Charlotte Checkers‘ 8th year center Scott Wilson(10) is off to a good start with his new team, scoring 4 goals and 2 assists in 16 AHL games, while helping them win games.
Originally a Pittsburgh Penguins‘ 7th round pick in the 2011 draft (#209 overall), he was selected after a 2nd strong session for Georgetown Raiders of the OJHL.
The 5’11” 176 lbs. forward would then head to UMass-Lowell Riverhawks for three seasons.
He spent three years in the Pens’ system and played the entire 2016/2017 in the NHL en route of the 2017 Stanley Cup Championship, where he played 20 playoff matchups, scoring 3 goals and 3 assists.
The 29-year old should have some fun with his minor league deal this year and then look for a nice overseas contract for 2022/2023.
After scoring a career best 24 goals in 71 games, he decides at the last minute to head off and sign with Vityaz Podolsk, as we thought he might do, after initially thinking he was going to return.
He should be able to match up well in the KHL.
After a couple of good 20-goal scoring seasons, he was maybe off a bit in the current frame, so switches up allegiances to skate for Salavat Yulaev Ufa for the remainder of 2024/2025.
Reading Royals‘ 2nd year left wing Austin Master(21) is off to a pretty good start with 1 goal and 3 assists in 14 games with a +1 rating.
He had 2 goals and 7 assists in 40 games as a rookie.
The 5’9″ 165 lbs. forward plays a full in your face style.
He spent 4 years, served as senior captain at Stevenson University and left with 22 assists and a 2nd 30+ point season.
From Broomall, PA, the 26-year old did 2 years of juniors, finishing up with a monster EHL frame for Philadelphia Little Flyers, scoring 30 goals and 41 assists in 43 games
Edmonton Oilers‘ 6th round pick in the 2019 draft (#162 overall), St. Lawrence University Saints‘ sophomore transfer, Czechia-born Tomas Mazura(10) is putting up college career best 3 goals and 6 assists in 20 games after only skating 8 as a freshman at Providence College Friars.
The big frame 6’4″ 205 lbs. forward is a power force out there, only played 4 USHL games after a monster senior year at Kimball Union Academy, serving as captain, recording an eye-popping 60 assists in 35 USHS-Prep games.
It looks as though the 22-year old will play out his college term and continue to escalate and grow his game.
He posts a new college best 6 goals and 13 assists for 19 points as a junior and scores the only goal his team needs to head to the ECAC Finals.
After 17 games with good output, 1 goal and 13 assists, he decides to head back home and signs with BK Mlada Boleslav of Tipsport Extraliga.
Ogden Mustangs‘ 2nd year defenseman Jack Bartfield(24) commits to Skidmore College Thoroughbreds for 2025/2026.
The 5’10” 174 lbs. blue liner plays with good mobility and his 2 goals and 13 assists could outpace what he did in his 1st USPHL/NCDC season.
From Bloomington, MN, the 20-year old was senior captain of his high school team.
10th year veteran left wing Derek Whitmore(21) hasn’t played a pro game since 2017/2018, but he returns at 40-years old to sign with Maine Mariners, where he may act a little more as a coach.
He returns to the city, where he played most of his AHL hockey with Portland Pirates.
The 5’11” 185 lbs. forward also played a few seasons overseas with decent luck.
He has 349 games experience in the higher league and left Reading Royals as team captain.
We aren’t sure how much scoring the former Bowling Green State University Falcons‘ 27-goal scorer as a senior has left in the tank, but he is going to be pivotal in the locker room.
And he scores in his 1st game back, just for good measure.
Florida Everblades‘ 6th year center Joe Widmar(72) was just obtained from Allen Americans, where he seemed to struggle with only 3 assists in 14 games after starting the season decently for the lowly Norfolk Admirals, scoring 5 goals and 4 assists in 13 contests.
The big 6’1″ 210 lbs. forward has struggled to stay with one team for an entire frame, except for his one complete season overseas, where he skated 26 Polish Hockey League games for Cracovia Krakow.
A former 2-year UMass Minutemen wasn’t a big scorer in college before turning pro.
The 27-year old from Northbrook, IL still can be an elite player in the ECHL, but needs to not get traded.
He has definitely struggled in the higher league some, as he started the 2024/2025 frame with Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs and scored 3 goals and 6 assists in 2 SPHL games to earn a quick loan up, but there he has been perplexed hitting the scoresheet.
With only 1 assist in 20 games, he moves for a 3rd time, claimed from waivers by Fort Wayne Komets, where he hopes to find luck.
New Jersey Titans‘ 1st year, spiteful center Archer Brown(19) already has a college commit for 2026/2027 at his namesake, Brown University Bears.
The 6’1″ 194 lbs. forward plays with a ton of spunk, despite only 2 goal and 4 assists through 23 NAHL games this season.
From New York, NY, he will definitely give the Rhode Island school a good look.
Northeastern University Huskies‘ junior center captain Justin Hryckowian(49) takes a college best 30 assists and 43 points in 32 games with a +24 rating to a 2-year entry level deal with Dallas Stars.
Undrafted, the 5’10” 194 lbs. forward from L’lle Bizard, QC came down for a senior year at high school before heading off to 2 USHL years of junior hockey.
The 23-year old will likely report to affiliate Texas Stars to get started, but could warrant a look up in the show.
And he does.
Recalled due to injury and his scoring streak in the minors, he waits, but eventually makes his big league debut before the end of the new year.
He skates 9 shifts for 5:50 ice time in his NHL debut, has 1 hit and 1 giveaway in a 5-1 win. Nice start.
East Coast Wizards‘ 2nd year EHL right wing JJ Alger(21) has a scoring best 10 goals and 10 assists in the current season before he commits to Western New England University Golden Bears for 2025/2026.
From Brewster, MA, the 6’2″ 183 lbs. forward will be a welcome addition to their CNE scoring.
He will turn 21-years old over the summer before school.
5th year center, Nick Hutchinson(12) maybe pulls a surprising move, leaving the captaincy at Wheeling Nailers to head back to Europe, signing with EV Landshut of DEL2.
He leaves after 9 ECHL games, scoring 1 goal and 2 assists with a +4 rating.
The pretty big 6’3″ 210 lbs. forward always had 10+ goals and assists through 4 years at Canisius College Golden Griffins.
His best scoring season was his 1st with his recent former team, where he was well over a point per game player.
It’s possibly he goes there in the tier 2 league and gets elevated to the top level there.
