Undrafted 3rd year defenseman Chris Carlisle(6) takes a career high 2nd season performance with Binghamton Senators to Erste Bank Eishockey Liga signing a one year deal with HC Bolzano Foxes.
The somewhat small-sized 5’11” 178 lbs. blue liner had 3 goals, which was down one from his rookie campaign but 13 assists and 16 points were new bests in 74 AHL games.
He also had a dismal -29 on a team that mostly dwelled in the league cellar.
Before he turned pro he was part of an Oshawa Generals team that won the 2015 OHL Championship, then went on to win the Memorial Cup.
Boston Bruins‘ 3rd year net minder Zane McIntyre(31) has an awesome tribute to his grandmother painted on the back panel of his mask.
“LOVE YOU, GRANDMA SUSIE MCINTYRE”
He should see more time in between the pipes for the black n’ gold in the upcoming season.
The very decently sized goalie played his first NHL games last campaign posting a 0-3-1 records with a 3.97 GAA and .858 SV%.
He received a new 2-year extension recently.
5th year left wing Antoine Laganiere(28) put together a career high 21 goals and 16 assists for 37 points in 64 AHL games with a -1 rating and a rock solid 155 shots on net under contract to San Diego Gulls.
For the big Quebec-born forward it equals a nice switch to play in Liiga, signing with Assat for 2017/2018.
The 27-year old should do well in Finland’s top league.
Undrafted 3rd year center Ben Lake(9) takes two seasons with Alaska Aces (136 ECHL games – 16 goals, 30 assists) over to the EIHL joining Coventry Blaze for 2017/2018.
His scoring is very much on par with what he was able to produce in his four years at Sacred Heart University.
The 5’11” 170 lbs. forward was a much better scorer in his final pair of years before college in the AJHL for Fort McMurray Oil Barons, where he was virtually a point-per-game player.
At already 27-years old, he should be able to take his stats up quite a bit in his new surroundings.
He recently scored a hat trick in a preseason match-up, which points towards good things.
Undrafted 3rd year defenseman Kodie Curran(4) takes a career and league best goals and points (10-33) by a blue liner for Esbjerg Energy to the 2017 Metal Ligaen Championship.
The fairly large 6’2″ 205 lbs. tough to play against d-man decides to try his hand at their northern neighbors’ top league GET-ligaen, signing with Storhamar for 2017/2018.
As a rookie, he inked with Hartford Wolf Pack but spent 45 ECHL games with affiliate Greenville Swamp Rabbits notching 7 goals and 16 assists.
He also played 18 games recording 4 assists with a +3 rating with the AHL club that was close to last place in the league.
After 4 years of AJHL with Calgary Canucks and Spruce Grove Saints, he decided to head to University Of Calgary and spent 5 years at school before turning pro with a pair of games in Connecticut.
The 27-year old will do well in Norway and should continue to increase his worth overseas.
Undrafted 2nd year goaltender Michael Garteig(35) finished up a one-year entry level contract with Vancouver Canucks but was left unqualified heading into the new season.
He tended the cage for 8 AHL games with affiliate Utica Comets and even though he posted a 0-4-2-1 record with a 3.01 GAA and .897 SV%, they must have liked what they saw, as he is signed to a one-year minor league deal for 2017/2018.
The 6’1″ 190 lbs. net minder played most of his rookie season for Alaska Aces, where he was in the cage for 22 ECHL games posting similar stats to what he achieved in the higher league.
He twice was the BCHL‘s leading backstop and won the 2012 Doyle Cup Championship with Penticton Vees before agreeing to four years at Quinnipiac University.
Averaging just shy of 40 games played as a sophomore, junior and senior at college hockey, he won the 2016 NCAA/ECAC title as he consistently put up excellent numbers.
The 25-year old will likely rebound nicely.
9th year left wing Brandon Mashinter(53) is returning to his roots signing a one-year two-way deal with the first team he laced up for San Jose Sharks.
This wrapped up four years in Chicago Blackhawks‘ system.
He was with them in his first full season 2014/2015, when they won their last Stanley Cup but played only with affiliate Rockford Icehogs.
It would be the follow-up season that he played a career high 41 NHL games scoring 4 goals and an assist.
He played the entirety of 2016/2017 in the AHL pacing himself for a 5th 30-point session.
It’s possible the soon-to-be 29-year old could assume the captain’s role for farm club San Jose Barracuda but chances are he fits into the big league team structure.
7th year net minder Olivier Roy(35) switches things up after two campaigns in Erstebank Eishockey Liga to DEL2 signing with Eispiraten Crimmitschau for 2017/2018.
He helped HDD Olimpija Ljubljana win the 2016 Slovenian Championship in his first year outside of North American hockey posting an incredible 0.29 GAA and .988 SV%.
It wasn’t his first title though as he picked up the 2014 Kelly Cup with Alaska Aces after a trade sent him from draft team Edmonton Oilers to Calgary Flames‘ system, where he was reassigned down to the ECHL.
He spent one more season in the league with Idaho Steelheads before deciding to pursue opportunities elsewhere.
The recently turned 26-year old should do well in Germany’s tier 2 league and might even be in line to win a third champs trophy.
Undrafted 3rd year right wing Colin Markison(25) leaves a pair of seasons with Bridgeport Sound Tigers signing a one-year deal to skate for Texas Stars in 2017/2018.
The 5’10” 185 lbs. forward played only 28 AHL games last year due to injuries but was never reassigned like he was as a rookie, when he split his time with Kansas City Mavericks.
In 24 ECHL games through 2015/2016 he scored 10 goals and 7 assists with a mammoth +18 rating.
He was said to be impressive at New York Islanders‘ training camp, where he played in four exhibition matchups and was a late cut on a tryout agreement.
This uptick as a pro seems to outpace what he did in four years at University Of Vermont.
It was only as a senior when he produced decently grabbing 9 goals and 16 assists in 40 games.
If the 25-year old can stay healthy, he should be able to do well with his new club and will likely earn himself a call-up to Dallas Stars‘ camp.
There was a 9th year defenseman Paul Postma(14) sighting at Boston Bruins‘ captains’ practice, which is the first time he’s been out of a Winnipeg Jets‘ uniform in 8 seasons.
This number includes two years with Atlanta Thrashers, the team that selected him in 7th round of the 2007 draft (#205 overall).
He signed a one-year one-way deal on the opening day of unrestricted free agency to change up the scenery after posting a career high 13 assists and 14 points in 65 NHL games, his first full campaign in the big league.
The 28-year old will have to earn his spot on the black n’ gold but looks like to fit into a top 6 role.
