Washington Capitals‘ 4th year center Shane Gersich(10) grabs another one-year, two-way deal to stick around in the prospect system.
The University Of North Dakota Fighting Hawks‘ 3-year forward has consistently put up respectable numbers for affiliate Hershey Bears.
He started his pro career with 3 NHL games fresh off his junior year at school, grabbed an assist and even skated a pair of playoff appearances en route to the 2018 Stanley Cup Championship.
The 24-year old has to be fairly happy with the way things are turning out for this 5th round pick in the 2014 draft (#134 overall).
For 2022/2023, he re-signs on a minor league deal to stay where he is after recording a career high 14 goals and 20 assists with a +4 rating.
After a 5th season where he’s been and a brand new 2023 Calder Cup Trophy to bear, he decides to look on and signs a 1-year deal with Vasteras IK of HockeyAllsvenskan, where he should do very well.
We pretty much thought what has occurred would, he takes a good frame in Sweden’s tier 2 league, scoring 19 goals and 13 assists in 48 games to a higher level of hockey next, signing with Iserlohn Roosters of DEL for 2024/2025.
He does ok with 16 goals and 21 assists in 51 games, but decides to look for another opportunity and signs with HC Bolzano Foxes for 2025/2026.
Rochester Jr. Americans‘ 2nd year defenseman Alex Zakrzewski(4) had 3 goals and 19 assists in 53 NAHL games with a +17 rating, which wasn’t quite as good scoring as he did in his 1st appearance, but he takes good junior numbers to his 2025/2026 commit at SUNY-Cortland Red Dragons.
The 5’8″ 157 lbs. blue liner from Orchard Park, NY never went far for his youth hockey or juniors and won’t be heading too far off course to go to college for the 21-year old.
12th year, Swedish-born defenseman Philip Samuelsson(34) left 3 seasons of playing in his home country’s top league, SHL for a new adventure, signing for 2022/2023 with Fischtown Pinguins.
In 22 DEL games, he has 12 assists, so is on pace for a big first season in Germany.
The former Pittsburgh Penguins‘ 2nd round pick in the 2009 draft (#61 overall) has played 512 AHL games, scoring 27 goals and 124 assists with a massive +76 rating.
He’s also appeared in 13 NHL games.
Because his dad, Ulf Samuelsson(5) was playing hockey in the US, he did his high school and junior hockey here.
The 6’2″ 194 lbs. blue liner even did 2 years at Boston College Eagles before turning pro on a 3-year entry level deal.
At 31-years old, he is still able to pull down good contracts, so must have at least a little smile on his face.
He finishes up his debut frame in Germany with 4 goals and 27 assists in 47 games only to be wooed by rivals Straubing Tigers to stay in the country and sign for 2023/2024.
After an exceptionally strong year, scoring 4 goals and 12 assists with a +5 rating through 49 games, then adding another 4 points in 11 playoff matchups, it’s a no brainer to keep him in a Tigers‘ jersey for 2024/2025.
3 seasons in Germany is all good and is heads of to IceHL and signs with HC Bolzano Foxes for 2025/2026.
We think the 33-year old will do well and discover a few more years remaining.
Finnish-native net minder Daniel Lebedeff(60) spent 5 years in the U.S. honing his hockey skills but decided to head back home as the pandemic closed down the postseason and more, signing a two-year deal with HPK of Liiga.
After doing all of his youth hockey with HIFK, the fairly large 6’2″ 194 lbs. goalie left to sign with Madison Capitals of the USHL, where he spent a little over a year and committed to University Of Wisconsin Badgers but decided to leave for the lower NAHL joining Janesville Jets.
He would better excel in this league and even made the playoffs for a couple of appearances.
Although his record at college (23-26-2) wasn’t exactly stellar with a 3.49 GAA and .892 SV% in 55 NCAA Big Ten Conference games, I think folks who know how better than us still see promise in the still young 21-year old, potentially from the one pretty strong junior campaign.
The Helsinki native is putting up some outstanding numbers through the midway point of 2021/2022, running together a 6-2-3 record with a 1.55 GAA and .938 SV% to earn another year added to his current deal.
After 5 years back in his home country, he is branching out to the tough to play Slovak Extraliga and signs with HK 32 Liptovsky Miskulas for 2025/2026.
Maryland Black Bears‘ 2nd year left wing Luke Janus(19) had an NAHL junior best 15 goals and 19 assists in 45 games with a +9 rating.
The 6’2″ 201 lbs. forward will head to Lakehead University Thunderwolves for 2025/2026.
From Winnipeg, MB, he did 1 MJHL season before heading down.
The 21-year old will be a nice addition.
2022/2023 was certainly a busy 1st season for Connor Jean(12) coming off 11 games for Holy Cross College Crusaders, his 2nd stint with the college club, but decided to turn, signing a contract with Fort Wayne Komets.
