Undrafted 3rd year center Kevin Goumas(17) is taking his game to Sweden’s tier two Allsvenskan signing with Mora IK for 2016/2017.
Signed for the last pair of seasons on a two-way minor league deal with Lehigh Valley Phantoms, he spent most of his playing time in the AHL, where he posted identical 6 goal seasons with 11 assists as a rookie and 7 in his 2nd campaign.
The seemingly generously listed 5’10” 167 lbs. pivot is considered a speedy force on the ice with good instincts and play-making abilities.
He also spent 15 regular seasons games as a sophomore skater with affiliate Reading Royals tearing up the lower league scoring 8 goals and 9 assists with a +11 in 15 ECHL games, then adding another 5 goals and 10 assists in 14 Kelly Cup Playoff contests to lead the team in assists and points.
These stats mirrored what he was able to accomplish in 4 years at University Of New Hampshire.
He was exactly a point-per-game player at 146 points through 146 games.
The 24-year old should find more opening ice overseas and will likely take his scoring to a whole other level.
It would be little surprise to see him ink a deal to see what he can do in the SHL for 2017/2018.
16th year veteran center Chris Kelly(22) heads back to his original and draft squad Ottawa Senators for 2016/2017 after 6 seasons with Boston Bruins.
A 3rd round pick in the 1999 draft (#94 overall), he spent the first 9 years of his career with the team, starting with 4 campaigns in the minors first with Grand Rapid Griffins, then Binghamton Senators before heading up to the big league full time in 2005/2006.
The 6′ 193 lbs. forward never looked back, spending the last 12 years in the NHL.
A 7-time 10+ goal scorer, he reached 20+ assists three times and over 30 points on 5 occasions.
His best offensive output was with Boston in 2011/2012, where he played a full 82-game schedule potting 20 goals and 19 assists for 39 points with a +33 rating.
This came after winning the 2011 Stanley Cup. He scored a new high 5 goals and 8 assists in 25 playoff games.
The 35-year old should be welcomed back wholeheartedly and if he can stay clear from the injury bug will probably have one or two more good years before retiring.
Former 1st round pick Brett Connolly(10) signs with his third team for 2016/2017 after spending just one full season with Boston Bruins.
Washington Capitals pick up the 6th year forward on a one-way, one-year deal after scoring a career high 16 assists and 25 points in 71 NHL games.
He spent the first four years with draft team Tampa Bay Lightning spending his rookie season and final term with the team in the big league but receiving most of his playing time in the other seasons skating for affiliate Syracuse Crunch.
In the minors he’s almost a point-per-game player scoring 120 points in 137 AHL games, which almost mirrored what he was able to put up in 3 years of juniors with Prince George Cougars of the WHL.
He served as captain in his last year.
The 26-year old will definitely need to step it up with his new team.
If that doesn’t happen quickly, he could find himself watching from the sidelines as a healthy scratch, a move that was too frequent an occurrence in 2015/2016.
Vancouver Canucks‘ 9th year net minder Jacob Markstrom(25) can breathe a lot easier about his future after signing a new 3-year extension that begins once his current two-year deal expires next season.
In 2015/2016 he played a career high 33 NHL games (13-14-4) with a 2.73 GAA and .914 SV%.
With starting goalie Ryan Miller(30) getting up there in age (36) and set to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the forthcoming campaign it only makes sense to make an early move on his backup.
The extra big (6’6″) 26-year old back stop may even challenge for the starting role in 2016/2017.
It will be interesting to see if that occurs.
9th year veteran defenseman Bobby Sanguinetti(25) leaves North American pro hockey for a 2nd time in his career.
His first departure happened in 2013/2014 when he signed a two-year deal to join Atlant Mytishchi of the KHL but that only lasted 15 games (with 2 goals and 5 assists) before he headed back to the U.S.
He did not play for another team through the remainder of that season.
The 6’3″ 190 lbs. blue liner has mostly been skating in the minors (378 AHL games) with his best scoring totals coming right after he suffered an injury in 2011/2012 that limited him to just 31 games for Charlotte Checkers, while under contract with Carolina Hurricanes.
In the following campaign he posted career high 40 assists and 50 points through just 60 contests.
His only full season in the NHL was after the lockout in 2012/2013, when he appeared in 37 games connecting for a pair of goals and 4 assists.
The 28-year old has been under major contracts for all of his playing time but didn’t suit up for the big league team in the last two seasons while skating for Rochester Americans (Buffalo Sabres) and Utica Comets (Vancouver Canucks).
His next stop takes him to Switzerland’s NLA on a one-year term with EHC Kloten.
He should be able to do very well here and may even climb the ladder overseas before he hangs up them skates.
