9th year defenseman Victor Bartley(78) leaves North America for his second tour of Swedish pro hockey signing a one-year deal with Orebro HK of the SHL.
He last played in the 2nd tier league Allsvenskan in 2010/2011 before agreeing to an entry level contract with Nashville Predators to return.
The sturdy blue liner spent 5 campaigns with the club including two full seasons exclusively in the NHL.
He has never quite put up big numbers but is a steady presence in the defensive zone.
Under contract with Minnesota Wild last year, the 29-year old was unable to play even a single game because of a torn tricep injury requiring surgery and should be able to rebound and find a good spot with his new squad.
Small and speedy 6th year right wing Sven Andrighetto(10) is off to a fast start with new-ish squad Colorado Avalanche.
In 4 games he already has 3 goals and 1 assist, taking up where he left off after a deadline trade sent him from draft team Montreal Canadiens.
He finished 2016/2017 scoring 5 goals and 11 assists in 19 contests once he arrived in the mile high state, which added to new career high totals, 17 assists and 24 points in 46 NHL games.
His 7 tallies tied his mark set the previous campaign.
The offense outburst helped him secure a 2-year extension worth $1.4M AAV and a full-time spot on the big league roster.
At still only 24-years old, the Swiss winger is just getting started.
8th year right wing Jordan Caron(57) was an invite to Toronto Marlies‘ training camp in hopes of securing at least a minor league contract to stay on these shores.
It didn’t work out possibly the way the very nice-sized 6’2″ 209 lbs. forward was looking for, but a couple of weeks later looking outside the box he signs for 2017/2018 with Krefeld Pinguine, where he should be able to find success on the ice.
The former Boston Bruins‘ 1st round pick in the 2009 draft (#25 overall) has been under big league contracts for his entire time in pro hockey, played 157 NHL games (12-16-28) and 261 in the AHL (58-81-139).
Those stats may be under what a high selection should produce but we fully expect the ice to open up for him big in Germany’s top league, DEL.
10th year defenseman Michael Kostka(55) signed a try-out with SHL club Skelleftea AIK, his first foray into hockey overseas and was recently upped to a one-year deal for 2017/2018.
Up until last season, when he agreed to a 2nd year in Ottawa Senators‘ system, he had been on a series of short term contracts with big league clubs trying to find space to play but was mostly reassigned to a farm club.
The blue liner has played 517 AHL games scoring 50 goals and 217 assists with a +21 rating and a 2012 Calder Cup Championship with Norfolk Admirals.
He’s also appeared in 85 NHL games recording 4 goals and 17 assists for 5 different teams but the stat that jumps off the page is his +10 rating, which has been on the positive side ever since his initial recall in 2012/2013 with Toronto Maple Leafs.
The 31-year old could find himself dotting the scoresheet on a regular basis in Sweden’s top league and could very likely play out his time in the country.
12th year defenseman Danny Syvret(5) decides to hang up the skates after a pair of seasons in Germany last skating for Nurnberg Ice Tigers scoring 3 goals and 17 assists in 55 DEL games, then adding another 4 assists in 13 playoff matchups.
He has 644 AHL games to his credit and has been a part of 12 different clubs and had three straight 40+ point seasons but his best was a career high 12 goals and 45 assists with Philadelphia Phantoms in 2008/2009, the teams last year of existence.
The 32-year old former 2005 OHL and Memorial Cup Champion when he was with London Knights could easily transition into coaching if he decides to go that route.
11th year right wing Jack Skille(20) decides it’s time to leave North American pro hockey and heads to the KHL signing a one-year deal with Dinamo Minsk for 2017/2018.
He has played his way into contracts for the last pair of seasons, attending first Colorado Avalanche training camp on an invite and signing as the 2015/2016 campaign began.
The very decently-sized forward would play a career high 74 NHL games scoring a new best 8 goals and 14 points on a team that mostly struggled for victories.
He did it again last season attending Vancouver Canucks‘ camp to earn himself a contract.
Despite appearing in only 55 contests, he grew his total to 368 big league games.
The 30-year old should find new life in Russia.
Columbus Blue Jackets‘ 3rd year left wing Sonny Milano(22) pots his first NHL goal in his 8th game.
He is still only on the 2nd year of his entry level deal, as he was able to skate with affiliate Cleveland Monsters on a slide in his first campaign due to his young age, and even helped them win the 2016 Calder Cup Championship scoring 4 goals and 4 assists in 17 playoff appearances.
The 6′ 195 lbs. forward plays with speed and has great hands for play-making, which he put on full display last season in a career high 63 AHL games.
He was the team’s leading scorer with 47 points getting 18 goals and 29 assists.
At still only 21-years old with three years of pro experience under his belt, he was able to crack the parent club’s opening night roster and with this tally will likely not be looking back.
Las Vegas Golden Knights‘ 7th year right wing Paul Thompson(15) wasted little time agreeing to a new one-year two-way deal on the opening day of unrestricted free agency.
He played a career high 21 NHL games last season with Florida Panthers recording 3 assists with a -4 rating, while grabbing his third straight 20+ assists campaign and a tidy 42 points in 51 AHL games for affiliate Springfield Thunderbirds.
Almost a bit ironically the 6′ 200 lbs. power forward style player put up his thus far best scoring totals in 2014/2015 while under his only minor league agreement with Albany Devils.
His played impressed the parent club New Jersey Devils and he was rewarded with a two-year contract but was only retained for a year before he got traded for draft picks after getting in his first three big league games, 0 points.
The former top scorer at University Of New Hampshire will likely become assistant captain for farm club Chicago Wolves, but could also see some more time in the show.
It’s a big year for the 28-year old to prove he’s got what it takes to stick.
Los Angeles Kings‘ 5th year center Nick Shore gets re-upped with a 1-year one-way contract by his draft team after playing a career high 70 NHL games scoring a new best 6 goals and 11 assists for 17 points.
He was coming off a two-year extension, where 2016/2017 was under similar terms.
The forward spent only one full season in the minors as a rookie but split his second campaign between affiliates helping Manchester Monarchs with a team leading 14 assists win the 2015 AHL Calder Cup Championship.
The soon-to-be 25-year old should be able to continue to increase his scoring totals as he has throughout his pro career.
