Undrafted 4th year center Josh Dickinson(22) was coming off a three year entry level deal with Colorado Avalanche, signed after completing just one year at Clarkson University Golden Knights.
The 6’2″ 194 lbs. forward was not given a qualifying offer to stick, after his rights were traded to Chicago Blackhawks, where he was sent to Indy Fuel to play out his contract.
He’s easily a point-per-game guy in the ECHL, which is likely why Toledo Walleye stepped in to sign the unrestricted free agent for 2021/2022.
The Georgetown, ON native skated 3 junior hockey seasons for hometown Georgetown Raiders, where he was discovered for college and went on to win the 2017 OJHL Championship before reporting to school.
There’s little doubt the 23-year old will likely step up his game on such a good, offensive team to play for.
After scoring huge numbers in the lower league, he would get loaned up to Grand Rapids Griffins and. actually play more AHL games at 48, grabbing 6 goals and 7 assists with a +4 rating, but returned for the playoffs with similar scoring results.
For 2022/2023, he has decided to branch out, accepting a 1-year deal from MoDo Hockey and will join their Allsvenskan-based team.
18th year center Marco Rosa(91) decides at age 40, he will retire.
It would seem like a complete no-brainer for him to stay with Asiago as a coach, where he has played the last 5 years, winning 2 Italy Cups and 2 AlpsHL Championships.
And he actually accepts a position to become head coach of their junior squad.
The 6′ 185 lbs. forward has skated 353 AHL games with a +29 rating, 122 as a more than point-per-game player in the ECHL and close to 400 overseas.
He has played on 4 teams that no longer exist.
The former Merrimack College Warriors‘ senior captain almost surprisingly never earned an NHL recall.
We’re sure what the Scarborough, ON native is setting himself up for a great hockey after-life.
10th year center Brett Olson(26) returns to a 5th year of DEL hockey, but switches allegiances. signing with Dusseldorfer EG for 2021/2022.
The 6′ 190 lbs. forward has definitely done ok in the league, scoring 10+ goals and just shy of 15 assists in 176 games, and in 11 contests this season has 2 tallies and a helper.
He left for Europe after a pair of 2-way NHL deals, as he’d been a solid scorer in the AHL, originally agreeing on a pair of seasons with Abbotsford Heat to start his pro career.
The former 2-time Michigan Tech University Huskies‘ originally left for a no-brainer deal to EC Salzburg, where he was essentially a point-per-game player in 39 EBEL games.
At 34-years old, there’s little doubt he could become a valuable voice on the bench for a squad.
After another 39 games in Germany’s top league, he has decided to move off the ice and accepts assistant coaching duties at his former home for junior hockey, Waterloo Blackhawks, where he will be amazing.
9th year, undrafted left wing Tim Schaller(5) signs a 2nd straight minor league contract, this time to Bakersfield Condors, after a fairly successful 2020/2021 AHL with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
He was coming off a two-year deal with Vancouver Canucks that didn’t materialize too well and would eventually lead him to be dealt to Los Angeles Kings to kill that contract.
The 6’2″ 204 lbs. forward had his best success in 2 seasons to Boston Bruins, where he grabbed 7 goals and 7 assists in 59 NHL games before coming alive with career bests 12 goals and 10 assists in the next campaign.
He appeared in less than 20 games over two seasons with original contract club, Buffalo Sabres.
The former 2-time Providence College Friars‘ captain was good for 20 points from his sophomore season onward.
At still just 30-years old, it’s likely he just still wants to play, which is why we think his next look will be to see what becomes available overseas for 2022/2023.
After a solid season in California, scoring 10 goals and 15 assists in 67 games with a +11 rating, he is moving on, agreeing to a new deal for 2022/2023 with Milwaukee Admirals.
10th year defenseman Cameron Schilling(5) opts out of his minor league deal with Abbotsford Canucks to sign with Djurgardens IF of SHL for the remainder of 2021/2022.
Undrafted, the big 6’3″ 190 lbs. blue liner has always been able to play himself into NHL contracts, despite only officially playing 10 games with 1 assist to his credit in the league.
He had three seasons of 10+ assists through 4 years at Miami University-Ohio Redhawks with a +58 rating but somehow wasn’t able to get himself into a situation, where a strong stay-at-home style defenseman was needed.
