Anaheim Ducks‘ 13th year defenseman Korbinian Holzer(5) gets rewarded for a season high 7 points (2 goals, 5 assists) with a brand new 2-year 1-way extension after appearing in a conservative 32 NHL but also made an appearance in his first five big league postseason contests.
Always coming in at a very cap friendly wage, the big 6’3″ 215 lbs. European blue liner is nice to have around as he can be easily inserted into a lineup ready to go and more often than not do some good.
The thinking with his new deal might be the 29-year old is ready to step into a top six role.
He’s only ever played for two teams in North America.
The other team of course being his draft club Toronto Maple Leafs, who chose him in the 4th round of 2006 (#111 overall).
He spent his first 5 years with them but he’s set to do his next 5 in California.
Always an asset.
9th year defenseman Travis Hamonic(3) finally gets his wish to move closer to home with his trade from draft team New York Islanders (2nd round in 2008, #53 overall) to Calgary Flames.
The 6’2″ 205 lbs. blue liner had his best offensive output in 2014/2015 scoring 5 goals (which he’s reached on three occasions) and 28 assists for 33 points with a +15 rating.
To his credit though, when selected he wasn’t really looked upon to affect the score sheet in a measurable way, although he did get 33 assists combined with Moose Jaw Warriors and Brandon Wheat Kings in his final year of juniors in the WHL.
The almost 27-year old’s upside is a delivering a tough to play against, punishing game against opponents, which is how he earned the nickname “The Hammer.”
Washington Capitals‘ 7th round pick in the 2012 draft (#195 overall) Swedish-born defenseman Christian Djoos(5) signs a new 2-year extension after a stellar 2nd season with affiliate Hershey Bears, where he played a career high 66 AHL games scoring new bests 13 goals and a staggering, tied for league lead 45 assists for 58 points with a +9 rating.
The not exactly filled out 6′ 161 lbs. blue liner did all his junior hockey in his home country with Brynas IF, then played his first pro games as a teenager before spending three campaigns in the SHL but never really popped the points like he did in 2016/2017.
As a soon to be 23-year old it’s thought that he’ll crack the parent club line up for at least a few games and this deep selection could very play himself onto a roster spot.
5th year right wing Domenic Monardo(40) takes his strongest postseason performance overseas signing with HC Bolzano Foxes of Erste Bank Eishockey Liga for 2017/2018.
After grabbing a career high 21 assists in 43 ECHL games to go along with 12 goals for South Carolina Stingrays, he took it up a notch through four playoff rounds exiting in the Kelly Cup Finals, recording 6 goals and 12 assists in 22 contests with a +7 rating.
He also appeared in another 11 AHL games on a pair of recalls to Hershey Bears grabbing 3 assists with a +1 rating.
The 28-year old, who will turn 29 at the start of next season should do well in Austria.
7th year left wing Taylor Beck(41) leaves forthcoming restricted free agency for the KHL signing for 2017/2018 with Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg.
Involved in a late season transaction from his club of most of 2015/2016, New York Islanders to Colorado Avalanche, he was left without a qualifying offer after only a very brief time with affiliate San Antonio Rampage.
He would sign soon after free agency began with Edmonton Oilers and put up a career high 37 assists and 50 points in just 40 AHL games for farm team Bakersfield Condors but only skated 3 more games before he was again on the move in a deal that sent his rights to New York Rangers at the trade deadline.
Spending most of his time in the minors with Hartford Wolf Pack scoring a point-per-game (6-10-16) on a squad that had its struggles.
He did receive another pair of games recall but failed to record any points before he was returned.
The 26-year old finished last season with all new scoring bests (19 goals, 47 assists, 66 points) and will likely do very well in Russia, if he can situate himself quickly to have an effect.
Undrafted 3rd year left wing Ryan Penny(9) re-signs with Reading Royals for 2017/2018 after a career campaign with the team scoring a team fifth leading 25 goals and 26 assists with a +5 rating and a huge 186 shots on net in 72 ECHL games.
He becomes the first player under contract heading into the new season.
The 6’2″ 195 lbs. forward spent his rookie campaign under contract with Binghamton Senators but only played 24 AHL games scoring 2 goals and 3 assists spending more of his time on reassignment down to affiliate Evansville Icemen.
