RIT Tigers‘ senior defenseman Xavier Lapointe(28) signs a 1st pro contract with Orlando Solar Bears.
The 6′ 190 lbs. blue liner only got into 17 games last season, scoring 2 goals and 6 assists.
His best year was as a junior, when he got 5 goals and 10 assists.
From Quebec, QC, the 24-year old scored 2 goals in 8 ECHL games with a +1 rating, but will need a new contract for 2026/2027.
Norfolk Admirals‘ 2nd year right wing Keaton Jameson(16) had a pretty decent rookie season for Utah Grizzlies, scoring 15 goals and 22 assists in the regular, then adding another 4 points through 6 games with a +4 rating in the playoffs.
He has 2 goals and 12 assists through 34 games this year.
The 6′ 190 lbs. forward did 3 years of MJHL junior hockey for Swan Valley Stampeders before heading to 4 at University Of Manitoba Bisons, where he was good for 10+ assists for the 3 sessions they skated.
From Brandon, MB, the 26-year old may have found a decent minor league landing spot.
He is scoring through 2 complete ECHL seasons and decides to leave for the EIHL and a different kind of opportunity.
In his 2nd year with Fife Flyers, his scoring comes to life with 14 goals and 16 assists in 51 games, but he continues to move along in the league and signs with Dundee Stars for 2026/2027.
2nd year center Greg Smith(44) started his 2nd season with Adirondack Thunder, but 3 ECHL games in was released and immediately grabbed by Greensboro Gargoyles.
In 22 games, he has 5 goals and 5 assists.
From Ajax, ON, he did 5 years of juniors before heading to Lakehead University Thunderwolves for 4.
The 27-year old started as a pro in the SPHL, but played himself up and looks to stay.
His rights had somehow gone to a 3rd league team, but ultimately he is off-season traded to Toledo Walleye for the 2026/2027 campaign.
UMass-Lowell Riverhawks‘ graduate captain, defenseman Jon McDonald(47) signed an ato with Toledo Walleye after finishing up Hockey East tournament play last season.
The tough as nails, the undrafted 6′ 181 lbs. blue liner scored 3 assists in 10 ECHL games.
He played 2 years of USHL junior hockey with Fargo Force and helped them with the 2018 Clark Cup Championship.
The Livonia, MI native signs for his rookie season, 2023/2024 with South Carolina Stingrays.
We think the 25-year old will have great luck with this club.
In 64 games, he scores 4 goals and 13 assists with a +2 rating to score himself a contract with the parent club, Hershey Bears heading into his 2nd campaign.
He would appear in 31 games, scoring 3 goals and 3 assists with a -5 rating, then appeared in 7 playoff matchups with o points, but was a +2.
For 2025/2026, he re-signs to stay a Bears and will likely be mostly on a 1-way deal.
In his 2nd season with the team, he scores 3 goals and 9 assists in 60 AHL games to gain a new contract to remain in Hershey for 2026/2027.
Michigan State University Spartans‘ senior right wing Tanner Kelly(78) signed a pro contract with Toledo Walleye for his rookie season, 2025/2026.
The 5’10” 174 lbs. had 10+ points in 3 college seasons.
In 10 ECHL games, he has 2 goals and 2 assists.
From San Diego, CA, the 24-year old did 2 years USHL juniors before school.
After a very strong rookie run, scoring 25 goals and 25 assists in 66 games with a +13 rating, he is dealt to Jacksonville Icemen for 2026/2027 to complete a future transactions deal.
6th year defenseman Rob Hamilton(65) trades in the remainder of his 2-year AHL deal with Colorado Eagles to sign a similar pact to Traktor Chelyabinsk through 2024.
The solid 6′ 194 lbs. blue liner played his way up from originally agreeing to ECHL deals, almost literally the same way he is entering his new deal in the KHL.
A former 4-year University Of Vermont Catamounts, he came alive scoring as a senior with 10 goals and 11 assists in 38 games.
The 28-year old from Calgary, AB may just get comfortable in his new hockey environs.
Through 9 games in 2023/2024, he records only 1 assist and is a -4, which must have made his club antsy, as he gets dealt to Dinamo Minsk.
