9th year left wing Ben Lake(9) had an impressive 18 goals and 27 assists for 45 points in 52 games with a +27 rating on the way to a 2nd straight 2023 EIHL Championship with Belfast Giants.
That’s a no-brainer to re-sign the 33-year old, Calgary, AB native for 2023/2024.
The 5’11” 170 lbs. forward has spent time with 3 different teams in the league after coming over following 2 campaigns for Alaska Aces of the ECHL.
He did 3 AJHL seasons with Fort McMurray Oil Barons before committing to school.
We think the 50% UK native, former Sacred Heart University Pioneers‘ graduate does well in another frame and looks to be setting himself up for a future coaching job.
8th year left wing Stephen MacAulay(81) will spend a 3rd & 4th season with Dusseldorfer EG after putting up a healthy 17 goals and 19 assists in 56 DEL games with a +17 rating.
He originally earned a promotion up from DEL2 after the 2020/2021 silly season with Loewen Frankfurt, but did manage 17 goals and 23 assists in 35 games with a +15, which earned him a look at the higher level.
The 6’2″ 187 lbs. forward originally skated 4 seasons in the QMJHL, mostly with Saint John Sea Dogs, where he won 2 Championships and Memorial Cups before heading to Halifax Mooseheads to win another pair of trophies.
He would next turn pro, but maybe wasn’t loving the results so enrolled in St. Marys University Huskies for the next 3 years.
Originally a St. Louis Blues‘ 6th round pick in the 2010 draft (#164 overall), he never signed, but did ink an AHL deal out of school with affiliate Springfield Thunderbirds.
Despite scoring some, he was sent down to affiliate Florida Everblades, where he would sign for the next frame and blow up scoring.
Long Island University Sharks‘ graduate right wing Anthony Vincent(91) signs an ato to join San Jose Barracuda, as they fight for an AHL playoff spot.
The 6′ 190 lbs. forward finished up his transfer season from 4 at Holy Cross College Crusaders with clear career bests, 17 goals and 20 assists in 36 games said it all.
From Wilton, CT, he did a couple of junior season in the BCHL before committing to college.
The 25-year old has played 2 games with no points, but it’s still early, especially in this league.
In 14 games, he may have only recorded 2 assists with a -5 rating, but they saw something they like and sign him to stay in Sharks‘ region for his rookie season, 2023/2024.
12th year center Joey Martin(88) gets back to his team of 6 seasons, Cardiff Devils after a couple COVID years away to play one successful Stavenger Oilers‘ Norway and one Austria’s IceHL Graz 99ers before returning for 2022/2023.
The 5’10” 185 lbs. forward played two seasons for Toledo Walleye, fresh out of 4 years at University Of Nebraska Huskers, where he served as senior captain and was always a solid performer.
He signed for his third season with Stockton Heat and took a ride to the Kelly Cup Finals before bowing out and was a point-per-game performer.
The Thorold, ON native has been loaned up to the AHL in each of his campaigns, probably doing best in his last, skating 9 games with Bridgeport Sound Tigers, tallying 2 goals an 2 assists.
He has always scored big in the league, 20+ goals and just under 40 assists a year and is a 4-time EIHL Champion with the team.
The 33-year is likely just glad to get back to where he knows playing pro hockey at a high level.
As assistant captain, he records yet again another amazing frame, scoring 22 goals and 34 assists, which is still good for only 5th overall points he has scored with the team.
Quite obviously he is offered an 8th year to return to the Devils core for 2023/2024.
12th year right wing Dustin Gazley(10) signs on for a 3rd season with HC Bolzano Foxes, as he continues to put up numbers (31 points in 38 IceHL games) at 33-years of age.
Not too bad for the 5’8″ 161 lbs. forward that came out of Michigan State University Spartans‘ scorer, who spent most of his 1st two seasons tearing up the scoresheet in the ECHL before signing with Hershey Bears.
He stayed with the team for 5 years before heading off to Europe.
The Novi, MI native has to be happy playing pro hockey for the Italian team in the mostly Austrian league.
After scoring a tidy 17 goals and 31 assists in 47 games with a +19 rating, then potting another 13 points in 18 appearances during the playoffs earns him a 4th season to return.
48 points is his highest point total so far in the league.
