Trent Vogelhuber(13) retired from pro hockey a few years ago and immediately was adopted by Cleveland Monsters to become their assistant coach, a role he’s filled for the last 4 seasons.
He actually had his best campaign for the team, when they were called Lake Erie Monsters, scoring 11 goals and 16 assists in 70 AHL games and helping them win the 2016 Calder Cup.
The 6’2″ 185 lbs. forward was actually a Columbus Blue Jackets‘ 7th round pick in the 2007 draft (#211 overall), but didn’t actually sign an NHL contract until after winning the minor league title by Colorado Avalanche.
He skated two sessions with their affiliate before deciding to change sceneries.
The former Miami University (Ohio) Redhawks from right there in Dublin, OH, at 33-years old becomes his team’s newest, 7th all-time head coach.
Undrafted Edmonton, AB defenseman Luke Orysiuk(47) had a pretty stellar senior year at Bentley University Falcons, scoring a college high 5 goals and 7 assists for 12 points in 26 NCAA Division 1 games to scoring a contract to finish out 2021/2022 with playoff bound Trois-Rivieres Lions.
He took a bit of a long route through junior hockey, starting in the AJHL for a couple of sessions before landing with Fairbanks Ice Dogs and spending 3 years in Alaska, scoring 13 goals (most in the league by a d-man) and 26 assists with a +28 rating in his final season.
The 6′ 194 lbs. blue liner also won the 2016 NAHL Robertson Cup Championship in his first year with the club.
In 5 ECHL games, he has a pair of assists and is a +3 rating.
The 24-year old is off to a good start as a pro.
For 2022/2023 and his eventual rookie season, he has decided to head off to Ligue Magnus, signing a 1-year deal with Scorpions de Mulhouse.
He will likely be a big contributed in France’s top hockey.
4th year center Abbott Girduckis(39) leaves an ECHL best season, scoring 18 goals and 28 assists for 46 points with a +4 rating in his 2nd season with Jacksonville Icemen to a new opportunity, signing 2022/2023 to HC Presov.
The 6’2″ 190 lbs. forward twice had 20+ assists as a junior and senior at R.I.T. Tigers. before turning pro with Toledo Walleye, recording 3 goals and 2 assists in 7 ECHL games to earn him a follow-up contract and 1st AHL loan to Cleveland Monsters for no points.
He was loaned again for 6 games with up team, Hartford Wolf Pack last season and pocketed a 1st league goal for himself.
We’re thinking the 26-year old from Belleville, ON comes away with some good totals from his time in Slovakia‘s top hockey.
Undrafted 3rd year left wing Liam Pecararo(28) signs for a 2nd season but third overall stint with Greenville Swamp Rabbits.
The former 3-year Northeastern University Huskies‘ forward only actually played one season for the school team, just about detonating the stat sheet with 11 goals and 19 assists in 38 Hockey East games as a junior before turning pro with 2 AHL games for Springfield Thunderbirds, getting a 1st assist.
He was re-signed for his rookie campaign, but spent most of his time on reassignment to South Carolina, where he was able to connect for a career high goals (23), assists (21) and points (44).
The 5’11” 185 lbs. pivot was also basically a point-per-game guy with two-year junior team, Waterloo Blackhawks.
After his 2nd USHL season, he agreed to attend University Of Maine Black Bears, but that only lasted one stint before he returned to his junior hockey home in Indiana.
The 25-year old Canton, MA native should have a complete breakout run in 2021/2022, as they play a normal schedule with hopefully zero interruptions.
He does ignite for a career tying 23 goals, new bests 28 assists and 51 points, and will take these to a new opportunity, signing for 2022/2023 in Tipos Extraliga with HC Slovan Bratislava.
It’s likely he’ll do well in Slovakia’s top hockey and very potentially move up the European hockey ladder.
10th year, Finnish-born goaltender Jussi Olkinuora(45) walks away from the 2022 IIHF World Championships with a bunch of awards for the home team, Finland, including MVP, Best GAA, Best Goaltender and a Gold Medal, his 2nd in two years.
