- Ryan Murphy, 28, is a 2011 1st round selection of the Carolina Hurricanes. He is an 8-yr pro. 2019-20 was played in the KHL and he started 2020-21 on loan in the KHL, but returned to play with AHL Henderson, The man puts up points in the AHL, .63PPG in 232 GP, with 27Pts/37 GP last season. At the same time his -33 career totals inthe AHL indicates he might not be a defensive stalwart. Would gues NJ isn't bent on trying to get him back in the fold.
- Darren Raddysh, 25, is an undrafted career AHLer in his 4 pro seasons. With 228 GP he would not be a veteran by AHL rules. I've had minimal exposure to him in his time with Hartford but I don't recall him at all. He's a .42 PPG player. He wore an "A" last year in Hartford.
- Mitch Reinke was a first pairing for the Comets last season and was a St. Louis prospect. They burned a year off his 2 yr ELC contract with a game in St Louis when he came out of Michigan Tech at the end of the 2017-18 season, thus his ELC only lasted for 1 year. He has received a 1-yr 2 way the last 2 seasons. He is an undrafted 25 yr-old and with only 141 +2 NHL GP would not be a veteran by AHL standards.
He can QB a PP but if the Devils have a d-man they think would be their man, he could be the #2 QB. He has an offensive side to his game. He has been a .56 PPG player over his 3 seasons in the AHL. I think there will better options available, but he would easily fit somewhere in the Comets top 6.
- Cameron Gaunce has been effective for several franchises and has had NHL cups of coffee for Colorado, Dallas, Pittsburgh, and Tampa Bay. He was a 2nd round selection by Colorado in 2008. He has become a very successful journeyman AHL D-man hiring out his skills to the highest bidder in recent seasons. At 31 with 670 GP + 37 NHL GP, he would be a veteran. He's worn an "A" in Portland, Syracuse (2018-19), and Ontario (2020-21)
He puts up points (.39 PPG in 670 AHL GP, but his last 2 seasons in Syracuse he recorded .70PPG) and plays a solid game on D. Again +/- is not a true indicator of Player's game but having a +114 for his career and the only - season he recorded was a -8 in 2012-13. Having watched him with Texas, W-B/Scranton, Cleveland, and Syracuse I believe he would be a veteran asset.
- Watched Derrick Pouliot, a 2012 1st round selection of the Penguins, stink up the ice in Vancouver for 2 seasons. He's puts up points in the AHL (.62 PPG), but still stinks defensively. There are and have been many of these guys in the AHL with TJ Brennan and Adam Clendening serving as examples. He has always signed 2-way contracts and after failing to do the job in the NHL ended up with the AHL affiliate. The exception was Vancouver where his sorry ass was used for 2 seasons where he failed to pile up points and was a defensive disaster. He will turn 28 in Jan and with the last one paying him $425K to play in AHL Ontario. His 197 AHL GP + 202 NHL GP make him a veteran by AHL rules.
- Calle Rosen is a 27 yr-old undrafted former AHL All-Star, a Calder cup champ with the Toronto Marlies, a .53 PPG player, and a consistent annual - defeneder. 181 AHL GP + 20 NHL GP + 96 SHL GP combined would make him Veteran Exempt by AHL rules.
- Cameron Schilling has become a journeyman AHL defender. He was an undrafted player out of NCAA Miami of Ohio but signed as a UFA by the Washington Caps. He spent 3 years with Washington playing all but 6 games with AHL Hershey. he moved on to Chicago on another 2-way contract and played 2 seasons in AHL Rockford. Then 3 years with Winnipeg spent in AHL Manitoba on 3 more 2-way seasons. Finally wound up back in Hershey on another 2-way signed by Washington. He's 32 and keeps getting 2-way contract while spending almost no time in the NHL. His 10 yr AHL PPG is .35. He must have some kind of talent or NHL teams wouldn't keep giving him multiple year 2-ways. I must admit to not have any idea of how well he plays or doesn't.This man is an AHL Veteran. He wore an "A" in Manitoba (2018-19) and in Hershey (2020-21).
