Undrafted 4th year defenseman Cody Corbett(84) takes a career high 18 assists and 21 points over to Orli Znojmo of EBEL for the remainder of the 2017/2018 season.
He put up those numbers on a strong Idaho Steelheads‘ squad in just 34 ECHL games before deciding to leave.
The 6’2″ 205 lbs. blue liner has always been a plus player in the lower league.
Originally signed by Colorado Avalanche to a 3-year entry level deal, he spent most of his time with affiliates but after a trade deadline transaction sent him to Washington Capitals, where he was assigned to South Carolina Stingrays.
He had an amazing run to the Kelly Cup Finals scoring a goal and 8 assists in 22 games with a +6 rating but was left unqualified heading into another campaign.
The 24-year old, twice 2012 & 2014 WHL Champion with Edmonton Oil Kings and one-time 2014 Memorial Cup winner should do very well in Austria and move himself up the hockey ladder overseas in short order.
2nd year center Stephen MacAulay(81) earns the loan up to Syracuse Crunch from contract club Florida Everblades, where he’s lighting it up at a 20/20 rate in 40 ECHL games with a +16 rating.
The 6’2″ 195 lbs. forward couldn’t have picked a tougher minor league team nut to crack, but could also find himself fitting in nicely within their system.
He spent most of his rookie campaign under contract with Springfield Thunderbirds but only managed 2 goals and 4 assists with a +2 rating in 39 AHL games and was occasionally lent down to the Everblades, where he also appeared in 10 Kelly Cup playoff matchup.
Originally a St. Louis Blues‘ 6th round pick in the 2010 draft (#164 overall) he’s a 3 straight QMJHL Champion, twice with Saint John Sea Dogs and once Halifax Mooseheads.
He also managed CHL Memorial Cups with both teams.
Almost oddly left unsigned to an entry level deal, his first deal was under the watchful eye of Montreal Canadiens but signed by affiliate Hamilton Bulldogs.
He played 8 games scoring a goal and an assist but was also loaned to Wheeling Nailers for 13 games before he decided to jump and join Saint Mary’s University, a place he’d stay to get educated for the next three years.
It will be interesting to see what the next move for the 25-year old will be.
Pittsburgh Penguins‘ 6th round pick in the 2015 draft (#167 overall) German-born rookie left wing Freddie Tiffels(46) has been up and down between affiliates Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and Wheeling Nailers.
He has a moderate 1 goal and 1 assist in 11 AHL games with a +1 rating, while unloading plenty of offensive opportunities in the lower league scoring 4 goals and 11 assists in 18 ECHL contests with 66 shots on net.
Taking an interesting route, coming overseas to play junior hockey with two USHL seasons before committing to Western Michigan State for three years then signing his entry level deal through 2019.
Putting up points has not been a problem, especially helpers for the listed at 6’1″ 206 lbs. forward but looks much smaller.
He definitely has no problem skating, so if he can start igniting where he is to get a better opportunity, he just may stick and impress.
Toronto Maple Leafs‘ 4th year defenseman Justin Holl(3) scores himself an emergency recall from affiliate Toronto Marlies and is called into action to skate his first big league game.
The big blue liner skated a whopping 25 shifts for 16:30 of total ice, getting a 1st NHL goal with only shot on net, one hit, two play breakups and left a 5-0 win with a +3 rating.
It’s very much looking like he will achieve new AHL career scoring highs this season with one shy of his high mark 4 goals, a tied for best 16 assists and 20 points.
He also has a team second +20 rating.
The 26-year old signed a nice one-year extension heading into 2017/2018 and is set to become a second time restricted free agent in line for a nice pay bump and continued look.
Seriously not bad for a player that was unable to secure an entry level deal off his draft pick and was on a minor league deal as a rookie, while also playing the majority of the campaign in the ECHL.
Carolina Hurricanes‘ 2nd round pick in the 2014 draft (#50 overall), sophomore defenseman Roland McKeown(3) was recently recalled from affiliate Charlotte Checkers for his 3rd NHL game.
He skated a 20 shifts for 14:45 total ice with 1 shot on net, 1 giveaway and a -1 rating in a 5-1 loss.
The 6’1″ 195 lbs. blue liner had much better fortune in earlier appearances, grabbing his first pair of assists (in one game), while skating less minutes.
There’s little doubt the d-man has the ability to put up big scoring numbers.
He was twice a 20+ assist and 30+ assist player through 4 years with Kingston Frontenacs and served as their captain in his 3rd and 4th OHL seasons.
After his third campaign in juniors he actually signed an ato to join the minor league club for 4 games, grabbing an assists with a +3 rating on a non-playoff team.
