AHL Top 100 Free Agents -- The Big Board

(Credit: Christina Shapiro/Texas Stars)

When Jonathan Bombulie announced earlier this year that he was taking a job in Pittsburgh to cover the beat of the NHL version of the Penguins, one of the things that he left behind was his yearly AHL Free Agent “Big Board” which is a massive list of minor league hockey players ranked, 1-100 and beyond, that debuts right before the start of NHL Free Agency.

Well, thanks in part to the efforts of many, it lives on.

This massive, massive project, doesn’t get completed without the help of a broad spectrum of bloggers and journalists alike, from nearly every corner of the American Hockey League. Jason Iacona (Chirps from Center Ice) connected with several bloggers from throughout the AHL and what you see today is the efforts of those who lent a hand in typing up a capsule on a player from the Eastern Conference that the Western Conference never sees, or vice versa.

Before we get to the list of the Top 100 Unrestricted Free Agents, thank you to the following people…

Stephen Meserve from 100 Degree Hockey, who created the spreadsheet that everyone contributed to as well as his thoughts on the Texas Stars free agents.

Nathan Mallett from Runnin’ With the Herd, who laid the groundwork for the Top 100 list and contributed greatly to the capsules of the San Antonio Rampage as well as other teams.

Heath Sorey of Beneath the Scope, who went above and beyond the call and provided capsules for not only the Anaheim prospects of the Norfolk Admirals team he blogs for, but several other AHL teams.

Special thanks to Daniel Lavender (Admirals Roundtable) for his contributions on Milwaukee, Matt Trust (Chocolate Hockey) for Lehigh Valley and Hershey, Tracey Lake (Thoughts Inside the Box) for Albany, Eric Rodgers (Tend The Farm) for Oklahoma City, Darryl Hunt (210 Sports) for Worcester, Jenni Probst (Chasing Checkers) for Charlotte and Chris Roy (Maine Hockey Journal) for Portland.

We all hope that you enjoy the list. After the jump, dive into the Top 100 AHL Free Agents Available, then the “Best of the Rest” list below. Note that any Restricted Free Agent not tendered a qualifying offer will be added in on future edits, most likely starting tonight or by noon tomorrow, when the market goes live.

Dive in…

Rank	Name	Pos	14-15	Comments
1	Andy Miele	C	GR	Elite AHL scorer. Led a loaded Grand Rapids team with 70 points.
2	Chris Bourque	F	HFD	Perennial AHL All-star was 5th best in league in points.
3	TJ Hensick	C	HAM	Veteran that remains a premier AHL scorer who can score 20 goals in his sleep.
4	Dustin Jeffrey	C	BRI	Perennial AHL all-star who changed the complexion of the forward group. 23 points and a plus-14 in 20 games after the trade for Cory Conacher.
5	Cal O'Reilly	C	UTI	Prolific AHL scorer re-discovered the offense and led the Comets in scoring.
6	Chris Mueller	F	HFD	Another 40+ point season for longtime AHLer
7	Bobby Sanguinetti	D	UTI	Total package offensive defenseman who thrived under Travis Green's system in Utica.
8	Chris Conner	LW	HER	AHL vet not slowing down at age 31, still well over a point a game producer. Still as fast as he was five years ago.
9	Conor Sheary	F	WBS	Led Wilkes-Barre in points in regular season (20-25-45) and in playoffs (5-7-12)
10	Joe Whitney	LW	ALB	Has lead in team scoring all 4 seasons, made his second All Star appearance, and got his first NHL goal with New Jersey on New Year's Eve. Not bad for a 5'6" undrafted free agent.

