Category: Free Agent Signing

21Jul

Ian McCoshen (3)

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7th year defenseman Ian McCoshen(3) is off trying something new this season, playing on a 1-year deal in Finland’s top league, Liiga for Assat.

In 23 games, the 6’3″ 215 lbs. blue liner has 3 goals and 11 assists with a +4 rating.

He was always decent with scoring in the AHL, where he played some 242 games, but was a more accountable +15 rating.

The oddball Anaheim, CA native also has 60 games NHL experience, all with draft club Florida Panthers, round 2, 2013 (#31 overall).

A former 3-year Boston College Eagles, he left a year on the table, to sign his entry level deal.

At just 27-years old, he’s likely just getting started over there.

He takes a very decent frame in Finnish hockey to another stop overseas and skate Czechia Tipsport Extraliga with Bili Tygri Liberec doing well enough to be wanted back for another season and he’s still not yet 30.

Just like that he gets a better deal from a KHL club to play with Kunlun Redstar for 2024/2025 instead.

He takes some ok scoring, but a terrible +/- to a new contract for 2025/2026 with rivals, Barys Astana.

After 66 games with 3 goals and 5 assists, he fairly quickly signs a 1-year extension to stay Barys Astana for 2026/2027.

20Jul

Wyatt Bongiovanni (5)

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Quinnipiac University Bobcats‘ graduating senior, captain center Wyatt Bongiovanni(5) had a college career year scoring next bests 16 goals and 18 assists for 34 assists with a +27 rating in 42 NCAA Division 1 games and takes that to his next adventure: a 2-year NHL entry level deal with Winnipeg Jets.

He twice had 10+ goals (14, 15), as a freshman and sophomore and 9 and 10 assists.

The 6′ 184 lbs. forward was twice a 30+ point scorer in USHL juniors.

At a still young 22-years old, he may spend some time in the minors working on his game, but should surely get the recall.

He is traded mid-season to Ottawa Senators, who see some usefulness in his game for their future.

After career high numbers, goal 22 and assists 11 with a +3 rating, Bonjo is an easy invite for another 1-year deal with the Senators for 2025/2026.

He comes away with a career best 13 assists, but gets a late trade that sends him to Hershey Bears.

For 2026/2027, he signs with Providence Bruins, should be a great landing spot.

19Jul

Domenick Fensore (2)

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Carolina Hurricanes‘ 3rd round pick in the 2019 draft (#90 overall), Boston University Terriers 4-year senior captain defenseman Domenick Fensore(2) signs a 2-year NHL entry level deal as his team is bumped from Final Four play.

It’s likely the 5’9″ 170 lbs. blue liner will report to affiliate Charlotte Checkers for some Calder Cup playoff action, but could also get signaled up, one never knows.

He skated 2 seasons USNTDP, pushing his numbers up slightly as he went.

The 21-year old from Bronxville, NY left with a college career high 9 goals and tied his 31 point mark from his junior year.

He’s ready.

Through 66 AHL games, he scores 9 goals and 23 assists with a +6 rating to earn a 1st, late season recall.

In his debut, he skated 19 shifts for 17:13 of ice time with 5 shots, 1 block, 2 hits, 1 giveaway and a 0 rating  in a 4-2 loss

After 2 games in the big league and 9 goals and 23 assists in 67 games in the minors with a +7 rating, the restricted free agent is invited to return a ‘Canes for 2025/2026 on a 1-year deal.

He has a 3rd strong season for Chicago Wolves, taking to the Calder Cup Finals with strong numbers and was a restricted free agent, but signed with Colorado Avalanche for 1-year 2026/2027.

19Jul

Wilmer Skoog (32)

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Boston University Terriers‘ defacto leader, Swedish-born center Wilmer Skoog(32) signs a 2-year AHL with Charlotte Checkers that fully has parent club, Florida Panthers playing puppet master.

