10th year defenseman Andrew MacWilliam(4) switched up 2 years in DEL skating for EHC Munchen to signing with EC Salzburg for 2022/2023.
In 15 IceHL games, he has a goal and 3 assists with a +6 rating.
The fairly big 6’2″ 223 lbs. blue liner has 413 AHL games to his credit, scoring 9 goals and 53 assists with a +6 rating.
He has also played 12 NHL games with a draft team Toronto Maple Leafs (7th round, 2008, #188 overall), recording 2 assists.
A University Of North Dakota Fighting Hawks‘ graduate, he may have not put up a lot of points, but left school a +37 player.
The 32-year old from Calgary, AB may just be starting a new chapter.
After just one year away from Germany, he missed it and returns to sign on for a 3rd frame with the Red Bull Munchen boys.
Finishing up with his team of mostly the last few seasons, he heads to his 3rd overseas league, EIHL and agrees to terms with Cardiff Devils, which should equal a good late career move.
Niagara University Purple Eagles‘ senior center Jason Pineo(34) finishes up Atlantic Hockey play and signs a 1st pro deal with Wichita Thunder, a team fighting for their playoff existence.
The 6’2″ 201 lbs. forward had his best college season last year with 9 goals and 13 assists in 40 games.
He had 2 solid frames in juniors and won the 2019 OJHL Championship with Oakville Blades, scoring point-per-game numbers in the playoffs.
In 11 ECHL games, the 25 year old from Toronto, ON has 2 goals and 3 assists.
He should do ok in this league if he decides to stay and try to play himself up.
Through 71 games, he scores 13 goals and 14 assists, but is a -10, which hurts a little, but not bad for a rookie.
For 2024/2025, he splits for Erste Liga and signs with DVTK Jegesmedvek and we do look for him to do well here.
Senior defenseman Tyler Heidt(7) decides to enter the transfer portal to do his final school year closer to home at University Of Regina Cougars after spending the last 3 seasons with Merrimack College Warriors.
The 6′ 190 lbs. blue liner isn’t exactly the biggest point getter with his best showing in a 1st campaign of juniors for Melfort Mustangs, where he scored 7 goals and 14 assists in 54 SJHL games.
At just 22-years old, he may find the net a bit more often near his back yard.
After a 2nd super productive frame in Canadian college hockey, scoring 6 goals and 20 assists in 28 games before turning pro, signing with Reading Royals to close out 2023. grabbing 4 goals an 9 assists in 18 games with a +14 rating.
He easily re-signs for his official rookie season 2023/2024.
Appearing in only 8 ECHL games due to injury, he doesn’t score any points and looks elsewhere, signing with Fife Flyers of the EIHL for 2024/2025.
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.
13th year center Rick Schofield(23) heads back to Austria’s top league IceHL, signing with his 5th team Pustertal/Val Pusteria Wolves for 2023/2024.
He comes off a year with Nurnberg Ice Tigers, scoring 13 goals and 13 assists in 38 DEL games.
Undrafted, the 6’2″ 190 lbs. forward played 2 AHL seasons before heading overseas.
The former 2-time Lake Superior State University Lakers‘ captain and top scorer has almost maybe a bit oddly only won a championship in his 1st year away from home.
From Pickering, ON, the 36-year old is still finding good hockey to play.
He comes away with another fantastic season, but decides he wants to head back to Germany to play and signs with Dusseldorfer EG of DEL.
Straubing Tigers‘ 7th year center Travis St. Denis(74) re-ups to return to the German club, his 2nd year in DEL.
He scored 22 goals and 17 assists in 51 games last season.
The 5’7″ 170 lbs. forward was twice a 40+ point scorer in the AHL for Bridgeport Sound Tigers, while under contract to New York Islanders for at least one of those sessions.
He spent 4 seasons at Quinnipiac University Bobcats, always increasing his totals to leave as a senior with 49 points in 43 NCAA Division 1 games.
The Trail, BC native played his junior hockey up north and won a 2012 BCHL Championship with Penticton Vees, scoring 37 goals and 51 assists in 54 games, then adding 13 more points in the playoffs.