Rank	Name	Pos	14-15	Comments
11	Chris Wideman	D	BNG	Reigning AHL D of the Year brings points and PIMs Signed by Ottawa 6/29
12	Jim O'Brien	C	HER	Claimed off of AHL waivers from Wilkes-Barre and caught fire with Hershey, 29 points in 32 games.
13	Jason Williams	C	OKC	First line centerman in OKC all season. 455 games of NHL experience from this vet to help teach the young prospects.
14	Greg Rallo	C	TEX	49 pts. last season for Texas was the most for Rallo since 2010-11.
15	Kevin Porter	C	GR	One of only two players to appear in every Griffins game this season. Journeyman who is good for 40 points a year.
16	Kael Mouillierat	C	BRI	Got his first taste of NHL action last season. Stats make his two-way game look worse than it was. Automatic 20-20-40 scorer.
17	Richard Bachman	G	OKC	With a young, mistake-prone D-corps in front of him last season, he single-handedly saved the Barons last season.
18	Colin McDonald	RW	BRI	One time 42 goal scorer has played about half his games in NHL but Isles' newfound depth pushed him down for half the season. Still had 35 points in 40 games for Bridgeport.
19	Dylan Reese	D	POR	Skilled and smart puck mover. Average in his own end but makes up for it with his offense.
20	Shane Harper	RW	CHI	Scored 32 goals and led the Wolves in points. One time Flyers prospect is just coming into his prime.
21	Bobby Butler	F	SA	Career season (27g-32a-59pts) cut short by Achilles injury
22	Paul Thompson	RW	ALB	Breakout year offensively saw him set a new franchise record for goals in a season (33) and make his first All Star appearance.
23	Maxime Fortunus	D	TEX	Stalwart captain recognized by the league this year as ASG captain.
24	Mike McKenna	G	POR	Put up career highs in wins, GAA, and save pct. at age 32.
25	Taylor Chorney	D	WBS	Perfect top pair D or bottom pair NHL D. Led AHL in +/- for a time in 14-15.
26	Kris Newbury	C	HER	Brings over 500 career AHL points to his next destination. 48 points in 68 games is ideal for the positive locker room asset.
27	Jayson Megna	F	WBS	Consistent at AHL level, 39 points for WBS in best year as pro.
28	Greg Zanon	D	SA	26 points in 74 games and unquestioned heart and soul of team.
29	Michael Leighton	G	RFD	22 wins and 5 shutouts for Leighton for a stingy Rockford team. Can back up in NHL or start in AHL.
30	Bryan Lerg	LW	WOR	Knee surgery didn't stop him from leading the Sharks in points (13-28-41)
31	Jeff Hoggan	LW	GR	Ironman winger with identical 14-17-31 in the past two seasons.
32	Sean Backman	RW	MCH	4th year AHLer had his best season yet, an 18-point increase from 13-14
33	Jason Akeson	RW	LV	Had his third consecutive AHL breakout season of scoring over 20 goals with the Phantoms. Likely ready for full time NHL work.
34	Mark Cundari	D	ADK	Good defender on a bad Adirondack team. Led Flames in scoring by a defenseman.
35	Tom McCollum	G	GR	Coming off two very good seasons with the Griffs. Has won 43 games over the last 2 seasons with above avg numbers.
36	Brandon DeFazio	LW	UTI	Found his scoring touch and played a key role on a Utica team that was runner-up in Calder Cup Playoffs.
37	Matt Ford	RW	OKC	Veteran winger that loves to sit in front of the goaltender. At 31, played his best two seasons of hockey the last two years.
38	Harry Zolnierczyk	LW	BRI	Best year as a pro production wise with 44 pts. in 60 games for the Sound Tigers. Played in all situations, was among the leading scorers most of the year. Injured toward the end.
