16 years and 965 NHL games played is plenty enough for David Backes(42) to call it a career at the ripe old age of 37.
The 6’3″ 215 lbs. always a banger signed a 1-day deal with St. Louis Blues, the team he skated 727 of those games with.
He was five-time team captain before being wooed by a lucrative 5-year deal from Boston Bruins to leave the nest.
This was the team who selected him in the 2nd round of the 2003 draft (#62 overall), he spent the first 10 years of his pro career with.
The former Minnesota State University (Mankato) Bulldogs‘ junior captain was a huge, twice 40+ point scorer through 3 years of college.
He only spent half of one season in the minors with Peoria Rivermen and originally signed an ato with the team after signing his entry level deal.
The Minneapolis, MN native only one a single title, the 2003 Clark Cup Championship with his 1.5 year junior club, Lincoln Stars.
4th year center Blaine Byron(12) takes 153 AHL games of playing experience to a new adventure with Eisbaren Berlin of DEL for 2021/2022.
The former University Of Maine Black Bears‘ forward, who went on a scoring splurge in his senior year for 18 goals and 23 assists in 36 Hockey East games, signed three consecutive contracts with Springfield Thunderbirds, and definitely had a breakout frame in his 2nd campaign, grabbing 13 goals and 12 assists.
He would be traded in the middle of the next season to Ontario Reign and once again had 12 goals and this time 22 assists in 54 games.
The 6′ 172 lbs. light pivot stuck on a follow-up deal, and through the bizarre 2020/2021 scored 6 goals and 6 assists in 17 games, which probably put him fully on the radar for the Germany club to grab.
It would be little surprise to see the 25-year old excel in this very solid overseas league.
Buffalo Sabres‘ 3rd round pick in the 2016 draft (#86 overall), defenseman Casey Fitzgerald(5) re-ups for another 2-years as he was set to enter restricted free agent status.
He scored a career tying 2 goals and high 9 assists and 11 points for affiliate Rochester Americans in 2020/2021.
The former two-time Boston College Eagles‘ captain averaged 15 assists per season through college with an overall +26 rating.
He was a 2-year member of the USNTDP for junior hockey.
The 5’11” 181 lbs. blue liner, son of New Jersey Devils‘ General Manager, Tom Fitzgerald could get the nod for some NHL time this season.
Minnesota Wild 2nd round pick in the 2013 draft (#46 overall), 8th year, Swedish-born defenseman Gustav Olofsson(29) and was signed to a pair of contracts, including the 2nd being his only one-way deal, before being traded to Montreal Canadiens, where he was signed to a pair of one-year deals.
He has just agreed to his latest NHL contract, a two-way shot with Seattle Kracken.
The 1-year Colorado College d-man, who happened to just be over to play with the local Colorado Thunderbirds 16U AA & 18U AA will likely see most of his playing time with affiliate Charlotte Checkers.
He’s played 203 AHL games with a healthy showing of 11 goals and 60 assists and not too untidy -4 rating.
The 6’3″ 200 lbs. blue liner was likely selected for his size and the fact he put up 21 assists for Green Bay Gamblers with a +11 rating, then signed to a three-year entry level deal a year into school.
It wouldn’t be out of the realm to see the 26-year old potentially make the opening night roster for a spot in the show to start 2021/2022.
We are deeply saddened by the news of 7-year NHL, former Boston Bruins‘ (2015-2017) right wing Jimmy Hayes(11) sudden death at age 31.
The big 6’5″ 215 lbs. forward played 334 games in the big league, scoring 54 goals and 55 assists.
He signed 5 major contracts with 5 different clubs, but was probably most successful in his pair of seasons with Florida Panthers, where he struck for 30 goals and 23 assists, including 3 game-winners and 7 on the pp.
The Dorchester, MA native also won the 2010 NCAA Division 1 Championship with his school of 3 years Boston College.
We’re all going to miss that big smile, we got to enjoy just once at an appearance at a local shoe outlet, where we got the chance to meet and talk with him as a member of the Black & Gold.
