12th year, Swedish-born defenseman Philip Samuelsson(34) left 3 seasons of playing in his home country’s top league, SHL for a new adventure, signing for 2022/2023 with Fischtown Pinguins.
In 22 DEL games, he has 12 assists, so is on pace for a big first season in Germany.
The former Pittsburgh Penguins‘ 2nd round pick in the 2009 draft (#61 overall) has played 512 AHL games, scoring 27 goals and 124 assists with a massive +76 rating.
He’s also appeared in 13 NHL games.
Because his dad, Ulf Samuelsson(5) was playing hockey in the US, he did his high school and junior hockey here.
The 6’2″ 194 lbs. blue liner even did 2 years at Boston College Eagles before turning pro on a 3-year entry level deal.
At 31-years old, he is still able to pull down good contracts, so must have at least a little smile on his face.
He finishes up his debut frame in Germany with 4 goals and 27 assists in 47 games only to be wooed by rivals Straubing Tigers to stay in the country and sign for 2023/2024.
After an exceptionally strong year, scoring 4 goals and 12 assists with a +5 rating through 49 games, then adding another 4 points in 11 playoff matchups, it’s a no brainer to keep him in a Tigers‘ jersey for 2024/2025.
3 seasons in Germany is all good and is heads of to IceHL and signs with HC Bolzano Foxes for 2025/2026.
We think the 33-year old will do well and discover a few more years remaining.
Finnish-native net minder Daniel Lebedeff(60) spent 5 years in the U.S. honing his hockey skills but decided to head back home as the pandemic closed down the postseason and more, signing a two-year deal with HPK of Liiga.
After doing all of his youth hockey with HIFK, the fairly large 6’2″ 194 lbs. goalie left to sign with Madison Capitals of the USHL, where he spent a little over a year and committed to University Of Wisconsin Badgers but decided to leave for the lower NAHL joining Janesville Jets.
He would better excel in this league and even made the playoffs for a couple of appearances.
Although his record at college (23-26-2) wasn’t exactly stellar with a 3.49 GAA and .892 SV% in 55 NCAA Big Ten Conference games, I think folks who know how better than us still see promise in the still young 21-year old, potentially from the one pretty strong junior campaign.
The Helsinki native is putting up some outstanding numbers through the midway point of 2021/2022, running together a 6-2-3 record with a 1.55 GAA and .938 SV% to earn another year added to his current deal.
After 5 years back in his home country, he is branching out to the tough to play Slovak Extraliga and signs with HK 32 Liptovsky Miskulas for 2025/2026.
Maryland Black Bears‘ 2nd year left wing Luke Janus(19) had an NAHL junior best 15 goals and 19 assists in 45 games with a +9 rating.
The 6’2″ 201 lbs. forward will head to Lakehead University Thunderwolves for 2025/2026.
From Winnipeg, MB, he did 1 MJHL season before heading down.
The 21-year old will be a nice addition.
2022/2023 was certainly a busy 1st season for Connor Jean(12) coming off 11 games for Holy Cross College Crusaders, his 2nd stint with the college club, but decided to turn, signing a contract with Fort Wayne Komets.
After 5 ECHL games, that relationship went south and he switched to Indy Fuel, where he lasted 14 games, grabbing a 1st goal an an assist.
The 5’10” 183 lbs. forward then shifted down to sign with Evansville Thunderbolts and connected for 3 goals, including 2 in his debut and 2 assists in 5 SPHL games, but seems to be on the move again.
This time he’s really going away to agree with Perth Thunder for the summer league, AIHL in Australia, where the seasons are opposite.
The 26-year old from Oakland, MI will likely find his scoring footing nicely in the land down under and hopefully parlay that into something good for himself in 2023/2024.
He takes some insane numbers from Australian, 17 goals and 25 assists in just 19 games to a new deal for 2023/2024 with Kalix HC of HockeyEttan.
Through 34 games, he nets 12 goals and 17 assists, then another 7 points in 7 playoff games.
In what we see as a bit of an oddball move, unless he was somehow wooed, he signs with Les Remparts des Tours of France2 for 2024/2025 and should absolutely blow up scoring there.
He scores point-per-game numbers and even better in the playoffs, so he is easily wanted to return to des Tours for 2025/2026.
Cleveland Monsters sign unrestricted free agent, University Of Wisconsin Badgers‘ graduating senior, left wing Roman Ahcan(37) to a pto for the remainder of 2022 and an spc for 2022/2023.
The 5’9″ 181 lbs. forward wasn’t the biggest scorer as an assistant captain last season but did post a pair of 20+ point campaigns as a sophomore and junior.
