9th year center Carter Rowney(24) waits fairly deep into unrestricted free agency after a down season hampered by injury and the last of his 3-year deal with Anaheim Ducks for a new 1-year contract to Detroit Red Wings in 2021/2022.
The 6’1″ 208 lbs. forward started his 1st three seasons on AHL deals with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, where he was almost literally climbing the ranks.
By his 3rd year the former University Of North Dakota Fighting Hawks‘ 4-year skater was 100% with the team and took his scoring up to a new level with 24 goals and 32 assists with a +23 rating, then added another 12 points (4-8) in 10 playoff contests.
This earned him his first NHL contract with Pittsburgh Penguins, where you split time during the season between the two leagues, but were mostly up near the end and figured in 20 playoff games, scoring 3 assists and a +3 rating on the way to the 2017 Stanley Cup Championship.
An unrestricted free agent going into the next frame, he signed his three year deal worth $1.133,333 AAV.
Other than last season’s bit of a fiasco, he’s a pretty decent scorer, who earn the money he was getting on a team almost in constant rebuild.
The 32-year old should find good space with his new team to be a contributor on the scoresheet.
For his 10th season, he leaves for Germany’s top league DEL and signs for 2022/2023 with Lowen Franfort, already putting up 2 assists in his debut game.
Through 55 games, he had a career best 37 assists and 58 points to earn him easily another year to stay German.
Boston Bruins‘ unrestricted free agent signing, consecutive NCAA Division 1 Champion, University Of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs in 2018 and 2019, but was unavailable due to COVID shutting down hockey to finish 2020, defenseman Nick Wolff(65) signed a 1-year entry level deal just as the season was going belly up.
The Minnesota native who stands at a gigantic 6’5″ 224 lbs. was captain in his final year at college hockey.
Never the biggest scorer he finished up his senior year with 10 assists in 33 games.
He started his first pro season by heading over to Slovakia‘s top league joining DVTK Jegesvedmek and sort of came alive a little with 3 goals and 2 assists in 18 games.
The 24-year old has two assists in 24 AHL games on reassignment with Providence Bruins but we’re betting that as his career goes, goals are going to start to go with it.
For 2021/2022, he was fairly quickly retained on a 1-year 2-way deal, which we think could be counted as his rookie campaign.
He is currently in contract club, Black & Gold training camp.
After coming away from last season with 8 assists in 32 games with a +7 rating and adding his 1st league goal in 2 playoff appearances, he signs for 2022/2023 on another one year, two-way NHL deal.
Almost 3 years with one club out of college and it’s time to move on for the Eagan, MN native, who signs for 2023/2024 with San Diego Gulls, who could definitely use him to sure up their zone.
Harvard University Crimson senior center Austin Wong(27) signs a 1st pro deal to head to Russia’s only China-based team, Kunlun Red Star for his rookie season, 2023/2024.
The 5’11” 190 lbs. Winnipeg Jets’ 7th round pick in the 2018 draft (#has not been the most prolific of scorers in college, having his best frame as a junior with 2 goals and 6 assists in 32 games.
He did score well in his last session of AJHL junior hockey for Okotoks Oilers and the COVID season the ECAC took off and he went to play most of a season for Fargo Force.
It would be no surprise to see the 22-year old from Cochrane, AB, a decent banger around the net score some in the KHL.
Fitchburg State University Falcons‘ junior center Hunter Fortin(26) leaves a year on the table to turn pro, signing a 1-year deal with EG Diez-Limburg of BeNe Liga.
The 6′ 174 lbs. forward leaves on basically 2 equal seasons of 26 and 27 points in D3 college hockey.
Westerville, OH native, he came east to play most of his youth and junior hockey.
The 24-year should find more space to score in this Belgium/Netherlands’ based league.
University Of Alaska-Anchorage Seawolves‘ graduate left wing Jamie Collins(15) turns pro, accepting terms on a 1-year deal with Meudon of France2.
