Undrafted 4th year defenseman Rick Pinkston(7) takes his game overseas for a next move, grabbing a one-year deal with Fife Flyers of the EIHL.
He was loaned to Milwaukee Admirals near the end of 2016/2017 playing 20 AHL contests to finish out the regular season calendar and signed a contract for a follow-up campaign but was mostly reassigned to Norfolk Admirals and Atlanta Gladiators.
The 6’1″ 213 lbs. blue liner signed first with Springfield Falcons after finishing up four years at Dartmouth College before agreeing as a rookie with San Jose Barracuda.
He was sent to affiliate Allen Americans before the start of 2015/2016, went on to post a career best 12 assists and 14 points then went on to help them win a 2nd straight ECHL Championship.
The 27-year old will likely find good fortune in the United Kingdom’s top league.
5th year right wing Branden Troock(12) re-signs to stay with Atlanta Gladiators for 2018/2019.
He was traded from Greenville Swamp Rabbits just after the new year last season and put up point-per-game titles, 1 goal and 9 assists in 10 ECHL games after achieving the same feat for his former club (16-21 in 35).
Originally a Dallas Stars‘ 5th round pick in the 2012 draft (#134 overall), he spent close to three years in their system mostly skating for affiliates Texas Stars and Idaho Steelheads before being traded to Arizona Coyotes, where he finished out with Tucson Roadrunners recording 13 goals and 24 assists in 119 AHL games.
The former Seattle Thunderbirds forward, who had 57 points in 57 WHL games in his final season, was also loaned to Hartford Wolf Pack for one contest last season.
At 24-years old, he likely hopes to put together another amazing season at the lower level and then maybe split for some higher level of hockey overseas.
Undrafted 2nd year defenseman Jeff King(19) signed for his rookie season with Toronto Marlies but was mostly dispatched to affiliate Orlando Solar Bears and later to Brampton Beast before suiting up for a couple of AHL games at the end of 2017/2018.
The 5’11” 175 lbs. blue liner didn’t record any points but was a 0 rating with one shot on net.
He was twice a 20+ assist guy and in his final year of OHL for Sarnia Sting dished 42 helpers.
The still super-young 21-year old has decided to sign with Fort Wayne Komets his sophomore run and will likely return to those numbers he was able to clear in juniors.
Arizona Coyotes‘ 3rd year center Christian Dvorak(18) signs a new 6-year contract extension as his entry level deal is set to expire at the end of 2018/2019.
He will earn an average of $4.45M per.
The hard skating player earned 15 goal campaigns in his first pair of big league forays and a career high 22 assists and 37 points last season.
He played his first professional games at the end of 2014/2015 on an ato with affiliate Portland Pirates but was returned to after training camp to London Knights to skate a third year of juniors, which would help him establish a crazy 52 goal mark in the regular calendar and added another 35 points in 18 games en route to the 2016 OHL Championship and subsequent Memorial Cup title.
The 22-year old looks poised to become a top three NHL forward as he continues to progress.
Undrafted 3rd year center Charlie Sampair(15) signs his first AHL contract with San Antonio Rampage for 2018/2019.
He was leading scorer for Tulsa Oilers last season with 32 goals and 29 assists for 61 points, a +1 rating and monster 278 shots on net in 71 ECHL games.
The 6′ 1″ 200 lbs. forward was loaned to his new squad at the end of 2017/2018 skating 2 games recording one assist and a +1, which very likely helped set up his current deal.
A former four-year player for University Of Minnesota-Duluth, he wasn’t much of a point-getter in college hockey after exploding in the final campaign of high school hockey to gain an invite to the school.
He started his pro career signing a contract with Alaska Aces in their final season but only connected for 14 points in 41 games.
The 24-year old has seemingly arrived but will have to work hard now that he’s in the higher league.
Undrafted 3rd year center Tim McGauley(38) signs with Colorado Eagles for 2018/2019.
He was originally under contract on a three-year entry level deal to Washington Capitals, including his last year of juniors, but was left unqualified after his deal expired.
