10th year veteran defenseman Jamie Oleksiak(2) gets picked up by Seattle Kraken in the expansion draft, as he was scheduled to hit unrestricted free agency after the 3-year deal, originally signed with Pittsburgh Penguins, but had him return to his draft club of 8 seasons, Dallas Stars (round 1, 2011, #14 overall) was set to expire.
At 6’7″ 255 lbs. he may be a couple inches short of the tallest player in the league, but at 255 lbs. is the heaviest,
As he gets an official transfer, the 28-year old immediately signs a 5-year deal worth some $23M to stick with his new team long-term.
Not exactly the biggest point scorer, he has 24 goals and 48 assists in 369 NHL games.
He has also appeared in 171 AHL contests and helped Texas Stars win the 2014 Calder Cup Championship.
The former 1-year Northeastern University Huskies‘ blue liner was set to spend some time in school before signing his entry level deal but after one and a half campaigns in the USHL, splitting time with a couple of clubs, decided to head to the OHL for a single stint before turning pro.
Undrafted right wing Cameron Hebert(20) leaves a couple of years at Robert Morris University Colonials for St. Francis Xavier University after his former school announces they are looking to abandon their programs.
In 2 seasons, the 6’1″ 185 lbs. forward was able to pick up his scoring a bit with 3 goals and 3 assists with a +4 rating in a paltry 15 NCAA Division 1 games.
After 2 seasons in Canadian juniors in the CCHL, scoring decently for a couple teams, he was drafted in the 1st round (#10) to join Johnstown Tomahawks before college, and exploded on the scoresheet for 26 goals and 52 assists with a +18.
The ON native will likely feel a little better up in Nova Scotia to continue school and will likely find his scoring touch once again.
After winning an NCAA Division 1 Championship as a UMass Minutemen senior, undrafted center Philip Lagunov(17) will exercise another year of eligibility to head to a graduate program at University Of Vermont Catamounts.
The 6′ 188 lbs. power forward isn’t exactly the biggest scorer, but does have 16 goals and 22 assists with a +8 in 129 games, and did just earn himself the Hockey East The Top Play Of The 2020/2021 Season (in the link).
He was a pretty exceptional scorer in his year and a half of junior hockey with close-to-home Burlington Cougars where he was a point-per-game player (78) in 74 OJHL contests.
The 22-year old will definitely add some needed energy to his new school’s hockey program.
After 5 years of pro hockey, including the last three overseas, defenseman Paul Geiger(33) decides to head off into the sunset on a career that concludes with a season in Austria’s IceHL for Fehervar AV19.
He finishes with decent enough scoring but we’re mostly looking at his +20 rating of accountability through his time across the way.
The very sizable 6’3″ 210 lbs. blue liner completed 4 years at Clarkson University Golden Knights, serving as team captain for his last two.
He was signed to a pair of AHL deals, including 9 games for Albany Devils, as school was wrapping up.
The Canadian native played almost equal time in the lower league, ECHL and really took scoring onto a new level for himself with South Carolina Stingrays, where he struck for 12 goals and 23 assists.
Undrafted, senior defenseman Brady Ferner(6) is heading closer to home for his final year of college.
The 5’10” 190 lbs. forward spent the last three seasons playing for RPI Engineers, but through the portal transfer will go to University Of North Dakota Fighting Hawks for 2021/2022.
He played most of his 4 years of junior hockey for nearby Sioux City Musketeers and even served as a volunteer assistant coach/captain in his final USHL season.
The Dakota Dunes, SD native will be right at home in his new school and looking to make an impact in NCHC style play.
Undrafted, right wing Kevin O’Neil(17) had no hockey to play last season as Yale University Bulldogs shut down their program due to COVID, but he still continued with his studies to graduate and will continue with the extra season on ice after entering the transfer portal to University Of Connecticut Huskies.
The 5’11” 180 lbs. forward was a decent scorer for his now old school, twice potting 5 goals, 10+ assists and 15+ points, but was on another level through his junior/senior, as captain, years at Albany Academy, scoring 41 goals and 79 assists in 63 USHS-Prep games.
He also did well split for a couple of squads for his one year of junior hockey, getting 14 goals and 21 assists in 57 USHL games.
The 23-year old, Latham, NY native will do in the tougher to play, Hockey East.
Undrafted, senior goaltender Evan DeBrouwer(60) decides to head east through the transfer portal, leaving three seasons with Arizona State University Sun Devils for Bentley University Falcons.
The very big 6’3″ 190 lbs. net minder was solid as a sophomore, posting a 19-11-3 record with a 2.52 GAA, .915 SV% and 4 shutouts in 34 games.
He played a massive amount of games in Canadian juniors, agreeing to attend college in his 2nd BCHL campaign for Prince George Spruce Kings, when he started 45 games, going 26-14 with 3 blankings, a 2.24 GAA and .920 SV%.
The 24-year old, Bleinham, ON native will have to step up his game on a young team, but as he did through school in Canada, can definitely be a difference maker.
Undrafted 8th year Boston Bruins‘ defenseman Kevin Miller(86) has finally decided one more injury is just one too many to carry on and decided to rightfully retire at age 33.
You got to know that his head likely still would love to play, but his body is starting to say, um, no way.
The very sturdy 6’2″ 210 lbs. blue liner skated a massive 352 NHL games, scoring 13 goals and 58 assists with a jaw-dropping +79 rating throughout his career.
A leader in the locker room type player, he was twice captain of his University Of Vermont Catamounts‘ hockey club.
The Los Angeles, CA native will probably just go all Holllywood on us in his retirement.
Undrafted 5th year defenseman Rob Hamilton(42) trades in almost three seasons for Stockton Heat to a new two-year deal with Colorado Eagles.
He hasn’t always been the biggest scorer, but has definitely shown flashes.
The solid 6′ 185 lbs. blue liner had 4 goals and 14 assists just a season ago, and previously put up career highs 7 tallies and 22 helpers in his first year in California.
He was signed up from starting his 2nd campaign in the ECHL, wracking up some points.
The solid and steady d-man maybe has it in him again to effectively hit the score sheet, but his AHL +19 has the best accountability to bring him aboard.
At 27-years old, the former four year University Of Vermont Catamounts‘ graduate did put up 10 goals and 11 assists as a senior.
The Calgary, AB native is definitely a very well-rounded player, who definitely may catch the sight of the parent Avalanche.
Undrafted defenseman Chase Blackmun(5) decides to finish college closer to home entering the transfer portal to head from three years at UMass-Lowell Riverhawks to Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
The 6′ 200 lbs. blue liner was pretty consistent chipping in an average of 5 tallies and 10 or so assists except for last seasons on and off schedule.
He initially committed after an exceptionally strong senior year as captain at Hudson High, then did his single season at juniors with Cedar Rapids RoughRiders, where he had 21 assists in 55 USHL games.
We’d be little surprised to see this 22-year old turn pro once it’s all said and done.
