Category: Free Agent Signing

Florida Panthers‘ undrafted center Henry Bowlby(28) leaves three years of Harvard University as he enters his senior season with zero hockey to play due to COVID considerations shelving it for the college in 2020/2021.

The decently sized 6’1″ 195 lbs. forward was assigned to affiliate Syracuse Crunch to start his career after signing a 2-year entry level deal that started right away.

In his AHL debut he potted his first pro goal and still has the one tally and no assists through 4 games with a +3 rating.

He’d always been a scorer in the teens at school, three times getting 8 assists and twice similar goal totals, so it will be interesting to see if a more open style opens up the scoring valve.

As a rookie, he scores 12 goals and 16 assists with a +14 rating and he is given a 1-year, 2-way deal to stay for 2022/2023.

We think he plays his way to an NHL recall.

He would score almost identical 2nd and 3rd frames for affiliate Charlotte Checkers, but was a group 6 unrestricted free agent at the end of his deal and was basically set free.

The Edina, MN next picks Colorado Eagles to play games, signing a minor league contract for 2023/2024.

After 7 games into his career with 1 goal and 2 assists in the north and he maybe gets a better offer to head to Sweden and signs with Rogle BK.

He should do well in the SHL.

Through 29 games, he scores 2 goals and 5 assists, then adds 2 points in 15 playoff matchups to be wanted back for 2024/2025 in a Rogle BK uniform.

He scores 4 goals and 3 assists in 43 games, which isn’t too terrible, but decides to push off for a new deal in IceHL with HC Falkensteiner Pustertal Wolfe for 2025/2026.

In 47 games, he scores 19 goals and 24 assists with a +18 rating, then performed well in the playoffs to grab another year for 2026/2027 to be a Wolfe again.

University Of North Dakota Fighting Hawks‘ junior defenseman Jake Livanavage(57) had his 2nd 5 goal season and 3rd 20+ assists in a frame.

The 5’10” 174 lbs. blue liner was signed as an unrestricted free agent for 2-years by Pittsburgh Penguins.

He did 3 USHL seasons with Chicago Steel and won the 2021 Clark Cup Championship, when he 1st got there.

From Gilbert, AZ, the 22-year old played 1 NHL game to start.

Undrafted 7th year right wing Tanner Fritz(16) signs a 2nd straight AHL contract, but will skate for heated CT opponents from where he’s played 198 games, Bridgeport (Sound Tigers) Islanders to Hartford Wolf Pack for 2021/2022.

The 5’11” 192 lbs. forward originally signed a minor league deal after 4 years at Ohio State University Buckeyes , including captain as a senior and junior assistant, to the only team he’s thus far appeared with, but was up to a 2-way NHL contract after his sophomore season in which he popped 19 goals and 23 assists.

He played all of his youth hockey and 4 years of junior hockey close to home with Grand Prairie Storm and won the 2009 AJHL Championship, then was voted most valuable player, scoring 70 points in 60 games, before heading off to college.

The 30-year old signed a pair of contracts with parent club New York Islanders, including a single 1-way deal, and played in 42 games with 3 goals and 5 assists.

It’s likely this could be his last time in the minors, as we’re predicting he leave for some hockey overseas before retirement.

After 2 years of playing up the road in Connecticut, he returns on a 1-year minor league deal with Bridgeport for 2023/2204.

After 20 games, scoring 1 goal and 6 assists, he may be getting a little bored as he closes in on 350 games played in the league.

He decides to leave and signs with Dinamo Minsk of the KHL, which should definitely bring some challenge and excitement back into his game.

Not surprisingly he does ok with 2 goals and 9 assists in 18 games, but decides not to try and return.

He waits a little and signs with SC Rapperswil-Jona Lakers of NL and with 5 goals and 7 assists in 15 games with a +3 rating, there’s little doubt he gets asked to return for 2025/2026.

With 9 goals, 18 assists in 47 games and a +17 rating, his is easily invited back for a 3rd run with the Lakers, 2026/2027.

12th year left wing Mike Connolly(22) will spend an 8th season in a Straubing Tigers‘ uniform.

The 5’9″ 181 lbs. forward had his best year scoring 19 goals and 53 points in 2021/2022.

He has 5 times put up 30+ assists for this team.

The top scorer in his 3 campaigns at University Of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs, hitting 54 points in 42 NCAA Division 1 games as a senior.

He only played 2 sessions in the AHL and did appear in 2 NHL games with Colorado Avalanche after a rookie trade sent him away from San Jose Sharks‘ system.

At 33-years old, the Calgary, AB native has to be pretty happy about how his pro hockey life is still going.

He scores 16 goals and 22 assists in 50 DEL games last season and yup, will return for a 9th season in a Tigers‘ jersey.

2024/2025 will be his 10th season in a Straubing uniform, coming after a 34 assist, 45 point season.

Well, after 11 frames in the same uniform for the Tigers‘, he decides it’s time to stop playing pro hockey and should honestly be absorbed behind the bench where he is.

10th year Czechia-born defenseman Andrej Sustr(19) hasn’t been home since an appearance in Czechia3 in 2008/2009, but signs for 2024/2025 in Czech Extraliga with the league powerhouse HC Dynamo Pardibuce.

The absolute huge 6’8″ 225 lbs. blue liner has 362 NHL games to his credit and is known for his large bruising presence.

He came over early after youth hockey back home and did 2 seasons of junior hockey before moving onto to 3 at University Of Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks.

Almost oddly he took off the season before COVID infected to play for Kunlun Red Star for 2 frames in the KHL before returning.

The 33-year old will be missed, but this has to be the right thing for him to do for his hockey career.

He does well there and plays himself up to a deal with Tappara, where he got 1 goal and 11 assists in 38 Liiga games.

