14th year defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk(12) signs a 1-year deal worth just $1.05M with Boston Bruins as an unrestricted free agent, which brings him back “home” to where he played his 3 years of college hockey at Boston University Terriers.
The 6′ 207 lbs. blue liner was originally a Colorado Avalanche 1st round pick in 2017 (#14 overall), but played only half a season there before being traded to St. Louis Blues.
He stayed with them for 7 campaigns scoring 10+ goals 3 times, 30+ assists 5 and 40+ points on 5 occasions.
The 34-year old from New Rochelle, NY did 2 years at the USNTDP before college and playing on his new team could get him back into the 20+ point range, as he did 4 of the last 5 sessions.
Upon graduating from Niagara University Purple Eagles after entering the transfer portal and coming over from 3 years at Merrimack College Warriors, rookie defenseman Ryan Cook(44) started his pro career with 17 SPHL games for Huntsville Havoc (2 goals, 2 assists) before getting loaned up to South Carolina Stingrays and signing a standard player contract with the team.
The gigantic 6’3″ 225 lbs. blue liner has 3 assists in 7 ECHL games with a +5 rating for his new club, but has found it increasingly hard to get into game appearances.
Maybe the upcoming playoffs will create more room.
It looks as though he was originally signed to a deal with Kansas City Mavericks but what occur here prior to him starting in Alabama is unknown.
A Lancaster, NY native, he spent his youth hockey in the Buffalo Jr. Sabres‘ system before graduating to the USHL for 28 games with Lincoln Stars until wanting to switch up leagues and move back up north with Aberdeen Wings of the NAHL.
He had his most significant outing in his 2nd season in South Dakota getting a huge 7 goals and 19 assists, unlike any numbers he’s ever posted, before committing to college in MA.
The 26-year old may have got the boost he needed to elevate his game to the next level.
He would get a late trade to Kalamazoo Wings, striking for 1 goal and 1 assist in 12 games to grab himself another look with the team for 2022/2023.
Traded to Reading Royals late, he acquaints himself with 6 assists in 14 games, then 1 goal in 5 playoff matchups.
He’s not sticking around for a 4 season, as he signs a 1-year deal with GKS Katowice of Polska Hokej Liga for 2023/2024.
Lake Forest College Foresters‘ 2023/2024 commit, defenseman Jared Kaplowitz(6) takes a complete NAHL season with Philadelphia Rebels, scoring 1 goal and 8 assists in 53 games to NCHA play for 2023/2024.
The 5’11” 185 lbs. blue liner split the previous season with a team from the junior league he was in an 20 games up in the SJHL with Humboldt Broncos, recording the exact totals he had in his last frame.
We expect the 20-year old from Marietta, GA will have success as a freshman at his new D3 school.
Augustana University Vikings‘ 2023/2024 commit, goaltender Josh Kotai(32) is one of 3 new net minders coming into the college looking to impress.
The 6’2″ 170 lbs. goalie from Abbotsford, BC had a huge 2nd season of junior hockey close to home in the SJHL with Battlesford North Stars, where he went 32-4-3 during the regular frame, then shutdown to 12-1 with a 1.72 GAA and .945 SV% on the way to the 2023 SJHL Championship with Top Goaltender award.
Almost oddly, he came to the East Coast for a frame of tier 3 junior hockey in the EHL with Vermont Lumberjacks that when the EHLP club reached the playoffs, he became a new kind of backstop.
The 20-year old knows what it is to compete hard to reach his goals and we look for him to succeed.
Norwich University Cadets‘ 2023/2024 commit, center captain Joe Schubert(8) posted a junior hockey NAHL best 12 goals and tied his 12 assists with a new high of 24 points to round out 2 seasons, the 2nd as captain of Northeast Generals.
The 6’1″ 192 lbs. 21-year old forward from Cleveland, OH is going to add some punch to the front of the D3 NEHC club.
