With a new 3-year contract extension in place, 4th year goaltender John Gibson(36) is set to assume full-time net minder duties with the only team he’s known thus far, Anaheim Ducks.
Last season the big backstop posted a 21-13 record through 40 NHL games with a 2.07 GAA and .920 SV% plus 4 shutouts.
He quickly ascended to the full-time role appearing in his first 3 contests as a rookie, winning all three appearances and posting a jaw-dropping 1.33 GAA and .954 SV% that included one blanking.
The still super-young 23-year old split time in the parent club’s cage through the last pair of campaigns but now will shoulder a good 50+ starts and be their go-to-guy to help capture another Stanley Cup.
Before the start of his latest campaign though he was named to take part in the upcoming 2016 World Cup Of Hockey for Team USA.
7th year right wing Ben Smith(21) didn’t have to wait too long before Colorado Avalanche picked up the unrestricted free agent’s option for 2016/2017, signing him to a one-year, two-way deal.
For the first time since being drafted by Chicago Blackhawks as a 6th round pick in 2008 (#169 overall), he’s set to join his third team since halfway through the 2014/2015 season.
Traded at the deadline to San Jose Sharks from the team he’d spent the previous 5+ years with and won the 2013 Stanley Cup, he skated 19 NHL games scoring 2 goals and 3 assists with a +3 rating but after 6 contests in the follow-up campaign with no points found himself reassigned to affiliate San Jose Barracuda.
After 14 games in the minors exploding the score sheet (8 goals, assists), he was once again dealt at the deadline to Toronto Maple Leafs.
They would keep him on the roster through 16 games registering 2 goals and 4 assists with another +3 rating but sent to farm club Toronto Marlies in their quest for a first Calder Cup trophy.
Despite their best efforts, they were eliminated in the Eastern Conference Finals.
The 28-year old, two-time NCAA Championship winner with Boston College Eagles will likely see more playing time in the big league with the young squad but also could be named captain of affiliate San Antonio Rampage to help guide the prospects.
Boston Bruins‘ 4th round pick in the 2011 draft (#121 overall) right wing Brian Ferlin(19) was enjoying a good first season before getting sidelined for the Calder Cup Playoffs with a hit that unknowingly knocked him for a loop in the final game of the regular campaign.
As a rookie he potted 11 goals and 9 assists in 53 contests, while also grabbing a first recall for 7 appearances and his first NHL point, an assist.
The 6’2″ 209 lbs. forward sat for the majority of his sophomore run, finally returning four months later.
In 23 AHL games with affiliate Providence Bruins he scored 6 goals and 8 assists and reversed his -9 rating from a year earlier to a +9, while continuing to impress the parent club.
He enjoyed a first offensive breakout in his 2nd year of play for Indiana Ice with 25 goals and 48 assists in 53 USHL games before leaving for Cornell University.
Through 3 years of college hockey he also showed good productivity and was ready to leave school for his chance to turn pro in 2014/2015.
The 24-year old was slated to compete for a spot on the big league roster last season but post-concussion syndrome derailed that opportunity for the moment.
A late training camp cut for his two seasons in the system, he should make waves in the upcoming run.
Not bad for a Jacksonville, FL native.
Boston Bruins‘ 9th year left wing Matt Beleskey(39) had a career year for assists (22) and points (37) with his new squad after signing a 5-year deal as an unrestricted free agent.
He left draft team Anaheim Ducks after putting up a new NHL best 22 goals.
The 28-year old may be finally coming into his own as a player and is easily what the team in black and gold is hoping for.
6th year defenseman Philip Samuelsson(5) only had to wait until the 2nd day of unrestricted free agency to get his option picked up by Montreal Canadiens for 2016/2017.
He was last in Arizona Coyotes‘ system for a pair of seasons after a trade that sent him from draft team Pittsburgh Penguins.
The big d-man has always managed a handful of NHL appearances in the last three seasons but unable to stick, spending most of his playing time with affiliates.
He was last spotted in 2015/2016 guarding the zone for Springfield Falcons and just so happened to post some career high scoring marks with 21 assists and 25 points with 97 shots on net in 56 AHL games. His four goals were one short of his best.
The still young 25-year old may compete for a spot on the parent club’s blue line out of camp, as he does have the ability to play some serious shut down style defense.
4th year center Chris Crane(21) was enjoying his most productive season ever on reassignment to Allen Americans scoring a career high 21 goals and 17 assists for 38 points in 41 ECHL games before an injury sidelined him for the remainder of the calendar.
Originally a San Jose Sharks‘ deep 7th round pick in the 2010 draft (#200 overall), this was a 2nd tour with the team, as he spent the last 3 games of 2014/2015 grabbing 3 goals and an assist before potting 10 tallies and 10 helpers en route to their first 2015 Kelly Cup Championship.
Allen repeated the title defense in 2016.
The 6’1″ 193 lbs. forward returns for a full campaign, inking his first minor league contract.
He was on a 3-year entry level deal through the end of last season after two seasons with the Green Bay Gamblers of the USHL and a 2010 Clark Cup Championship and four years at Ohio State University but left unqualified heading into 2016/2017.
