Notorious pro hockey tough guy Trevor Gillies(51) heads into his 18th season re-signing with South Carolina Stingrays of the ECHL.
He played in an 8-year high 46 games last season, the most since his 39 NHL contests with New York Islanders in 2010/2011.
The big enforcer also took his penalty minutes up over 100 minutes and had 8 fights.
He also appeared in a career high 19 playoff games, registering one assist.
His one foray overseas last a single season in the KHL, then just three games in Finland’s Liiga before returning to North America.
At 37-years old, he will turn 38 as the 2016/2017 and you have to wonder just how much the brutal enforcer has left in the tank.
A bit of an odd side of his long playing time is how many extinct teams he’s played for and that number currently stands a 9, including juniors.
St. Louis Blues‘ 4th year right wing Danny Kristo(29) gets another one-year deal to continue with the team he signed with for 2015/2016 as an unrestricted free agent.
He was affiliate Chicago Wolves leading goal scorer last season with 25 and his 48 points were second on the farm squad.
The smart, speedy forward also led <strong>New York Rangers</strong>’ minor league club <strong>Hartford Wolf Pack</strong> with 25 goals as a rookie, when he was under contract with them and was top three scorer the following year on a fairly stacked unit.
Though the 26-year old has yet to realize an NHL recall, one has to think they are looking to pull him up to see what happens in the forthcoming campaign.
Undrafted 4th year defenseman Sean Escobedo(3) had the best season of his short career and will next take his game to the new-ish Hungary/Romania pro MOL Liga, signing a one-year deal with MAC Budapest.
Signed for a 2nd straight season with Greenville Swamp Rabbits, he skated in a career high 62 ECHL games producing a new best 21 assists and 22 points but had a worst -17 rating.
The decently-sized 6’2″ 205 lbs. blue liner skated more AHL games than ever before but really managed to take it to another level on the last of his three recalls with Manitoba Moose, where he scored a goal and 4 assists in 10 games.
He’d only connected on the score sheet like that once previously in late 2014/2015, when in just a pair of games for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins he got a goal and two assists.
The former Boston University Terrier has never really been points, although he did have over 10 in his junior and senior years.
The 25-year old should do pretty well playing in the fairly small rinks and could very well climb the Europe hockey ladder from this pit stop.
10th year defenseman Marc-Andre Gragnani(17) heads back overseas to the KHL joining Dinamo Minsk for 2016/2017.
He also spent 2013/2014 in the league under contract with HC Lev Praha before leaving to sign a one-year deal to play for SC Bern of Switzerland’s NLA, where he put up the most points in the league as a blue liner and helped them win the Swiss Cup Tournament.
The fairly large 6’3″ 210 lbs. d-man was wooed back last season on a two-way contract with New Jersey Devils.
He did appear in another 4 NHL games bringing his total to 78 with three different teams including his only full campaign in the show (2011/2012, 58 contests) for draft team Buffalo Sabres and Vancouver Canucks, but spent most of 2015/2016 with affiliate Albany Devils.
The 29-year old has skated 382 AHL games scoring 10 goals on three occasions and in each of his 6 seasons has 25 or more assists (over 40 twice).
On his upcoming, second tour of Russia he should be able to do well.
New York Rangers‘ 4th year defenseman Tommy Hughes(5) stays in the fold for another season upon getting a new one-year extension.
In his last campaign, third with affiliate Hartford Wolf Pack he exactly match the number of goals, assists and points he had as a rookie but did it in 59 AHL games, 12 less than previous.
The fairly sturdy 6’2″ 225 lbs. d-man had an identical -5 rating, decreased the amount of shots on net he took but increased penalty minutes by 14.
The former 2012 and 2013 OHL Champion with London Knights that only put up a career high 15 assists in his third and final junior season
He played a much more aggressive shut down style last season that showed a much better level of effectiveness.
It would be little surprise to see the 24-year get his first shot at the NHL in 2016/2017.
As thought, Nathan Oystrick(74) may decide to hang up the skates after a solid final season as team captain/assistant coach for Elmira Jackals and he did.
