Category: Free Agent Signing

24Jul

Garnet Hathaway (19)

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10th year right wing Garnet Hathaway(19) didn’t much of a pay boost after signing the 4-year with Washington Capitals worth some $6M total, but he gets 1 on a 2-year deal with Philadelphia Flyers worth $2.375M AAV after a spectacular 25-game effort in a Boston Bruins‘ uniform after a trade sent him there.

The fairly big 6’3″ 207 lbs. forward 1st signed an AHL contract with Adirondack Flames for his rookie season and did well enough to catch the radar of the parent club, Calgary Flames, who signed him to a 2-year entry level deal.

He was in their system for 4 years.

The 31-year old, Brown University Bears‘ graduate from Naples, FL should work harder, but find space to score with his new team.

Doing decently for his new club, he gets 2 more years in a Flyers‘ uniform to continue his game.

23Jul

Jeff Malott (39)

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We need to congratulate former Cornell University Big Red‘ captain Jeff Malott(39) on scoring a one-year two-way NHL deal from Winnipeg Jets for 2021/2022 after potting 14 goals and 6 assists, including 1 game-winner and 4 on the power-play in 34 AHL games with affiliate Manitoba Moose.

The big 6’3″ 204 lbs. left wing may just play his way onto the parents’ club radar as a sophomore skater and is easily headed in the right direction.

He’ll remember the date: 3/20-2022. He makes his big league debut skating a conservative 8 shifts for 4:06 ice time with 3 hits and 2 penalty minutes in a 6-4 victory.

Nice start.

After blowing out his rookie season scoring with 23 goals and 18 assists in 62 games with a +11 rating, then getting another tally in 5 playoff games, earns the 25-year old a new 2-year deal to stay.

He would score a career high 30 assists and 52 points in 70 games and signs a new 2-year deal with Los Angeles Kings, who could give him his 1st looks in the big league.

22Jul

Austin Czarnik (27)

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7th year center Austin Czarnik(27) gets a new lease on pro hockey life as he’s claimed off waivers by Seattle Kracken, when he was to be reassigned back to Bridgeport Islanders from New York Islanders after 11 NHL games, scoring 2 goals and 3 assists with a +5 rating.

The small 5’9″ 175 lbs. veteran of 209 AHL had 15 points in 20 games with the affiliate this season.

He averaged 40 point campaigns at four years of Miami University (Ohio) Redhawks and was twice captain as a junior and senior.

The 29-year old Washington Township, MI native will likely get another chance to shine with his new club and is set to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the current session.

Barely a month in, after 6 games with his new club and a pair of assists, he was once again to be sent to the minors, but the Islanders have stepped back in and said, hope you didn’t sell you’re Long Island home yet, because…you’re back.

He would finish up the year a point-per-game guy, appeared in 11 more games with the big club, scoring 2 goals and 3 assists with a +5 rating.

An unrestricted free agent, Detroit Red Wings sees something in his game that could help out their club and inks him for 2-years on a very healthy 2-way deal.

For a 1st time in his career, he will take his game to a new place overseas, NL and signs with SC Bern for 2024/2025, where we are sure he will yield some great results for himself.

22Jul

John Marino (5)

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New Jersey Devils‘ 4th year defenseman John Marino(5) was involved in a trade that sent him to the team from 3-year club Pittsburgh Penguins, where he twice notched 20+ assists, with a career high 24 last season.

The 6’1″ 181 lbs. blue liner is on the hook for another 5-years for the 6-year deal he signed a year and a half ago worth an average of $4.4M AAV through 2026/2027.

Originally an Edmonton Oilers‘ 6th round pick in the 2015 draft (#154 overall), but somewhat oddly traded before he ever got started.

The North Easton, MA native spent 3 years at nearby Harvard University Crimson, amassing an amazing +/- numbers before turning pro.

6th year d-man becomes the #1 for the new Utah Hockey Club, who pick him up for some draft options and he gets a 3-year deal moving forward.

16Jul

Teddy Blueger (53)

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7th year, Latvian center Teddy Blueger(53) gets a trade from 2nd round draft club Pittsburgh Penguins, where he played his 1st 250 NHL games and 179 in the AHL.

The 6′ 185 lbs. forward was showing disintegrating numbers in the current frame, probably leading to his relocation to Vegas Golden Knights, but may have found a bit of a gem to get dealt to.

He’s twice a 20+ goal scorer in the minors and worth 10+ assists 3 going on 4 times in the big league.

The Minnesota State University-Mankato Mavericks‘ 4-year played was good for 10+ goals twice and 20+ assists twice.

At 28-years old, it’s probably nice for him to get a new start.

He starts to ignite his scoring some, submitting for 2 goals and 4 assists in 18 games, then adding another 2 points in 6 playoff matchups, en route to a 2023 Stanley Cup Championship.

He gets his name etched on the trophy and is an unrestricted free agent signs a 1-year deal with the rebuilding forever Vancouver Canucks worth some $1.9M AAV.

Scoring a new best 22 assists and career tying 28 points, he is rewarded to stay in a Canucks‘ jersey for 2 more seasons at $1.8M AAV.

