5th year center Adam Johnson(47) gets a new start with Lehigh Valley Phantoms, as he is dished from a 2nd stint for Ontario Reign after a slow start.
He signed with the team last season upon returning from Malmo Redhawks, where he scored 7 goals and 5 assists in 21 SHL games before getting released.
In 14 AHL games in 2020/2021, the 6′ 175 lbs. forward had 6 goals and 5 assists, so can produce.
Undrafted, he agreed on a 2-year entry level deal with Pittsburgh Penguins, spending most of his time scoring very productively for affiliate Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, but in his appearances over a pair of campaigns managed 2 assists in his first 6 games, then grabbed a 1st NHL goal and an assist in his next 7.
The 27-year old, former 2-year University Of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs‘ sophomore scoring sensation from Hibbing, MN can still produce, but definitely needs to re-energize those jets.
He will take an alright season at the 2nd highest level to a new deal across the pond for 2022/2023 with Augsburger Panther and will likely do pretty well in Germany highest hockey, DEL.
7 goals and 15 assists in 45 games isn’t too shabby, but a -20 rating needs to be addressed, so he heads off to sign a new 1-year deal with Nottingham Panthers for 2023/2024 that should see him do quite well in the EIHL.
Our hearts are literally on our sleeves and sticks outside for a tribute to the hardest skater there is. Rest well. we are crying.
Worcester Jr. Railers‘ 3rd year left wing, Connor McAleer(79) commits to SUNY Brockport Golden Eagles for 2024/2025.
The seemingly smaller than 5’10” 170 lbs. forward had point-per-game numbers in the EHLP before ascending to the EHL last season, where he basically stayed on pace.
In the current frame, he already has 10 goals and 4 assists in 11 outings.
The Holt, MI 20-year old will likely gel well with his new college club.
Assumption University Greyhounds‘ freshman defenseman Patrick McKiernan(5) scored 2 goals in his debut, including the 5-4 game winner to capture the 2023 Woo Cup in a battle vs. Anna Maria College AMCATS.
The 6’2″ 194 lbs. blue liner played 1 year of EHL junior hockey with New Hampshire Avalanche, scoring 4 goals and 15 assists in 42 games.
From Glastonbury, CT, the 20-year old has to have a nice smile on his face to start the 2023/2024 D3 campaign.
Suffolk University Rams‘ freshman center Ralph “Hunter” Berry(23) comes to the college team after putting up more than point-per-game numbers with his junior team, Charlotte Rush.
In 39 USPHL Premier games he scored 17 goals and 34 assists.
He also did parts of the previous frame in the NOJHL.
The 21-year old from Colleyville, TX is likely happy to be playing his college hockey in such a hub.
4th year defenseman Tanner Jago(34) switches up a good season with UTE, scoring 3 goals and 25 assists in 37 Erste Liga games to a new deal for 2022/2023 with Amiens Les Gothiques of Ligue Magnus.
He was coming off a bit of a strange COVID-struck campaign, where he only played 6 ECHL games for Utah Grizzlies and 7 in Slovak Extraliga with HC Banska Bystrica.
In the prior season, his rookie run, he signed with Texas Stars, but was mostly reassigned to affiliate Idaho Steelheads, where he played 49 games before the session pandemic stopped in its’ pre-playoff tracks.
The former Bentley University Falcons senior captain will likely do very well in France’s top hockey.
After 2 decent overseas seasons, first in Austria, then France, he put together some ok numbers, but decides to take a bit of a step back for 2023/2024 and signed up to play in the SEMHL, close to home for the Brandon, MB native.
Albertus Magnus College Falcons‘ freshman right wing Stephen Kyrkostas(23) enters the transfer portal late and will next lace them up for SUNY-Cortland Red Dragons for his sophomore season, 2023/2024.
He played 24 games last season, scoring 4 goals and 5 assists.
The 5’11” 174 lbs. forward was a solid score in his 2nd NAHL session for Johnstown Tomahawks, scoring 19 goals and 31 assists with a +10 rating in 60 games.
We think the 22-year old from Long Island, NY does better at his school a little closer to home.
Of all the D3 commitments so far this off season, Worcester Jr. Railers‘ 6’ plays much bigger than 170 lbs. 2nd year, captain center Damon Dulac(11) is a player that could be impact ready when he arrives at Nichols College Bison for 2022/2023.
He had a junior career high 23 goals and 17 assists in 46 tier 3 EHL games, then popped in another 12 points in 7 playoff matchups.
The 21-year old from Mascouche, QC is going to be an interesting D3 watch.
In 24 games last season, he connects for 3 goals and 1 assist with a lowly -16, which we’re sure made him strictly unhappy, so late into the transfer portal he goes and for 2023/2024, his sophomore season will skate for New England College Pilgrims and will be an impact player in this lineup to help them win.
New York Rangers‘ 6th round pick in the 2016 draft (#174 overall) goaltender Tyler Wall(33) played his rookie campaign with affiliate Hartford Wolf Pack.
The very large 6’3″ 214 lbs. net minder had a tough first season on a club that struggled to cobble together wins and ended the session 3-4-1 in 10 AHL games with a disappointing 3.58 GAA and .865 SV%.
It easily wasn’t always as tough on the 23-year old.
In 31 GOJHL appearances, he had a 1.49 GAA and .940 SV%, posting a 27-2-1 mark in his only full frame for Leamington Flyers.
This was enough to get him noticed by UMass-Lowell Riverhawks to commit and graduated as assistant captain after 2019/2020 was cut short before playoffs.
His numbers as a senior, 18-8-6 with a 2.10 and .931 were similar to the ones he put up as a rookie to be selected.
It would be hard to imagine the Ontario native lost his pacing, and should rebound nicely, if the team out front of him is better and there’s fans in the stands to play for.
After a pretty impressive 35-game appearance with a 22-10-1 record, 2.58 GAA and .912 SV%, he skates of to the EIHL and signs for 2023/2024 with Cardiff Devils.
4th year right wing Brendan Robbins(15) signed for his 4th ECHL team, but this time chose one as close to his Nashua, NH home as he could, agreeing with Worcester Railers for 2023/2024.
In 2 games, he has an assist.
He had a 2nd season of 7 goals and 19 assists in the last frame.
The 6’2″ 190 lbs. forward was always a pretty good scorer at University Of Maine Black Bears.
He played 5 years of juniors with his final campaign for Islanders HC, where he was close to a point-per-game player in USPHL Premier.
11th year defenseman Adam Clendening(44) signs a 1st minor league contract to continue as a potential prospect in a system, signing a 1-year AHL deal with the first team he ever skated pro hockey games for, Rockford Icehogs.
The 6′ 194 lbs. Chicago Blackhawks‘ 2nd round pick in the 2011 (#36 overall) has definitely played a good batch of NHL games with maybe little fanfare, earning 4 goals and 20 assists with a healthy +11 rating in 90 games.
He has a goal and 7 assists in 13 games this season.
The former Boston University Terriers‘ could definitely put up the points in college, as he was good for 29 assists as a sophomore before he turned pro.
It would be little surprise to see the 30-year old branch out and head overseas next season.
Before he goes anywhere, he finds himself involved in a minor league deal that sends him to Hartford Wolf Pack for the remainder of 2023.
He has 3 times hit 30 assists in the minors and we feel he will make a fourth this frame.
Rounding out last season with 29 assists, as we thought, he makes a bit of a late decision to join Ilves for 2023/2204, signing a 1-year deal to skate in Liiga.
