Undrafted third year defenseman Charlie Curti(3) somewhat returns home to Adirondack Thunder, where he had a breakthrough rookie campaign, scoring a career high 11 goals and 20 assists for 31 points in 56 ECHL games.
He had to go away as a sophomore skater, signing for 2020/2021 with Rapid City Rush, as his upper state NY club was forced to sit due to COVID restrictions.
The 6′ 191 lbs., 26-year old, former 4-year Yale University Bulldogs‘ blue liner returns to his first year club and could very well set more bests point totals.
Instead of heading back to upper state New York for a 2nd season, the 25-year old has rethought that decision and accepts a contract with Aalborg Pirates of Metal Ligaen.
This may just be the start of his hockey life overseas as he could do very well in Denmark’s top league.
He would return after scoring nicely overseas and sign a 1-year ECHL deal with Toledo Walleye, where he ran up 25 points in 39 games with a +20 rating before adding 8 assists in 12 playoff matchups.
For 2023/2024, he is heading to play with 2-time EIHL Champs Belfast Giants, where he just may help them raise a 3rd straight trophy.
He maybe didn’t capture a title, but did nicely with 2 goals and 17 assists in 39 games with a +11 rating to sign with rivals, Guilford Flames for 2024/2025.
Mercyhurst University Lakers‘ graduate defenseman Owen Norton(26) signs with Maine Mariners as soon as his team is knocked out of Atlantic Hockey tournament play.
The 5’10” 181 lbs. blue liner has skated 4 ECHL games with no points, but is always fully involved in the action.
While not exactly the biggest point-getter, he did do well in his 2nd GOJHL frame and only BCHL campaign.
From Ancaster, ON, the 24-year looks to establish himself well once he gets some more game under his belt.
They seen something in there to develop and sign him to stay in a Mariners‘ uniform for 2023/2024.
He is actually released from his deal and signs fairly quickly with Norfolk Admirals, which should be a pretty good landing spot for him.
Finds little traction with this club, only scoring 2 assists in 14 games, so is waived and picked up by Newfoundland Growlers to give a kick at the wares.
He’d only record 1 assist in 12 games before the team disintegrated.
For 2024/2025, he signs with Wheeling Nailers, which should continue to help his game.
University Of Alaska-Fairbanks Nanooks‘ sophomore center Cade Neilson(25) enters the transfer portal to skate for Michigan Tech Huskies for 2024/2025.
The 6′ 189 lbs forward took up scoring last season to the tune of 5 goals and 14 assists in 31 games with a +8 rating.
He did 3 NAHL frames for Aberdeen Wings, blowing up scoring in his final year.
The Lafayette, LA native won a MJAHL Championship his 1st year of juniors after playing most of his youth hockey in England.
He actually decides to return home and signs with Glasgow Clan of the EIHL for the new season.
After just 4 games overseas, he decides to return and signs with Utah Grizzlies for 2024/2025.
Union College Dutchmen senior defenseman Nathan Kelly(26) signs an amateur tryout contract with Norfolk Admirals upon completion of ECAC hockey.
In a college high 35 games, he scored his only goal and 7 assists for 8 points with a +1 rating.
The 6′ 185 lbs. South Delta, BC native skated 3 BCHL seasons of junior hockey.
In 2 ECHL games he doesn’t have any points, but is a nice +2 rating.
For his rookie season, he will don the Admirals‘ jersey to skate his rookie season, 2024/2025 with the team.
Plymouth State University Panthers‘ senior center Myles Abbate(7) does what everyone expected the 2-time MASCAC Player Of The Year to do, signs a 1st pro deal with decently close by Worcester Railers for 2023/2024.
In the 5’10” 170 lbs. forward’s final college frame he had a best 24 assists, missed his goals by 2 and points by 1 at 39 instead of 40, but had a massive combined +36 rating.
The 23-year old from Norwell, MA played no junior hockey, heading from Proctor Academy USHS-Prep straight to college.
He actually ended up skating with Evansville Thunderbolts for all of last season and scored 15 goals and 17 assists in 44 games with a +7 rating to gain a new deal with the team for 2024/2025.
Boston Bruins‘ 4th round pick in the 2017 draft, goaltender Jeremy Swayman(1) signed a three-year entry deal just as COVID was shutting down the world and left three seasons at University Of Maine behind for a chance to play pro.
