9th year center Cody Kunyk(37) returns to Karpat after a year away in the KHL that actually grabbed hold scoring come playoff time for Barys Nur-Sultan.
The undrafted 5’11” 194 lbs. forward has skated 5 seasons in Liiga, Finland’s top hockey and tossed off a league best 39 assists in 2019/2020.
He signed a 1-year entry level deal as an unrestricted free agent with Tampa Bay Lightning upon graduating University Of Alaska-Fairbanks Nanooks with 20+ goals and assists as a senior and even played 1 NHL game fresh out of school.
The Sherwood Park, AB native skated the AHL his rookie season for affiliate Syracuse Crunch, but left for Denmark’s Metal Ligaen in the next session, running up decent points for Gentofte Stars.
At 32-years old, he still seems to be connecting and is wanted for what he brings, so there’s little reason to put down the skates.
He would move along after a 5th strong year playing Finnish hockey to Germany and signed with Lowen Frankfort in 2023/2024, where he would come away with a pro best 17 goals and some decent point totals, but signs with rivals Augsburger Panther for 2024/2025 and should have continued success.
After a successful 1st season with the team, he re-signs to return a Panther for 2025/2026.
Framingham State University Rams‘ graduate left wing Kaleb Kinskey(26) signs a 1st pro contract with HC Venom and is off and scoring with 4 goals and 3 assists in 15 FPHL games.
The 5’9″ 180 lbs. forward’s best scoring season was 7 as a junior and 9 points.
From Waterloo, IA, he did 1 season of youth hockey in the Iowa Wild 18U system.
He did 2 USPHL Premier years before heading to school.
It’s quite possible the 25-year old starts playing himself up.
Holy Cross College Crusaders‘ sophomore center Liam McLinskey(49) transferred after only 2 games in the lineup for Quinnipiac University Bobcats as a freshman and has seemingly made the wise decision.
The big 6’3″ but skinny 165 lbs. forward has 12 goals and 4 assists in his 2nd college frame and is a big reason his team wins games.
A Pearl River, NY native, he was well over a point-per-game player for New Jersey Hitmen, striking for 24 goals and 43 assists in 44 NCDC/USPHL games and winning the league title before hitting school.
The undrafted 22-year old will be a continued interesting Atlantic Hockey watch.
In his senior year, he connected for an unreal 24 goals and 30 assists, both obvious college highs, with a +5 rating in 40 games.
Undrafted, he signs a 2-year deal with Charlotte Checkers that begins on an ato in the current session and he has a 1st AHL goal and an assists, so multi-point game in his debut.
We have little doubt he strikes NHL radar.
Colorado College Tigers‘ graduate defenseman, Ty Gallagher(24) looks set to attain new college scoring highs this season with 3 goals and 8 assists in 14 games with a +6 rating.
The 6′ 187 lbs. Boston Bruins‘ 7th round pick in the 2021 draft (#217 overall) had 5 goals as a freshman at Boston University Terriers and 18 assists in his sophomore frame.
He has appeared in as many as 40 games in a campaign.
From Clarkston, MI, the 21-year old did 2 years of USNTDP before school.
He does look very singable to an NHL entry level deal.
Upon conclusion of his NCAA tournament play and year of eligibility, scoring a new best 9 goals and 26 assists, he signs a 2-year AHL deal with Providence Bruins, which keeps him squarely under the eye of the team that selected him.
In 8 games already, he has a 1st goal and 4 assists with a +2 rating on a playoff bound team.
UMASS Minutemen junior center Lucas Mercuri(11) is definitely on track for next college career bests scoring with 5 goals and 9 assists in 18 games with a +4 rating, putting him just a point or two of his marks.
The 6’3″ 192 lbs. forward is a Carolina Hurricanes‘ 6th round pick in the 2020 draft (#159 overall).
He came down from Montreal, QC for school and scored big to secure his finding, then went onto 1 USHL frame with Des Moines Buccaneers before heading to school.
The 21-year old is likely just hoping he’s doing everything right to earn his NHL entry level deal and we think he’s heading in the right direction more than ever now.
