2nd year NAHL defenseman Liam Varmecky(16) gets moved to Rochester Jr. Americans near the end of last season and his game magically comes to life, scoring 1 goal and 11 assists in 22 games with a +17 rating.
The pretty big 6’3″ 201 lbs. blue liner commits to Hamilton College Continentals for 2024/2025.
From Gibsonia, PA, the incoming 21-year old should help his new team win games.
8th year left wing Max McCormick(17) scores a new 1-year NHL deal with Seattle Kracken maybe a little late into unrestricted free agency, yet it did arrive to get him on a good club going forward.
He spent the last pair of seasons with Carolina Hurricanes, playing 12 games with 2 goals, 1 assist and a +3 rating in 2020/2021, while mostly doing time on their taxi squad.
The 5’11” 185 lbs. played the first year of his deal entirely with affiliate Charlotte Checkers, where he tied his best 19 assists and 35 points was one shy of his high with a +6, and amassed him a 3rd 30+ point season.
He had a pair of 30 point seasons in his 3 years at Ohio State University Buckeyes.
The 29-year old De Pere, WI native may spend some time in the AHL, but also could play himself into more minutes in the show.
He skates 46 games in the minors, but gets recalled for 10 games with no points and leaves a +1.
His 29 points at +17 has certainly helped that team to a top playoff spot.
Those efforts earn him a new 2-year contract to continue leading the group one league away from the show and contribute whenever called upon.
The twice captain for affiliate Coachella Valley Firebirds, who on 2 straight occasions made it all the way to the Finals before bowing out was quite the leader and is rewarded with a 2-year, 1-way contract to continue.
Clarkson University Golden Knights‘ graduate defenseman Dustyn McFaul(27) tied his 2 goal high for scoring this season, but those 9 assists as a senior captain look like they are going to stand.
The fairly big 6’2″ 191 lbs. blue liner is a Boston Bruins‘ 6th round pick in the 2018 draft (#181 overall) and looks fairly ready to step into some AHL action, when his final college frame comes to a close.
From Waterdown, ON, the 23-year old has hockey ready all over him.
He adds 1 goal for 3 on the season, his new best, finishes up ECAC action and signs a 1st pro contract with Florida Everglades.
Not sure why he wasn’t moved on by the team that selected him.
He’s moving on and signs for 2024/2025 with Fort Wayne Komets, where he should be able to learn a lot.
USNTDP 2nd year center Christian Humphreys(24) selects University Of Michigan Wolverines for a 2025/2026 commit.
He was the last of he team to make his selection official.
It was rumored the Pittsburgh, PA native was to attend Michigan State University Spartans.
The 5’11” 170 lbs. forward looks to blow the lid off last year’s scoring, which was 69 points in 97 games.
At 17-years old, he’s draft eligible for 2024 and looks to be in some of the more upper rankings.
After point-per-game efforts at both levels last season, the 18-year old is selected by Colorado Avalanche in the 7th round with pick #215.
He is young, but another year of juniors seems unnecessary.
Rookie center Todd Burgess(48) signs his first pro contract with Manitoba Moose for 2021/2022.
The big 6’2″ 195 lbs. power forward will likely step right into his game when he gets to the AHL.
He graduated from Minnesota State University (Mankato) Mavericks after doing 4 years at RPI Engineers, connecting for 27 goals and 35 assists in 127 NCAA Division 1 games.
That was nothing compared to what the 25-year old, Phoenix, AZ native did in his last season of juniors for Fairbanks Ice Dogs, wracking up 95 points (38-57) in 60 NAHL games with a +25 ratings, then added another 5 goals and 9 assists in 12 playoff contests.
This output got him on the radar of Ottawa Senators, who drafted him in the 4th round of 2016 (#103 overall) but failed to get him under contract.
We think this could just be the start.
He maybe rounded out last season with some games down with Newfoundland Growlers, where he was very close to being a point-per-game player, but did also nab 7 goals and 6 assists as a rookie.
The big man stays in the league, but moves to a divisional foe for 2022/2023, Milwaukee Admirals.
Mostly reassigned to play with the not so good ECHL affiliate Norfolk Admirals, he still busts out some numbers scoring.