He currently has 3 goals and 10 assists with a huge +22 rating in 37 AHL games.
It would be unlikely the 22-year old spends the final year of his entry level deal anywhere but in the big league, as he heads into a first restricted free agency status.
4th year center Ryan Olsen(9) leaves Utah Grizzlies just past the half way mark to join Orli Znojmo of EBEL for the remainder of 2017/2018.
He was putting up career high stats in the ECHL (8-17-25) through 34 games after spending his first three campaigns under an entry level deal with Winnipeg Jets.
He was originally a 6th round pick in the 2012 draft (#160 overall).
The 6’1″ 187 lbs. forward never exactly put up big numbers by any means with their AHL affiliates, then failed to receive a qualifying offer to stay.
He was much more successful during his final two seasons of junior hockey in the WHL, where he was close to a point-per-game performer with an outstanding +54 rating.
The 23-year old is very likely to find better riches overseas.
7th year left wing Tom Mele(10) finally decided to explore outside of North American minor leagues and wound up over in the United Kingdom with Milton Keynes Lightning.
The decently sized forward has always been able to put up decent numbers and is off to a nice start with 10 goals and 9 assists in 21 EIHL games.
His best scoring seasons in the ECHL were 2014/2015 with Tulsa Oilers.
He played his only AHL games that season on loan to Oklahoma City Barons.
It was in the next round, where he had career high totals skating for Cincinnati Cyclones and Norfolk Admirals to score a combined 27 goals and 25 assists in 74 games.
He’s twice a champion, first with Fort Wayne Komets in their last 2012 Central Hockey League season, then a couple of years later in his 2nd campaign with Alaska Aces to win the 2014 Kelly Cup.
It will be interesting to see what the 31-year old does next but he could very well comeback as he did sign with Wheeling Nailers heading into 2017/2018 before
4th year defenseman Dylan Blujus(8) wasn’t exactly turning on the scoring jets when he was loaned from Jacksonville Icemen to Utica Comets but since he’s been up in the AHL for 13 games he has 2 goals and 7 assists and a +12 rating, which outpaces what he was doing in the ECHL through 21 contests (1-6-7).
The fairly big 6’3″ 202 lbs. blue liner was originally a Tampa Bay Lightning 2nd round pick in the 2012 draft (#40 overall) who put up four 20+ assist seasons with Brampton Battalion of the OHL.
He spent three campaigns in their system with affiliate Syracuse Crunch but was unable to match what he did in juniors and left unqualified heading into 2017/2018.
The d-man did suffer a long-term injury in the final year of his contract that hindered any progress but the parent club decided it was best to cut ties.
It looks as though the 23-year old has played himself into a new agreement and will stick with them through the end of 2017/2018.
6th year right wing Spencer Abbott(11) came back from one good year (14-21-35 and a +8) with Frolunda Indians of SHL to almost ironically re-sign with Chicago Blackhawks on a two-way deal.
On trade deadline date though, he was dished off to Anaheim Ducks, where he continued to excel in the minors with San Diego Gulls.
At the end of the season he faced unrestricted free agency but a couple of weeks before the start agreed to stay in Southern California on an AHL deal.
To start 2017/2018 he has basically exploded for 6 goals and 14 assists in 17 games but somehow was dealt to the lowly Binghamton Devils.
He decided to not take that route, instead signing for the remainder of the calendar with EHC Kloten of NLA.
And you know what?
He’s lighting up Swiss hockey with 4 goals and 2 assists in 5 games with a +2 rating and that could be the last we see of him in North America.
Buffalo Sabres‘ 2nd round pick in the 2015 draft (#51 overall) rookie defenseman Brendan Guhle(45) got his start with 6 AHL games on early reassignment to affiliate Rochester Americans.
He scored a goal and 3 assists but was returned to his junior team Prince Albert Raiders for a fourth season after a preseason injury sidelined him.
The big 6’2″ 196 lbs. blue liner was traded early in his final campaign to Prince George Cougars but soon afterwards in what was a crazy last couple years of junior hockey was called up to the parent club on an emergency basis to play his first three NHL games.
Upon finishing up he signed an ato with the farm club and appeared in 6 more contests notching another goal and an assist.
He was an early release from training camp but started his first year in the minors getting right to work with a solid 7 goals and 13 assists in 35 games.
For his efforts he earned a recall and grabbed an assist in 2 games with 2 penalty minutes and a +2 rating.
At only 20-years old and signed through 2020 we fully expect him to earn a roster spot if not before the current calendar runs out, for the start of his sophomore season.
