4th year defenseman Ryker Killins(77) will switch up overseas leagues and heads to DEL3, joining SC Riessersee after spending 2021/2022 with Esbjerg Energy.
The 5’9″ 181 lbs. small blue liner made an impact upon turning pro from 4 years at Ferris State University Bulldogs, signing an ato with South Carolina Stingrays and putting up 3 goals and 6 assists in 14 ECHL games with a +7 rating.
He would parlay that into a 1-year AHL deal with Tuscon Roadrunners, but was mostly dispatched to affiliate Rapid City Rush to spend his rookie season.
It’s definitely possible the 25-year old finds a good fit in Germany’s tier 3 hockey.
As thought, he found it to be a decent enough place to play and got 3 goals and 13 assists in 25 games with a +15 rating to earn a contract up to DEL2 with Bietigheim Steelers for 2023/2024.
He does ok up, but maybe doesn’t really love it and signs back down in German pro hockey with some former rivals, EC Hannover Indians for 2024/2025.
2nd year right wing Quinn Preston(43) returns from a very good EIHL season for Belfast Giants, scoring 12 goals and 10 assists with a +6 rating, to re-signing with Wichita Thunder, where in his 1st game back scores 1 goal and 1 assist.
The 5’11” 188 lbs. forward, former twice assistant captain at Ohio State University Buckeyes also racked up big numbers at juniors with Dubuque Fighting Saints and at high school.
From Trenton, MI, the 26-year old could use a loan up to the AHL to see what gives.
After 17 games, scoring a fairly tidy 3 goals and 9 assists, he finds himself traded to another team that wants him, Kalamazoo Wings.
He gets 3 goals and 7 assists in 16 games with a +2 rating with his new club and is invited to return for a full season in a Wings‘ jersey for 2024/2025.
8th year left wing Matt Wilkins(91) will try yet another league to add to the notches on his belt overseas, joining Slovak Extraliga, signing a 1-year deal with HC Banska Bystrica, which will definitely take it up a big notch for the former Union College 2014 NCAA Division 1 Champion, as a sophomore.
Last season, the 5’11” 190 lbs. forward won the Swiss tier 2 2023 SL Championship with HC La Chaux-da-Fonds, had most points in one session and most assists the previous the 2-year he played AlpsHL for Gherdeina and even raised the 2012 AJHL Championship as a junior with twice holding down most assists.
The 32-year old from Kimberley, BC, who started with 2 ECHL years for Reading Royals, putting up big numbers, has to be happy with the results of his game, despite maybe not reaching for the highest levels.
In 49 games, he blows up scoring with 19 goals and 33 assists, but decides to leave for Ligue Magnus, signing with Les Ducs D’Angers.
Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod‘s 2nd year center Kenny Agostino(11) is already off to a good start for 2022/2023 with 2 goals and 3 assists in 7 KHL games with a +3 rating.
Last season he scored 20 goals and 20 assists in 46 games with a +8, his 1st season overseas.
The former 4-year 10+ goal scorer and 2 time 20+ assist guy at Yale University Bulldogs was originally a Pittsburgh Penguins‘ 5th round pick in the 2010 draft (#140 overall).
He was traded to Calgary Flames and signed an entry level deal before his skates ever hit the ice.
The Morristown, NJ native bounced around on 1-year deals mostly before getting signed to a 2-year, 1-way contract late with Toronto Maple Leafs, yet he only appeared in 1 NHL game with them.
At 30-years old, he’s done ok enough, but is still likely earning his way in Russia and playing some elite puck.
For 2023/2024, he is trading in a couple of seasons where he is for new surroundings in the SHL and will join Skelleftea AIK.
He actually switches things up and heads to Germany instead, signing with Dusseldorfer EG of DEL and scores himself point-per-game numbers in 48 (14-34), but will ink with rivals, ERC Ingolstadt for 2024/2025 and likely do just as well.
10th season Netherlands/German-born center Nardo Nagtzaam(10) has played almost 9 years in Germany3, switching teams for a 5th time in 2024/2025 and will next skate for Fuchse Duisburg.
The 6’1″ 192 lbs. forward came over from youth hockey in Germany and spent 3 NAHL seasons, wrapping up with Alexandria Blizzard before committing to Mercyhurst University Lakers.
