4th year center Ryan Penny(9) finishes a most interesting move to playing hockey.
He swept through 5 seasons of QMJHL before agreeing to terms with Binghamton Senators, coming off a just over point-per-game session as captain for Rouyn-Noranda Huskies.
The 6’2″ 198 lbs. forward played three years, mostly with Reading Royals, but ends up on loan to Binghamton Devils, when he decides next to head to college.
He came to terms with McGill University, where he spent the last couple years, but only played 2019/2020.
It’s very possible he’s completed his studies, because he’s back on the pro side of things, signing for 2021/2022 with Coventry Blaze.
He should adapt to EIHL play well and affect the score sheet with frequency is what we’re looking at.
4-year Brown University Bears‘ defenseman Tony Stillwell(6) will take a year of eligibility to a new experience at nearby Quinnipiac University Bobcats for 2021/2022.
Unfortunately neither ECAC team skated last season.
The small 5’9″ 170 lbs. blue liner basically averaged 10 assists a frame with a single goal before his time was up, which was close to what got him spotted in a 2nd full campaign of USHL for his 2nd club, hometown Green Bay Gamblers, where he grabbed all highs, 2 goals, 11 assists, 13 points with a +5 rating in half a session.
The 24-year old from Green Bay, WI will mix well with the talent already at his new school.
Undrafted, Helsinki, Finland native, junior center Santeri Hartikainen(26) enters the transfer portal as his school, Robert Morris University Colonials decides to suspend hockey operations and will show up at American International College Yellowjackets.
The fairly big 6’2″ 190 lbs. forward played all of his youth hockey back home with HIFK but came over for high school hockey, ultimately ending up at Northwood School, continuing on his more than point-per-game play with 22 goals and 30 assists in 51 USHS-Prep games.
He did one year of juniors with Corpus Christi Ice Rays before committing and once again lit the lamp big.
The 22-year old stays in Atlantic Hockey, but enters an exciting new team’s system of playing hockey.
Rookie forward James Anderson(27) decided to take the COVID infested 2020/2021 off after graduating Mercyhurst University Lakers, but will join Fife Flyers for 2021/2022 to start his pro career.
The 5’9″ 168 lbs. forward spent three years at P.A.L. Junior Islanders in the USPHL Premiere league to score an invite to his D1 school, which is an odd occurrence.
The 25-year old from Kings Park, NY scored 10 goals and 10 assists as a senior and those stats should indicate he can become a standout player in the EIHL.
Minnesota Wild 2nd round pick in the 2013 draft (#46 overall), 8th year, Swedish-born defenseman Gustav Olofsson(29) and was signed to a pair of contracts, including the 2nd being his only one-way deal, before being traded to Montreal Canadiens, where he was signed to a pair of one-year deals.
He has just agreed to his latest NHL contract, a two-way shot with Seattle Kracken.
The 1-year Colorado College d-man, who happened to just be over to play with the local Colorado Thunderbirds 16U AA & 18U AA will likely see most of his playing time with affiliate Charlotte Checkers.
He’s played 203 AHL games with a healthy showing of 11 goals and 60 assists and not too untidy -4 rating.
The 6’3″ 200 lbs. blue liner was likely selected for his size and the fact he put up 21 assists for Green Bay Gamblers with a +11 rating, then signed to a three-year entry level deal a year into school.
It wouldn’t be out of the realm to see the 26-year old potentially make the opening night roster for a spot in the show to start 2021/2022.
Undrafted 4th year center Michael McNicholas(16) decides to head back overseas for 2021/2022 signing with Fife Flyers of the EIHL.
He first left to skate for Manglerud, scoring a couple goals and 7 assists in 15 Fjordkraftligaen before coming back, agreeing to terms with Maine Mariners.
As a rookie, he scored a career high 13 goals and 40 assists in 65 ECHL games.
He re-signed and maybe didn’t equal his earlier performance, but at least got close (11-27-38), although his on-ice accountability fell to a critically low -17 rating.