His game curves much the way it did when he 1st arrived, but even better with 4 goals and 19 assists with a +15 rating in 54 games, then another 3 assists in 3 playoff games and he gets re-upped to Minsk for another 2 seasons through 2025/2026.
In his 3rd year with the same club, he scores a league best for himself 5 goals and 20 assists, but is moving on to sign with rivals CSKA Moskva for 2026/2027.
Clarkson University Golden Knights‘ senior defenseman Tristan Sarsland(61) scored 8 goals and 15 assists in 39 games with a +14 rating as a junior and did slightly less in his final frame, but still good and grabs an AHL deal with San Jose Barracuda for 2026/2027.
The 6’1″ 203 lbs. blue liner from Wayzata, MN blew up scoring at USHS-MN and only did NAHL juniors after graduating high school and scored there through the playoffs before college.
He reported to his new team on an ato, playing 4 games with no points, but that should change quickly as he really gets started.
Sacred Heart University Pioneers‘ graduate right wing John Jaworski(18) takes a college best scoring 13 goals and 18 assists in 39 games with a +8 rating to a 1st pro contract 2025/2026 with Cincinnati Cyclones.
The 5’11” 185 lbs. forward did 2 years of juniors before school.
From Grinnell, IA, the 25-year old will likely score well in the ECHL.
After a good scoring season with 15 goals and 20 assists in 55 games with a +3 rating, he decides to take his game elswhere and signs HK 32 Liptovsky Mikulas of Tipsport Extraliga for 2026/2027.
Four year and consecutive NCAA Champion defenseman with University Of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs‘ Jarod Hilderman(3) knew before the 2019/2020 season came to a crashing halt during the playoffs that he would be heading to Birmingham Bulls for 2020/2021 and spend his rookie season in the SPHL.
Well, a pandemic didn’t sideline those plans, as he reported and played basically a full slate of 36/42 game schedule, unable to grab a goal but he did produce 6 assists.
The 6’1″ 210 lbs. Calgary, AB native started his junior hockey closer to home with 2 seasons for Penticton Vees, where he won his first title, a 2015 BCHL Championship, which is when he committed to college, but then moved south to do a season with Fargo Force of the USHL before reporting to school.
At 24-years old and the leagues opening up to full service, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him elevate his game to the next level.https://www.sandiegogulls.com/players/detail/hilderman
He would spend his 2020/2021 under contract to Tulsa Oilers and ended a 48 ECHL game “rookie” season with a goal and 15 assists, then added 3 assists in 6 playoff matchups.
For 2022/2023, he will return, but we also feel may earn a 1st AHL loan to San Diego Gulls, who have him on their radar.
He puts up some decent enough numbers with a pair of visits up, but needs better on ice accountability.
Despite the parts of his game to work on he gets an invite to return for a 2nd chance in an Oilers‘ jersey.
He has a solid 3rd frame, scoring 35 assists to seemingly rebound hard and will take his game over to Ligue Magnus, signing with Les Bruleurs De Loups for 2024/2025.
He took off 2025/2026 to play for Nottingham Panthers and did decently in the EIHL, but will head back to France and signs with Boxers de Bordeaux for 2026/2027.
Long Island University Sharks‘ sophomore defenseman Spencer Cox(13) enters the transfer portal and is up for a new challenge, heading to Miami University (Ohio) Redhawks for 2023/2024.
He committed to his 1st school after a decent NAHL frame for Chippewa Steel, getting 4 goals and 16 assists.
The 5’10” 181 lbs. blue liner, who sometimes skates forward, from Powell, OH will likely find the NCHC schedule a bit tougher to play, but may also add a little pepper to his game.
After 2 years at his new school, he signs a 1st pro contract with Indy Fuel.
In 9 ECHL games, he has 2 assists.
Doesn’t take them too long to re-up with him for his rookie season, 2025/2026 in a Fuel sweater.
Before he even skates a game in the current 2025/2026 frame, he is traded to Cincinnati Cyclones.
He appears in only 28 games, scoring 1 goal and 2 assists, which he takes to some off season training and signs with Canberra Braves of the AIHL.
