Category: Free Agent Signing

20Nov

Michael Garteig (34)

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8th year goaltender Michael Garteig(34) signs on for a 2nd DEL season with ERC Ingolstadt after appearing in 42 games, posting a 25-15 record with a 2.22 GAA and .914 SV%.

A bit oddly, it’s the 1st time he has signed twice with a team.

The undrafted 6’1″ 190 lbs. net minder originally signed a 1-year NHL entry level deal with Vancouver Canucks after an outstanding 4-year run at Quinnipiac University Bobcats.

For his 3rd season he signed an ECHL contract to tend net for Newfoundland Growlers, a team on the other end of Canada from where he was born, Prince George, BC.

With a 23-14-6 record in the regular frame, then 16-6-1 in the playoffs, he backstopped the team to the 2019 Kelly Cup Championship.

He left a storybook career at BCHL juniors with awards in his name, so it’s almost mystical to see the 31-year old settle down for a 1st time.

After spending a 4th season with the same club, he moves on to rivals, Augsburger Panther in 2025/2026.

16Nov

Luke Witkowski (4)

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10th year defenseman Luke Witkowski(4) returns to Springfield Thunderbirds, where he played 16 regular season games, then 17 in the playoffs after a trade from Detroit Red Wings sent him to St. Louis Blues‘ system.

The sizable 6’2″ 209 lbs. blue liner doesn’t exactly score a lot of points in his 324 AHL games, but does have a nice +38 rating for accountability.

In 132 NHL games, the former Tampa Bay Lightning 6th round pick in the 2008 draft (#160 overall) has 2 goals and 11 assists.

He was a senior captain at Western Michigan University Broncos and 3-time lead guy for Syracuse Crunch.

The 32-year old from Holland, MI is likely smiling with each big contracts he still gets.

For 2023/2024, he has made the decision to try something completely new and heads to Finland to join Tappara and will play his games in Liiga.

Switzerland was good enough fun for the now 34-year old, but will elevate his game a little by signing in the SHL with Skelleftea AIK for 2024/2025.

He waits a minute after skating 25 regular season, then 11 in the playoffs to sign with rivals, Brynas IF for 2025/2026.

15Nov

Carter Camper (11)

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13th year center Carter Camper(11) is heading to a new league, Finland’s Liiga for 2023/2024 after 8 games in the Swiss NL and almost 3 SHL seasons with Leksands IF.

He will next skate for Tappara.

The 5’9″ 176 lbs. forward 3 times had 10+ goals and twice 30+ assists in Sweden’s top league.

He was mostly a more than point-per-game scorer through 4 years at Miami University (Ohio) Redhawks before signing as an undrafted, unrestricted free agent with Boston Bruins.

The Rocky River, OH native played 3 NHL games as a rookie and score a 1st goal.

He is a veteran of 558 AHL games.

At 35-years old, it’s hard to believe it’s been that long.

He scores nicely with 17 goals and 31 assists in 60 games with a +19 rating, then adds 7 points on his way to a 2024 Liiga Championship.

For 2024/2025, he eyes another opportunity in HockeyAllsvenskan, signing for 1-year with IK Oskarshamn.

After a solid season in tier 2 Sweden hockey, at 37-years old he has decided to retire with 558 AHL games, 3 NHL appearances with 1 goal and 137 in the SHL to his credit.

10Nov

Cayden Primeau (30)

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Montreal Canadiens‘ 4th year goalie Cayden Primeau(30) gets re-upped for a nice 3-year NHL contract worth $890,000 AAV as a restricted free agent, possibly after a solid Calder Cup playoff run by affiliate Laval Rocket, where he posted a 9-5 record with a 2.17 GAA and .936 SV%.

The 6’3″ 203 lbs. net minder started a career high 12 games, but didn’t get the results he was looking for, by a mile.

A former 7th round pick in the 2017 draft (#199 overall), he did 2 stellar seasons at Northeastern University Huskies before turning pro.

Almost oddball, he did 1 season at tier 3 junior hockey EHL for Philadelphia Revolution before getting selected in the next frame.