Through 5 seasons in the QMJHL (including an overage stint) he only had one really exceptional run, his last where he pocketed 32 goals and 38 assists in 66 games for Rouyn-Noranda Huskies, so isn’t exactly a natural but obviously can put up points.
It will be interesting to see how many years of one league the almost 23-year old will play before moving onto Europe.
8th year center Casey Wellman(29) heads back to the KHL signing for 2017/2018 with HK Sochi after a season in the SHL with Frolunda Indians. where he helped them win the 2017 Champions Hockey League title, leading the tournament in goals and points with 8 and 14.
He had less success in his first tour of Russia scoring only 8 goals and 8 assists for Spartak Moskva in 40 games but maybe they were watching as he’s once again elevated his game.
His best offensive output was 2014/2015, a third year in Washington Capitals‘ system.
He played a career high 73 AHL games for affiliate Hershey Bears scoring new bests 25 goals and 29 assists for 54 points with a +6 rating, then added another 6 points (3-3) in 10 postseason match-ups.
In his prior campaign, he received his shot at the big league playing a decent 13 NHL games, while grabbing a pair of goals and an assist with a +3.
This was his last stint in North America before deciding to split for overseas.
The 29-year old will turn 30 as the new season arrives but we’d say he still has plenty left in the tank.
After scoring two assists on a pair of three game recalls over the past two seasons earns Montreal Canadiens‘ 4th year, deep-ish draft pick center Charles Hudon(10) a nice little two (lots of twos here) year extension to stay with the club.
He gets a two-way clause heading into 2017/2018 but quite nicely upped to a one-way deal for its second run.
It has to be the thinking that the small forward with pretty great hands will be making a big bid to join the NHL roster full-time.
We like his odds.
If not, he’ll head back to new affiliate Laval Rocket and continue to put up a crapload of points in the AHL.
Not bad for a player who turns 23-years old just a few days from now.
Happy Birthday!
7th year center Philip-Michael Devos(8) gets his option picked up for a third straight season with HC Ajoie of NLB, where he led the league in assists (52) and points (71) en route to capturing the 2016 Championship.
In his 2nd campaign, he finished with a league leading 40 goals, 57 assists and 97 points, so re-signing a player with those numbers was a no-brainer.
He first left North American pro hockey joining Val Pusteria, where he put up a Serie A best 60 assists and 90 points, while helping the team win an Italian Supercup Championship.
As a rookie, he was part of the Norfolk Admirals‘ Cinderella-story 2012 Calder Cup title, appearing in only 9 postseason contests with a goal and an assist but still contributed with a +4 rating.
In his sophomore season he played a career high 70 AHL games in the 2nd year of his initial deal with new Tampa Bay Lightning affiliate Syracuse Crunch but ticked down ever so slightly in scoring.
To start 2013/2014 he agreed with Elmira Jackals with limited success but was loaned on a pair of occasions before a trade brought him back to Florida Everblades.
In 38 ECHL games he was a more than a point-per-game skater (11-29-40) but came up short of a playoff berth.
The 27-year old should continue to excel in Switzerland’s tier 2 league once again and might look to climb the ladder to NLA, if offered.
4th year defenseman Justin Hache(18) leaves for Metal Ligaen signing for 2017/2018 with SonderjyskE.
He’s set to become a restricted free agent with his three-year entry level deal expiring.
Originally an Arizona Coyotes‘ 7th round pick in the 2012 draft (#208 overall) he was traded late last season to Dallas Stars.
His first pair of seasons were played exclusively in the AHL, first with affiliates Portland Pirates, then Springfield Falcons.
The 6’2″ 203 lbs. d-man recorded only modest numbers as a rookie (6 assists) but took it up a bit grabbing 2 goals and 12 assists with a +5 rating as a sophomore skater on a non-playoff team.
This was more similar to his final year of juniors with Cape Breton Screaming Eagles, where he recorded 41 assists in 57 QMJHL games.
In his third campaign though, he started with 5 games for new farm club Tuscon Roadrunners but was too often a healthy scratch before he was reassigned down to Rapid City Rush of the ECHL previous to being dealt.
A similar situation occurred, when he started up new squad with Texas Stars but was dropped down to Idaho Steelheads as the calendar wound down and appeared in his first postseason match-ups.
The 23-year old should do very well in Denmark’s top league and will very likely play himself up the overseas hockey ladder.
