6th year defenseman Ryan MacKinnon(4) has roughly been in Bridgeport Islanders and Worcester Railers‘ affiliation system since he started sans 1 year away, but signs for 2023/2024 with Belleville Senators to make the split once again.
Although the 6′ 201 lbs. blue liner doesn’t always show it, he definitely has the ability to put up points, mostly assists.
He started with 4 years in the QMJHL, but as soon as that wrapped with his biggest frame of 40 assists, seemed to know he was heading to University Of Prince Edward Island Panthers.
The 28-year old from Summerside, PE is definitely looking to play himself into a full AHL frame.
He actually does ok, maybe not scoring a lot and then really improves in the playoff run with good play to arrive at a new deal for 2024/2025 in the tough to play Slovak Extraliga, signing with HK Spisska Nova Ves.
Boston College Eagles‘ Swedish-born, senior defenseman Jacob Bengtsson(15) takes a college high 40 games played, 3 goals and 11 assists with a best +21 rating to a 1st pro contract with Toronto Marlies for 2024/2025.
He transferred from 3 years at Lake Superior State University Lakers, where twice he had 20+ assists.
The 6’3″ 203 lbs. blue liner played 2 USHL seasons for Waterloo Blackhawks before school.
His size should definitely help the 25-year old in the AHL.
Canisius College Golden Griffins‘ graduate right wing Austin Alger(83) signs a 1st pro deal with Idaho Steelheads as he wraps up his Atlantic Hockey career and 5th year of school.
He originally transferred as a sophomore from one season at Miami University (Ohio) Redhawks.
The 6′ 170 lbs. forward did pretty well scoring in his senior season as assistant captain with 11 goals and 10 assists.
He was voted USHS Michigan Mr. Hockey (Best Michigan High School Player) as a senior captain at Cranbrook Kingswood School.
64 points in 31 USHS-MI games might cinch that award.
The 24-year old from Livonia, MI should be able to light it up in the ECHL with this team.
He scored a 1st goal for the league in 5 games, but doesn’t stay around, instead signing a 1-year deal with Kansas City Mavericks for 2022/2023.
Somehow, he never quite dressed for them, but instead was skating for Fayetteville Marksmen lighting it up to become SPHL Rookie Of The Year.
For 2023/2024, he’s branching out and signs in Finland’s tier 2 league, Mestis, agreeing to terms with IPK.
He blows up scoring in the regular frame, then in the playoffs to earn MVP for the 2024 Championship and will take those stats to the tougher to play SlovakExtraliga, signing with HK Nitra.
10th year center Brett Cameron(91) steps down a notch in German hockey to Germany3, signing with Hannover Scorpions for 2024/2025 at 34-years old.
He did well for the last 2 seasons with EV Landshut of DEL2 scoring almost 40 points each session.
The 6’2″ 203 lbs. forward has always consistently scored in the ECHL, 2 years in Norway and 2 in Switzerland.
From Edmonton, AB, he skated 5 seasons at University Of Alaska-Anchorage Seawolves.
We think he will absolutely blow up scoring in the upcoming frame.
13th year center Andrew Rowe(19) has spent the last 4 seasons skating for SC Rapperswill-Jona Lakers of NL, a team he served as team captain of the past 3 sessions.
The 6’2″ 185 lbs. forward started with two season in the SHL for Mora IK upon leaving on his best AHL numbers, 13 goals and 23 assists in 66 games for Bridgeport Sound Tigers.
He has 206 appearances in the league to his credit and 214 in the ECHL with point-per-game numbers.
The 34-year old, former 3-year Michigan State University Spartans is likely happy to still be pulling in good contracts.
After playing hockey for the last 4 years in one away from home country, he has decided to switch things up and head to DEL for his next experience with ERC Ingolstadt in 2023/2024.
He will only spend 1 frame in Germany, as he is maybe unhappy with his performance and makes a great move to skate next in the IceHL and signs with the famous EC Red Bull Salzburg for 2024/2025.
3rd year center Jacob Hayhurst(14) is most definitely off to his quickest star, getting 4 goals and 3 assists in 5 ECHL games for a +6 rating for 9-0 Worcester Railers and already has been loaned up to Springfield Thunderbirds for a pair of AHL appearances.
