Undrafted 4th year defenseman Logan Roe(47) re-signs for a fourth season with home state Florida Everblades after scoring a career high 6 goals and 17 assists with a league leading +43 rating in 54 ECHL games, then recording another 3 helpers in 21 Kelly Cup Playoff contests before bowing out in the Finals.
The four-year Canisius College graduate was never the biggest point-getter through school but did help the team win the 2013 NCAA/AHA Championship as a sophomore.
He has almost ironically received only one last season loan up to the AHL with Springfield Falcons as a rookie, which seems odd for a sturdy 6’4″ 205 lbs. blue liner.
At 26-years old he could have found a great place to settle or may decide to look overseas for another adventure in the next year or two.
4th year right wing Jimmy Lodge(14) signs on to Kalamazoo Wings for 2018/2019 after spending most of last season with Jacksonville Icemen on reassignment from Manitoba Moose.
Originally a Winnipeg Jets‘ 3rd round pick in the 2013 draft (#84 overall) he was signed to a three-year entry level deal that was up at the end of last year and not qualified.
He had a fantastic run in the ECHL in 2017/2018 scoring 17 goals, a team leading 32 assists and +22 rating in 57 games on a non-playoff team.
His best campaign in the upper league was as a sophomore skater, when he grabbed 8 goals and 10 assists in 63 AHL contests.
The 6’1″ 175 lbs. forward was able to collect lots of points through 4 years of the OHL, where he was more than a point-per-game skater as a 2nd year player and close to that mark in his final season.
As a 23-year old he looks to still have time to push up those totals further and if he can elevate those numbers with his new club may look overseas for a next adventure.
4th year defenseman Michael Paliotta(40) signs a 2nd AHL contract for 2018/2019 joining Stockton Heat to help them get back into the playoff picture.
He comes off a very uneasy year with Toronto Marlies before being traded early to Texas Stars and played a career low 25 games scoring a goal and three assists.
The big 6’3″ 205 lbs. blue liner was a fairly strong scorer in his final two seasons at University Of Vermont putting up 20+ assists and graduated as team captain.
Originally a Chicago Blackhawks‘ 3rd round pick in the 2011 draft (#70 overall), he skated his first NHL game after graduating, grabbing his only point, an assist.
He also skated with the team in their 2015 Stanley Cup Championship run.
Traded to Columbus Blue Jackets as part of a deal after that win, he also played one midseason big league game with them before being returned to Cleveland Monsters, where he helped them with the 2016 Calder Cup.
The 25-year old will definitely need a strong campaign with his new club to set up a next quality move, which could find him taking his game overseas.
Undrafted 3rd year left wing Ryan McGrath(16) takes a successful season for Quad City Mallards to a new contract with Indy Fuel.
The small 5’7″ 175 lbs. forward scored 12 goals and 22 assists in 63 ECHL games for a non-playoff club but that was small peas compared to what he was able to do as a rookie in DEL3.
In his first pro campaign he headed over to Germany to skate for EC Harzer Falken grabbing a 25 goals and 33 assists.
He was never the biggest scorer through 4 years at UMass-Lowell but did notch 21 points (7-14) as a freshman and helped his team win consecutive 2013 & 2014 NCAA/Hockey East Championships that same season.
The 27-year old will definitely be looking to take it up to another level to set up a potential next move either in the league or overseas again.
6th year center Kevin Lynch(14) signs a one-year two-way deal with Tampa Bay Lightning on the opening day of unrestricted free agency no less after a pair of AHL contracts with affiliate Syracuse Crunch and producing a new best 14 goals and 12 assists last season.
He was actually somehow originally acquired by the team (but there’s barely any mention of it anywhere) in a trade with Vancouver Canucks, who it is unsure how they obtained his rights.
The one-time Columbus Blue Jackets‘ 2nd round pick in the 2009 draft (#56 overall) was never signed and eventually played his first three campaigns under agreement to ECHL teams, although he was first signed by the Crunch, when he was loaned up from Florida Everblades as a sophomore skater in 2014/2015.
