6th year defenseman Reece Wilcox(44) leaves after spending most of 2020/2021 on loan from contract club Florida Everblades of the ECHL to Hershey Bears.
The big 6’4″ 205 lbs. blue liner has played 259 AHL games, recording 12 goals and 59 assists, 3 times having 10+ helper seasons.
Originally a Philadelphia Flyers‘ 5th round pick in the 2012 draft (#141 overall), the Surrey, BC native played his junior hockey in the BCHL, spending two years with Merritt Centennials before committing to Cornell University Big Red.
He was team captain as a senior and upon graduation took up with affiliate Lehigh Valley Phantoms, skating his first 6 pro games, scoring a first goal and 2 assists.
The 27-year old will next embark on a new adventure, signing with HC Pustertal of IceHL and could do exceedingly well in this Austrian league.
8th year, undrafted center Allan McPherson(91) wins his 1st league title, the 2021 Slovakian Extraliga Championship, recording a Playoffs Most Points nod for the 20 he got with HKM Zvolen to a new league contract with rivals HC Kosice for 2021/2022.
He averaged 10+ goals and 15+ assists through 150 NCAA Division 1 Atlantic Hockey games with Clarkson University Golden Knights and was a point-per-game guy in three years of the CCHL.
The 5’10” 185 lbs. forward was also scored big in the ECHL with 134 points through 128 games with a +35 rating.
He’s easily as prolific where he currently is and there’s little doubt the 30-year old will not be for his new club.
Undrafted 3rd year defenseman Eric Israel(6) decides to go exploring after two seasons in uniform for Rapid City Rush.
He played 90 ECHL games, grabbing 2 goals and 24 assists.
The former Robert Morris University d-man was mostly good for a decent amount of points, averaging 5 goals and 16 assists with a +7 rating through 4 years.
He had more than similar success in two years of Canadian juniors with Brockville Braves of the CCHL, where he twice popped 3o assists and came close to 10 goals a frame.
The 26-year old leaves for Sweden’s tier 3 HockeyEttan, joining Kalmar HC for 2021/2022 and we think it will be an exciting signing.
After 5 years of pro hockey, including the last three overseas, defenseman Paul Geiger(33) decides to head off into the sunset on a career that concludes with a season in Austria’s IceHL for Fehervar AV19.
He finishes with decent enough scoring but we’re mostly looking at his +20 rating of accountability through his time across the way.
The very sizable 6’3″ 210 lbs. blue liner completed 4 years at Clarkson University Golden Knights, serving as team captain for his last two.
He was signed to a pair of AHL deals, including 9 games for Albany Devils, as school was wrapping up.
The Canadian native played almost equal time in the lower league, ECHL and really took scoring onto a new level for himself with South Carolina Stingrays, where he struck for 12 goals and 23 assists.
Carolina Hurricanes‘ 2nd round pick in the 2018 draft (#42 overall) center Jack Drury(72) arrives back from his first pro experience, a 2021 SHL Championship with Vaxjo Lakers.
The 21-year old good goal scoring forward picks up a nice three year NHL entry level deal to start in the system and there’s little doubt he’s big league bound.
Former four year, UMass-Lowell Riverhawks‘ senior captain Charles Levesque(12) will take his game overseas to France’s Lique Magnus, joining Cergy-Pontoise Jokers for 2021/2022.
Not exactly always the biggest scorer in college hockey, he was at least decently efficient, pocketing 6 goals and 6 assists in just 20 games with a +11 rating in his final session.
The Ontario native was a very prolific scorer in a pair of junior seasons in the CCHL, grabbing a total of 48 goals and 87 assists for 135 points in 119 games.
At 5’10” 175 lbs., we think the 23-year old will come back to life scoring in his new league and move up and on from there.
Swedish native defenseman Philip Alftberg(14) decides to head back home to start his pro hockey career, signing for 2021/2022 with HC Vita Hasten of tier two, Allsvenskan.
The small-is 5’8″ 170 lbs. blue liner spent the last four years at St. Lawrence University Saints, fighting for ice time and probably having his most successful season as a senior with a modest goal and 4 assists and a +1 rating in a surprising ECAC Championship run for an almost shambles of a 2020/2021.
He played most of his junior hockey overseas with Brynas IF and even figured in SHL game appearances as an 18 and 19-year old.
Almost crazier, he even skated 2 regular season then 2 playoff games for tier 3 HockeyEttan, when he was all of 16 after time with first club, Wings HC J18.
The now 24-year old did have one full season of juniors before college, first with Tri City Storm, where he committed to school, then Fargo Force putting up decent USHL point totals.
There’s little doubt he’ll work his way up the ladder when he closer to where he lives.
Undrafted, Finnish-born net minder Jere Huhtamaa(1) decides to head back home after two years with Merrimack College Warriors, signing with tier 2 Mestis TUTO Hockey.
The 6’2″ 190 lbs. goalie played all his youth hockey and juniors in the homeland before committing to college.
After a not so good outing as a freshman, he unfortunately saw only 3 Hockey East games in the off and on 2020/2021, but did post reasonable ok numbers going 1-0 with a 2.97 GAA and .905 SV%.
The 21-year old will likely be happier simply playing hockey at home and trying to achieve high levels.
Jared Lambright(13) appeared to score assists from his defensive post with happiness at his Lake Placid prep Northwood School, totally 33 the season after committing to St. Lawrence University for 2021/2022.
The small 5’9″ 165 lbs. hard working, fast pivot next joined Northeast Generals as his first year in juniors scoring 2 goals and 13 assists with a +7 rating 47 games in stopped 2019/2020 session due to the COVID outbreak.
He transferred allegiances for a new club in Minot Minotouros but lasts only 8 games with a goal, an assist and a bit of a woeful -7 to be released and sign with Boston Advantage of the USPHL/NCDC, where he didn’t have a tally but added 6 assists in an on and off 2020/2021, but did go to playoffs.
The 20-year old should find space and develop nicely at his new school.
He actually switched his commitment to Williams College Ephs, starting 2021/2022.
From Clifton Park, NY, the 25-year old had 1 goal and a college best 8 assists in his final frame.
He signs a 1st contract overseas with HC Dijon Ducs of France3 for 2026/2027.
Undrafted rookie goaltender Aidan Pelino(30) had a split session, first joining Finland’s tier 2 league Mestis signing with RoKi but seemed to struggle some through 6 appearances.
Eying another opportunity in Switzerland’s HockeyEttan he agreed to terms with Sollentuna HC doing much better in 5 games posting a 3-2 record with a 2.61 GAA and .907 SV%.
The 6’2″ 195 lbs. net minder played four seasons at Bentley University Falcons, always putting together decent stats.
From Oakville, ON he committed to college during his second BCHL season with Chilliwack Chiefs.
Where the 25-year old heads next is still up in the air but he should continue to land in some pretty nice places to play pro hockey.