3rd year defenseman Jake Massie(56) signs a 1-year ECHL deal with South Carolina Stingrays for 2021/2022 after not being qualified when his 2-year NHL entry level deal to Florida Panthers expired.
He signed as an unrestricted free agent after leaving after three years at University Of Vermont Catamounts, but completing his degree before he left.
While mostly spending time with then affiliate Springfield Thunderbirds as a rookie, he was only able to get in roughly half the regular season slate of games, despite getting 3 goals and 2 assists in 29 AHL games with a +2 rating.
The 6’1″ 190 lbs. blue liner was reassigned for all of his sophomore campaign to Greenville Swamp Rabbits from Syracuse Crunch, who became the default affiliate during the faulty 2020/2021.
He was originally a Carolina Hurricanes‘ 6th round pick in the 2015 draft (#156 overall), and played only one year of junior hockey with Omaha Lancers, recording 10 points in 44 USHL games.
It seems like the 24-year old from St. Lazare, QC is still playing himself on an upper level radar, but may find better waters elsewhere.
7th year center Travis Boyd(72) finds a new home with Arizona Coyotes for the cap minimum after becoming unrestricted free agent.
He was last spotted skating for Vancouver Canucks after being picked up off waivers from 2020/2021 contract club Toronto Maple Leafs.
Originally a Washington Capitals‘ 6th round pick in the 2011 draft (#177 overall), he stayed with them most of his early career, playing 85 NHL games, getting 8 goals and 23 assists with a +12 rating, while his only AHL time was for affiliate Hershey Bears, picking up 57 goals and 115 assists in 221 games.
We do think it is believed the former University Of Minnesota Golden Gophers forward can score like he did as a college senior, posting 19 goals and 22 assists in 32 WCHA games.
Anaheim Ducks selected with their #98 pick in the 2021 draft, UMass Minutemen center Josh Lopina(10), who won a 2021 NCAA Division 1 Championship and scored a tidy 9 goals and 14 assists for 23 points in 29 Hockey East games with a +21 rating.
He was also a strong scorer in 2 years of USHL with Lincoln Stars, twice scoring 12 goals and grabbing 23 assists in his 2nd campaign.
The 6’2″ 194 lbs. forward from Minooka, IL played all his youth hockey in the Chicago Mission 13U – 16U programs.
At just 20-years old, it wouldn’t be even odd to see him finish up school before he signs an entry level contract.
11-year veteran defenseman Matt Smaby(32) played 122 NHL games, all for draft club (2nd round, 2003, #41 overall) Tampa Bay Lightning, scoring no goals and 6 assists.
He also skated 212 AHL games with 7 goals and 36 assists, the super-large 6’6″ 229 lbs. blue liner was a mostly stay-at-home style with good shot blocking capabilities.
The former University Of North Dakota Fighting Hawks‘ junior captain finished his pro career, playing four seasons for EHC Munchen and leaving the game on back-to-back 2016 & 2017 DEL Championships.
He would immediately take up as Team Manager for his old college team, before moving back to Germany for a year to be the assistant coach of EC Salzburg.
In his next move, it was likely best for him to stick close to home as a pandemic raged around the globe, so he took up as Youth Hockey Director with Grand Forks and coached their 14U Bantam AA.
This set him up perfectly for the next opportunity that would come knocking: USHL head coach Waterloo Blackhawks.
The 36-year old is moving on nicely.
8th year defenseman Kevin Gravel(25) was no stranger to an AHL contract, having signed his first pro deal with Manchester Monarchs in 2014/2015 that led to a 2015 Calder Cup trophy before agreeing to 2-year entry deal with parent club Los Angeles Kings.
He inked another last season with a club, Bakersfield Condors, he spent 5 games with on loan from Edmonton Oilers and appeared in 37 games, getting a goal and 7 assists, then adding another pair of helpers in 6 playoff contests.
The former, 4 year, senior captain at St. Cloud State University Huskies has caught the eye of Calgary Flames, who put him under contract for 2021/2022, and the veteran could see significant time in the show on a team that has some needs to fill.
