University Of Maine Black Bears‘ Swedish-born big 6’6″ 218 lbs. junior goaltender Petter Wickstrom Stumer(31) transferred from 2 years at Canisius College Golden Griffins potentially to gain a little more notice from Hockey East work.
He did 2 NAHL seasons before committing and even played a single game in Hockeyettan back home.
We look for him to knuckle down and start playing really well.
6’6″ 216 lbs. defenseman Jacob Modry(2) signs a 1st pro deal with Savannah Ghost Pirates, where in 3 ECHL games he’s like having a lot of fun, but also has a 1st assist.
He finished up college with 2 years at SUNY-Plattsburgh State Cardinals after maybe two underwhelming frames with Merrimack College Warriors.
As a senior, he tied his best 4 goals and got a new high 19 assists, 23 points in 28 D3 games with a +21 rating.
The 24-year old from El Segundo, CA will need maybe just settle a bit to find his team.
He started 2023/2024 with Newfoundland Growlers, but after 20 ECHL games with 2 goals and 2 assists, he gets shipped to Greenville Swamp Rabbits, which is probably the best landing spot possible for the big man on wheels.
No points after 22 games, but he maintains a nice +6 rating on accountability and they easily see something there to continue working with and sign him up to stay in a Swamp Rabbits‘ sweater for 2024/2025.
After 3 seasons with 1 club, he looks elsewhere and signs Mountfield HK in the tough to play, Czechia Extraliga for 2026/2027.
Undrafted defenseman Jeff Baum(6) spent a 1st collegiate year at Providence College Friars, but after a somewhat flat season entered the transfer portal to attend American International College Yellowjackets and completed his education, along with showing a nice uptick in his Atlantic Hockey play.
The 5’11” 185 lbs. blue liner will next head to the EIHL, joining Belfast Giants for 2021/2022.
Never the biggest point getter, in his 2nd season of juniors for Wichita Falls Wildcats, he was able to take it up a level with 10 goals, 20 assists and a +21 rating in 57 NAHL games, his best effort.
The 25-year old from Colleyville, TX native should find his footing in England’s top hockey.
Winning a league 2022 Championship, scoring a tidy 2 goals and 16 assists with a massive +28 rating, it’s a bit of a no brainer for him to return for a 2022/2023 sophomore run.
He may not be quite as generous as he was last year with his scoring 2 goals and 6 assists, but maintained a +22 rating in 10 less, 43 games.
It’s a complete easy thinker to return him for a 3rd campaign in his role as fan favorite to a team that has won 2 straight titles with him in the teal lineup.
After 4 seasons and 2 championships, he decides to play his hockey a little closer to home for 2025/2026 and signs with Idaho Steelheads, where we know he will contribute well.
In 55 ECHL games, he scores 1 goal and 16 assists to get an easy invite to return for 2026/2027.
6th year defenseman Jack Dougherty(5) heads back to Belleville Senators after only 1 AHL game with Providence Bruins.
He has signed with that team twice previous with decent enough results to stick.
The 6’1″ 211 lbs. blue liner was originally a Nashville Predators‘ 2nd round pick in the 2014 draft (#51 overall) selected after a solid USNTDP showing, then only one year at University Of Wisconsin Badgers before bolting to put up 41 assists with Portland Winterhawks.
He spent two years in the system before getting dished to Buffalo Sabres to play out his entry level deal.
It wouldn’t be entirely out of the possibility that soon the 25-year old from St. Paul, MN looks overseas for something a little more lucrative.
He has a pair of tough seasons through the COVID shuffle, but decides to stick around and signs his 1st ECHL deal with Orlando Solar Bears for 2022/2023.
This will likely be a very good decision for the now 26-year old.
He actually leaves for DEL near the end of this session, then signs with Nurnberg Ice Tigers for 2023/2024.
Doing just ok wasn’t good enough, so he takes his game to IceHL for 2024/2025, signing with Vienna Capitals, which should equal a lot of fun for him.
He does well with 11 assists in 43 games, but decides to move on and signs with Sheffield Steelers.
In the EIHL, he comes away with his best scoring 13 assists and 15 points in 49 games with a +23 rating.
For 2026/2027, he looks to return home and re-signs with the Solar Bears for 2026/2027 and will look to improve his numbers.
7th year defenseman Sam Jardine(10) leaves for overseas hockey a 2nd time, this time signing with Bratislava Capitals of IceHL for 2021/2022.
Originally a 6th round pick by Chicago Blackhawks in 2011 (#169 overall), he initially signed a one-year minor league deal with affiliate Rockford IceHogs to stay in the system but was sent further down for most of his rookie campaign.