The 6’2″ 196 lbs. forward scored a college best 16 goals and 31 points last season with a +13 rating that saw him ride the wave to the Final Four.

He did his 1st year of college hockey coming out of a scoring spree in his 2nd NAHL frame for Maryland Black Bears, potting 16 goals and 18 assists in 24 games, committing and getting 5 goals and 2 assists in 17 games for his new college team with a +1 rating.

The Stockholm-born pivot played 10 games in tier 3 Hockeyettan for VIK Vasteras HK with no points.

At 23-years old, he has to be pretty happy with his arrangement moving forward.

In his rookie season with affiliate he scores 22 goals and 9 assists in 49 games with a +3 rating, heading into the playoffs to net himself a 1-year 2-way NHL deal for 2024/2025.

He continues decent play in his 2nd frame, but comes alive even more in the playoffs for 7 points (4 goals, 3 assists) in 18 games with a +5 rating.

His good play keeps him in the fold for another season in a Panthers‘ jersey 2025/2026.

He plays a new high 61 games, scoring bests 18 goals and 19 assists to earn himself a 1st recall and in 3 games, all wins has 2 NHL assists and is a +3 rating.

An unrestricted free agent, he signs with Detroit Red Wings for 2026/2027.

18Jul

Ryan Schmelzer (26)

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Undrafted 4th year center Ryan Schmelzer(26) signs a new 1-year AHL deal with Utica Comets for 2021/2022 after spending the last three seasons skating for Binghamton Devils.

In 133 games he wracked up 23 goals and 32 assists.

The former four-year Canisius College Golden Griffiths standout got 40 goals and 66 assists in 143 NCAA Atlantic Hockey games with a quite massive +43.

Almost oddly, the Buffalo, NY native skated all his junior hockey at home for Buffalo Jr. Sabres in the Canadian OJHL and was a point per game player.

The 6’2″ 187 lbs. forward should be right at home playing his style for a new club, seeing as his team from New York went belly up after 2020/2021.

In 2021/2022, he becomes team captain and posts a new career best 18 goals and 32 points with a +6 rating, then comes away with another 2 points in 5 playoff games gets him a new deal to stay and keep grabbing points.

The word determination is definitely in his vocabulary, as he records a career high 29 assists and 35 points in his 2nd frame with the team and then goes on last season to score another 18 goals, adds new best 34 assists and 52 points with a +14 rating to earn himself a 2-year NHL deal with parent club, New Jersey Devils.

Considering he has been their captain for the last 5 years, they play on adding a 6th to his Comets‘ portfolio.

18Jul

Declan Carlile(3)

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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.

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.

He would stay in the system and played 42 NHL games last season.

For 2026/2027, the unrestricted free agent signs for 2 years with Pittsburgh Penguins.

 

18Jul

Kevin Rooney (21)

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Calgary Flames‘ 8th year center Kevin Rooney(21) gets re-upped for a 1-year extension, as his 2-year deal was set to expire.

He signed for the same money $1.3M.

The 6’2″ 201 lbs. forward has skated for 3 different teams, originally signed by New Jersey Devils after 4 years and an 2015 NCAA Division 1 national title with Providence College Friars.

He almost ironically seemed to do best in 2 seasons with New York Rangers before heading to his current club.

The 30-year old from Canton, MA has to be pretty happy how things have turned out.

After adding training camp look that didn’t quite settle, Utah Mammoth step in and offer him a 1-year 2-way deal for 2025/2026.

He spent most of last season, aside from 1 game with 1 goal with affiliate Tuscon Roadrunners and the 33-year is comfortable to signs an AHL contract to stay on for 2026/2027.

17Jul

Michael Callahan (79)

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Boston Bruins have just traded a 7th round pick to obtain the NHL rights for Providence College Friars‘ senior defenseman, 3-time captain Michael Callahan(79).

The Franklin, MA native is essentially coming home if he signs his entry level contract.

