Category: Free Agent Signing

18Sep

Spencer Knight (30)

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Florida Panthers‘ 1st round pick in the 2019 draft (#13 overall) goaltending wizard Spencer Knight(30) signs his 3-year entry level deal after only a 2 season stay with Boston College Eagles. where he went a phenomenal 39-12-3 record with a 2.05 GAA and .931 SV%, including 8 shutouts.

The fairly sizable 6’3″ 192 lbs. net minder has a collection of awards but maybe none better than the recent 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship gold medal earning.

He will turn just 20-years old soon but more importantly, now signed, where does he go?

The openings seem slim at the AHL, where the parent club is only riding along as their affiliate shut down operations during the pandemic, so maybe he’ll simply be an add to the taxi squad with the main group and go from there.

Before his entry level contract is up, they solidify him to stay with the Litter Cats going forward on a 3-year deal worth $4.5M AAV.

He plays a continuous workload of games with stellar results, but looking for a little more up front, he is traded to Chicago Blackhawks to start their rebuilding process and he starts with a 5-1 win to stake that claim.

In 15 games, he runs a 5-8-2 record and he is the future of their net minding, signing to a 3-year deal for worth $5.83M AAV to be a Blackhawks for the long run.

 

13Sep

Jackson Cates (63)

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Philadelphia Flyers undrafted free agent signing, center Jackson Cates(63) signed a two-year entry level contract after completing his third season at University Of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs, where he scored a college career high 11 goals and 16 assists for 27 points in 28 games with a +8 rating.

He was a freshman when the college team won their 2nd straight NCAA Championship in 2019.

The 6′ 190 lbs. forward played a pair of junior hockey seasons with the famed Waterloo Blackhawks and his 33 goals and 30 assists in year 2 got him voted USHL Forward Of The Year award.

He’s skated roughly 15 shifts for roughly 10 minutes of ice time a night, grabbing a first assist but is a -3 rating with 7 shots on net.

The 23-year old may be just getting started with his big league debut.

He would appear in 11 games, getting his first NHL goal and as a restricted free agent, finally gets his 1-year extension to continue to build.

A group 6 UFA upon exiting last season, he signs a pto with New York Islanders that we feel if doesn’t turn into a deal with the big club, will get him under terms with affiliate Bridgeport Islanders upon reporting to their camp.

He was actually never signed and then released after only 1 goal in 12 games to be offered the same look from Rockford IceHogs, where he scored 2 goals and 3 assists in 6 AHL games to earn a full contract for 2023/2024.

11 goals and 14 assists through 50 games with a -1 rating, gets him another look for 2024/2025 in an Icehogs‘ uni.

After a 64 game season, scoring decently, then contributing a little for the playoffs, he is retained on a new 1-year minor league deal to stay in Rockford.

07Sep

Brandon Yip (18)

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12th year right wing Brandon Yip(18) re-ups with Kunlun Red Star after taking a single COVID volatile season away, skating for Jukurit of Liiga.

It will be his 4th season with the team he served as team captain for the last couple years.

The 6’1″ 198 lbs. forward has played 174 NHL games, 103 in the AHL, 163 so far in the KHL, and a 2015 DEL Championship with Adler Mannheim, when he first arrived overseas.

He’s always been a decent scorer in these leagues but as a junior in the BCHL, he twice equaled more than point-per-game  totals in the 2 years with Coquitlam Express.

The Maple Ridge, BC native would take his game to Boston University Terriers next and strike for 22 assists as a rookie and put up 43 points (20-23) in 47 Hockey East games as a senior and help the team win the 2009 NCAA Championship.

You have to wonder if the 36-year old has it anywhere in his mind to retire soon.

He just can’t stop and returns for a 5th overall season with the China-based, Russia-league club.

Staying on as 2nd year captain, he only appears in 8 games for 2 assists.

After 347 KHL games and 7 years in the league for the newly named Shanghai Dragons, he at age 40 says it’s time to find something else for his ice time.

05Sep

Jeremy Welsh (15)

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14th year center Jeremy Welsh(15) stays put for 2025/2026, after scoring virtually point-per-game numbers in Erste Liga last season after signing with CSM Corona Brasov.

The 6’3″ 207 lbs. forward has played 27 NHL with 3 clubs, scoring 1 goal and 1 assist.

He did 4 years in DEL, 2 in the EIHL before coming here.

The 37-year old, former 3-year Union College Dutchmen goal scoring machine still grooves right along.

23Aug

John Stevens (16)

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5th year center John Stevens(16) has maybe started to find his footing with new team Abbottsford Canucks, scoring 3 goals and 3 assists in 22 AHL games.

He signed a one-year, two-way NHL deal with parent club, Vancouver Canucks after producing well for former affiliate Utica Comets in the weird 2020/2021 frame.

The 6’3″ 204 lbs. forward had his best season as a rookie with 19 points in 66 games for Bridgeport Sound Tigers, while under a 2-year entry level deal to New York Islanders.

He was a 3-time 20+ point player and once, as a junior 30+ for Northeastern University Huskies was maybe some of his highs, but we think the 27-year old is ready to start connecting at a higher clip.

We think the 27-year old scores an oddball recall in 2022 for his chance at the big league.

He may have not grabbed that recall, but he did run up a career best 19 goals and 24 assists with a +11 rating to secure a 2nd season under a major contract for the now 28-year old.

While he didn’t score a recall for his 6 goals and 13 assists in 43 games last season, he was still steady as she goes per usual on his playing style with a +5 rating to earn himself a 2-year minor league deal going forward.

