After 8 years of pro hockey, center Jared Gomes(20) took the 2020/2021 COVID year off, but quickly stepped into coaching and joined up with an under version of the last team he played OHL with, Missisauga.
A veteran of 189 AHL games, scoring 28 goals and 31 assists, he also has 130 games of experience in both German leagues, DEL and DEL2.
It certainly didn’t take him long to solidify a 1st real assistant coaching job, as Georgetown Raiders of the OJHL step in to offer him a contract for 2022/2023.
The 33-year old, former University Of Prince Edward Island Panthers from Brampton, ON will no doubt be great in his new role and jumps in on the 1st rung of the ladder.
Undrafted 4th year defenseman Kelly Summers(27) takes a good season 2020/2021 with Eispiraten Crimmitschau, scoring 6 goals and 22 assists in 42 DEL2 games, but decided to sit out 2021/2022 and signs for 2022/2023 with Nottingham Panthers of EIHL.
The 6’1″ 191 lbs. blue liner played well in 2 years with Adirondack Thunder, amassing 24 points twice with a combined +33 rating in 93 ECHL games that included a 9 games AHL loan to Binghamton Devils, where he scored a goal.
He also did well at 4 years with Clarkson University Golden Knights, achieving a senior best 6 goals and 24 assists in 40 NCAA Division 1 games with a +19.
The 26-year old from Golden Lake, ON should do well in this league.
5th year defenseman Garrett Johnson(48) is branching out for 2022/2023, signing a 1-year deal with Coventry Blaze of the EIHL.
The very decently sized 6’2″ 194 lbs. blue liner has played his way up from signing his 1st pro deal with Birmingham Bulls, playing 21 games, getting 1 goal and 12 assists with a +5 rating to get loaned up to Newfoundland Growlers.
He would remain with the team, scoring 2 goals and 17 assists in 39 ECHL games, then adding another 7 points with a +6 in 23 games on the way to the 2019 Kelly Cup Championship.
The Winnipeg, MB native would continue to sign, where he won and even score a pair of AHL loans for games.
He did one year at University Of Manitoba Bisons after completing 3 years of QMJHL.
At 27-years old, this league could be a launching pad for further other good overseas endeavors.
8th year defenseman Tim Daly(76) will spend his 4th season with Rungsted Seier Capital, where he must like playing, scoring 10+ goals per season and helping them win a pair of Metal Ligaen Championships in 2019 and 2021.
The 5’11” 190 lbs. blue liner was never much of a scorer through 4 years at St. Cloud State University Huskies, then averaged 5 goals and 15 assists in 3 ECHL seasons, which isn’t so bad with one breakout frame for Utah Grizzlies, scoring an almost head scratching 10 goals and 28 assists with a +24 rating.
At 30-years old, the Maple Ridge, BC native must be a bit just happy to be still playing well.
Undrafted 4th year center Josh Dickinson(22) was coming off a three year entry level deal with Colorado Avalanche, signed after completing just one year at Clarkson University Golden Knights.
The 6’2″ 194 lbs. forward was not given a qualifying offer to stick, after his rights were traded to Chicago Blackhawks, where he was sent to Indy Fuel to play out his contract.
He’s easily a point-per-game guy in the ECHL, which is likely why Toledo Walleye stepped in to sign the unrestricted free agent for 2021/2022.
The Georgetown, ON native skated 3 junior hockey seasons for hometown Georgetown Raiders, where he was discovered for college and went on to win the 2017 OJHL Championship before reporting to school.
There’s little doubt the 23-year old will likely step up his game on such a good, offensive team to play for.
After scoring huge numbers in the lower league, he would get loaned up to Grand Rapids Griffins and. actually play more AHL games at 48, grabbing 6 goals and 7 assists with a +4 rating, but returned for the playoffs with similar scoring results.
For 2022/2023, he has decided to branch out, accepting a 1-year deal from MoDo Hockey and will join their Allsvenskan-based team.
Castleton University Spartans‘ Finnish-born, graduate center Anton Tarvainen(27) heads home to sign with Haukat of tier 3 Suomi-sarja for 2022/2023.
The 5’10” 176 lbs. forward played most of his junior hockey close by, but did come over to play a season of GMHL for Bradford Bulls, putting up some really nice numbers.
Not exactly the best scorer through college, the 25-year old may find some open ice in this league to get the numbers.
18th year center Marco Rosa(91) decides at age 40, he will retire.
It would seem like a complete no-brainer for him to stay with Asiago as a coach, where he has played the last 5 years, winning 2 Italy Cups and 2 AlpsHL Championships.
And he actually accepts a position to become head coach of their junior squad.
The 6′ 185 lbs. forward has skated 353 AHL games with a +29 rating, 122 as a more than point-per-game player in the ECHL and close to 400 overseas.
He has played on 4 teams that no longer exist.
The former Merrimack College Warriors‘ senior captain almost surprisingly never earned an NHL recall.
We’re sure what the Scarborough, ON native is setting himself up for a great hockey after-life.
American International College Yellowjackets‘ Slovakian-born graduate center Luka Maver(25) heads back to sign for 2022/2023 with Pioneers Vorarlberg of Austria’s top league, IceHL.
The 6’3″ 194 lbs. forward did not play as a freshman.
He played some of his junior hockey back home, but also skated three years, 2 NAHL, 1 USHL before committing to school.
We think the 24-year old’s game gets to open up a bit in Austria’s top league.
Swedish-born left wing Emil Westerlund(30) finishes up a graduate year at University Of Maine Black Bears and gets a tryout offer from Almtuna IS of HockeyAllsvenskan to return “home” for 2022/2023 and goes for it.
The 6’2″ 198 lbs. forward should be able to adapt to play pretty well, coming from the hard-hitting Hockey East he mostly played in college.
He definitely has shown flashes of scoring, especially in juniors with Linkoping HC that we think will come to life, where he’s comfortable playing.
The 24-year old will certainly be an interesting watch.
11th year pro Vincent LoVerde(5) decides it’s time to move on after spending the last pair of seasons under a minor league contract with Hartford Wolf Pack.
He’s twice won Calder Cup Championships: 2015 Manchester Monarchs and 2018 Toronto Marlies, once as captain, once as assistant.
The always solid 5’11” 205 lbs. d-man has played 517 games in the AHL, scoring a nice 50 goals and 126 assists with an eye gaggling +115 rating.
He’s like Mr. Accountability.
The 32-year old has never played a minute in the show, but coming up from his start as an undrafted player signing two ECHL contracts with Ontario Reign to working his way up to three big league deals, twice with parent club Los Angeles Kings and even a pair of one-way years with Toronto Maple Leafs.
A Chicago, IL native, he not surprisingly completed four years at University Of Miami (Ohio).
He will next put on the skates in Austria’s IceHL, a coalition league of 6 countries’ clubs, and lace up for the somewhat famous EC Salzburg, which should turn out pretty great.
Scoring a pair of goals and 13 assists in 41 games with a +15 rating, then only an assist, but great accountability with a +6 en route to the 2022 IceHL Championship.
He definitely takes this success up a level and signs for 2022/2023 with Kunlun Red Star of the KHL.
