Undrafted 4th year right wing Max Novak(16) heads off to Sweden’s tier 2 Allsvenskan signing for 2018/2019 with Tingsryds AIF.
He was signed early in free agency to Toronto Marlies after 2 years playing for Albany Devils but skated only one AHL game in 2017/2018, otherwise was reassigned to affiliate Orlando Solar Bears.
It was his first run in the lower league and through 66 ECHL games scoring 21 goals and a team high 36 asssists for 57 points.
The 5’11” 185 lbs. forward came from a successful college hockey program at Union College, where he was part of the 2014 NCAA Championship and helped grabbed back-to-back 2012 & 2013 ECAC titles.
At 27-years old he should be able to find some great success in his new league overseas and may even climb up to the SHL.
Undrafted 2nd year left wing Jordan Boucher(39) signs a one-year deal with Orebro HC of the SHL after playing as a rookie for Laval Rocket.
In 70 AHL games he scored 10 goals and 12 assists with a -1 rating and 100 shots on net.
He started his first season with 4 ECHL for Brampton Beast grabbing 2 goals and an assist.
The 6′ 185 lbs. forward was never much of a scorer through 4 years at Clarkson University but did have numbers as a senior that were similar to his first pro season.
He was an invite to Montreal Canadiens‘ training camp.
It would be little surprise to see the 24-year old elevate his game in Sweden’s top league.
Carolina Hurricanes‘ 4th round pick in the 2015 draft (#96 overall) 2nd year center Nicolas Roy(15) will be working hard in training camp to gain notice of the parent club for more time in the big league.
He played one NHL game as a rookie at the tail end of last season skating 16 shifts for 10:46 of total ice with one shot on net and no points.
The big 6’4″ 208 lbs. forward was big in his first season for affiliate Charlotte Checkers scoring 11 goals and 27 assists for 38 points with a +3 rating in 70 AHL games, then added 3 assists in 8 Calder Cup Playoff matchups.
He was always a big point getter through 4 years in the QMJHL for Chicoutimi Sagueneens and served as team captain in his final year.
The 21-year old is signed through 2019/2020 and looks to be setting up a nice extension in a deep prospect system as he approaches restricted free agency.
4th year defenseman Travis Brown(45) signs for 2018/2019 with San Antonio Rampage after posting a career high 10 goals and 26 assists in 67 ECHL games for Wichita Thunder.
Originally a Chicago Blackhawks‘ 5th round pick in the 2012 draft (#149 overall) he was never signed and instead agreed to terms as a rookie with St. John’s IceCaps.
He also appeared in parent team Montreal Canadiens‘ training camps but was ultimately released.
As a sophomore skater he inked with San Jose Barracuda but was reassigned to affiliate Allen Americans for all but one game in the higher league.
The 24-year old will no doubt need a strong showing early with his new club to stick.
After big 8th year defenseman Taylor Doherty(4) has bounced around quite a bit since being left unqualified by draft team San Jose Sharks as he was heading into his 5th season in their prospect system.
In his first free agent campaign, he signed with Rapid City Rush, where he put up a career high 8 goals and 16 assists, while also being loaned for 12 games to Toronto Marlies (3 assists).
He would next sign with Orlando Solar Bears and was on a point-per-every-other-game pace before getting loaned to Providence Bruins. but did eventually return and turned it up in the Kelly Cup Playoffs with 7 points in 7 matchups.
His time with the higher league club was impressive enough to score an AHL deal for the following season but spent almost the entirety of the year with affiliate Atlanta Gladiators playing a new best 63 ECHL games.
The 27-year old has decided to switch things up heading into 2018/2019 signing for one-year with Bili Tygri Liberec of the Czech Extraliga (Tipsport ELH).
Undrafted 3rd year goaltender Adam Carlson(47) signs for 2018/2019 with Rapid City Rush.
The 6’3″ 180 lbs. net minder was under contract to Washington Capitals for the last pair of seasons but left unqualified as a restricted free agent.
He only appeared in 6 AHL games as a sophomore skater with affiliate Hershey Bears.
Instead he was mostly shuffled around to ECHL teams and ended up playing games for 3 different squads in 2017/2018.
He completed two solid seasons in the NAHL with Coulee Region Chill before accepting an invite to Mercyhurst College, where he only stayed a year before deciding to turn pro.
The 24-year old will definitely need an outstanding season, as he had with his last reassignment to Kansas City Mavericks to grab the attention at a higher level or will likely be looking overseas for more opportunities.
8th year center Joey Martin(88) signs on for a 5th campaign with Cardiff Devils, a team he’s helped win 3 of the last 4 EIHL Championships.
He’s been a First Team All-Star four straight seasons, had the most assists in his first session, Forward Of The Year the last three, and 2015/2016 & 2017/2018 Player Of The Year, so easily doesn’t need to look elsewhere for ice time.
The 30-year old is easily in a good place.
Undrafted 3rd year left wing Matt Wilkins(16) takes a career year scoring 20 goals and 27 assists in 54 ECHL games with a +18 rating for his 2nd season with Reading Royals somewhat surprisingly to DEL3 signing for 2018/2019 with Hannover Scorpions.
The 5’11” 193 lbs. forward helped his school of 4 years, Union College to a 2014 NCAA Division 1 Championship as a sophomore and consistently put up 10+ assists per session.
This was after two seasons of putting up well more than point-per-game numbers for Brooks Bandits (64-112-176 in 120 games), where he had most assists in each campaign, most points in his 2nd year and was part of the 2012 AJHL Champion squad.
The 27-year old should do well in Germany’s tier 3 hockey and move either up or on to a better league.
Undrafted 3rd year left wing Christian Hilbrich(8) takes a career ECHL season scoring a new best 23 goals and 46 points for Toledo Walleye over to Germany’s tier two DEL2 signing a one-year deal with Eispiraten Crimmitschau.
The big 6’7″ 228 lbs. forward was originally signed by Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins but spent more time with affiliate Wheeling Nailers, where he put up a huge 29 assists as a rookie.
He played 4 AHL games on loan to Chicago Wolves this past season.
Through three times grabbed 14 points for Cornell University and spent 4 years there after one in the NAHL and two in the USHL.
The 26-year old will likely tear up the bigger ice surface overseas.
3rd year center Kevin Rooney(21) scores himself a nice, new 2-year extension to stay in New Jersey Devils‘ prospect system.
It’s a two-way deal for the upcoming 2018/2019 but upgrades to one-way for 2019/2020.
The decently-sized forward skated only 1 NHL game on recall (no points) but tied a career high 71 AHL games for affiliate Binghamton Devils scoring a new best 14 goals, 20 assists and 34 points.
He appeared in 4 big league contests as a rookie but also went scoreless but it does look like the 25-year old former Providence College player in on the cusp of a further scoring breakout.
