Defenseman Taylor Brierley(2) decided to enter the transfer portal and leave 4 years at Union College Dutchmen, where he didn’t get to play in 2020/2021 for Wilkes University Colonels.
From a scoring perspective it worked wonders as he struck for 3 goals and 22 assists in 24 D3 games.
The 5’10” 175 lbs. blue liner had 10+ assists through 2 years of USHL juniors, most recently with Dubuque Fighting Saints.
He will take his new scoring prowess to a deal with Chambery of France2.
The 25-year old from East Grand Forks, MN seems to be starting a little low on the pro hockey chain, but look for him to move up quickly.
In 12 games, he scores 3 assists, but decides to head back, closer to home, signing again with Birmingham Bulls, scoring 1 goal and 6 assists in 17 SPHL games with a +19 rating, which gets noticed and loaned up to Fort Wayne Komets, quite a nicely ECHL landing spot.
Rookie right wing Jake Fuss(13) will take 4 SPHL games for Huntsville Havoc, scoring a 1st pro goal off to a new adventure, signing for the remainder of 2023/2024 in BeNeLiga with EG Diez-Limburg Rockets.
The 6′ 170 lbs., former University Of New England Nor’easters‘ twice 10+ goals and high 20+ assists scorer will likely do very well in this Belgium/Netherland-based league.
From Fairfield, CT he blew up scoring in the EHL before getting drafted into the NAHL, where he did also 1 successful 20+ goal and assist year before heading to school.
The 25-year old likely just wants a good spot to play some pro hockey.
Calgary Flames‘ 6th year defenseman Andy Welinski(45) has been spending time in 2021/2022 with affiliate Stockton Heat, putting up 2 goals with 12 assists and a +11 rating, helping a very good team win.
The 6’1″ 205 lbs. blue liner could easily score himself an NHL recall.
He played 14 games last season for a 2nd time for original entry level contract club Anaheim Ducks and maybe didn’t get any points, but was a nice +4 rating.
The former University Of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs averaged 6 goals and 10+ assists a season.
He also won the 2012 USHL Clark Cup Championship with Green Bay Gamblers before heading to school, so has that in his hockey pedigree.
At 28-years old, he only taking small bites off the apple for contracts and that just could be the way it plays out for him.
For 2022/2023, he signs a new 1-year, lucrative 2-way deal with New York Rangers, but will likely spend the majority of his time working with the youngsters for affiliate Hartford Wolf Pack.
He was a very solid plus player through regular season and playoffs.
Although he never appeared with the main club, he becomes a piece of trade bait at the deadline and is shipped to Chicago Blackhawks, where he could actually play in a game or two.
After 8 games with Utica Comets, he is waived and not long after, for a first time signs overseas with Lowen Frankfort of DEL to continue.
Arizona State University 5-year graduate right wing Johnny Walker(7) takes a few solid years of scoring to a 1st pro contract with Utah Grizzlies for the remainder of 2021/2022.
The 6’1″ 185 lbs. forward was a fairly decent scorer through 4 years of junior hockey and won the 2017 Clark Cup Championship with Chicago Steel, stepping things up nicely with 16 goals and 13 assists before adding another 5 points in the playoffs.
From Phoenix, AZ, the 25-year old should be able to connect for points in the ECHL.
After scoring 2 goals and 2 assists in 11 games on an ato with a +3 rating, he becomes almost a no-brainer to sign up for a complete season look.
He scores 12 goals and 6 assists in limited 33 game use as a rookie and decides to pursue more ice time, signing a 1-year deal with Dundee Stars for 2023/2024 and will likely strike pretty well with the scoresheet in the EIHL.
After 8 games with 1 goal and 1 assist, he decides to leave and returns home to sign with Allen Americans.
4th year defenseman Dominic Cormier(58) switches up 15 games in EliteHockey Ligaen with Stjernan Hockey to signing with Sheffield Steelers.
The 5’11” 187 lbs. from Moncton, NB has done 2 strong ECHL sessions with Reading Royals before eventually leaving.
He played 4 years in the QMJHL before heading to University Of Ottawa Gee Gees for only 1 season before turning pro.
The still young 25-year old already has 2 assists in his 1st 2 EIHL games.
10th year center Travis Oleksuk(13) didn’t last long in the EIHL with Sheffield Steelers (5 games, 2 assists) and has decided to return to IceHL, where he has basically spent the last 5 seasons since coming over from a 1-year AHL deal with Hartford Wolf Pack, signing with rivals Villacher SV.
He spent 2 years with HC Bolzano Foxes and 3 to Graz99ers and won the 2018 EBEL Championship with his initial club.
