o an NHL contract means the Bruins and Canes will have an eye on you. To know his official status though, you're gonna have to ask the Bruins, or find detailed transaction information.

Providence - 01/19/2003 Add CARL CORAZZINI (RW) on loan from Washington (NHL)
01/19/2003 Delete LEE GOREN (RW) recalled by Boston (NHL)
01/20/2003 Delete KRIS VERNARSKY (C) recalled by Boston (NHL)
01/20/2003 Delete MATT UNDERHILL (G) released from PTO
01/21/2003 Add ANDY HILBERT (C) returned on loan from Boston (NHL)
01/22/2003 Add MATT UNDERHILL (G) signed PTO
01/24/2003 Add ANDREW RAYCROFT (G) returned on loan from Boston (NHL)
01/24/2003 Add JEFF JILLSON (D) on loan from Boston (NHL)
01/24/2003 Delete BRIAN WHITE (D) released from PTO
01/24/2003 Add BRIAN WHITE (D) signed SPC


Pee Dee - 01/22/2003 Add JASON BROWN (G) added to roster
01/25/2003 Delete JASON BROWN (G) waived
01/25/2003 Add MATT UNDERHILL (G) returned from Providence (AHL)


On another CU goaltending note, Jean-Marc Pelletier will be in Binghamton Wednesday night as the Springfield Falcons come to town. Pelletier stared the season with Lowell, but was acquired by the Falcons in a trade between the NHL affiliates' clubs.

Does J.R. Prestifilipo still play for the Pee Dee Pride? I seem to recall that he did at one point.

Actually, I saw recently that Presto is working at a goalie school here in NJ where my team's kid goes. Of course, he could still be playing pro and working here in the off season.