Undrafted 4th year goaltender Andy Iles(29) has likely seen more of the ECHL than he anticipated, when he turned pro after 4 successful years at Cornell University.
He spent his first full campaign with Elmira Jackals in 2016/2017 after his initial tour took him to 6 cities and 7 teams as a rookie and sophomore net minder.
The small 5’9″ 180 lbs. goalie also received a pair of loans to the AHL but was only the back-up and failed to appear in any games.
For 2017/2018 he signed a one-year deal with Fife Flyers of the EIHL.
The still young 25-year old backstop should be able to do very well in England and move himself up the hockey ladder overseas.
Undrafted 5th year defenseman Patch Alber(3) returns to his sophomore year squad Kansas City Mavericks for 2017/2018.
He played a career high 66 ECHL games last season for Adirondack Thunder, his 2nd with the team, scoring a new best 36 assists and 39 points with a +4 rating.
The 5’10” 180 lbs. blue liner won three straight Hockey East Championship from 2010-2012 and a pair of NCAA Championships (2010/2012) with Boston College Eagles.
As a smallish d-man he only put up moderate numbers through college but has been successful since turning pro putting together 25, 30 and 36 assists.
The 28-year old Clifton Park, NY native may be straying further away from home again, but if he cobbles together another successful campaign may next go for some overseas action.
17th year left wing Stephane Veilleux(19) signs on for his third season with Oji Eagles of the Asia League, where he seems to be happy and doing quite well.
In 48 games through 2016/2017, he had a career high 42 points (12-30).
The veteran of 506 NHL games played 12 seasons under contract with Minnesota Wild, his 2001 draft club.
He’s also appeared in 396 AHL contests, last serving as Iowa Wild captain in the 2014/2015 campaign before leaving for some overseas hockey.
The 6’1″ 205 lbs. forward has only three times been signed to one-year deals away from the North Star state, which shows an unheard of consistency.
In fact, while with New Jersey Devils, he received a one-game recall and less than a week upon being returned to Albany was traded back to the Wild.
The 35-year old has had a heck of a career and obviously shows little signs of slowing down.
Utah Grizzlies‘ 9th year center Michael Pelech(27) returns for his fourth season with the club after an early trade sent him there from Reading Royals, where he’d been for a short time over two campaigns.
The 28-year old as 2017/2018 begins has played a monstrous 513 ECHL spending significant time with 6 different squads.
His best scoring season was 2011/2012 in 10 games to start with Toledo Walleye but finished playing 60 contests for Cincinnati Cyclones, where he scored a best 65 points (16-49).
He would get close to those numbers and post a goals scoring high of 25 in his first year in Salt Lake, but really popped in the Kelly Cup Playoffs, when he got 5 goals and 8 assists through 11 games.
It would be a bit crazy for him to continue hockey here.
We think he’d absolutely tear up a European league like DEL.
Always a fun guy to watch.
4th year left wing Olivier Archambault(10) takes a very impressive Kelly Cup Playoff run with South Carolina Stingrays to a one-year deal with Allen Americans for 2017/2018.
Limited to only 35 ECHL games due to injury, he was still able to put up 16 goals and 8 assists in the regular season before adding another 7 goals and 10 assists in 22 postseason contests.
Originally a Montreal Canadiens‘ 4th round pick in the 2011 draft (#108 overall) he never signed, instead inked with Iowa Wild as a rookie.
The small-ish looking 5’11” 190 lbs. forward would play 24 AHL games (4 goals, 5 assists) but spent more time with Alaska Aces.
He would re-sign with the team and once again be invited to parent club Minnesota Wild‘s training camp but only skated 6 games before being sent to Quad City Mallards, who acquire his rights to continue.
A twice 20-goal scorer in the lower league, he was also a former point-per-game guy in his final two campaigns of the QMJHL, will probably do very well with his new team.
The still young 24-year old may take a healthy, fantastic season overseas next but could also get a more extended look at a higher level.
Calgary Flames‘ 4th year right wing Garnet Hathaway(50) skated a new career high 26 NHL games scoring a best one goal and 4 assists for 5 points.
He also played 31 AHL games with affiliate Stockton Heat grabbing 8 goals and 12 assists with a monster +22 rating, then added another 4 points (2-2) in 5 playoff match-ups.
10 days into restricted free agency and the parent club steps in and gives him a new 1-year 2-way extension but the 25 year old is fully expected to pull full time status up with the big club.
We shall see. He could possibly see some more time on the farm but it likely won’t be much as he should be able to play nicely into his role.
Undrafted 2nd year right wing Michael Joly(88) signs and AHL contract with San Antonio Rampage for 2017/2018.
He was on a similar deal last season with Hartford Wolf Pack and played 28 games scoring 6 goals and 6 assists with a pair of multi-point efforts.
The 5’11” 172 lbs. forward was also reassigned for different periods to affiliate Greenville Swamp Rabbits and absolutely lit it up in the lower league tapping in 23 goals and 17 assists for 40 points with a +16 rating in 29 ECHL games.
He was fairly prolific in junior hockey with Rimouski Oceanic and won a 2015 QMJHL Championship as a third year skater, which made us wonder why he was never selected.
The 22-year old should be able to convince he deserves to play up with a farm club but a few appearances with Colorado Eagles wouldn’t be the worst demotion ever.
Still, we expect this player, who has scored some big goals to be able to stick at a higher level and start connecting with the scoresheet regularly.
5th year right wing Brandon Alderson(29) leaves North American hockey signing a one-year deal with Heilbronner Falken of DEL2 for 2017/2018 after putting up a career high, team leading 26 goals and 29 assists and a +8 rating with Greenville Swamp Rabbits in 44 ECHL games, while also getting in 13 AHL games on loan to three different clubs.
The big forward played only his rookie season with original contract team Philadelphia Flyers‘ direct affiliate Adirondack Phantoms, then split time between farm squads Lehigh Valley Phantoms and Reading Royals as a sophomore and third year skater.
The 25-year old should be able to detonate Germany’s tier two scoring and move up to DEL within a year.
6th year right wing Jake Hansen(22) takes his game to Metal Ligaen joining Rungsted Seier Capital for 2017/2018 after scoring exactly 4 goals in each of his last three seasons with Asset of Liiga and Schwenninger Wild Wings of DEL.
Left unqualified after two years in Columbus Blue Jackets‘ system, where he played exclusively for affiliate Springfield Falcons, the very decently sized power forward split for overseas.
The soon-to-be 28-year old should set new scoring highs in Denmark’s top league.
12th year right wing Olivier Labelle(13) heads back to Ligue Magnus joining Boxers de Bordeaux for 2017/2018 after having success in the country a couple years ago.
He helped Rouen Dragons win both the 2016 French League title and Continental Cup before deciding to return for a 5th campaign with Reading Royals, where he scored a team leading 27 goals and 55 points before adding another 2 tallies and 2 assists in 6 postseason match-ups.
The decently-sized 6′ 199 lbs. forward has appeared in 407 ECHL games throughout his career scoring close to point-per-game numbers (170-169).
He also appeared in 6 AHL games on loan to Syracuse Crunch with no points
It was his first visit with them in 10 years.
His rookie season (2006/2007) was spent with the club.
The 32-year old will once again excel in France but could decide to return, especially if he decides to explore some coaching possibilities.
