Galchenyuk has played in the KHL for the last two seasons, scoring 16 goals and 42 points in 61 games with SKA St. Petersburg during his first year outside North America since the 2012-13 season. The Milwaukee, WI native’s time with Amur has been mutually beneficial, scoring 20 goals and 37 points in 53 games en route to a KHL All-Star appearance. Alex Broadhurst joins him as the only other American on the team’s roster.

Despite the strong offensive production in Russia, there’s likely little interest for Galchenyuk to return to any NHL organization. Less than two weeks after signing a one-year deal with the Arizona Coyotes in 2023, it was revealed that Galchenyuk had been arrested on multiple charges, leading the Coyotes to terminate his contract. He entered the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program shortly after.

Other international transactions:

• Another former first-round pick, Brendan Perlini, has signed a new contract overseas. The NL’s Lausanne HC announced they’d signed Perlini for the remainder of the 2024-25 season after his contract was mutually terminated with the KHL’s Spartak Moskva after only four games. It’ll be Perlini’s second attempt in the NL, scoring nine goals and 16 points in 21 games for HC Ambrì-Piotta in the 2020-21 season. He’s also a veteran of 262 NHL and 98 AHL contests scoring 81 and 72 points respectively.
• Former prospect for the Detroit Red Wings, Teemu Pulkkinen, is signing on with a third team this season. HC La Chaux-de-Fonds, a team in the second tier of professional ice hockey in Switzerland, announced a contract for Pulkkinen for the remainder of the season. Given that he’s already been mutually terminated from contracts in Germany and Slovakia this season, this appears to be one of the final seasons for Pulkkinen’s professional career.
• Forward Brayden Tracey’s professional career might be grinding to a halt. After flailing out of the Anaheim Ducks organization after being the 29th overall pick of the 2019 NHL Draft, Tracey signed a one-year deal with the Finnish Liiga’s Jukurit to rebuild his value. Instead, after scoring only one goal and five assists in 13 contests, Jukurit announced yesterday they’ve mutually terminated Tracey’s contract. Tracey was interested in returning to North America when he originally signed but could have difficulty finding a new landing spot with that production.

The centerman played admirably with the Red Star, scoring eight goals and 17 points in 37 games, but Kunlun has fallen in the KHL’s Western Conference Standings with only 11 wins on the year. Chartier will join third-place Moskva alongside former NHL talents such as Ivan Prosvetov, Nikita Nesterov, and Denis Gurianov.

Chartier suited up in the NHL as recently as last year with the Ottawa Senators. He spent three years within the Senators organization collecting two goals and three points in 43 NHL contests with another 37 goals and 66 points in 82 games with AHL Belleville. Chartier spent the first three years of his professional career with the San Jose Sharks scoring 30 goals and 74 points in 121 AHL contests and one goal in 13 games for the Sharks during his lone NHL season with the club in 2018-19.

Other international and minor transactions:

• According to the AHL transactions page, the Utica Comets, the top affiliate of the NHL’s New Jersey Devils, added some defensive depth to the lineup. The team signed defenseman Kurt Gosselin on a professional tryout agreement and he could play in his first AHL contest since the 2018-19 season. Gosselin has spent the last four years hopping around numerous ECHL franchises playing for the Cincinnati Cyclones, Toledo Walleye, Kalamazoo Wings, Reading Royals, Orlando Solar Bears, and the Adirondack Thunder. He’s scored 24 goals and 61 points in 167 ECHL contests while managing a -4 rating.
• Mathieu Sheridan of The Hockey News reports former AHL forward Isaac Johnson has signed a contract with the Finnish Liiga’s Jukurit. Johnson has only managed 30 AHL games between the Manitoba Moose and Toronto Marlies since joining the professional ranks in the 2021-22 season scoring three goals and eight points overall. He has a much better track record in the ECHL — scoring 64 goals and 139 points in 125 games for the now-defunct Newfoundland Growlers while managing a solid +31 rating.

