Western Michigan University Broncos‘ junior right wing Owen Michaels(34) oddly signs a 1-year NHL entry level deal for 2025/2026 as an unrestricted free agent with Edmonton Oilers, yet doesn’t play a game.
So the 6′ 179 lbs. forward, who won the 2025 NCAA Division 1 title last year is a restricted free agent.
From Detroit, MI, the 24-year old did 4 USHL sessions before school.
We are guessing.
Boston Bruins‘ 3rd year center (10th overall), Charlie Coyle(13) taking some practice tips and plays in front of net minder Linus Ullmark at practice this morning after scoring a pair of goals in the team’s last home game.
He skated a year and a half at Boston University Terriers, but the San Jose Sharks‘ 1st round 2010 draft pick (#28 overall) decided to split for junior hockey in Canada.
The 6’3″ 214 lbs. forward joined Saint Johns Sea Dogs and ended up winning the 2012 QMJHL Championship with playoff scoring totals that equaled 2-points per game for the Winthrop, MA native.
In his 6th season wearing the same jersey, he gets a trade to Colorado Avalanche to help a playoff push and does.
As a free agent, he signs a 1-year deal to join Columbus Blue Jackets and blows up scoring to the tune of 20 goals and 38 assists in a full slate of 82 NHL games with a +3 rating.
Heading into the offseason, the would be unrestricted free agent gets re-upped for 6 years at $36M AAV to stay a Blue Jackets.
Undrafted 7th year right wing Cole Bardreau(10) re-ups for a 3rd season with New York Islanders on a 2-year, 2-way deal.
The 5’10” 185 lbs. forward is somewhat inconsistent scoring but did pop a very solid 10 goals and 6 assists in just 24 AHL games in 2020/2021’s COVID-baked season.
It was a similar through 4 years at Cornell University Big Red, but in his senior year he did manage new bests 17 assists and 22 points.
Originally signed as an unrestricted free agent by Philadelphia Flyers, he spent 4 years in their system under a pair of contracts.
Over a pair of recalls from his current club, he’s appeared in 10 NHL games scoring a goal and an assist.
If the 28-year can go on a bit of a tear to start 2021/2022, he could easily earn more time up.
A career best 15 goals and 16 assists in 67 games and a single game recall earns him another look for 2023/2024, but somehow structured under an affiliate Bridgeport Islanders‘ deal.
It’s becoming a no brainer as to where he is going to sign at this point as he returns for a 6th run in Bridgeport after once again coming away with 10+ goals and assists.
He will head on a new excursion that we can only think good things will come to him from, signing with HC Falkensteiner Pustertal Wolfe for 2025/2026.
Indeed, good things to come, as he is almost a point-per-game player and then helps a deep playoff run to get himself an easy invite back to continue to be a Wolfe.
Florida Panthers‘ undrafted center Henry Bowlby(28) leaves three years of Harvard University as he enters his senior season with zero hockey to play due to COVID considerations shelving it for the college in 2020/2021.
The decently sized 6’1″ 195 lbs. forward was assigned to affiliate Syracuse Crunch to start his career after signing a 2-year entry level deal that started right away.
In his AHL debut he potted his first pro goal and still has the one tally and no assists through 4 games with a +3 rating.
He’d always been a scorer in the teens at school, three times getting 8 assists and twice similar goal totals, so it will be interesting to see if a more open style opens up the scoring valve.
As a rookie, he scores 12 goals and 16 assists with a +14 rating and he is given a 1-year, 2-way deal to stay for 2022/2023.
We think he plays his way to an NHL recall.
He would score almost identical 2nd and 3rd frames for affiliate Charlotte Checkers, but was a group 6 unrestricted free agent at the end of his deal and was basically set free.
The Edina, MN next picks Colorado Eagles to play games, signing a minor league contract for 2023/2024.
After 7 games into his career with 1 goal and 2 assists in the north and he maybe gets a better offer to head to Sweden and signs with Rogle BK.
He should do well in the SHL.
Through 29 games, he scores 2 goals and 5 assists, then adds 2 points in 15 playoff matchups to be wanted back for 2024/2025 in a Rogle BK uniform.
He scores 4 goals and 3 assists in 43 games, which isn’t too terrible, but decides to push off for a new deal in IceHL with HC Falkensteiner Pustertal Wolfe for 2025/2026.
In 47 games, he scores 19 goals and 24 assists with a +18 rating, then performed well in the playoffs to grab another year for 2026/2027 to be a Wolfe again.
University Of North Dakota Fighting Hawks‘ junior defenseman Jake Livanavage(57) had his 2nd 5 goal season and 3rd 20+ assists in a frame.
The 5’10” 174 lbs. blue liner was signed as an unrestricted free agent for 2-years by Pittsburgh Penguins.
He did 3 USHL seasons with Chicago Steel and won the 2021 Clark Cup Championship, when he 1st got there.
From Gilbert, AZ, the 22-year old played 1 NHL game to start.
Undrafted 7th year right wing Tanner Fritz(16) signs a 2nd straight AHL contract, but will skate for heated CT opponents from where he’s played 198 games, Bridgeport (Sound Tigers) Islanders to Hartford Wolf Pack for 2021/2022.
