SUNY-Brockport Golden Eagles‘ graduate defenseman Alexander Monteleone(6) signs a 1st pro deal in Polska Hokej Liga with STS Sanok for his rookie year, 2023/2024.
The 6’2″ 205 lbs. blue liner played 4 years at Norwich University Cadets initially after 2 CCHL sessions for Cornwall Colts.
He leaves D3 college hockey scoring a best 3 goals and 7 assists with a +14 rating through 22 games.
The 26-year old from Montreal, QC should do well in Poland’s top hockey.
Nashville Predators‘ 5th round pick in the 2016 draft (#138 overall), former outstanding point-per-game Boston University Terriers graduate, Patrick Harper(15) signed his two-year entry level deal as the plug was being pulled on the playoffs for the college hockey season and upon starting up has been mostly playing for Chicago Wolves but did start the season in the ECHL on a complete tear with Florida Everblades scoring 5 goals and 4 assist in 5 games.
The small 5’7″ 160 lbs. forward obviously knows how to find his open space.
He only has a pair of assists in 12 AHL games with a -6 but our bet is even with the bigger bodies, the puck is going to start to find him and he will be putting up stats.
The only 22-year old was drafted straight out of high school prep, played a pair of the MHSL sessions, scoring huge numbers, then finally to the USHL with Omaha Lancers before arriving at college a super youngster.
9 games into the new season without striking for affiliate Milwaukee Admirals, he has decided to opt out of the final year of his deal and heads to Finland’s Liiga, signing with HPK for the remainder of 2021/2022.
He would connect for 2 goals and 6 assists in 22 games, and has decided to opt for a bit of a lower challenge, signing with Mora IK of Allsvenskan for 2022/2023.
He will likely do very well in tier 2 Sweden’s hockey and be moved up.
A trade would send him to Kristianstads IK for most of last season, putting up decent enough numbers.
The New York native has made a decision to return to the US for 2023/2024, signing a 1-year deal with South Carolina Stingrays, which should see good results for both team and player.
Undrafted 2nd year defenseman Zach Giuttari(44) re-signs with Hartford Wolf Pack for a 2nd season.
He signed a 1-game ato after graduating as senior captain from Brown University Bears, where he put up three years of decent point production.
The very decently sized 6’2″ 190 lbs. blue liner spent only one season in juniors for Chilliwack Chiefs with good numbers (8-9) in 54 BCHL games.
His 3 goals and 3 assists as a rookie in a ridiculous season of 22 AHL games with a +4 are good stats to keep him on board.
The 25-year old, Warwick, R.I native will likely do much better this year as it will be more normal and he’ll have one run under his belt.
Turns out he’s a hell of a lacrosse player too.
After 120+ games in Connecticut, he gets shipped across the country for a new start with Abbotsford Canucks.
In 17 games, he gets 3 assists, then adds another 2 in 6 playoff matchups to somehow land an amazing deal to head to the SHL and play games for Vaxjo Lakers HC in 2023/2024.
After spending the last 6 of his 7 NHL days in an Anaheim Ducks‘ uniform, 13th year right wing Derek Grant(38) will take his game overseas for a 1st time, signing a 1-year deal with ZSC Lions of NL, which should be a lot of fun for the 33-year old.
The 6’3″ 209 lbs. forward tower has 3 times had 10+ goals and twice 10+ assists in a frame.
From Abbotsford, BC, he played 2 BCHL seasons before committing to Michigan State University Spartans, where he stayed for 2 years before turning pro.
Originally an Ottawa Senators‘ 4th round pick in 2008 (#119 overall), he spent the 1st 4 years of his career in their system.
He takes 427 games in the big league and 320 in the AHL over to his new venture, which should keep him smiling out there.
2nd year Metro Jets‘ French-born right wing Andreas Fleutot(16) struck gold in his 1st USPHL Premier frame with the team capturing 27 goals and 48 assists in 41 games, then in his 2nd outing had 26 goals and assists in 31 matchups.
For 2023/2024, he commits to Westfield State University Owls and will definitely be helpful as an incoming freshman.
He did a lot of his youth hockey back home and even played 1 France2 game for Mont-Blanc.
The 20-year is likely just happy to be headed to such a good school.
11th year right wing Bobby Butler(8) returns to sign for 2022/2023 with hometown club, Worcester Railers after spending 20 ECHL with the team last season, suiting up as he saw fit.