The 6′ 200 lbs. forward signed an entry level deal with San Jose Sharks to start his pro career after 4 years at University Of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs, including a breakout campaign as a senior assistant captain with 21 goals and 32 assists with a +24 rating.
It would not be outlandish to just see the 32-year old retire and then coach in the Austria pro league.
Well, apparently he’s not done yet, after putting up 8 goals and 11 assists in 30 games, he decides to head to Germany3 and signs with Starbulls Rosenheim for 2022/2023.
After scoring quite well, almost to the tune of point-per-game numbers, he waits and finally signs with rivals, Hannover Scorpions and will likely continue to do well.
5th year, undrafted defenseman Ryan Lowney(55) leaves for a 2nd time in as many seasons, this time going to Metal Ligaen, putting ink to paper with Rodovre Mighty Bulls for 2021/2022.
He played games in Slovakia, then England’s EIHL a couple of years ago, pre-pandemic.
The small 5’8″ 166 lbs. blue liner likely decided to stay close to last season, originally signing to Toledo Walleye, they didn’t play, so ended up with Utah Grizzlies.
He’s done well in the ECHL averaging 7 goals and 25+ assists in his three season, mostly with Fort Wayne Komets.
We think the 27-year old, former Ferris State University Bulldogs‘ 10+ assist d-man will likely take scoring up to what he accomplished in his 2nd year of USHL juniors for Youngstown Phantoms and 2nd frame in Indiana for his new club in Denmark.
Well, he didn’t exactly ignite the Danish with scoring and decided to return home, signing with Toledo Walleye, where he took his game all the way to the ECHL Finals before bowing out.
He re-signed with last season, but waits a bit before committing to CSM Corona Brasov of Erste Liga for 2023/2024.
Undrafted 7th year center Steve McParland(10) switches up 3 seasons in AlpsHL, 2 with Asiago and most recently for HC Fassa Falcons, running up a pair of campaigns worth 60+ points for a new environment in the EIHL with Glasgow Clan.
He twice fired in 57 points with the exact same goals and assists, reversed a 2nd time (31-26) for Idaho Steelheads.
The 5’11” 203 lbs. forward helped his college team, Providence College Friars win the 2015 NCAA Championship, but wasn’t much of a scorer in school, hitting 13 points as a junior and senior.
A native of Schreiber, ON, he did light it up in 4 seasons of junior hockey, 2 in the GOJHL and 2 OJHL sessions.
The 31-year old will likely ignite mostly England’s top hockey league.
He does just that with 19 goals and 27 assists through 54 games, but has made the choice to move onto DEL3 for his next contract with Saale Bulls Halle for 2023/2024.
After just 8 games and 1 goal in Germany, he decides he’d rather play in the EIHL this season and signs with Guildford Flames, which should give them some happily welcome scoring pop.
3rd year defenseman Carter Allen(4) takes his game over to the EIHL for 2023/2024 and signs a 1-year deal with Coventry Blaze, which should be a pretty good deal for him.
The 6′ 205 lbs. blue liner started his pro career with a single SPHL appearance for Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs before being loaned up to South Carolina Stingrays for 63 ECHL games scoring 10 assists.
He was invited to return last season, but appeared in only 19 games, gets waived and picked up by Cincinnati Cyclones, where he appeared in 8 games to close our the frame.
The Lambton Shores, ON native played 3 years at SUNY-Oswego Lakers.
He should be able to settle into his game with his new team.
5th year center Adam Johnson(47) gets a new start with Lehigh Valley Phantoms, as he is dished from a 2nd stint for Ontario Reign after a slow start.
He signed with the team last season upon returning from Malmo Redhawks, where he scored 7 goals and 5 assists in 21 SHL games before getting released.
In 14 AHL games in 2020/2021, the 6′ 175 lbs. forward had 6 goals and 5 assists, so can produce.
Undrafted, he agreed on a 2-year entry level deal with Pittsburgh Penguins, spending most of his time scoring very productively for affiliate Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, but in his appearances over a pair of campaigns managed 2 assists in his first 6 games, then grabbed a 1st NHL goal and an assist in his next 7.
The 27-year old, former 2-year University Of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs‘ sophomore scoring sensation from Hibbing, MN can still produce, but definitely needs to re-energize those jets.
He will take an alright season at the 2nd highest level to a new deal across the pond for 2022/2023 with Augsburger Panther and will likely do pretty well in Germany highest hockey, DEL.
7 goals and 15 assists in 45 games isn’t too shabby, but a -20 rating needs to be addressed, so he heads off to sign a new 1-year deal with Nottingham Panthers for 2023/2024 that should see him do quite well in the EIHL.
Our hearts are literally on our sleeves and sticks outside for a tribute to the hardest skater there is. Rest well. we are crying.
