Calgary Flames‘ 10th year right wing Anthony Peluso(14) signs a one-year two-way deal that will likely see him skating with affiliate Stockton Heat for most of the season.
The big 6’4″ 225 lbs. forward has played 144 NHL games, including three full campaigns with Winnipeg Jets from 2013-2016 and a pair of games in 2017/2018 for contract club Washington Capitals.
Originally a St. Louis Blues‘ 6th round pick in the 2007 draft (#160 overall), he’s never been the most prolific scorer but was definitely a one-time enforcer as an attribute to his game.
He split time as a rookie in three leagues, AHL, ECHL and the ill-fated IHL but spent most of his playing time for the first four years of his career with farm team Peoria Rivermen.
At 29-years old, he still likely has gas in the tank to continue but may look overseas for his next contract.
4th year, Montreal Canadiens‘ 3rd round pick in the 2013 draft (#71 overall), left wing Connor Crisp(77) is forced into an early retirement due to post-concussion syndrome.
Injured and limited to only 10 AHL games in his sophomore season, he was diagnosed after a fight left him fallen.
The big 6’3″ 226 lbs. was able to return but limited to only 50 games (7 with affiliate St. John’s IceCaps and 43 reassigned to Brampton Beast).
He was able to excel quite nicely in the lower league getting a career high 19 assists and 33 points.
At the end of his 3-year entry level contract, he was left unqualified to become an unrestricted free agent.
He signed for 2017/2018 with Toledo Walleye and was able to skate 44 ECHL games grabbing a new best 16 goals.
Forced to the sidelines as a junior player in his second season, he once had to don the gear to suit up as backup goalie and actually got into the game.
It’s sad news for the 24-year needs to step aside from the game he loves but we wish him the best with all future endeavors.
Undrafted 3rd year defenseman Tyson Wilson(10) decided to try hockey overseas signing a one-year deal with Glasgow Clan of the EIHL for 2018/2019.
He spent an injury-riddled campaign for Brampton Beast in 2017/2018 that saw him go down in the opening night and wouldn’t return until four months later skating only 23 ECHL games scoring 3 goals and 5 assists with a +5 rating on a non-playoff club.
The 6’1″ 203 lbs. blue liner was also loaned up to Laval Rocket for a single contest recording no points.
He was initially signed to an ato with Manitoba Moose after 4 years at Robert Morris University, where he was able to notch 10+ assists each year and even amassed 25 helpers with an overall +39 as a senior.
Signed to an extension for his rookie season, he was reassigned to affiliate Tulsa Oilers but never recalled.
The 27-year old may have found a nice new home playing overseas in the United Kingdom but we expect him to move on if he can put up some fantastic numbers.
Undrafted sophomore center Andrew Radjenovic(7) re-signs for 2018/2019 with Rapid City Rush after a late season trade sent him to the team, where he finished with more than point-per-game numbers (9-7-16) in 13 ECHL games.
He took an interesting route to turning pro playing his junior hockey with hometown OJHL squad Hamilton Red Wings before heading off to Brock University.
The 6’2″ 185 lbs. forward spent three seasons at college before agreeing to an ato with Bakersfield Condors near the end of his third year.
He then moved onto play as a rookie for Stony Creek Generals in the semi-pro league and of course would go on to win the 2016 ACH Championship.
In another heady move, he went back to school, presumably to finish up before signing his first contract for 2017/2018 with Cincinnati Cyclones, but was traded early in the run to Adirondack Thunder before dealt at the deadline to South Dakota.
He ended his rookie affair with a very tidy 16 goals and 21 assists through 54 games.
The 27-year old is an fascinating one to watch.
Undrafted 5th year right wing Ryan Haggerty(39) scores a 2nd NHL deal (2 years, 2 way) after excelling big at the recent Pittsburgh Penguins‘ training camp grabbing a pair of goals and one assist.
He was signed for his third straight year on an AHL contract with affiliate Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins at the beginning of the summer after notching a career high 16 goals, 21 assists and 37 points with a +20 rating.
The 6′ 200 lbs. forward was a Hobey Baker Award candidate as a junior, his final year at RPI as he rocked 28 goals and 15 assists in just 35 NCAA games.
