8th year center Joel Lowry(17) has switched leagues each of the three seasons he’s been away.
He started scoring well in DEL, then moved over to Austria’s top league IceHL to sign with Vienna Capitals before returning for 2022/2023 to Germany, but going down a rung to DEL2, joining EC Kassel Huskies, where he’s basically a point-per-game player.
The big 6’2″ forward played 208 AHL games with good marks, including a +11 rating.
A former 4-year Cornell University Big Red graduate, it will be interesting to see how and where the 31-year old, son of NHL great Dave Lowry from Calgary, AB will go.
In the 2nd tier German league, he puts up almost point-per-game numbers, then adds more in the playoffs with a combined +30 rating to rightly earn himself another season to stay with the Huskies, but he could also be in line for a promotion is what we are seeing.
University Of Maine Black Bears‘ Swedish-born senior right wing Didrik Henbrant(6) announces his commitment to a pro contract and signs with Nottingham Panthers for 2023/2024.
The 5’10” 181 lbs. forward spent his 1st 3 years at University Of Alaska-Fairbanks Nanooks, recording his best frame as a junior with 11 goals and 9 assists.
He had one successful season in NAHL with Minot Minotauros before college, but did most of his junior hockey back home and even got into a couple SHL games before heading over.
The 25-year old may find some space in the EIHL to score a bit more.
16th year veteran left wing Derek Nesbitt(17) will have his career culminate with his 1000th pro game played for 9th ECHL season club, Atlanta Gladiators, 5th as captain.
He has skated games in 4 different leagues, including 7 playoff matchups for Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs of the CHL (Central Hockey League) and one season overseas for HC Bolzano in EBEL.
The 6′ 195 lbs. forward has 372 AHL games to his credit, appearing in 4 full frames in the league, but also a pair of years, where he was playing more games closer to the NHL than not.
He has played for 5 teams that don’t exist anymore and the native of Egmondville, ON won a 2007 Kelly Cup in his one season with Idaho Steelheads.
The 39-year old, former graduate, almost point-per-game player at Ferris State University Bulldogs has to have a little smile on his face for the achievement, but also taking in as much of the game as he’s been able to in his time on ice.
At the conclusion of 2021/2022, he closes the door on 615 games played, 538 points scored in the E, 372, 225 points in the A and 154 games, 142 points NCAA.
His no. 17 is retired to the rafters and he assumes duties as the team’s assistant coach.
1 year later and he is named the 6th Head Coach in the team’s history and everyone in Gladiatortown is completely happy.
14th year right wing Ryan Lasch(19) will return to Liiga, a league he spent the COVID 2020/2021 with, signing to Pelicans for 2023/2024.
He has spent 7 of his seasons skating for Frolunda HC.
The 5’7″ 157 lbs. forward was a 2-time 20+ goal scorer and 4-time assists at St. Cloud State University Huskies, then immediately headed overseas to start his pro career.
He only returned for his third season, but didn’t fully stay.
The 36-year old Lake Forest, CA native is likely happy to still be playing some pretty great hockey
Welsleyian University Cardinals‘ senior defenseman Emmett Powell(2) signs a 1st pro deal, heading over to Finland’s 3rd highest league Suomi-sarja to play for JHT in 2023/2024.
The 5’10” 181 lbs. blue liner spent the last 4 years at school, but they didn’t skate the COVID year 2020/2021, so he split to join South Shore Kings, which turns out to be his only USPHL/NCDC junior hockey frame, as he went straight from Milton Academy USHS-Prep to college.
From Marcellus, NY, the 22-year old seemed to take to the New England area nicely, but is now off on a whole other adventure.
5th year center Michael Huntebrinker(37) takes his point-per-game numbers for HC Innsbruck through 45 IceHL games with a +6 rating to a new adventure midseason to Switzerland tier 2 SL, joining HC La Chaux-de-Fonds for the remainder of 2021/2022.
The 5’11” 194 lbs. forward is a 4-time 40+ point scorer in the ECHL, ascending to a high last season with Florida Everblades to 46.
He spent four years at Minnesota State University (Mankato) Mavericks, leaving them with a college career high 18 assists and 22 points.
The 29-year old may just play himself up the ladder overseas.
His 34 assists were a league most last season and he helped his 2nd team to a deep playoff run, and for it decides to head to the competitive SlovakExtraliga, signing with HKM Zvolen for 2022/2023.
After a point-per-game season, getting 13 goals and a league high 37 assists in 50 games, he is quickly thought to re-up for 2023/2024 and continue with that scoring putting up career best numbers.
Apparently, the now 30-year is rethinking his path forward and has decided to retire.
University Of Alaska-Anchorage Seawolves‘ graduate net minder Nolan Kent(1) is set to turn pro and signs a 1-year deal with Coventry Blaze for 2023/2024.
The 6′ 191 lbs. goalie tend the cage for 4 seasons at Northern Michigan University Wildcats, posting his best totals as a sophomore, starting 30 games with a 13-11-1 record, a 2.86 GAA and .901 SV%.
From Chestermere, AB, the 24-year old played 2 years for Spruce Grove Saints, really shutting the door in his 2nd frame for a 15-4 record with 1.52 GAA and .933 SV% before going 12-1 to a 2018 AJHL Championship.
He will do well for the famed English club, if he can get some support around him.
13th year center Cory Conacher(10) initially played a couple of games for Belleville Senators, but that was short lived and is likely going to be more comfortable joining Charlotte Checkers for the remainder of 2023.
Undrafted, he was initially signed to a minor league deal and won the fantasy run 2012 Calder Cup for Norfolk Admirals.
The 5’8″ 185 lbs. forward was next signed for a pair of seasons on a 2-way deal with Tampa Bay Lightning, but traded midway through his debut campaign to Ottawa Senators.
They lost him in the 2nd year of his term to Buffalo Sabres, who claimed him off waivers.
He would next sign the 1st of 4 1-way NHL contracts with New York Islanders, but toiled more time in the minors.
The Burlington, ON native would leave for the NL, hooking up with SC Bern, striking for more than point-per-game numbers en route to a 2016 Championship.
He would return on nice deals for the next few runs with the Lightning before again returning to Switzerland to win more titles.
The 33-year old former Canisius College Golden Griffins standout is likely just smiling, still playing hockey.
In 15 games he grabs 4 goals and 5 assists with a +3 rating, then adds another 3 points in 7 playoff matchups.
For 2023/2024, he moves on in the league to sign with Chicago Wolves.
Middlebury College Panthers‘ graduate net minder Adam Wisco(1) goes pro and signs with KHL Sisak of the fairly new Croatian-based IntHL for 2023/2024.
The 6’2″ 190 lbs. goalie got his start after completing school last season with Watertown Wolves of the FPHL and didn’t fare so well on a team that sometimes struggled to win games (20-32-4).
There’s little doubt he was also coming from a school situation, where his team didn’t win nearly as many games as they dropped.
From Whitby, ON, the 24-year old will likely find his footing to get started as a pro in this league.
St. Lawrence University Skating Saints‘ Swedish-born, graduate goaltender Emil Zetterquist(1) takes fairly impressive numbers despite not winning records to a 1st pro contract back home with Vasterviks IK and will play games in HockeyAllsvenskan.
The 6’2″ 190 lbs. net minder played most of his junior hockey back home, but did come over for 1 NAHL season for Coulee Region Chill before committing to college.
From Stockholm, the 24-year old should do pretty well in Sweden’s tier 2 league.
