After 8 seasons of essentially guiding Reading Royals and winning the 2013 Kelly Cup with the team as an assistant captain, Kirk MacDonald(13) steps away for a new opportunity to become head coach with Dubuque Fighting Saints.
He wrapped up his playing days with that title and went on to become assistant coach at his old college, RPI Engineers to get his feet wet, but turned pro after a single frame.
Not sure what went into the 6’2″ 209 lbs. right wing veteran of 272 AHL games and 135 ECHL games had in mind to leave for a USHL junior hockey team, but obviously there is some reasoning there.
Undrafted, 4th year left wing Mike Szmatula(9) leaves after his 4th ECHL season and first away from Adirondack Thunder, who didn’t play last season, but had they, he would have returned yet again.
The former Northeastern University Huskies and ultimately after a portal transfer University Of Minnesota Golden Gophers skated for Jacksonville Icemen in 2020/2021, scoring a third 20+ goal campaign.
He left once briefly to play in Poland, but that lasted all of 4 games before his return.
The 5’9″ 181 lbs. forward will head to Denmark’s Metal Ligaen, signing with SoderjyskE for 2021/2022.
There’s little doubt the 28-year old will achieving new scoring heights if he stays in this league, but nothing is certain and he could come back to the team he’s played 122 games for.
The Commerce Township, MI native returns home to sign with the last team he left, Jacksonville Iceman and should be able to connect for even more scoring than he did previously.
University Of Maine Black Bears‘ graduate, Danish-born right wing Jacob Schmidt-Svejstrup(16) takes a year of eligibility to a new experience, agreeing to terms with Clarkson University Golden Knights for 2022/2023.
In 28 NCAA Division 1 games last season, the assistant captain had 4 goals and 8 assists.
He’s a 6’2″ 205 lbs. forward, so has some size and always seemed to increase his point totals, as he was coming up through junior hockey, finishing with a USHL campaign for Fargo Force that culminated in a 2018 Clark Cup Championship.
The 24-year old will likely see his best totals on ice in Atlantic Hockey with his new college club.
Boston College Eagles land a good, seasoned goalie through the transfer portal in a year of eligibility for Mitch Benson(1) to go Hockey East for a graduate season after 4 at Colgate University Raiders, putting up an effective 2.48 GAA and .918 SV% in 71 NCAA Division 1 games.
The 6’1″ 185 lbs. net minder really arrived at his game, when he transferred from junior play in the BCHL to Brooks Bandits, where he helped them win the 2017 AJHL Championship going 12-1-0 in the playoffs.
12 years is plenty enough for undrafted net minder of 235 NHL games, Carter Hutton(40), who announces his retirement.
Considering some of the clubs he’s needed to backstop, his 94-90-27 record with a 2.76 GAA and .908 SV% is fairly impressive.
The 36-year old, former UMass-Lowell Riverhawks‘ goalie will likely become a great game analyst somewhere.
Boston College Eagles‘ score a nice one in local graduate student Cam Burke(10) through the transfer portal from Notre Dame University Fighting Irish.
The 5’9″ 170 lbs. forward scored a college career high 8 goals and 11 assists in 38 NCAA Division 1 games in 2021/2022.
A Boxborough, MA native he played his youth hockey close to home, but left for a pair of USHL seasons before heading to school.
The 23-year old will be a welcome addition to a squad depleted by departing skaters.
Yale University Bulldogs‘ senior right wing Kyle Johnson(15) graduates and decides to look elsewhere to turn pro and selects France2‘s Neuilly-sur-Marne Les Bisons for a 1st 2022/2023 contract.
The 6′ 190 lbs. forward scored a modest new best 2 goals and an assist in 30 NCAA Division 1 games last season.
He was very decent in three campaigns for Prince George Spruce Kings of the BCHL before heading to school.
The 24-year old from Port Moody, BC should excel in this tier 2 league and could even score some Ligue Magnus looks.
5th year defenseman Simon Denis(9) tracks back and signs for a 3rd time with Toledo Walleye for 2022/2023 after spending the last four seasons in the Asia League and being voted MVP and league’s best d-man for Tohoku Free Blades.
The 5’10” 187 lbs. blue liner did 5 years at Ferris State University Bulldogs, averaging 10 assists in 4 sessions.
He has been recalled once to Hartford Wolf Pack and in 7 AHL games came away with 4 assists.
The part Japanese/Canadian 30-year old will likely put up some great stats for a team he’s super comfortable with and likely ready to win another title.
Standing in at 6’8″ 245 lbs., you can’t really say Toronto Marlies are taking a chance on with an AHL contract, as much as opening up room for recent University Of Maine Black Bears‘ graduate student Keenan Suthers(34) in the 2022/2023 season.
He scored a tying college career high 9 goals and 5 assists in his 3rd season at St. Lawrence University Saints, and also connected for 13 points in 2021/2022, which is where he seems to sit in roughly 30 NCAA Division 1 games played.
It’s very likely considering his size, the 24-year old from Tecumseh, ON could easily open up some room for himself in front of the net for more scoring chances than were available to him in college hockey.