39	Aaron Ness	D	BRI	Had a very good two-way season. Captain and leader of a young D that turned into a team strength. Had 28 of his 45 points at even strength; had 16 points in the last 15 games, 18 points in the last 20 games.
40	Joe Piskula	D	MIL	UFA via Nashville Predators. Was voted as captain of the Admirals last season and was the best defenseman
41	Shane O'Brien	D	SA	Led league in minor penalties taken. Still a good puck mover and physical player.
42	Danny Kristo	F	HFD	Would be a great asset for a team looking for consistent AHL scoring
43	Eric O'Dell	C	STJ	Underrated center who is injury prone that has played on some average teams.
44	Blair Jones	C	LV	Injury plagued season held him to 21 points in 33 games with LV. Still fighting for a permanent NHL roster spot with appearances in the NHL in each of the last six seasons.
45	Will O'Neill	D	STJ	Offensive defenseman who led the IceCaps in scoring.
46	Sean B. Collins	C	SPR	NHL depth winger that can get your AHL squad about 40 points a season.
47	Matt Taormina	D	WOR	Offensive defenseman that led Worcester D-men in scoring last year. Power play and OT ace. Iffy in his own end.
48	Scott Timmins	C	ALB	Injuries limited him to just 41 games, but managed to score 10 goals while playing first and second line minutes.
49	Mark Mancari	F	SA	Long-time AHL vet. Slowing down some but still a legit AHL vet who will contribute.
50	Jeremy Smith	G	PRO	Typical third goaltender on a depth chart. Will get you 20 wins and a .920 SV% consistently.
51	Adam Cracknell	RW	CHI	Veteran winger who has bounced around between Chicago and Springfield.
52	Mike Kostka	D	HFD	Seventh defenseman on your NHL team or top defenseman on your AHL squad.
53	Kyle Cumiskey	D	RFD	Responsible puck moving D man that put up 20 points for Rockford last year after coming back from overseas.
54	Nick Drazenovic	F	WBS	Injuries limited him to 28 games in 14-15. If healthy, he's a 40 point scorer.
55	Carter Camper	F	BNG	Diminutive forward is a consistent scoring threat at the AHL level
56	Colby Robak	D	NOR	Former Panthers product put up a mere 6 points in 29 games after trade to Norfolk
57	Yann Danis	G	HFD	Veteran netminder helped steward Hartford to Eastern Conference Final
58	Pat Cannone	C	CHI	One time Ottawa prospect was second in points on a good Chicago squad. Nothing flashy, solid two-way player.
59	Chad LaRose	F	CHA	After year off from hockey, tied for team lead in power play goals and ranked second on CHA in goals and points (20g, 18a) Served as an alternate captain. Fiercely competitive.
60	Brendan Bell	D	NOR	Puck-moving D spent time with Norfolk and Chicago, racking up 32 points
61	Derek Hulak	F	TEX	Excellent rookie season boosted by ATO with Cup team. Left wing who can score and has maturity thanks to college stint.
62	Steve Oleksy	D	HER	NHL prospects are fading quickly for Hershey's top defenseman last season. Named Captain mid-season.
63	Evan Oberg	D	POR	AHL journeyman who would fit on any team's blue line.
64	Justin Florek	LW	PRO	Third year pro hitting his prime. Will thrive on a top line.
65	Paul Carey	C	PRO	Offensively gifted D-man at AHL level. Scored 34 pts in 60 games between Lake Erie and Providence.
66	Steve Eminger	D	PRO	Veteran defender in the twilight of his career put up 23 points on the backend for Providence.
67	Corey Potter	D	ADK	10 points in a year that saw him called up to Calgary. 7th or 8th defenseman type who is responsible in his own end.