Upon choosing to leave school, he signed a three year entry level deal with New York Rangers that kicked in early.
He was traded after his official rookie season to Chicago Blackhawks and spent an unsuccessful campaign with their farm club Rockford IceHogs, then not extended a qualifying offer.
Now signed to a big league contract, the 25-year old can breathe a little easier but is likely pushing himself harder, fighting for his chance to debut at the highest level of hockey.
Undrafted 2nd year defenseman Willie Raskob(26) takes a successful rookie season for Quad City Mallards scoring 3 goals and a team high 35 assists in 70 ECHL games to grab a one-year two-way deal with Stockton Heat for 2018/2019.
He was coming off a fourth year of putting up 10+ assists for University Of Minnesota-Duluth, where he helped them with the 2017 NCAA/NCHC Championship.
The pretty swift-moving 5’10” 190 lbs. blue liner actually started his pro career with a start in the league debut of Worcester Railers but was traded a week later after picking up an assist.
Even if the 23-year old gets reassigned temporarily to affiliate Kansas City Mavericks, he’s bound to be playing some good hockey.
Vegas Golden Knights‘ 2nd year right wing Keegan Kolesar(20) split time between affiliates Chicago Wolves and Quad City Mallards during his rookie campaign.
Through 44 AHL games he scored 5 goals and 8 assists with a +2 rating, then added a goal in three playoff matchups and mostly lit it up in 20 ECHL contests with 9 goals and 7 assists.
The 6’2″ 223 lbs. forward was a very decent scorer in his last pair of junior seasons with point-per-game totals for Seattle Thunderbirds, also never backed away from dropping the mitts when pushed, helped them with the 2017 WHL Championship and his 31 points (12-19) were tops in the playoffs.
Originally a Columbus Blue Jackets‘ 3rd round pick in the 2015 draft (#69 overall), he was dealt before ever suiting up after being on a pair of entry level slides.
At just 21-years old, he should be looking to have a strong camp and get off to a good start with the farm club to stick as a sophomore skater.
Detroit Red Wings‘ 6th year right wing Matt Puempel(73) agrees to a new two-year, two-way deal to stay in the club’s prospect system after an early last season trade sent him from a short-lived term with New York Rangers, but one that did see him sign a one-way contract after skating 27 NHL games scoring 6 goals and 3 assists.
The very decently-sized power forward pocketed a career high 32 assists and 54 points in 57 AHL games for affiliate Grand Rapids Griffins, then kept pace in 5 playoff contests grabbing 4 points (1-3).
There may be an opening for him with the parent club in Michigan although he wasn’t recalled in 2017/2018 as they are somewhat in a process of rebuilding, but even if he’s reassigned should still do nicely for himself to make the 25-year old a valuable asset to keep around.
4th year defenseman Ben Betker(28) does not get a qualifying offer to stay with his team of the last three seasons, Edmonton Oilers and signs a 1-year deal with Kalamazoo Wings for 2018/2019.
The giant 6’6″ 227 lbs. blue liner has mostly been a stay-at-home style d-man but did connect for 25 assists in his third and final campaign with Everett Silvertips before turning pro.
He played his only full season in the AHL last year with affiliate Bakersfield Condors skating 42 games scoring a goal and 4 assists.
The just turned 24-year old is definitely more of a stay at home style but should be able to add to those point totals in the ECHL, as he started to do a couple of years ago with Norfolk Admirals.
3rd year left wing Francis Perron(27) got a relocation ticket to play for San Jose Barracuda in the upcoming season after a trade sent him from draft team Ottawa Senators (7th round, 2014, #190 overall) out to San Jose Sharks for the final year of his entry level deal.
He suffered through a 2nd campaign plagued by injuries and lower than expected production skating only 44 AHL games scoring 4 goals and 11 assists on a non-playoff club.
The 6′ 178 lbs. forward was a wizard in his fourth and final year with Rouyn-Noranda Huskies helping them with the 2016 QMJHL Championship and won the league playoff MVP award, most assists (21) and most points (33) after an explosive season grabbing the Michael Briere Most Valuable Player nod.
The 22-year old will definitely need to take it up a notch as a pro to get a qualifying offer but we fully expect that to happen as the pressure gets taken up a level for his game.