Four Big Hype Prospects

James Hagens, C, Boston College (NCAA Hockey East, 2025 NHL Draft)
16 GP – 5 G – 15 A – 20 P – 4 PIM – +15 +/-

This year’s World Juniors will be headlined by 2025 NHL Draft talent. Nearly every team has a top prospect to showcase. Canada seems set to award Matthew Schaefer and Porter Martone – strong candidates for first-overall – with strong lineup roles. Sweden is bringing electric scorer Victor Eklund, younger brother of 2021 seventh-overall pick William Eklund. Even Slovakia is joining in, bringing Tomas Pobezal after a dazzling start to his second pro season. But of the many draft prospects looking to stake their claim, it seems Team USA star James Hagens has the most to prove.

Hagens has been electric for the BC Eagles this season. He’s seamlessly filled the hole between Gabe Perreault and Ryan Leonard that William Smith vacated in his move to the NHL. It took Hagens a small while to find his footing, but he’s fired on all cylinders as of late – with four goals and nine points in his last seven games. He’s been dynamic in all regards, but now faces the battle of proving his case for first-overall against a loaded Canadian offense. Hagens ended his last international stint – last season’s World U18 Championships – with a record-breaking 22 points in just seven games. But the wind seems against him, especially after the dazzling showing that Schaefer and Martone had at the CHL/NTDP matchup. Hagens may need to bring generational offense to this tournament as well if he wants to hang onto the top-of-the-draft hype he’s built over the last few seasons.

Gavin McKenna, F, Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL, 2026 NHL Draft)
30 GP – 19 G – 41 A – 60 P – 8 PIM – +24 +/-

It’s not every year that looming draft talents make up so much of the World Juniors’ starring cast. This year, hockey fans get an even richer scene, with superstar 2026-prospect Gavin McKenna set to support the host city. Where Hagens set the U18-Championship scoring record last Spring, McKenna set the tournament record for players playing up a year – with 20 points in seven games. He’s another truly dynamic star, with an incredible ability to create space and beat goalies with speed and poise. McKenna, who turned 17 last week, has had to earn his way into Canada’s lineup during pre-tournament action. He started as the extra forward, then went without any scoring in back-to-back games when he received hardy minutes. But with a goal in Canada’s final pre-tourney matchup against Czechia, McKenna made it clear that he’s ready for a productive tournament. Canada features a lot of exciting offensive ability this year. Calum Ritchie brings near-pro-level playmaking, while Berkly Catton, Bradly Nadeau, and Easton Cowan have earned  plenty of NHL hype. But it will be McKenna that paves his road ahead with this tournament – as he looks to join the ranks of Canadian legends Connor Bedard, John Tavares, and Sidney Crosby with a dazzling World Junior showing in his age-17 season.

Jamiro Reber, C/LW, HV71 (SHL, 2025 NHL Draft Overager)
25 GP – 7 G – 7 A – 14 P – 2 PIM – -5 +/-

Representing central Europe in the upcoming NHL Draft will be a shared task, but 18-year-old Jamiro Reber should carry plenty of attention early on. He’s been a surprise showing in Sweden’s SHL, working his way into HV71’s middle-six after starting the year in the U20 league. He’s a stout, two-way forward who’s earned his keep with his ability to work with his linemates and finish plays in front. But now, he’ll join Team Switzerland in an uphill battle at this tournament. Reber has just one point in seven international friendlies with Switzerland’s U20 team this season – matching his scoring in five World Junior games last season. The pair of showings line up with Reber’s tendency to score less internationally – when he’s leaned on as a star play-driver. This tournament will be the chance to buck that trend on the heels of a red-hot start to his pro career – and how he takes to the role could be a big sway in Switzerland’s success.