The 6′ 188 lbs. forward spent most of his playing time with affiliate South Carolina Stingrays but did appear in 14 AHL games for Hershey Bears (o goals, 3 assists) at the end of last season.
In 39 ECHL games, the 6′ 188 lbs. forward scored a career high 13 goals and 23 assists with a +9 rating.
He was a very prolific goal scorer through 4 seasons with Brandon Wheat Kings grabbing 102 goals and 157 assists for 259 points in 276 games, while adding another 50 points in 50 playoff contests and also winning the 2015 WHL Championship.
Considered a bit of an early bloomer, he played 14 games with the team as a 16-year old called up from Midget AAA.
The recently turned 23-year old will definitely need to connect with the scoresheet early and often to stick in the higher league.
Undrafted 5th year center Josh Winquist(25) signs a one-year deal to skate for Colorado Eagles in their inaugural AHL season.
He was under contract with Toronto Marlies in 2017/2018 but only skated two games towards the end of the campaign and was on reassignment to affiliate Orlando Solar Bears, where he scored 18 goals and 35 assists in 55 ECHL games.
The 6′ 185 lbs. forward was previously signed by Bridgeport Sound Tigers and played a career high 53 games in the higher league potting 15 goals and 17 assists with a +12 raring.
He was for a period of time an Edmonton Oilers‘ prospect and even signed an ato for an appearance after his fifth, overage year of juniors with Everett Silvertips, then spent the next two seasons with affiliates Oklahoma City Barons and Bakersfield Condors.
The almost 25-year old will need a solid showing like he had in 2016/2017 with his new club but is likely up for the challenge.
5th year left wing Troy Bourke(20) re-signs to stick with Syracuse Crunch despite only playing 6 AHL games last seasons scoring 1 goal.
He was on the opening night roster before being reassigned to Adirondack Thunder but lasted only a single game grabbing 2 goals and an assist before he was sidelined with an injury on more than one occasion.
The 5’10” 175 lbs. forward had points in each of his first 9 ECHL games last season.
He actually didn’t connect on the scoresheet just 6 times in 22 games, completing the campaign with 10 goals and 22 assists.
Once healthy enough, he was recalled to rejoin his contract club for the remainder of the calendar and postseason bid but once that was complete returned to upper state New York for the Kelly Cup Playoffs.
Originally a Colorado Avalanche 3rd round pick in the 2012 draft (#73 overall), he was in there system on a three-year entry level deal but left unqualified as a restricted free agent.
The 24-year old former Prince George Cougar is still waiting for a breakout in the higher league but seems to be on the verge of some real offensive output.
12th year right wing Andrew Gordon(13) signs on for a fourth season with Linkoping HC.
He easily had his best season with the team when he first arrived scoring 44 points (18-26) but has maintained a pair of 20+ point campaigns as the team’s assistant captain and even potted 16 goals in 2017/2018.
The 6′ 194 lbs. forward has always been a good goal scorer with 4 seasons over 20 per session marks and two others awfully close to that number.
He’s played 55 NHL games with his best run being 2011/2012 with Anaheim Ducks, when he skated 37 games scoring 2 goals and 3 assists.
The 32-year old, who will turn 33 mid-season, has appeared in 502 AHL games grabbing a mammoth 167 goals and 199 assists with a monster +70 rating.
He’s signed through 2020/2021, so he ain’t done yet.
Undrafted 4th year left wing Scott Henegar(17) switches it up after a couple of seasons in the fold with Kalamazoo Wings as he was recently traded to go to a non-conference opponent Tulsa Oilers for 2018/2019.
He twice scored 23 points in his pair of campaigns with the team through 123 ECHL games.
As a rookie, he signed with Huntsville Havoc to start his pro career and in 56 SPHL games scored 24 goals and 11 assists.
The 5’10” 175 lbs. forward played his college hockey at University Of Wisconsin – Stevens Point and was a fairly consistent scorer.
He also did pretty well in three years of NAHL with Marquette Rangers and Michigan Warriors.
The 28-year old could use a solid season with his new team to set up a next move.