For 2025/2026, he looks to return to the AHL, but after 11 games is released and takes up with Kalmar HC and has no points in 10 HockeyAllsvenskan games, but is a +4 rating.

He would end up appearing in 20 games for 1 goal and 4 assists with a +11 rating, then added another helper in 7 playoff matchups.

For 2026/2027, he heads to Liiga and signs with Jurukit, which will be another challenging step for the 35-year old.

Massive 6’5″ 216 lbs. center Patrick Giles(54) took 4 years, 2 as assistant captain at Boston College Eagles to a 1st pro contract upon elimination from the NCAA Division 1 tournament.

He signs an ato with Charlotte Checkers under the watchful eye of parent club Florida Panthers dictating moves and will skate under an AHL deal for 2022/2023.

In 10 games, he has only an assist, but is likely adjusting to the new style game.

Although playing Hockey East for 4 sessions definitely had to help and in his senior year he scored a college career best 15 goals and 22 points.

The 22-year old from Chevy Chase, MD, who came up through the USNTDP program should be able to find his game, but will have to work for it and look for his spots.

After 10 pro games to end the 2021/2022 session, he had 1 assist, but the big team see something in the towering frame moving forward and sign him up for a 2-year NHL entry level deal through 2023/2024.

He’s had 2 good seasons in the minors without a recall, but is looking closer to ready to earn a 2-year extension to stay with the affiliate, Checkers.

Signed to another 2-year extension, he looks set to make the big club and just a few games in, earns a spot due to the injury bug hitting early and he makes an NHL debut, skates 11 shifts for 7:34 of ice time with 2 shots, 1 block, 2 giveaways and went 75% in the face off dot in a 5-2 loss.

After 9 games with no points, but still lighting it up nicely in the minors, he is traded to San Jose Sharks, where they may have better room to slot the big player.

He spends 67 with affiliate San Jose Barracuda, running up some good points and when called up gets 1 assists in 3 games with a +1 rating.

His numbers are solid enough to merit a 2-year extension through 2027/2028 to stay a Sharks.

 

Boston Bruins sign hometown boy (Hanson, MA), 5th year defenseman Bill Sweezey(6) to a new 2-year, 2-way NHL deal after spending most of the last 3 years with Cleveland Monsters, under contract with Columbus Blue Jackets for the last 2.

The 6’2″ 205 lbs. blue liner originally signed his 1st AHL deal with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins during the COVID busted 2020/2021 after graduating Yale University Bulldogs before moving on to a similar deal in Ohio.

He only did 1 USHL junior run before college.

The 28-year old will likely spend most of his time with affiliate Providence Bruins, but that means hockey even closer to home.

In 69 games last season, he scored a new minor league best 16 assists with a +21 rating that earns him another hometown season in a Bruins‘ uniform.

Northeastern University Huskies‘ center Dylan Hryckowian(14) scores a new best 22 assists and 37 points in 30 games last season with a +4 rating that the team his brother Justin skated his 1st full season with Dallas Stars come knocking to sign the undrafted player to a 2-year NHL entry level deal through 2027/2028 and to leave a year at school on the table.

He was in their development camp last season.

The 5’10” 170 lbs. forward starts with affiliate Texas Stars and through 12 AHL games, he 3 goals and 3 assists with a +2 rating as they head into playoffs.

From L’lle-Bizard, QC, the 21-year old did just 1 USHL junior frame, exploding scoring before school.

Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod‘s 2nd year center Kenny Agostino(11) is already off to a good start for 2022/2023 with 2 goals and 3 assists in 7 KHL games with a +3 rating.

Last season he scored 20 goals and 20 assists in 46 games with a +8, his 1st season overseas.

The former 4-year 10+ goal scorer and 2 time 20+ assist guy at Yale University Bulldogs was originally a Pittsburgh Penguins‘ 5th round pick in the 2010 draft (#140 overall).

He was traded to Calgary Flames and signed an entry level deal before his skates ever hit the ice.

The Morristown, NJ native bounced around on 1-year deals mostly before getting signed to a 2-year, 1-way contract late with Toronto Maple Leafs, yet he only appeared in 1 NHL game with them.

At 30-years old, he’s done ok enough, but is still likely earning his way in Russia and playing some elite puck.

For 2023/2024, he is trading in a couple of seasons where he is for new surroundings in the SHL and will join Skelleftea AIK.

He actually switches things up and heads to Germany instead, signing with Dusseldorfer EG of DEL and scores himself point-per-game numbers in 48 (14-34), but will ink with rivals, ERC Ingolstadt for 2024/2025 and likely do just as well.

With another 19 goals to his credit last season, he is easily wanted to return for a 3rd frame at Ingolstadt 2026/2027.

12th year center Robbie Czarnik(77) signs on for a 3rd tour with Ravensburg Towerstars after posting exactly 30 assists for a 2nd time and adding 15 goals with a +13 rating, then popped in another 10 points in 13 playoff games.

His 241 games in DEL2 mark the most in any league he’s played.

The 6′ 190 lbs. former Los Angeles Kings‘ 3rd round pick in the 2008 draft (#63 overall) has scored 120 goals and 145 assists with a +54 rating and a 2019 Championship in his 1st run with current club.

He was pretty much a similar sniper in the ECHL through 183 games.

The 32-year old from Detroit, MI, who played his college hockey for just two years at University Of Michigan Wolverines has to have a little smile on his face, seeing how smoothly things go.

He signs on for a 6th season in a Towerstars‘ jersey 2024/2025, where he recorded his 3rd straight 40+ point session.

Another 29 goals and 29 assists in 50 games and it’s another no-brainer to have him return as a 36-year old in a Towerstars‘ uniform.