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.
6th year defenseman Dan Renouf(77) circles back to sign with Detroit Red Wings, the team he played a first NHL game for in his rookie season, 2016/2017, and returns with 18 games experience in the big league and 3 assists.
He has appeared in 279 AHL games, netting 10 goals and 62 assists with a +44 rating, and won the 2017 and 2019 Calder Cup Championships, first with Grand Rapids Griffins, then Charlotte Checkers.
The former University Of Maine Black Bears‘ blue liner signed his entry level deal after his third year at school.
We think the 27-year old could be in line for more time in the show with his “new” club.
The Pickering, ON native maybe did come away with as many points as he would have liked last season, but his +14 rating of on ice accountability makes him a cinch to secure a deal and Boston Bruins take that bet, inking him to a 2-year, handsome payout 2-way contract through 2023/2024.
He looked good on the final year of his deal, scoring a career best 5 goals and 16 assists with new high +34 rating in 63 games.
For 2024/2025, he signs a 1-year minor league contract to join Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins for 2024/2025.
Providence College‘s undrafted, sophomore net minder Jaxson Stauber(30) picked up his 10th win of the season in a recent game vs. Northeastern University Huskies, 4-2.
The 6’3″ 175 lbs. goalie has posted a 11-7-5 record for 2020/2021 with 4 shutouts.
He spent two years with Sioux Falls Stampede and won the 2019 Clark Cup MVP honors with a 1.46 GAA and .941 SV@ and 11-1-0 record, then committed to Minnesota State University-Mankato started one game, won it, wasn’t getting enough ice time and went back to junior hockey.
After a 3rd stellar year in the USHL, the Wayzata, MN-native committed to attend college east and away from home.
As a still young 21-year old he’s definitely getting the looks and it will be interesting where his choice of school leads him.
He was even more stingy in his junior season than he was the year prior and has decided to sign a 2-year entry level deal with Chicago Blackhawks, foregoing his senior frame.
This does make sense for the now 22-year old.
He goes 5-1 in 6 NHL starts, but plays the lion share with affiliate Rockford Icehogs, then doesn’t receive a qualifying offer to continue.
Utah Hockey Club steps in to offer him a 1-year, 2-way deal for 2024/2025.
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.
10th year right wing Ryan Carpenter(22) circles back to the 1st team he signed with on the opening day of unrestricted free agency and played 1st NHL games with, San Jose Sharks.
The 32-year old played the majority of his games last season in the AHL with Hartford Wolf Pack, while under contract to New York Rangers, putting together a career best 21 goals and 44 points.
For 5 seasons the twice captain of Bowling Green State University Falcons only played games in the big league, amassing 330 to date and 257 in the minors.
It will be interesting to see where the 6’1″ 198 lbs. forward settles next season, but an interesting fact, he is a +51 rating at the lower level, but -32 when up.
We do think he however contributes with the big club next season.
He was mostly up through 62 games, scoring 5 goals and 7 assists, but a bit of a terrible -16 on a not so great team.
For 2024/2025, he signs a 1st minor league contract since turning pro 11 years ago and will skate for a team he’s likely pretty familiar with, San Diego Gulls in 2024/2025.
Buffalo Sabres‘ 3rd round pick in the 2016 draft (#86 overall), defenseman Casey Fitzgerald(4) scores a 1st NHL recall and skates a full slate of 27 shifts for 16:42 of ice time and was busy with 2 shots, 5 hits, 2 takeaways, an assist and 5 minutes for fighting, but leaves an overtime loss with a +1 rating.
The 5’11” 181 lbs., former two-time Boston College Eagles‘ captain was never exactly the biggest scorer at school, but did pocket 17 goals and 65 assists in 151 NCAA Division 1 games with a very accountable +26 rating.
He may not reach almost 1100 games in the big league like his New Jersey Devils’ General Manager dad, Tom Fitzgerald, but he still should be able to knock out a formidable career.
After 23 games with 3 assists and a -1 rating, he gets put on waivers to be reassigned, but Florida Panthers swoop in, seeing something in his game they want and claim his rights.
We can only watch to see how he fits into their lineup.
He only plays 4 games with the Cats, then 2 in the playoffs, but not good for any points.