Unfortunately he’s only had moderate success at the higher level of hockey in a limited playing role with affiliates San Jose Barracuda last year and two campaigns for Worcester Sharks to start.
He did have a goal and 5 assists in 13 AHL in 2014/2015 but unfortunately it wasn’t enough to stick.
If the 24-year old can have another successful season, he may move on and find better success overseas.
4th year center Mitchell Heard(22) signs his 2nd minor league contract, keeping him in the Western Conference but heading east for 2016/2017 with Charlotte Checkers.
He’s coming off a season where he played only 22 games under a deal with Stockton Heat but scored a decent 3 goals and 4 assists.
The 6’1″ 205 lbs. forward fared much better on reassignment to Adirondack Thunder, where he was basically a point-per-game player pocketing 12 goals and 20 assists with a +17 rating in 33 ECHL games during the regular season, then tacked on another 5 tallies and 6 helpers in 12 Kelly Cup Playoff contests.
These totals mirror what he was able to accomplish in his final pair of campaigns for Plymouth Whalers of the OHL.
Originally a Colorado Avalanche 2nd round pick in the 2012 draft (#41 overall), he almost turned pro after being selected, but half was through the year the parent club decided to return him for his final season of juniors after playing 23 AHL games but seemingly sputtering out of the gate.
Twice reassigned quickly from training camp to affiliate Cleveland Monsters he spent two full seasons in the league but was mostly challenged to connect with the score sheet on a consistent basis.
There’s little doubt the 24-year old is awaiting another breakout, this time in the higher league.
If that doesn’t occur in the upcoming season, he may look overseas next and should do well over there.
11th year veteran Mike Angelidis(10) signs his first minor league contract with Stockton Heat since agreeing to his third deal in 2008/2009 for Albany River Rats.
He spent his first three seasons on Carolina Hurricanes‘ radar before getting his first major deal in 2009/2010 but was left with the farm club as an assistant captain.
From there, the unrestricted free agent would ink a late-ish transaction with Tampa Bay Lightning for 2010/2011, then stick with the team for the next 6 years.
In his first season on reassignment, he posted career high points in the AHL getting 20 goals and 18 assists.
He would replicate those exact scoring totals 5 years later.
For his sophomore campaign in the Tampa Bay system, he was named captain and helped guide Norfolk Admirals to the 2012 Calder Cup Championship in a historical run.
That season he also appeared in his first big league game and grabbed his first NHL goal in his debut.
With only 14 games in the show he netted his 2nd tally on recall this past year.
The 31-year old has been captain of Syracuse Crunch for the last five campaigns and should assume the same role once he gets out west to start the next chapter.
Undrafted 4th year left wing Jesse Mychan(29) had a career year last season with Colorado Eagles.
He re-signs for a third campaign with the team after leading them in 2015/2016 with 32 goals and his 55 points was good enough for second.
The 6’2″ 205 lbs. forward was loaned for a pair of games to San Jose Barracuda but failed to connect.
He had one other AHL recall as a rookie with Portland Pirates but also didn’t register a point.
For his sophomore year he decided to try out some overseas hockey joining Cardiff Devils for 2014/2015.
His 25 points in 44 EIHL games looked to possibly set the stage for his scoring uptick.
Through a short two years of juniors with Everett Silvertips and Tri-City Americans, he was never known for putting up crazy points but held his own nicely, leaving after posting 19 goals and 22 assists in 60 WHL games.
One stat that has followed him through his time on the ice is penalty minutes.
He led the ECHL as a rookie with 262 minutes and an outstanding 19 fighting majors.
Although he still spends quite a bit of time in the box, his fisticuffs bouts have dropped considerably, which could have something to do with his increased point production.
The 24-year will undoubtedly get an invitation to affiliate San Antonio Rampage training camp and it wouldn’t be too outlandish to see the tough skater receive a look from Colorado Avalanche in the upcoming camp schedule.
New York Rangers‘ 5th year left wing Chris Kreider(20) has received a long-term commitment and nice pay bump from his draft team and only one he’s known in his pro career.
After his hot start in the 2012 playoffs following three years and two titles at Boston College, the power forward cooled off almost immediately heading into his rookie season.
He would spend the majority of his playing time in 2012/2013 with affiliate Connecticut Whale, where he didn’t exactly light it up scoring 12 goals and 11 assists with a woeful -11 rating.
To start his sophomore campaign he was once again reassigned to the farm team, renamed Hartford Wolf Pack and basically got right to work pocketing a pair of goals and assists in 6 AHL games before being recalled on a permanent basis.
It might have been the wake up call he needed as he would return and pocket 17 goals, 20 assists in 66 NHL games with a +14 rating in what was the final year of his entry level deal.
Once again, he had another strong postseason performance with 5 goals and 8 assists in 15 playoff contests, which definitely had to go a long way helping him secure a two-year extension.
In his last two campaigns he’s posted almost identical numbers with 21 goals and 20+ assists that equaled a pair of 40+ point seasons.
Looking at these stats for the recently turned 25-year old, it makes sense for the Blueshirts to tie him up for the next 4 years.
