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.
Worcester Railers‘ rookie defenseman Christian Krygier(8) gets on the scoreboard in his opening ECHL game after scoring 4 total goals in 5 years of Michigan State University Spartans and only 2 in a pair of USHL seasons with Lincoln Stars.
He also added a 1st assist.
The 6’2″ 192 lbs. blue liner is a New York Islanders‘ 7th round pick in the 2018 draft (#196 overall) and signed a minor league deal for 2023/2024.
After finishing up school, he reported to affiliate Bridgeport Islanders for 2 AHL games, no points.
From Orlando, FL, the 23-year old will likely see his number loaned up to the higher league.
He would play the entire frame with the affiliate, scoring 2 goals and 9 assists in 31 games with a +3 rating on a non-playoff team and is wanted to return for another season to hopefully play more as a mini Islanders.
Undrafted, graduate student, left wing Colin Theisen(63) entered the transfer portal from 4-years at University Of Notre Dame Fighting Irish to Arizona State University Sun Devils and looks to be the best possible move he could have made to improve his game.
In 9 games he has 2 goals and 8 assists en route to his best college season by a long shot.
The 6′ 187 lbs. forward was a decent scorer through 2 USHL seasons for Dubuque Fighting Saints, amassing point-per-game totals in his final year (35-27-62 in 57 games) with a +18 rating.
It seems like almost a shoe-in for the 24-year old from Monroe, MI try his hand at pro hockey for 2022/2023.
And in fact, coming off a college career year scoring 19 goals and 23 assists in 35 NCAA Division 1 games, he signs his 1st pro deal with Tuscon Roadrunners to finish out 2021/2022.
He comes away from his debut 16 AHL games scoring a tidy 5 goals and 6 assists, earning him a full look for 2022/2023.
Last year, he scored a new best 7 goals and 12 assists in 34 assists with a +4 rating and he slides over to sign for 2024/2025 with Springfield Thunderbirds.
Quinnipiac University‘s 3rd year, assistant captain defenseman Peter DiLiberatore(3) decides to forego his senior campaign in favor of signing a 3-year entry level deal with draft team, Vegas Golden Knights.
The 6′ 180 lbs. blue liner was a 6th round pick in 2018 (#160 overall).
His numbers at college have been pretty consistent.
He tied his 6 goal best in 2020/2021 and averaged 15 helpers through his three years.
There’s little doubt he’ll report immediately, likely hooking up with affiliate Henderson Silver Knights, a stellar AHL club, so breaking that lineup could be a thinker.
After almost 2 full seasons and his entry level contract about to expire, he gets dealt to Pittsburgh Penguins at the trade deadline, who look like they were eyeing him to be obtained and should retain him for at least another year.
Invited to Arizona Coyotes‘ training camp on a pto, he is released and looked to sign with affiliate Tuscon Roadrunners for 2023/2024, but has slipped off the radar and will lace them up with South Carolina Stingrays.
He plays 8 ECHL games with his new club, recording 3 assists to get himself loaned up to his former team.
While there he gets 1 goal and 2 assists for a new league best of 3 points and gets himself a deal for the season to stay up.
In 29 games, he scores 1 goal and 8 assists with a +2 rating to earn an invite to return for 2024/2025 in a Roadrunners‘ jersey.
Rookie right wing Jack Jacome(23) took his game overseas to IceHL, signing a 1-year deal with Pioneers Vorarlberg for 2022/2023.
The 5’8″ 172 lbs. forward played 5 years at Clarkson University Golden Knights, putting up a career best 23 assists and 25 points as a graduate student.
From Caledon, ON he played his junior hockey for Georgetown Raiders of the OJHL, blowing up the score sheet.
The 23-year old will likely do very well in Austria’s top league.
He takes a decent frame, scoring 9 goals and 20 assists in 48 games to a new challenge, accepting a deal for 2023/2024 with Rungsted Seier Capital of Metal Ligaen.
After an ok season scoring another 9 goals and 13 assists in Denmark, he was going to return and sign, but has decided to bridge to the EIHL and agrees to terms with Guildford Flames for 2024/2025.
