Category: Free Agent Signing

University Of Massachusetts Minutemen sophomore, left wing Taylor Makar(6) is starting to pop scoring with 7 goals and 2 assists in 19 games.

The fairly sizable 6’4″ 209 lbs. forward was a Colorado Avalanche 7th round pick in the 2021 draft (#220 overall), which could very well put him on the same team as his Stanley Cup winning, NHL Best Defenseman brother, Cale Makar.

He has yet to prove he has the same depth, but did take his scoring up in his 3rd season with AJHL junior team, Brooks Bandits before getting selected.

The Calgary, AB native is big and looks to be starting to use his size to his advantage, which will definitely create room for him to score.

For his senior year, he decides to head off to Hockey East rival, University Of Maine Black Bears for 2024/2025 and he’s off to a huge start with 4 goals and 3 assists in 4 games.

There’s little doubt he will post some college hockey bests, but 18 goals and 12 assists in 38 games with a +24 rating and he is ready to sign and does on a 1-year NHL deal.

He reports to affiliate Colorado Eagles on an ato to get things started.

Starting the season in the AHL, he skates 10 games, scoring 1 goal and 3 assists with a +4 rating to score a 1st appearance in the big league.

He skates just 8 shifts for 6:07 ice time in a 3-2 overtime loss.

After helping push the affiliate in the playoffs, he scores a 2-year deal to continue with the Avalanche through 2027/2028.

Philadelphia Flyers‘ 8th year center Patrick Brown(38) signed a two-year one-way deal with Vegas Golden Knights after participating in their taxi squad for most of 2020/2021, while serving as captain of affiliate Henderson Silver Knights, but participating in only 9 AHL games with booming numbers.

He was scooped off waivers and has played a pair of NHL starts with his new team.

Will be interesting to see what happens if the former Boston College Eagles‘ senior captain gets released, but chances are decent on his contract could report to Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

The 5’11” 214 lbs. forward needs to step it up to stay, no doubt.

He actually did and spent all of his time with the big club, skating 87 games before a trade sent him up to Ottawa Senators, where his fortunes seemed to change slightly for the better.

In 18 games, he had 2 goals and 3 assists with a +4 rating on a non-playoff team.

Boston Bruins step in on opening day of free agency and welcome him back to his college home for a 2-year deal worth a tidy $800,000 AAV.

After his 2nd year as team captain of Providence Bruins, playing a new high 71 games, scoring new best 20 goals and 34 assists with a +36 rating.

The 34-year decides to embark on something new and heads of to sign in DEL with Adler Mannheim for 2026/2027.

8th year left wing Max McCormick(17) scores a new 1-year NHL deal with Seattle Kracken maybe a little late into unrestricted free agency, yet it did arrive to get him on a good club going forward.

He spent the last pair of seasons with Carolina Hurricanes, playing 12 games with 2 goals, 1 assist and a +3 rating in  2020/2021, while mostly doing time on their taxi squad.

The 5’11” 185 lbs. played the first year of his deal entirely with affiliate Charlotte Checkers, where he tied his best 19 assists  and 35 points was one shy of his high with a +6, and amassed him a 3rd 30+ point season.

He had a pair of 30 point seasons in his 3 years at Ohio State University Buckeyes.

The 29-year old De Pere, WI native may spend some time in the AHL, but also could play himself into more minutes in the show.

He skates 46 games in the minors, but gets recalled for 10 games with no points and leaves a +1.

His 29 points at +17 has certainly helped that team to a top playoff spot.

Those efforts earn him a new 2-year contract to continue leading the group one league away from the show and contribute whenever called upon.

The twice captain for affiliate Coachella Valley Firebirds, who on 2 straight occasions made it all the way to the Finals before bowing out was quite the leader and is rewarded with a 2-year, 1-way contract to continue.

After being on long-term injury, ruling out any games in 2025/2026, he has decided maybe it’s enough and retires, as three time Firebirds‘ captain, leaving as the team’s all-time leader in goals (67).

University Of Denver Pioneers‘ junior defenseman Boston Buckberger(9) had a new college high 10 goals last season in 43 games with a +32 rating he leaves a year on the table and grabs to a 2-year NHL entry level deal, as an unrestricted free agent with Columbus Blue Jackets for 2026/2027.

The 5’11” 172 lbs. blue liner had 36 assists in his 1 USHL campaign before school.

From Saskatoon, SK, the 23-year old looks set to report to affiliate Cleveland Monsters to start.

He is a 2-time NCAA Division 1 champ.

University Of Denver Pioneers‘ freshman center Massimo Rizzo(13) is tied for 3rd in NCAA Division 1 scoring at 24 points (10 goals, 14 assists).

He is a Carolina Hurricanes‘ 7th round pick in the 2019 draft (#216 overall) and looking to prove them right with the deep pick.

The 5’10” 174 lbs. forward was a solid performer through 3 years of BCHL with a couple of teams (43 goals and 80 assists in 132 games) and won a 2017 championship with Penticton Vees, the year he arrived from youth hockey.

This is definitely the style player from Burnaby, BC that can break through and find space in the NHL.