The 23-year old, son of former bruiser Keith Primeau of 909 games played, 1541 penalty minutes, is likely looking to get the nod as starter, if he can earn it.

After 6 years in one system, the unrestricted free agent signs a 1-year deal with Carolina Hurricanes for 2025/2026.

Then he gets waived from training camp and scooped up by Toronto Maple Leafs, which is a bit of a thinker.

After 1 unsuccessful start, he is put on waivers again and Carolina Hurricanes step back in to claim him.

05Nov

Max Willman (10)

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Undrafted 3rd year center Max Willman(10) has quite the unlikely, surprise hockey story to tell.

Upon finishing up his one year in a graduate program at Boston University Terriers after a transfer from Brown University Bears, he signed an ECHL contract to join Reading Royals.

The 6′ 183 lbs. forward was loaned up to Lehigh Valley Phantoms a couple of months into his rookie run and earned an spc, mostly staying in the AHL, earning 3 goals and 6 assists in 24 games before the season exploded with no playoffs.

He re-signed to stay and in a weirdo season with like 3 constant opponents, he ascended to a career high 9 goals, 7 assists and 16 points with a +7 in just 30 games.

His efforts have earned him an NHL 2-year, 2-way deal with Philadelphia Flyers that starts in the upcoming frame.

The 26-year old is likely all smiles heading into 2021/2022.

And the story continues to take the strangest turns, as the Barnstable, MA native has made the opening night roster of the Broad Street Bullies and skated 13 shifts for 9:30 of total ice with one shot on net, one hit, 2 minutes in the sin bin and left the 5-4 shootout loss a -1 rating.

An unrestricted free agent, he signs a 1-year 2-way deal with New Jersey Devils for 2023/2024.

In 18 games with the big club, he scores 3 goals and 1 assist with a +1 rating and he scores himself another year, another look in a Devils‘ jersey.

After 69 games on reassignment with Utica Comets, scoring 10 goals and 20 assist, he is off for his next venture, signing with Barys Astana of the KHL for 2025/2026.

31Oct

Cole Koepke (45)

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Tampa Bay Lightning swoop in to grab University Of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs‘ junior left wing Cole Koepke(45) to a 2-year entry level deal, starting immediately.

He was a 6th round pick in the 2018 draft (#183 overall).

The 6’1″ 195 lbs. forward put up very decent numbers through 3 years of college hockey with 16 goals as a sophomore and 15 last season, plus an overall +31 rating.

He seemed to struggle a bit in his first session for Sioux City Musketeers but found his footing in the 2nd frame as an assistant captain, grabbing a junior level high 28 goals and 11 assists for 39 points.

His college commitment would come after an explosive year at Hermantown, MN High, where he was a 2-point per game player.

It looks as though the 22-year old will report to affiliate Syracuse Crunch and should be able to prove his worth in the AHL.

He would play a 52-game slate in the minors, scoring 7 goals and 12 assists, then adding another 3 helpers in 5 playoff matchups, but would also get to appear in 17 games with the big club, recording a 1st NHL goal for himself.

For his efforts, he is rewarded with a 1-year, 2-way deal in 2023/2024.

He plays 73 games last season with 10 goals and 7 assists with a +1 rating, but is an unrestricted free agent and accepts a 1-year $1M deal with Winnipeg Jets and has 1 assist in 10 contests.

30Oct

Kyle Criscuolo (42)

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6th year left wing Kyle Criscuolo(42) gets a new crack at the NHL with Detroit Red Wings, his first since an unsuccessful 9 game stint after signing an entry level deal with Buffalo Sabres.

The 5’9″ 175 lbs. forward started his pro career on a 1-year minor league deal with Grand Rapids Griffins, where he put up 17 goals and 24 assists with a +15 rating to get on the major radar.

He has always managed to put up good numbers with affiliates and has point-per-game stats in the current AHL frame.

The 29-year old, former Harvard University Crimson two-time captain posted outstanding points in school and is likely very happy how his pro career is stretching out to include yet another recall.