11th year defenseman Tommy Cross(4) signs with the team he’s captained twice now, Springfield Thunderbirds under an AHL contract.
Last year he was signed by the parent club St. Louis Blues to a 1-year 2-way deal.
Originally a Boston Bruins‘ 2nd round pick in the 2007 draft (#35 overall), he skated 3 NHL games, recording 1 assist.
He twice won the NCAA Division 1 Championship in 2010 and 2012, the latter as senior captain of Boston College Eagles.
The 6’3″ 205 lbs. d-man has 570 games played in the league with a +58 rating.
At 32-years old, he has to have a little chuckle he still gets to do this for a living.
12 years and 588 games in the minors is plenty enough for the now 33-year old to decide on something different for 2023/2024.
Undrafted rookie right wing Grant Jozefek(15) agrees to terms with Worcester Railers to start his pro career after 5 years at Northeastern University Huskies.
He was a very decent scorer in college hockey with 29 goals, 47 assists and a +12 rating in 134 Hockey East games.
This came off similar results through two sessions for Lincoln Stars, where he dropped 25 goals and 54 assists in 108 USHL games, then grabbed another 5 points in 4 playoff contests.
The 5’10” 185 lbs. forward played all of his youth hockey close to home in Chester, NJ and as his new club knows, is a threat to score in the ECHL every time he steps on the ice.
After 14 games in Central MA, scoring 1 goal and 3 assists, he moves along and signs for his rookie season 2022/2023 with the one of the newest clubs in the league, Savannah Ghost Pirates.
He actually doesn’t play any games with this team, yet a month into the new season, he signs with Adirondack Thunder and gets right to work, notching 18 goals and 33 assists in 68 games with a +5 rating, then adds 3 points in 5 playoff matchups.
It’s a bit of a no brainer, if he wants to return to have him suit up again for 2023/2024 and that is just what has happened.
Salve Regina University Seahawks‘ graduate right wing John McLean(22) played his 1st pro hockey for Olofstroms IK of Division3 last season, running up scoring totals 19 goals and 17 assists in 26 games, then added another 8 (4-4) in 6 through the playoffs.
He ran up good, almost point-per-game totals sophomore through graduate seasons.
The fairly big 6’2″ 200 lbs. forward from North Andover, MA played his high school hockey at Malden Catholic, then maybe conservatively went on to play of Islanders HC Premier team and won a USPHL Premier Championship.
At 27-years old already, he switches things up to advance to a bit of a higher level in BeNeLiga, where he signs for 2023/2024 with EG Diez Limburg Rockets.
We think he will have great success here too and hopefully look for some pro hockey that competes at the level he does.
Arcadia University Knights‘ sophomore left wing Tyler Kaminski(61) has only appeared in 14 games through 2 seasons, so has decided to move on to another home state Michigan college, Davenport University Panthers for his junior frame, but will play for their D1 team.
The 5’9″ 170 lbs. forward was always a solid scorer through 3 years of NA3HL juniors, twice getting 30 assists and 40+ points, while 3 times a 10+ goal scorer, once at 19.
He’ll likely play a lot more here and the 23-year old will likely excel at scoring in ACHA D3 hockey.
Undrafted rookie left wing Matt Alvaro(25) signs on for 2021/2022 with 2021 Kelly Cup Champs, Fort Wayne Komets.
He played single games with Orlando Solar Bears after graduating 4 years at University Of Vermont Catamounts, serving as junior captain and senior assistant, but was twice quickly released.
The 5’9″ 185 lbs. forward played a pair of junior seasons close to home in Toronto with the OJHL before getting drafted by Youngstown Phantoms, where he did equally well on the scoresheet before agreeing to college near the conclusion of his final campaign.
We’re thinking with a better, more secure deal, the 25-year old could start to affect the scoresheet some.
In his 2nd campaign with the team, he records a new best 24 assists with a +5 rating and for 2023/2024, he will head overseas to sign with Guildford Flames of the EIHL.
