Pittsburgh Penguins‘ 2nd round pick in the 2012 draft (#52 overall) Lativian-born center Teodors “Teddy” Blueger(23) grabs a new 1-year extension on the second week into his first restricted free agency.
Kind of a no brainer to keep on as he posted a career high and team 2nd 21 goals and tying 24 assists for 45 points with a monster +16 rating for affiliate Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in 70 AHL games.
The 6′ 195 lbs. forward earned a +24 last season, a record plus/minus by a first year skater.
He did 4 years at Minnesota State University (Mankato), basically averaging 20 assists throughout that time and had 10+ goals in his last pair of campaigns, plus helped them win back-to-back 2015 & 2016 NCAA/WCHA Championships.
The 23-year old can find the net and we’re betting it gets noticed with an NHL recall this season.
And absolutely no one knows how to spell his last name.
8th year center John Albert(16) decides to head back overseas signing a one-year deal with Grizzlys Wolfsburg of DEL for 2018/2019.
He played for Karpat of Liiga in 2016/2017 getting 12 goals and 12 assists.
This was successful enough of a campaign to land a contract with Washington Capitals, his first big league deal since 2014/2015 but was reassigned to affiliate Hershey Bears before a near deadline trade sent him to New York Rangers‘ system, where he finished out the term with farm club Hartford Wolf Pack.
The 29-year old takes 339 AHL to Germany, where he should excel nicely and could stick.
3rd year center Jake Marchment(26) was sent to Utah Grizzlies from Colorado Eagles, where he amassed 8 goals and 23 assists with a +2 rating in 49 ECHL games.
The big 6’4″ 225 lbs. forward would add another 19 points for a career high 18 goals, 32 assists and 50 points.
Originally a Los Angeles Kings‘ 6th round pick in the 2014 draft (#157 overall), he was not signed and instead agreed to terms for his rookie season with San Jose Barracuda but lasted all of 4 AHL games before being reassigned to affiliate Allen Americans, then being dealt to Indy Fuel to finish out the calendar.
He would sign with San Antonio Rampage to start his sophomore campaign but was sent down to their affiliate before skating a single game.
The still super-young 23-year old signs to stay in Salt Lake City for a full run and will likely help them return to the Kelly Cup Playoffs if he remains with the team but he could also be looked at by the higher league for a longer term.
Undrafted 3rd year left wing A.J. White(18) had a successful sophomore season with Idaho Steelheads, scoring a new best 10 goals and 24 assists for 34 points with a +7 rating through 70 ECHL games, then added another 2 points in 11 Kelly Cup Playoff games.
He no doubt liked his experience as he signs a one-year extension to stay.
The fairly big 6’2″ 205 lbs. forward was a four-time 10+ assist player through 4 years at UMass-Lowell and even as a rookie helped them win the 2013 NCAA/Hockey East Championship.
He was equally proficient on the scoresheet in two years skating for Michigan Warriors of the NAHL.
The 26-year old signed his first pro deal with Milwaukee Admirals after completing college and agreed to an AHL contract with Providence Bruins as a rookie but spent most of his time with affiliate Atlanta Gladiators.
With another solid season under his belt, it would be little surprise to see him split for some different ice overseas.
Carolina Hurricanes‘ undrafted 3rd year center Andrew Poturalski(22) gets re-upped for another season as he enters his first restricted free agency and is coming off a career campaign, playing a full schedule of 76 AHL games for affiliate Charlotte Checkers, grabbing a new high 22 goals.
He led the team in scoring with 52 points as a rookie.
The 5’10” 190 lbs. forward has skated a pair of NHL games recording no points with a -3 rating.
In two years at University Of New Hampshire he was a point scoring machine and named a Hobey Baker Award Finalist for his 22 goals and 30 assists in 37 NCAA games as a sophomore.
He had similar success in his 2nd season before college with Cedar Rapids Roughriders of the USHL.
