3rd year defenseman Johnny Coughlin(11) continues his tour through ECHL teams and very nicely ends up back with Cincinnati Cyclones, who he played 9 games, scoring 2 goals at the end of 2019/2020.
The big 6’3″ 201 lbs. blue liner first arrived, playing 10 games (4 assists) for Maine Mariners straight out of 4 years at Holy Cross College Crusaders, where he three times had 10+ assists.
His best scoring was during his rookie season with Norfolk Admirals, where he netted 9 goals and 8 assists in 47 games but had a lowly plus/minus.
We think what caught his new team’s attention was last campaign’s showing with Rapid City Rush, in 26 games scored 2 goals and 3 assists, but raised his accountability to a +7 rating.
It’s likely the Fairport, NY native has his best league showing in 2021/2022.
Undrafted 3rd year defenseman Jake Linhart(7) becomes the first signing with Iowa Heartlanders after taking last season off.
The 5’11” 185 lbs. blue liner played a pair of seasons to kick off his pro career for Adirondack Thunder, where as a rookie he scored a career high 8 goals and 22 assists.
He also showed he could be a decent scorer through 4 years at University Of Wisconsin Badgers, averaging 10+ assists in his last three campaigns.
The 25-year old will likely continue to add to those stats with his new ECHL team.
12th year center Kale Mouillierat(21) extends his time to a fourth season with Straubing Tigers, as he’s pretty much averaged 20 points per frame, even in 2020/2021’s shortened to 36 games, he still connected for 19.
A veteran of 297 AHL, 117 ECHL and 7 NHL games (1 goal, 1 assist), first with New York Islanders, then Pittsburgh Penguins originally left to skate in the SHL for Lulea HF.
The 6′ 181 lbs. pivot wasn’t so successful in Sweden, so turned his attention to Germany’s top hockey and signed to ERC Ingolstadt.
He would put up a best 18 assists and 31 points with a +15 rating for this club, but left after only one turn as he was likely being wooed with better money by DEL rivals.
It’s almost impossible to believe the former Minnesota State University-Mankato Mavericks‘ senior assistant captain is 33-years old.
We still remember him being a rookie star for Idaho Steelheads.
Undrafted 2nd year defenseman Anthony Wyse(6) re-signs with Greenville Swamp Rabbits after a trade brought him over from original ECHL team, Indy Fuel.
He recorded 2 goals, when he arrived to go with the 2 assists he got earlier in the season.
The big 6’3″ 225 lbs. blue liner has never been much of a point-getter through 4 years at University Of New Hampshire Wildcats, but did step up for 17 assists in 54 USHL games his one year of juniors with Lincoln Stars.
We think the 25-year old Newton, MA native, who played his youth hockey in Boston Advantage program will start finding his routes.
Undrafted left wing Taylor Best(19) took both 2019/2020 and 2020/2021 off before entering into his first pro contract with Fayettesville Marksmen for 2021/2022.
The former four-year Mercyhurst College Lakers‘ forward averaged 10 goals and 10 assists in each of his seasons.
He initially committed to the school of his choice after a solid 2nd frame for Whitby Fury, then pumped up scoring to 37 goals and 53 assists in 47 OJHL games in his third year and left the program with most points, assists and league valuable player awards.
The 5’10” 187 lbs. forward moved onto a year of American junior hockey, signing with Youngstown Phantoms and kept putting up points (11-23) in 54 USHL games.
We have little doubt the now 27-year old will be lighting the lamp quite frequently in the SPHL.
4th year center Blaine Byron(12) takes 153 AHL games of playing experience to a new adventure with Eisbaren Berlin of DEL for 2021/2022.
The former University Of Maine Black Bears‘ forward, who went on a scoring splurge in his senior year for 18 goals and 23 assists in 36 Hockey East games, signed three consecutive contracts with Springfield Thunderbirds, and definitely had a breakout frame in his 2nd campaign, grabbing 13 goals and 12 assists.
He would be traded in the middle of the next season to Ontario Reign and once again had 12 goals and this time 22 assists in 54 games.