The almost deceptively built 6’2″ 209 lbs. d-man has played 228 ECHL games and won a pair of Kelly Cups: 2017 and most notably 2019 in a great run with Newfoundland Growlers.
He’s also had 4 AHL contracts and played 71 games.
The Lacombe, AB native spent 2019/2020 overseas with Cardiff Devils of the EIHL, not scoring a load of points (15) but was a nice +24 rating for on-ice accountability.
He decided to spend 2020/2021 a little closer to home after confirming a return to England, and, inked with Greenville Swamp Rabbits, where he exploded for a personal best 41 assists and 44 points in 67 games.
The 29-year old, former 3-year, 10+ assist man at Ohio State University Buckeyes will likely do well in Austria’s 6 nation league.
As said, he excelled pretty well with a pair of goals and 4 assists in 14 games with a +2 rating to gain a look from HIFK of Liiga, so will head to Finland.
For 2022/2023, he went to skate in England’s top league for another spell with Cardiff Devils and although he may have not scored a ton of points, was an accountable +7.
He decides to return to the states for 2023/2024 and will come back to the Swamp Rabbits, where he recorded his greatest assist total.
Spending a bit more time on loan to Calgary Wranglers, he finishes up the year and has decided to return to Austria to sign with Fehervar AV19 for 2024/2025.
He actually has a change of attitude and signs in the Senior AAA Alberta league with Lacombe Generals, probably to just play some hockey somewhere to keep in shape.
For 2025/2026, he’s making a big return and signs with Idaho Steelheads.
It’s a solid fit and through 68 games, he gets 1 goal and 20 assists with a +23 rating to easily be asked to stay a Steelheads for 2026/2027.
New York Islanders‘ 1st round pick in the 2018 draft (#11 overall), 5th year right wing Oliver Wahlstrom(24) signs a conservative 1-year 1-way deal to stick for 2023/2024, as a restricted free agent.
The fairly stocky 6’2″ 205 lbs. forward has twice scored 10+ goals.
He only spent 1 year at Boston College Eagles after exploding his 2nd frame with USNTDP.
The 23-year old from Portland, ME definitely needs to step up his game.
He re-signs to spend a 6th year in the Isles‘ system, 2024/2025.
In 27 games, he has 2 goals and 2 assists and is put on waivers, knowing he will get picked up and skate for another team for the 1st time in his pro career.
A somewhat struggling Boston Bruins reaches out to welcome him back to where he attend on year of post-school.
He’s not a big scorer with 1 goal and 1 assist in 16 games and is basically a point-per-game guy in the AHL, which gains him a new minor league deal for 2025/2026 with San Jose Barracuda.
He take scoring to a new level with new bests 24 goals and 18 assists and almost surprisingly for a 1st time looks elsewhere to play in 2026/2027 and signs with Djurgardens IF of SHL and should do well.
Providence College Friars‘ Swedish-borh senior goaltender Philip Svedeback(35) was a Boston Bruins 2021 4th round draft pick, but went unsigned.
The 6’3″ 209 lbs. net minder always had a winning record and low GAA and SV%, but maybe they were all set at the position moving forward.
He signs a 1st pro deal with Wheeling Nailers for his rookie season, 2026/2027, which may be a little surprising.
Before coming over for 1 year of USHL juniors, he did play some pro hockey back home.
We will see where the 24-year old decides to go.
Simon Fraser University Red Leafs‘ sophomore goalie Jesse Makaj(1) will lose his college hockey team for 2026/2027, so decides to turn pro and accepts a 1-year SPHL deal with Quad City Storm.
The 6’4″ 220 lbs. net minder came from 2 WHL seasons that needed some improvements.
From North Vancouver, BC, the 25-year old did 17 games in Latvia for HC Panter before school.
Sacred Heart University Pioneers‘ senior defenseman John Driscoll(4) will add his size 6’4″ 218 lbs. frame to Idaho Steelheads for his rookie frame in 2026/2027.
He played a 40 game college hockey high last season with a +4 rating.
Transferring after his sophomore season at US Army Black Knights, when he scored 5 goals and 16 assists.
From Eagle, ID, the 25-year old goes home to start his pro career.
10th year goaltender Michael Garteig(34) decides a 5th season in DEL is enough and announces his retirement from pro hockey.
The 6’1″ 190 lbs. net minder accepts a job as assistant coach at Brown Univerity Bears.
From Prince George, BC, the 34-year old did 4 years at Quinnipiac University Bobcats.
