The following article featuring former Colgate standout Cory Murphy and former Cornell standout Ryan O'Byrne appeared September 6 on the National Hockey League (NHL) Web site.

By Adam Schwartz
NHL.com Staff Writer

Every team has a player or two that are up and down between the American Hockey League and the NHL during their first season or two.

While these players may not make the biggest impact that way, it provides a way to get acclimated to the League. These players learn from veterans how to conduct themselves on and off the ice.

Even though they aren't the best players at the time, they can develop into future stars, plus a season spent battling for a spot builds character.

The following are 15 Eastern Conference players -- one from each team -- who played between 15 and 60 games in the NHL last season and are ready to make the jump.

Cory Murphy, Florida Panthers -- If it wasn't for a shoulder injury that caused him to miss 30 games, Murphy would have made a bigger impact in his first NHL season.

Murphy, one of the few players on this list not to have played in the AHL last season, started the season strong, with 5 assists and 6 points in his first six NHL games, but then just 3 assists in his next eight games.

Murphy, a 30-year-old offensive defenseman, had 37 assists and 50 points in 45 games for HIFK Helsinki of the Finnish Elite League in 2006-07. Aside from Jay Bouwmeester, Murphy remains Florida's best offensive threat from the back end and should see significant power-play time this season. 

Ryan O'Byrne, Montreal Canadiens -- The Canadiens already have one of the NHL's best stay-at-home defensemen in 6-foot-4, 240-pound Mike Komisarek, but having two massive stalwarts on the blue line never hurts, which is where the 6-6, 228-pound O'Byrne comes in.

O'Byrne had six assists and seven points in 33 games with Montreal last season, but more impressively he had a plus-7 rating.

The Canadiens lost defensemen Patrice Brisebois and Mark Streit this summer, so there is a job to be won on the Habs' blue line, and O'Byrne is a prime candidate. If he can bulk up and continue his steady play, the job should be his.

Complete article can be accessed via NHL.com by clicking here.