Ex-Trenton Titan now playing with Devils’ top affiliate
BRIDGEPORT, CONN. >> Trenton makes, and eventually, the National Hockey League takes.
Although the capital city’s ECHL franchise is now long-gone, Shane Harper was the latest alumni to make the NHL after he cracked the Florida Panthers’ Opening Night roster out of training camp this season.
Harper, who scored 14 goals and 13 assists in just 15 games for the Titans during their final season in 2012-13, had split this year between Florida and their AHL affiliate in Springfield before a trade deadline deal sent him to the Devils on March 1.
“It’s definitely been an unusual year for me,” Harper told The Trentonian after one of his first games with AHL Albany.
“For the most part, when I start the year on a team, I end it on the same team. Going into training camp this year with Florida, I’d had a really good camp the last year and thought I’d made some strides this year to put me on the radar with the Panthers. I tried not to think about it and said I’d give it all I have and who knows what’ll happen. It was an honor to make the roster, that was incredible. Then I went to Springfield, and then there was the trade. I’d never been traded before, even dating back to juniors.”
Harper was in Hartford at the time of the trade, and had just awakened from his pre-game nap before a phone call from his agent let him know a deal was likely.
Perhaps a change of scenery is a good thing.
Although the 28-yearold has yet to crack the scoresheet for Albany in seven games, he’s a proven scorer who could prove to be a big addition for a franchise that’s struggled to score all year long at the NHL level. But was Harper just acquired to help an A-Devils team that’s scuffling for a playoff spot, or could he be a part of the bigger picture? “I think both,” he said. “Coming to Albany, you have to prove yourself and get adjusted to the new systems. But I think they’ve been pretty good with giving guys shots from Albany, and that’s nice to see. It’s always positive in the AHL to see teammates get called up and that there’s always something to strive for.”
But it was his time in Trenton that revitalized the one-time Flyers prospect’s career. He became the 600th ECHL player to reach the NHL, but in large part got back on the radar and to the AHL after his incredible run with the Titans in which he once scored hat tricks in back-to-back games.
“I think the run I had there was part of the reason I got signed by (AHL) Chicago. I wasn’t sure I was going to sign an AHL deal that next year, that was my last with Philly,” recalled Harper, who tallied a career-high 32 goals with the Chicago Wolves in 2014-15.
“Trenton was affiliated with New Jersey at the time, so it’s funny how that works out. But I had an absolute blast there, we actually had a good team there. We almost squeaked into the playoffs, and that was a pretty exciting run. It made hockey fun again when I was there. That helped me get the job with Chicago.”