He was an Arizona Coyotes‘ 5th round pick in 2018, #142 overall after finishing up his only USHL junior season split between a couple of teams with solid playoff run with Youngstown Phantoms.

The 6’2″ 196 lbs., 22-year old blue liner is a solid prospect, grinding his game the right way in Hockey East before turning pro.

Fresh out of his 4th year at school, he picks up a 2-year entry level deal and will likely report to affiliate Providence Bruins to start, which is basically right next to where he played his college game.

After a decent rookie frame, he finds himself back at Bruins‘ rookie camp and is looking like he will compete for whatever open spot on defense may exist for him to fill is how good he was out there.

He records new league highs for himself with 4 goals and 13 assists and is offered a 1-year deal to continue in a Bruins‘ jersey.

In 35 games with the affiliate, he scores 1 goal and 5 assists with a +1 rating to earn himself a 1st look in the big league.

For his NHL debut, he skates a full slate of 22 shifts for 14:11 of ice time with 1 shot and 2 giveaways and a +1 rating in a big 6-2 win.

He picks up a 1st NHL goal in his 16th game, where he also logs a most amount of 18:11 ice time.

In 17 games, he is looking like he belongs out there, but reassigned in 45 games, he scores 1 goal and 8 assists with a +3 rating to earn a 4th season with the hometown Boston team.

He scores 2 goals and 14 assists in 56 games with a +30 rating and was recalled for 5.

An unrestricted free agent, he for a 1st time signs away from home in a 1-year deal with Tampa Bay Lightning for 2026/2027.

17Jul

Mike Benning (20)

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Florida Panthers‘ 4th round pick in the 2020 draft (#95 overall), defenseman Mike Benning(20) gets himself a 3-year NHL entry level deal, leaving 1 season at University Of Denver Pioneers on the table.

The 5’9″ 177 lbs. blue liner is small, but leaves with a very accountable +55 rating and scored 10+ goals and 20+ assists as a sophomore and junior.

He is also only 1 season off winning the 2022 NCAA Division 1 Championship.

The 21-year from Edmonton, AB is with the big club for playoffs, but potentially should head to Charlotte Checkers to help them win a Calder Cup.

He actually scores 9 points in 18 playoff games with a +6 rating, which may have factored in the decision to keep him around another 1-year deal with the Panthers after also gaining a career high 23 assists.

In 56 games, he scores almost exact points from a year earlier and scores a 1st recall, as the parent club is absolutely struggling with injuries down the stretch.

He has 4 assists in 13 NHL games, getting his footing on a team his dad, Brian Benning(2) played on the inaugural 1993-1994 team.

With 8 goals and a 2nd season of 23 assists, he is a free agent, so signs with Calgary Flames for 2026/2027.

17Jul

Jack St. Ivany (3)

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Rookie defenseman Jack St. Ivany(3) signs a 2-year NHL entry level deal with Pittsburgh Penguins.

The 6’3″ 195 lbs. blue liner had two solid seasons at Boston College Eagles on transfer from Yale University Bulldogs and put up a college career high 20 assists and 24 points as a senior.

Not exactly known for recording points, he did post 30 assists in his 2nd USHL season for Sioux Falls Stampede.

Originally a Philadelphia Flyers‘ 4th round pick in the 2018 draft (#112 overall), the 23-year old from Manhattan Beach, CA went unsigned.

He should fit right in at the AHL level with affiliate Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and compete for a spot with the big club.

Through 63 games, he looks to be gaining comfort with 8 assists to his credit and earns a look from the top, skates 20 shifts for 12:28 ice time with 1 block shot and 1 hit dished in a 4-2 Penguins‘ loss.

He stays up for 14 games, recording 1 assist with a 0 rating, and then goes on to record 4 goals and 11 assists in 54 games with a +17 rating.

They are liking what they see and offer him a 3-year deal to stick around Pittsburgh with the 3rd year being on a 1-way deal at $750K.

In the off season, he gets traded to Winnipeg Jets for 2026/2027, the final year of his contract.