12th year undrafted, goaltender Carter Hutton(40) wasn’t exactly starting a lot of games this season under contract with Arizona Coyotes, so that he was dealt to Toronto Maple Leafs wasn’t exactly surprising.
The veteran of 235 NHL games and 9 full seasons in the league, tending the cage for teams like Buffalo Sabres, Nashville Predators and St. Louis Blues is somehow heading to a team that has a glut in net and oddly leaves one that really could use a little help.
He has twice started 30+ games in a frame, once 40 and once 50, just a few years ago.
The 36-year old from Thunder Bay, ON, former outstanding UMass-Lowell Riverhawks, one that helped anchor their program, may still see some games, but there’s a lot of bodies where he’s headed.
12th year defenseman Cody Goloubef(29) decides for the 1st time in his pro career life to reach out across the seas for some new kind of hockey, signing for the remainder of 2021/2022 with SC Bern.
He only ever played one full season, 2015-2016, the 6th and final season with draft club (round 2, 2008, #37 overall) Columbus Blue Jackets, when he skated 43 NHL games, scoring a goal and best 7 assists and 8 points.
The 6’1″ 195 lbs. blue liner has spent 3 full campaigns in the AHL, including most recently signed to Belleville Senators.
He is credited for appearing in 353 games with 39 goals and 90 assists with a +7 rating and a very decent 160 in the big league, scoring 3 goals and 22 assists with a -7.
The 32-year old, former 3-year University Of Wisconsin Badgers‘ d-man has basically worked pretty hard at his craft to earn what he’s earned, should do well and have fun playing in the NL, Switzerland’s top hockey.
Undrafted, 8th year left wing Daniel Carr(28) will once again leave for Switzerland’s top hockey NL, signing with HC Lugano for 2021/2022.
He started last season with 8 games for the team, scoring a consistent 4 goals and 4 assists with a +5 rating.
Signed late in the offseason by Washington Capitals, he was only able to figure in 6 NHL appearances, spending most of his time on the club’s taxi squad, plus one in the playoffs for 2020/2021.
A decent scorer in the big league, the former Union College Dutchmen player has 16 goals and 21 assists in 117 games, while really popping totals in the AHL for 104 goals and 107 assists in 238 contests with an incredible +67 rating, and was the MVP in 2018/2019.
He also was part of the 2014 NCAA Division 1 Champions, as a senior, three times a 20+ goal scorer, twice a 20+ assist guy and all four seasons got 30+ points and 50 in his final year with a +46.
The almost 29-year old, Ontario native will likely find a lot of happiness playing overseas to ride out a great career.
In his 2nd season for HCL is off to a swimmingly good start, for 10 goals 9 assists in 20 games with a +6 rating to earn him a 3-year extension to stay in the country long term.
Undrafted 11th year defenseman Nate Prosser(39) skated 6 games for Philadelphia Flyers last season and was basically on their taxi squad, but did not pursue a new deal for 2021/2022.
The mostly known for his play for Minnesota Wild 6’2″ 201 lbs. blue liner has 360 NHL games to his credit, 353 of those with MN.
He started his pro career with 3 games (and an assist) in the big league, just after graduating 4 years at Colorado College Tigers.
The 35-year old from Elk River, MN, who got to play most of his career decently close to home, also went to the 2011 Calder Cup Finals with Houston Aeros as a rookie.
He can likely take some time to rest and figure out what’s next.
Undrafted 7th year center Evan Rodrigues(9) grabs a 1st career NHL hat trick, pushing his totals for 2021/2022 to a new high of 15 goals with a +8 rating for his team of the last few seasons, Pittsburgh Penguins.
He has worked very hard for any advantages he’s enjoyed after scoring big in his senior year at Boston University Terriers with 21 goals and 41 assists in 41 NCAA Division 1 games with a +30 rating.
The 5’11” 185 lbs. forward was given a two-year entry level deal by Buffalo Sabres, but not called up until the last couple games of his rookie season and scored a goal and an assist with a +2 to say hello.
He would almost evenly split his time between leagues in his sophomore run to earn another two years with the 2nd of the two as a one-way contract, but didn’t matter as he made the team out of training camp in his 3rd run.
