University Of Vermont Catamounts‘ Slovakian-born senior center Simon Jellus(18) signs with HC Kosice back home in the Tipsport Extraliga for his rookie frame, 2025/2026.
The 6’2″ 216 lbs. forward scored a college best 9 goals and 12 assists in a new high 35 games last season.
He did all his youth and any junior hockey in Sweden and even played 2 HockeyEttan games at one point.
The 24-year is likely ready to get back and start his pro career.
Idaho Steelheads‘ 2nd year center Jordan Kawaguchi(77) took a bit to return for the new season after scoring 26 goals and 26 assists in 58 ECHL games with a +25 rating.
He was initially signed to their upper affiliate Texas Stars after graduating North Dakota University Fighting Hawks, where he scored 1 goal and 1 assist in 3 games upon joining them post school, then tallied 6 goals and 17 assists in 49 AHL games, as a rookie.
The 5’9″ 185 lbs. forward was a huge scorer in the BCHL as twice captain for Chilliwack Chiefs, leaving them as a more than a point-per-game performer.
He has another strong, point-per-game campaign that he will next take to the EIHL, where he signs with Belfast Giants for 2024/2025, which should heed amazing results.
After a 17 goal and 20 assist in 50 game season, with another 4 (2-2) in the playoff to win a 2025 EIHL Cup Championship, which also means he’s a cinch to return to the Giants in 2025/2026.
Rookie left wing Tyler Ward(73) is lighting things up in Germany3 with Tolzer Lowen, scoring 2 goals and 6 assists and must be eyeing a call up to a higher level over there.
The 5’11” 185 lbs. forward played 2 years at University Of Denver Pioneers before transferring to 2 at University Of New Hampshire Wildcats, where as a senior he popped a college career high 11 goals and 16 assists in 34 games.
From Kamloops, BC, th 23-year is definitely off to a nice rookie start.
And like wow! did he run up scoring with 33 goals and 49 assists in 44 games with a +37 rating, which for 2023/2024 he will take to rivals, Blue Devils Weiden.
He goes on to score even more with 41 goals and 43 assists to earn offensive player of the year awards and is killer in the playoffs as well.
The team would climb to a DEL2 status for 2024/2025 and he continues to rip scoring to sign for a 3rd season with the Devils.
Cleveland Monsters‘ 2nd year center Jake Gaudet(25) returns on a new 2-year AHL deal to see if he can improve on his 3 goals and 7 assists in 40 games for 2022/2023 and beyond.
The 6’2″ 201 lbs. former UMass Minutemen senior captain was a part of the 2021 NCAA Division 1 Championship and left a +36 player at college.
An Ottawa, ON native, he spent 3 seasons with Kemptville 73’s, scoring 22 goals and 27 assists as a 2nd year skater in the CCHL.
The 26-year old must be happy he doesn’t have to think about a contract for at least the next couple of frames.
He was limited to only 19 games in his 1st season, but returned to play 49 last season, then scored 5 points in 12 playoff games to earn yet another contract to continue his development in Cleveland.
Acquired by Providence Bruins, his scoring picks up right away with 2 goals and 3 assists in 3 games, but oddly isn’t credited for the playoffs.
For 2025/2026, he decides to head over to the EIHL and signs with Belfast Giants for 2025/2026.
After 8 games into the 2022/2023 as a 2nd year graduate center Grant Hebert(93) at University Of Maine Black Bears, scoring 1 goal and 2 assists has decided to turn pro, signing for the remainder of the session with Allen Americans.
He transferred in after 3 years at Robert Morris University Colonials, where he put up a college best 8 goals and 15 assists as a junior.
The burly 6’3″ 191 lbs. 25-year old forward from St.Andrews West, ON should be able to connect his scoring in the ECHL.
He would get 8 goals and 18 assists in 37 games, then adds another 6 points (2-4) in 11 playoff matchups with a +1 rating as he gains comfort with his new team.
Makes complete sense for him to gain a new 1-year deal to stay in Allen for his sophomore frame.
In 43 games, he grabs 10 goals and 10 assists that he will take with him to his new deal with Manchester Storm of the EIHL, where he should be able to help them.
He scores pretty much bonzo for his overseas team at point-per-game pace, but has decided to return closer to home and sign with Norfolk Admirals for the rest of this term.
In 24 games, he scores 5 goals and 11 assists, then gets 9 points in 11 playoff games with a +2 rating to easily get an invitation to return to Admirals for a full frame, 2025/2026.
14th year defenseman Bobby Raymond(21) is trying his hand at a new league for 2022/2023, signing for 1-year with Grenoble of Ligue Magnus.
The 5’10” 185 lbs. blue liner spent the last 3 seasons in DEL2 last winning the 2022 Championship with Loewen Franfort and DEL the previous two, as captain and assistant for Iserlohn Roosters, his 2nd stint with the team.
Almost oddly, his one title in Germany’s top league came during his one campaign for Adler Mannheim.
He also played 3 seasons for EC Salzburg in the old EBEL, where he ran his best point totals.
The RIT Tigers‘ graduate had a good run there, in his 2nd run with Florida Everblades and helped them capture the 2012 ECHL Kelly Cup trophy.
At 35-years old, he’s likely happy to be playing at the level his is and still contributing big.