The small 5’7″ 160 lbs. forward had a college career best 3 goals and 4 assists in 27 games last season.
A Fergus, ON native, he came down to attend high school, but returned for a pair of BCHL campaigns for Nanaimo Clippers before committing to school.
We think the 25-year old finds room in this lower league to score points.
After 3 seasons at Boston University, undrafted center Jack DeBoer(19) decides to switch it up almost completely, deciding to leave for Niagara University Purple Eagles for his senior 2021/2022 year.
The big 6’3″ 187 lbs. forward originally committed to college in his first year at Salisbury School USHS-Prep but would only stay there a season before moving onto two years of the USDP U17-18 program before heading off to school on the young side for hockey.
He’s not exactly the biggest goal scorer but in Atlantic Hockey the 20-year old could hover around the net and open up a bit more room to pot shots.
He is also the son of former Vegas Golden Knights‘ coach Pete DeBoer.
In a pair of frames for his new school, he continues to struggle to score points with only 2 goals and 1 assist in 35 games.
The graduate student decides to go pro upon finishing up a 5th year at school and signs a 1-year deal in BeNe League with EHC Neuwied.
11th year defenseman Chad Billins(41) re-signs with HV71 for 2022/2023, but gets an SHL promotion after helping his team to the 2022 HockeyAllsvenskan Championship with a league most 35 assists in the regular season.
It will be his 6th year in the top Swedish hockey league.
Undrafted, he signed with Grand Rapids Griffins as a rookie after completing four years at Ferris State University Bulldogs.
The 5’10” 181 lbs. won the 2013 Calder Cup in that season and he managed a nifty 2 goals and 12 assists in 24 AHL Playoff games with a +5 rating.
He was subsequently signed by Calgary Flames, giving him a 1st NHL contract, skated 10 games over a pair of recalls and grab an assist in each of his 1st 2 appearances, but was reassigned back down.
The Marysville, MI would leave for the KHL in the next session, but only lasted half a campaign before leaving for Sweden.
He would return a couple years later under contract to Vancouver Canucks, but skated the entire frame as veteran presence with affiliate Utica Comets.
To follow that up, he made the easy return to Linkoping HC and was once again the assist king.
At 33-years old, it’s still got to be a thrill to play for someone who always seems to show a lot of passion for the game on ice.
He must be having some sort of hockey laugh to himself with his current deal to head back to his 3rd team, Brynas IF, but walking back down a rung to Allsvenskan for 2023/2024.
Bentley University Falcons‘ senior center Joe Winkelman(24) signs a 1st from deal with Corsaires de Dunkerque of France2 for 2023/2024 after coming off a modest college best 2 goals and 5 assists in 30 games last season.
His best look was oddly the game on/game off 2020/2021 affair, where he played in 4 and scored 1 goal and 1 assist.
The 5’11” 180 lbs. forward committed to school after his 2nd NAHL frame for Odessa Jackalopes, racking up 30 points (12-18) in 21 games.
He plays aggressively enough to potentially score a lot more in this pro league for the 23-year old.
3rd year extra large 6’7″ 239 lbs. defenseman Connor McCarthy(2) is heading to Slovakia’s top hockey, signing 1-year with HC Banska Bystrica for 2023/2024.
He is mostly a stay at home style blue liner, who was twice signed by Bridgeport Islanders, but skated mostly for affiliate Worcester Railers.
The former Clarkson University Golden Knights senior assistant captain should do very well where is headed.
Westfield State University Owls‘ Swedish-born, junior defenseman Tom Skold(13) has made the decision to leave school and turn pro back in his home country with tier 3 Hockeyettan, signing for Huddinge IK in 2023/2024.
The 6’2″ 192 lbs. forward scored 4 goals and 7 assists in 44 games over 2 seasons.
He was a pretty good assist guy in junior hockey and tallied 27 in 45 EHL games with Boston Jr. Rangers in his final year before school, which he started at Becker College Hawks before they went belly up.
We do believe the 23-year old finds more room to score points in the league he’s headed to.
