Undrafted 5th year left wing Emerson Clark(86) signed with Jacksonville Icemen but after a super-hot more than a point-per-game start to the new season (8 goals, 14 assists in 19 ECHL games) was loaned up to San Jose Barracuda.
After being under contract with Chicago Wolves last season, he was with the team for only 10 AHL games (2-2-4) spending most of his time on reassignment to Tulsa Oilers.
He gained his one-year deal from strong play with the club in the prior campaign, where he notched 2 goals and 5 assists in 29 contests on a pto to finish up 2015/2016.
The tough as nails 5’10” 180 lbs. forward has a goal and three assists with his new squad through 12 appearances and could very stick at the highest level once again posting career high scoring totals but has not dropped the feistiness he’s known for on the ice one bit.
His offensive output is a little odd as he was never much of a scorer through four years mostly with Oshawa Generals of the OHL.
The soon-to-be 26-year old seems to be finding his game more and more as a pro more than he was able to in juniors and may just play himself up the ladder nicely.
New York Islanders‘ 5th year defenseman Scott Mayfield(42) is enjoying his first full season in the NHL as he’s already appeared in 30 games on the second season of a one-way deal.
He would be set to become a restricted free agent at the end of the current calendar but doesn’t have to worry about that anymore as he’s put up a career high 8 assists and 10 points and almost just as he reached the mark gets rewarded with a 5-year $1.450M AAV extension.
The 25-year is definitely growing into his game and is pretty huge for a back liner.
Seems like an easy investment and the St. Louis, MO native gets his payday. Nice.
Washington Capitals‘ 2nd round pick in the 2013 draft (#53 overall) third year defenseman Madison Bowey(22) started the season with affiliate Hershey Bears, where he played his entire first pair of campaigns.
His reassignment lasted all of one AHL game before he was recalled and has stuck with the parent club ever since.
The 6’2″ 195 lbs. blue liner has 8 assists in 33 NHL games with a -2 rating and will likely need to step it up a notch to stick.
He comes from a 2015 WHL Champion in Kelowna Rockets, where he was twice captain, and also won gold at world juniors, so he knows how to win.
This is the final year of the 22-year olds entry level deal aud it would seem likely they’ll want to keep him around.
8th year center Alexander Burmistrov(69) has officially retired from the NHL effective around Christmastime and immediately heads back to hometown team Ak Bars Kazan to finish out 2017/2018.
He was signed to a one-year deal by Vancouver Canucks but was in and out of the lineup often as a healthy scratch and that didn’t sit well with his competitive status.
Filling out to become a decently sized forward he leaves with 348 games in the big league to his credit scoring 37 goals and 64 assists and a lowly -31 rating but could come up clutch at moments.
At just 26-years old he’ll likely sign a long-term deal to stay close to home and continue what will become a strong KHL life.
Undrafted 5th year center Sahir Gill(29) is having a career year scoring a new high 11 goals and 12 assists for 23 points in only 34 AHL games while under contract to Rochester Americans.
He had 6 goals and 12 assists in 44 contests last season for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
The former Boston University Terriers‘ skater signed his first pro contract with Wheeling Nailers, was with the team through two campaigns and outstanding through 117 ECHL games (25 goals, 76 assists with a +19 rating).
A British Columbia native, he won 2009 and 2010 BCHL Championships with Vernon Vipers and also played half a year for Chicago Steel grabbing a point-per-USHL-game before heading off to college.
If the 25-year old can keep up the pace he’s setting, it would be little surprise to see parent club Buffalo Sabres step in to offer him a one-year entry level deal.
15th year left wing Josh Gratton(7) started the 2017/2018 season in France Ligue Magnus skating for Epinal scoring more than a point-per-game (13 goals, 10 assists in 21) before deciding to explore some better hockey with HC Nove Zamky of Tipsport liga.
The feisty forward has been playing overseas since 2010 but did return for a single campaign in 2014/2015 with Manchester Monarchs that resulted in a 2nd AHL Calder Cup Championship.
He has mostly spent time in the KHL with a couple teams but also had one year in Liiga and small stints in Denmark, Russia’s tier 2 league VHL and a similar run in Czech2.
At 35 years old, he must be thinking it’s almost time look back on what has been a good, long run for the undrafted veteran of 86 NHL games.
Philadelphia Flyers‘ 7th year left wing Matt Read(24) is in the final year of his 4-year extension and finding himself on the outside of the NHL roster, reassigned to affiliate Lehigh Valley Phantoms for the first time in the minors since his 1st 11 AHL games on an ato with Adirondack Phantoms after 4 years at Bemidji State University in 2011.
The 5’10” 185 lbs. forward has skated 422 games in the big league all with the Broad Street Bullies, has always fit in well and carried his weight.
While maybe only getting over the 40 point mark twice, he has always been accountable with a +5 rating and could hand out assists or put the puck in the net with decent frequency.
At 31-years old, 32 when next season starts, it would be little surprise to see him catch on with another team on a 2-year deal.
We shall see but he’s always been a solid undrafted player.
New York Rangers‘ undrafted rookie center Vinni Lettieri(95) has been lighting it up in the minors with affiliate Hartford Wolf Pack scoring 12 goals and 9 assists in 31 AHL with a -5, 76 shots on net and 6 power play tallies to earn a 1st recall.
In his big league debut he skated 16 shifts for 10:43 minutes of ice time with 3 shots, 1 giveaway, a -1 and a 1st NHL goal in a 3-2 shootout loss.
The 5’11” 195 lbs. forward was a decent scorer, especially in his final two campaigns at University Of Minnesota and was also part of the 2015 NCAA/B1G Championship team and won regular season titles each of his four years.
At 22-years old, he still has time to develop (he’s on a two-year entry level deal) but is getting it done quickly and even a little below the radar since turning pro.
