12th year defenseman Matt Donovan(46) will for a 3rd time take his game overseas, but this time signs for 2022/2023 with Adler Mannheim of DEL.
He twice played for SHL teams, Frölunda HC and HV71.
The former 2-year University Of Denver Pioneers‘ d-man was a New York Islanders‘ 4th round pick in the 2008 draft (#96 overall) and was in that system to start his pro career for 4 seasons.
At 6’1″ 205 lbs., he has skated 69 NHL games.
The 32-year old from of all places, Edmond, OK is likely happy to be still playing at a good level.
He actually does fairly well in German’s top league, scoring 8 goals and 15 assists with a +7 rating in 47 games, then added another 8 helpers in 12 playoff matchups.
For 2023/2024, he decides to come on and sign an AHL deal with Chicago Wolves, which makes a lot of sense.
He records 39 assists in 69 games and that will do it: 69 games in the big league, 524 in the lower league with 232 assists to his credit, 13 years of pro hockey and very quickly Nashville Predators sign him up to be an assistant coach with a team he spent 3 years with, affiliate Milwaukee Admirals.
Smart move.
Anaheim Ducks recently acquired Minnesota Wild 6th round pick in the 2019 draft (#172 overall), Boston College Eagles‘ junior center Nikita Nesterenko(62) gets a 2-year NHL entry level deal to leave school a year early to come skate pro.
The 6’2″ 183 lbs. forward had a college career best 13 goals and 21 assists in 36 games that last through the 2nd round of Hockey East tournament.
He gets to skate a first big league game, going 17 shifts for 13:06 of ice time with 4 shots on net and left a 4-1 loss with a -1 rating.
Only 21-years old from Brooklyn, NY there is time for him to develop, but he may be ready to play at the highest level.
He reports to affiliate San Diego Gulls and helps them win games with 16 goals and 21 assists in 70 games and a +6 rating.
Little thought to invite him back to see what more he has to accomplish.
Minnesota Wild 7th year center Steven Fogarty(29) signed a 2-year deal to come “home” as he is a native of right up the road, Edina, MN.
He has managed to skate NHL games in the last 6 seasons, but only scored 1 goal and 2 assists with Buffalo Sabres.
The 6’3″ 205 lbs. former New York Rangers‘ 3rd round pick in the 2011 draft (#72 overall), he off to a nice start with affiliate Iowa Wild, scoring 5 goals and 9 assists in 20 AHL games with a +7 rating.
A 2-year captain at University Of Notre Dame Fighting Irish, the 29-year old always looks to be a leader in the locker room.
After his 8th pro season, 464 AHL games, 31 NHL and the all important 1st goal and 150 NCAA, he decides that’s enough and call it quits.
We could see him starting to coach somewhere this season.
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.
USNTDP‘s 2nd year left wing Austin Baker(9) is big enough and scores decently to earn himself a Detroit Red Wings‘ 7th round pick in the 2024 draft (#203 overall) and will take his game to a 2024/2025 commit at Michigan State University Spartans.
USNTDP‘s 2nd year goaltender Nicholas Kempf(31) commits to University Of Notre Dame Fighting Irish for 2024/2025.
The 6’2″ 191 lbs. net minder didn’t exactly do too well through juniors.
We think mostly he was scouted during his youth time with Chicago Mission 13-15U and think come college he returns to that form.
Washington Capitals see something, as they select him in the 4th round of 2024 NHL draft (#114 overall).
Anaheim Ducks‘ 5th round pick in the 2019 draft (#132 overall), Notre Dame University Fighting Irish senior center, assistant captain Trevor Janicke(27) already has a career high 10 assists, but may not equal his 15 goals as a junior, with 9 this season in 28 games.
He played 2 campaigns for USNTDP before signing with Central Illinois Flying Aces for his 3rd, best USHL frame, scoring 22 goals and 26 assists in 58 games.
The 22-year old from Maple Grove, MN should be an easy get for an NHL entry level deal, when college is done.
He goes unsigned and agrees to a 2-way AHL contract with Calgary Wranglers for his rookie frame.
USNTDP 2nd year right wing Brodie Ziemer(2) ran up 35 goals, 94 points and a +54 rating last season to be selected by Buffalo Sabres in the 3rd round of the 2024 draft (#71 overall).
The 5’11” 196 lbs. forward is set to go to University Of Minnesota Golden Golphers for 2024/2025.
From Carver, MN, the 18-year old is essentially staying at home for school.
Buffalo Sabres‘ 3rd round pick in the 2016 draft (#86 overall), defenseman Casey Fitzgerald(4) scores a 1st NHL recall and skates a full slate of 27 shifts for 16:42 of ice time and was busy with 2 shots, 5 hits, 2 takeaways, an assist and 5 minutes for fighting, but leaves an overtime loss with a +1 rating.
The 5’11” 181 lbs., former two-time Boston College Eagles‘ captain was never exactly the biggest scorer at school, but did pocket 17 goals and 65 assists in 151 NCAA Division 1 games with a very accountable +26 rating.
He may not reach almost 1100 games in the big league like his New Jersey Devils’ General Manager dad, Tom Fitzgerald, but he still should be able to knock out a formidable career.
After 23 games with 3 assists and a -1 rating, he gets put on waivers to be reassigned, but Florida Panthers swoop in, seeing something in his game they want and claim his rights.
We can only watch to see how he fits into their lineup.
He only plays 4 games with the Cats, then 2 in the playoffs, but not good for any points.
They see something they can potentially use to move forward and sign him to a 1-year, 2-way deal in 2023/2024.
Reassigned for the entire frame to the affiliate, Charlotte Checkers, he does decently and is a very accountable +22 rating to pull down a new 2-year, 1-way in the 2nd contract with New York Rangers that may get him some playing time, but mostly he will be pivotal with Hartford Wolf Pack.
8th year defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere(41) leaves Philadelphia Flyers‘ nest for a 1st time, after 381 NHL games, scoring 60 goals and 159 assists.
The generously listed at 5’11” 180 lbs. blue liner was traded to Arizona Coyotes, as he still has two years left on his 6-year deal signed in 2017.
He has been always known to put up a lot of assists, culminating in his 4th season, where he had 52 helpers.
The 28-year old’s offense has ticked down in the last couple campaigns, but on this new team that has legs, we could see it move back up.
After a couple of trying years in the desert, the former 3-year Union College Bobcats gets himself a trade to a Stanley Cup contender for 2023, Carolina Hurricanes.
We are maybe a little surprised the unrestricted free agent didn’t sign to stay on, but jumps for a little more money than his last deal on a 1-year term for $4.125M with the constantly rebuilding Detroit Red Wings.
Well, looks like he heads back to Carolina on a 3-year, $3.2M AAV deal after posting a 2nd highest assist total at 46 last season.
