Undrafted left wing Christopher Berger(10) leaves after graduating 4 years at Brown University Bears, and somehow still has two years of eligibility remaining as he’s set to join Michigan Stage University Spartans for 2021/2022.
His former college team did not play in 2020/2021 due to COVID restrictions and he ended the previous campaign on a season ending injury after just 9 ECAC games, scoring two goals and two assists, which gives him his pair of additional campaigns.
The 5’9″ 175 lbs. forward did a pair of successful junior seasons, first with Buffalo Jr. Sabres (34-56-90) in 98 OJHL games, then moving more into America for a frame with Des Moines Buccaneers, where he got 10 goals and 20 assists.
He was having breakout scoring in college as a sophomore, similar to when he was able to produce 8 goals and 11 assists in 29 USHL games,
The 23-year old, Amherst, NY native may find it a bit tough, but he could adjust quickly to Big Ten play and start scoring.
Air Force Academy Falcons loses a good one through the transfer portal, as undrafted, right wing Thomas Daskas(34) takes off for Miami University (Ohio) Redhawks.
The solid 6’2″ 201 lbs. power forward had only 14 Atlantic Hockey games in a screwed up 2020/2021, but struck for 3 goals and 4 assists.
He spent three seasons in junior hockey, starting up north in the CCHL for Kemptville 73’s before coming back to a pair of NAHL campaigns, of which hooking up with Lone Star Brahmas for a 2nd frame made it work for 19 goals and 29 assists with a +28 rating to score his college commitment.
The 21-year old will bring good things to his new school and should be able to play himself into a place, where he becomes a sought after unrestricted free agent upon completing.
Undrafted, 7th year net minder C.J. Motte(30) circles back to rejoin Coventry Blaze after playing a much smaller 2020/2021 schedule closer to home on return with Allen Americans and on loan to Bridgeport Sound Tigers.
He was last in the EIHL after a somewhat unsuccessful run in EBEL with HC Innsbruck.
The 6′ 185 lbs. has played net in 22 AHL games and 155 ECHL posting very decent numbers in both leagues.
It’s likely the 29-year old, former Ferris State University Bulldogs‘ senior captain, who did very well in four years at school, will be well at home playing in the United Kingdom again.
Anaheim Ducks selected with their #98 pick in the 2021 draft, UMass Minutemen center Josh Lopina(10), who won a 2021 NCAA Division 1 Championship and scored a tidy 9 goals and 14 assists for 23 points in 29 Hockey East games with a +21 rating.
He was also a strong scorer in 2 years of USHL with Lincoln Stars, twice scoring 12 goals and grabbing 23 assists in his 2nd campaign.
The 6’2″ 194 lbs. forward from Minooka, IL played all his youth hockey in the Chicago Mission 13U – 16U programs.
At just 20-years old, it wouldn’t be even odd to see him finish up school before he signs an entry level contract.
11-year veteran defenseman Matt Smaby(32) played 122 NHL games, all for draft club (2nd round, 2003, #41 overall) Tampa Bay Lightning, scoring no goals and 6 assists.
He also skated 212 AHL games with 7 goals and 36 assists, the super-large 6’6″ 229 lbs. blue liner was a mostly stay-at-home style with good shot blocking capabilities.
The former University Of North Dakota Fighting Hawks‘ junior captain finished his pro career, playing four seasons for EHC Munchen and leaving the game on back-to-back 2016 & 2017 DEL Championships.
He would immediately take up as Team Manager for his old college team, before moving back to Germany for a year to be the assistant coach of EC Salzburg.
In his next move, it was likely best for him to stick close to home as a pandemic raged around the globe, so he took up as Youth Hockey Director with Grand Forks and coached their 14U Bantam AA.
This set him up perfectly for the next opportunity that would come knocking: USHL head coach Waterloo Blackhawks.
The 36-year old is moving on nicely.
Cornell University Big Red goaltender Matthew Galajda(35) leaves after a year of inactivity on ice for the transfer portal and agrees to join University Of Notre Dame Fighting Irish in their quest for a national championship.
The college hockey standout net minder posted a 60-15-9 record with a 1.64 GAA and .930 SV%, including 19 shutouts during his three-year stint.
He won a pair of high school, CISAA Championships in 2014 & 2015 at St. Andrews College before heading off to 2 seasons in the BCHL for Victoria Grizzlies.
The 6′ 192 lbs., 23-year old goalie will definitely be high on the list of unrestricted free agents to sign with an NHL team for 2022.
Undrafted right wing Eric Linell(5) leaves University Of Connecticut Huskies after a couple of seasons through the transfer portal to become a junior with Bentley University Falcons.
He spent most of his youth hockey with P.A.L. Junior Islanders and even played half a season with their junior Premiere squad before getting picked up by Cedar Rapids Roughriders, where he skated 35 USHL games.
The small 5’8″ 165 lbs. forward would next leave for the BCHL, and as it turned out was the best move he could possibly make as he connected for 28 goals and 18 assists for Coquitlam Express, where he committed to his first college.
He would split his next season with a couple of different teams but was still a strong, very close to point-per-game stats.
The 22-year old from Great Neck, NY should find Atlantic Hockey a little easier to find open spaces to score.
8th year defenseman Kevin Gravel(25) was no stranger to an AHL contract, having signed his first pro deal with Manchester Monarchs in 2014/2015 that led to a 2015 Calder Cup trophy before agreeing to 2-year entry deal with parent club Los Angeles Kings.
He inked another last season with a club, Bakersfield Condors, he spent 5 games with on loan from Edmonton Oilers and appeared in 37 games, getting a goal and 7 assists, then adding another pair of helpers in 6 playoff contests.
The former, 4 year, senior captain at St. Cloud State University Huskies has caught the eye of Calgary Flames, who put him under contract for 2021/2022, and the veteran could see significant time in the show on a team that has some needs to fill.
Undrafted, 6th year, third time unrestricted free agent net minder Alex Lyon(34) moves on for a first time in his pro career from a Philadelphia Flyers‘ contract.
He signs a 1-year 2-way NHL deal with Carolina Hurricanes, that will likely see him spending much time guarding the cage for affiliate Chicago Wolves.
After 3 outstanding campaigns for Yale University Bulldogs, he signed and stayed with his original club for 5 years, putting up a 75-54-22 record with 2.75 GAA and .913 SV% in the AHL.
The 6’1″ 201 lbs., 28-year old goalie will likely do very well for his new club.
Toledo Walleye undrafted, 6th year left wing Shane Berschbach(10) has decided after spending last year on the sidelines as his club suspended operations in 2020/2021 due to COVID restrictions, and he’s recently reached his 30th birthday, to suspend operations on playing hockey.
The 5’11” 165 lbs. forward spent 376 ECHL games with his one club, scoring a hefty, team leading 117 goals and 278 assists for 395 points with a +75 rating.
You also have to love he scored an exact equal 20 goals and 43 assists in his final two frames ’18/19, ’19/20, which seems like a perfect way to leave it.
That’s a pretty huge lift for the one-time Western Michigan University Broncos, who also connected big in college with 117 points (39-78) in 146 NCHC games with a +27.
We hope he puts his degree earned to good use, but see him as a perfect coaching fit somewhere.
