5th year right wing Tyler Bird(7) signs on for another year with the only team he’s agreed to his last 4 contracts with, Orlando Solar Bears.
He was able to post a new career high 19 goals and 33 points last season.
The 6’2″ 200 lbs. forward has also enjoyed a few loans up to the AHL and has 3 assists in 7 games.
A Brown University Bears‘ graduate, he only played a very brief time in juniors 2 years before heading to school.
The 25-year old, Boston, MA native should continue to do well.
16 goals and 18 assists in 70 ECHL games with a single game loan up to San Jose Barracuda gets him in invite for a 5th year back to Florida.
3rd year left wing Tyson Pelton-Bice(17) re-signs with Idaho Steelheads after exploding his ECHL scoring totals last season with way new bests 19 goals and 27 assists in just 43 games with a +26 rating, then added another 17 points (9, 8) in 20 playoff match ups with a +8.
The 6’2″ 194 lbs. forward from Madison, WI shattered scoring at his high school before committing to 1 season of USHL with Des Moines Buccaneers that was also a big plus to 2 years at Harvard University Crimson.
It took him only a session to blow up scoring at the college level.
Undrafted, he would move on to his junior year at University Of Wisconsin Badgers, where he was well-above a point-per-game player as a senior assistant captain.
Still young at 26-years old, his 1st pair of contracts were with Manitoba Moose and we do see him playing himself up with his numbers moving.
10th year center Corban Knight(9) signs to stay on for a 3rd season with Avangard Omsk Hawks.
Originally a Florida Panthers‘ 5th round pick in the 2008 draft (#135 overall), he eventually signed an entry level deal with Calgary Flames after completing 4 successful years at University Of North Dakota Fighting Hawks.
He would next sign with the team that selected him and play a career high 20 NHL games, scoring 2 goals and 5 assists.
For the 6’2″ 195 lbs. forward final big league contract, he agreed to terms with Philadelphia Flyers and appeared in 23 games before deciding to next leave for the KHL.
The 32-year old from Oliver, BC put up a career best 30 assists and 48 points last season and raised the 2021 Gagarin Cup with his current club and also was credited with the most points in a session by a foreigner.
He didn’t match his totals from the previous campaign, but 15 goals and 19 assists through 58 games with a +14 rating, then adding another 10 points (5-5) in 14 playoff matchups, and easily he would be in good standing.
For 2023/2024, he decides to embark on something different and signs for 1-year with SC Bern of NL.
He should do really well in Switzerland’s top hockey.
Idaho Steelheads‘ rookie defenseman Willie Knierim(29) returns for his 1st official season after skating 16 games with 3 goals and 4 assists on an ato, following 3 years at Arizona State University Sun Devils, which came after 2 at Miami University (Ohio) Redhawks.
The big 6’4″ 225 lbs. forward split his college time for a season back at the USHL with his team Dubuque Fighting Saints.
He only rolled good college numbers as a junior, scoring 15 goals and 9 assists in 36 NCAA Division 1 games, but with that huge frame out there in front of the net in the pro ranks, he will have chances.
The 24-year old from Chicago, IL likely could play his way up a level with some time and luck.
In 53 ECHL games, he strikes for 17 goals and 12 assists with a +23 rating, then adds another 11 (5, 6) in 20 playoff match ups with a +8 to sign to stay on for more in 2023/2024.
University Of Maine Black Bears‘ senior right wing Adam Dawe(24) will take a year of eligibility to a Hockey East rival University Of Connecticut Huskies.
The 5’8″ 161 lbs. forward had his best scoring year as a sophomore, scoring 9 goals and 11 assists, although in the shortened frame of 2020/2021, he was almost a point-per-game player.
A native of Gander, NL he was recruited early before he popped scoring with Notre Dame Hounds of SJHL, then did a USHL junior year for Sioux Falls Stampede and notched 23 goals.
The 23-year old will likely seeing his best success on what is a much better team.
With only a goal in 16 games for his new college club, he has decided to forego his extra year and signs a 1st pro deal with “hometown” team Newfoundland Growlers for 2023.
7 goals and 2 assists in 21 ECHL games leads to a new deal to stay for 2023/2024.
Maine Nordiques‘ 2nd year left wing Kellen Murphy(21) looks to blow the top off NAHL scoring with 7 goals and 6 assists in 8 games to start 2023/2024.
He went 17-23-40 in 55 games with a +22 rating last season.
The 5’8″ 165 lbs. forward has commit to Army West Point Black Knights for 2024/2025.
From Roseau, MN, the 19-year old seems like he’ll fit right in playing Atlantic Hockey style.
Vermont Lumberjacks‘ captain, left wing Victor Daigneault(46) ended last season with an EHL junior best 22 goals and 55 points.
He had 37 assists in the frame prior, beating his 33 this around.
The 5’10” 175 lbs. Rosemere, QC native chooses Curry College Colonels for 2023/2024 commit.
No doubt, the 21-year old will help this CCC D3 team continue to be better.
2nd year Bridgeport Islanders‘ defenseman Trevor Cosgrove(42) re-signs for 2023/2024, despite only playing 9 AHL games last season.
He was mostly reassigned to affiliate Worcester Railers, where he was able to get 5 goals and 16 assists in 40 ECHL games.
The 6′ 201 lbs. former 4 year Colgate University Raiders, then a successful graduate session at Northern Michigan University Wildcats, where he was really able to connect for points.
From Exeter, NH, he had 1 good run up in the BCHL for junior hockey before school.
The 26-year old may see his time with his contract club extended some for 2023/2024.
Anaheim Ducks‘ 1st round pick in the 2019 draft (#9 overall) center Trevor Zegras(46) got off to a fantastic pro start with affiliate San Diego Gulls, scoring goals in both his first pair of AHL games and adding two, then one more assist en route to capturing the CCM Player Of The Week and two team victories.
The 6′ 174 lbs. pivot spent only a single at Boston University collecting 11 goals and 25 assists with a +8 rating that signaled as of age 18 his skill set was taking off.
He did much the same through a couple of years of USNTDP, especially in his 2nd session in the program.
The 19-year old zapped a quick 4 goals and 5 assists in 8 games, which had all the fans for the main squad screaming to recall him, which he received on 2/23 and now through 14 games he has a sweet, first NHL goal and 4 assists with a +1 rating on a club that’s very much out of the postseason.
In his 1st 2 full seasons up in the show he matches 23 goal outputs and comes away with a career best by 4 over his rookie campaign of 42 assists, but as a restricted free agent needs a new deal going forward.
It seems to take a bit of haggling, but he comes away with a 3-year contract worth a tidy $5.75M AAV to stay a Ducks.
Boston Jr. Rangers‘ captain, center Will Halecki(26) was a pivotal point producer in his team’s surge to the 2023 EHL Championship.
The small 5’8″ 165 lbs. forward was a solid scorer during the regular frame with 21 goals and 19 assists in 44 games, then another 6 points in 9 through the playoffs.
From Middleton, MA, the 20-year old is a 2023/2024 commit to Nazareth College Golden Flyers and should make them a better team against a tough schedule.