Topian Hynninen, C/LW, Jukurit (Liiga, 2025 NHL Draft Overager)
32 GP – 7 G – 17 A – 24 P – 2 PIM – 0 +/-

While Reber represents central Europe, Topias Hynninen will look to bring the attention of NHL scouts back to Scandinavia. The flashy forward was also overlooked in last year’s draft after netting a measly nine points in 43 games as a Liiga rookie. That lack of scoring landed him off of the World Junior roster, despite three points in five World U-18 games in 2023. But Hynninen has taken to the year of learning well. He’s launched himself into Jukurit’s top-six and scored 24 points in 32 games along the way – tied for second-most on the team. He’s shown talent all over the ice, using fast and tireless skating, gritty hitting, and heads-up offense to gel with his linemates at even-strength and on the man-advantage. Hynninen has already scored six points in seven games with Team Finland this season, and could be set for a smash tournament after a year-long absence from any notable tournaments. He’s shown an ability to either drive play himself from the middle-lane, or support his linemates from the flanks – and could be called upon for both as Finland fights for their place in a crowded top-end. He’ll be heavy-utilized, and a strong tournament could land him a high selection at next year’s Draft.

Tomasino has been on fire since joining the Penguins. He’s on a four-game scoring streak, netting three goals and four points along the way. Tomasino has already lapped the one assist he managed in 11 games with Nashville to start the year – likely thanks to the near-four minutes more in average ice time he’s received in Pittsburgh, jumping from 11:18 a night with Nashville to 15:00 with Pittsburgh. Tomasino is one of seven Penguins rivaling point-per-game scoring over the last four games. That standing will earn him a quick return to the Penguins’ top-six when he’s back to full health.

Other quick notes around the league:

• Polarizing defenseman Tony DeAngelo shared that he’s not optimistic about an NHL return with Larry Brooks of the New York Post. DeAngelo signed a contract with Russia’s SKA St. Petersburg this summer. He’s managed four goals and 24 points in his first 23 games with the club. He told Brooks that his goal is to return to the NHL, but didn’t specify what’s limiting his hopes. DeAngelo played through eight NHL seasons, mostly spent between the New York Rangers and Carolina Hurricanes. He stood as a high-scoring, but minimal-defense option for both teams. With no NHL deal in sight, DeAngelo moved to Russia over the summer and may be kept there despite scoring above a point-per-game. DeAngelo is joined on the SKA roster by former NHL players Evgeny Kuznetsov, Nikita Zaitsev, and Mikhail Grigorenko.
• Brayden Tracey, the 29th-overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft, has signed a one-year contract with Jukurit of Finland’s Liiga. He’ll move over seas after starting this season with no points through four games with the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors. Tracey has spent the bulk of the last five seasons with the Anaheim Ducks’ minor league affiliate, totaling 84 points through 188 games. He’s received just one NHL game over that tenure – recording nine minutes of ice time and no scoring in a win over Detroit in January of 2022. He was returned to the minors immediately after, and hasn’t earned a look since. Tracey will now try to prove his worth, and earn another NHL contract, with a strong year in Finland’s top league.
• The Seattle Kraken have returned forward Mitchell Stephens to the minor leagues, per the AHL Transaction Log. Stephens slotted into Seattle’s last four games, recording six shots on net but no scoring while operating on the Kraken’s fourth line. He’ll return to a middle-six role in the AHL, where he currently has three goals and four points in 11 games. Stephens split time between the Montreal Canadiens’ NHL and AHL roster last season, recording three points in 23 NHL games and 35 points in 49 AHL games.

The Buffalo Sabres selected Pysyk with the 23rd overall pick of the 2010 NHL Draft from the WHL’s Edmonton Oil Kings although he wouldn’t make his NHL debut for another few years. He spent two years serving as the Oil Kings’ captain collecting 25 goals and 125 points in 243 games over five years with the Major Junior program.

He wouldn’t become a consistent member of the Sabres until his sophomore campaign during the 2013-14 season scoring one goal and seven points in 44 contests. Throughout his four years in Buffalo, Pysyk primarily served as a bottom-pairing defenseman averaging 17:24 of ice time over 125 games.

Pysyk proved to be a legitimate talent in a defensive role during his last season with the Sabres managing a 91.7% on-ice save percentage in all situations and a 51.8% CorsiFor%. Believing they could utilize Pysyk’s talents, the Florida Panthers traded Dmitry Kulikov and a 2016 second-round draft pick (Rasmus Asplund) to Buffalo on the second day of that year’s draft.

