10th year defenseman Taylor Fedun(4) probably doesn’t consider if new contract club, Pittsburgh Penguins will recall him for action, but more like when, after he’s recorded a quick 3 assists in 8 AHL games with a +4 rating for affiliate Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, where he was named team captain for 2021/2022.
The unrestricted free agent was coming off a 2-year deal with Dallas Stars, which stretched into a third from an early season deal that sent him from Buffalo Sabres and included his most NHL games played for any one team.
He has played 127 games in the big league, scoring 8 goals and 27 assists with a +6, so comes with a level of accountability.
The 33-year old former senior captain, always 10+ assists blue liner at Princeton University Tigers is probably just happy to score good contracts at this point and may even try a season overseas before he retires.
He may have never scored that recall last season, but played very effectively as team captain for the farm club and is rewarded with a new 2-year contract to continue in Pittsburgh.
Tim Wallace(28) will enter his 15th season (excluding two in a row he didn’t play) with a new role for Milton-Keynes Lightning as Player-Coach and continues as Director Of Player Development in the tier 2 NIHL.
The 6’1″ 205 lbs. forward has played 382 AHL games, 105 NHL and even one full season in the ECHL after 3 overseas.
He’s played complete campaigns in Sweden and Germany before arriving in England.
The 37-year old, University Of Notre Dame Fighting Irish graduate from Anchorage, AK must be still having a good time to keep it going.
After 17 seasons with the last three played in the top German league, DEL, Chris Bourque(17) announces that it’s time to hang up the skates.
He’s a veteran of 794 AHL games, scoring a quite impressive 251 goals and 495 assists with a +63 rating, 51 NHL games, 3 Hershey Bears’ Calder Cup Championships, 6 All-Star game appearances, twice most points, once most assists, one regular season MVP and once Playoff MVP.
The 5’8″ 176 lbs. forward worked for everything he ever got.
At 36-years old, we’re sure the former 1-year Boston University Terriers‘ d-man will find something good to do.
9th year defenseman Mark Alt(3) gets traded in a minor league deal, going from San Jose Barracuda to Rochester Americans.
The big 6’4″ 201 lbs. blue liner has played 456 AHL games.
Originally a Carolina Hurricanes‘ 2nd round pick in the 2010 draft (#53 overall) traded to Philadelphia Flyers, as he was a junior at University Of Minnesota Golden Gophers.
He quickly signed a 3-year entry level deal.
The Kansas City, MO native has played under NHL contract for 5 different team, but only appeared in 20 games.
He’s definitely more of a stay-at-home d-man, but has struck for 20 assists once and 10+ 3 times.
It would definitely almost be a no-brainer for the 30-year old to look overseas for some different kind of fun and a next good contract to play under.
5th year center Mike Vecchione has one goal and 7 assists in 7 AHL games for his new club, Hershey Bears.
The 5’10” 194 lbs. has somehow only received through 5 major contracts one call to skate a pair of NHL games after graduating Union College Dutchmen, where he finished as a senior with an NCAA Division 1 most points (63), ECAC Player Of The Year and was a Hobey Baker Award Finalist.
He was also a rookie, when they almost fantastically captured the 2014 NCAA Division 1 Championship.
The Saugus, MA native was a big scorer at Malden Catholic High and in his 2nd session of junior hockey for Tri-City Storm of the USHL.
As a pro, he was a 40 point rookie player, then pitched for 38 and 36 in his first three seasons.
The 28-year old has to be on a short list for a recall with his new contract team, Washington Capitals.
He’s did score his summons, but in his one appearance skated a very conservative 10 shifts for 5:06 ice time with 3 shots on net.
His play for affiliate Hershey Bears is definitely still getting him notice, as he is that team’s top scorer and earns a new 2022/2023 two-way contract to continue.
Undrafted, UMass-Lowell Riverhawks‘ senior captain left wing Lucas Condotta(24) signs a 1-year NHL entry level contract with Montreal Canadiens after putting up a college best 10 goals and 13 assists in 33 NCAA Division 1 games with a +4 rating.
The 6’2″ 209 lbs. forward from Georgetown, ON played 5 seasons of junior hockey in the OJHL, serving as captain of Markham Royals in his last two frames.
It looks like the 24-year old will ink an AHL ato with affiliate Laval Rocket and report there to get his feet wet.
Tampa Bay Lightning were rumored to have interest in Merrimack College Warriors‘ junior defenseman Declan Carlile(3) and they confirm the news, signing him to a 2-year NHL entry level deal that will see him report to affiliate Syracuse Crunch to start.
The 6’2″ 192 lbs. blue liner had a college career year with a best 7 goals, 24 points and +14 rating in 35 NCAA Division 1 games.
For juniors, he first headed north and won a 2018 OJHL Championship with Wellington Dukes, passing ahead an impressive 33 helpers, then added 5 goals and 8 assists in 25 playoff games before committing to school and likely agreeing to a year in the USHL before school.
He split time between a couple of different clubs, but was able to access 15 assists.
The Flint, MI native got to school and as a freshman ran up 18 assists as a freshman, so that had to get the now still young 21-year old on the radar screen.
Pittsburgh Penguins jump quickly to sign Princeton University Tigers‘ graduating senior right wing Corey Andonovski(27) to a 2-year NHL entry level contract.
The 6’1″ 195 lbs. had solid scoring as a senior and sophomore, but didn’t play as a junior due to COVID.
An Uxbridge, ON native, he played one BCHL season for Chilliwack Chiefs with 16 goals and 22 assists.
He was very strong at school attending St. Andrew’s College.
The 22-year old will report to affiliate Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins to start his pro career.
Undrafted 2nd year defenseman Billy Sweezey(6) takes a decent first year playing through a pandemic mess for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, scoring no goals but 4 assists in 22 AHL games with a +2 rating to a new league deal with rival Cleveland Monsters.
The sturdy 6’2″ 205 lbs. blue liner has never been much of a point-getter, except as a junior and senior at Noble & Greenough School USHS-Prep, when he walked away with 20 & 18 assists.
He had an almost opposite one year in USHL juniors with Chicago Steel, scoring 3 goals but only getting one assist.
The Hanson, MA native only scored 3 goals through 4 years at Yale University Bulldogs and on a couple of occasions flirted with 10 assists (9 as a sophomore and 8 senior).
A more stay-at-home style d-man, the 25-year old could become a valuable + player on his new club.
His 4 goals and 6 assists with a +6 rating in 45 games has earned the sturdy d-man a 2-year NHL entry level deal with parent club, Columbus Blue Jackets through 2024.
Atlanta Gladiators‘ 2nd season, 5th year net minder Chris Nell(30) recently appeared in his 100th ECHL game.
Undrafted, he signed a 2-year NHL entry level deal with New York Rangers, fresh off 3 years at Bowling Green State University Falcons.
He spent most of his rookie season with affiliate Hartford Wolf Pack, but was also lent to 3 lower league teams.
The 6’2″ 187 lbs. goalie played 39 games in the follow-up season in the E and even posted some outstanding stats over two appearances in the AHL with a .084 GAA and .973 SV%, but had maybe been already passed over at that point.
It would be little surprise to see the 27-year old, Green Bay, WI native to look outside the box next season for different hockey logistics.