The 6’1″ 207 lbs. forward’s first contract was actually in the upper league to Grand Rapids Griffins after 4 successful years at University Of Michigan, but he spent all his time as a rookie with Toledo Walleye and Evansville Icemen.
Grabbing his first big league deal as a 27-year old has got to be a big deal and there’s little doubt he’ll be doing his best to get on the radar for more.
Undrafted rookie defenseman Olivier Galipeau(78) finds himself in Boston Bruins‘ training camp on a tryout after turning down a similar invitation from hometown team Montreal Canadiens to sign a one-year AHL deal with Providence Bruins.
The 2-time QMJHL Champion as a rookie for Val-d’Or Foreurs in 2014 and again last season in his overage campaign with Acadie-Bathurst Titan, where he also won the 2018 Memorial Cup.
He also had most goals (25) and points (74) as a blue liner and was voted best d-man in the league.
The 6’1″ 208 lbs. player was also a three-time captain in junior hockey and looks to be doing very well competing.
At just 21-years old, he looks like he could score an NHL entry level deal as he continues to progress.
6th year left wing Garret Ross(25) signs with Fort Wayne Komets, his first foray into the ECHL.
Last season he was under contract to Rochester Americans but was only able to connect for 7 goals and 6 assists through 51 AHL games with a +9 rating.
Originally a Chicago Blackhawks‘ 5th round pick in the 2012 draft (#139 overall) he played three years with affiliate Rockford IceHogs scoring a career high 21 goals and 22 assists with a +20 rating as a sophomore skater.
He was also very prolific in his last pair of seasons with Saginaw Spirit.
In his final year he had a phenomenal 44 goals and 46 assists with a +30.
The 26-year old has maybe made a decision to go down a level and in all likelihood will record some new high marks to possibly set up a nice European deal to head into 2019/2010.
4th year defenseman Mackenze Stewart(3) signs on with Toledo Walleye for 2018/2019 after not being given a qualifying offer from draft club Vancouver Canucks.
He was selected in the 7th round of the 2014 draft (#186 overall) and inked a three-year entry level deal but spent most of last season with ECHL affiliate Kalamazoo Wings.
The massive 6’4″ 230 lbs. blue liner has never been the biggest point getter, playing a more stay-at-home style with only played 6 AHL games with Utica Comets recording no points but had a career high 8 assists in the lower league.
At still only 23-years old, he may have signed away from the system he was a part of to get a new start and hopefully have a great campaign to set up a next move, possibly overseas.
He also has an interesting story of being born deaf and overcoming odds to play pro hockey.
After a 5th campaign for Mississippi RiverKings scoring a season high 22 goals and 36 assists for 58 points in 56 SPHL games, left wing Devin Mantha decides to take an assistant coaching job with Brookings Blizzard of the NAHL to pursue his hockey future, a decision possibly more quickly facilitated as the team ceased operations after 2017/2018.
He joins his dad, who is the head coach for the team.
The decently sized forward finishes with 226 games in the league and 51 ECHL contests over two stints, first with Norfolk Admirals (5-5-10) through 26 contests and in 2016/2017 for Fort Wayne Komets (2-4-6) and he leaves with a +4 rating to boot.
At 29-years old he’s likely made himself a good decision to switch gears.
Undrafted 11th year defenseman Kyle Bushee(7) signs on for his third season with Kalamazoo Wings after playing a career high 69 games scoring 10 goals and 32 assists for 42 points and 177 shots on net.
The veteran 6′ 190 lbs. blue liner has spent time on the ice with 14 different clubs including 2014/2015 skating for Aalborg Pirates of Metal Ligaen.
He’s appeared in 22 AHL contests, 36 overseas and a crazy 593 ECHL games.
Taking a bit of an interesting route before turning pro he entered Western Michigan University after a year in the USHL with Des Moines Buccaneers, but stay only 2 years before heading back to juniors, then accepting an invitation to return to school at Canisius College.
At 33-years old he seems like he could easily play a couple more seasons but could transition into coaching as well before too long.