The 5’10” 174 lbs. forward was all set to return for a third campaign in Maine, but was forced to move on as the team shuttered for 2020/2021, so he would end up splitting time with Utah Grizzlies, Indy Fuel, who he skated 3 games with after college, and Tulsa Oilers.
He was a outstanding as a junior at University Of New Hampshire Wildcats, capturing 13 goals and 30 assists in 37 Hockey East games and followed it up with a solid senior year.
The 27-year old from Reno, NV will likely do well in his new hockey league and maybe even move up the ranks over there, which means we may not see him back here for awhile.
Undrafted, 8th year right wing Wade MacLeod(19) decided to sit last season out but comes back into the game with a new contract for 2021/2022 for Manchester Storm.
He last skated in 2019/2020 for Lowen Frankfort and put up 25 goals and 24 assists in 49 DEL2 games.
This was his 2nd foray in the league, having blown up scoring with Starbulls Rosenheim to the tune of 34 goals and 27 assists.
A decent scorer in the AHL, he was a point-per-game guy in the ECHL through 104 games netted 108 points.
The 4-year, former Northeastern University Huskies‘ senior assistant captain was a Hobey Baker Finalist, when he struck for 22 goals and 23 assists in 37 Hockey East games.
At 34-years old, he will likely blow-up the stat sheet in the EIHL much like he’s done in most any league he’s played, but mostly what he has been able to accomplish since falling to the ice in 2013 and being diagnosed with brain cancer is remarkable.
12th year undrafted center Ben Holmstrom(21) comes home from a single season overseas with Lillehammer IK of Fjordkraftligaen, where his scoring and game was equally on par with 6 goals and 13 assists in 23 games with a +12 rating.
The 6’1 203 lbs. forward signs with South Carolina Stingrays, his 2nd foray into the league after spending the recent 2019/2020 with Norfolk Admirals, then Cincinnati Cyclones.
He’s played a monumental 586 AHL games, 7 times serving in a team captain role, mostly with Adirondack Phantoms and Bridgeport Sound Tigers, scoring 79 goals and 132 assists.
The former three-time UMass-Lowell Riverhawks‘ captain, since his sophomore year, was a true leader in college hockey.
He also captained his junior team, Sioux Falls Stampede in his third and final year.
The Colorado Springs, CO native has been signed to 6 NHL contracts with Philadelphia Flyers, Carolina Hurricanes and New York Islanders, but only played 7 games in the big league with his first club, no points.
There’s little doubt, the gosh, now 34-year old will bring experience and lessons into the room for all the younger ECHL players to learn from.
After one season on as a freshman with RPI Engineers, defenseman Cory Babichuk(32) enters the transfer portal when a 2nd frame is left on the shelf due to the virus, and comes out as a 3rd year player with University Of Vermont Catamounts.
He played most of his junior hockey on home ice in the BCHL, where he likely committed to his first school, but did have a short foray into the USHL before heading back to Surrey Eagles, then playing a year of AJHL with Spruce Grove Saints.
The 5’10” 174 lbs., 22-year old blue liner will likely do well in Hockey East, considering he was good for 4 goals and 12 assists as a first year skater.
After a couple of seasons at University Of Maine Black Bears, junior defenseman Levi Kleiboer(16) decides to head to school closer to home at Mount Royal University Cougars for 2021/2022.
As a freshman, he saw playoffs get canceled, then endured a sophomore year where teams almost didn’t know whether they were going to be playing games or not.
He skated mostly a full schedule in his first campaign, but was limited to only 7 Hockey East games in 2020/2021, which is possibly why he decided to leave.
The 5’11” 176 lbs. blue liner played three sessions for Battlefords North Stars of the SJHL, confirming to his college after a successful 2nd stint, where he got 29 assists.
He would move down to play a year of American juniors, but quickly didn’t find the fit right at Sioux City Musketeers before switching to a much better one with Minot Minotauros.