He also won a similar award for winning the 2022 Olympics.
The 6’3″ 201 lbs. net minder was undrafted, but quickly signed by Winnipeg Jets upon complete his 2nd season at University Of Denver Pioneers.
He only stayed with them for a pair of seasons, but signed with their new affiliate Manitoba Moose in the following frame, only to be reassigned to Tulsa Oilers for most of the session.
The Helsinki native split for three campaigns in his homeland before accepting an offer to head to the KHL.
He came to life with Metallurg Magnitogorsk, but has decided to play in Switzerland 2022/2023 for EHC Beil-Bienne.
The 31-year old could return on a one-way NHL deal and hit his payday is what we’re looking at.
Tim Wallace(28) will enter his 15th season (excluding two in a row he didn’t play) with a new role for Milton-Keynes Lightning as Player-Coach and continues as Director Of Player Development in the tier 2 NIHL.
The 6’1″ 205 lbs. forward has played 382 AHL games, 105 NHL and even one full season in the ECHL after 3 overseas.
He’s played complete campaigns in Sweden and Germany before arriving in England.
The 37-year old, University Of Notre Dame Fighting Irish graduate from Anchorage, AK must be still having a good time to keep it going.
14th year right wing Chad Costello(13) puts up a modest 26 goals and 46 assists for 72 points as a 35-year old playing for Allen Americans, where he was a three-time scoring champ from 2014-2016 and consecutive Kelly Cup winner.
The 5’9″ 175 lbs. forward has skated 375 games in the ECHL, scoring an absolutely massive 172 goals and 389 assists for 561 points with a +78 rating.
He played his rookie and next two seasons in leagues that don’t exist anymore: IHL and Central Hockey League.
The former 2-year Northeastern University Huskies has accepted the duties to become the next head coach of the only Texas team he knows.
10th year left wing Matt White(97) re-signs for a two more sessions with Eisbaren Berlin through 2024 after putting up 28 goals and 31 assists with a +25 rating, then added another 14 points in 12 games to a 2nd straight 2022 DEL Championship.
He’s been playing in Germany’s top league for the past 4 seasons, except for a little year and a stint in the KHL, where he actually connected well with Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk.
Coming out of 3 years at University Of Nebraska-Omaha Huskers, he always scored well in 2+ ECHL campaigns before being elevating to almost two full runs at the AHL, in which he also was able to hit the net.
The 32-year old from Whittier, CA has to be pretty happy with the way his pro career has gone.
8th year left wing Kellen Jones(11) returns from three successful seasons overseas, most recently playing his 2nd stint for Vasterviks IK of HockeyAllsvenskan to sign with Fort Wayne Komets for 2021/2022.
Undrafted, he’s worked his way up from an pair of ECHL contracts to playing a pair of seasons under an AHL deal to Bridgeport Sound Tigers before splitting.
The former two-time Quinnipiac University Bobcats assistant captain was a pretty big scorer through 4 years of college.
Originally an Edmonton Oilers‘ 7th round pick in the 2010 draft (#207 overall), he managed to only sign with their affiliate Oklahoma City Barons.
The 31-year old should put up some nice totals for his new team, who he joins with identical twin brother, Conner Jones.
After putting up a career high 47 assists and 59 points with a +19 rating, he has decided it’s time to move on, so retires from the game at his peak. Way to be.
Army West Point Black Knights‘ senior, right wing captain Eric Butte(19) signed an ato to join Kansas City Mavericks.
In 3 ECHL games, he was unable to secure any points.
The 6’1″ 190 lbs. forward scored a college career high 11 goals and tied his 17 points in 2021/2022.
A Belmont, MA native, he went north for 2 years of junior hockey with Langley Rivermen for 109 BCHL games.
It wouldn’t be tough to see the 24-year old pick up a contract for 2022/2023, if he wants one.
