3rd year center Carter Johnson(18) was traded late last ECHL season from Wheeling Nailers to Maine Mariners, giving him a chance to make a deep playoff run after wracking up 13 points (4-9) in 14 games during the regular frame, then adding another 5 points in 6 games in the postseason.
The 6’3″ 201 lbs. forward was a decent scorer earlier after never really connecting through 4 years at Miami University (Ohio) Redhawks, but seemed to jump to his new team.
For 2023/2024, he signs a 1-year deal to skate for Dundee Stars.
The 27-year old from Gimi, MB will likely put up good numbers in the EIHL.
In 27 games, he scores 4 goals and 8 assists with a -10 rating and is maybe a little unhappy, so decides to head back overseas, hooking up with Esbjerg Energy of Metal Ligaen for the rest of the current frame.
4th year defenseman Mackenzie Dwyer(10) has arrived at a good place, under a 1-year ECHL deal with Maine Mariners after arriving at Jacksonville Icemen late last season to put up some solid numbers with 1 goal and 6 assists in 32 games with a +5 rating and then getting traded.
In 11 games, the big 6’3″ 201 lbs. blue liner has 1 goal and 2 assists.
He signed as a rookie and last campaign in the SPHL with Birmingham Bulls, but found his team on the 2nd loan up to help solidify his spot.
The Winnipeg, MB native played a mix of MJHL for Portage Terriers and WHL for junior hockey before heading to 1 year of school at University Of Manitoba Bisons.
No doubt, the 26-year old knows what it is to work for his contract.
Almost maybe a little out of nowhere, he finds himself involved in a 4-player deal that sends his playing rights to Fort Wayne Komets.
After just 6 games and an assist with a -1 rating, he heads back to Jacksonville Icemen, where he is liked and had success.
4 games with no points, but a +2 rating and he is asked to return to be an Icemen again for 2024/2025.
After 11 games with no points, he is traded to Reading Royals, where he is wanted and feel his fortunes will increase.
Norfolk Admirals‘ 6th year left wing Kamerin Nault(11) re-signs to stay and has 1 goal and 4 assists in 10 ECHL games so far this season.
His best season has been as a rookie, where he scored 16 goals and 16 assists in 40 games.
The 6’2″ 194 lbs. skated for 3 different teams last session.
He did some time overseas in the EIHL, where he scored well.
From Winnipeg, MB, he did 3 years at University Of Manitoba Bisons after 4 years of MJHL junior hockey.
The 29-year old may have found his long-term team.
He looked to be making a nice home with 1 goal and 5 assists in 15 games with a +1 rating, but is traded across the country to Idaho Steelheads, where we think he will find his best success.
After playing exactly zero games with his new team, he is again moved along, this time to Allen Americans.
Maine Mariners‘ 2nd year defenseman Alden Weller(22) feels right at home with this team, as he is a native of Falmouth, ME.
In 38 ECHL games, he has 4 assists with a +2 rating.
He did better in more appearances as a rookie for Rapid City Rush, striking for 2 goals and 7 assists with another +2.
The former University Of New England Nor’easters‘ senior captain may not stick close to home, but seems to play pretty well and strong here.
He takes a minute to consider, but he re-signs to return to Maine, where he easily feels very close.
2nd year defenseman Ryan Lieth(6) was loaned up from 3 season SPHL team, Fayetteville Marksmen after 20 game stint in the current frame to Wheeling Nailers, where he has scored a 1st ECHL goal in 12 games and looks pretty comfortable out there.
The 6’2″ 185 lbs. blue liner did most of 2 junior seasons in the EHL for New York Applecore before heading to SUNY Potsdam Bears for 3 years prior to turning pro.
From Warwick, NY, the 26-year old is on a good path, having played himself up nicely.
9th year defenseman Alex Wall(46) signs on to stay for a 3rd season in 2025/2026 on the blue line for Villacher SV of IceHL after posting 4 goals and 16 assists in 35 games with a +6 rating.
He did even better through more games in his 1st season with the team, his 6th in the league.
The 5’11” 190 lbs. started with 4 years of QMJHL junior hockey before heading to University Of Prince Edward Island Panthers for 3 years, then 2 at University Of New Brunswick Reds.
He turned pro with 2 ECHL games upon graduation and signed for his rookie frame with Adirondack Thunder, recording big points with 6 goals and 38 assists with a +10 rating.
His time last only 1 year, as he headed to GET-ligaen, joining Frisk Asker.