After 5 ECHL games, that relationship went south and he switched to Indy Fuel, where he lasted 14 games, grabbing a 1st goal an an assist.
The 5’10” 183 lbs. forward then shifted down to sign with Evansville Thunderbolts and connected for 3 goals, including 2 in his debut and 2 assists in 5 SPHL games, but seems to be on the move again.
This time he’s really going away to agree with Perth Thunder for the summer league, AIHL in Australia, where the seasons are opposite.
The 26-year old from Oakland, MI will likely find his scoring footing nicely in the land down under and hopefully parlay that into something good for himself in 2023/2024.
He takes some insane numbers from Australian, 17 goals and 25 assists in just 19 games to a new deal for 2023/2024 with Kalix HC of HockeyEttan.
Through 34 games, he nets 12 goals and 17 assists, then another 7 points in 7 playoff games.
In what we see as a bit of an oddball move, unless he was somehow wooed, he signs with Les Remparts des Tours of France2 for 2024/2025 and should absolutely blow up scoring there.
He scores point-per-game numbers and even better in the playoffs, so he is easily wanted to return to des Tours for 2025/2026.
Cleveland Monsters sign unrestricted free agent, University Of Wisconsin Badgers‘ graduating senior, left wing Roman Ahcan(37) to a pto for the remainder of 2022 and an spc for 2022/2023.
The 5’9″ 181 lbs. forward wasn’t the biggest scorer as an assistant captain last season but did post a pair of 20+ point campaigns as a sophomore and junior.
He committed after his final year at Burnsville High USHS-MN, then went onto one session of USHL junior hockey for Cedar Rapids RoughRiders before heading to school.
The 22-year old will hopefully help his new team win some games.
In his 3rd year with the same club, he once again signs a tryout, but after 11 games with 7 goals and 1 assist is quickly snapped up for the full 2024/2025 session with the Monsters.
He had his best season in the minors, scoring 18 goals and 11 assists 67 AHL games with a +4 rating, then added another 3 points (1-2) in 6 playoff matchups with a +2.
His awesome play earns him a 2-year contract to stay in a Monsters‘ jersey.
Springfield Pics‘ 3rd year right wing Levi Adcock(21) takes an absolute USPHL Premier junior best scoring 26 goals and 41 assists in 43 games, then another 7 (3-4) in 11 playoff games to a 2025/2026 commit at Rivier University Raiders.
The small 5’6″ 174 lbs. forward from Dallas, TX looked to play mostly youth hockey before juniors.
We look for the 21-year old to help his new MASCAC team to win.
In his year of eligibility, right wing graduate student Tyler Welsh(44) chose to attend Long Island University Lakers after completing four years at Yale University Bulldogs with a drop season due to COVID.
He made a good choice, because he came away tying his career high 23 points, while managing a career best 16 assists in only 25 NCAA games.
The 5’10” 174 lbs. forward was a point-per-game guy in his 2nd year of BCHL for Victoria Grizzlies, where he first committed to school.
It will be interesting to watch what the 25-year old, Whistler, BC native will do next.
Newfoundland Growlers sign him for the remainder of 2021/2022 and he’s already appeared in one absolute 9-4 ECHL drubbing, so hopefully has that kind of game worked out of his system for a bit.
He would end up with 1 goal and 2 assists in 9 games with a +4 rating, so obviously fortunes changed.
For his official rookie season, he decides to leave for Ligue Magnus, signing for 2022/2023 with Scorpions Mulhouse.
He takes essentially point-per-game numbers (36 points, 12-24 in 36 games) in France to a new adventure, agreeing to 1-year with Nottingham Panthers, which will likely see him to just as good in the EIHL.
After just one season in England, he’s heading back to France, but signs with rivals, Les Jokers de Cergy-Pontoise for 2024/2025.
He scores close to point-per-game totals, but once again next inks with rivals Spartiates de Marseilles for 2025/2026.
University Of Alaska-Fairbanks Nanooks‘ senior right wing Chase Dubois(16) didn’t quite throw up the 11 goals and 11 assists he did as a junior, but still managed ok and in his final 2 college seasons, leaves with a +16 rating.
The 5’9″ 174 lbs. forward from Williams Lake, BC is heading over to Ligue Magnus to start his rookie season with Diables Rouges de Briancon.
He did 3 BCHL seasons with West Kelowna Warriors, continuously adding to his junior scoring numbers.
We think the 26-year old scores big in France’s top hockey league.
In 44 games, he gets 17 goals and 19 assists with a +6 rating, then added another 4 points (3-1) in 6 playoff games.
For 2025/2026, he returns, as he is likely already a fan favorite of de Briancon.
