San Jose Sharks‘ 4th year defenseman Dylan DeMelo(74) enjoyed more time with the big club than he spent with the farm team for the first time in his pro career last season.
He skated 45 games scoring his first pair of NHL tallies (both on the man-advantage) and 2 helpers (also on the PP) with a 0 rating, while only adding another 15 contests (6 assists) with new affiliate San Jose Barracuda.
The 6th round pick in the 2011 draft (#179 overall) spent his first pair of campaigns in the AHL with Worcester Sharks scoring a career high 5 goals in 2014/2015 and had a best 22 assists and 24 points as a rookie.
The generously listed 6’1″ 194 lbs. blue liner showed great strength head-manning the puck in four years of juniors with Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors of the OHL averaging over 30 assists a season in his final three years, and also connected for 15 goals in his final run.
The 23-year old signed a nice two year deal, the second being one-way to continue to develop with the only team he’s known.
He very well could become a full-time fixture on the parent club’s roster sooner than later.
Los Angeles Kings‘ 5th year center Andrew Crescenzi(21) has been extended by the club he was traded to late in a contract season twice (on the same date 7/16).
He posted new, modest AHL career highs in scoring in 2014/2015 with 7 goals and 8 assists for 15 points with then affiliate Manchester Monarchs adding 3 more helpers in 18 playoff contests on the way to a first Calder Cup Championship.
With a new deal in hand, the big pivot must have breathed quite a sigh of relief that he was staying put, albeit moving west with new farm club Ontario Reign to play minor league hockey closer to the parent club.
He responded by taking two of his offensive categories to new bests, doubling his assists to 16 and 21 points in a most 67 games.
The 24-year old, who is set to become a restricted free agent once again at the end of the current campaign will have to continue to take it up a notch to stay on the radar but if he can break out might have a shot at his first NHL recall.
13th year veteran center Dominic Moore(28) joins his 10th team signing a one-year deal with Boston Bruins as sort of a homecoming for the former Harvard University standout from Sarnia, Ontario.
The former New York Rangers‘ 3th round pick in the 2000 draft (#93 overall) has played a pair of 10 year mark, 3-year bookends with the Blueshirts, where he last skated from 2003 – 2006 2013-2016.
Never really the most prolific scorer, he’s had one 40+ point season in 2008/2009 with Toronto Maple Leafs but has mostly hovered around the 15 point mark.
If the 36-year old, who has skated 765 NHL games, can give the spoked B’s 10+ minutes a night of 4th line grinding hard work that may add up to some points then it’s going to be very cheap money well spent bringing his leadership into the fold.
4th year right wing Zach O’Brien(92) decided it was time to find a new hockey home heading into the 2016/2017 and signed a one-year deal to join Ravensburg Towerstars of DEL2.
In his German debut he notched a first assist in what should be a high scoring campaign for the former leading scorer in juniors.
Under contract with Manchester Monarchs for his sophomore campaign, he would be an integral part of the team that won the 2015 Calder Cup Championship.
He recorded career bests putting up 14 goals and 32 points in 62 AHL games, then grabbed another 9 points (3-6) in 19 playoff contests to help seal the title.
For his third pro year the unrestricted free agent decided to explore quickly agreeing to a contract with Chicago Wolves.
His point totals fell to only 19, which was probably why the still fairly young 24-year old decided to split for another land.
If he can do well in this second tier level look for him to jump up where he is or continue exploring better leagues either in the same country or elsewhere.
4th year right wing Zach O’Brien(92) decided it was time to find a new hockey home heading into the 2016/2017 and signed a one-year deal to join Ravensburg Towerstars of DEL2.
In his German debut he notched a first assist in what should be a high scoring campaign for the former leading scorer in juniors.
Under contract with Manchester Monarchs for his sophomore campaign, he would be an integral part of the team that won the 2015 Calder Cup Championship.
He recorded career bests putting up 14 goals and 32 points in 62 AHL games, then grabbed another 9 points (3-6) in 19 playoff contests to help seal the title.
For his third pro year the unrestricted free agent decided to explore quickly agreeing to a contract with Chicago Wolves.