He next looks at something a bit different to skate and signs in Slovak Extraliga with HK Spisska Nova Ves and ran up the scoresheet big with 19 goals and 18 assists in 45 games with a +13 rating.
Not sure why is not continuing, unless he eyes something better by heading to HockeyAllsvenskan for 2024/2025, agreeing to terms with Mora IK and we suspect he will do exceedingly well again.
Boston Bruins‘ 4th round pick in the 2018 draft (#119 overall), center Curtis Hall(10) signs his 3-year entry level deal that will officially begin at the onset of 2021/2022.
He left after two seasons at Yale University Bulldogs, where he had a career high 17 goals and 10 assists with a +14 rating in his sophomore campaign, only signing very deep into the season, as his college team elected out of ECAC play due to COVID restrictions.
The big 6’4″ 212 lbs. forward signed a kind of weird one-year spc to play for affiliate Providence Bruins and finished up 13 AHL games scoring his first pro goal.
At 21-years old, the Chagrin Falls, Ohio native is easily just getting his feet moving.
He was mostly in the system for 3-years, but also sent to the lower affiliate, Maine Mariners before being loaned to Grand Rapids Griffins.
Likely no qualifying offer to continue, he signs a minor league deal with Cleveland Monsters for 2024/2025.
USNTDP‘s 2nd year right wing Lucas Van Vliet(19) is pretty big at 6’2″ 181 lbs. and has definitely displayed signs of scoring sharpness for him to be chosen by Las Vegas Golden Knights in the 7th round of the 2024 NHL draft (#197 overall).
From Livonia, MI, the 18-year old won’t travel far for his 2024/2025 college commitment, Michigan State University Spartans.
2nd year Connecticut Chiefs‘ left wing Sam Zis(16) takes a monster 2nd EHL year, scoring 7 goals and 22 assists in 46 games to an Massachusetts College Of Liberal Arts Trailblazers commit for 2024/2025.
The 6’1″ 185 lbs. Boulder, CO native should do very well playing the independent schedule of his new school.
2nd year defenseman Joe Gatenby(4) will somewhat oddly join his 4th ECHL team this season.
He started 2023/2024 skating 9 games for Fort Wayne Komets, but only 2 assists and a minus on-ice rating is traded Allen Americans.
The 6′ 190 lbs. blue liner stays with them for 23 games, but again scores no goals with 6 assists and a -6 and gets moved a 2nd time.
Newfoundland Growlers see something in his game they think will work for the Kelowna, BC native and sign him.
Unfortunately something happens with the team’s league standing and it disintegrates, leaving him to find another place to play yet again.
Idaho Steelheads step in fairly quickly and move him closer to home to play his next hockey.
He wouldn’t come away with any points in 3 regular season and 2 playoff games, but was a +2.
For 2024/2025, he looks to sign with Storhamar of EliteHockey Ligaen and should fit in nicely there.
4th year defenseman Cooper Zech(68) gets a little bit of a new lease on hockey life with a trade that sends him from a very decent season with Lehigh Valley Phantoms, scoring a goal and 10 assists with a +3 rating and their parent club Philadelphia Flyers in an early season dish to Chicago Blackhawks, where he’s expected to report to Rockford Icehogs.
The 5’9″ 161 lbs. blue liner only spent 1 year at Ferris State University Bulldogs before turning pro on a 2-year entry level deal with Boston Bruins.
He put up a huge amount of assists in his one BCHL junior campaign for Wenatchee Wild, amassing 58 assists in 58 games.
The 23-year old from South Lyon, MI, who had a successful little swing on loan to Slovakia with HK Nitra during the pandemic, will likely always have to prove himself.
At the trade deadline, he finds himself moved as a pawn in the deal that sends Patrick Kane to New York Rangers.
He may was a bit under-utilized in suburban Chicago, but should get more efforts with Hartford Wolf Pack, if not reassigned further done for a bit.
Reassigned down to Indy Fuel, he played only 1 game with the team.
For 2023/2024, he returns for a full session, signing a 1-year deal with HC Kosice of Slovak Extraliga.
He does well here, scoring 3 goals and 15 assists in 32 games with a +13 rating in a very tough league, but has maybe been wooed to join the EIHL and signs with Nottingham Panthers for 2024/2025.
