Boston Bruins‘ 11th year, former 2-year University Of Wisconsin Badgers‘ captain, center Craig Smith(12) has twice accumulated 50+ points, once 40+, 5 time 30+ including 32 last season, his first with his new NHL team after 9 for draft club Nashville Predators (4th round 2009, #98 overall).
The 6′ 207 lbs. power forward is in the 2nd year of a 3-year deal he signed in unrestricted free agency and the relationship has certainly been a healthy one.
A bit hard to believe the 32-year old skated 3 seasons for Waterloo Blackhawks, blowing the lid off scoring and getting everyone’s attention in that final frame.
It’s got to be nice still getting really good deals.
Traded to Washington Capitals as his contract was set to expire, he went to a non-playoff team, but fit in decently, getting 5 goals and an assist in 22 games with a +1 rating to grab a new deal from Dallas Stars worth $800,000 AAV with a $200,000 signing bonus.
Good beans.
Philadelphia Flyers‘ 8th year center Patrick Brown(38) signed a two-year one-way deal with Vegas Golden Knights after participating in their taxi squad for most of 2020/2021, while serving as captain of affiliate Henderson Silver Knights, but participating in only 9 AHL games with booming numbers.
He was scooped off waivers and has played a pair of NHL starts with his new team.
Will be interesting to see what happens if the former Boston College Eagles‘ senior captain gets released, but chances are decent on his contract could report to Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
The 5’11” 214 lbs. forward needs to step it up to stay, no doubt.
He actually did and spent all of his time with the big club, skating 87 games before a trade sent him up to Ottawa Senators, where his fortunes seemed to change slightly for the better.
In 18 games, he had 2 goals and 3 assists with a +4 rating on a non-playoff team.
Boston Bruins step in on opening day of free agency and welcome him back to his college home for a 2-year deal worth a tidy $800,000 AAV.
9th year center Carter Rowney(24) waits fairly deep into unrestricted free agency after a down season hampered by injury and the last of his 3-year deal with Anaheim Ducks for a new 1-year contract to Detroit Red Wings in 2021/2022.
The 6’1″ 208 lbs. forward started his 1st three seasons on AHL deals with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, where he was almost literally climbing the ranks.
By his 3rd year the former University Of North Dakota Fighting Hawks‘ 4-year skater was 100% with the team and took his scoring up to a new level with 24 goals and 32 assists with a +23 rating, then added another 12 points (4-8) in 10 playoff contests.
This earned him his first NHL contract with Pittsburgh Penguins, where you split time during the season between the two leagues, but were mostly up near the end and figured in 20 playoff games, scoring 3 assists and a +3 rating on the way to the 2017 Stanley Cup Championship.
An unrestricted free agent going into the next frame, he signed his three year deal worth $1.133,333 AAV.
Other than last season’s bit of a fiasco, he’s a pretty decent scorer, who earn the money he was getting on a team almost in constant rebuild.
The 32-year old should find good space with his new team to be a contributor on the scoresheet.
For his 10th season, he leaves for Germany’s top league DEL and signs for 2022/2023 with Lowen Franfort, already putting up 2 assists in his debut game.
Through 55 games, he had a career best 37 assists and 58 points to earn him easily another year to stay German.
11th defenseman Mark Borowiecki(90) is in the 2nd year of his deal he signed as an unrestricted free agent with Nashville Predators after spending his first 375 NHL games with draft club Ottawa Senators (5th round, 2008, #139 overall).
Through 40 games in the current frame, the 6’2″ 204 lbs. blue liner has a pair of assists and is a +2 rating to earn a midseason 1-year extension worth $900K AAV to stay on in music city.
The Ottawa native attended Clarkson University Golden Knights for 3 seasons, including serving as captain in his junior year.
He was a huge part of Binghamton Senators’ 2011 Calder Cup Championship after finishing up school and signing an entry level contract.
The 32-year old has to wearing a huge smile on his face looking back over his huge career.
Limited to only 4 games last season, he has to rethink his position moving forward and decides it’s time to leave the game for a different look and quickly is hired up by his last team to become NHL Pro Development Coach, a role he will be perfect in.
After getting scooped off waivers from Boston Bruins, Seattle Kracken‘s 5th year center Karson Kuhlman(25) re-ups to stay a full season after scoring career bests 6 assists and 8 points in 25 games for his new club.
He finished last season having appeared in his 100th NHL game, scoring 9 goals and 14 assists with a 0 rating.
The 5’10” 190 lbs. forward was a twice 10+ goal scorer at University Of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs and team captain as a senior.
From Esko, MN, the just turned 27-year old may be starting to arrive.
Not sure what his team was thinking putting him on waivers to not be claimed with his easily digestible contract, and Winnipeg Jets step in and claim his rights.
He would get 2 goals and 2 assists in 33 games, but as an unrestricted free agent he is able to look around and sees a 1-year deal from New York Islanders to come back east that appeals to him for 2023/2024.
Boston Bruins‘ unrestricted free agent signing, consecutive NCAA Division 1 Champion, University Of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs in 2018 and 2019, but was unavailable due to COVID shutting down hockey to finish 2020, defenseman Nick Wolff(65) signed a 1-year entry level deal just as the season was going belly up.
