Forwards Olivier Archambault and Raphael Bussieres and defenseman Alex Gudbranson have been assigned to the Quad City Mallards by the American Hockey League’s Iowa Wild while forward Ryan Tesink and goaltender Niklas Lundstrom have been reassigned to the Mallards from the AHL’s Chicago Wolves by the National Hockey League’s St. Louis Blues, the Mallards announced today. In addition, forward Matt Neal and defensemen Jake Baker and Mike Monfredo have been added to the Mallards’ preseason roster after being released from tryout agreements by the Wild while forward Collin Valcourt and defenseman Austin Coldwell join the Mallards after being released from tryouts by the Wolves.
As a rookie last season, the 22-year old Archambault split time between Iowa and the ECHL’s Alaska Aces. The 6’ 0”, 190-pound, Le Gardeur, Quebec, native averaged a point per game in 38 outings for Alaska, scoring twenty goals and picking up 18 assists while posting a plus/minus rating of +7. Archambault scored scored four times and added five assists in 24 AHL games. The Mallards acquired Archambault’s ECHL rights last week in a trade with Alaska.
Archambault was selected by the Montreal Canadians in the fourth round of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft with the one hundred eighth overall pick. He got his first taste of professional hockey when he notched a goal and an assist in ten games with the AHL’s Hamilton Bulldogs late in the 2012-13 season.
Archambault returned to the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League in 2013-14 to score 19 goals and collect 27 assists for 46 points in 38 games with the Quebec Ramparts. Archambault totaled 100 goals, 131 assists and 231 points in 270 career QMJHL games over five seasons with the Ramparts, Drummondville Voltigeurs and Val d’Or Foreurs.
Bussieres, 21, also played for both Iowa and Alaska last season. The 6’ 1”, 195-pound Longueuil, Quebec native skated in nine AHL games and scored three goals, pocketed 13 assists and totaled 16 points in 19 ECHL outings. As a rookie in 2013-14 Bussieres provided five goals, 14 assists and 19 points in 61 games with Iowa.
Bussieres was selected by the Minnesota Wild in the second round of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft with the forty-sixth overall choice. He skated for four seasons in the QMJHL with the Baie-Comeau Drakkar and- briefly- Moncton Wildcats. Bussieres registered 74 goals, 94 assists and 168 points in 226 career QMJHL games. In 2012-13 he scored 29 goals and added 39 assists for 68 points in 60 games while helping Baie-Comeau to a division title and a berth in the QMJHL President’s Cup finals.
Gudbranson, 21, scored once and added three assists in 46 games with Iowa as a rookie last season. Prior to turning pro, the 6’ 2”, 216-pound Orleans, Ontario, native spent four seasons in the Ontario Hockey League with the Kinston Frontenacs and Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. Gudbranson rang up 15 goals, 37 assists and 52 points in 243 career OHL games. He finished his junior career in 2013-14 by scoring seven goals, gathering eight assists and totaling 15 points in 66 games while helping the Greyhounds to a division title.
Tesink, 22, scored twice and collected 9 assists for 11 points in 36 games as a rookie with Alaska last season. The St. John, New Brunswick, native was selected by St. Louis in the sixth round of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft with the one hundred sixty-second overall choice.
Tesink spent four seasons in the QMJHL with the Saint John Sea Dogs and Blainville-Boisbriand Armada before turning pro. Tesink helped Saint John to back-to-back QMJHL President’s Cup titles in 2011 and 2012. He recorded 51 goals, 101 assists and 152 points in 183 career QMJHL games. He completed his junior career by scoring 13 goals and adding 23 assists for 36 points in 47 games with Blainville-Boisbriand in 2013-14.
Lundstrom, 22, last season went 17-16-2 with a 3.05 goals against average and a .895 save percentage in 36 games with Alaska. The 6’ 1”, 194-pound Varmdo, Sweden, native also made one appearance for the Wolves last season. Lundstrom was selected by St. Louis in the fifth round of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft with the one hundred thirty-second overall choice.
The 2014-15 campaign was Lundstrom’s first in North America. Lundstrom played in his homeland for AIK- he began suiting up for that club’s underage teams in 2008- with time out for loan stints with Sodertalje SK and IK Oskarshamn. Lundstrom backstopped Sweden to a runner-up finish in the 2013 World Junior Championship. He went 5-1-0 with a 1.60 goals against average and .944 save percentage during the tournament.
Neal, Baker, Monfredo and Coldwell return after skating for the Mallards last season while Valcourt signed with the Mallards this summer after playing for Hradec Kralove in the Czech Extraliga last year.
Today’s arrivals bring to 23 the number players on the Mallards’ training camp roster: 13 forwards, eight defenseman and two goaltenders.
The Mallards will begin their nineteenth season on the road against the defending champion Allen Americans on Friday, October 16 before returning to the Quad Cities to play their home opener on Friday, October 23 at 7:05 p.m. against the Tulsa Oilers. Mallards 2015-16 season tickets are now available. Season ticket holders enjoy significant savings of the walk-up ticket price and receive a host of exclusive benefits. For more season ticket information, fans can contact the Mallards at 309-277-1364 or info@myqcmallards.com.
