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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
16th year left wing Ryan Stoa(13) re-signs with Nurnberg Ice Tigers for a 4th season, where 3 times he has scored 10+ goals in a season.
The one-time University Of Minnesota Golden Gophers‘ senior captain, 40+ point player has done quite well overseas with 6 KHL campaigns and 3 in the SHL before heading to Germany.
Originally a Colorado Avalanche 2nd round pick in the 2005 draft (#34 overall), he has skated 40 NHL games, scoring 4 goals and 3 assists, but has 290 AHL games of experience.
The 6’3″ 223 lbs. from Bloomington, MN did 2 junior seasons with the USNTDP.
At 37-years old, he’s still having fun out there to sign.
12th year, small 5’9″ 161 lbs. defenseman Chay Genoway(39) maybe wants to take the edge off playing for big squads in the KHL or SHL, as he’s been doing for the past 8 seasons.
For 2022/2023, he has signed with EC Salzburg of ICEHL and will definitely find some room to score big in Austria’s top hockey league.
In fact, in his 1st 2 games, the former University Of North Dakota Fighting Hawks already has a goal and an assist.
Undrafted, he signed an entry level deal with Minnesota Wild, yet only skated 1 NHL game at the end of his rookie season, coming away with an assist.
The 35-year old from Morden, MB is likely still just having too much fun playing the game to quit.
He posts 10 goals and 17 assists in 45 games, then adds another 8 points in 16 playoff matchups en route to the 2023 ICEHL Championship to earn himself another year on the now 36-year old’s contract.
At 37-years of age, he continues to contribute for a 2nd league title in a row and he is to be kept on in a Red Bulls‘ uniform for a 3rd straight year, 2024/2025 (and another championship).
University Of Maine Black Bears‘ Swedish-born, senior net minder Victor Ostman(35) gets himself a nice 2-year NHL entry level contract from Seattle Kracken.
The big 6’4″ 205 lbs. goalie had his best college season record last year with a 13-6-1 mark, but his junior stats at 2.21 GAA and .918 SV% in 33 starts were highs.
He came over for 1 USHL season with Chicago Steel.
The 23-year old reported to affiliate Coachella Valley Firebirds, but has yet to appear in the playoffs.
