Former Cornell University Big Red captain, center Morgan Barron(47) is steady as he goes with Hartford Wolf Pack.
The 6’2″ 185 lbs. forward has points in 9 of 12 AHL appearances with a recent 2 goal effort.
He signed his 3-year entry level deal with draft club (6th round, 2017, #174) New York Rangers as he was likely becoming aware college hockey would be shutting down for 2020/2021 at his school and it looks to be a great decision.
The Canadian-born player already had 3 years of schooling at St. Andrews College in Ontario before committing to an American school to further his education and hockey goals.
Still only 22-years old we’d say he’s already lived a couple of lives and is on the radar to may even be pitched a look in the show this season.
Well, that most definitely happened, as late in 2020/2021, he was recalled, skated 5 games and even got a 1st NHL goal.
He was a point-per-game guy in the minors last session and did decently again this frame, but was again pulled back up for 13 games, getting an assist.
The deep selection is trade bait though, as is dished to Winnipeg Jets with one year left on his entry level contract.
After 70 games in a Jets‘ jersey, scoring 8 goals and 13 assists, he is offered up 2-years 1-way to stay through 2024/2025.
7th year defenseman Connor Clifton(75) found himself flipped from the only team he’s known, Boston Bruins to Buffalo Sabres before becoming an unrestricted free agent and signs himself a very handsome 3-year $10M deal to help his new team’s blue line execute their end.
The 5’11” 194 lbs. blue liner was originally a Phoenix Coyotes‘ 5th round pick in the 2013 draft (#133 overall), but failed to sign, so entered into an AHL agreement with Providence Bruins to start his pro career before signing a 2-year NHL entry level deal with the big club.
He did 4 years at Quinnipiac University Bobcats, including his last as senior captain.
A Long Branch, NJ native, he played his way up through junior hockey finally arriving at a pretty excellent USNTDP frame before heading to school.
The 28-year old may be only first arriving at his 1st big deal.
6th year center Ryan Fitzgerald(13) re-signs with Lehigh Valley Phantoms to stay for a 3rd season, after spending all but 4 AHL on the injured reserve in the last frame.
Originally a Boston Bruins‘ 4th round pick in the 2013 draft (#140 overall), the 5’9″ 172 lbs. forward spent 4 years in the system amassing points for their affiliate Providence Bruins.
A huge scorer as a junior at Boston College Eagles, amassing 24 goals and 23 assists in 40 NCAA Division 1 games, he definitely has it in his arsenal to score big as a pro.
The 27-year old from Boca Raton, FL will certainly be one to watch to see if he can play himself up to the highest level, where his dad Tom Fitzgerald played some 1097 NHL games to his credit.
He spent most of last season once again on the injured list, but did manage to appear in 13 games, scoring 1 goal and 1 assist with a +1 rating.
Teams must see the potential in his scoring though, as Utica Comets step in quickly to sign the unrestricted free agent for 2023/2024.
3rd year defenseman Austin Osmanski(6) already has a pretty interesting story in the path that has taken him to his 3rd AHL contract with Springfield Thunderbirds for 2023/2024.
The towering 6’4″ 216 lbs. blue liner from East Aurora, NY started his junior hockey with 4 years in the OHL after being picked in the draft and decided to head that route.
He followed that decent enough run of 258 games with 3 years at University Of Western Ontario Mustangs, where he played the entire 1st USports‘ year, then sat out a COVID interrupted campaign, but skated only 8 games his 3rd semester before deciding to turn pro.
Last season he played 30 games up and only 1 in the ECHL with affiliate Worcester Railers.
The still quite young 25-year old, former Buffalo Sabres‘ 7th round pick in 2016 (#189 overall) was almost oddly not signed, but for all he has done is an interesting watch going forward.
Winnipeg Jets‘ 6th year left wing Zach Sanford(13) was recently acquired as they head towards playoffs from Ottawa Senators, where he scored 9 goals and 8 assists in 62 games.
Since arriving he has 3 assists in 15 appearances.
The 6’4″ 203 lbs. Washington Capitals‘ 2nd round pick in the 2013 draft (#61 overall) was probably most known for his time spent with St. Louis Blues, where he won the 2019 Stanley Cup Championship his 1st year with the club.
He has played a total of 286 NHL games, scoring 47 goals and 47 assists.
The former 2-year Boston College Eagles‘ forward left after putting up very close to point-per-game numbers.
At 27-years old, he is set to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the current session.