His time in Sunrise would prove to be the best years of his career. In four seasons Pysyk scored 17 goals and 62 points in 292 games while averaging an impressive 90.6% on-ice save percentage in all situations despite starting in the defensive zone 62.3% of the time.

Because of the depth of Florida’s blue line at the time, Pysyk saw his role slowly diminish. By the time he got to his fourth season with the Panthers organization Pysyk had seen his average ice time drop from 18:34 to 12:45.

Then began a period of migration for Pysyk. He signed three consecutive one-year deals with the Dallas Stars, Sabres, and Detroit Red Wings although he would never play for the latter after tearing his Achilles tendon. He spent last year in the AHL with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and Calgary Wranglers collecting four assists in 37 games.

Coincidentally, this isn’t the first time SaiPa has poached an NHL veteran this week. The organization signed goaltender Michael Hutchinson only a few days ago to a similar one-year agreement. SaiPa has earned 11 wins through the first 21 games of the season and currently sits fourth overall in the league standings.

Hutchinson, 34, attempted to continue his career stateside a couple of months ago on a professional tryout with the Devils but was unsuccessful. The move to Finland will mark his first time playing overseas and put a pause on his 14-year run in the North American pros with multiple NHL, AHL and ECHL clubs.

A third-round pick by the Bruins back in 2008, Hutchinson spent a few seasons playing for Boston’s minor-league affiliates but was non-tendered in the 2013 offseason before signing with the Jets. Hutchinson emerged as a legitimate NHL option in Winnipeg, finishing eighth in Calder Trophy voting in the 2014-15 season after recording a 21-10-5 record, .914 SV% and 2.38 GAA in 38 appearances.

Most of those numbers would stand as career-best, though. Hutchinson spent a few more seasons in Winnipeg as part of a three-goalie rotation with Ondřej Pavelec and a young Connor Hellebuyck before he was demoted to the minors for most of the 2017-18 campaign.

He never rebounded into being a full-time NHLer and instead embarked on a career worthy of the journeyman tag. Since 2018, Hutchinson has played spot duty for the Panthers, Maple Leafs, Avalanche, Blue Jackets, and Red Wings, suiting up primarily for those clubs’ AHL affiliates but often getting between one and 15 NHL starts per season.

The 6’3″ netminder spent last year with Detroit, making 33 saves on 36 shots in a loss to the Devils in late December 2023 in his only NHL appearance of the season. In the AHL for Grand Rapids, he struggled as the backup to top Red Wings prospect Sebastian Cossa, recording a .892 SV% and 2.89 GAA with a 14-14-3 record in 32 appearances.

At this age, a move overseas more than likely signals the end of Hutchinson’s NHL career. If so, he closes with a 57-62-18 record, six shutouts, a 2.94 GAA, and a .902 SV% in 154 games played in parts of 11 seasons. He also made four playoff appearances for the Avs in the 2020 bubble, recording a .910 SV% and 2.75 GAA.

Hutchinson will have the opportunity to take over as SaiPa’s starter after former Jets prospect Oskari Salminen, who appeared in 15 of their 20 games this season, abruptly left the team and signed with rival Liiga club JYP last week.

With the moves, Colorado is back to having a full 23-man active roster. The injury fill-ins have been frequently shuttled between the NHL over the past week-plus, in Tynan’s case, delaying his temporary waiver exemption.

The 32-year-old Tynan has made four appearances for the Avs while they remain without the services of Gabriel Landeskog, Valeri Nichushkin, Jonathan Drouin, Ross Colton, and Miles Wood. Arguably the AHL’s top playmaker of the past decade, he’s still yet to make much of an impact at the NHL level. That hasn’t changed this season, as Tynan has gone without a point and is averaging only 8:24 per game.

Prishchepov, 20, is also looking for his first point of the season. It’s unsurprising – a seventh-round pick just a few months ago, the Russian pivot is making his first NHL appearances way ahead of schedule and out of necessity, given Colorado’s injury situation. He’s averaged 9:15 per game and gotten involved physically, logging six hits and controlling play quite well with a 79.6 CF%.