After another 40+ points frame, the now junior decides to leave a year on the table and signs a 2-year NHL entry level deal with Philadelphia Flyers, who picked up his playing rights in a trade.

He would finish his 2nd season with 13 AHL games for Milwaukee Admirals, scoring 2 goals and 3 assists, but then New York Rangers come sniffing in the off season and pick him up for 2026/2027.

Coumbus Blue Jackets sign Colorado College Tigers‘ junior center Hunter McKown(41) to a 3-year NHL entry level deal.

The 6’1″ 205 lbs. forward scored a college career best 21 goals and 28 points in 38 games as assistant captain last season.

A 20-year old San Jose, CA native played 2 years of USNTDP before heading to college.

They seem to have plans for this skater.

Montreal Canadiens see something they like, so trade for him 2o26/2027.

Quinnipiac University BobcatsNCAA Division 1 Championship winning, junior goaltender Yaniv Perets(1) signs a 2-year entry level deal with Carolina Hurricanes.

The 6’1″ 181 lbs. net minder ran a 34-4-3 record last season with a 1.49 GAA and .931 SV% and 10 shutouts.

It’s a bit of a wonder why the 23-year old from Dollard-des-Ormeaux, QC was never drafted, despite winning the 2019 USPHL/NCDC Championship with Junior Bruins.

He should do well now that he’s decided to turn pro with a year left in college.

Recalled from the ECHL to the backup for a 2nd time, in this outing he is put into net to face 1 shot in 12:46 net time that he turned away and he has a 1st NHL appearance.

Nice backup.

After playing in all three leagues last season, he is an unrestricted free agent and signs a 1-year AHL deal with Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

He does well between the two leagues and signs up for 2026/2027 to continue as a Phantoms net minder.

Buffalo Sabres‘ 4th round pick in the 2016 draft (#99 overall), 3rd year left wing Brett Murray(57) played his first season under the guide of the parent club on an AHL contract with affiliate Rochester Americans.

The kinda giant 6’5″ 228 lbs., former year and a half Penn State University Nittany Lions‘ forward posted 9 goals in each of his first two seasons and 10+ assists before dropping a goal and 7 assists in 6 games in the current frame to earn a 2nd recall.

In his first re-appearance, he failed to connect in a win, but had an assist the next night and topped it with a two point, first NHL goal and an assist performance in a loss that should have earned him a third star award.

The Bolton, ON native took an interesting path from a first year at juniors, directingly into a first year at college hockey, but only stayed one run before returning to Youngstown Phantoms to absolutely detonate the stat sheet with a league best 41 goals and 35 assists with a +13 rating.

That was basically all the now 23 year old needed to turn pro and now he’s looking at some extended time up.

He manages less games in the big league as he goes, but scores pretty easily in the lower league, so decides to move as unrestricted free agent status approaches, signing for 2025/2026 with Nurnberg Ice Tigers.

Recording very close to point-per-game totals, he takes his game up to the KHL and agrees to terms with Shanghai Dragons for 2026/2027.

10th year defenseman Aaron Ness(27) was in Boston Bruins‘ training camp, but signs for 2021/2022 with affiliate Providence Bruins to stay in the system.

It’s his 1st minor league deal.

The 5’10” 184 lbs. blue liner has played an outstanding 557 AHL games, scoring 45 goals and 222 assists with an overall +7 rating.

He’s appeared in 72 NHL games in 7 seasons with 3 different teams, scoring just a goal and 6 assists.

We do believe the 31-year old, former 3-year University Of Minnesota Golden Gophers will look to continue his hockey overseas next, just to be able to say he did it as a pro.

Looks like we guessed wrong, as he signs for 2022/2023 with the team he had a 50 assist campaign for a few years ago, Hershey Bears and the recently turned 32-year old should be able to help them find their playoff punch again.

He’s riding a good playoff run with the team after getting 5 goals and 14 assists in 69 games with a +14 rating during the regular season, but has yet to add anything in the playoffs.

No worries says this minor league club as they would like him to stay in Chocolatetown for at least another 2 more years.

For a 7th season, he will stay a Bears, 2024/2025.

He spends his 2nd year as team captain, but maybe limits appearances to 38 games to ease off a bit.

Well, 818 games in the AHL and 72 in the NHL with 1 goal and it’s time to at 36-years old retire from pro hockey.

We think he stays put to assume an assistant coach role, he’d be a perfect fit for.

Harvard University Crimson senior captain defenseman Ian Moore(3) signs a 2-year entry level contract with draft team Anaheim Ducks (3rd round of 2020, #67 overall) and starts his pro career with affiliate San Diego Gulls, where he’s good for a 1st AHL goal and 4 assists in 9 games to score a recall in his short pro career.

In his NHL debut, he skates 18 shifts for 15:31 of ice time with 3 shots and 1 block in a 4-2 loss.

The 6’3″ 194 lbs. blue liner equaled his college best 3 goals last season and had 18 assists as a sophomore.

From Concord, MA, the 24-year is just getting started.

In 67 games, he scores 4 goals and 8 assists, then adds another tally in the playoffs to earn himself a 2-year extension to stay a Ducks.