With 65 NHL games on three different teams including one full year (2008/2009) for Atlanta Thrashers scoring 5 goals and 10 assists, he brings in some solid footing.
Not to mention the 338 AHL games he’s skated.
On four occasions he was a 10+ goal scorer and 3-times hit the 30+ assists total, missing that mark by only two helpers in his sophomore campaign.
The 33-year old former blue liner has recently accepted a job as full-time assistant coach for Atlanta Gladiators.
With all his experience he’ll easily be a valuable asset on the bench and in the locker room.
Columbus Blue Jackets‘ 4th year center Alex Broadhurst(25) gets rewarded for a decent regular season (10 goals, 26 assists in 60 AHL games) with new squad Lake Erie Monsters, then bursting his scoring more wide open in the postseason en route to winning the 2016 Calder Cup Championship.
A minor cog in a big trade that sent him from draft club Chicago Blackhawks (7th round 2011, #199 overall) to Ohio, he breaks through at the right time.
He became a restricted free agent on July 1, when his 3-year entry level deal expired.
The 5’11” 188 lbs. forward made his argument to be re-signed even more effective, when he posted 3 goals and tied for team 2nd 9 assists for 12 points in 17 playoff contests.
The still super-young 23-year old took a bit of a non-traditional path starting with two seasons for Green Bay Gamblers of the USHL, where in his 2nd campaign captured the 2012 Clark Cup Championship before leaving to join the London Knights.
It would turn out to be a good move as he’d go on to win his 2nd title in a row, grabbing the 2013 OHL Championship.
This would be all the junior hockey the deep selection would need as he was ready to start his pro career on reassignment to Rockford Icehogs.
He has still yet to surpass minor league marks he established as a rookie (16 goals, 29 assists for 45 points in 70 games) but looks to be setting himself up for a first NHL recall if he can continue along this path.
7th year center A.J. Jenks(27) signs his fourth ECHL contract for 2016/2017 and third straight to stay with Toledo Walleye, where he played in a career high 55 games scoring 22 goals and 23 assists for 45 points with an astonishing 211 shots on net.
Originally a Florida Panthers‘ 4th round pick in the 2008 draft (#100 overall), he spent the first year and a half of his career with affiliates before being traded to Carolina Hurricanes.
For the next year and a half of his entry level deal the fairly large 6’2″ 200 lbs. power forward played limited AHL games with Charlotte Checkers and Florida Everblades before being left unqualified.
The former OHL standout for Plymouth Whalers next signed a contract to stay with the Everblades but get loaned for 24 games back up with Charlotte.
Even under his first deal with the Walleye, he was once again called up for 27 more contests with the Checkers.
He was never really able to connect much on the score sheet in the higher league when recalled until last season.
He skated 5 games for Grand Rapids Griffins pocketing 2 goals and 1 assist, one fight with a +1 rating.
It’s a little surprising the still young 26-year old doesn’t play more consistently at a higher level of hockey but 2016/2017 could be that breakthrough campaign if he gets another opportunity.
Fifth year center Travis Oleksuk(11) splits for the Italian-based HC Bolzano Foxes of Este Bank Eishockey Liga.
He played under an AHL contract last season with Hartford Wolf Pack, scoring 7 goals and 15 assists in a mostly energy line role, after three years as a San Jose Sharks‘ prospect.
At 27-years old heading into his 2nd unrestricted free agency it’s possible he wanted a bit more from his pro hockey than the minor leagues could offer and should excel unlike he ever has on the score sheet with his new squad.
Detroit Red Wings‘ 5th year center Luke Glendening(41) gets rewarded with a brand new 4-year extension for recording a most career points last season, while he still has another year left on his current contract.
The somewhat small-ish forward connected for 8 goals, 13 assists and 21 points with a +4 rating and 41 penalty minutes.
2016/2017 was his 2nd full NHL campaign.
He scored a best 12 goals in 2015/2016 and in the previous year appeared in 56 big league games, leaving two seasons of minor league play in the rear view.
The 27-year old old will definitely need to continue putting up points but with his hard-hitting style game he’s likely preparing himself for the opportunity to excel on a whole other level.