More from around the hockey world:

• Former NHL left-winger John Quenneville has landed a one-year deal in Finland with Tappara for the remainder of 2024-25, the team announced. Now 28, Quenneville last suited up in the NHL with the Blackhawks in the 2019-20 season. In only 42 career appearances with Chicago and New Jersey over four seasons, the 2014 first-round pick managed two goals and three assists. The Edmonton native has plied his trade across the AHL and Europe in the past five years, suiting up for AHL Rockford and Belleville in addition to stops in Switzerland and Sweden. He spent last season with HC Lugano of the Swiss National League, logging two goals and eight assists in 20 appearances.
• The Blue Jackets’ AHL affiliate, the Cleveland Monsters, have re-upped forward Roman Ahcan on a one-year deal for the rest of the season. He’d previously been with Cleveland on a PTO and more than earned his spot on the club with seven goals through his first 10 games. That’s a huge jump in production for the 25-year-old, who had nine goals and 19 points in 52 games with Cleveland last year. The Minnesota native has been with Cleveland ever since graduating from the University of Wisconsin in 2022 but has yet to land an NHL contract.

A deal in Vancouver would move Lankinen on from four seasons in the Central Division – split between the Chicago Blackhawks and Nashville Predators. He debuted as Chicago’s starter in the shortened 2020-21 season, recording 17 wins and a .909 save percentage across 37 games. It was an impressive start to the undrafted free agent’s career, though not strong enough to hang onto the starting role when Chicago signed Marc-Andre Fleury that summer. Lankinen has been a proud backup ever since, with his ice time dwindling to just 24 games with Nashville last season.

Vancouver could offer Lankinen his first true shot at a starting role in a while – though he’ll have to beat out postseason wonder Arturs Silovs. Silovs took over for Demko in last year’s Stanley Cup Playoffs with just nine career games to his name. He’d end up playing 10 more, posting a .898 save percentage and showing plenty of ability to win games when his team needed him. Silovs will be the favorite for the starting role entering camp, but Lankinen could offer quick relief should he struggle.

Other notes from around the league:

• Sergey Fedotov, a former scout for the Russian National Team, told Russia’s Sports.ru that Colorado Avalanche winger Valeri Nichushkin will be ready to return to the NHL in November. Nichushkin entered the NHL Player’s Assistance Program in May, missing out on the bulk of the postseason after a red-hot start – nine goals and 10 points in eight games. Nichushkin scored a collective 63 points in 62 games this season and will stand as a top option in Colorado’s lineup when he returns, though speculation will remain until the team formally announces his return.
• Pittsburgh Penguins defense prospect Emil Pieniniemi – the 91st pick in the 2023 NHL Draft – has signed with the OHL’s Kingston Frontenacs for the 2024-25 season. The move kicks off his career in North America after growing up through Kärpät’s junior system and playing 39 games with the Liiga club. He scored six points in those appearances but has already looked more impressive in international play this summer – posting four points in four games during Finland’s U20 friendlies. He’ll now look to maintain that scoring momentum into the much-quicker-paced CHL next season.

Vukojevic was a third-round pick of the Devils in 2019 and turned pro early, beginning his career with the Devils’ AHL affiliate (then in Binghamton) in 2020-21 with the Ontario Hockey League pausing operations due to COVID-19. His pro career began in earnest when he signed his entry-level contract in March 2021, and he’s spent most of the past three seasons suiting up with New Jersey’s new affiliate in Utica. He never got an NHL call-up and didn’t establish himself as an AHL mainstay either, posting 10 points, 32 PIMs, and a -10 rating in 49 games last season.

The 6’3″, 216-lb left-shot defenseman now heads overseas, but at 23 years old, there’s still enough runway left in his development to attempt an NHL return somewhere down the line. He’s the second defender that Pelicans have plucked out of the AHL in the last two days, joining former Blackhawk Wyatt Kalynuk.