He only managed 4 assists in 18 games with his new club, so was left unsigned.
It didn’t take long into being unsigned for him to pick up a 1-year 1-way deal with Nashville Predators for 2022/2023 at the league minimum to see if he can reconnect with the scoring sheet.
He contributes nicely when called, but mostly serves as a veteran to help the kids with affiliate Milwaukee Admirals, where his numbers are good, then his playoff points additional.
For 2023/2024, he signs a new very short money deal on the 2-way with Arizona Coyotes, but with his size and strength may make the $800,000 AAV the deal is good for.
Boston Bruins‘ prospect, center Matt Filipe(17) was signed to a 2-year entry level deal as draft team Carolina Hurricanes (3rd round, 2016, #63 overall) was not showing interest, allowing him to become an unrestricted free agent.
The 6’2″ 195 lbs. power forward skated four seasons at Northeastern University Huskies, producing his best output as a senior with a collegiate career tying 9 goals, best 13 assists and 22 points.
He was assigned to affiliate Providence Bruins as their season was getting underway in the new calendar and has picked up 2 goals and 3 assists in 17 AHL games with a +2 rating and he has one game-winning tally.
The 23-year old MA native will undoubtedly play himself into a position where the big club needs to take notice, but that may take just a little bit of seasoning time in the minor league.
After putting up 7 goals and 10 assists as a rookie, the Newton, MA native signs a 1-year, 2-way extension to stay.
He becomes a group 6 UFA upon completion of his 2nd contract and signs a minor league deal with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins for 2023/2024.
Boston Bruins‘ sign unrestricted free agent center John Farinacci(24) to a 2-year NHL entry level deal after finishing up his 4th year at Harvard University Crimson as senior captain.
He was originally an Arizona Coyotes‘ 3rd round pick in the 2019 draft (#76 overall), but went oddly unsigned.
The 6’ 190 lbs. forward from Red Bank, NJ came north for his high school hockey, but played little junior hockey before committing to school.
He is the Crimson coach Ted Donato‘s nephew.
11th year retired defenseman Nate Guenin(2) accepts the job as Assistant Head Coach at his former school of 4 years, where he was a captain as a senior with Ohio State University Buckeyes.
A former 2002 4th round pick (#127 overall) by New York Rangers but never signed and ultimately inked with Philadelphia Flyers as a free agent.
He retired from pro hockey after playing for San Diego Gulls in 2016/2107, at age 35 years old with 521 AHL and 205 NHL games to his credit.
There is little doubt, the Aliquippa, PA native will do fine in his new role.
4th year defenseman Miles Gendron(10) exchanges 2 contracts with Colorado Eagles, including 2 goals and an assist in 15 AHL games and 116 ECHL appearances to a new adventure for 2022/2023, signing with Storhamar of Fjordkraft-ligaen.
Originally an Ottawa Senators‘ 3rd round pick in the 2014 draft (#70 overall), he only skated parts of his rookie season in the system before moving on.
The 6’2″ 181 lbs. blue liner skated only one year of juniors, winning the 2015 BCHL Championship with Penticton Vees, amassing 12 assists in 22 playoff games before heading off to school.
He did 4 years, including serving as senior captain at University Of Connecticut Huskies.
The still young 25-year old should do very well in Norway’s top league.
After 19 games with 3 goals, 5 assists and a +9 rating, he decides to return and signs with Greenville Swamp Rabbits for 2023.
He takes an impressive little run into the playoffs with his new club, but will look to branch out again and head over to the EIHL for 2023/2024, signing with 2 time champs, Belfast Giants.
Boston Bruins‘ 11th year, former 2-year University Of Wisconsin Badgers‘ captain, center Craig Smith(12) has twice accumulated 50+ points, once 40+, 5 time 30+ including 32 last season, his first with his new NHL team after 9 for draft club Nashville Predators (4th round 2009, #98 overall).
The 6′ 207 lbs. power forward is in the 2nd year of a 3-year deal he signed in unrestricted free agency and the relationship has certainly been a healthy one.
A bit hard to believe the 32-year old skated 3 seasons for Waterloo Blackhawks, blowing the lid off scoring and getting everyone’s attention in that final frame.
It’s got to be nice still getting really good deals.
Traded to Washington Capitals as his contract was set to expire, he went to a non-playoff team, but fit in decently, getting 5 goals and an assist in 22 games with a +1 rating to grab a new deal from Dallas Stars worth $800,000 AAV with a $200,000 signing bonus.
Good beans.