The 34-year old from St. John’s, NL obviously likes playing his pro hockey in Austria.
6th year right wing Wade Murphy(6) returns to sign with Idaho Steelheads for 2022/2023 after spending the last 3 seasons of pandemic madness away in Norway, Austria and Slovenia, where he managed to capture that country’s 2022 league championship.
The 6′ 194 lbs. forward has 120 games of ECHL experience with decent scoring, but definitely could flatten that +/-.
Originally a Nashville Predators’ 7th round pick in the 2013 draft (#185 overall), he was never signed after an outstanding junior season based on his early college numbers.
He graduated after a 2 season transfer to Arizona State University Sun Devils from University Of North Dakota Fighting Hawks with a college career best 9 goals and 11 assists.
The 28-year old from Victoria, BC is a big frame that should be able to score goals almost at will we the right team in this league.
He takes a career high by a mile frame, scoring 21 goals and 22 assists in 54 games with a +38 rating to 20 playoff match ups and another 20 point total.
It’s an absolute no brainer that he receives a new contract to continue wearing a Steelheads‘ jersey for 2023/2024.
He is taking career scoring bests goals, assists, points with him for another foray to test his skills overseas in the tough to play Slovak Extraliga and signs with HC Slovan Bratislava for 2024/2025 and we think does very well here.
Limited to only 10 games last season, he scored 6 goals and 2 assists with a +5 rating and will next skate in the same league for HK Poprad in 2024/2025.
He is seemingly doing ok over there for a couple different teams, but has decided to return to strap on an Idaho jersey yet again.
7th year left wing Anders Bjork(10) signs an AHL deal with Rockford Icehogs for 2023/2024, you have to wonder if it’s under the radar of Chicago Blackhawks, who obtained him close to the trade deadline last season and he came through with a tidy 2 goals and 6 assists in 13 NHL games with a +4 rating.
The former Boston Bruins‘ 5th round pick in the 2014 draft (#146 overall) has skated 225 games in the big league.
He was with them for 3.5 years before getting traded to Buffalo Sabres, where he stayed for roughly 2 years, but was bumped down for most of last campaign.
The 3-year University Of Notre Dame Fighting Irish from Mequon, WI scored of 21 goals and 31 assists in 39 games as a junior left 1 year on the table, but where he is could even return online to finish up.
He’s still just 27-years old.
Unrestricted free agent, he late signs with Milwaukee Admirals, where he definitely should start helping them.
Yale University Bulldogs‘ senior defenseman Brandon Tabakin(7) will head to Arizona State University Sun Devils to start a graduate program.
The 5’10” 170 lbs. blue liner didn’t play any games as a sophomore, instead deciding to return to his USHL junior team Sioux Falls Stampede for half a season.
He actually leaves his 4-year college team with a college hockey best 2 goals and 4 assists in 29 games on a team that struggled out of the gate last year.
The 22-year old from Woodbury, NY should find a little more room to skate with the schedule of his new college club.
He finishes up an extra frame with a college tying 2 goals, best 8 assists and 10 points to a 1st pro deal with Newfoundland Growlers, where he got an assist in his 2nd ECHL game.
Unfortunately, they end up closing down and parent club, Toronto Marlies step in to offer an amateur tryout offer.
He plays no games at the end of last season and for 2024/2025, his rookie frame signs a 1-year ECHL deal with the new Tahoe Knight Monsters.
After 30 games, 2 goals and 4 assists with a -3 rating, he gets himself traded to Wheeling Nailers, where his fortunes should increase.
Misericordia University Cougars‘ graduate defenseman Domenic Della Civita(2) signs a 1st pro deal with Watertown Wolves.
In 9 games, he has 2 assists.
The 6’1″ 190 lbs. blue liner had a college best 2 goals and 5 assists last season.
He came over after 4 years at SUNY Morrisville Mustangs.
From Trenton, ON, the 25-year old must feel good to being playing pro and likely looking to elevate that game.
In 14 FPHL games, he scored 3 goals and 5 assists, then added another 2 points in the playoffs and gets elevated to the SPHL and sign with Macon Mayem to start 2025/2026.
He would only come away with 1 assist in 13 games, so returns to the Wolves and has 1 goal in his 1st game back.
For the start of the new season, he would actually sign with Macon Mayhem and through 13 SPHL games had 1 assist with a 0 rating.
He was put on suspension and ultimately went back to Watertown Wolves, running up point totals to the tune of 3 goals and 7 assists in 7 games with a +5 rating, but they trade him to PeeDee IceCats.