The 5’11” 192 lbs. forward originally signed a minor league deal after 4 years at Ohio State University Buckeyes , including captain as a senior and junior assistant, to the only team he’s thus far appeared with, but was up to a 2-way NHL contract after his sophomore season in which he popped 19 goals and 23 assists.
He played all of his youth hockey and 4 years of junior hockey close to home with Grand Prairie Storm and won the 2009 AJHL Championship, then was voted most valuable player, scoring 70 points in 60 games, before heading off to college.
The 30-year old signed a pair of contracts with parent club New York Islanders, including a single 1-way deal, and played in 42 games with 3 goals and 5 assists.
It’s likely this could be his last time in the minors, as we’re predicting he leave for some hockey overseas before retirement.
After 2 years of playing up the road in Connecticut, he returns on a 1-year minor league deal with Bridgeport for 2023/2204.
After 20 games, scoring 1 goal and 6 assists, he may be getting a little bored as he closes in on 350 games played in the league.
He decides to leave and signs with Dinamo Minsk of the KHL, which should definitely bring some challenge and excitement back into his game.
Not surprisingly he does ok with 2 goals and 9 assists in 18 games, but decides not to try and return.
He waits a little and signs with SC Rapperswil-Jona Lakers of NL and with 5 goals and 7 assists in 15 games with a +3 rating, there’s little doubt he gets asked to return for 2025/2026.
With 9 goals, 18 assists in 47 games and a +17 rating, his is easily invited back for a 3rd run with the Lakers, 2026/2027.
12th year left wing Mike Connolly(22) will spend an 8th season in a Straubing Tigers‘ uniform.
The 5’9″ 181 lbs. forward had his best year scoring 19 goals and 53 points in 2021/2022.
He has 5 times put up 30+ assists for this team.
The top scorer in his 3 campaigns at University Of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs, hitting 54 points in 42 NCAA Division 1 games as a senior.
He only played 2 sessions in the AHL and did appear in 2 NHL games with Colorado Avalanche after a rookie trade sent him away from San Jose Sharks‘ system.
At 33-years old, the Calgary, AB native has to be pretty happy about how his pro hockey life is still going.
He scores 16 goals and 22 assists in 50 DEL games last season and yup, will return for a 9th season in a Tigers‘ jersey.
2024/2025 will be his 10th season in a Straubing uniform, coming after a 34 assist, 45 point season.
Well, after 11 frames in the same uniform for the Tigers‘, he decides it’s time to stop playing pro hockey and should honestly be absorbed behind the bench where he is.
10th year Czechia-born defenseman Andrej Sustr(19) hasn’t been home since an appearance in Czechia3 in 2008/2009, but signs for 2024/2025 in Czech Extraliga with the league powerhouse HC Dynamo Pardibuce.
The absolute huge 6’8″ 225 lbs. blue liner has 362 NHL games to his credit and is known for his large bruising presence.
He came over early after youth hockey back home and did 2 seasons of junior hockey before moving onto to 3 at University Of Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks.
Almost oddly he took off the season before COVID infected to play for Kunlun Red Star for 2 frames in the KHL before returning.
The 33-year old will be missed, but this has to be the right thing for him to do for his hockey career.
He does well there and plays himself up to a deal with Tappara, where he got 1 goal and 11 assists in 38 Liiga games.
For 2025/2026, he looks to return to the AHL, but after 11 games is released and takes up with Kalmar HC and has no points in 10 HockeyAllsvenskan games, but is a +4 rating.
He would end up appearing in 20 games for 1 goal and 4 assists with a +11 rating, then added another helper in 7 playoff matchups.
For 2026/2027, he heads to Liiga and signs with Jurukit, which will be another challenging step for the 35-year old.
Massive 6’5″ 216 lbs. center Patrick Giles(54) took 4 years, 2 as assistant captain at Boston College Eagles to a 1st pro contract upon elimination from the NCAA Division 1 tournament.
He signs an ato with Charlotte Checkers under the watchful eye of parent club Florida Panthers dictating moves and will skate under an AHL deal for 2022/2023.
In 10 games, he has only an assist, but is likely adjusting to the new style game.
Although playing Hockey East for 4 sessions definitely had to help and in his senior year he scored a college career best 15 goals and 22 points.
The 22-year old from Chevy Chase, MD, who came up through the USNTDP program should be able to find his game, but will have to work for it and look for his spots.
After 10 pro games to end the 2021/2022 session, he had 1 assist, but the big team see something in the towering frame moving forward and sign him up for a 2-year NHL entry level deal through 2023/2024.
He’s had 2 good seasons in the minors without a recall, but is looking closer to ready to earn a 2-year extension to stay with the affiliate, Checkers.
Signed to another 2-year extension, he looks set to make the big club and just a few games in, earns a spot due to the injury bug hitting early and he makes an NHL debut, skates 11 shifts for 7:34 of ice time with 2 shots, 1 block, 2 giveaways and went 75% in the face off dot in a 5-2 loss.
After 9 games with no points, but still lighting it up nicely in the minors, he is traded to San Jose Sharks, where they may have better room to slot the big player.
He spends 67 with affiliate San Jose Barracuda, running up some good points and when called up gets 1 assists in 3 games with a +1 rating.
His numbers are solid enough to merit a 2-year extension through 2027/2028 to stay a Sharks.
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.
In 69 games last season, he scored a new minor league best 16 assists with a +21 rating that earns him another hometown season in a Bruins‘ uniform.