His point totals fell to only 19, which was probably why the still fairly young 24-year old decided to split for another land.
If he can do well in this second tier level look for him to jump up where he is or continue exploring better leagues either in the same country or elsewhere.
8th year veteran center Carson McMillan(29) leaves after his first full season in the ECHL as captain with Idaho Steelheads for Esbjerg Energy of Denmark’s Metal Ligaen.
He posted career high marks scoring 19 goals and 15 assists in 70 games, then added another 7 points (1-6) in 7 2016 Kelly Cup Playoff match-ups.
It’s a bit of a wonder why he has only skated 16 big league games getting his first NHL goal and an assist as a sophomore player with draft squad Minnesota Wild, then putting in another and two more tallies through a new best 11 contests in his follow-up campaign, but failed to crack the roster as a regular.
He was signed to a pair of one-year extensions upon the expiration of his entry level deal but was mostly relegated to the farm clubs, then signed his first AHL contract in 2014/2015, when he could find any suitors at the higher level.
The recently turned 28-year old should find a renewed spirit overseas and could even find himself among the top scorers.
Boston Bruins‘ 4th year defenseman Colin Miller(48) has to be feeling the pressure to blossom into the full-time big league blue liner he’s meant to be, especially after signing a new 2-year deal.
After being acquired in an off season trade he played a career high 42 NHL games as a rookie scoring 3 goals and 13 assists with a 0 rating.
This came after a full season in the AHL under contract with Los Angeles Kings reassigned to affiliate Manchester Monarchs, where he had an all best 19 goals and 33 assists for 52 points with a +11 and won the 2015 Calder Cup Championship, lighting it up with a 2 goals 8 assist performance in 19 games.
He’s the former hardest shot at the minor league skills competition and it seems like it’s time for the soon to be 24-year old to step it up.
11th year Khazakhstan-born goaltender Anton Khudobin(34) circles back returning to Boston Bruins on a new 2-year deal.
He was last with the team on a trade at the 2011/2012 deadline and was sent to affiliate Providence Bruins for the remainder of the calendar.
After signing a 2-year contract to remain, he assume starting net minder duties in the AHL, while only appearing in one big league game.
The agile 5’11” 185 lbs. back stop began the lockout shortened final season of his deal back in the KHL, where he started his pro career in 2006/2007 with 16 games for Metallurg Magnitogorsk.
He also played his junior hockey with the squad.
Signing until the big league restarted with Atlant Mytishchi, he would assume his first full-time back-up duties getting 14 NHL games in the shortened campaign.
His next stop would take him to Carolina Hurricanes on a one-year deal and he played in a career high 36 games, then receive a two-year extension to stay put but was traded to Anaheim Ducks for the second season of the contract, where he was caught in a glut of starting net minders and spent all but 9 games with affiliate San Diego Gulls.
The 30-year old should split duties nicely on his second tour with the black & gold and give the team confidence in their “new” backstop.
Boston Bruins‘ 11th year center David Backes(42) looked happy to be part of his first day of training camp with his new squad after returning from the World Cup with Team USA.
The fairly big 6’3″ 221 lbs. power forward signed a handy 5-year deal as an unrestricted free agent.
It’s his first new hockey home in 10 years after skating the entire beginning of his career with draft team St. Louis Blues (2nd round in 2003, #62 overall).
He has retained the position of captain for the team for the last five seasons.
The 6 time 20+ goal scorer (twice 30+), 5 time 30+ assists and 5 time 50+ points 32-year old should settle into a great life wearing his new colors, black & gold.
Ottawa Senators‘ 4th year left wing Matt Puempel(26) re-ups for another season on a two-way 2016/2017 deal.
The former high draft pick is definitely looking to spend a full campaign in the big league after splitting almost equal time between the two tops leagues last season.
He marked almost point-per-game status in the AHL but was held to only his 13 game 2014/2015 career high of 2 goals and 1 assists in 26 NHL contests last year.
The still young 6’2″ 205 lbs. forward will need a strong training camp to make the opening night roster of the parent club and definitely shows the compete level at times but has to take it up to the next level sooner than later.