The 6′ 172 lbs. light pivot stuck on a follow-up deal, and through the bizarre 2020/2021 scored 6 goals and 6 assists in 17 games, which probably put him fully on the radar for the Germany club to grab.
It would be little surprise to see the 25-year old excel in this very solid overseas league.
4th year center Ryan Penny(9) finishes a most interesting move to playing hockey.
He swept through 5 seasons of QMJHL before agreeing to terms with Binghamton Senators, coming off a just over point-per-game session as captain for Rouyn-Noranda Huskies.
The 6’2″ 198 lbs. forward played three years, mostly with Reading Royals, but ends up on loan to Binghamton Devils, when he decides next to head to college.
He came to terms with McGill University, where he spent the last couple years, but only played 2019/2020.
It’s very possible he’s completed his studies, because he’s back on the pro side of things, signing for 2021/2022 with Coventry Blaze.
He should adapt to EIHL play well and affect the score sheet with frequency is what we’re looking at.
Undrafted 4th year center Michael McNicholas(16) decides to head back overseas for 2021/2022 signing with Fife Flyers of the EIHL.
He first left to skate for Manglerud, scoring a couple goals and 7 assists in 15 Fjordkraftligaen before coming back, agreeing to terms with Maine Mariners.
As a rookie, he scored a career high 13 goals and 40 assists in 65 ECHL games.
He re-signed and maybe didn’t equal his earlier performance, but at least got close (11-27-38), although his on-ice accountability fell to a critically low -17 rating.
The 5’10” 174 lbs. forward was all set to return for a third campaign in Maine, but was forced to move on as the team shuttered for 2020/2021, so he would end up splitting time with Utah Grizzlies, Indy Fuel, who he skated 3 games with after college, and Tulsa Oilers.
He was a outstanding as a junior at University Of New Hampshire Wildcats, capturing 13 goals and 30 assists in 37 Hockey East games and followed it up with a solid senior year.
The 27-year old from Reno, NV will likely do well in his new hockey league and maybe even move up the ranks over there, which means we may not see him back here for awhile.
Undrafted, 8th year right wing Wade MacLeod(19) decided to sit last season out but comes back into the game with a new contract for 2021/2022 for Manchester Storm.
He last skated in 2019/2020 for Lowen Frankfort and put up 25 goals and 24 assists in 49 DEL2 games.
This was his 2nd foray in the league, having blown up scoring with Starbulls Rosenheim to the tune of 34 goals and 27 assists.
A decent scorer in the AHL, he was a point-per-game guy in the ECHL through 104 games netted 108 points.
The 4-year, former Northeastern University Huskies‘ senior assistant captain was a Hobey Baker Finalist, when he struck for 22 goals and 23 assists in 37 Hockey East games.
At 34-years old, he will likely blow-up the stat sheet in the EIHL much like he’s done in most any league he’s played, but mostly what he has been able to accomplish since falling to the ice in 2013 and being diagnosed with brain cancer is remarkable.
12th year undrafted center Ben Holmstrom(21) comes home from a single season overseas with Lillehammer IK of Fjordkraftligaen, where his scoring and game was equally on par with 6 goals and 13 assists in 23 games with a +12 rating.
The 6’1 203 lbs. forward signs with South Carolina Stingrays, his 2nd foray into the league after spending the recent 2019/2020 with Norfolk Admirals, then Cincinnati Cyclones.
He’s played a monumental 586 AHL games, 7 times serving in a team captain role, mostly with Adirondack Phantoms and Bridgeport Sound Tigers, scoring 79 goals and 132 assists.
The former three-time UMass-Lowell Riverhawks‘ captain, since his sophomore year, was a true leader in college hockey.
He also captained his junior team, Sioux Falls Stampede in his third and final year.
The Colorado Springs, CO native has been signed to 6 NHL contracts with Philadelphia Flyers, Carolina Hurricanes and New York Islanders, but only played 7 games in the big league with his first club, no points.
There’s little doubt, the gosh, now 34-year old will bring experience and lessons into the room for all the younger ECHL players to learn from.