Tampa Bay Lightning‘s 4th round pick in the 2018 draft (#121 overall) defenseman Alex Green(57) was signed as his school, Cornell University was likely wondering with unlikely odds on whether or not to go for a 2020/2021 season.
They opted out of the ECAC campaign, as did a great many other teams in the division.
So foregoing his senior year, the decently sized 6’2″ 175 lbs. blue liner signed a two-year entry level deal to start his pro hockey experience immediately.
He was assigned to affiliate Syracuse Crunch and thus far has appeared in 11 of 16 AHL games for the club scoring a goal and 4 assists with a +6 rating.
Never exactly the biggest scorer, it’s possible his new status has awoken something and also a little wonder, he was maybe a little surprisingly selected after his freshman year post two runs of the USHL, where in his 2nd session notched 15 assists for Lincoln Stars.
The 22-year old Chicago, IL native started his career with a short stint for Orlando Solar Bears, likely as the ECHL had started before his league was set to resume.
After scoring 5 goals and 21 assists with a +6 in 73 games, it is decided to not qualify him, so he becomes an unrestricted free agent.
He didn’t sit on the shelf long before deciding to sign a 1-year minor league deal with Laval Rocket for 2022/2023.
Not sure, what occurred but after 5 games recording 1 assist, he switches up teams and heads to Chicago Wolves.
After 35 games, recording 1 goal and 4 assists with a +3 rating, he is re-upped to stay on with him hometown team another year.
After two very solid seasons with Allen Americans‘ 3rd year center Joshua Lammon(40) is moving on, signing with Cardiff Devils of the EIHL for 2021/2022.
The 6′ 190 lbs. forward scored 22 goals and 47 assists in 130 ECHL games with a +35 rating.
He was similar through 4 years at Mercyhurst University Lakers, serving as team captain as a senior, grabbing 35 goals and 39 assists with a +24 rating.
Even through a quick 9 games after graduation with Florida Everblades, he struck for a tidy 2 goals and 4 assists.
There’s little doubt the 25-year old from Jackson, MI will find his openings to score points.
In the new overseas league, he was able to essentially strike at the same rate as he did in the previous 2 seasons, getting 9 goals and 7 assists in 35 games with a +3 rating.
He takes that experience and brings his game back, signing with Kansas City Mavericks for 2022/2023.
We’ll see where his game goes.
He is impressive with 11 goals and 20 assists in 63 games with a +13 rating, that he will take with him in the offseason to a new experience, hooking up with the AIHL to suit up for Sydney Bears, which should prove to be a lot of fun.
Danbury Hat Tricks‘ 2nd year goaltender Brian Wilson(30) backstopped 40 saves along the way to a 3-2 overtime win for the 2023 FPHL Commissioners Cup.
The big 6’4″ 185 lbs. net minder appeared in 41 regular season games, posting a phenomenal 31-5 record with a 2.68 GAA and .919 SV%, then won 7 in the playoffs.
He bounced around a bit as a rookie, but eventually the former 4-year Niagara University Purple Eagles‘ backstop ended up in Connecticut, leading to what has occurred this season.
There must be a pretty big smile on the 26-year old from Mississauga, ON’s face right about now, who also happened to win the Goaltender Of The Year award.
2nd year defenseman Ryan DaSilva(41) signed on late for the final 4 games of the ECHL season with Worcester Railers, and maybe only recording an assist, seems like a good guy to power their blue line for 2023/2024.
The 6′ 201 lbs. d-man is a fairly big frame, who seems like he has an ability to put up points.
He played 5 years of juniors, including 3 in the QMJHL before deciding to head to University Of Guelph Gryphons for a couple of years, but ended up leaving early to turn pro in his “junior” frame.
The 25-year old from Newmarket, ON is fairly solid, still growing into his game.
Straubing Tigers‘ 14th year defenseman Cody Lampl(32) re-signs to stay on after posting a pair of goals and 11 assists in 46 DEL games with a +12 rating.
This will be the 5’10” 179 lbs. blue liner’s 7th season in the league, where he won a 2019 Championship, his 1st year with Adler Mannheim.
His 226 games played may exceed the 276 games he’s skated in the ECHL in the new session.
The 4-year Colorado College Tigers graduate has played for 3 teams that don’t exist anymore, including his 1st contract out of school with Las Vegas Wranglers.
The man with the Social Distortion tattoo on his neck will be 37-years old by the time his 3rd season with the Tigers starts, his 8th in the top German league.