At 29-years old, he is likely to be happy still playing hockey at a very high level.
After spending 2 years with the same club, recording just about exact excellent numbers, he reaches out and signs with rivals, ERC Ingolstadt for 2023/2024.
His season with a new German team doesn’t go maybe as planned and he heads right back, where he scored 22 goals in each of his 2 frames, the Tigers for 2024/2025.
Canisius College Golden Griffins‘ extra large-sized (6’5″ 215 lbs.) graduate defenseman Cory Thomas(2) signs his 1st pro contract with Idaho Steelheads.
Not exactly the biggest scorer on the ice, he did pull off a collegiate best pair of goals last season in 34 NCAA Division 1 games, which matched all the tallies he had in 4 years at University Of Vermont Catamounts.
He was also a plus player for the first time in his college career.
The 24-year old from St. Brieux, SK will likely do well in the ECHL.
After 8 games on an ato, scoring 1 assist, the big d-man was going to return, but ultimately signed with rivals Utah Grizzlies for 2022/2023.
As a rookie, he skated 41 games, scoring 7 assists.
The big d-man has definitely been invited back for a 2nd look.
He is traded to Trois Rivieres Lions, where he does ok, getting 1 goal and 8 assists in 33 games with a +3 rating.
For 2024/2025, he is invited back under a 1-year contract.
4th year defenseman Ryker Killins(77) will switch up overseas leagues and heads to DEL3, joining SC Riessersee after spending 2021/2022 with Esbjerg Energy.
The 5’9″ 181 lbs. small blue liner made an impact upon turning pro from 4 years at Ferris State University Bulldogs, signing an ato with South Carolina Stingrays and putting up 3 goals and 6 assists in 14 ECHL games with a +7 rating.
He would parlay that into a 1-year AHL deal with Tuscon Roadrunners, but was mostly dispatched to affiliate Rapid City Rush to spend his rookie season.
It’s definitely possible the 25-year old finds a good fit in Germany’s tier 3 hockey.
As thought, he found it to be a decent enough place to play and got 3 goals and 13 assists in 25 games with a +15 rating to earn a contract up to DEL2 with Bietigheim Steelers for 2023/2024.
He does ok up, but maybe doesn’t really love it and signs back down in German pro hockey with some former rivals, EC Hannover Indians for 2024/2025.
2nd year right wing Quinn Preston(43) returns from a very good EIHL season for Belfast Giants, scoring 12 goals and 10 assists with a +6 rating, to re-signing with Wichita Thunder, where in his 1st game back scores 1 goal and 1 assist.
The 5’11” 188 lbs. forward, former twice assistant captain at Ohio State University Buckeyes also racked up big numbers at juniors with Dubuque Fighting Saints and at high school.
From Trenton, MI, the 26-year old could use a loan up to the AHL to see what gives.
After 17 games, scoring a fairly tidy 3 goals and 9 assists, he finds himself traded to another team that wants him, Kalamazoo Wings.
He gets 3 goals and 7 assists in 16 games with a +2 rating with his new club and is invited to return for a full season in a Wings‘ jersey for 2024/2025.
8th year left wing Matt Wilkins(91) will try yet another league to add to the notches on his belt overseas, joining Slovak Extraliga, signing a 1-year deal with HC Banska Bystrica, which will definitely take it up a big notch for the former Union College 2014 NCAA Division 1 Champion, as a sophomore.
Last season, the 5’11” 190 lbs. forward won the Swiss tier 2 2023 SL Championship with HC La Chaux-da-Fonds, had most points in one session and most assists the previous the 2-year he played AlpsHL for Gherdeina and even raised the 2012 AJHL Championship as a junior with twice holding down most assists.
The 32-year old from Kimberley, BC, who started with 2 ECHL years for Reading Royals, putting up big numbers, has to be happy with the results of his game, despite maybe not reaching for the highest levels.
In 49 games, he blows up scoring with 19 goals and 33 assists, but decides to leave for Ligue Magnus, signing with Les Ducs D’Angers.
