As July comes to a close and we get closer to the end of arbitration hearings and contract holdouts, teams continue to fill our their organizational depth charts. Here are some minor moves from around the league. We’ll keep updating as more come in:
- Legendary Texas Stars forward Travis Morin has decided to retire from his playing career and take a job in the team’s front office. Morin’s #23 will be the first number retired by the team in a ceremony scheduled for October 19. The 35-year old forward played in just 13 NHL games but suited up 778 times in the AHL, scoring 625 points. 773 of those AHL games and all but one point came in a Texas uniform. In 2014 he was named regular season and playoff MVP en route to a Calder Cup with the Stars.
- The Cleveland Monsters have signed Anton Karlsson to a one-year AHL contract. The 26-year old defenseman has played the last five seasons in the SHL, recording his best offensive output—13 points—in 2018-19. Undrafted, Karlsson will get a chance to show what he can do on North American ice and try to work his way towards an NHL contract down the road.
- Selected 35th overall in the CHL Import Draft, Ville Ottavainen is on his way to the Kitchener Rangers. The 16-year old defenseman has signed with the OHL club and will play on their blue line next season. Ottavainen recorded 34 points in 49 games in his Finnish junior league last season and will try to bring that kind of production to North America. He is eligible for the 2020 NHL Entry Draft.