EHC Red Bull München‘ 4th year center Ben Smith(12) re-ups after a 3rd 15+ assist season with a monster +61 rating.
It’s the 5’11” 203 lbs. forward’s 15th pro year.
A former Boston College Eagles‘ assistant captain, he twice had 20+ assists in college hockey, yet played no junior hockey after Westminster Prep USHS-Prep.
He was a Chicago Blackhawks‘ 6th round pick in the 2008 draft (#169 overall).
The Winston-Salem, NC native has 237 NHL games experience.
At 35-years old, he seems well happy playing his game in Germany.
St. Lawrence University Saints‘ senior right wing Reilly Moran(17) tied his 8 points he had as a sophomore and new best 6 assists in 34 games with a +1 rating.
The 5’11” 186 lbs. forward from Hingham, MA signs a 1st pro deal as a rookie with Les Diables Rouges de Valenciennes of France2 for 2024/2025.
He played only 1 BCHL season after graduating Thayer Academy.
The 24-year old is bound to do well, where he is going.
Newfoundland Growlers‘ rookie defenseman Jonny Tychonick(81) was actually AHL signed by affiliate Toronto Marlies and returned when the ECHL went belly up right at the end of 2023/2024.
He almost oddly had 1 goal and 1 assist in 3 games, when reassigned down, then added another assist in his reappearance.
From Calgary, AB, he did 2 BCHL seasons with Penticton Vees before heading 1st to University Of North Dakota Fighting Hawks, then 3 years at University Of Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks, where he posted a college best 8 goals and 18 assists in his graduate frame.
Ottawa Senators drafted him in the 2nd round of 2018 (#48 overall), but another bit of a head scratcher did not sign him.
The 6′ 172 lbs. blue liner heads off to sign with Djurgardens IF of HockeyAllsvenskan for 2024/2025 and should bang Sweden’s tier 2 league.
14th year center Tyler McNeely(14) steps back to re-join Germany3 for 2024/2025, but will switch allegiances, signing with Bietigheim Steelers, who he played for their DEL2 team earlier career with success for a couple of seasons.
The 5’10” 183 lbs. forward has suited up for 3 different German teams over 12 years of his career.
Undrafted, the former twice captain of Northeastern University Huskies, 1st signed with Bridgeport Sound Tigers (Islanders), but quickly moved on after 2 seasons closer to home, Burnaby, BC.
At 37-years old, he must still be having fun, playing pro hockey.
University Of Vermont Catamounts‘ Kazakhstan-born junior center Andrei Buyalsky(12) decides to leave a year on the table to turn pro, signing for 2024/2025 with Barys Astana of the KHL.
The 6’3″ 194 lbs. forward was a point-per-game USHL player with Dubuque Fighting Saints before school coming over after 4 seasons of Pro Hokei Ligacy at home and 27 games in Russia’s tier 2 VHL, so has quite a little history, hockey journey.
He was a Colorado Avalanche 3rd round pick in 2021 (#92 overall), but they don’t seem to be interested in pursuing him.
We think he finds space and does well in the top Russian league.
Yale University Bulldogs‘ senior left wing Niklas Allain(11) scored a college best 6 goals last season and the North Branford, CT native takes that to a 1st pro contract with Brodernas/Vasby of Hockeyettan.
The 6’2″ 181 lbs. forward was selected by his college during his 1st USPHL/NCDC season with Junior Bruins.
We think the 24-year old finds a bit more room in Sweden’s tier 3 league to score more.
8th year defenseman Jeremy Beaudry(27) leaves 3 years at Slovak Extraliga, skating for HK Spisska Nova Ves, putting up decent stats in the tough to play league.
The 5’10” 194 lbs. forward has scored well as a rookie in the ECHL, Ligue Magnus, Metal Ligaen and the EIHL.
He will take his talents to DEL2 for 2024/2025, signing with Lausitzer Fuchse.
From Montmagny, QC, he did 4 years junior QMJHL before trying 4 games pro, but ultimately heading to 3 years at University Of Quebec-Trois-Riviere Patriotes.
We expect the 30-year old to light up Germany’s tier 2 league.
University Of New Hampshire Wildcats‘ junior transfer from University Of North Dakota Fighting Hawks, Swedish-born goaltender Jakob Hellsten(37) started a college high 28 games, posting a 15-12-1 record with very nice 2.04 GAA and .909 SV%.
The 6′ 185 lbs. net minder will leave a year on the table and sign for 2024/2025 back home in the top league, SHL with Leksands IF.
He heads to the team he last played junior hockey for and even split with half a season in Hockeyettan for Halmstaad Hammers HC and called up for games he didn’t play.
On a decent team, the 24-year old does well.
Bridgeport Sound Tigers‘ rookie center Jake Pivonka(37) was mostly sent down to the ECHL, where he exploded on the stat sheet for Worcester Railers to the tune of 21 goals and 24 assists through 60 games with a +5 rating on a non-playoff team.
A New York Islanders‘ 4th round pick in the 2018 draft (#103 overall), he signed an AHL deal.
The 5’11” 198 lbs. forward from Olathe, KS came up initially through the Chicago Mission program before heading to 2 seasons of USNTDP.
He went to 4 years of University Of Notre Dame Fighting Irish, the final frame as captain before taking on a year of eligibility with University Of Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks, where his scoring came alive with 10 goals and 8 assists in 37 games.
For 2024/2025, he signs with Dusseldorfer EG and will try his hand at DEL hockey.
Undrafted, Quinnipiac University Bobcats‘ Netherlands-born senior, left wing Guus van Nes(26) signs his 1st pro deal with Iowa Heartlanders.
The 6’3″ 205 lbs. forward scored a college career high 6 goals and 17 points with a +13 rating in 37 NCAA Division 1 games last season.
He started his junior hockey back home but came over pretty quickly, signing with Boston Jr. Bruins, where he ascended in his 3rd year to their NCDC team and exploded the stat sheet with 16 goals and 40 assists in 41 games.
The 25-year old could very well find some space to score goals in the ECHL.
Instead on continuing his hockey in the U.S., he has a bit late in the game, decided to head overseas to start his pro career, sighing for 2022/2023 with Pioneers Vorarlberg.
In 34 IceHL games he gets 11 goals and 13 assists, good enough for him to get re-upped for 2023/2024.
He once again scores phenomenally with 19 goals and 33 assists in 48 games with a +6 rating, but will take that to a contract with rivals Villacher SV for 2024/2025.
