12th year center Jayson Megna(20) gets maybe the ultimate deal for himself, signing a 1-year, 2-way contract with Boston Bruins for 2023/2024.
The 6’1″ 195 lbs. undrafted forward spent most of last season after being claimed off waivers by Anaheim Ducks , scoring a new best 6 assists, following almost 4 campaigns with Colorado Avalanche, but was being reassigned to affiliate Colorado Eagles, where he played most of his games in the system.
He has twice had 20+ goals, 3 times 10+ and 3 times 20+ assists in the AHL.
We potentially expect the 33-year old, 1-year University Of Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks from Fort Lauderdale, FL to hold down 4th line duties for his new club and not be reassigned to the minors.
He actually only has 1 game up in the NHL, but comes away with scoring bests for his new team with 37 assists and 56 points.
At 34 years old, he is heading back, where he is likely most comfortable, signing a 2-year pact with Colorado Eagles.
Former AIC captain, undrafted defenseman Brennan Kapcheck(5) graduates and signs and 2-year AHL deal with Toronto Marlies to get his pro career started.
The small 5’9″ 170 lbs. defenseman is very mobile and knows how to move and head man the puck.
He may have failed to tally a goal in this last frame but did put up 18 assists, which basically gave him an average of 20 helpers per season throughout his college career with a combined +41 rating.
The Illinois native can also score goals, as he did in his second session with Aston Rebels of the NAHL, where he struck for 17 goals and left the program with a huge +59.
There’s a lot of upside to this young signing, who should be able to contribute positively right away.
To start 2023/2024, he started in Slovakia Extraliga with HKM Zvolen, but through 10 games only recorded 1 assist and returns under contract to the only ECHL team he has played games for, Newfoundland Growlers, where he had 25 assists last season.
After 34 games, the team collapses and he waits to sign his next contract.
The new Tahoe Knight Monsters sign him up for 2024/2025.
Minnesota Wild 7th year center Steven Fogarty(29) signed a 2-year deal to come “home” as he is a native of right up the road, Edina, MN.
He has managed to skate NHL games in the last 6 seasons, but only scored 1 goal and 2 assists with Buffalo Sabres.
The 6’3″ 205 lbs. former New York Rangers‘ 3rd round pick in the 2011 draft (#72 overall), he off to a nice start with affiliate Iowa Wild, scoring 5 goals and 9 assists in 20 AHL games with a +7 rating.
A 2-year captain at University Of Notre Dame Fighting Irish, the 29-year old always looks to be a leader in the locker room.
After his 8th pro season, 464 AHL games, 31 NHL and the all important 1st goal and 150 NCAA, he decides that’s enough and call it quits.
We could see him starting to coach somewhere this season.
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.
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.
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.
