11th year, Swedish-born left wing Carl Hagelin(62) decides to retire from the game after an eye injury, lacing up the skates in the NHL 713 times, scoring 110 goals and 186 assists with an absolutely off the hook for on-ice accountability +119 rating, plus back-to-back 2016 & 2017 Stanley Cups with Pittsburgh Penguins, 3 seasons of 30+ points and 4 at 20+.
The 5’11” 185 lbs. forward played all his junior hockey back home, but came over for 4 years at University Of Michigan Wolverines and served as senior captain.
He was originally a New York Rangers‘ 6th round pick in the 2007 draft pick (#168 overall).
No word if the 35-year old, who was with 5 different teams will stick around to find work someone, but that could easily happen.
New York Islanders‘ 11th year defenseman Scott Mayfield(24) signs a new 7-year deal to stay with the only team he’s played 428 NHL and 223 AHL games with.
Originally a 2nd round pick in the 2011 draft (#34 overall), he’s huge at 6’5″ 220 lbs.
He did 2 years at University Of Denver Pioneers after 2 USHL stints with Youngstown Phantoms.
The 30-year old, St. Louis, MO native is set to make $3.5M AAV for each year of his deal.
12th year center Alex Killorn(17) leaves 11 years and 2 Stanley Cups with 3rd round 2007 draft team (#77 overall) Tampa Bay Lightning for unrestricted free agency and a new 4-year deal with Anaheim Ducks worth $6.25M AAV, which he doesn’t even need, but takes one last big bite at the apple before he decides that Harvard University Crimson degree is worth pursuing.
The Halifax, NS native also won the 2012 AHL Calder Cup with Norfolk Admirals after graduating college.
He has 7 times scored 10+ goals and 3 times 20+ in a season and 6 time 20+ assists and 3 for 30+ helpers.
The 33-year old is the type of player that can elevate his team to become a playoff contender once again.
After spending the last 6 of his 7 NHL days in an Anaheim Ducks‘ uniform, 13th year right wing Derek Grant(38) will take his game overseas for a 1st time, signing a 1-year deal with ZSC Lions of NL, which should be a lot of fun for the 33-year old.
The 6’3″ 209 lbs. forward tower has 3 times had 10+ goals and twice 10+ assists in a frame.
From Abbotsford, BC, he played 2 BCHL seasons before committing to Michigan State University Spartans, where he stayed for 2 years before turning pro.
Originally an Ottawa Senators‘ 4th round pick in 2008 (#119 overall), he spent the 1st 4 years of his career in their system.
He takes 427 games in the big league and 320 in the AHL over to his new venture, which should keep him smiling out there.
Former 2-year University Of Vermont Catamounts‘ rookie center Ross Colton(79) pocketed the only goal, the game-winner in game 5, to help Tampa Bay Lightning win their 2nd straight Stanley Cup Championship.
The 6′ 191 lbs. forward had 4 goals and 2 assists through 23 NHL Playoff contests with a +4 rating, while playing only an average of just over 10 minutes per appearance.
He also had 4 tallies to win games throughout the 2020/2021 season.
The 24-year old is set to become a restricted free agent for the first time in his pro career and will likely expect a nice, healthy increased pay day for his next likely long-term contract.
As his contract is set to expire, off a season where he scored 16 goals and 16 assists, he gets dished to Colorado Avalanche, as he’s set to make too much money for his original club to be able to afford and grabs a nifty 4 year $4M AAV deal to step it up with his new club.
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.
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.
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.
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.
