Orlando Solar Bears‘ rookie defenseman Luke McInnis(3) is playing for a club still fighting for their playoff berth in this oddball 2020/2021 ECHL hockey season.
The 5’10” 170 lbs. former Boston College Eagles‘ blue liner has appeared in more than half the games, skating 39, scoring his first pro goal and two assists.
He hasn’t really been able to put up really good numbers since his prep school days and then one year of the USHL with Youngstown Phantoms popping in 22 assists.
The 22-year old, Hingham, MA native, son of former NHL veteran of 794 games, Marty McInnis, who was also his long-time assistant coach at college, is looking to be more stay at home style with on-ice accountability to get noticed.
After scoring a new best 8 goals and 19 assists for 27 points in 64 games, he is staying put for a third session in FL, where he’s easily put down roots.
In his 3rd season with his only pro team, he posts a new best 24 assists.
Moving on, he decides it’s time to look elsewhere and signs for 2023/2024 with Indy Fuel on a 1-year contract.
3rd year defenseman Austin Osmanski(6) already has a pretty interesting story in the path that has taken him to his 3rd AHL contract with Springfield Thunderbirds for 2023/2024.
The towering 6’4″ 216 lbs. blue liner from East Aurora, NY started his junior hockey with 4 years in the OHL after being picked in the draft and decided to head that route.
He followed that decent enough run of 258 games with 3 years at University Of Western Ontario Mustangs, where he played the entire 1st USports‘ year, then sat out a COVID interrupted campaign, but skated only 8 games his 3rd semester before deciding to turn pro.
Last season he played 30 games up and only 1 in the ECHL with affiliate Worcester Railers.
The still quite young 25-year old, former Buffalo Sabres‘ 7th round pick in 2016 (#189 overall) was almost oddly not signed, but for all he has done is an interesting watch going forward.
Boston Bruins‘ prospect, center Matt Filipe(17) was signed to a 2-year entry level deal as draft team Carolina Hurricanes (3rd round, 2016, #63 overall) was not showing interest, allowing him to become an unrestricted free agent.
The 6’2″ 195 lbs. power forward skated four seasons at Northeastern University Huskies, producing his best output as a senior with a collegiate career tying 9 goals, best 13 assists and 22 points.
He was assigned to affiliate Providence Bruins as their season was getting underway in the new calendar and has picked up 2 goals and 3 assists in 17 AHL games with a +2 rating and he has one game-winning tally.
The 23-year old MA native will undoubtedly play himself into a position where the big club needs to take notice, but that may take just a little bit of seasoning time in the minor league.
After putting up 7 goals and 10 assists as a rookie, the Newton, MA native signs a 1-year, 2-way extension to stay.
He becomes a group 6 UFA upon completion of his 2nd contract and signs a minor league deal with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins for 2023/2024.
2nd year defenseman Jared Brandt(26) has already surpassed his best goals mark with 3 and looks to eclipse his 7 assists from last season with already 4 in 21 ECHL games this year for Worcester Railers.
The solid 6′ 198 lbs. blue liner graduated from three campaigns at Niagara University Purple Eagles, which follow 1-year at Miami University Ohio Redhawks.
From St. Louis, MO, the 27-year old is definitely a key part to a winning team with a +14 rating.
After a career sophomore year, scoring 3 goals and 11 assists in 56 games with a +6 rating, he becomes trade bait for a forward scorer with more point upside and heads to Kansas City Mavericks for a new start 2023/2024.
11th year right wing Bobby Butler(8) returns to sign for 2022/2023 with hometown club, Worcester Railers after spending 20 ECHL with the team last season, suiting up as he saw fit.
The 6′ 191 lbs. forward has 4 times produced 20+ goals in an AHL season, 32 assists once and as a rookie helped Binghamton Senators capture the Cinderella-like run to the 2011 Calder Cup Championship.
He did not play in 2019/2020 and the follow-up COVID-busted season.
The former University Of New Hampshire Wildcats‘ senior captain, who blew the lid off scoring that campaign to become a Hobey Baker finalist, has also skated 130 NHL games with 20 goals and 29 assists.
He also head a variety of team positions as he was looking beyond the ice to become Director Of Player Development and even spent a pair of sessions as a volunteer assistant coach at Holy Cross College Crusaders.
The 35-year old obviously is not finished.
He would serve as team captain and score 17 goals and 21 assists in 63 games, so put in a full slate.
