Undrafted 2nd year left wing Tommy Thompson(14) will take his game to the other coast, getting traded then signing a one-year deal with Idaho Steelheads for 2017/2018.
He had a successful rookie season under contract with Greenville Swamp Rabbits scoring 16 goals, 17 assists with a -4 rating and an impressive 111 shots on net through 58 ECHL games.
The scrappy style 6′ 190 lbs. forward also received a three AHL game loan to Hartford Wolf Pack with no points and a -2.
He wasn’t really much of a scorer through four years at St. Lawrence University but did put up a decent 20+ points as a junior and an assistant captain senior.
The soon-to-be 27-year old will likely have a better sophomore campaign and could eye a better deal overseas if that happens.
15th year veteran center Kris Newbury(17) tries something new, changing shores for the first time in his pro career, leaving in favor of Fischtown Pinguins of DEL.
He last signed a tryout agreement ECHL contract with Reading Royals, played one game and was loaned up to Bakersfield Condors on a pto for 14 games (3-2-5), returned but barely got back to Pennsylvania before he was scooped up by Charlotte Checkers, where he finished up 2016/2017 with 38 games scoring 8 goals and 7 assists with a +2 rating.
Crazy to think he played 6 games with Pensacola Ice Pilots in the lower league for 6 games (2-4) as a sophomore skater in 2004/2005.
His last appearances in the NHL came at the beginning of the 2013/2014 season, when he found himself on Philadelphia Flyers‘ opening night roster.
He stayed for 4 games recording one assist in very sparing minutes but was returned to Adirondack Phantoms for the remainder of the calendar.
His 699 AHL games is a crazy stat but not even that nuts compared to some other minor league stalwarts.
He also has 76 games in the show with 4 goals, 6 assists and 7 fights.
At 35-years old he may be getting a bit long in the beard but this is a guy that doesn’t know how to stop.
We could easily see him transition into coaching if he ever decides to hang up the skates.
14th year center Pascal Pelletier(23) heads back to Switzerland signing with lower league NLB team GC Küsnacht Lions for 2017/2018.
He previously spent three seasons from 2010-2013 with SCL Tigers of the NLA before returning to North America for a year under contract with Vancouver Canucks.
After a very successful, prolific scoring season with affiliate Utica Comets, he once again stretched out agreeing to a year with Medvescak Zagreb of the KHL.
He would stay in Russia for 2015/2016 splitting time between Admiral Vladivostok and Jokerit but his point totals trailed off significantly.
Once again, he would return to the U.S. inking a pto to rejoin the Comets and played out the calendar in upper state New York.
Although he only appeared in 52 AHL games, he was able to somewhat reignite connecting with the stat sheet (10-18-28 with a +2 rating).
The now 34-year old should do very well and maybe even lead his new squad as captain but his playing time is probably reaching its point where retirement could be next.
Undrafted 3rd year right wing Cason Hohmann(10) originally looked to be staying in the U.S. to play his third season in the ECHL with Norfolk Admirals but a couple of months later as the new campaign approaches, he agrees to a one-year contract with HC Banska Bystrica of Slovak Extraliga.
The 5’9″ 175 lbs. forward skated with no less than four teams in 2016/2017 but has been under AHL contracts despite only playing 3 games as a rookie for Rochester Americans and a pair of appearances last season with Charlotte Checkers, where he got his first assist.
He was twice a 30-point player in his sophomore and senior years at Boston University.
The 24-year old should excel nicely in Slovakia’s top league, one of Europe’s best and may even like it enough to continue to see what options follow overseas.
8th year defenseman Yann Sauve(4) headed off to Germany joining EHC Red Bull Munchen after a short pit stop late in the season back with Manchester Monarchs of the ECHL.
He only appeared in a single game before the playoffs begin.
The big blue liner ended up helping the team to the 2017 DEL Championship, appearing in 12 match-ups with an assist and a +6 rating.
For 2017/2018, he has agreed to a one-year deal with Nottingham Panthers of the EIHL.
Although he’s never been a huge point producer, it’s very possible that he shows a significant scoring uptick in England.
9th year left wing Jack Combs(88) had a very successful first run overseas with Fischtown Pinguins scoring a DEL high 27 goals and 25 assists for 52 points but joins some former opponents of Iserlohn Roosters for 2017/2018.
It will be his 19th team since turning pro 2009/2010.
He left after a successful campaign for Greenville Swamp Rabbits in 2015/2016, where he scored a remarkable 52 points in 40 ECHL games.
The 5’11” 200 lbs. forward was under contract with Hartford Wolf Pack but spent 18 AHL games with the team scoring 2 goals, 2 assists and an accountable +7 rating.
At 29-years old he may have found a nice place to play out his time in pro hockey.
Undrafted 4th year goaltender Andy Iles(29) has likely seen more of the ECHL than he anticipated, when he turned pro after 4 successful years at Cornell University.
He spent his first full campaign with Elmira Jackals in 2016/2017 after his initial tour took him to 6 cities and 7 teams as a rookie and sophomore net minder.
The small 5’9″ 180 lbs. goalie also received a pair of loans to the AHL but was only the back-up and failed to appear in any games.
For 2017/2018 he signed a one-year deal with Fife Flyers of the EIHL.
The still young 25-year old backstop should be able to do very well in England and move himself up the hockey ladder overseas.
Undrafted 5th year defenseman Patch Alber(3) returns to his sophomore year squad Kansas City Mavericks for 2017/2018.
He played a career high 66 ECHL games last season for Adirondack Thunder, his 2nd with the team, scoring a new best 36 assists and 39 points with a +4 rating.
The 5’10” 180 lbs. blue liner won three straight Hockey East Championship from 2010-2012 and a pair of NCAA Championships (2010/2012) with Boston College Eagles.
As a smallish d-man he only put up moderate numbers through college but has been successful since turning pro putting together 25, 30 and 36 assists.
The 28-year old Clifton Park, NY native may be straying further away from home again, but if he cobbles together another successful campaign may next go for some overseas action.
17th year left wing Stephane Veilleux(19) signs on for his third season with Oji Eagles of the Asia League, where he seems to be happy and doing quite well.
In 48 games through 2016/2017, he had a career high 42 points (12-30).
The veteran of 506 NHL games played 12 seasons under contract with Minnesota Wild, his 2001 draft club.
He’s also appeared in 396 AHL contests, last serving as Iowa Wild captain in the 2014/2015 campaign before leaving for some overseas hockey.
The 6’1″ 205 lbs. forward has only three times been signed to one-year deals away from the North Star state, which shows an unheard of consistency.
In fact, while with New Jersey Devils, he received a one-game recall and less than a week upon being returned to Albany was traded back to the Wild.
The 35-year old has had a heck of a career and obviously shows little signs of slowing down.
Utah Grizzlies‘ 9th year center Michael Pelech(27) returns for his fourth season with the club after an early trade sent him there from Reading Royals, where he’d been for a short time over two campaigns.
The 28-year old as 2017/2018 begins has played a monstrous 513 ECHL spending significant time with 6 different squads.
His best scoring season was 2011/2012 in 10 games to start with Toledo Walleye but finished playing 60 contests for Cincinnati Cyclones, where he scored a best 65 points (16-49).
He would get close to those numbers and post a goals scoring high of 25 in his first year in Salt Lake, but really popped in the Kelly Cup Playoffs, when he got 5 goals and 8 assists through 11 games.
It would be a bit crazy for him to continue hockey here.
We think he’d absolutely tear up a European league like DEL.
Always a fun guy to watch.