If the 24-year old can keep up his point production in 2018/2019, it seems likely he’ll be in line for another look.
8th year net minder John Muse(1) has parlayed some very good play in the two lower leagues into NHL contracts for a 2nd straight season.
He switches affiliations from Philadelphia Flyers‘ system to Pittsburgh Penguins for 2018/2019, but more importantly quickly scored himself a new deal on the opening day of unrestricted free agency.
It was shutting the door on three straight overtime losses for Reading Royals in the 2018 ECHL Kelly Cup Playoffs that definitely got him some notice, and despite his team not winning he made a junk load of great saves and ultimately put up a 2.05 GAA and a brick wall .945 SV%.
He also owned the league best .931 SV% for his 19-5-2 work with three shutouts between the pipes during the regular season.
The soon-to-turn 30-year old will likely spend most of his time in the AHL with affiliate Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins as back-up but could play himself into a starting role with a string of good wins.
English-born rookie forward Adam Barnes(88) heads home after one season of tier 3 junior hockey in America with New England Wolves of the EHL to sign with hometown club Manchester Storm of the EIHL for 2018/2019.
He was able to connect for 10 goals and 27 assists in 48 games.
The still super-young 19 year old will definitely be pressed playing against skaters much older than he has recently but will likely come out ok and contribute for the hometown club.
6th year center Mitchell Heard(91) jumps for Straubing Tigers of DEL for 2017/2018 after spending yet another season elevating more than point per game status in the ECHL.
Under the 2nd year of his contract with Charlotte Checkers, he was mostly reassigned to affiliate Florida Everblades, where he played a career high 63 games, scoring a new best 25 goals and 42 assists for 67 points with a +35 rating on a team that went all the way to the 2018 Kelly Cup Finals before bowing out.
A decently-sized forward he played only 4 AHL games last season unable to affect the scoresheet, so makes sense for him to try his hand overseas.
The 26-year old should do exceedingly well in Germany and will no doubt become a fan favorite.
9th year defenseman Patrick Wiercioch(28) has decided one full season in the minors with Utica Comets, while under contract to Vancouver Canucks is plenty enough after playing in 268 NHL games and leaves for the KHL signing a one-year term with Dinamo Minsk.
The big 6’5″ 209 lbs. blue liner spent the entire 2017/2018 in the AHL and almost ironically took up his offense nicely scoring a career tying 10 goals, new best 27 assists and 37 points with a pair of short-handed tallies and one game-winner.
Originally an Ottawa Senators‘ 2nd round pick in the 2008 draft (#42 overall), he spent his first six years with the team and as a rookie help affiliate Binghamton Senators win the 2011 Calder Cup Championship.
As a Canadian-born skater he took an interesting route playing one year in the BCHL for Coquitlam Express, then one campaign in the USHL with Omaha Lancers resulting in the 2008 Clark Cup before heading to University Of Denver for two years.
The 27-year old, who turns 28 before the start of 2018/2019 will likely do very well in Russia’s top league.
Undrafted 4th year defenseman Justin Hamonic(22) takes a career high 69 ECHL games, 8 assists, 9 points, 73 shots on net, 35 penalty minutes and +5 rating from a mostly stay at home, punishing blue liner over for Worcester Railers to Ligue Magnus for 2018/2019 agreeing on a one-year deal with Les Ducs d’Angers.
The 6’4″ 210 lbs. blue liner started his pro career after 4 solid seasons for Tri-City Americans of the WHL under an AHL contract with San Antonio Rampage.
He would spend all but 7 games as a rookie reassigned to Fort Wayne Komets, where he performed solidly getting a goal and 7 assists with a +11 rating, then adding a pair of assists in 12 Kelly Cup Playoff games.
Re-signed he suffered the same fate in his follow-up campaign skating mostly with Colorado Eagles.
The 24-year old will probably have a lot of fun in France and should dominate the league.