The Minnesota native who stands at a gigantic 6’5″ 224 lbs. was captain in his final year at college hockey.
Never the biggest scorer he finished up his senior year with 10 assists in 33 games.
He started his first pro season by heading over to Slovakia‘s top league joining DVTK Jegesvedmek and sort of came alive a little with 3 goals and 2 assists in 18 games.
The 24-year old has two assists in 24 AHL games on reassignment with Providence Bruins but we’re betting that as his career goes, goals are going to start to go with it.
For 2021/2022, he was fairly quickly retained on a 1-year 2-way deal, which we think could be counted as his rookie campaign.
He is currently in contract club, Black & Gold training camp.
After coming away from last season with 8 assists in 32 games with a +7 rating and adding his 1st league goal in 2 playoff appearances, he signs for 2022/2023 on another one year, two-way NHL deal.
Almost 3 years with one club out of college and it’s time to move on for the Eagan, MN native, who signs for 2023/2024 with San Diego Gulls, who could definitely use him to sure up their zone.
9th year right wing Josh Archibald(15) circles back to the team that drafted him in the 6th round of 2011 (#174 overall), Pittsburgh Penguins to sign a 1-year NHL deal for 2022/2023.
The 5’10” 176 lbs. oddly played his fewest games with the team he 1st skated for before being traded to Arizona Coyotes, where he finished playing 39 games, his rookie season 4 years into his playing career.
He would next sign a 1-year deal with Edmonton Oilers, where he was decent enough with 12 goals to keep on board for another two years, but in the 2nd year of that contract came down with a weird heart condition that sidelined him until the playoffs, where he returned for 13 games, recording an assist.
The 29-year old, former University Of Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks from Regina, SK will likely find some room to possible put up some career numbers.
Through 62 games, he scores 6 goals and 6 assists with a +6 rating, but as an unrestricted free agent looks around to find a 2-year deal with Tampa Bay Lightning to hopefully increase those numbers.
Unrestricted 4th year, free agent center Ryan Donato(9) picks up a 1-way NHL at the league minimum to start skating with Seattle Kracken 2021/2022.
The 6′ 192 lbs. forward had a career high 14 assists in 2020/2021 for San Jose Sharks, but was not given a qualifying offer to stay.
Originally a Boston Bruins‘ 2nd round draft pick in the 2014 draft (#56 overall), he left Harvard University Crimson after 3 years to sign his entry level contract.
He played only a short time in junior hockey after graduating Dexter Southfield School, originally joining USPHL Premiere South Shore Kings before moving along to 4 games with the US National U18 Team and finally 8 contests in the USHL for Omaha Lancers, scoring 5 goals and 5 assists, then adding another tally in 3 playoff games.
The Scituate, MA native was traded during his rookie season to Minnesota Wild, where he really seemed to gel, but was traded as the new season approached.
Old enough to know the league pretty well at this point, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the 25-year old connects in a new environment.
After playing a career high 74 games, he scores a new best 16 goals and 15 assists, but is left unsigned at the beginning of free agency to negotiate his comeback: 1-year, $1.2M AAV for 2022/2023 and he will try to add to his totals on what’s definitely going to be a better 2nd year team.
He finds success in his 2nd frame in the Pacific Northwest, but is a free agent and heads off to the big rebuilding rink in the sky, signing through 2024/2025 for $2M AAV with Chicago Blackhawks.
8th year right wing Noel Acciari(52) inked a 1-year, 1-way deal with St. Louis Blues shortly into unrestricted free agency, following 3 successful campaigns for Florida Panthers.
Undrafted he was initially signed by Boston Bruins after winning the 2015 NCAA Division 1 Championship with Providence College Friars.
The 5’10” 209 lbs. forward has never really been a big scorer, but did pot 20 in his 1st season in the sunshine state.
He currently has 11, including 1 in his 2nd game with new team Toronto Maple Leafs after a recent trade sent him north.
The 31-year is a free agent at the end of the current frame, but we think he inks for 1 or 2 more to stay, as he was sought.
He actually jumps ship for a smart, nice 3-year deal with Pittsburgh Penguins to the tune of $2M AAV.
New Jersey Devils‘ 4th round pick in the 2013 draft (#100 overall), 7th year left wing Miles Wood(44) signs to stay on for 2022/2023 avoiding arbitration after suffering hip surgery last season that left him almost completely off the calendar, skating only 3 NHL games.
As a 2nd year player, he posted a career best 19 goals and 32 points to earn himself a 4-year extension.
The 6’2″ 194 lbs. power forward only spent one season at Boston College Eagles before turning pro.
He didn’t even play junior hockey, going straight from USHS-Prep to college.
The 27-year old may only have signed on for a year, but we fully expect him healthy and picking up his hard-hitting style game right where he left off.
After rebounding with a decent 13 goals, 14 assists in 76 games frame in the same jersey for the 1st 8 years of his career, the unrestricted free agent makes a big change and signs a 6-year deal with Colorado Avalanche through 2028/2029.