In the 2nd year, he would be traded to Pens and finished with a goal in 7 games.
Almost oddly, he was made to wait and didn’t sign until just before 6th season, but would come together decently for 7 goals and 7 assists in 35 games.
The 27-year old is quite possibly just getting started despite earning well for his 265 games played.
7th year right wing Colin Markison(28) leaves a single game for Jacksonville Icemen to join rivals, who he scored an assist in a win against, South Carolina Stingrays.
The 5’10” 185 lbs. forward has skated 267 AHL games, scoring 24 goals and 59 assist with a +14 rating.
He almost oddly reached his high marks for the league in two stints with Texas Stars, getting 27 points in each frame, and did the exact same feat through a pair of USHL years with Omaha Lancers, but 17 was the totals.
Putting together a solid ECHL frame may just serve as the energy to send the former 4-year University Of Vermont Catamounts overseas to experience some different kind of hockey before he retires.
Anaheim Ducks‘ 10th year defenseman Greg Pateryn(2) keeps his streak of NHL games alive, appearing in 2 already this season.
He’s only not appeared in the upper league once on reassignment to affiliate as assistant captain for Hamilton Bulldogs from parent club Montreal Canadiens.
He was with them for his first 5 seasons after a trade sent him from draft club Toronto Maple Leafs, 5th round 2008, #128 overall.
The very sizable 6’2″ 224 lbs. d-man was dealt to Dallas Stars, where he produced his best (1 goal, 12 assists) in the 2nd year of his contract with the Habs.
He would next sign a three year deal with Minnesota Wild that had him mostly up in the big league but then was traded and kept bouncing in the pandemic year.
The 31-year old has to have a smile on his face and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him take off for some different kind of hockey to end his career.
Detroit Red Wings‘ re-signed big defenseman Luke Witkowski(28) to a new 2-year deal through 2023, as some back-up insurance.
The 6’2″ 210 lbs. blue liner has mostly been re-assigned to help affiliate Grand Rapids Griffins, but is easily on a short list for a big league game.
He was twice recently listed as captain of draft club, Tampa Bay Lightning (6th round, 2008, #160 overall) farm team, Syracuse Crunch and last played in the NHL, early 2019.
The former 4-year, senior captain at Western Michigan University Broncos d-man has skated 280 AHL games with a total +31 rating.
At 31-years old, he’s definitely always been in line for big contracts, but has always worked hard to maintain the level.
9th year defenseman Jon Merrill(4) signed just about one month into unrestricted free agency by Minnesota Wild after coming off a late trade that sent him to Montreal Canadiens, which resulted in an unexpected extended Cup run.
The New Jersey Devils‘ 2nd round pick in 2010 (#34 overall) spent 4 years until he was picked up by Vegas Golden Knights in their 1st season 2017 expansion draft.
He signed a 2-year deal to stay and wound up with his best overall stats in his 2nd season in Nevada, scoring highs of 3 goals, tying 12 assists and 15 points with a +16 rating.
The sizable 6’3″ 204 lbs. former 3-year University Of Michigan Wolverines‘ blue liner next signed, as 2020/2021 was starting, a 1-year deal with Detroit Red Wings.
He’s notched 3 goals and 8 assists in 33 NHL games this season with a +8 rating, so the 29-year old is off to a good run with his new club and maybe not easily, but he could reach new heights in all categories and was rewarded for his play with a new 3-year deal worth $1.2M AAV.
The Oklahoma City native must have a huge smile on his face.
12th year center Andrew Rowe(19) scores a nice loan up to after 3 years of captain for SC Rapperswill-JonaLakers to participate with HC Davos for the upcoming Spengler Cup.
The 3-year Michigan State University Spartans‘ had a seriously good junior year before deciding to turn pro under contract with Adirondack Phantoms.
He split mostly of his playing time in North America, equally between the AHL and ECHL with just over 200 games in each league.
The 6’2″ 185 lbs. forward was a point-per-game guy at the lower level with a +69 rating, but got a contract in his final frame before leaving overseas, where he posted a 13 goals, 26 assists and 39 points for Bridgeport Sound Tigers to take to a nice new deal with Mora IK.
At 33-years old, he’s got to be pretty happy still contributing, signing good deals in great places to play hockey.