The 6′ 191 lbs. forward has 4 times produced 20+ goals in an AHL season, 32 assists once and as a rookie helped Binghamton Senators capture the Cinderella-like run to the 2011 Calder Cup Championship.
He did not play in 2019/2020 and the follow-up COVID-busted season.
The former University Of New Hampshire Wildcats‘ senior captain, who blew the lid off scoring that campaign to become a Hobey Baker finalist, has also skated 130 NHL games with 20 goals and 29 assists.
He also head a variety of team positions as he was looking beyond the ice to become Director Of Player Development and even spent a pair of sessions as a volunteer assistant coach at Holy Cross College Crusaders.
The 35-year old obviously is not finished.
He would serve as team captain and score 17 goals and 21 assists in 63 games, so put in a full slate.
That is enough though, as he announce it’s time to retire from the game he loves.
He already has some office experience, so we will wait to see what office he holds.
9th year defenseman Jake Chelios(7) continues to have luck with 4th year KHL team, Kunlun Red Star.
The 6′ 198 lbs. blue liner had decent success through 296 AHL games, getting 17 goals and 91 assists with a 0 rating.
In 24 games this season, he has 1 goal and 7 assists.
The former Michigan State University Spartans had a nice 19 assists as a senior and does have a 5 NHL appearances to his credit.
At 31-years old, the son of former great Chris Chelios(24) is likely happy to still be playing at a high level of hockey.
In the last frame, he recorded a Russian league tying 3rd goal and new best 17 assists and 20 points in 51 games, so pretty obviously he needs to stay put under a new 2-year deal and continue on his China-based team.
10th year defenseman Matthew Maione(18) signs with his 9th overseas team and 7th different league for 2023/2024, agreeing to terms with AIK of HockeyAllsvenskan.
He had one really successful run in the KHL for Dinamo Riga, grabbing 11 goals and 35 assists and won the 2017 Slovak Extraliga Championship with the famous HC Banska Bystrica.
The small 5’9″ but stocky 191 lbs. blue liner twice had most points by a defenseman in Liiga and the ECHL.
A Toronto, ON native, he played 3 OHL seasons before heading to 4 years at University Of Prince Edward Island Panthers before turning pro.
The 32-year old is bound to do well in Sweden’s tier 2 league and may even get a loan up.
4th year defenseman Miles Gendron(10) exchanges 2 contracts with Colorado Eagles, including 2 goals and an assist in 15 AHL games and 116 ECHL appearances to a new adventure for 2022/2023, signing with Storhamar of Fjordkraft-ligaen.
Originally an Ottawa Senators‘ 3rd round pick in the 2014 draft (#70 overall), he only skated parts of his rookie season in the system before moving on.
The 6’2″ 181 lbs. blue liner skated only one year of juniors, winning the 2015 BCHL Championship with Penticton Vees, amassing 12 assists in 22 playoff games before heading off to school.
He did 4 years, including serving as senior captain at University Of Connecticut Huskies.
The still young 25-year old should do very well in Norway’s top league.
After 19 games with 3 goals, 5 assists and a +9 rating, he decides to return and signs with Greenville Swamp Rabbits for 2023.
He takes an impressive little run into the playoffs with his new club, but will look to branch out again and head over to the EIHL for 2023/2024, signing with 2 time champs, Belfast Giants.
Boston Bruins‘ 11th year, former 2-year University Of Wisconsin Badgers‘ captain, center Craig Smith(12) has twice accumulated 50+ points, once 40+, 5 time 30+ including 32 last season, his first with his new NHL team after 9 for draft club Nashville Predators (4th round 2009, #98 overall).
The 6′ 207 lbs. power forward is in the 2nd year of a 3-year deal he signed in unrestricted free agency and the relationship has certainly been a healthy one.
A bit hard to believe the 32-year old skated 3 seasons for Waterloo Blackhawks, blowing the lid off scoring and getting everyone’s attention in that final frame.
It’s got to be nice still getting really good deals.
Traded to Washington Capitals as his contract was set to expire, he went to a non-playoff team, but fit in decently, getting 5 goals and an assist in 22 games with a +1 rating to grab a new deal from Dallas Stars worth $800,000 AAV with a $200,000 signing bonus.
Good beans.