The undrafted 5’10” 180 lbs. forward had a strong 2nd session, scoring easy bests 15 goals and 33 assists in his 1st season with current club.
He also scored very decently in college, especially as a sophomore and junior at RPI Engineers, when he got 23 points in both frames, but did it a 2nd time in 7 less outings.
For his senior year, he maybe looked to take his game up a bit and transferred to University Of Michigan Wolverines with a decent enough showing.
The 25-year old from Mississauga, ON must be smiling pretty big.
He scored the insurance goal last night to secure his team’s historic season start.
After 10 goals and 12 assists in 25 games last season, he gets a look for 2023/2024 from Coachella Valley Firebirds and we believe this is a player who has played himself up.
He is actually reassigned to affiliate Kansas City Mavericks and blows up regular season and playoff scoring to be a single step away from the league championship, but he will take his game elsewhere for the future, signing with Vasteras IK of HockeyAllsvenskan, where he should absolutely blow up on the stat sheet in Sweden’s tier 2.
Northeastern University Huskies‘ junior defenseman Braden Doyle(17) appeared in only 13 games last season, scoring 1 goal, so enters the transfer portal and will skate at his 3rd school as a senior, Niagara University Purple Eagles in 2024/2025.
The 6′ 185 lbs. blue liner originally did his freshman season at Boston University Terriers after 2 USHL sessions with Dubuque Fighting Saints.
After appearing in just 8 games, he left for a BCHL frame with Penticton Vees that equaled point-per-game totals.
From Lynnfield, MA, the Los Angeles Kings‘ 6th round pick in the 2019 draft (#146 overall) and will continue to retain his rights.
After another 1 goal round and a new best 9 assists, he signs a 1st pro deal with the new Greensboro Gargoyles for his rookie swing, 2025/2026.
Newfoundland Growlers‘ rookie defenseman Jonny Tychonick(81) was actually AHL signed by affiliate Toronto Marlies and returned when the ECHL went belly up right at the end of 2023/2024.
He almost oddly had 1 goal and 1 assist in 3 games, when reassigned down, then added another assist in his reappearance.
From Calgary, AB, he did 2 BCHL seasons with Penticton Vees before heading 1st to University Of North Dakota Fighting Hawks, then 3 years at University Of Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks, where he posted a college best 8 goals and 18 assists in his graduate frame.
Ottawa Senators drafted him in the 2nd round of 2018 (#48 overall), but another bit of a head scratcher did not sign him.
The 6′ 172 lbs. blue liner heads off to sign with Djurgardens IF of HockeyAllsvenskan for 2024/2025 and should bang Sweden’s tier 2 league.
Long Island University Sharks‘ 4-year senior defenseman Jordan Di Cicco(7) signs a 1st pro deal with Adirondack Thunder.
The small 5’9″ 180 lbs. blue liner had his best scoring year as a junior, notching 6 goals and 11 assists in 34 games with a +4 rating.
From Toronto, ON, he cycled through 3 Canadian junior leagues before committing.
In 2 ECHL games he has no points, but has a +2, so is contributing already.
After only a pair of appearances and no action in the playoffs, he jumps to AlpsHL, where he signs with HC Gherdeina for 2024/2025.
After a couple of seasons on the sidelines after finishing up 4 years as twice captain at Robert Morris University Colonials, who 3 times was good for high 10+ assist numbers, left wing Nick Prkusic(77) finally signs a 1st deal for 2023/2024 with Greenville Swamp Rabbits.
The 6’3″ 209 lbs. forward from St. Albert, AB played 3 junior sessions, scoring big in his last 2, raising back-to-back AJHL Championships and actually became an assistant coach last season.
It may take the 26-year old a little time to get back into the swing of things, but we expect to see him park in front of the opposing team’s net often.
In 45 ECHL games, he scored 4 goals and 13 assists, then another 2 points in 6 playoff matchups to complete a successful 1st year back.
For 2024/2025, he must be feeling his game, as he signs with Glasgow Clan and we expect him to ignite the EIHL some.
