Andrey Pedan

June 2018 – Long on physicality but short on judgment about when to use it, the pugnacious blueliner signed a deal with KHL team AK Bars Kazan. The 24-year-old had 26 points in 52 AHL appearances with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Since Pedan is an RFA, Pittsburgh is expected to retain his NHL rights. Mark Allan

May 2018 – In the past three AHL schedules, the former Islander hardrock has totaled 21 goals, 36 assists, 57 points and 274(!) PIMs in 149 games. Not bad, and even better when you factor in a three-year average of plus-10.7. Pedan is one of many RFAs GM Jim Rutherford must deal with in an anticlimactic off-season. NHLers would be happy if they don’t have to deal with him. Mark Allan

February 2018 – Although it’s impossible to tell if he’ll ever translate it to the NHL, the towering Lithuanian is showing some AHL offense. In 42 outings in his first campaign in the Pittsburgh organization, the 6-5, 214-pounder has seven goals and 19 points as well as being plus-18 to lead all Wilkes-Barre/Scranton D-men in that category. Is he shedding his reputation as an undisciplined wildman who hurts his team with bad penalties? Not exactly, although his 68 PIMs are at a lower per-game rate than his past two seasons with the AHL’s Utica Comets. He’s still just 24 and a combination of many penalties, good plus/minus and a smattering of points can be useful in some pools, so he bears watching. Mark Allan

December 2017 – Never catching on with the Canucks or their AHL affiliate in Utica, the looming Lithuanian went to Steeltown in the Derrick Pouliot deal. In 23 AHL games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Pedan has two goals and seven assists with a plus-6 rating. He’s also accumulated 37 PIMs that, if anything, is under his career norm (358 PIMs in 181 previous AHL outings). To build on a promising 2015-16 campaign with Utica (seven goals, 21 points, plus-17) and increase his odds of playing in more than his 13 current NHL games, he must slash untimely penalties that cost his team. Slashing is something he understands. Mark Allan

June 2017 – The powerful and fleet-footed defender had an up and down 2016-17 season. Pegged as a likely top seven defender for the Canucks, Pedan was sent to Utica after a less-than-stellar training camp and struggled to gain consistency in the AHL. He found himself in the press-box on more than one occasion and with coach, Travis Green now running the show for the Canucks, Pedan will need to prove he’s capable of a turnaround. Helping matters for him, is that another large left-handed defender in Nikita Tryamkin has returned to the KHL thus opening a hole. This will be a very telling summer and season for the soon-to-be 24-year-old. Cam Robinson

January 2016 – After a strong performance with Utica of the American Hockey League, Pedan earned a call-up to the Canucks main roster in December of 2015. Despite the call-up, Andrey has been used sparingly with the Canucks, suiting up in only 3 contests with the big club while posting no points and a minus-1 rating. That doesn’t mean that Pedan hasn’t been willing to give his all – in fact, in just his third NHL game he decided to drop the gloves against Jordan Nolan in a first period tilt against the LA Kings. While Pedan projects as a bottom-pairing defenceman on an NHL squad, his gritty approach to the game makes him an intriguing, though limited, fantasy property as a penalty minute grinder. ~ David McDonald

November 2015 – Pedan has had a strong start to 2015-16. He currently leads Utica in points by defenseman (T-1 T. Fedun) with six points, and also leads the team in penatly minutes with 26 through 13 games. He sits at plus-4, only second to his D partner Fedun (plus-5). He is making GM Jim Benning look good in trading for him, and may force the Canucks to call on him first if something happens to a defenseman in Vancouver. Mike Barrett

November 2014 – On November 25^th,Vancouver Canucks General Manager Jim Benning announced today that the Canucks have acquired defenceman Andrey Pedan in exchange for Alexandre Mallet and a third round pick in 2016 from the New York Islanders. Suiting up in six games with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers this season, Pedan recorded three assists and racked up 51 penalty minutes. With more opportunity in Vancouver’s defensive system, Pedan’s fantasy value increases slightly with this transaction. >Brendan Ross

November 2013 – Pedan has dressed in eight games for the Sound Tigers this season accumulating one goal and three assists. His four points are actually good for a share of the points lead among team defensemen (tied with captain, Ness who is currently on a call-up with the Isles). Pedan continues to battle for his spot in the deep and talented Islanders organization. Brad Wilson

April 2013 – Born in Lithuania, Pedan showed much improvement after his move to the Guelph Storm in the OHL. In three career OHL seasons, Pedan posted 26 goals, 96 points and 386 penalty minutes in 174 regular-season games. He also recorded two assists in six games as Russia earned a bronze championship at the 2011 Under-18 World Junior Championship. On April 3, 2013, Pedan signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Islanders and has joined the Bridgeport Sound Tigers in the AHL. Sam Friedman