10th year veteran defenseman John Negrin(22) for a 2nd season takes a little time into the new session to determine where he will play.
He decides to move on from Norway, where he popped in a pair of goals and 13 assists in a only 24 GET-ligaen games with a +5 rating but did less well in a short playoff run.
The 29-year old accepts a new deal from MAC Ujbuda of Slovak Tipsport Liga.
After a bit of a mediocre 2nd run in DEL, a first with Dusseldorfer EG scoring 10 goals and 10 assists in 49 games, 7th year center Jeremy Welsh(29) decides to join HC Dynamo Pardubice of Tipsport Extraliga, Czech’s top hockey league a couple months into 2018/2019.
A veteran of 27 NHL games (1 goal, 1 assist), his best season in the AHL was 2014/2015 with Chicago Wolves, while under contract to St. Louis Blues, he grabbed 20 goals and 21 assists, which help him secure another year.
It seems like if the now 30-year old comes to play in the new league, he should be able to eclipse his top marks.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins‘ 2nd year center Troy Josephs(10) looks to be stepping it up in his sophomore campaign scoring 12 goals and 6 assists in 13 ECHL games with a +6 rating for affiliate Wheeling Nailers.
The Pittsburgh Penguins‘ 7th round pick in the 2013 draft (#209 overall) is enjoying the current campaign under agreement with their affiliate and showing signs like he’s ready to make that move up to a higher level of hockey on a more permanent basis.
Currently on a 2nd recall the 6’ 194 lbs. forward netted a pair of assists in 3 AHL games after going pointless in 4 contests in 2017/2018.
He did notch a goal and an assist after joining the team post a pretty nice four-year college career at Clarkson University, where he put up a strong 20 goals and 13 assists with a +10 rating as a senior.
The 24-year old would no doubt want to be playing the game exclusively with his contract club and a continued good showing will likely realize that mark setting up an interesting scenario heading into 2019/2020.
Mercyhurst University senior captain Derek Barach(26) puts his hand up to his ear mocking the caterwauls of Bentley University band after scoring the game-tying goal in Friday night’s match-up at Bentley Arena.
The small 5’8″ 165 lbs. center scored a natural hat trick and an assist with a +2 rating and 8 shots on net in the eventual come from behind 5-3 win.
Although undrafted, we could easily see this player turning pro and having a pretty great career on ice.
The 23-year old already has 6 goals and 8 assists in 15 NCAA games this season, which look close to matching his high marks set as a junior (15-23-38).
Winnipeg Jets‘ 7th year defenseman Cameron Schilling(6) gets another crack at the big league in more than three and a half years since his last visit, when he got in 4 games with his first contract club, Washington Capitals.
In his return, he skated 18 shifts for 13:15 of ice time recording his first NHL point, an assist, had two play breakups, one giveaway and was a -1 rating in a 6-5 win.
He had a career year last season for affiliate Manitoba Moose scoring 6 goals and 26 assists for 32 points with a +25 rating in 71 AHL games, then added another 4 points (2-2) in 9 playoff games.
The 30-year old spent a pair of seasons in Chicago Blackhawks system before coming further north and looks like he could settle into a more permanent spot on the big league roster.
Arizona Coyotes‘ 4th round pick in the 2014 draft (#117 overall) left wing Michael Bunting(27) is off to a hot start with affiliate Tuscon Roadrunners netting 5 goals and 9 assists in 18 AHL games with a +8 rating.
He was tied for team lead in goals last season with 23, and 20 assists with a strong, 2nd +21 rating.
The 5’11” 197 lbs. forward was a more than point-per-game performer through 2 campaigns for Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (52-64) in 105 OHL games and also known to be a pest to opposing players.
He was given a one-year extension as his entry level deal expired and continues to show growth as a scorer.
The still young 23-year old, who played 7 ECHL games with Rapid City Rush as a rookie seems to be on the cusp of his first NHL recall.
Anaheim Ducks‘ 6th year defenseman Andrej Sustr(67) signed a few days into unrestricted free agency by his new team on a one-way deal has played some AHL games in the minors for the first time in five seasons with affiliate San Diego Gulls.
The giant 6’7″ blue liner has skated 323 NHL games getting 10 goals and 53 assists with a -3 rating.
His best campaign was 2015/2016, when he struck for a career high 4 goals and 17 assists for his initial contract club, Tampa Bay Lightning.
He was with the team for his first 5 seasons.
The 28-year old will definitely need to step it up to be considered for an extension with his new club but even if he’s released, it shouldn’t be a problem for him to find a new suitor.
7th year defenseman Matt Donovan(46) returns to North America after a pair of successful runs with Frolunda Indians, winning a championship and last season putting up some pretty impressive numbers (7-20-27) in 52 SHL games.
He took little time to sign with Milwaukee Admirals on an AHL deal, where he would definitely be helping to lead a young team.
Well, the season started and he got right to work notching points with three multi-point efforts in 13 games and the parent club got interested.
Nashville Predators step in and offer him a nice two-year deal to stay in the system.
Nice going for the 28-year blue liner with 68 NHL games to his credit.
Undrafted Russian-born rookie right wing Ivan Kosorenkov(74) signed a one-year deal with San Jose Barracuda a month into the new season started but was playing on reassignment to Worcester Railers to begin his pro career.
A week after the ink dried on his new deal, he would leave to head west after scoring 4 goals and 1 assist in 8 ECHL games.
The former Victoriaville Tigres forward was on fire in his two campaigns of QMJHL action grabbing 70 goals and 75 assists in 131 games with a +44 rating and gain invites to New York Islanders and Philadelphia Flyers‘ training camps.
He also spent one season playing MHL juniors in his home country before heading to North America.
The sturdy 6′ 185 lbs. 20-year old will likely move up to the AHL permanently as he looks to be able to move up another notch to an NHL entry level deal sooner than later.
New York Rangers‘ 5th round pick in the 2016 draft (#141 overall), left wing Tim Gettinger(26) scores a first NHL recall after posting a tied for team best 7 goals and 4 assists for affiliate Hartford Wolf Pack in 20 AHL games.
The extra large 6’6″ 220 lbs. forward skated 10 shifts for 7 minutes of total ice dishing out a 5 hits, 1 play break up and a pair of giveaways in a tough 5-3 loss.
He was returned to his minor league club right after the game.
As an American-born player he briefly start his junior hockey with the USNTDP but after 4 appearances accepted a selection of Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the OHL to continue his development up north.
He quickly assumed a leadership role with the squad becoming an assistant captain in his second campaign and captain in his final season.
Signed to a three-year entry level deal through 2021, the 20-year old has some time to establish his game and work his game up to a more permanent spot at the higher level.
