9th year net minder Parker Gahagen(35) has always shined when employed in the ECHL to continuously earn AHL contracts and he did it again with last year’s play for Worcester Railers earns him a new contract for 2026/2027 with Springfield Thunderbirds.
The 6’2″ 194 lbs. goalie did 4 years mostly holding down stellar numbers at US Army West Point Black Knights.
From Amherst, NY, the 33-year old has been cruising along nicely.
New England College Pilgrims‘ senior left wing David Novotny(48) has always scored decently with his best run coming as a freshman, scoring 10 goals and 8 assists.
In 10 games this season, he has a team leading 4 goals and 3 assists, so is on mark to pass his highs.
The 5’11” 165 lbs. forward from Boca Raton, FL did his high school in the northeast and played 1 year of EHL juniors with Seahawks Hockey Club before committing.
He’s 23-years old and will definitely be an interesting next watch.
Originally skating his rookie season with Huntsville Havoc, he was waived and claimed by Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs, where he exploded for 7 goals and 1 assist in 16 SPHL games with a +3 rating, then added another 3 points in the playoffs.
He will easily return on a new deal for 2026/2027.
Merrimack College Warriors 2022/2023 commit Tyler Young(14) is having himself a junior season best for Maryland Black Bears, scoring 7 goals and 11 assists in 22 NAHL games with a +1 rating.
After a solid showing for Islanders HC of USPHL/NCDC last year, he started the current frame with Muskegon Lumberjacks, but that relationship seemed to fizzle after 11 USHL games with just an assist to his credit.
The 6’1″ 180 lbs. 20-year old blue liner from Lancaster, MA will be a nice addition, close to home at Hockey East.
He plays a college high 29 games last season, scoring an easy best 6 goals and 4 assists, but he will travel for his senior year and signs with Univerity Of North Dakota Fighting Hawks, 2025/2026.
In a new high 32 games, he grabs new college hockey best 7 assists and 12 points that he takes to a 1st pro contract for 2026/2027 with Bloomington Bison.
Stevenson University Mustangs‘ graduate defenseman Evan Beers(4) signs a 1st pro contract with Macon Mayhem for 2025/2026, his rookie year.
The 5’11” 190 lbs. blue liner showed good, increasing number with a college best 14 assists and 19 points last season.
From Peabody, MA, he did 2 campaigns of juniors before school.
The 25-year old will likely keep his zone clear.
He takes 53 games, scoring 5 goals and 8 assists with a +4 rating to signing a new deal with SPHL rivals Pee Dee IceCats in 2026/2027.
Chicago Blackhawks‘ 3rd round pick in the 2018 draft (#69 overall) senior, center Jake Wise(48) maybe somewhat surprisingly decides to branch out from 3 years at Boston University Terriers, and finish school at Ohio State University Buckeyes.
The 5’11” 190 lbs. often injured forward was selected after a strong second showing for US National U18 Team USDP, but quickly succumbed to the sidelines 12 games into his freshman year.
He was able to play all 33 Hockey East games as a sophomore, scoring 2 goals and 11 assists, although unfortunately mostly out of the lineup in the COVID stop and go 2020/2021.
He did get a goal and an assist in just 5 games.
The 21-year old, Reading, MA native has definitely shown he can score big goals, and will hope to stay healthy for a full schedule at his new school.
He finishes up his 2nd season in the midwest with a college career best 12 goals and 27 assists and signs with the playoff bound Charlotte Checkers on a pto.
In 1 AHL game, he grabs 2 assists, then in a playoff match off, scores a 1st goal.
For 2023/2024, he gets signed to a minor league deal and returns to North Carolina, but we expect him to get some looks.
After 38 games, he gets traded to Chicago Wolves in a minor league move at the trade deadline.
For 2024/2025, he signs with Colorado Eagles, on a pto and picks up a 1-year deal after potting 2 goals and 3 assists in 6 games.
In his 2nd season with the team, he scored less, 2 goals and 9 assists in 47 games with a +2 rating to gain another invite to remain in Colorado a 3rd frame for 2026/2027.
Undrafted defenseman Jeff Baum(6) spent a 1st collegiate year at Providence College Friars, but after a somewhat flat season entered the transfer portal to attend American International College Yellowjackets and completed his education, along with showing a nice uptick in his Atlantic Hockey play.
The 5’11” 185 lbs. blue liner will next head to the EIHL, joining Belfast Giants for 2021/2022.
Never the biggest point getter, in his 2nd season of juniors for Wichita Falls Wildcats, he was able to take it up a level with 10 goals, 20 assists and a +21 rating in 57 NAHL games, his best effort.
The 25-year old from Colleyville, TX native should find his footing in England’s top hockey.
Winning a league 2022 Championship, scoring a tidy 2 goals and 16 assists with a massive +28 rating, it’s a bit of a no brainer for him to return for a 2022/2023 sophomore run.
He may not be quite as generous as he was last year with his scoring 2 goals and 6 assists, but maintained a +22 rating in 10 less, 43 games.
It’s a complete easy thinker to return him for a 3rd campaign in his role as fan favorite to a team that has won 2 straight titles with him in the teal lineup.
After 4 seasons and 2 championships, he decides to play his hockey a little closer to home for 2025/2026 and signs with Idaho Steelheads, where we know he will contribute well.
