Category: Free Agent Signing

11Oct

Casey Bailey (93)

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7th year right wing Casey Bailey(93) re-signs with Iserlohn Roosters after putting up a 2nd 40+ point season.

The 6’3″ 194 lbs forward has twice earlier hit the 40+ mark, first as a junior at Penn State University Nittany Lions, then as a 3rd year AHL player for Bridgeport Sound Tigers.

At 30-year old, the Anchorage, AK native is definitely still hitting the ice hard.

After a 3rd season with the same club, putting up 39 points in his last frame, he signs for 2023/2024 with DEL rivals ERC Ingolstadt.

He leaves 4 years in the league for some new waters, signing with the famous Graz99ers of IceHL, which should be a good country for him to play in.

Through 46 games, he scores 15 goals and 12 assists, so does alright, but decides to come back and play a little closer to home, signing with Tahoe Knight Monsters for 2025/2026.

10Oct

Daniel O’Regan (11)

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6th year German-born center Daniel O’Regan(11) gets a new 1-year, 2-way deal from Anaheim Ducks for 2021/2022.

The unrestricted free agent signed a 1-year deal with Vegas Golden Knights last season and put up point-per-game numbers for affiliate Henderson Silver Knights.

Originally a San Jose Sharks‘ 5th round pick in the 2012 draft (#138 overall), he’s been a prolific scorer since he arrived to ultimate graduate St. Sebastian’s School before committing to 4 years at Boston University Terriers, where he scored 154 points (66-88) in 154 Hockey East games.

His dad Tom O’Regan took a similar path through school.

The 27-year old will likely be pivotal to affiliate San Diego Gulls‘ success.

Mid-season he is moved to Grand Rapids Griffins and his scoring takes flight with 14 goals and 17 assists in 39 games.

For 2023/2024, he will take his 1 NHL goal to a new adventure, signing with MoDo Hockey and we think he finds comfort in scoring in the SHL.

He scores just 4 goals and 8 assists in 34 games with a -9 rating, but Kunlun Red Star see something and sign him to a 1-year KHL deal for 2024/2025.

Through 65 games, he scores pretty well, but lacks some on-ice accountability and next decides to head to DEL, where he signs with Schwenninger Wild Wings for 2025/2026.

09Oct

Brian O’Neill (91)

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13th year center Brian O’Neill(91) will skate the SHL for his 1st season, signing with Lulea HF for 2024/2025 after 2 NL frames for EV Zug.

Upon leaving North American pro hockey, the 5’9″ 172 lbs. forward spent 6 years in the KHL for Jokerit.

Undrafted, he played his 1st 3 seasons in Los Angeles Kings‘ system, winning the 2015 Calder Cup with affiliate Manchester Monarchs, getting voted MVP amongst other awards.

He would next be traded to New Jersey Devils, scoring 22 NHL games, getting 2 assists.

The 2-time Yale University Bulldogs‘ 20-goal scorer and 3-time 20+ assists for the former captain did 1 USHL year Chicago Steel before school.

We think the 35-year old still has some hockey to prove.

Off to a hot start in 2025/2026, he is rewarded with a 3-year deal to stay with Lulea HF.

30Sep

Anthony Stolarz (41)

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10th year net minder Anthony Stolarz(41) gets a 1-year NHL deal with Florida Panthers worth $1.1M AAV after spending the last 4 in Anaheim Ducks‘ system.

Originally a Philadelphia Flyers‘ 2nd round pick in the 2013 draft (#45 overall), he spent the 1st 5 years of his pro career with them.

The huge 6’6″ 243 lbs. goalie played 8 games at University Of Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks before leaving to join London Knights for 2 seasons, winning the 2013 OHL Championship in his 1st after coming from college.

At 29-years old, he will likely see more action in the show, but also will help train the youngsters in the system.

In 27 games for his new team as primary backup, he comes away with some pretty outstanding numbers to help the team win the 2024 Stanley Cup.

An unrestricted free agent, Toronto Maple Leafs are interested and agree to terms on 2 years for $2.5M AAV.

He posts a pretty outstanding frame, despite going through some knee problems to earn himself a new 4-year deal that starts 2026/2027 for $3.75M AAV to stay in the Leafs‘ net long-term.

27Sep

Travis Mitchell (10)

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Cornell University Big Red senior captain, defenseman Travis Mitchell(10) signs a 2-year NHL entry level deal with New York Islanders as an undrafted, unrestricted free agent.

He’s big at 6’3″ 201 lbs and can put up assists in a decent manner, getting 13 assists in his last two frames and 6 goals last season for a college career best 19 points.

The South Lyon, MI native skated 3 USHL campaigns, most of 2 for Omaha Lancers amassing 26 assists in his last session.

He played a 2nd season with affiliate Bridgeport Islanders and had a best 4 goals and 9 assists to earn another 1-year deal to stay in Islanders‘ system.

26Sep

Riley Nash (20)

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12th year unrestricted free agent center Riley Nash(20) picks up a 1-year deal at the minimum with Winnipeg Jets for 2021/2022.

He was coming off a good money deal, but terrible fit with Columbus Blue Jackets that was eventually rolled to Toronto Maple Leafs for no games played.

A former Edmonton Oilers‘ 1st round pick in the 2007 draft (#21 overall), he’s never quick displayed the offensive finesse he did in 2 seasons with Thompson Blazer U18 AAA, then 1 season for Salmon Arms Silverbacks, scoring 38 goals and 46 assists in 55 BCHL games before heading to Cornell University Big Red.

The 6’2″ 188 lbs. forward is a veteran of 578 NHL games, 63 goals, 109 assists with his best outing coming in the 2nd year of his 2-year deal with Boston Bruins, and he somehow tipped in career highs 15 goals and 26 assists with a +16 rating to earn him that 3-year deal with the Ohio club.

At 32-years old, we got to think he’s pretty happy just getting a contract and who knows what he’s still capable of putting together.

For 2022/2023, he will return on a 2-year AHL deal to where it all started 13 years ago in 2010 with Charlotte Checkers, and will likely be one of the happiest guys in the locker room (and a true leader).

His 1st time back in forever and he lights it up big with an easy minor league career best 24 goals and 35 assists.

For 2023/2024, he makes maybe a little of a strategic decision, signing for 2-year 2-way the 2nd campaign with New York Rangers.

He plays 41 games in the minors, scoring well, then shows nice increases in the Calder Cup playoffs, but sits for all of the 2nd year of his deal and after 628 NHL and 312 in the A, at 36-years old enough is enough due to nagging concussion issues.

We see what awaits him next.

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.