Utah Grizzles‘ 2nd year right wing Dakota Raabe(22) re-ups after a successful rookie run, scoring 11 goals and 25 assists in 55 ECHL games last season.
He was never really a scorer through school with a sophomore best of 5 goals and 9 assists at University Of Michigan Wolverines and didn’t even do as well in a graduate season at Sacred Heart University Pioneers.
Upon finishing up though, has found the net in his 1st run where he is, connecting for 3 goals and 4 assists in 10 games with a +6 rating, then adding 6 points in 14 playoff matchups.
The 5’9″ 170 lbs. speedy forward from Capistrano Beach, CA has to be on a short list of guys that need a look at a higher level.
He actually gets moved to Iowa Heartlanders to hopefully energize their scoring and could find new energy with a different club.
In 12 games, he grabs 4 goals and 4 assists to earn himself an invite to return in a Heartlanders‘ jersey for 2024/2025.
After a very decent full frame, in 44 games scoring 9 goals and 15 assists, he next decides to head off to Ligue Magnus, signing with Rapaces de Gap for 2025/2026.
Merrimack College Warriors‘ graduate, new captain Antonio Venuto(37) transfer from 4 years at Ferris State University Bulldogs posted a college best 12 goals and 14 assists last season before coming over.
The 6’3″ 201 lbs. forward looks very much like he is ready to put this club on his back and ride.
From Whitmore Lake, MI, he came up through the Compuware system before doing 1 year NAHL, 1 USHL prior to school.
The 24-year old really looks very ready to shoulder the load.
He scores 8 goals and 6 assists in 35 games and very much looks the part of team leader out there, which is an easy score to a 1st pro deal with Kalamazoo Wings.
After 6 ECHL games, scoring 2 assists with a 0 rating, he is easily asked to return for 2025/2026 for his rookie season to stay a Wings.
RPI Engineers‘ graduate left wing John Beaton(17) signs a 1st pro contract for 2025/2026 with Ringerike Panthers of Norway2 for 2025/2026.
The 6’2″ 190 lbs. forward from Ottawa, ON did 3 years of CCHL junior before 1 USHL prior to college.
We look for the 24-year old to challenge and do well for himself.
Undrafted 5th year defenseman Matt Petgrave(22) takes 200 ECHL games of experience to a new venture for 2021/2022 with HK Spisska Nova Ves of Tipos Extraliga.
The solid 6’1″ 201 lbs. blue liner posted 32 and 26 assists for Brampton Beast, and has definitely shown he can be a big assist guy, like he was dishing 40 helpers in his overage OHL year for Oshawa Generals.
Without a pro team holding his playing rights, he next decided to head to school at University Of New Brunswick Reds, where he won back-to-back CIS, then USports Championships.
The 29-year old will likely take to pro hockey in Slovakia well and could put up new career high stats.
He would put up 9 goals and 20 assists in 34 games with a +11, but decided to leave near the end of the season for the Czech League, signing with HC Dynamo Pardubice.
For 2022/2023, he heads to the EIHL, where he is sure to become a hugely popular player and run the scoresheet with Sheffield Steelers.
9 goals and 39 assists in 54 games with a +41 rating, means he will don the Steelers‘ jersey for a 2nd straight season.
He would only manage 7 games due to injury and then decided to sit 2024/2025 out, but is back for 2025/2026 and signs a 1-year deal with Indy Fuel that should work well.
Norfolk Admirals‘ 2nd year Russian-born left wing Denis Smirnov(8) is looking to up his totals from his 1st year with the team, when he scored 9 goals and 12 assists in 39 ECHL games.
The 5’9″ 185 lbs. forward already has 7 goals and 9 assists, so things are looking quite positive.
He came over pretty quickly to play youth hockey, displaying amazing numbers to get drafted into juniors and wins the USHL Clark Cup Championship in his 1st of 3 years in the league.
Penn State University Nittany Lions‘ 4-year scorer took a couple of years after college hockey through COVID to establish his game as a pro.
He is an exciting player to watch.
In 51 games, he scores 14 goals and 32 asssists with a +3 rating to earn an easy invite back in an Admirals‘ jersey for 2024/2025.