They see something they can potentially use to move forward and sign him to a 1-year, 2-way deal in 2023/2024.
Reassigned for the entire frame to the affiliate, Charlotte Checkers, he does decently and is a very accountable +22 rating to pull down a new 2-year, 1-way in the 2nd contract with New York Rangers that may get him some playing time, but mostly he will be pivotal with Hartford Wolf Pack.
8th year defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere(41) leaves Philadelphia Flyers‘ nest for a 1st time, after 381 NHL games, scoring 60 goals and 159 assists.
The generously listed at 5’11” 180 lbs. blue liner was traded to Arizona Coyotes, as he still has two years left on his 6-year deal signed in 2017.
He has been always known to put up a lot of assists, culminating in his 4th season, where he had 52 helpers.
The 28-year old’s offense has ticked down in the last couple campaigns, but on this new team that has legs, we could see it move back up.
After a couple of trying years in the desert, the former 3-year Union College Bobcats gets himself a trade to a Stanley Cup contender for 2023, Carolina Hurricanes.
We are maybe a little surprised the unrestricted free agent didn’t sign to stay on, but jumps for a little more money than his last deal on a 1-year term for $4.125M with the constantly rebuilding Detroit Red Wings.
Well, looks like he heads back to Carolina on a 3-year, $3.2M AAV deal after posting a 2nd highest assist total at 46 last season.
Unrestricted 5th year free agent left wing Cameron Hughes(24) signs a 2-year 2-way deal with Seattle Kracken, getting him slightly closer to his Edmonton, AB home.
Originally a Boston Bruins‘ 6th round pick in the 2015 draft (#165 overall), he was with them through four seasons, scoring a career high 14 goals and 31 assists in 59 AHL games, serving as assistant captain for affiliate Providence Bruins last session.
The 5’11” 181 lbs. forward was senior captain at University Of Wisconsin Badgers, where he tallied 20+ assists as a sophomore and junior.
At just 25-years old with 2 games NHL experience to his resume, he could just be starting to come of age.
He blows up scoring with new career highs in goals, points and plus/minus rating for the affiliate Coachella Valley Firebirds, helping them to the Calder Cup Finals both seasons.
An unrestricted free agent, he signs a 1-year, 2-way deal with Dallas Stars, likely spotting a hole for some play at the higher level.
Columbus Blue Jackets‘ signed 3rd year Clarkson University center Josh Dunne(41) to his two-year entry level deal and was assigned to affiliate Cleveland Monsters scoring his 1st pro AHL goal in his 5 appearance.
The big 6’4″ 209 lbs. forward was an unrestricted free agent, leaving school after scoring 29 goals and 26 assists for 55 points with a +9 rating.
He spent three years with Green Bay Gamblers grabbing 74 points in 140 USHL games and close to point per game production in his final campaign before committing to school.
It may take him a little time in the minors, but if he can start more that frame around the net for scoring chances, look for him to get the nod to move up.
He’s working his game in the minors, but this last playoffs, he achieved something scoring he hadn’t yet: 7 goals and 4 assists in 14 games with a +7 rating has given Buffalo Sabres reason to offer him a 2-year, 2-way deal.
9th year net minder Troy Grosenick(31) signs a 1-year, 2-way contract early in unrestricted free agency with Boston Bruins.
The 6’1″ 195 lbs. goalie has been under contract with 7 NHL teams, but oddly is only credited with 4 big league games, 2 with first club deal, San Jose Sharks and 2 last season under contract with Los Angeles Kings.
His numbers going back to a pair of years at junior hockey through 3 being ultra stingy at Union College Dutchmen and 258 AHL starts have been solidly good.
The crease where he’s heading is maybe a big crowded but he could potentially see another game in the show 2021/2022.
After limited use last frame in Philadelphia Flyers‘ system with Lehigh Valley Phantoms, he finds a really good one for himself moving forward, a 1-year deal with a team he’s familiar with Nashville Predators that looks to have him train the youngsters with affiliate Milwaukee Admirals in 2023/2024, only 4 years removed from the last time here.
Next, he heads to Minnesota Wild for a 1st time and is already said to report to affiliate Iowa Wild, where he will be a valuable help.