He would re-sign for a 5th season in a Griffins‘ uniform, but a mid-year minor trade sends him to San Jose Sharks for a new look and start on things at now 30-years old.

After a decent enough showing in the minors, he scores a 1-game recall to the big league and what do you know, the now 31-year old grabs a 1st NHL goal.

For 2023/2024, the Southampton Township, NJ native comes home, signing a 1-year, 2-way deal with New Jersey Devils that will very likely see him mostly with affiliate Utica Comets, but could score some looks.

He walks away from last season with a career best assists, 26 and points, 42 and he signs for 2024/2025 with Charlotte Checkers and will likely just continue to score in the minors.

After another solid scoring season with 19 goals and 16 assists with a +6 rating, he is a free agent and decides to return to Utica Comets on a 1-year deal for 2025/2026.

26Oct

Josh Jooris (36)

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Josh-Jooris

Undrafted 7th year center Josh Jooris(36) leaves North American pro hockey for a first time to sign with Lausanne HC of NLA for 2019/2020.

He departs having played 213 NHL (23-32-55) games for 5 different teams but was exclusively in the minors with Toronto Marlies last season, although signed by the parent club Toronto Maple Leafs.

The former high scoring 6’1″ 198 lbs. Union College forward has less AHL games to his credit at 160 (20-26) but suited up for an equal amount of teams as he did at the higher level.

He is now 34-years old and that hasn’t deter how well he does in Switzerland’s top hockey.

Staying with his new Swiss team for 2 seasons, he switches it up to sign with Geneve-Servette HC, where he agrees for a 4th frame and is scoring pretty well out of the gate.

Consistently producing 20+ points, he is back for a 5th season with Geneve-Servette and is scoring very well with 3 goals and 5 assists in 17 games.

15Oct

Brandon Bussi (35)

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Boston Bruins‘ undrafted 2nd year goaltender Brandon Bussi(35) needed a new contract as a restricted free agent and picks up a 1-year 2-way NHL deal to continue his progress.

The big 6’4″ 227 lbs. net minder went 22-5-4 as a rookie with a 2.40 GAA and .925 SV% and despite losing 3 games posted similar totals in 4 playoff match ups.

From Sound Beach, NY, he did 3 years at Western Michigan University Broncos after bouncing around juniors his 1st two campaigns, then posted a very strong USHL frame with Muskegon Lumberjacks before heading to school.

The 25-year old is off to a pretty strong start on a good team for him and posted a shutout in a 2023 preseason game.

He has been a rock in net for affiliate Providence Bruins and the unrestricted free agent picks up a new 1-year, 2-way deal to continue.

An unrestricted free agent heading into 2025/2026, Florida Panthers sign him on opening day.

Put on waivers for the purpose of reassignment, he is busy moving, as Carolina Hurricanes claim his contract to start the season.

After a couple of almosts with his former club, he gets the nod in net for his 1st big league start and comes away with a 5-1 win on a 1.00 GAA and .941 SV%, nicely impressive NHL debut.

 

13Oct

Anthony Angello (17)

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5th year right wing Anthony Angello(17) signs a 1-year NHL deal with St. Louis Blues, as an unrestricted free agent after spending the 1st 4 years of his pro career in Pittsburgh Penguins‘ organization.

The towering 6’5″ 209 lbs. forward twice scored 16 goals with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and has definitely shown a perchance for potential big numbers.

He was originally a 5th round pick in the 2014 draft (#145 overall).

The Albany, NY native did 3 years at Cornell University Big Red before leaving to sign his entry level contract.

At 26-years old, he could be just arriving.

He is acquired late season by Nashville Predators, who send him directly to affiliate Milwaukee Admirals, where he helps their deep 2023 Calder Cup Playoff push.

It’s little doubt he is signed quickly to a 2-year 2-way deal though 2024/2025.

A trade sent him to Tampa Bay Lightning organization, he was reassigned to close by home Syracuse Crunch and scored well in 19 games.

With no deal going forward, he decides to leave hockey after 339 AHL games and 31 NHL games to his credit and could actually head back for his senior year somewhere is a possibility we see.