In 166 with the Devils’ affiliates in Binghamton and Utica over the last four seasons, Vukojevic totaled nine goals, 32 assists, 41 points, 116 PIMs, and a -10 rating. He also appeared in four games for the ECHL’s Adirondack Thunder, New Jersey’s low-level affiliate, in 2021-22.

Kalynuk, 27, spent last season with the AHL’s Springfield Thunderbirds while on a two-way contract with the Blues. He became a UFA at the end of the season after finishing fourth among Thunderbirds defenders in scoring with five goals, 13 assists and 18 points in 66 games with 65 PIMs and a -1 rating.

A seventh-round pick of the Flyers in 2017, Kalynuk spent three seasons at Wisconsin but opted not to sign with Philadelphia upon graduating. Instead, the Manitoba native inked an entry-level deal with the Blackhawks in 2020 after a junior year with the Badgers that saw him post 28 points in 36 games while serving as captain, earning Big 10 First All-Star Team honors.

Kalynuk made his NHL debut in his first professional season, suiting up in 21 games with Chicago during the abbreviated 2020-21 campaign. The left-shot defender stayed on the NHL roster or taxi squad for most of the year, doing well in a bottom-pairing role with four goals, five assists, and 25 hits while averaging 16:16 per game with a -6 rating. In his short stint with AHL Rockford that year, he was elite offensively, with 10 points in only eight games.

But things went downhill from there for Kalynuk, who played only five NHL contests the following season. His effectiveness in the minors was also diminished, but he was still Rockford’s second-highest-scoring defender with 27 points in 52 games. Still, it wasn’t enough to convince Chicago to keep him around, and they opted not to issue him a qualifying offer when his ELC expired in 2022.

Kalynuk has since played exclusively in the minors on two-way deals, suiting up for the Blues’, Canucks’ and Rangers’ primary affiliates. After failing to repeat his previous offensive success wherever he went, it’s not surprising to see the blue-liner opt for perhaps a bigger role in Finland. He leaves the AHL behind after 74 points in 187 games over the last four years.

He’ll be Pelicans’ second defenseman with NHL experience on this season’s roster, joining former Hurricane Michal Jordan. The Lahti-based club will suit up in the Champions Hockey League beginning next month after finishing as the runner-up to the Liiga championship last season.

• Former Senators center J.C. Beaudin will remain overseas this season after signing a one-year deal with Finland’s TPS, per a team announcement. Beaudin, 27, was a third-round pick of the Avalanche back in 2015 but didn’t make his NHL debut until 2019-20 with Ottawa, posting an assist and a -4 rating in 22 games. He spent the following two seasons in the AHL with Belleville and Laval before heading overseas in 2022. He signed with Grizzlys Wolfsburg of the German DEL, where he racked up 22 goals and 48 points in 90 games over the last two seasons.
• Defenseman Quinn Schmiemann is making his first jump across the pond, as Slovakia’s HC Dukla Trencin announced on Facebook that they’ve signed the 23-year-old to a one-year contract. Schmiemann was a sixth-round pick of the Lightning in 2019 out of WHL Kamloops but never signed, instead beginning his professional career in the Canucks organization on an AHL deal with Abbotsford in 2022. Schmiemann rarely got into the lineup in Abbotsford and was sent back to the Lightning organization at last season’s AHL trade deadline, finishing the season with the Syracuse Crunch. The 6’2″, 201-lb left-shot defender had four goals and 10 assists for 14 points and a +10 rating in 67 AHL games the last two years and will now head to Europe after failing to land an NHL contract.
• A potential first-round pick in next year’s draft is coming to North America. Czech forward Vit Zahejsky has signed a scholarship and development agreement with WHL Kamloops after they selected him second overall in last month’s CHL Import Draft, the team announced today. Zahejsky is one of the younger players in the 2025 class and doesn’t turn 17 until this weekend. The 5’10”, 170-lb forward spent last season in his native Czechia with HC Karlovy Vary’s U20 club, managing 19 goals and 39 points in 42 games against much older competition. He’s currently representing Czechia at this year’s Hlinka Gretzky Cup, where he has a goal and an assist in two games.