That is enough though, as he announce it’s time to retire from the game he loves.
He already has some office experience, so we will wait to see what office he holds.
Undrafted, left wing Tristan Mullin(11) will return to Cleveland Monsters to play a full AHL season after joining them late last year for 15 games after his one session from the transfer portal at University Of Vermont Catamounts was complete.
The 6’2″ 192 lbs. forward got 3 goals and an assist with a +2 rating in the short run.
He was a decent scorer during his sophomore and junior years at Cornell University Big Red, scoring close to 10 goals twice and 13 assists with a +16.
The 24-year old, Manitoba native spent two years in his home country’s junior league and two in the BCHL with Powell River Kings, running up points (63-63-126 in 114 games).
He’s got to be smiling a little working his game up.
After scoring 7 goals and 12 assists in 53 games with a +4 rating, he decides to move on, signing with 1st year club, Coachella Valley Firebirds for 2022/2023.
Through 15 games, he does not register a point, so is released and signs with Kansas City Mavericks to score 25 points in 25 games.
For 2023/2024, he signs a 1-year deal with Hartford Wolf Pack that should work out better for him.
Grand Rapids Griffins‘ rookie defenseman Tory Dello(5) signed an ato with the team after finishing up his 4th season at Notre Dame University Fighting Saints, tying his career high 13 points with a modest new best 3 goals.
He was set to report to affiliate Toledo Walleye, but got the call late to get in the car and drive up to Michigan and report for game action.
The solid 6′ 200 lbs. blue liner played a single contest, when the pandemic outbreak shut down basically sports and everything.
He was almost immediately signed to a one-year AHL deal to return for 2020/2021.
The 24-year old spent three years, including the last as team captain in juniors skating for Tri City Storm of the USHL.
Even though he only recorded a pair of assists in 19 games with a +4 rating, it would seem like he would be invited back to play a full season.
For 2021/2022, the Crystal Lake, IL native scores a new one-year deal with Laval Rocket.
The d-man puts up 5 goals and 13 assists in 55 games with a +28 rating, then appears in 15 playoff games, registering another helper and his efforts are recognized to re-up for another year.
He has 2 solid seasons, amassing a +41 rating on 30+ points with the Canadian minor league club and as a free agent signs for 2023/2024 with Chicago Wolves to switch up environments.
Undrafted right wing Eric Cooley(27) signs a 1st pro contract with last year’s AHL champs, Chicago Wolves for 2022/2023.
The small-ish 5’9″ 185 lbs. forward played a graduate season at Ohio State University Buckeyes after finishing up 4 years at Niagara University Purple Eagles.
He played only a single NAHL season in junior hockey for Amarillo Bulls.
The 24-year old from Pittsburgh, PA should find a little more room to score.
He was also a recent invite to Carolina Hurricanes’ Development Camp.
For most of last season, he would spend with affiliate Norfolk Admirals, skating 42 ECHL games, scoring 9 goals and 10 assists.
He played 7 games with his contract club, recording 1 assist.
Utica Comets see something they can use and sign him up to a 1-year deal for 2023/2024.
9th year defenseman Jake Chelios(7) continues to have luck with 4th year KHL team, Kunlun Red Star.
The 6′ 198 lbs. blue liner had decent success through 296 AHL games, getting 17 goals and 91 assists with a 0 rating.
In 24 games this season, he has 1 goal and 7 assists.
The former Michigan State University Spartans had a nice 19 assists as a senior and does have a 5 NHL appearances to his credit.
At 31-years old, the son of former great Chris Chelios(24) is likely happy to still be playing at a high level of hockey.
In the last frame, he recorded a Russian league tying 3rd goal and new best 17 assists and 20 points in 51 games, so pretty obviously he needs to stay put under a new 2-year deal and continue on his China-based team.
Mercyhurst University Lakers‘ graduate netminder Tyler Harmon(30) concludes his college career and signs a 1st pro deal with Atlanta Gladiators, then is pressed into action immediately to score himself a 1st 2-1 win against a better Greenville Swamp Rabbits‘ team.
The 6’2″ 205 lbs. goalie did 5 years at University Of Vermont Catamounts, but only twice saw more than 10 appearances in a frame.
A Jonesville, MI native, it looks that he came east for most of his youth and junior hockey before committing.
No doubt someone said, give the 25-year old the game puck for the debut victory.
It’s basically a no-brainer to want him back in a Gladiators‘ uniform for his official rookie season 2023/2024.