68	Ben Youds	D	LE	Puck moving D registered 32 points in 65 GP with PRO & LE
69	Kelly Zajac	RW	ALB	Bounced back from an injury ridden 2013-14 campaign with 8 goals and solid 4th line play.
70	Jeremy Welsh	C	CHI	Breakout year for Chicago, 41 points playing under John Anderson.
71	Kyle MacKinnon	C	STJ	Injuries limited him to 47 games for St. John's.
72	Dustin Stevenson	D	ADK	6'4 defenseman who played well in his first extended look in the AHL.
73	Scott Clemmensen	G	ALB	Veteran netminder, became the go-to starter down the stretch, winning 8 of final 11 starts.
74	Jon Landry	D	HER	Veteran defenseman played 64 games with a solid plus 24. Adds experience to any defensive core.
75	Denny Urban	D	SPR	Pittsburgh native played 31 games for Springfield last year. Middle to bottom pair defender.
76	Jake Dowell	F	HAM	Former Fred T. Hunt winner skated in every game for Hamilton. Veteran leader.
77	Stu Bickel	D	IA	Big D-man with 76 NHL games under his belt. Struggled on a terrible Iowa team.
78	Dan Ellis	G	SA	Won 22 games putting up average peripherals behind a great offensive team
79	Francis Wathier	C	POR	Heart and soul player. Signed AHL deal at the start of the 14-15 season and posted 14 pts in 68 games.
80	Terry Broadhurst	LW	CHI	Former Nebraska-Omaha product had a dip in production in 14-15 because of injury that limited him to 58 games.
81	Josh Winquist	LW	OKC	Most impressive ECHL call-up for the Barons last season. Deserves to see full-time AHL play next season.
82	Eric Tangradi	LW	HAM	Power forward with more success at AHL level than NHL.
83	Taylor Fedun	D	WOR	Offensive defenseman who is consistent in his own end. May get an extended look in an NHL camp in the Fall.
84	Andrew Bodnarchuk	D	MCH	Two-way D has provided consistent play in the AHL
85	Rob Zepp	G	LV	His fairy-tale story led to his NHL debut as a 33-year-old rookie last season. Potential full-time, backup NHL goaltender.
86	John Muse	G	CHA	Young, able goalie with an ECHL championship and NCAA trophies under his belt.
87	Kyle Hagel	LW	CHA	2014-15 AHL Community Award winner will lead a team in PIMs next year. Veteran leader mentored a young Charlotte team last year.
88	Joey Crabb	F	HFD	32-year-old Alaskan native has scored 30+ points in last two seasons.
89	Alex Grant	D	BNG	Puck moving power-play specialist with heavy shot.
90	David Leggio	G	POR	Went from worst goalie in AHL in Bridgeport then had change of scenery and became a serviceable backup with Portland.
91	Zack Stortini	RW	LV	The 29-year-old veteran journeyman / enforcer tallied an AHL career high in goals with 13 goals last season.
92	Brian Gibbons	C	SPR	Injuries limited him to about 20 NHL and 20 AHL games. Speedy winger plays fast and loose.
93	Ethan Werek	RW	PRO	Third year pro with 20 points with Providence.
94	Travis Oleksuk	C	WOR	Prospect tag is fading. Still is a solid option for AHL depth.
95	Corey Cowick	LW	SPR	Injuries limited one time Ottawa prospect to 46 games with Springfield.
96	David Warsofsky	D	PRO	Puck moving defenseman, 7th or 8th option for NHL team.
97	Marc Hagel	RW	IA	Princeton grad was one of four skaters on Iowa last year with a positive +/-.
98	Scooter Vaughn	RW	BRI	Versatile, speedy player. Has played defense; was mostly a forward (some time on the PK) but played some PP point, too; has a good shot.
99	Aaron Johnson	D	BNG	AHL/NHL veteran brings leadership and scoring.
100	Scott Munroe	G	SPR	Backed up in Springfield but still put up two shutouts and a .912 SV%. Probably a veteran backup.