3rd year defenseman Justin Holl(41) receives his 1st NHL contract, a one-year entry level deal from Toronto Maple Leafs after a solid season with affiliate Toronto Marlies.
The tall 6’3″ 190 lb. blue liner posted career highs in the AHL scoring 5 goals and 16 assists for 21 points with a tied for team third +32 rating through 60 games.
Originally a Chicago Blackhawks 2nd round pick in 2010 (#54 overall) he was never signed but did agree to a minor league contract with affiliate Rockford Ice Hogs.
He played only two games during his rookie season 2014/2015 but instead was shuffled down to Indy Fuel, where he did quite nicely getting 7 goals and 27 assists in 60 ECHL games.
All this point scoring is a bit odd, as he only had over 10 points in a campaign twice at University Of Minnesota.
Still at only 24-years old for a d-man, it’s a good time for the parent club to have a look to see what might develop for a very decent rate.
Undrafted 2nd year left wing Matt Lorito(28) parlays an outstanding rookie season with Albany Devils into a 2-year deal with Detroit Red Wings.
The small 5’9″ 170 lbs. forward scored a team leading 36 assists and 54 points with 18 goals in 71 AHL games.
He would add another 7 points in 11 Calder Cup Playoff contests.
These totals were similar to the final three years at Brown University, when he was pretty much a point per game performer.
He was also captain and assistant in his senior and junior years.
This was actually his 2nd stint in the Capital region as upon graduation he signed an ato and exploded for 3 goals and 9 assists in 11 games.
The already 26-year old will likely join affiliate Grand Rapid Griffins but with a good training camp and continued success on the score sheet in the minors could find himself on the short list for his first NHL recall.
Florida Panthers‘ 5th round pick in the 2009 draft (#138 overall) center Wade Megan(28) has played in the club’s system for the last three seasons on minor league contracts, first through two years with San Antonio Rampage, then last season with new affiliate Portland Pirates.
The seemingly graciously listed at 6’1″ 190 lbs. forward recorded new career highs in all categories through 2015/2016 getting 14 goals, 9 assists for 23 points with a +10 rating, 145 shots on net and even a new best 53 penalty minutes.
These totals were more in line with what he achieved in his last two years at Boston University, where he posted identical 29 point campaigns, serving as captain in his senior season.
Heading into his fourth season on an upward scoring trajectory, the soon-to-be 26-year old scores his first NHL contract signing a one-year two-way deal with St. Louis Blues that will likely see him spent most of his time with farm club Chicago Wolves.
Exceedingly large 6’5″ 215 lbs. 7th year defenseman Dustin Stevenson(6) gets his first big league contract of the 1-year 2-way variety with Dallas Stars since his entry level deal was up with Washington Capitals at the end of 2013 season.
Even after signing his next contract with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins he only played 7 games without recording a point.
He was instead reassigned to affiliate Wheeling Nailers, where he had his most productive season since juniors with 5 goals and 21 assists in 57 ECHL games with a monster, tied for team best +23 rating.
In the postseason he would continue this uptick scoring 1 goal and 3 assists in 10 Kelly Cup Playoff contests.
With a pair of good campaigns in the lower league, Adirondack Flames stepped in and gave him a contract for 2014/2015.
While he may have only appeared in 45 AHL games and was a healthy scratch on far too many occasions he still was able to notch 3 goals and 8 assists with a +5 plus/minus on a non-playoff contending squad.
This performance was good enough to keep him in Calgary Flames‘ minor league system as he next inked for 2015/2016 with new affiliate Stockton Heat.
Not sure what Dallas saw in the big blue liner but they must have liked something to get him tied up on the opening day of unrestricted free agency.
The soon-to-be 27-year old will likely see most of his playing time with their farm team Texas Stars but could get an NHL look depending on the situation.
Still, this is an all around good story of persistence and perseverance.
Vancouver Canucks‘ Swedish-born right wing Loui Eriksson(21) will almost astonishingly be heading into his 14th pro season after he was quickly scooped via unrestricted free agency and signed to a new 6-year contract, which actually could be a legitimately good gamble as he’ll turn only 36 at the end of its’ term.
He is set to turn 31 soon.
The 6’2″ 183 lbs. forward cleared the 60-point mark for the 5th time in his career last season while playing in the final stint of his 3-year deal with Boston Bruins.
Originally a Dallas Stars‘ 2nd round pick in the 2003 draft (#33 overall) he spent from 2005-2013 with the team, including his rookie year played entirely in the AHL with Iowa Stars.
He also skated two campaigns in his own country’s top league, SHL with Frolunda Indians before arriving in North America.
All eyes are going to be on him, as Vancouver is on the rebuild and he’s expected to help lead the charge.
