Rochester Americans‘ 3rd year center Sean Malone(14) signs for a third season, first on a minor league deal, after not getting a qualifying offer to stick with hometown and parent club Buffalo Sabres.
Injuries and a bit of a tick down in play had him sit for all but 38 AHL games last season but when he was in the lineup (4 goals, 9 assists) was always an impact player.
The 6′ 190 lbs. forward skated his one and only NHL game upon graduating from Harvard University, where he had 42 points, a +24 and was nominated for the Hobey Baker Award as a senior.
At 24-years old, his game will likely only improve as he puts in more time and from there could start looking overseas for better options.
Dallas Stars‘ 5th year center Tanner Kero(10) gets a new 2-year deal on opening day of group 6 unrestricted free agency after spending the 2nd season of his last contract in Vancouver Canucks‘ system playing exclusively for affiliate Utica Comets.
In 2018/2019 he skated a career high 67 AHL games scoring a new best 24 goals and team high 33 assists for 57 points.
The 6′ 185 lbs. forward played 72 NHL games through 3 seasons (2 entry plus an extension) while under contract with his original club, Chicago Blackhawks and scored a nifty 8 goals and 14 assists with a +14 rating before he was traded.
He was a consistent 10+ goals and assists scorer in his first pair of campaigns at Michigan Tech, then as team captain took it up another level with 20 goals and 26 assists making him a Hobey Baker Award Finalist.
The 26-year old arrived with 6 AHL games for affiliate Rockford Icehogs after completing college and immediately struck for 5 goals, then another 2 and 1 in the playoffs, so definitely has it in him but will need to put in the effort.
13th year left wing Mattias Tedenby(21) switches up 8 total years (including the last 5) with HV71 of the home country’s top league, SHL and trades it in for the NLA signing with Davos HC for 2019/2020.
Almost a little surprising considering he tied his career high point output with 32 and had an all-time best 20 assists, then adding another 4 points in 9 playoff games.
The 29-year old should do very well in Switzerland’s top league.
11th year net minder Brad Thiessen(39) signs on for a fifth straight season with Cleveland Monsters, a team he won the 2016 Calder Cup Championship with and oddly had no playoff starts but did play ECHL postseason games for affiliate Cincinnati Cyclones.
The 6′ 181 lbs. goalie has twice (2011 & 2013) been part of tandems that won AHL Best Goaltending Duo, while under contract with original contract club Pittsburgh Penguins, tending the cage for farm team, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
He’s also won 2011 AHL Best Goaltender (Baz Bastien Memorial Award) with a 1.94 GAA and .922 SV% in 46 games.
Last under NHL contract to Calgary Flames for the 2014/2015, the 33-year old is doing a heck of a job keeping the dream alive.
7th year center Riley Brace(23) takes his game up to another level signing for 2019/2020 with EHC Winterthur of NLB after a couple of productive runs through AlpsHL and ultimately last season playing for HC Bolzano scoring 8 goals and 12 assists in 27 EBEL games.
He took a pair of seasons of identical stats (67 points) under contract to Wheeling Nailers and productive AHL loans to Worcester Sharks and Chicago Wolves overseas to Ravensburg Towerstars of DEL2 but struggled to score and quickly up an left for Cortina.
There’s little doubt the 27-year old can score points but maybe just needs to be in the right environment to click.
7th year right wing Sven Andrighetto(10) fails to score a qualifying offer from Colorado Avalanche after playing a career high 64 NHL games scoring a decent 7 goals and 10 assists with a +10 rating.
The small-ish power forward scores a new deal with Avangard Omsk of the KHL for 2019/2020.
Since the trade a few seasons ago from draft club Montreal Canadiens‘ organization, he’s been a staple at the highest level of hockey running his totals to 216 games played scoring 31 goals and 52 assists.
It will be interesting to see if the 26-year old can find space on the open Russia ice to effectively translate his game but we’re betting it happens.
Montreal Canadiens‘ 10th year right wing Joel Armia(40) settles on a new two-year extension after scoring a career high 13 goals (including a hat trick in one effort) last campaign through only 57 NHL games, missing two months due to an early season injury.
He ups his last one-year plan very nicely agreeing to $2.6M AAV.
The high draft, big forward has learned how to play an in-tight game for more scoring opportunities but it’s still tba if the still young 26-year old will have a breakout run to increase his earnings even more.
5th year right wing Nikita Scherbak(21) failed to net a qualifying offer with Los Angeles Kings after being claimed off waivers from high draft club Montreal Canadiens.
He appeared in 8 NHL games (1 goal) to pull his total up to 37 (6-2-8) but a month in was reassigned to affiliate Ontario Reign.
The decently sized forward was not deterred as he quickly signs a three-year deal with Avangard Omsk back home in the KHL.
At 23-years old, he could catch fire back but may just ride it out in Russia’s top league.
8th year center Brody Sutter(12) takes an ok season, his first overseas, with Sport (9-12-21 and a -11 rating) of Liiga over to DEL‘s Iserlohn Rooster for 2019/2020.
After a single campaign with Manitoba Moose, he decided to explore for a new contract and found one in Finland.
The rather large frame forward will turn 28-years old by the start of the new session but should have plenty left in the tank to put up career numbers in Germany’s top hockey.