It almost seemed when the 22-year old signed that he would be assuming starting duties with affiliate Providence Bruins, when 2021 finally gotten moving, and there he was on opening night, in net.
The big 6’3 201 lbs. Hobey Baker Award finalist last season for his outstanding 18-5 mark won his debut 4-1 leaving with a 1.00 GAA and .963 SV% and has gone 7-1 in 8 starts with a 1.88 GAA and .932 SV%.
He only lost his first game recently.
This is easily only the beginning for the Anchorage, AK native, who has consistently put up jaw dropping stats.
A restricted free agent, heading into his 4th season with the team and his contract time is up, so elects to go to arbitration for a 1-year deal 2023/2024 for 3.475M AAV, which is a nice pay bump for the Bruins‘ net minder, who owns a 2.24 GAA and .920 SV% in 88 appearances.
After a bit of a holdout, which could cost him the season opener for 2024/2025, he signs a new 8-year, $8.25M AAV NHL deal to stay where he’s at.
Stonehill College Skyhawks‘ sophomore transfer, center Brady Hunter(9) from a freshman year with 11 games (2 assists) skated for Merrimack College Warriors, he gets a 1st college goal and adds an assist in the opening NCAA Division 1 game of the 2024/2025 season against his former team.
Not a terrible new year start for the small-ish 5’8″ 174 lbs. forward.
From Enfield, NS, he only broke out junior scoring, when he arrived at the BCHL for 3 frames with Trail Smoke Eaters.
The 22-year old could be just getting started.
8th year center Michael Mersch(28) accepts a two-year AHL contract from Rochester Americans to stay with the club he skated for last season.
The 6’2″ 215 lbs. power forward has almost oddly only played 17 NHL games with draft club Los Angeles Kings (4th round 2010, #111 overall), scoring a goal and 2 assists with a +1 rating.
As a rookie, he was a huge part of then affiliate Manchester Monarchs almost fantasy-like run that ended capturing the 2015 Calder Cup trophy and him getting the nod for most playoff points (22).
The former 4-year University Of Wisconsin Badgers‘ had three 30 point campaigns in college and currently holds 4-40+ marks as a pro.
His only other big league contract was with Dallas Stars, leaving initial team as a UFA to sign the 2-year, one-way deal.
It would be easy to see the 28-year old leave North American hockey for his next venture before he decides to retire.
Even before the 2nd year of his contract has started, he gets himself extended for yet another year through 2023/2024 to not go anywhere and stay on as captain for the Amerks.
Not quite sure why he never got more than a handful of games in the highest league of hockey, but 597 games in the lower league later, at 31-years old he’s hanging up those skates and has yet to name where he lands next to offer someone a great experience.
12th year net minder Keith Kincaid(30) signed a 2-year unrestricted free agent deal with Boston Bruins smack in the middle of 2022/2023 offseason.
He was with New York Rangers/Hartford Wolf Pack for the 2 prior campaigns.
Undrafted, he arrived as a pro after an outstanding 2nd session at Union College Bobcats, where he posted a 1.99 GAA and .920 SV% with a 25-10-3 record, then signed an entry level deal with New Jersey Devils and stayed in the system for 8 years before moving on.
The 6’3″ 194 lbs. goalie has appeared in 167 NHL games with a winning record and very decent stats.
At 33-years old, he easily is showing no signs of stopping.
For 2023/2024, he circles back to the team, where it all started New Jersey Devils, but mostly will be on loan to Utica Comets, but could compete for a spot that looks to be opening.
He actually ends up on loan, starting 24 games to Chicago Wolves and for 2024/2025 signs with Charlotte Checkers that should be a good landing spot for the 35-year old.
UMass Minutemen senior left wing Cal Kiefiuk(8) will do a graduate season at Hockey East rival Providence College Friars in 2023/2024.
He had a college career best 7 goals and 14 assists for 21 points last season.
The 5’10” 185 lbs. forward did 2 decently productive USHL seasons with Central Illinois Flying Aces.
From Macomb, MI, he comes out of the Honeybaked hockey system.
We think the 23-year old will have fun competing for the enemy.
He maybe scored a little better for his former club, but still did decently enough to score a 1st contract with Wheeling Nailers.
With no points in a few games, since joining the team from school, he is traded and signs for 2024/2025 with the new Tahoe Knight Monsters as a rookie.