Schneider, 33, is coming off a tough campaign. The Williamsville, New York native signed on with the independent Chicago Wolves last season and was expected to be one of their top scorers, but he faltered with only 24 points (13 goals, 11 assists) in 56 games. In the two seasons prior, Schneider had served as the captain of the Predators’ affiliate in Milwaukee and put up seasons of 60 and 51 points.

Since making his AHL debut all the way back in 2012, Schneider has totaled 247 goals, 327 assists and 574 points in 776 career games. That puts him inside the top 50 in league history in both goals and appearances. But his NHL call-ups were few and far between, only appearing in a half-dozen contests with the Sabres across the 2015-16 and 2016-17 seasons, recording one assist and a +2 rating.

Schneider heads to a Storhamar team that went 33-3-9 last season and won the Norwegian Eliteserien championship, putting them in the continent-wide Champions Hockey League for 2024-25. He’s a major reinforcement for Storhamar’s first appearance in the continental cup since 2018-19. He joins former Avalanche, Blackhawks and Canadiens winger Andreas Martinsen as Storhamar’s only players with NHL experience under their belt.

More recent international signings:

• Free agent center Justin Richards is heading overseas for the first time, signing a one-year deal with Germany’s Dusseldorfer EG. The 26-year-old Orlando native spent all of last season in the minors while on a two-way deal with the Sabres and became a Group VI UFA at the end of the year. The son of former Blue Jackets head coach Todd Richards took a step back with AHL Rochester after a career-best campaign with Cleveland the year prior, only contributing 16 points (seven goals, nine assists) in 58 games with a -13 rating. Richards has two assists in three career NHL games with the Blue Jackets and Rangers across the 2020-21 and 2022-23 campaigns.
• After six years of solid play in the AHL, center Josh Melnick signed a one-year deal with Karpat of the Finnish Liiga today, per a team release. Melnick, 29, had spent the last two seasons with the Chicago Wolves and four years before that in the Stars’ system with Texas. He was signed to an NHL contract by Dallas coming out of Miami Ohio in 2019 but never got a call-up. The 5’10”, 181-lb pivot has 129 points in 300 career AHL games.

Perunovich explained how he’s changing his approach after a hardy year with the Blues lineup, adding that he’s hoping to think less and shoot more. Those certainly seem like timely changes as Perunovich approaches his 75th NHL game, still searching for his first career goal. And while goal-scoring has never been Perunovich’s forte, he did flash much more offensive upside in college, where he seemed much more confident in skating the puck across the red line and joining the offensive rush. He’s been much more pass-first at the professional level, though he’s improved his poise in sitting with the puck and waiting for opportunities to open up.

A strong start to the year could quickly earn Perunovich top-pair minutes, with Torey Krug facing injury and little competition coming from Nick Leddy or Pierre-Olivier Joseph. That could give Perunovich the groundwork for a breakout season, though he’ll need to first win out the battle for ice time.

Other notes from around the hockey world:

• The AHL’s Bakersfield Condors have hired Adam Krug as an assistant coach and Kelly Guard as a goaltending coach. Krug has spent the last decade coaching the NCAA D-III Men’s team at Adrian College, having previously captained Adrian during two seasons of his own playing career. Krug took the team to unprecedented heights, including their first D-III championship in 2022 and a second-place finish in 2023. Adrian has developed into a powerhouse of D-III hockey and a major supporter of collegiate club hockey as a whole, with their ACHA D-II team winning a championship in 2021 and also finishing second in 2023. Meanwhile, Kelly Guard moves to Bakersfield after spending 12 years as the goalie coach of the WHL’s Prince Albert Raiders. He’s overseen some impressive goalie seasons in that span – including Ian Scott’s .932 save percentage in 49 games of the 2018-19 season. He’ll look to carry that momentum into the pro level while Krug adjusts to a big jump in competition as Bakersfield makes two interesting, potentially high-impact hires.
• Former Oilers forward prospect Carter Savoie is heading overseas on a one-year contract with Liiga’s TPS, per a team announcement. Savoie, 22, didn’t receive a qualifying offer from Edmonton upon the expiration of his entry-level contract last month. The older brother of new Oilers prospect Matthew Savoie, whom they acquired via trade from the Sabres after non-tendering Carter, recorded 18 goals and 33 points in 109 games with AHL Bakersfield in parts of the last three seasons but never received an NHL call-up. Edmonton selected him 100th overall in the 2020 draft.

