9th year defenseman Josh Jacobs(41) helps Chicago Wolves win the 2022 AHL Calder Cup, while under contract to Carolina Hurricanes and moves along to sign a new deal for 2022/2023 with 2022 Stanley Cup Champions, Colorado Avalanche, but will likely skate for affiliate Colorado Eagles.
The fairly sizable 6’2″ 220 lbs. blue liner had an interesting climb from 2 USHL seasons for Indiana Ice, including a 2014 Clark Cup Championship, followed by a year at home state Michigan State University Spartans, but traded that to skate a campaign further up north in the OHL with Sarnia Sting.
An unrestricted free agent, he signed a 3-year NHL entry level deal with New Jersey Devils to start his pro career and stayed in that system for 5 years.
He is very successful with his new club, hitting for 4 goals and 6 assists in 43 AHL games with a +10 ratings, then put up another 4 points in 7 matchups through the playoffs.
For 2023/2024, he scores himself a 1-year 2-way contract with St. Louis Blues that could heed some playing time, but mostly will skate the line for affiliate Springfield Thunderbirds.
He wasn’t able to add to his 341 games in the league due to an injury that sidelined him for the entire frame.
For 2024/2025, Laval Rocket takes a chance and signs him to a 1-year deal.
Michigan State University Spartans‘ Belarus-born freshman defenseman Artyom Levshunov(5) grabs the 2nd spot in the 2024 NHL draft by Chicago Blackhawks, making him the highest chosen player from his country ever selected, beating out a mark that stood for almost 30 years.
The 6’2″ 210 lbs. blue liner looks to be a complete product and one they look to pin their hopes on to rebuild their defense.
Just 18-years old, he came over for a single USHL season with Green Bay Gamblers and then got right to work last season, scoring 9 goals and 26 assists in 38 games with a +27 rating.
He does look to be the full picture they are looking for.
Now, will he report back to his school team?
We didn’t really hear much about him in development camp, but maybe we also didn’t need to, as he was making an impression and signs a 3-year NHL entry level deal for 2024/2025.
Undrafted 3rd year left wing Alex Tonge(88) returns from a short, three game stint in Poland’s top league for GKS Tychy to Norfolk Admirals, where he spent the last 20 ECHL games of the 2019/2020 season, scoring a tidy 9 goals and 7 assists.
The former solid three-year scorer at Robert Morris University Colonials had sophomore and junior campaigns with 44 points, then 39 points in 39 Atlantic Hockey games as a senior.
He spent 4 years in the OJHL with Kingston Voyageurs growing his game and was discovered by his college after a strong 3rd session, getting 29 goals and 43 assists.
The 26-year old will definitely be a top scorer in the league but still has to become more accountable on ice to round out his overall play.
After an easy season best campaign in 2021/2022, scoring a way high 28 goals and 38 assists for 66 points in 66 games on a non-playoff team, he is set to leave for DEL2, signing a 1-year deal with Heilbronner Falken for 2022/2023.
He blows up tier 2 German scoring to the tune of 19 goals and 40 assists in 52 games, then another 8 points in the playoffs.
Scoring would continue with his new league team EV Landshut, but he decides to look elsewhere and signs with Sweden’s tier 2 HockeyAllsvenskan and does alright.
For 2024/2025, he will head to the EIHL and signs with Dundee Stars, where we think he will become a very popular player.
9th year undrafted defenseman Nate Schmidt(88) gets dished to his 2nd new club in a couple seasons, as he goes from one term of service with Vancouver Canucks to Winnipeg Jets for 2021/2022 with four years left on his current deal.
He was coming off three very successful campaigns for Vegas Golden Knights and 4 excellent start-up runs with first major contract team, Washington Capitals.
Heading into his first session with his new squad, he takes 450 NHL games, 34 goals, 121 assists and a jaw-dropping +81 rating for the 6′ 194 lbs. blue liner.
The 30-year, former 3-year University Of Minnesota Golden Gophers will likely find a new home in Manitoba, considering he was born in St. Cloud, MN.
For 3 years, he performs well, but almost oddball has the final years of his contract bought out, as his offensive production has diminished.
His metrics are still sound though, a +21 player over his time, fills a gap that opened for Florida Panthers 2024/2025, as he agrees to a 1-year deal.
St. Louis Blues‘ 2nd round pick in the 2018 draft (#45 overall), rookie defenseman Scott Perunovich(48) gets a first NHL recall after putting up a dandy 2 goals and 18 assists in 12 AHL games for affiliate Springfield Thunderbirds.
