Coachella Valley Firebirds‘ 7th year defenseman Eddie Wittchow(20) is with a 1st new team in 3 seasons after spending his first three minor league deals with Hershey Bears.
Originally a Florida Panthers‘ 6th round pick in 2011 (#154 overall), he was in their system for 2 years before being left unqualified after his best AHL season, scoring 5 goals and 10 assists with a +3 rating in 55 games.
The former University Of Wisconsin Badgers‘ senior captain was never the biggest scorer through college.
We do think the 29-year old from Burnsville, MN will bring some accountability to the new club’s blue line.
Allen Americans‘ rookie net minder Francis Marotte(35) is enjoying a very decent first season posting a 6-3-1 record on a club that’s one of the better ranked in the ECHL for 2020/2021.
The former Clarkson University Golden Knights portal transfer from 3 previous years with Robert Morris University Colonials posted huge numbers as a senior for his new team, 23-8-3 record with a measly 1.78 GAA and .938 SV%.
A Quebec native, he did a few years of junior hockey in Canada, starting out in the BCHL, but after one season agreed to a pair of campaigns for Nepean Raiders of the CCHL, where he found his future school.
He did get himself on New York Islanders‘ radar and signed a deal with the team, but it’s thought to possibly be an AHL deal, as he did appear in a pair of dates for affiliate Bridgeport Sound Tigers.
The 26-year old re-signs to finish the job in Texas, as he ended last campaign 8-3-1 with a 2.54 GAA, .917 SV% and 1 shutout.
After ascending to the radar of Anaheim Ducks‘ and scoring an invite to their training camp, he was invited to continue with affiliate San Diego Gulls‘, where he scooped himself a 1-year AHL contract for 2021/2022.
He played a career best 8 games up, but was mostly reassigned to the ECHL with affiliate Allen Americans.
For 2022/2023, he decides to spread his wings a bit signing a 1-year deal with Dundee Stars, where he should be a leading goalie on more than one occasion.
Finnish-born left wing, Erkka Vanska(40) should easily be commended for heading across the pond at age 16 to first attend school for a pair of years in Quebec before heading to the US to skate a season with Iowa Wild 18U AAA, where he amassed some points to gain the notice of Fairbanks Ice Dogs.
The 5’11” 168 lbs. forward was big in his 2nd NAHL season, scoring 19 goals and 36 assists in 60 games with a +19 rating before committing to Holy Cross College Crusaders.
He would spend 4 seasons at the school, but did not skate games in his final 2 frames.
For 2022/2023, he heads home to sign with Gladiators HT of the tier 2 Il-divisioona.
Nashville Predators‘ 4th round pick in the 2018 draft (#111 overall), Czechia-based center Jachym Kodelik(29) signs a 2-year NHL entry level deal after completing his 4th year as senior captain at University Of Connecticut Huskies.
The massive 6’6″ 226 lbs. forward finished up last year with a college career best 12 goals and 21 assists for 33 points with a +6 rating that made it to the Hockey East Final before bowing out in overtime.
He skated 2 AHL games with affiliate Milwaukee Admirals on an ato at the end of last campaign, but didn’t connect.
We think the still super-kind of young to graduate college, 22-year old will be finding ways to score points for 2022/2023.
Bentley University Falcons‘ graduate left wing Brendan Walkom(9) maybe a little conservatively signs for 2022/2023 with Bees IHC of England’s tier 2 league NIHL.
The 6′ 190 lbs. forward scored pretty well in his 1st NAHL junior season and equaled his 14 assists in his 2nd in the USHL for Madison Capitals, but didn’t maintain that in college, but still played a full hard battle game.
From Moon Township, PA, the 24-year old should find some great success in this league.
12th year defenseman David Warsofsky(55) switches up a decently good season for ERC Ingolstadt to signing with DEL rivals Augsburger Panther 2022/2023.
The veteran of 55 NHL and 476 AHL games, he wracked up a pretty amazing 195 assists through 11 seasons in the direct affiliate league.
Originally a St. Louis Blues‘ 4th round pick in 2008 (#95 overall), his signing rights were traded to Boston Bruins, where he agreed to a 3-year entry level deal upon leaving Boston University Terriers after 3 sessions and a 2009 NCAA Division 1 Championship.
The 32-year old from Marshfield, MA has to be happy about still playing some amazing hockey and earning a good living from doing so.
Undrafted 13th year center Peter MacArthur(16) hangs up the skates after another good season with close-to-home Clifton Park, NY, Adirondack Thunder to become their fourth head coach for 2022/2023.
The 37-year old finishes up having played 190 AHL and 265 ECHL games.
He went away to play overseas for a few years, settling for 2 sessions with Augsburger Panther, 2 in EBEL with a couple famous clubs and 2 in Italy.
The 5’10” 185 lbs. former, senior Boston University Terriers‘ captain will make a great coach with all the playing experience he brings to the table.
8th year net minder Anthony Peters(30) takes a 2021 Slovak Extraliga Championship, letting just about nothing by him for HC Slovan Bratislava to a new deal in the same league with HK Poprad for 2022/2023.
The 6’1″ 193 lbs. former 3 year OHL, then 4 years at St. Mary’s University Huskies with an outstanding senior year and deep playoff run has appeared in 51 AHL games and 116 ECHL.
He has very good stats in the lower league, 70-35-5, 2.60 GAA and .910 SV%.
The 31-year old from Blyth, ON has played in 4 different leagues overseas, but seems to be settling nicely where he is.
12th year center John Albert(14) stays with Toledo Walleye for a 2nd season after scoring an ECHL best 24 goals and 24 assists for 48 points last season.
The one-time Atlanta Thrashers‘ 5th round pick in the 2007 draft (#165 overall) has only played 9 games with original contract club, Winnipeg Jets, scoring his only NHL goal in the process.
He has played in 339 AHL games with 4 different teams.
The senior captain at Ohio State University Buckeyes has twice gone overseas, but only skated a full season once with Karpat of Liiga.
At 33-years old, 5’11” 179 lbs. Cleveland, OH native is home to play his pro hockey nowadays.
Maine Mariners welcome back 3rd year right wing Lewis Zerter-Gossage(7) for 2021/2022.
He would have likely returned last season, if the team had not elected to take the COVID busted 2020/2021 campaign off, but instead decided to play elsewhere, signing with Blue Devils Weiden of Germany3.
The 6’2″ 195 lbs. forward skated 13 ECHL games on reassignment by contract club Hartford Wolf Pack as an AHL rookie.
He also appeared in 8 games with Reading Royals after a trade sent his rights over.
The former Harvard University Crimson senior captain was a three-time 20+ point getter in college hockey and heading into a new year that’s hopefully completely straightforward will put up new career highs.
After 17 games, scoring 7 goals and 7 assists, he re-signs to stay in Maine for 2022/2023.
He also scored an 8 game loan up to Tuscon Roadrunners, where he picked up a couple of assists.
