5th year net minder Stephon Williams(35) takes an outstanding season for HC Banska Bystrica, where he helped them win the 2019 Slovak Tipsport Liga Championship with an impressive 1.49 GAA and .948 SV%. over to DEL2 joining Bietigheim Steelers for 2019/2020.
The fairly large goaltender left for overseas after an unsuccessful contract with San Jose Barracuda had him reassigned right out of the gate for most of his time to affiliate Allen Americans but did have him return for a single Calder Cup Playoff outing.
Seems a little weird he would take a step down to head to Germany’s tier 2 league but may be eyeing a bigger prize to move up to DEL.
7th year center Lukas Sedlak(45) leaves after 6 seasons for draft club Columbus Blue Jackets for a 2-year deal with Traktor Chelyabinsk.
After helping affiliate Cleveland Monsters to the 2016 Calder Cup Championship with a strong playoff performance found himself as a permanent fixture on the big league roster, but was mostly in and out of the lineup playing 162 games along the way without appearing in any recent Stanley Cup Playoff contests.
In mostly limited minutes he had 15 NHL goals and 12 assists with a +2 rating.
The 26-year old Czech Republic-born forward should be able to take scoring to another level in Russia’s top league.
7th year center Corban Knight(14) takes a career high 23 NHL games played for Philadelphia Flyers in the 2018/2019 season over to the KHL signing with Barys Astana for his next adventure.
He only has 52 games in the big league to his credit but is credited for 299 in the AHL scoring 67 goals and 112 assists with a monster +37 rating.
It will be interesting to see if the soon-to-turn 29-year old will adapt to hockey in Russia.
Boston Bruins‘ 7th round pick in the 2014 draft (#206 overall), Swedish-born 6th year defenseman Emil Johansson(17) returns home to HV71, a team he was with through juniors and 2014-2016, after two seasons with Providence Bruins putting up 10 points twice in 124 AHL games with an overall +5 rating.
The 6′ 190 lbs. blue liner has possibly been loaned in the third year of his entry level deal to see if he can flourish a bit more to continue in the system, but it’s more likely that he’ll be put on unconditional waivers to have his contract terminated.
He did sign for three years with his country’s club.
The 23-year old deep selection quite possibly wasn’t that happy in North America and will find better fortunes in Sweden.
8th year Swedish-born defenseman Ludwig Bystrom(17) changes it up maybe a bit oddly after 4 years in the AHL, first for Texas Stars, with Springfield Thunderbirds as a Florida Panthers‘ prospect and heads to Liiga signing in 2019/2020 with Karpat.
The 6′ somewhat light 175 lbs. blue liner started his pro career with 3 years mostly in the SHL and was drafted out of junior hockey over there by Dallas Stars (2nd round, 2012, #43 overall) before leaving for North America.
He played a career high 71 games last season scoring a new best 4 goals and 26 assists for 30 points with a +6 rating.
The soon-to-be 25 year old shows a lot of versatility out there, can definitely move the puck and play shut down d at the same time that will both be assets going forward as he starts a new chapter in Finland.
Winnipeg Jets‘ 6th year center Logan Shaw(18) gets a one-year extension after putting up a career high (also team best) 29 goals and 22 assists for 51 points in 70 AHL games for affiliate Manitoba Moose but was a bit of a woeful -25 rating.
Originally signed after he agreed to his first minor league deal with San Diego Gulls, then got right to work scoring two goals and three assists in 7 games to garner a first deal to join the Canadian club on a two-way contract.
He was with the Gulls parent club, Anaheim Duck for close to a pair of seasons (97 games) but when he was put on waivers got scooped by Montreal Canadiens, where he played 30 contests (2-4-6) but was not given a qualifying offer to stay.
The 26-year old will turn 27 before the start of the new campaign and will be looking to step it up for a spot on the NHL roster before he becomes an unrestricted free agent.
12th year left wing Jordan Owens(18) leaves Sheffield Steelers, where he put up a decent 10 goals and 16 assists in 51 EIHL games for some offseason hockey Melbourne Mustangs of the AIHL.
He isn’t expected to continue with his team from the United Kingdom for a 13th pro campaign, so will need to find a new home come 2019/2020 season.
The 6′ 189 lbs. forward has been a very good scorer with short stints in Metal Ligaen, Serie A, DEL2 and a pair of years graduating to DEL with Fischtown Pinguins. so even at 33-years old should be able to find a new team to continue with.
15th year left wing Chris Bourque(7) leaves North American pro hockey for a third time but signs with EHC Munchen of DEL for his first time in Germany’s top league.
The veteran forward has eclipsed the 20 goal mark on 7 occasions (30 once), reached the 30+ assist mark 10 times, with three seasons hitting 50, 52, 66, twice lead the AHL in total points (2011/2012, 93 & 2015/2016, 80) and has won the Calder Cup Championship three seasons.
He has 794 games in the league with 746 points to his credit, but has only appeared in 51 NHL games.
The 33-year old will likely excel in his new home posting similar stats that he had in the NLA.
Laval Rocket undrafted Latvian-born 5th year right wing Nikita Jevpalovs(11) re-ups for a 2nd season after tying a career high 13 goals, 12 assists and 25 points in 69 AHL games during his first campaign with the team.
Originally signed to a three year entry level deal by San Jose Sharks during his breakout third run with Blainville-Boisbriand Armada, where he notched 100 points in 64 QMJHL games, he was with the club for a couple of years with affiliate San Jose Barracuda but never quite caught on and not given a qualifying offer.
He did however help Allen Americans win the 2016 ECHL Kelly Cup Championship and score some pretty big numbers, when he was reassigned further down the chain.
The sturdy 6’1″ 214 lbs. forward next left for a shot at the KHL for Dinamo Riga but came up a bit short on the stat sheet.
At 24-years old and will turn 25 before the start of 2019/2020, he played a year of juniors in Russia’s MHL may be starting to catch fire and may be setting up a next journey back overseas if he can continue to elevate his play.
6th year right wing Caleb Herbert(29) had a career year scoring for Utah Grizzlies putting together a new best 32 goals and 39 assists for 71 points in 60 games, good for fourth overall in the ECHL.
Loaned on three occasions up to affiliate Colorado Eagles, he had a goal in 10 AHL contests.
He’s spread his wings after a couple of contracts in double A hockey and heads over to Erstebank Eishockey Liga for 2019/2020 signing with HC Innsbruck.
The decently-sized 27 year old will turn 28 at the start of the new session should excel well in Austria’s top league.