In his debut he skated an almost unreal 24 shifts for 18:26 ice time with 1 shot on net in a 3-2 loss.
They must figure the unlikely 5’10” 175 lbs. blue liner is accountable and may come to life head-manning the puck.
In his first and second years at University Of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs managed to capture a pair of back-to-back NCAA Division 1 Championships. and left winning Player Of The Year award and the Hobey Baker Award as a junior.
He played three campaigns recording 85 assists with an overall +49 rating.
The 23-year old, Hibbing, MN native is just getting started.
He would stay up in the big league for 19 games and record 6 assists with a +2 rating, then added another 4 assists in 7 playoff contests.
For his efforts, he gets rewarded with a 1-year, 1-way contract at the league minimum to show them some more.
He was just about a point-per-game player in the minors, playing limited games due to a season ending injury, but returned to appear only in the big guns lineup and scores 17 assists in 54 games with a +1 rating.
His efforts are rewarded to return in a Blues‘ jersey for 2024/2025.
4th year center Mason Jobst(26) circles back to re-sign for 2022/2023 with the team he originally inked last season with, Rochester Americans before being dealt late to San Jose Barracuda.
The 5’8″ 185 lbs. forward had a career tying 5 goals and best 10 assists and 15 points in 2021/2022, but could bring his on ice accountability up a bit.
He averaged 40+ points per frame in 4 years, twice captain at Ohio State University Buckeyes, so can definitely put up stats.
Almost oddly he didn’t strike as much until his 3rd year of juniors with Muskegon Lumberjacks.
We look for the 28-year old from Speedway, IN to have a career best session and potentially move on, but we shall see.
He scores a career best 22 goals and 28 assists in 64 games with some good playoff points to add and earns a 1-year, 2-way deal from Buffalo Sabres to continue, his 1st NHL deal in 5 seasons.
We also have to think he’s on a bit of a short list for a recall from the Amerks.
2nd year defenseman Eric Gotz(6) will take a successful rookie season with Krefeld Pinguine of DEL2 to Metal Ligaen, where he signs with Aalborg Pirates for 2024/2025.
The 5’10” 181 lbs. blue liner played 4 years at Michigan Tech Huskies, then did a year of eligibility at University Of Vermont Catamounts.
He was a 3-time college 10+ assist provider, but didn’t really burst like he did his 2nd NAHL season with Minnesota Wilderness, where he potted 39 helpers.
From Hermantown, MN, the 25-year old should do quite well in Denmark’s top league.
7th year left wing A.J. Greer(10) hits the jackpot, signing his 1st 2-year 1-way NHL contract through 2023/2024 after posting a career high 22 goals and 30 assists in 53 AHL games with a +10 rating for Utica Comets, while signed to New Jersey Devils.
He played 9 games in the big league last season, striking for a goal and an assist.
The Joliette, QC native came down and looked to go the college route, attending USHS-Prep, but after a year and a half at Boston University Terriers, left to join Rouyn-Noranda Huskies, wracking up points en route to the 2016 QMJHL Championship.
Almost oddly, he was a Colorado Avalanche 4th round pick in the 2015 draft, chosen after his 1st year of college hockey, where he scored 3 goals and 4 assists in 37 games that they must’ve seen something there.
He played 37 games in the big league with the team, getting a goal and 5 assists.
Still super-young at 25-years old, he is maybe starting to just arrive.
He’s become like the new 4th line bandit, playing 61 games with Boston Bruins, then 59 for Calgary Flames, who claimed him off waivers, and he finally receives a 2-year deal to prove his game as he next heads to 2024 Stanley Cup Champions, Florida Panthers.
In 2024, he also became a BU graduate student.
Maryland Black Bears‘ 3rd year center Jesse Horacek(26) blew the lid off his NAHL scoring in his final frame with 19 goals, 26 assists and a +23 rating in 59 games.
The 6′ 181 lbs. forward from Derwood, MD will take his game to SUNY-Oswego Lakers for his freshman year, 2024/2025.
We think the 20-year old strikes pretty big at his new school.
Boston Jr. Rangers‘ 2nd year defenseman Tommy Madden(63) takes an EHL season, where he exploded for 21 assists in 40 games, an easy junior best.
The 6′ 174 lbs. forward heads to UMASS-Dartmouth Corsairs for 2024/2025.
From Brighton, MI, we expect the 21-year will help his team win.
