After 17 seasons with the last three played in the top German league, DEL, Chris Bourque(17) announces that it’s time to hang up the skates.
He’s a veteran of 794 AHL games, scoring a quite impressive 251 goals and 495 assists with a +63 rating, 51 NHL games, 3 Hershey Bears’ Calder Cup Championships, 6 All-Star game appearances, twice most points, once most assists, one regular season MVP and once Playoff MVP.
The 5’8″ 176 lbs. forward worked for everything he ever got.
At 36-years old, we’re sure the former 1-year Boston University Terriers‘ d-man will find something good to do.
University Of New England College Nor’easters‘ graduate defenseman Chris Jones(2) took 5 years of solid scoring with a deep NCAA D3 tournament run to a 2-way deal with Indy Fuel.
He skated only a single ECHL game, and left a 6-2 win with a +1 rating before being sent to Knoxville Ice Bears.
In 2 SPHL games, he scored a 1st goal and was a +1 before entering into the postseason, where he picked up another assist before exiting.
He played 5 seasons of junior hockey, mostly for Wenatchee Wild, finishing up in the BCHL.
The 5’11” 190 lbs., Seattle, WA blue liner could most definitely latch on with another good team to start his rookie year 2022/2023.
Undrafted rookie defenseman Matt Hellickson(55) signs a 1-year AHL contract with Toronto Marlies for 2021/2022.
He did agree to an ato with Binghamton Devils last season upon graduating from 4-years at University Of Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
The 6′ 175 lbs. blue liner was a decent scorer, getting 13 goals and 39 assists in 146 B1G games and showed very good on ice accountability.
Originally committing to his college as a Rogers, MN High student, he would move onto the USNTDP program for a couple years before playing a single successful season in the USHL for Sioux City Musketeers (6-22-28 with a +19 rating).
The 23-year old scores a 1st goal in his 12th game and adds a pair of assists in a big win for a 1st multi-point effort.
After a 1st season, where he grabs a goal and 5 assists in 26 games with only a -2 rating and adds another 7 points in 13 contests with affiliate Newfoundland Growlers, earns him a new contract for 2022/2023.
RPI Engineers‘ graduate goaltender Linden Marshall(40) went out into the world as an undrafted, unrestricted free agent and signed up with Greenville Swamp Rabbits.
The 6’3″ 194 lbs. net minder played roughly 8 minutes in a relief effort, saving 8 without letting one in.
He was just under a week later scoped by Cleveland Monsters and signed to an ato.
The 23-year old from Victoria, BC is off to a nice start.
9th year defenseman Mark Alt(3) gets traded in a minor league deal, going from San Jose Barracuda to Rochester Americans.
The big 6’4″ 201 lbs. blue liner has played 456 AHL games.
Originally a Carolina Hurricanes‘ 2nd round pick in the 2010 draft (#53 overall) traded to Philadelphia Flyers, as he was a junior at University Of Minnesota Golden Gophers.
He quickly signed a 3-year entry level deal.
The Kansas City, MO native has played under NHL contract for 5 different team, but only appeared in 20 games.
He’s definitely more of a stay-at-home d-man, but has struck for 20 assists once and 10+ 3 times.
It would definitely almost be a no-brainer for the 30-year old to look overseas for some different kind of fun and a next good contract to play under.
Providence College Friars‘ graduate center Kohen Oleschefski(51) signs a 1st pro deal with Rochester Americans for the remainder of 2021/2022.
He’s coming off a solid session, where his totals were just a goal and an assist off his college career highs and was a +7 skater.
The 6’1″ 187 lbs. forward came to his new school on a year of eligibility through the transfer portal upon completing 4 seasons at University Of Denver Pioneers.
A native of Abbotsford, BC, he played a couple of BCHL frames, with his 2nd going off the hook for 52 assists in 58 games for Chilliwack Chiefs.
No points in his first 2 AHL games, but the 24-year old can’t be too far off.
Canisius College Golden Griffins‘ graduate student, defenseman Joey Matthews(4) came over from 4 years at Dartmouth College Big Green and leaves with a new best 2 goals and college career tying 9 points from 2021/2022.
The 5’10” 190 lbs. blue liner has signed his 1st pro contract with Greenville Swamp Rabbits.
He played a pair of seasons in USHL juniors before committing to school.
The 24-year old from Columbia, IL should be able to impress quickly in the ECHL.
3rd year defenseman John Furgele(21) has figured into 4 ECHL games with new team, Worcester Railers and already has a goal to his credit.
He, like a good many other players took 2020/2021 off due to COVID restrictions.
The year previous though, he bounced around amongst 4 different teams.
He was more settled as a rookie, spending 51 games with Maine Mariners, reaching career high 8 goals and 13 assists.
In 2 years at University Of New Hampshire Wildcats before entering the transfer portal and finishing up as assistant captain for Quinnipiac University Bobcats, he averaged 10 helpers.
The 5’10” 181 lbs. d-man had an interesting juniors’ route through a pair of NAHL campaigns with Bismarck Bobcats before ending up back closer to home in the EHL, where he won the 2013 Championship and then stayed as they switched to the USPHL before heading to school.
It would be little suprise to see the 28-year old breakout with some numbers this season.
And indeed that sort of happened as he has equaled his high 13 assists, set as a rookie, and has a new best +12 rating.
Almost oddly he gets dealt from one team fighting to retain playoff berth to another in roughly the same position, Tulsa Oilers.
Undrafted 2nd year defenseman Billy Sweezey(6) takes a decent first year playing through a pandemic mess for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, scoring no goals but 4 assists in 22 AHL games with a +2 rating to a new league deal with rival Cleveland Monsters.
The sturdy 6’2″ 205 lbs. blue liner has never been much of a point-getter, except as a junior and senior at Noble & Greenough School USHS-Prep, when he walked away with 20 & 18 assists.
He had an almost opposite one year in USHL juniors with Chicago Steel, scoring 3 goals but only getting one assist.
The Hanson, MA native only scored 3 goals through 4 years at Yale University Bulldogs and on a couple of occasions flirted with 10 assists (9 as a sophomore and 8 senior).
A more stay-at-home style d-man, the 25-year old could become a valuable + player on his new club.
His 4 goals and 6 assists with a +6 rating in 45 games has earned the sturdy d-man a 2-year NHL entry level deal with parent club, Columbus Blue Jackets through 2024.
Atlanta Gladiators‘ 2nd season, 5th year net minder Chris Nell(30) recently appeared in his 100th ECHL game.
Undrafted, he signed a 2-year NHL entry level deal with New York Rangers, fresh off 3 years at Bowling Green State University Falcons.
He spent most of his rookie season with affiliate Hartford Wolf Pack, but was also lent to 3 lower league teams.
The 6’2″ 187 lbs. goalie played 39 games in the follow-up season in the E and even posted some outstanding stats over two appearances in the AHL with a .084 GAA and .973 SV%, but had maybe been already passed over at that point.
It would be little surprise to see the 27-year old, Green Bay, WI native to look outside the box next season for different hockey logistics.