Finishing up his final season with new college bests 10 goals and 21 assists with a +14 rating, he is traded to Tampa Bay Lightning, signed to a 2-year entry level deal and sent to start his pro career with affiliate Syracuse Crunch.
Former University Of Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks‘ senior captain, defenseman Joel Messner(59) decides to leave the ship for other waters for his 4th season.
He will skate in Austria’s IceHL for a seemingly favored by Americans’ club, HC Innsbruck.
The solid 6’2″ 200 lbs. d-man was mostly under deals with Providence Bruins, originally scouted by Boston Bruins and in their system for 48 AHL games, but was in a uniform mostly with affiliate Atlanta Gladiators.
In 86 ECHL games, he did alright with 14 goals and 41 assists.
He played 4 more games in the league for Jacksonville Icemen to start 2020/2021 and got a goal and 2 assists.
We think the 27-year old Winnipeg native will like it in his new hockey home but if he does really well will move up.
He played for HKM Zvolen of Slovak Extraliga last season, putting up 4 goals and 9 assists in 50 games with a +7 rating, then added another 6 points in 17 playoff matchups.
For 2023/2024, he will head back to Austria, where he had very good luck and agrees to terms with Pustertal/Val Pusteria.
He grabs some decent points, but the -18 is a problem, then performs really well in 13 playoff games to get a want from rivals, Fehervar AV19 for 2024/2025.
Through 48 games, he has 2 goals and 17 assists with a +8 rating, so is becoming a bit of an offensive threat out there and scores himself a new 1-year deal to stay on in this part of Austria.
Long Island University Sharks‘ graduate right wing Connor Gregga(17) signs a 1st pro deal with Savannah Ghost Pirates and has a 1st ECHL goal in 9 games.
He scored a college best 8 assists and 12 points last season.
The 5’10” 180 lbs. forward came over after his senior year at University Of Minnesota-Mankato Mavericks.
From Markham, ON, the 25-year old did 2 BCHL seasons of juniors before college.
Colorado College Tigers‘ junior, assistant captain center Noah Laba(26) leaves a year of school on the table to sign a 2-year NHL entry level contract with draft club, New York Rangers.
The 6’2″ 192 lbs. forward reported to affiliate Hartford Wolf Pack to get his pro career started and what do you know, pops in a 1st AHL goal in his debut.
He left college with 10 goals and 16 assists in 29 games, a little less than the spectacular run he had as a sophomore, running 20 goals and 17 helpers.
From Northville, MI, the 21-year old is moving on nicely.
Ohio State University Buckeyes‘ graduate right wing Michael Gildon(18) takes a college best 5 goals in 34 games with a +3 rating last season to a 1st pro deal with Worcester Railers.
The 6’2″ 196 lbs. forward from Plano, TX played 2 seasons USNTDP and wasn’t too bad on the scoresheet.
We think the decently-sized skater finds more room for scoring opportunities in the ECHL.
He signs with Jacksonville Icemen for his rookie season, 2024/2025.
Actually, he ends up with Fort Wayne Komets and things go pretty smoothly with 5 goals and 3 assists with a +2 rating in 23 games, but gets himself traded to Allen Americans, who bring him home.
University Of Connecticut Huskies‘ graduate, captain defenseman Jake Flynn(18) is one of 2 players, who did 5 years at the school.
The 6′ 181 lbs. blue liner played his 4th 30+ game set, and probably would have in 2020/2021, if his team played that many games.
From Weymouth, MA, the 22-year old played no junior hockey before committing.
He becomes a very interesting hockey watch when Hockey East playoffs are done.
We knew this entry wouldn’t wait long before an update: 2 weeks.
He signs a 1st deal with Greenville Swamp Rabbits that proves to be a good landing spot, as he has a 1st ECHL goal and 1 assist with a +3 rating in 6 games to start.
For 2024/2025, he was going to leave to play overseas, but re-signs for his rookie frame to stay a Swamp Rabbits.
In 36 games, he scores 3 goals and 5 assists with a -3 rating and Bloomington Bison think they can use him, so trade for him.
