Gawanke has spent the entirety of the season with the San Jose Baracuda of the AHL, tallying 27 points (8G / 19A) in 38 games. The 24-year-old was the fifth-round pick of the Winnipeg Jets in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft. He will return to Germany and will play for Adler Mannheim.

Gawanke was acquired in a trade for Artemi Kniazev late last week and has now signed a one-year, two-way contract extension worth $775,000 with San Jose. The 24-year-old is coming off an incredibly strong season in Manitoba (AHL) where he had 20 goals, 25 assists, 51 PIMs and a -6 plus/minus through 68 games played in 2022-23.

Gawanke, 19, was a fifth-round pick (No.136 overall) in 2017 and signed after his third season with Cape Breton (QMJHL), where he had 17 goals and 40 assists (57 points) in 62 games this season.