Providence Bruins‘ 7th year net minder Shane Starrett(95) signed a 1-year AHL deal to join the team for 2023/2024 after spending all but 1 game under contract last season in the ECHL with Kansas City Mavericks.
He started in November, posting a 1.01 GAA and .950 SV% in a 19 save win for Coachella Valley Firebirds.
The very big 6’5″ 195 lbs. goalie had 2 outstanding frames for Air Force Academy Falcons before turning pro.
He spent his 1st 3 seasons with Bakersfield Condors or their affiliate before leaving for a year in the EIHL with Glasgow Clan.
We feel the 29-year old from Bellingham, MA may be just starting to really catch on and will do very well in the upcoming session.
15th year goaltender Cory Schneider(35) earns a 2nd straight contract with New York Islanders to continue to help out the younger net minders in the system and also possibly earn some time in the cage with the big club.
Originally a Vancouver Canucks‘ 1st round pick in the 2004 draft (#26 overall), he definitely had 6 strong seasons with the team and once posted both league best GAA and most shutouts.
The 6’3″ 201 lbs. net minder decided to go exploring for a lucrative deal and landed on a handsome 7-year deal with New Jersey Devils, where once again, he basically put up stellar numbers, but ended as the team began shifting gears and was put on unqualified waivers to buy out the remaining two years of the deal.
And that’s where the 35-year old, former 3-year Boston College Eagles‘ standout goalie has landed himself on a pair of one year deals at the league minimum, but that’s hardly the cause at this point.
He re-ups for a 3rd season on the Isle.
410 NHL games and 224 AHL is quite enough to wrap it up for the decade and a half net minder, who leaves the game at 37-years old with some impressive marks.
It’s almost silly to say, it will be interesting to see where he pops up next.
University Of Minnesota-Duluth University Bulldogs‘ graduate right wing Tanner Laderoute(13) gets the nod to join Wheeling Nailers for the remainder of the ECHL season.
In four of 5 frames, he’s put up 10+ points, but isn’t really known as a big point guy.
The 6′ 190 lbs. forward played 4 sessions of AJHL junior hockey and twice got some impressive numbers for Okotoks Oilers.
A 25-year old from Three Hills, AB, he could find room in the league to grab points.
1 goal and 6 assists in 11 games is reason enough to invite him back in a Nailers‘ jersey for his rookie season 2023/2024.
Wilkes University Colonels‘ land 2023/2024 commit, big 6’4″ 190 lbs. 2nd year New Hampshire Avalanche center Evan Victor(21) after a junior career best 14 goals and 30 points last season.
The Pittsburgh, PA resident played 2 sessions for local Pittsburgh Vengeance USPHL Premier team, popping scoring in his 2nd frame with 25 goals and 15 assists through 41 games.
He will certainly be an interesting D3 watch at 21-years old.
14th year defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk(12) signs a 1-year deal worth just $1.05M with Boston Bruins as an unrestricted free agent, which brings him back “home” to where he played his 3 years of college hockey at Boston University Terriers.
The 6′ 207 lbs. blue liner was originally a Colorado Avalanche 1st round pick in 2017 (#14 overall), but played only half a season there before being traded to St. Louis Blues.
He stayed with them for 7 campaigns scoring 10+ goals 3 times, 30+ assists 5 and 40+ points on 5 occasions.
The 34-year old from New Rochelle, NY did 2 years at the USNTDP before college and playing on his new team could get him back into the 20+ point range, as he did 4 of the last 5 sessions.
Upon graduating from Niagara University Purple Eagles after entering the transfer portal and coming over from 3 years at Merrimack College Warriors, rookie defenseman Ryan Cook(44) started his pro career with 17 SPHL games for Huntsville Havoc (2 goals, 2 assists) before getting loaned up to South Carolina Stingrays and signing a standard player contract with the team.
The gigantic 6’3″ 225 lbs. blue liner has 3 assists in 7 ECHL games with a +5 rating for his new club, but has found it increasingly hard to get into game appearances.
Maybe the upcoming playoffs will create more room.
It looks as though he was originally signed to a deal with Kansas City Mavericks but what occur here prior to him starting in Alabama is unknown.
A Lancaster, NY native, he spent his youth hockey in the Buffalo Jr. Sabres‘ system before graduating to the USHL for 28 games with Lincoln Stars until wanting to switch up leagues and move back up north with Aberdeen Wings of the NAHL.
He had his most significant outing in his 2nd season in South Dakota getting a huge 7 goals and 19 assists, unlike any numbers he’s ever posted, before committing to college in MA.
The 26-year old may have got the boost he needed to elevate his game to the next level.
He would get a late trade to Kalamazoo Wings, striking for 1 goal and 1 assist in 12 games to grab himself another look with the team for 2022/2023.
Traded to Reading Royals late, he acquaints himself with 6 assists in 14 games, then 1 goal in 5 playoff matchups.
He’s not sticking around for a 4 season, as he signs a 1-year deal with GKS Katowice of Polska Hokej Liga for 2023/2024.
Lake Forest College Foresters‘ 2023/2024 commit, defenseman Jared Kaplowitz(6) takes a complete NAHL season with Philadelphia Rebels, scoring 1 goal and 8 assists in 53 games to NCHA play for 2023/2024.
The 5’11” 185 lbs. blue liner split the previous season with a team from the junior league he was in an 20 games up in the SJHL with Humboldt Broncos, recording the exact totals he had in his last frame.
We expect the 20-year old from Marietta, GA will have success as a freshman at his new D3 school.
Augustana University Vikings‘ 2023/2024 commit, goaltender Josh Kotai(32) is one of 3 new net minders coming into the college looking to impress.
The 6’2″ 170 lbs. goalie from Abbotsford, BC had a huge 2nd season of junior hockey close to home in the SJHL with Battlesford North Stars, where he went 32-4-3 during the regular frame, then shutdown to 12-1 with a 1.72 GAA and .945 SV% on the way to the 2023 SJHL Championship with Top Goaltender award.
Almost oddly, he came to the East Coast for a frame of tier 3 junior hockey in the EHL with Vermont Lumberjacks that when the EHLP club reached the playoffs, he became a new kind of backstop.
The 20-year old knows what it is to compete hard to reach his goals and we look for him to succeed.
Norwich University Cadets‘ 2023/2024 commit, center captain Joe Schubert(8) posted a junior hockey NAHL best 12 goals and tied his 12 assists with a new high of 24 points to round out 2 seasons, the 2nd as captain of Northeast Generals.
The 6’1″ 192 lbs. 21-year old forward from Cleveland, OH is going to add some punch to the front of the D3 NEHC club.
11th year defenseman Tommy Cross(4) signs with the team he’s captained twice now, Springfield Thunderbirds under an AHL contract.
Last year he was signed by the parent club St. Louis Blues to a 1-year 2-way deal.
Originally a Boston Bruins‘ 2nd round pick in the 2007 draft (#35 overall), he skated 3 NHL games, recording 1 assist.
He twice won the NCAA Division 1 Championship in 2010 and 2012, the latter as senior captain of Boston College Eagles.
The 6’3″ 205 lbs. d-man has 570 games played in the league with a +58 rating.
At 32-years old, he has to have a little chuckle he still gets to do this for a living.
12 years and 588 games in the minors is plenty enough for the now 33-year old to decide on something different for 2023/2024.