He committed after his final year at Burnsville High USHS-MN, then went onto one session of USHL junior hockey for Cedar Rapids RoughRiders before heading to school.
The 22-year old will hopefully help his new team win some games.
In his 3rd year with the same club, he once again signs a tryout, but after 11 games with 7 goals and 1 assist is quickly snapped up for the full 2024/2025 session with the Monsters.
He had his best season in the minors, scoring 18 goals and 11 assists 67 AHL games with a +4 rating, then added another 3 points (1-2) in 6 playoff matchups with a +2.
His awesome play earns him a 2-year contract to stay in a Monsters‘ jersey.
Springfield Pics‘ 3rd year right wing Levi Adcock(21) takes an absolute USPHL Premier junior best scoring 26 goals and 41 assists in 43 games, then another 7 (3-4) in 11 playoff games to a 2025/2026 commit at Rivier University Raiders.
The small 5’6″ 174 lbs. forward from Dallas, TX looked to play mostly youth hockey before juniors.
We look for the 21-year old to help his new MASCAC team to win.
Pittsburgh Penguins‘ 5th year defenseman Mark Friedman(52) re-ups for another two years after scoring a goal and 4 assists in 26 NHL games with a +1 rating.
The 5’10” 192 lbs. blue liner has appeared in big league games for the last 4 seasons, but seems to have arrived in the current session.
He scored 2 goals and an assist in 5 games, when he arrived via the waiver wire from Philadelphia Flyers.
The Bowling Green State University Falcons blue liner left a year on the table after scoring college career best 8 goals, 18 assist and 26 points.
It looks like the 26-year old is in a good spot with his new team.
He picks up 20+ games in the big league 2 years in a row, but gets himself traded in sort of a minor deal to Vancouver Canucks, where he could find a spot on d with the big club.
In 5 games, he had no points, but got 1 goal and 5 assists in 20 games with a +4 rating for affiliate Abbotsford Canucks.
He finds himself traded to Nashville Predators to help shore up their zone, but initially he will head to Milwaukee Admirals.
In 21 games, he comes away with 2 goals and 11 assists with a +11 rating, which in turn he will take to a new opportunity in his 9th season to go skate for Rogle BK of the SHL for 2025/2026.
Former two-time Mercyhurst University Lakers‘ center captain Derek Barach(19) signs himself a nice tw0-year deal to head to Finland’s top hockey Liiga, joining Assat starting 2021/2022.
He skated 31 AHL games last season for Texas Stars, scoring 3 goals and 4 assists.
The small 5’8″ 165 lbs. forward has always been a good scorer and hard player on ice but probably no period was better than when he scored 38 points in 37 Atlantic Hockey games as a junior, then in his senior frame grabbed 37 points in 38 contests.
That’s just math.
The 26-year old native of Glenmont, NY will likely find enough open space to become a big scorer in the league.
In 2 seasons playing the highest hockey in the Finnish culture, he pots 33 goals and 27 assists in 114 games, then adding another 6 in 8 during the playoffs last frame.
He is rewarded for his efforts with a contract to play his game in the KHL with Vityaz Moscow Region for 2023/2024.
Through 68 games he scores 10 goals and 25 assists, yet is a horrible -21 rating, but is wanted back.
After a 2nd solid session of increased scoring even, he decides to switch ranks, joining up with rivals, Metallurg Magnitorgorsk for 2025/2026 and will likely just continue.
Colgate University Raiders‘ senior defenseman Tommy Bergsland(25) signs a 1st pro deal, an ato to join Texas Stars for their AHL playoff run.
In 6 regular season games, he had no points, but recorded an assist in 5 playoff matchups and had a 0 rating throughout.
The 6’3″ 204 lbs. left college hockey with 2-20+ assist seasons.
From Wyzata, MN, he had a couple really good high school hockey years before heading to the USHL, where he had less luck.
He next went to the NAHL, where he was able to elevate his game nicely before college.
The 24-year will need a contract for his rookie run, 2025/2026.
Skidmore College Thoroughbreds‘ junior center Kaedon Patrick(14) has a team best 9 goals, 8 assists and 17 points at this early mark in 2023/2024.
The 6’1″ 185 lbs. forward has twice got 10+ goals and very close in the assist marks as well.
We’re thinking he sets up college career highs this season.
The undrafted 23-year old from Vancouver, BC plays a power forward style all the way.
He had 1 BCHL season before committing.
He doesn’t have quite as productive scoring as a senior, but takes it to a 1st pro contract in France2 with Chambry, which should go well for him.
