10th year Czechia-born defenseman Andrej Sustr(19) hasn’t been home since an appearance in Czechia3 in 2008/2009, but signs for 2024/2025 in Czech Extraliga with the league powerhouse HC Dynamo Pardibuce.
The absolute huge 6’8″ 225 lbs. blue liner has 362 NHL games to his credit and is known for his large bruising presence.
He came over early after youth hockey back home and did 2 seasons of junior hockey before moving onto to 3 at University Of Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks.
Almost oddly he took off the season before COVID infected to play for Kunlun Red Star for 2 frames in the KHL before returning.
The 33-year old will be missed, but this has to be the right thing for him to do for his hockey career.
He does well there and plays himself up to a deal with Tappara, where he got 1 goal and 11 assists in 38 Liiga games.
For 2025/2026, he looks to return to the AHL, but after 11 games is released and takes up with Kalmar HC and has no points in 10 HockeyAllsvenskan games, but is a +4 rating.
He would end up appearing in 20 games for 1 goal and 4 assists with a +11 rating, then added another helper in 7 playoff matchups.
For 2026/2027, he heads to Liiga and signs with Jurukit, which will be another challenging step for the 35-year old.
Long Island University Sharks‘ freshman defenseman Jack Darby(7) played only 16 games last season, scoring 1 assists, which he takes into the transfer portal to next skate at Oklahoma State University Cowboys for his sophomore frame, 2026/2027.
The big 6’4″ 190 lbs. blue liner came off 2 strong NAHL assists’ seasons for Anchorage Wolverines before college.
From New Hartford, NY, the 21-year old will likely be a lot happier here.
University Of Maine Black Bears‘ freshman right wing Justin Poirier(93) takes his point-per-game numbers (18-11-27) into the transfer portal to next go play hockey at Penn State University Nittany Lions for his sophomore frame, 2026/2027.
The 5’8″ 185 lbs. forward came off 2 blowout QMJHL seasons scoring to first commit.
From Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, QC, the 19-year old is a Carolina Hurricanes‘ 5th round draft pick in 2024 (#156 overall).
He simply seems to be heading to another school with a bit of a different profile and will continue to score and turn heads.
East Coast Wizards‘ 1st year center Nolan Mallet(17) takes 11 goals and 5 assists in 39 EHL games, then 3 points in the playoffs to his 2026/2027 commit at American International College Yellowjackets.
The 5’10” 181 lbs. forward came up from mostly an EHLP season previously.
From Melrose, MA, the 21-year old should play nicely on this new D3 team.
Princeton University Tigers‘ senior center Brendan Gorman(36) takes new college best goals, 13 and 3 seasons of 20+ points to a 1st pro contract, a pto with Ontario Reign.
The 6′ 174 lbs. forward has skated 2 AHL games, but is signed for 2026/2027, so can take the summer off.
From Arlington, MA, the 23-year old went straight from USHS-Prep into college, forgoing any junior hockey.
14th year center Tyler McNeely(94) steps back to re-join Germany3 for 2024/2025, but will switch allegiances, signing with Bietigheim Steelers, who he played for their DEL2 team earlier career with success for a couple of seasons.
The 5’10” 183 lbs. forward has suited up for 3 different German teams over 12 years of his career.
Undrafted, the former twice captain of Northeastern University Huskies, 1st signed with Bridgeport Sound Tigers (Islanders), but quickly moved on after 2 seasons closer to home, Burnaby, BC.
At 37-years old, he must still be having fun, playing pro hockey.
He will spend a 14th season in German pro hockey, but once again ticks it down a level and sign for 2026/2027 with Hannover Indians, where he last scored 24 goals and 60 points in 42 games in the league.
Quinnipiac University Bobcats‘ graduate right wing, assistant captain Ethan De Jong(10) signs a 1st pro deal with Bakersfield Condors that will be for 2023/2024 and run 2 seasons.
The 5’11” 181 lbs. forward had a college best 19 goals and 40 points, tying his senior 21 assists last frame.
He has 4 times had 10+ goals and on 2 occasions posts 20+ assists.
The North Vancouver, BC native had a hugely successful 2nd BCHL session with Prince George Spruce Kings, getting 63 points in 50 games.
At just 23-years old, he’s likely ready to get started.
In his 2nd season, he stays strictly AHL with pretty decent results in 52 games played, but decides to look across for other opportunites and signs with Mora IK of HockeyAllsvenskan and pots 17 goals and 17 assists last season.
It’s gotten him notice as HPK signs him up for 2026/2027 and he will skate the much tougher Liiga in the new frame.
University Of North Dakota Fighting Hawks‘ junior defenseman Abram Wiebe(52) leaves a year on the table to sign his 2-year NHL entry level deal with Calgary Flames.
The 6’3″ 210 lbs. blue liner played a college high 40 games and scored a best 5 goals and 24 assists with a +13 rating last season.
He reports directly to the non-playoff team and gets into the mix for the last 4 games with no points and a 0 rating.
From Mission, BC, the 23-year old was a Vegas Golden Knights‘ 2022 7th round pick (#209 overall). but was recently traded.
He did 3 seasons BCHL, the last scoring lots for Chilliwack Chiefs.
9th year right wing Shawn O’Donnell(71) takes a couple of seasons of good numbers in Metal Ligaen, most currently for SønderjyskE to a new endeavor with Dornbirner EC of IceHL, Austria.
The 6’2″ 209 lbs. power forward has spent the majority of his playing time in the AHL with Hartford Wolf Pack, but was basically a point-per-game guy in the lower ECHL.
Through junior hockey in the MJAHL, he produced big numbers before heading to college at St. Mary’s University Huskies, where he won the 2010 CIS University Cup Championship as a freshman.
The 33-year old from Cole Harbour, NS is likely to be pretty happy to still be playing pro hockey.
For 2022/2023, he heads back to the 1st league he joined coming over from the US, DEL2 and signs with EHC Freiburg.
After 24 games this season, he has tied his goal mark in the league at 8 and set a new assist high with 19 helpers to earn himself another year of his contract for 2024/2025, which has to be nice for the now 34-year old pivot.
He would captain the team in his 3rd year and stay for a 4th, scoring an equal to his best 15 goals, but decides to move on to team up with rivals, Dusseldorfer EG for 2026/2027.
University Of Connecticut Huskies‘ sophomore right wing Ryan Tverberg(77) is putting up college career marks with 9 goals and 8 assists in 18 NCAA Division 1 games with a +5 rating.
He’s a Toronto Maple Leafs‘ 7th round pick in the 2020 draft (#213 overall), so optimism is high.
The 6’ 190 lbs. forward put up stellar numbers in his only full OJHL season for Toronto Jr. Canadiens, scoring 26 goals and 25 assists in 47 games.
He played for the team all throughout youth hockey.
The Richmond Hill, ON native will likely continue take his game up.
In his junior frame, he went on to score 15 goals and 15 assists, but became a quick Hockey East exit in the playoffs.
He’s decided to forego his senior year and sign a 3-year NHL entry level deal with the team that selected him.
It is viewed that he will report to affiliate Toronto Marlies.
He has performed well in the minors, taking this year’s totals up to 15 goals and 21 assists with a +21 rating in 63 AHL games.
It has earned him a 1st NHL recall, where in 2 games he skated roughly 10 minutes, had 1 shot on net and let 2 close losses with a +1 rating.