06Jul

Mason Jobst (26)

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4th year center Mason Jobst(26) circles back to re-sign for 2022/2023 with the team he originally inked last season with, Rochester Americans before being dealt late to San Jose Barracuda.

The 5’8″ 185 lbs. forward had a career tying 5 goals and best 10 assists and 15 points in 2021/2022, but could bring his on ice accountability up a bit.

He averaged 40+ points per frame in 4 years, twice captain at Ohio State University Buckeyes, so can definitely put up stats.

Almost oddly he didn’t strike as much until his 3rd year of juniors with Muskegon Lumberjacks.

We look for the 28-year old from Speedway, IN to have a career best session and potentially move on, but we shall see.

He scores a career best 22 goals and 28 assists in 64 games with some good playoff points to add and earns a 1-year, 2-way deal from Buffalo Sabres to continue, his 1st NHL deal in 5 seasons.

We also have to think he’s on a bit of a short list for a recall from the Amerks.

06Jul

A.J. Greer (10)

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7th year left wing A.J. Greer(10) hits the jackpot, signing his 1st 2-year 1-way NHL contract through 2023/2024 after posting a career high 22 goals and 30 assists in 53 AHL games with a +10 rating for Utica Comets, while signed to New Jersey Devils.

He played 9 games in the big league last season, striking for a goal and an assist.

The Joliette, QC native came down and looked to go the college route, attending USHS-Prep, but after a year and a half at Boston University Terriers, left to join Rouyn-Noranda Huskies, wracking up points en route to the 2016 QMJHL Championship.

Almost oddly, he was a Colorado Avalanche 4th round pick in the 2015 draft, chosen after his 1st year of college hockey, where he scored 3 goals and 4 assists in 37 games that they must’ve seen something there.

He played 37 games in the big league with the team, getting a goal and 5 assists.

Still super-young at 25-years old, he is maybe starting to just arrive.

He’s become like the new 4th line bandit, playing 61 games with Boston Bruins, then 59 for Calgary Flames, who claimed him off waivers, and he finally receives a 2-year deal to prove his game as he next heads to 2024 Stanley Cup Champions, Florida Panthers.

In 2024, he also became a BU graduate student.

01Jul

Sam Lafferty (18)

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4th year center Sam Lafferty(18) gets a new start, as he is traded to Chicago Blackhawks from draft club, Pittsburgh Penguins (4th round, 2014, #113 overall) after appearing in only 10 NHL games with two assists and a 0 rating.

The former Brown University Bears‘ forward will likely find more room to continue to develop his game.

He has 94 games to his credit, scoring 6 goals and 15 assists.

The 26-year old is fairly prolific in the minors with 17 goals and 38 assists through 85 AHL games.

If he can catch on with his new team, there’s little doubt he’ll earn a new contract, but if that doesn’t happen, we expect him to pick up and leave for overseas.

After a solid 2021/2022 season, scoring 5 goals and 6 assists in 46 games, he picks himself up a healthy 2-year extension to continue.

He actually takes a trade travel path from scoring a best 10 goals and 11 assists in 53 games to being dealt to Toronto Maple Leafs near the end of that campaign, where he did ok in just 19 games, then 9 in the playoffs.

In the offseason, the unrestricted free agent signs with Vancouver Canucks and this turns out to be pretty successful with a new best 13 goals and 24 points in 79 games with a +4 rating.

He will need a new contract, but he returns to the Blackhawks in yet another transaction for the Hollidaysburg, PA native.

Buffalo Sabres step in and offer him 2 years for $2M AAV and he accepts.

He was maybe a bit off step with only 4 goals and 3 assists on a pretty horrible team and Chicago Blackhawks trade for him to hopefully spark a reignite in their fortunes.

27Jun

Andrew Rowe (19)

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13th year center Andrew Rowe(19) has spent the last 4 seasons skating for SC Rapperswill-Jona Lakers of NL, a team he served as team captain of the past 3 sessions.

The 6’2″ 185 lbs. forward started with two season in the SHL for Mora IK upon leaving on his best AHL numbers, 13 goals and 23 assists in 66 games for Bridgeport Sound Tigers.

He has 206 appearances in the league to his credit and 214 in the ECHL with point-per-game numbers.

The 34-year old, former 3-year Michigan State University Spartans is likely happy to still be pulling in good contracts.

After playing hockey for the last 4 years in one away from home country, he has decided to switch things up and head to DEL for his next experience with ERC Ingolstadt in 2023/2024.

He will only spend 1 frame in Germany, as he is maybe unhappy with his performance and makes a great move to skate next in the IceHL and signs with the famous EC Red Bull Salzburg for 2024/2025.

26Jun

Ben Smith (12)

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EHC Red Bull München‘ 4th year center Ben Smith(12) re-ups after a 3rd 15+ assist season with a monster +61 rating.

It’s the 5’11” 203 lbs. forward’s 15th pro year.

A former Boston College Eagles‘ assistant captain, he twice had 20+ assists in college hockey, yet played no junior hockey after Westminster Prep USHS-Prep.

He was a Chicago Blackhawks‘ 6th round pick in the 2008 draft (#169 overall).

The Winston-Salem, NC native has 237 NHL games experience.

At 35-years old, he seems well happy playing his game in Germany.