He’s a high scoring free agent heading into 2025/2026 and a powerhouse team, Toledo Walleye step in to offer him a 1-year deal.
University Of Vermont Catamounts‘ Russian-born, senior right wing Timofei Spitserov(18) signs an ato with Norfolk Admirals to get his pro game on.
He played 33 games last season, scoring a new best 12 goals and 18 points.
The 6′ 176 lbs. forward played only 2 games of USHL juniors before heading to college right after blowing up scoring at USHS-Prep.
He played 2 ECHL games and will need a new contract for 2025/2026.
It’s getting close to the start of the new season and I think most folks knew, he would be returning for his rookie frame as an Admirals.
Nichols College Bison graduate defenseman Joey Allegrini(39) scored a best by a mile 3 goals and 7 assists in 26 games last season.
The small 5’6″ 180 lbs. blue liner signs a 1st pro deal for 2025/2026 with KHL Medvescak Admiral of IntHL.
From Valencia, CA, the 25-year old did 4 years of juniors before college.
South Carolina Stingrays bring back solid 6″ 194 lbs. defenseman Matt Anderson(9) for his official rookie season 2022/2023 after signing him to an ato after he finished up 5 years at University Of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs, twice winning the NCAA Division 1 Championship.
The 6′ 194 lbs. blue liner has never been the biggest point guy from the point, but did pop 2 goals and a college career tying best 7 points in his final frame.
He had a goal and an assist in 11 games to start.
The 23-year old Shakopee, MN native did score pretty well in high school and we think is going to start connecting as a rookie in the ECHL.
He would get it going for 6 goals and 22 assists with a +13 rating in 57 games to earn himself an invite to return to the Stingrays for 2023/2024.
Traded to Toledo Walleye before the start of the session, he settles there pretty nicely, playing a new high 68 games, scoring a new best 13 goals and 34 points with a +26 rating.
His plays earns him a contract from Toronto Marlies for 2024/2025.
He was possibly released, but signs to return to the Walleye for another run.
After a nicely successful run in 27 games with a +14 rating and 2 loans up to the AHL, he gets himself traded and heading to Idaho Steelheads for 2025/2026.
Undrafted, center Justin Young(21) finished up a 2nd, graduate year with American International College Yellowjackets, scoring a college career high 12 goals and 19 assists for 31 points with a +18 rating in 36 NCAA Division 1 games and took it to a 1st pro contract with Allen Americans.
In 7 ECHL games, the 6′ 183 lbs. forward has an assist with a +2 rating.
He has yet to appear in a Kelly Cup Playoff game.
The Leduc, AB native played 3 seasons in the local AJHL, scoring very decent numbers.
At 24-years old, we’re sure the one-time University Of Alaska-Fairbanks Nanooks pivot can turn his start into a full year’s contract, if he wants one.
He would actually skate in 5 playoff games, grabbing an assist and was a +1 rating.
For his efforts on an ato, he is given a 1-year contract to stay in Texas.
In 2023/2024, he decides to change sweaters and signs a 1-year deal with Norfolk Admirals, which he’ll have to work harder for, almost certainly.
He would take off for Germany3, signing with Herner EV 2007 and do fairly well in 14 games scoring, but for 2024/2025 wants to come back, so re-signs with the Admirals.
After scoring 12 goals and 16 assists in 54 games with a +11 rating, he is invited back for a 2nd season as an Admirals in 2025/2026.
University Of New Hampshire Wildcats‘ graduate defenseman Luke Reid(16) signs a 1st pro deal with Adirondack Thunder and in 6 ECHL games had 1 goal and 1 assist with a +3 rating to get him loaned up to affiliate Utica Comets for 5 AHL games, where he got himself 2 assists and a +1 rating.
The 6’1″ 200 lbs. blue liner from Warman, SK did 1 BCHL year before recording identical points in 2 USHL seasons for Chicago Steel before college.
He is 23-years old and was a Nashville Predators‘ 6th round pick in 2020 (#166 overall), but not sign and will need a new rookie deal for 2025/2026, we think will be at the upper level, 2-way.
After his 2 game loan up, he gets to claim a 1-year deal to return to the Comets for 2025/2026, his rookie frame.