He scored best as a freshman, 11 goals and 19 assists, but was always an effective player. The 34-year old is probably still pretty happy
Maine Mariners‘ 3rd year defenseman Andrew Peski(2) seems to be enjoying his 2nd season with the north New England club, scoring a new ECHL best 13 assists and tying 16 points.
The fairly large 6′ 220 lbs. blue liner did play under an AHL contract to Providence Bruins, coming out of 4 years at University Of North Dakota Fighting Hawks for a couple of seasons before officially signing where he is currently.
From Orleans, ON, he played 3 years of junior hockey, 2 in the CCHL and 1 USHL with all successful in assist scoring.
He would finish up with those 13 assists and 3 goals with a +3 rating, then added another 2 points through 6 playoff matchups to finish out his 2nd frame in Maine.
The d-man will return for a 3rd session to see if they can push it further.
After 3 years in the northeast US, he decides to move on and heads to Metal Ligaen, signing with Rungsted Seier Capital for 2024/2025.
Big 6’3″ 183 lbs. defenseman Cameron Crotty(95) was an Arizona Coyotes‘ 3rd round pick in the 2017 draft (#82 overall), originally reassigned to start his pro career of Norway for Sparta Sarpsborg, scoring 3 assists in 7 Eliteserian games.
He returned at the beginning of the AHL season in February and has been skating games with affiliate Tuscon Roadrunners scoring, well, 3 assists in 25 games with a handy +5 rating.
What he may not score, he totally makes up for in the punishing accountability for opposing players.
After a disappointing suspension of the 2020 NCAA playoffs, the almost 22-year old would have headed into his senior year at Boston University but instead signed a three-year entry level deal to turn pro.
It may not take him too long in the minors to get a look from the big club.
He would take up his game, skating 2 seasons with the affiliate and this season has a very respectable 3 goals and 9 assists in 45 games with a +5 rating.
His play earns him an NHL look and he is recalled to play his debut, going 16 shifts for 10:03 ice time with 2 block shots, 4 hits and left the game with a -1 rating in a 4-2 loss.
At the end of his entry level deal, he is not retained and quickly signed by Minnesota Wild for 2024/2025.
UMass Minutemen senior, captain Bobby Trivigno(41) had himself a career year, scoring all new bests 17 goals, 26 assists for 43 points with a +20 rating, as his team pushes towards Hockey East playoffs.
The 5’8″ 162 lbs. undrafted fleet foot forward has to be on many a team’s list to have a look at as 2022 unrestricted free agency opens up.
He had solid runs through USHS-Prep, then one season of USHL for Waterloo Blackhawks before committing.
The 23-year old possesses a lot of those skills you can easily see on display and plenty of intangibles that comes from being a team player.
He has a decent pair of AHL frames with Hartford Wolf Pack, while signed to a 2-year NHL entry level deal with New York Rangers, but spies an opportunity in the SHL and signs another 2-year contract with Brynas IF for 2024/2025.
3rd year left wing Patrick Curry(17) takes a 2-year deal with Grand Rapids Griffins to a new 1-year contract to rivals Iowa Wild for 2022/2023.
The former Boston University Terriers‘ senior captain scored a college career best 19 goals and 33 points before turning pro.
He actually did 8 games in Slovak2 Extraliga on loan to HC Detva before the COVID-cracked 2020/2021 AHL got started.
The 5’10” 185 lbs. 26-year old forward should continue to add to his totals, especially as he plays more games.
He puts up blockbuster ECHL numbers for Kansas City Mavericks with a single season best, scoring 39 goals and 48 assists with a +29 in a full-slate of 72 games.
For 2024/2025, he gets an offer to head to Liiga and sign with Kalpa to continue his game overseas.
Undrafted left wing, Kobe Roth(11) finishes up a graduate season as captain of University Of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs to sign a 1st pro deal for 2022/2023 with Florida Everblades.
The 5’9″ 175 lbs. forward posted a college career best 16 goals and 13 assists last season and was a 3-time 10+ tally-getter.
We think the 25-year old from Mason City, IA is going to find some room in the ECHL to get on the scoreboard lots.
After spending most of his rookie season putting up formidable numbers with the eventual 2023 Kelly Cup Champs before getting traded to Kalamazoo Wings to finish out the frame, he has decided to look onwards.
For 2023/2024, he signs with Coventry Blaze and should see quite the uptick in his scoring in the EIHL.
And he definitely did, scoring 25 goals and 16 assists in 54 games, but will next take his game to Germany3 and signs with Tilburg Trappers for 2024/2025.