After 4 seasons with Abbotsford Canucks and to win the 2025 Calder Cup, he is finally after 8 pro seasons heading off to try something new, signing in Liiga with Kiekko-Espoo for 2025/2026.

19Aug

Josh Jacobs (41)

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9th year defenseman Josh Jacobs(41) helps Chicago Wolves win the 2022 AHL Calder Cup, while under contract to Carolina Hurricanes and moves along to sign a new deal for 2022/2023 with 2022 Stanley Cup Champions, Colorado Avalanche, but will likely skate for affiliate Colorado Eagles.

The fairly sizable 6’2″ 220 lbs. blue liner had an interesting climb from 2 USHL seasons for Indiana Ice, including a 2014 Clark Cup Championship, followed by a year at home state Michigan State University Spartans, but traded that to skate a campaign further up north in the OHL with Sarnia Sting.

An unrestricted free agent, he signed a 3-year NHL entry level deal with New Jersey Devils to start his pro career and stayed in that system for 5 years.

He is very successful with his new club, hitting for 4 goals and 6 assists in 43 AHL games with a +10 ratings, then put up another 4 points in 7 matchups through the playoffs.

For 2023/2024, he scores himself a 1-year 2-way contract with St. Louis Blues that could heed some playing time, but mostly will skate the line for affiliate Springfield Thunderbirds.

He wasn’t able to add to his 341 games in the league due to an injury that sidelined him for the entire frame.

For 2024/2025, Laval Rocket takes a chance and signs him to a 1-year deal.

He only appears in 24 games, but scores 1 goal and 4 assists with a +3 rating and gets another 1-year deal to stay a Rocket for 2025/2026.

18Aug

Wayne Simpson (21)

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wayne-simpson

Providence Bruins‘ undrafted 4th year right wing Wayne Simpson(21) is having himself a career year and that’s after only being with the team on a pto to start.

Signed to an spc one month in, he already has 7 goals and 11 assists with a +10 rating in 22 AHL games, which is only one tally off his season high set last year with Portland Pirates and may even eclipse the 28 helpers he dished in 2015/2016.

The 5’11” 194 lbs. forward was a solid performer on the stat sheet in his final three years at Union College grabbing 30+ points per campaign and a pair of NCAA/ECAC Championships in 2012 and 2013.

He started his pro career with two seasons for South Carolina Stingrays playing 131 ECHL games, scoring 22 goals as a rookie and a best 39 assists, 55 points as a sophomore skater and a +19 rating.

In an almost unprecedented move, when postseason rolled around he blew the lid off the score sheet grabbing a league high 25 assists, 38 points and +20 rating losing the 2015 Kelly Cup Championship in game 7.

At 27-years old a guy that’s had to continuously prove himself and earn every inch he’s got looks to just be getting started and may even play his way into a first big league contract for 2017/2018.

After a 6th season with ERC Ingolstadt of continued scoring and some 276 games in DEL, he decides at age 35, it’s time to adopt a new role.

14Aug

Rocco Grimaldi (28)

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9th year right wing Rocco Grimaldi(28) was unable to chase down an NHL deal for 2022/2023, so has decided to sign a 1-year AHL deal with San Diego Gulls to keep his game going.

The small 5’6″ 160 lbs. forward surpasses the 300 games played mark in the league this season and is already on top of scoring with 6 goals and 11 assists in 15 games.

He once scored 30+ goals, once 20+ and 3 times 10+ and also struck for 10 goals in 2 seasons in the upper league and also had 21 assists in his best showing for Nashville Predators, where he spent 4 campaigns.

The 29-year old, 3-year University Of North Dakota Fighting Hawks may not be done, but we’re a little surprised the Anaheim, CA native hasn’t left for some overseas action in say Sweden, instead of playing kind of close to home.

After putting up point-per-game numbers for his current out of playoff contention team, he gets a trade to Rockford Icehogs, who are in a battle for the last spot in their division.

For his 10th season 2023/2024, he signs a 1-year contract with Chicago Wolves, which should be a lot of fun for him.

Despite running up point-per-game numbers with 73 of them, he signs only a pto with Cleveland Monsters for 2024/2025.

Well, after 6 goals and 17 assists in 15 games, as the team leading scorer, they grace the 31-year old with a 1-year contract.

In 66 games, he records a career high 41 assists, but will take his game elsewhere for a 1st time in his pro career, signing a 1-year deal with SKA St. Petersburg for 2025/2026.

13Aug

Chad Ruhwedel (5)

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11 year defenseman Chad Ruhwedel(5) finds himself in a new uniform for the 1st time in 8 seasons.

He has been with Pittsburgh Penguins, but was just moved for a 4th round draft pick to New York Rangers, who saw use for him as they look to make a deep run in the playoffs.

The 5’11” 182 lbs. blue liner originally made his debut under NHL contract with Buffalo Sabres, getting his feet wet with a few games.

He did 3 seasons at UMass Lowell Riverhawks after 2 USHL stints for Sioux Falls Stampede.

From all places, San Diego, CA, the 33-year old’s best season was post-COVID, when he notched 4 goals and 9 assists and he also won the 2017, when he 1st moved to his 2nd team.

He plays 5 games in a Blueshirts‘ jersey and they want him to return for a full frame in 2024/2025.

For a 2nd straight season, he plays 5 games with the big club and records an assist.

He is really strong with affiliate Hartford Wolf Pack, scoring 3 goals and 15 assists in 50 games with a +12 rating.

Well, let’s see: 369 NHL games, 261 in the AHL and 12 pro seasons with 1 Stanley Cup is a good run and the 35 year old is ready to find something new to do with his ice time.