Hemming took the move to Finland’s top flight in stride, showing off just how physically mature his heavy, shoot-first style was. He only managed 11 points in 40 league games but showed plenty of growth as the year progressed, becoming much more confident in the defensive zone and more aggressive on offense. He curbed a meager two-point performance at the World Juniors with six points in five games at the World U18 Championships, continuing to show his strides as the season went along. All of that was enough to earn Hemming the 29th overall selection in the 2024 NHL Draft, coupling him with a Stars team that’s quickly become known for finding draft-day steals. Hemming has shown he’s sturdy enough to play at a pro level and will now join Utah prospect Cole Beaudoin and Edmonton prospect Beau Akey as some of the many heavy and physical options in Barrie.

Other notes from around the league:

• Jonatan Berggren is a bit buried down the Detroit Red Wings depth charts, but Max Bultman of The Athletic says he isn’t expecting Berggren to be traded. Instead, Bultman posits the benefits of a role reminiscent of Daniel Sprong’s role: operating on the team’s third line but still managing consistent power-play minutes. Berggren led the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins in scoring last season, netting 24 goals and 56 points. He’s also scored a commendable 17 goals and 34 points in 79 NHL games over the last two years. He’ll now have a golden chance to secure a consistent NHL role, with Sprong headed to the Vancouver Canucks on a one-year contract.
• Vancouver Canucks defense prospect Tom Willander has suffered a minor lower-body injury and won’t play at the World Junior Summer Showcase, shares Rick Dhaliwal of CHEK Sports. Willander was a surprising choice at 11th overall in the 2023 NHL Draft, though he showed top-prospect upside during his freshman year at Boston University. Willander scored 25 points in 38 games, ranking second among Terrier defensemen. With injury now holding him out of Team Sweden’s summer games, Willander will shift his focus towards a breakout sophomore season at BU, where he’ll get a full run towards the top-defender role after Lane Hutson signed his entry-level contract.
• Seattle Kraken defense prospect Lukas Dragicevic has seen his WHL rights traded from the Tri-City Americans to the Price Albert Raiders as part of a massive, seven-asset trade. Dragicevic signed his entry-level contract with Seattle in March after Tri-City missed out on the WHL playoffs. He finished the year with the Coachella Valley Firebirds, recording one assist through his first three AHL games. Prince Albert paid a hefty price for Dragicevic, suggesting that he could be set for a return to the CHL after getting a quick taste of the pros.  If that is the case, he’ll return looking to rediscover his strong scoring touch after recording 25 fewer points this season (50) than he did in 2022-23 (75).

The 28-year-old signed with Boston out of college back in 2018, spending parts of five years in their system.  In three of those seasons, he split time between them and AHL Providence before becoming a full-time NHL player in 2021-22.

That season, Kuhlman broke camp with the Bruins and got into 19 games with them before being waived in mid-January where he was claimed by Seattle.  He remained with the Kraken for the rest of that season and the beginning of 2022-23 before being waived in December, being claimed by Winnipeg.

Despite being a full-timer on the roster for two straight years, Kuhlman didn’t generate strong interest in free agency last summer, instead settling for a two-way deal with the Islanders.  While the hope was that he could push for a depth spot or at least position himself as one of the first recall options, that didn’t materialize.  Instead, he spent the entire year with AHL Bridgeport, recording 12 goals and 10 assists.

Kuhlman leaves North America with 147 career NHL games under his belt between Boston, Seattle, and Winnipeg, totaling 30 points.  He also has played in 146 AHL contests over that stretch, tallying 61 points.  Now, he’ll look to establish himself as more of an offensive threat in the Liiga and a good showing there could get him back on the North American radar next summer.