The 33-year old from Carmel, IN has done well for himself and is probably just happy to be pulling down good contracts is worth smiling about.
After playing in the higher league last season, doing pretty darn well, he will take his game to Allsvenskan for 2022/2023, signing with the same club.
3rd year left wing Cam Morrison(45) is left unqualified by Chicago Blackhawks after a pair of seasons in their system.
In his only active season, he scored 5 goals and 9 assists in 43 AHL games for affiliate Rockford IceHogs with a +1 rating.
For 2022/2023, the big 6’3″ 209 lbs. forward signs a minor league deal to join Charlotte Checkers.
Originally a Colorado Avalanche 2nd round pick in the 2016 draft (#40 overall), but never signed leaving him an unrestricted free agent upon graduating University Of Notre Dame Fighting Irish, where he was always a 10+ assist player.
He was drafted after his only USHL session, where he blew up scoring with 34 goals, 32 assists and a +38 rating.
The Aurora, ON native is actually signed by Florida Panthers to his contract, who have him no their radar.
8th year center Ryan Dzingel(18) skated his 400th NHL game with new club, San Jose Sharks after being traded, then waived and picked up by his current team.
For 2021/2022, he was originally signed by Arizona Coyotes, but traded after only scoring 3 goals and 4 assists in 26 games on a struggling unit, then was picked up by Toronto Maple Leafs, put on waivers and claimed.
The 6′ 196 lbs. forward has 86 goals and 101 assists in the big league, but is a -20 rating, so needs to bring that up.
He has skated 6 full seasons at the highest level and it looks like the 29-year old, former Ohio State University Buckeyes‘ goal scorer has arrived somewhere they can use him.
For 2022/2023, he returns to Carolina Hurricanes, where he spent a full season and had a 2nd highest assist total.
We think the 30-year old will catch some new life.
Minnesota Wild 8th year defenseman Kevin Czuczman(7) is spending most of his time thus far in 2021/2022 with affiliate Iowa Wild, but has been on the short list for recalls.
He has only skated 15 NHL games with 13 of those after his 3rd year at Lake Superior State University Lakers for entry level contract club, New York Islanders.
The 6’3″ 195 lbs. blu liner spent his first couple with their affiliate Bridgeport Sound Tigers, but when his contract expired was left unqualified as a group 6 free agent.
He couldn’t have landed at a better spot and signed for one year with Manitoba Moose, producing career high 9 goals and 23 assists to gain the attention of Pittsburgh Penguins, who signed him to a two-way for a year.
In his first frame for his new club, he once again reached a new best on assists, striking for 31 with a +15 rating.
He would make not equal this output in his 2nd year under contract, but did well enough to earn another two to stay.
The 30-year old from London, ON has definitely worked hard for what he has earned and mostly seemed to smile about it.
In likely the most no brainer of free agency, he signs for 2022/2023 with Ilves of Liiga and will likely perform really well in Finland’s top league.
11th year defenseman Nicholas Schaus(28) returns to Norfolk Admirals, where he spent 18 AHL games in his third pro season.
Now an ECHL team, in 5 games, he’s already posted a pair of assists.
The 5’11” 200 lbs. blue liner has always been known for dishing helpers in good amounts, reaching 20+ assists and 30+ points overseas on 3 occasions.
He had 10+ assists for 3 of 4 years at UMass-Lowell Riverhawks.
The 35-year old is a great team guy and maybe shows little signs of slowing down.
He likes where he is and decides to stay for 2022/2023 after putting in 4 goals and 11 assists.
This could be it, then he would be an amazing coach.
After 8 seasons of essentially guiding Reading Royals and winning the 2013 Kelly Cup with the team as an assistant captain, Kirk MacDonald(13) steps away for a new opportunity to become head coach with Dubuque Fighting Saints.
He wrapped up his playing days with that title and went on to become assistant coach at his old college, RPI Engineers to get his feet wet, but turned pro after a single frame.
Not sure what went into the 6’2″ 209 lbs. right wing veteran of 272 AHL games and 135 ECHL games had in mind to leave for a USHL junior hockey team, but obviously there is some reasoning there.
