Drysdale missed 74 games in 2022-23 after suffering a torn labrum in his left shoulder but has signed a three-year deal worth $6.9 million ($2.3M AAV) with Anaheim. The 21-year-old was limited to only eight games last season and failed to pick up a point while posting a -3 plus/minus with two PIMs. He was Anaheim's 2020 first-round pick (6th overall) and has seven goals, 40 points, 24 PIMs and a -41 plus/minus through 113 games played across three NHL seasons.
Bjarnason was Philadelphia's 2023 second-round pick (51st overall) and has signed a three-year, entry-level contract worth $2,850,000 ($950,000 AAV). The 18-year-old goaltender went 21-19-5 with a .900 SV% and a 3.08 GAA with Brandon (WHL) in 2022-23. He also represented Canada at the Under-18 World Championships this offseason where he led the squad with a 4-2-0 record, .849 SV% and 3.51 GAA.
Frost had 19 goals, 27 assists, 155 SOG, 24 PIMs, and a -12 plus/minus through 81 games in 2022-23 and has signed a two-year, $4.2 million extension ($2,100,00 AAV). The 24-year-old took a big leap forward last season after never averaging more than 14 ATOI as he bumped his totals to 16:20 TOI and played 26 more games than his previous high. After being drafted in the 1st round of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft (27th overall) Frost has amassed 26 goals, 69 points, 271 SOG, and 42 PIMS across 158 games and five four seasons.
Bonk was drafted by Philadelphia in the 1st round of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft (22nd overall) and has signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Flyers worth $950,000 AAV. The 18-year-old son of NHL legend Radek Bonk, had 10 goals, 30 assists, 38 PIMs, and a +17 plus/minus through 67 games with London (OHL) in 2022-23. He is expected to return to London for the 2023-24 season.
Rizzo had 17 goals, 29 assists, 14 PIMs and a +24 plus/minus through 38 games with the University of Denver (NCAA) in 2022-23 and has had his rights traded alongside a 2025 fifth-round pick to the Philadelphia Flyers for the rights to David Kase. The 22-year-old centre has improved his prospect status exponentially after being drafted in the seventh-round of the 2019 NHL Draft (216th overall) by the Flyers.
Kase had six goals, eight assists, eight PIMs and a -2 plus/minus in 25 games with HC Sparta Praha (Czechia) in 2022-23 and has had his rights traded to Philadelphia for the rights to Massimo Rizzo and a 2025 fifth-round pick. The 26-year-old Czech forward last played in the NHL for the Flyers in 2020-21 where he only played one game but he has a goal and five SOG through seven career NHL games in two seasons.
Ersson was 6-3-0 with a .899 SV% and 3.07 GAA in his first NHL season in 2022-23 and signed a two-year, $2.9 million contract extension ($1,450,000 AAV) with the Flyers. The 23-year-old netminder was Philadelphia's 2018 fifth-round pick (143rd overall) and made his NHL debut in 2022-23. He will be expected to spend the entire season with the Flyers in 2023-24.
Thompson announced Thursday that he is bringing an end to his 15-year NHL career which ends with 65 goals, 99 assists, 906 SOG, 401 PIMs and a -67 plus/minus through 844 games played. The 28-year-old was drafted by Boston in the sixth-round of the 2003 NHL Draft (183rd overall) and represented 10 NHL teams throughout his career.
York had two goals, 18 assists, 42 SOG, 18 PIMs and a -1 plus/minus through 54 games in 2022-23 with Philadelphia and has signed a two-year, $2.6 million extension ($1,300,000 AAV). The 22-year-old defender was Philadelphia's 2019 first-round pick (14th overall) and has five goals, 25 assists, and 76 SOG throughout his 87 career NHL games in three seasons.
Cates had 13 goals, 25 assists, 107 SOG, 12 PIMs and a +3 plus/minus through 82 games with his first full season in Philadelphia in 2022-23 and has signed a two-year, $5.25 million contract extension ($2,625,000 AAV) after reaching an agreement pre arbitration. The 24-year-old was Philadelphia's 2017 fifth-round pick (137th overall) and has 18 goals and 47 points across 98 career games.
Gleason had nine goals, 24 assists, 40 PIMs and a +2 plus/minus through 68 games with Texas (AHL) in 2022-23 and has signed a two-year, $1.550 Million contract ($775,000) with Edmonton. The 25-year-old undrafted offensive defensemen's only appearance in the NHL was in 2018-19 with Dallas, where he had an assist, two SOG and a -1 plus/minus.
Hathaway had 13 goals, nine assists, 88 SOG, 69 PIMs and a +5 plus/minus through 74 games played with both Boston and Washington in 2022-23 and has agreed to a two-year contract worth $4.75 million ($2.375M AAV) with Philadelphia. The 31-year-old right winger is set to join his fourth NHL team, bringing 58 goals and 122 points through 457 career games played.
Richard has bounced around AHL teams in recent years, playing for Milwaukee, Chicago, Syracuse and Laval since 2020. This year he'll likely start the season and spend most of the year in Providence. He led the Laval Rocket in goals (30), assists (37) and points (67) last year.
Gardner had 10 goals, 30 assists, 75 PIMs and a +26 plus/minus through 71 games with Texas (AHL) in 2022-23 and has signed a two-year, two-way contract worth $1.55 million ($775,000 AAV). The 27-year-old left-winger last played in the NHL in 2021-22 with Dallas, and has a goal and an assist across 40 career NHL games.
Poehling had seven goals, seven assists, 64 SOG, eight PIMS and a -2 plus/minus through 53 games with Pittsburgh in 2022-23 and has signed a one-year deal worth $1.4 million with Philadelphia. The 24-year-old centre was selected in the first-round of the 2017 draft by Montreal (25th overall) and has scored 20 goals and 36 points in 138 career NHL games played.
Johnson spent the last 13 years in Colorado, but lands in Buffalo on a one-year deal, where he will help mentor some of their young defensemen like Owen Power. In 2023, Johnson had just eight assists, 102 blocked shots and 121 hits in 63 games with the Avalanche.
Makiniemi played in two NHL games in 2022-23, with a 1-0-1 record, 2.13 GAA and .906 SV% with San Jose and has signed a one-year, $775,000 contract extension. The 24-year-old goaltender was Carolina's 2017 fourth round pick (104th overall) and made his NHL debut in 2022-23 with the Sharks.
Belpedio had eight goals, 19 assists, 81 PIMs and a -1 plus/minus through 70 games with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms (AHL) and has signed a two-year, two-way contract ($775,000 AAV) through 2024-25. The 27-year-old journeyman has played in four NHL games across his career, picking up two assists.
The Predators retained 50% of Johansen's contract in the deal, so he will carry a $4.0M AAV cap-hit for the next two seasons. Johansen is coming off of a difficult season, posting 12 goals and 16 assists (28 points) across 55 games for the Predators. Johansen should fill serve as Colorado's No.2 centre behind Nathan MacKinnon.
Grans has been traded to Philadelphia as part of a three-team blockbuster trade involving Columbus and five players and three draft picks. The 21-year-old was Los Angeles 2020 second round pick (35th overall) and had two goals, seven assists, 22 PIMs and a -8 plus/minus through 59 games played with Ontario (AHL) in 2022-23.