- Joe Hicketts, 25 yr-old undrafted D-man, was signed by Detroit as a free agent out of Jrs. and has spent his 5 years in pro hockey in the Detroit organization. All but 22 of his GP have been with the AHL Grand Rapids Griffins. He has posted a .41 PPG. I've never seen him play. With 286 AHL GP + 22 NHL GP he is a Veteran Exempt by AHL rules. Not the kind of guy you take to eat up a VE spot.
- Jimmy Schuldt, at 26, is only a 3rd year pro after 4 seasons at NCAA St. Cloud State. He was not drafted, but Vegas signed him to an ELC as a free agent. He spent both seasons in the AHL except the one game in Vegas to burn a year off his contract when he first signed. He has scored at .39PPG in 90 GP. He would not have veteran status. I know zip about this guy.
- Gavin Bayreuther was selected by Seattle in the expansion draft.
- Dillon Simpson, 28, was a 2011 4th round selection of the Edmonton Oilers. In 8 years of pro hockey he has played 3 games in the NHL. His 402 AHL GP makes him a Veteran based upon AHL rules. He's a .31 PPG D-man. He played against the Comets with the Oklahoma City Barons in the 2015 playoffs. He was okay, but nothing all that impressive .He was pointless, didn't commit a penalty, and was -2 in the Comets 4-3 series win. He has spent the last 3 seasons with the Cleveland Barons and wore an "A" the last 2. Last year was his first on an AHL contract. All the other seasons he was on NHL 2-ways. Apparently he has become a wasted contract for the NHL. His point totals say he is more of a defensive D-man. The fact he has worn the "A" says he must have some kind of leadership qualities.
- Robbie Russo, 28, was a 4th round selection of the New York Islanders. He played 4 years at NCAA Notre Dame. The islanders didn't sign him, but he was signed as a free agent out of college in 2015 to a 2-yr ELC by the Detroit Red Wings. He played for AHL Grand Rapids for 3 seasons and was then traded to the Arizona Coyotes where he played 2 years for the AHL Tuscon Roadrunners. Last season no NHL team offered and he signed a PTO with AHL San Jose. He was selected to the AHL All Rookie team in 2015 and selected to the 2016-17 AHL All-Star Team. He wore an "A" in his 2 seasons in Tuscon. After 5 years with 2 NHL organizations he couldn't find another NHL taker. He's now on the route of AHL journeyman if he can find an AHL team with interest. He is a .5 PPG for his AHL career, which says he has a better than average PPG/offensive side than the average AHL journeyman AHLer.
- Ryan Stanton, 32, played 2 of his 11 seasons in the NHL with the Vancouver Canucks in 2013-14 and 2014-15. The other 9 years have all been in the AHL. The Comets played Hershey 4 times in 2015-16. Those are the only games Stanton could have played against the Comets. Stanton is a defensive D-man. He's worn and "A" the last 2 seasons in Ontario and Bakersfield. They are also the only 2 of his 11 seasons that he has been on AHL contracts. He would obviously have AHL Vetera status. Since those 2 years in Vancouver he has played for 5 different AHL teams.
Devante Stevens, 24, was a 2015 5th round selection of the Buffalo Sabres. He has played 4 pro seasons and all 4 have been split between the AHL and the ECHL with Rochester/Cincinnati and Syracuse/Orlando. He's played 71 AHL games and has recorded a .24 PPG. He is not a player I'd even consider.
Cameron Gaunce would be a good guy to bring in. After him this isn't an A-list.
Reinke wouldn't be bad.
Schilling and Russo might be worth a shot if push comes to shove.
Aside from Gaunce I'm working off stats and a few other factors like number of years on NHL 2-ways, wearing the "A" , etc.
I want to see the list of AHL availables, NHL UFAs that their teams have given up on, and those that are waived later on. Better choices will be coming up.