He starts the new frame 2023/2024 playing in the OEHL, but gets wooed to enter the fray once again at 38-years old, signing with 2023 Erste Liga Champs, Gyergyoi HK.
In 8 games, he scores 1 goal and 3 assists, then through 10 playoff matchups, he adds another goal and 2 assists with a +3 rating to very much be wanted back in a Bears‘ jersey for 2024/2025.
A 40-year old, Raymond will return to the team he is still connecting with for 2025/2026.
Rookie right wing Matt Tugnutt(29) signs his first pro contract with Idaho Steelheads 2021/2022.
He played for Providence College Friars in 2020/2021 after transferring from 3 years at Sacred Heart University Pioneers, who did not skate last season.
The 5’10” 185 lbs. forward spent 5 campaigns in junior hockey all with Kemptville 73’s, , who happened to be coach by his dad of 537 NHL games, Ron Tugnutt, running up big points (83-127) in 261 CCHL games.
He’ll have to work for it, but the 25-year old could run up some good numbers in the ECHL.
Traded after 49 games, he winds up with Greenville Swamp Rabbits heading down the stretch, and in 4 games managed to put up 5 assists with a +4 rating, but was unable to find space on the playoff roster before the season came to an end.
The Portland, ME native should easily sign where he wants for 2022/2023.
He decides to head off to see how hockey life will be on the other side of the ocean as a pro and signs a 1-year deal with Chamonix Mont-Blanc Pionneers of Ligue Magnus and should do extremely well in France’s top league.
Through 37 games, he grabs 13 goals and 16 assists with a +5 rating, but will return home to sign a 1-year deal with South Carolina Stingrays for 2023/2024.
After 12 games, recording 2 goals and 1 assist, he decides to head back across the pond and signs in the EIHL with Guildford Flames for the remainder of the season.
In 32 games, he scores 6 goals and 8 assists, but it’s the 3 helpers in 4 playoff matchups with a +3 rating that we were mostly eyeing.
For 2024/2025, he will take his game back to France’s highest Ligue Magnus and it’s an easy choice, who to sign with as he returns to the Pionneers for more.
He is having fun, skating well for this team and will come back for a 3rd season, 2025/2026 in Chamonix.
Undrafted 6th year center Andrew Poturalski(22) circles back to rejoin his original team, Carolina Hurricanes on a 1-year 2-way contract for 2021/2022.
He spent the last two years away under a pair of contracts to Anaheim Ducks, which saw him only play for their affiliate San Diego Gulls.
The 5’10” 183 lbs. forward was basically a point-per-game guy in 2020/2021, scoring 9 goals and 34 assists in 44 AHL games.
He was an outstanding scorer for then farm club Charlotte Checkers, averaging 20+ goals and 35+ assists in 3 years.
The 2-year University Of New Hampshire Wildcats‘ skater put up big numbers in Hockey East, just like he did in his 2nd year of the USHL with Cedar Rapids RoughRiders.
Although he may have only seen two NHL games as a rookie, we think he may be on a short list for a quick recall in 2021/2022.
Almost oddly, he is recalled for 2 games and grabs 2 assists, but is captain of affiliate Chicago Wolves and absolutely blows up scoring with 28 goals and 73 assists in 71 games, then goes on to win the 2022 Calder Cup Championship.
He is twice the league leading scorer.
As a free agent, he signs a 2-year deal with Seattle Kracken and helps lead their affiliate, Coachella Valley Firebirds to a pair of minor league finals before bowing out.
For 2024/2025, he signs another 2-year pact, but moves on to the rebuilding San Jose Sharks.
He steps away for something different, signing with Avangard Omsk for 2025/2026 and we think will do really well in the KHL.
7th year defenseman Colton Saucerman(23) returns from a couple successful seasons overseas, 1st in IceHL, then Slovakia Extraliga to sign with Allen Americans for 2022/2023.
He’s a veteran of 191 ECHL games and 41 in the AHL with + numbers in both leagues.
The 5’9″ 194 lbs. blue liner played his college hockey at Northeastern University Huskies, coming over from his home in Colorado Springs, CO.
At 30-years old, it’s a bit of a wonder if he’ll stick around or split for different experiences.
He puts up a 2nd career best 33 assists last frame, but now at 31-years old, eyes another new experience across the board, signing for 2023/2024 with Sheffield Steelers to play in the EIHL.
For a 2nd straight season he will stay put in Sheffield for his 9th campaign of play and signs for 2024/2025.
After 2 seasons of performing well for 1 team, he makes a rival switch for 2025/2026, signing with Coventry Blaze.
Trois Rivières Lions‘ rookie defenseman Connor Welsh(59) managed to do pretty well for himself despite playing on a non-playoff team with 2 goals and 18 assists.
The 5’11” 164 lbs. blue liner skated 2 years of BCHL junior hockey before heading off to 4 seasons at Dalhousie University Tigers, where he twice amassed 15 assists.
From Halifax, NS, the 25-year old is still getting his legs under him as a pro.
Worcester Railers see something they can use in the small-ish d-man and sign him up for 2023/2024.
He takes a 2nd ECHL season scoring 7 goals and 22 assists and will be back in a Railers‘ jersey for 2024/2025.
As a d-man, he explodes for 49 assists last season, which he is going to take to a new challenge in Slovak Extraliga, signing a 1-year deal with HK Dukla Michalovce for 2025/2026.
