New York Islanders‘ 4th year restricted free agent defenseman Adam Pelech(50) gets a 4-year one-way extension after playing a career high 44 games scoring his first 3 NHL goals and 7 assists for 10 points with a -5 rating.
The fairly large blue liner also was sidelined with an upper body injury for a significant amount of time for a 2nd straight season.
He started 2016/2017 with affiliate Bridgeport Sound Tigers but was recalled after the first month, returning only on a conditioning reassignment.
The soon-to-be 23-year old is looked at as a strong piece of the future for a young club.
Undrafted 3rd year winger Tanner Eberle(22) returns for a 2nd (full) season with Allen Americans.
He had signed an ato with them fresh out of 4 years with Moose Jaw Warriors. appearing in 5 contests grabbing his first pair of goals and assists with a +5 rating.
It was also the time of his first AHL games on a similar deal with Bridgeport Sound Tigers.
He failed to affect the score sheet in that short stint.
The 5’11” 184 lbs. forward posted a career high 15 assists and 25 points with a +18 in 2016/2017.
He was a couple goals shy of his tops 12 in 2014/2015 with original squad Quad City Mallards.
In junior hockey he was able to connect for decent numbers especially in his final year of WHL, when he fired in 33 tallies.
At still just 23-years old, you have to figure he’s starting to gel on the score sheet and will try to keep it going to get the next, best possible deal to skate overseas.
11th year veteran left wing David Wolf(89) spent only one season (2014/2015) in North America under contract with Calgary Flames.
He led affiliate Adirondack Flames in goals (20), penalty minutes (168) and fighting majors (10) but was only recalled for three NHL games recording no points.
The good-sized forward is a 4-time 30+ point skater in his home country’s top league, DEL just like he did in one AHL stint with 38.
He re-signed with the team he left, Hamburg Freezers when he returned but switched allegiances last season joining Adler Mannheim.
At 27-years old he extended his term for 7 years with the German club and will very likely continue producing big, but more importantly is likely eyeing another title like the one he was on in 2010 with Hannover Scorpions.
Arizona Coyotes‘ 6th year center Jordan Martinook(48) played a 2nd full season in the NHL raising his totals slightly from 24 to 25 points with a new best 11 goals in 4 fewer games (77) as his extension was expiring.
It took a few weeks to iron out but the 24-year old restricted free agency was handed a one-way deal to stay with his draft team for another 2 years at a healthy pay increase.
He should continue to elevate his game as the young squad gains better footing and starts to compete at a higher level.
9th year right wing Nathan Perkovich(74) will play his 6th season with Medvescak Zagreb but heads back to Erste Bank Eishockey Liga after spending the last 4 campaigns with their KHL as the team moved up the ladder.
The very big, hard-hitting forward was never much of a scorer in the top Russian league but probably good to keep around to help protect other players.
He did however have a tied for best scoring season ever in his first run in Austria and initial season away from North American pro hockey notching 33 points (12-21).
This was similar to marks he set as a rookie with Lowell Devils (19-14) while under contract with New Jersey Devils.
The 31-year old will likely have another explosive season on the stat sheet in 2017/2018.
It will be interesting to see how long the Croatian/US native continues overseas and if he comes back.
5th year center Tanner Richard(71) leaves a 2nd restricted free agency on the table with Tampa Bay Lightning after putting up a career high 14 goals with affiliate Syracuse Crunch and getting his first NHL recall for three games in which he recorded no points with a -2 rating.
In 4+ years, he’s played 261 AHL games scoring 40 goals and 106 assists.
The 24-year old will return home to Switzerland to join Geneve-Servette HC of the NLA for 2017/2018.
He’ll likely be given a qualifying offer to retain his rights but we might not see him return.
Detroit Red Wings‘ 10th year left wing Tomas Tatar(18) gets re-upped for another 4 years on a $5+ million dollar AAV deal to continue his 45+ average point per season campaigns with the only team he’s been on long-term contracts with since 2009/2010.
His best scoring season was in 2014/2015, when he struck for a career high 29 goals and 27 assists with a +9 rating and 7 game-winning goals and 9 power play tallies.
The now 26-year old that started playing professionally as a 17-year old in his home country of Slovakia is as about a consistent player as there is in the NHL and will continue to help his team try to win another title.
8th year defenseman Jake Newton(4) continues to move along overseas clubs.
He returns to Finland’s Liiga for a 2nd tour, joining KooKoo for 2017/2018.
The very decently sized blue liner played for Sport 2 seasons ago posting 9 goals and 15 assists before shifting to the Czech Extraliga to skate with HK Hradec Kralove in 2015/2016.
For his initial trip back to continue overseas he returned to Italy but went up a level to Serie A with Gherdeina, where he scored a league best for a d-man 24 goals and 52 points.
At 28-years old, the former Anaheim Ducks/Colorado Avalanche prospect could be just getting going and may continue to climb the European hockey ladder.
As a pro he’s played in no less than 7 leagues.
Ottawa Senators‘ 4th year left wing Ryan Dzingel(18) skated his first full season in the NHL on a two-way 1-year extension scoring a new high 14 goals and 18 assists in 81 games with a +7 rating, then popped in another 2 goals and an assists in 15 playoff contests.
In the previous campaign he split time almost equally between the two leagues but had a best 24 assists and 36 points in just 44 AHL games, while grabbing 3 tallies and 6 helpers in his first 30 games with the parent club.
The 25-year old recently signed a nice, cash-friendly deal to stick with the team for another 2 years and will likely continue to produce pretty well for them despite him being a deep draft selection.
7th year center Chad Nehring(16) signed his first NHL contract with Ottawa Senators after coming off a career campaign for Hartford Wolf Pack, where he scored a team leading 22 goals and 48 points with a +16 rating in a full calendar of 76 AHL games.
He appeared in a pair of preseason contests with no points and was a late scratch from training camp but failed to score a recall.
Instead he languished in the minors with affiliate Binghamton Senators and watched his totals plummet to only 5 goals and 13 assists in 50 games on a team that was 2nd to last in winning percentage.
He was also a healthy scratch probably way more often than he would have liked, which didn’t add to any happiness in his environment.
The just turned 30-year old will try his hand at some overseas play for 2017/2018 signing with Fischtown Pinguins.
He should be able to resurrect his career nicely in Germany’s top league, DEL.