In 55 ECHL games, he scores 1 goal and 16 assists to get an easy invite to return for 2026/2027.
4th year left wing Liam Coughlin(7) signs with Iowa Heartlanders for 2023/2024 after most of the last 2 seasons with sort of local, Worcester Railers.
The 6’2″ 203 lbs. forward from South Boston, MA had 24 assists in 45 games in his 1st year with the team.
He scored well through 2 years of BCHL junior hockey before heading to University Of Vermont Catamounts for the next 4 years.
We’re not sure he’s found the club to increase scoring, but he’ll definitely be slugging away to put up ECHL points.
Jacksonville Icemen step in to see if the pretty big skater can connect with the net in 2024/2025, like he did when he 1st signed in the league.
He finds his scoring touch with this team, connecting for a new best 15 goals and 16 assists in 50 games with a +8 rating to earn a contract to return and Icemen in 2025/2026.
With 1 goal and 1 assist in 12 games, he is traded back to Iowa Heartlanders, who look to kick start his stats.
In 46 games, he comes away with 6 goals and 10 assists and looks for somewhere new to play in 2026/2027 and signs up with the 1st year Trenton Ironhawks.
6th year defenseman Jack Dougherty(5) heads back to Belleville Senators after only 1 AHL game with Providence Bruins.
He has signed with that team twice previous with decent enough results to stick.
The 6’1″ 211 lbs. blue liner was originally a Nashville Predators‘ 2nd round pick in the 2014 draft (#51 overall) selected after a solid USNTDP showing, then only one year at University Of Wisconsin Badgers before bolting to put up 41 assists with Portland Winterhawks.
He spent two years in the system before getting dished to Buffalo Sabres to play out his entry level deal.
It wouldn’t be entirely out of the possibility that soon the 25-year old from St. Paul, MN looks overseas for something a little more lucrative.
He has a pair of tough seasons through the COVID shuffle, but decides to stick around and signs his 1st ECHL deal with Orlando Solar Bears for 2022/2023.
This will likely be a very good decision for the now 26-year old.
He actually leaves for DEL near the end of this session, then signs with Nurnberg Ice Tigers for 2023/2024.
Doing just ok wasn’t good enough, so he takes his game to IceHL for 2024/2025, signing with Vienna Capitals, which should equal a lot of fun for him.
He does well with 11 assists in 43 games, but decides to move on and signs with Sheffield Steelers.
In the EIHL, he comes away with his best scoring 13 assists and 15 points in 49 games with a +23 rating.
For 2026/2027, he looks to return home and re-signs with the Solar Bears for 2026/2027 and will look to improve his numbers.
7th year defenseman Sam Jardine(10) leaves for overseas hockey a 2nd time, this time signing with Bratislava Capitals of IceHL for 2021/2022.
Originally a 6th round pick by Chicago Blackhawks in 2011 (#169 overall), he initially signed a one-year minor league deal with affiliate Rockford IceHogs to stay in the system but was sent further down for most of his rookie campaign.
The almost deceptively built 6’2″ 209 lbs. d-man has played 228 ECHL games and won a pair of Kelly Cups: 2017 and most notably 2019 in a great run with Newfoundland Growlers.
He’s also had 4 AHL contracts and played 71 games.
The Lacombe, AB native spent 2019/2020 overseas with Cardiff Devils of the EIHL, not scoring a load of points (15) but was a nice +24 rating for on-ice accountability.
He decided to spend 2020/2021 a little closer to home after confirming a return to England, and, inked with Greenville Swamp Rabbits, where he exploded for a personal best 41 assists and 44 points in 67 games.
The 29-year old, former 3-year, 10+ assist man at Ohio State University Buckeyes will likely do well in Austria’s 6 nation league.
As said, he excelled pretty well with a pair of goals and 4 assists in 14 games with a +2 rating to gain a look from HIFK of Liiga, so will head to Finland.
For 2022/2023, he went to skate in England’s top league for another spell with Cardiff Devils and although he may have not scored a ton of points, was an accountable +7.
He decides to return to the states for 2023/2024 and will come back to the Swamp Rabbits, where he recorded his greatest assist total.
Spending a bit more time on loan to Calgary Wranglers, he finishes up the year and has decided to return to Austria to sign with Fehervar AV19 for 2024/2025.
He actually has a change of attitude and signs in the Senior AAA Alberta league with Lacombe Generals, probably to just play some hockey somewhere to keep in shape.
For 2025/2026, he’s making a big return and signs with Idaho Steelheads.
It’s a solid fit and through 68 games, he gets 1 goal and 20 assists with a +23 rating to easily be asked to stay a Steelheads for 2026/2027.
University Of New Hampshire Wildcats‘ senior right wing Robert Cronin(13) had by far a best college scoring with 17 goals and 11 assists that he takes to a 1st pro contract with Maine Mariners.
In 13 ECHL games, the 5’10” 187 lbs. forward had 5 goals and 3 assists.
From Plymouth, MA, he did 2 USHL seasons with Dubuque Fighting Saints, scoring big in his 2nd frame.
The 24-year old will need a new contract moving forward.
For 2025/2026, he will return for his rookie season in an Mariners‘ jersey.
In that sweater, he comes away with 19 goals and 37 assists in a full slate of 72 games with a +13 rating.
For 2026/2027, he gets a 1-year AHL contract with the parent club, Providence Bruins.
