New York Islanders‘ 1st round pick in the 2018 draft (#11 overall), 5th year right wing Oliver Wahlstrom(24) signs a conservative 1-year 1-way deal to stick for 2023/2024, as a restricted free agent.
The fairly stocky 6’2″ 205 lbs. forward has twice scored 10+ goals.
He only spent 1 year at Boston College Eagles after exploding his 2nd frame with USNTDP.
The 23-year old from Portland, ME definitely needs to step up his game.
He re-signs to spend a 6th year in the Isles‘ system, 2024/2025.
In 27 games, he has 2 goals and 2 assists and is put on waivers, knowing he will get picked up and skate for another team for the 1st time in his pro career.
A somewhat struggling Boston Bruins reaches out to welcome him back to where he attend on year of post-school.
He’s not a big scorer with 1 goal and 1 assist in 16 games and is basically a point-per-game guy in the AHL, which gains him a new minor league deal for 2025/2026 with San Jose Barracuda.
He take scoring to a new level with new bests 24 goals and 18 assists and almost surprisingly for a 1st time looks elsewhere to play in 2026/2027 and signs with Djurgardens IF of SHL and should do well.
14th year left wing, Justin Vaive(46) signs with Cincinnati Cyclones for a 9th ECHL season, 2024/2025.
He’s served as team captain 3 times.
The big 6’6″ 238 lbs. forward was originally an Anaheim Ducks‘ 4th round pick in the 2007 draft (#92 overall), but never signed.
He did however sign an NHL contract a few years later with New York Islanders, which had him spend his entire time with affiliate Bridgeport Sound Tigers.
From Buffalo, NY and son of former NHLer Rick Vaive, the 35-year old, who did 4 years at Miami University (Ohio) Redhawks may not score like he once did, but he will certainly bring himself back up to a + player.
For an 8 season, 6 as team captain, he signs on to a team he has found a pretty great home with in Cincinnati for 2025/2026.
After 601 ECHL games and 280 AHL, he decides at 37-years old, 16 seasons it’s time to retire from pro hockey and should just assume a position behind the bench where he has spent significant time and served 7 as team captain.
University Of Maine Black Bears‘ junior right wing Nicholas Niemi(8) will head to his 3rd school, Niagara University Purple Eagles for a senior frame in 2025/2026.
The 5’10” 181 lbs. forward scored best as a freshman at Bentley University Falcons with 8 goals and 14 assists in 32 games with a +7 rating.
From Middlebury, VT, the 24-year old did 2 years of NAHL juniors before college.
We think he will score well in Atlantic Hockey once again.
He ties his junior year 3 goals and has a new best 7 assists that he takes to a 1st pro contract with Utah Grizzlies.
In 15 ECHL games he has a 1st goal and 2 assists, but needs a new team.
For 2026/2027, he picks up a 1-year deal for his official rookie season with Wichita Thunder.
Providence College Friars‘ Swedish-borh senior goaltender Philip Svedeback(35) was a Boston Bruins 2021 4th round draft pick, but went unsigned.
The 6’3″ 209 lbs. net minder always had a winning record and low GAA and SV%, but maybe they were all set at the position moving forward.
He signs a 1st pro deal with Wheeling Nailers for his rookie season, 2026/2027, which may be a little surprising.
Before coming over for 1 year of USHL juniors, he did play some pro hockey back home.
We will see where the 24-year old decides to go.
Harvard University Crimson senior center Philip Tresca(7) had a college hockey best 8 goals and 11 assists in 30 games with a +3 rating.
The 6′ 196 lbs. forward had a huge 2nd year of USHL juniors with 28 goals and 26 assists in 61 games, then added another 8 points in the playoffs.
From Boston, MA, the 24-year old signs with Charlotte Checkers for his rookie season in 2026/2027.
Simon Fraser University Red Leafs‘ sophomore goalie Jesse Makaj(1) will lose his college hockey team for 2026/2027, so decides to turn pro and accepts a 1-year SPHL deal with Quad City Storm.
The 6’4″ 220 lbs. net minder came from 2 WHL seasons that needed some improvements.
From North Vancouver, BC, the 25-year old did 17 games in Latvia for HC Panter before school.
Sacred Heart University Pioneers‘ senior defenseman John Driscoll(4) will add his size 6’4″ 218 lbs. frame to Idaho Steelheads for his rookie frame in 2026/2027.
He played a 40 game college hockey high last season with a +4 rating.
Transferring after his sophomore season at US Army Black Knights, when he scored 5 goals and 16 assists.
From Eagle, ID, the 25-year old goes home to start his pro career.
Arizona State University Sun Devils‘ graduate left wing Lukas Sillinger(39) has steadily put up better numbers with 37 assists and 48 points last season and already has 3 assists in 6 games this year.
He initially did 2 sessions at Bemidji State University Beavers, where he was a point-per-game player as a sophomore.
The 5’11” 170 lbs. forward was born in Regina, SK and did 3 BCHL campaigns before college.
He’s the 24-year old son of Mike Sillinger, veteran of 1049 NHL games.
After a season of 8 goals and 30 assists in 35 games with a +8 rating, he waits a bit, but signs a pto to join Iowa Wild for his rookie season, 2025/2026.
In 5 AHL games with no points, he is released and quickly scooped up by Florida Everblades to skate the 2nd half of 2025/2026.
After 7 ECHL games with 1 assist and a -3 rating, Allen Americans see him floundering and think they can provide the spark, signing him to a contract.
He grabs 2 goald and 10 assists in 21 games with a 0 rating to get a new deal to stay an Americans for 2026/2027.
Westfield State University Owls‘ senior left wing Cooper Board(9) takes new college hockey best 15 assists and 22 points to a 1st pro deal with Peoria Rivermen for 2026/2027.
The 5’11” 187 lbs. forward should play well as a rookie in the SPHL.
From Glen Ellyn, IL, the 25-year old had 2 strong EHL seasons of junior hockey before school.
Providence College Friars‘ sophomore right wing Michael Citara(8) enters the transfer portal after only pulling into 8 games (1 goal, 1 assist) last season and arrives at Hockey East rival Merrimack College Warriors for 2023/2024.
The 5’10” 175 lbs. forward had only 1 USHL junior frame for Sioux Falls Stampede, but did well with 17 goals and 18 assists in 51 games.
From New Hope, PA, the 21-year old may find more room to score and make plays with his new team.
He plays in 31 games with decent scoring, but manages to appear in only 9 as a senior, so will go for a year of eligibility, enter the transfer portal and next play for University Of Alaska-Fairbanks Nanooks in 2025/2026.
In 33 games, he opens up scoring 16 goals and 15 assists, huge increases on his college scoring bests.
After winning the United Collegiate Hockey Cup, as the top independent team, he signs with Norfolk Admirals.
In 13 games, he comes away with 5 assists and gets a new 1-year ECHL deal for 2026/2027 to stay an Admirals.