Below is a list of “best of the rest” unranked chart, alphabetized of 200 or so AHL Unrestricted Free Agents.

Name	Position	14-15	Comments
Will Acton	C	UTI	Depth center that can score 20 points on a good dteam.
Alex Aleardi	C	CHA	Smaller forward spent time in ECHL and Charlotte; tied for fifth in Charlotte in goals scored. 22 years old and improving.
Bryan Allen	D	HAM	Brings NHL experience to any AHL blureline.
Mike Angelidis	F	SYR	Veteran leader of Crunch scored 20 goals in 2014-15.
Olivier Archambault	LW	IA	Depth winger that scored 20 goals for ECHL Alaska last year.
Darren Archibald	RW	UTI	Physical grinder. Career high in goals playing for Utica.
Mike Aviani	C	CHA	25 points in 54 games for the Everblades in rookie ECHL season
Drew Bagnall	D	RCH	Injuries have limited the veteran defenseman to just 92 games in the past two seasons.
Carter Bancks	RW	UTI	Winger that is responsible in his own end. Depth guy.
Cody Bass	C	RFD	AHL journeyman entering his 10th year.
Alex Biega	D	UTI	Could challenge for 7th defenseman in right organization.
Paul Bissonnette	LW	MCH	AHL's most popular free agent lead Monarchs in PIMs in 56 games.
Nicolas Blanchard	LW	STJ	Checking line forward whose defense has always been questionable.
Alex Boak	D	WBS	ECHL tweener on defense. Was 8th or 9th option in WBS.
Tory Bodie	LW	TOR	Veteran grinder with 15 points and 77 PIMs couldn't find many dance partners this season.
Jimmy Bonneau	LW	WOR	Will carry veteran tag, and with only so many of those spots for an AHL team and fighting being phased out, may not get an immediate look.
Rob Bordson	LW	CHI	One time Flyers prospect good for about 25 points a year.
Drayson Bowman	LW	HAM	33 points in his first season back in the AHL. Sixth in points on an average Hamilton team.
Chris Breen	D	PRO	Ex-Calgary prospect that had his best year as a pro with Providence.
Terry Broadhurst	LW	CHI	Numbers took a dip on an offensively gifted Wolves squad.
Joel Broda	C	HER	Played fourth liner minutes and saw fourth liner production in 53 games with Hershey.
Mathieu Brodeur	D	CHI	Depth defender that has bounced around a few AHL teams.
Tyler Brown	LW	HFD	25-year-old grinder could fill bottom-6 role next year
Chris Bruton	LW	GR	Fourth liner that can throw.
Peter Budaj	G	STJ	NHL veteran goaltender didn't win a single game in backup role for STJ last season (0-9-6)
Adam Burish	RW	WOR	His prime has come and gone. Seemed content playing in AHL Chicago.
Dane Byers	LW	HER	Veteran leader had a shoulder injury that ended his season.
Matt Carkner	D	BRI	Back injury cost him most of the year, and by the time he came back, the Islanders had their D-corps set. Was a good veteran influence in Bridgeport.
Jake Chelios	D	CHI	Depth defender that had an OK year for Chicago.
Andrew Cherniwchan	RW	PRO	20 points in 49 games split between Springfield and Providence. Can fight if needed. Depth forward.
Daniel Ciampini	LW	WOR	3-3-6 in 15 games for Worcester in first pro year.
Williw Coetzee	LW	WOR	Knee injury may delay his 2015-16 season, but a solid AHL depth player.
Adam Comrie	D	LV	18 points in 40 games in '14-15. Not responsible in his own end.
Patrice Cormier	C	STJ	Veteran center with a bad year defensively on a bad IceCaps team.
Mike Cornell	D	CHA	11 fighting majors between 3 AHL teams
Phillippe Cornet	D	HER	Unsung hero of the year for the Hershey Bears in 2014-15. Majority of his nine goals came on the power play.
Mike Corrente	D	SYR	Punishing D-man who loves to fight. Effective puck mover when he's not in the penalty box.
JP Cote	D	SYR	Veteran D who can fight and isn't a liability in his own end.
Ryan Craig	LW	SPR	Veteran leader that is an automatic 20 goal scorer.
John Curry	G	IA	Consistent 20 game winner with WBS has only won 20 games in past two seasons with Iowa.
Steven Delisle	D	LV	Stay home defenseman notched 15 points in 62 games along with 133 PIMS. Former QMJHL teammate of Claude Giroux.
Gabriel Desjardins	LW	CHA	ECHL depth winger. 74 points in the Q in '12-13.
Sean Dolan	C	CHA	50 games as a 4C for Charlotte a year ago; 20 games between Checkers and ECHL this year
Jake Dowell	F	HAM	Former Fred T. Hunt winner skated in every game for Hamilton. Veteran leader.
Davis Drewskie	D	HAM	Decent defender rounding into form. 22 points for Hamilton last year.
Matt Ellis	LW	RCH	NHL depth winger that saw equal AHL and NHL time with Buffalo and Rochester.
Travis Ehrhardt	D	UTI	Left handed bottom pair defender.
Brennan Evans	D	GR	Nothing flashy. Decent defnder.
Joe Faust	D	ALB	Rookie defenseman was limited to a 7th D role, only managed to get in 26 games but filled in admirably as needed.
Brett Findlay	LW	TOR	41 points for ECHL Orlando last year.
Joe Finley	D	HAM	6'8 defender that fights.
Brett Flemming	D	LV	AHL / ECHL tweener 23 points for ECHL Reading.
Thomas Frazee	C	CHA	Split time between 3 ECHL teams.
Kris Fredheim	D	STJ	Average defender. Nothing flashy.
Austen Fyten	LW	LV	Missed final 10 games of season with injury.
Mathieu Gagnon	LW	SPR	Injuries limited him to 20 games this year.
Brett Gallant	LW	BRI	One of the toughest, if not the toughest, pound-for-pound in the AHL. Continued to work on his two-way game and put up six points in 45 games.
Cameron Gaunce	D	TEX	Smart veteran defenseman, looking for more NHL time with any signing. Possible AHL captain.
Bruno Gervais	D	LEM	NHL veteran and Monsters captain coming off a rough season.
Colton Gillies	RW	BRI	Third-line LW and a top-pair PK forward all year. Solid veteran within that role. Started the year on a PTO.
Trevor Gillies	LW	ADK	You know what you are getting when you hand him a sweater.
Scott Glennie	RW	TEX	Scoring threat at the AHL level but never fulfilled first round promise. Injury prone.
Kevin Goumas	C	LV	Excellent skater who hasn't put it all together yet. 6 goals for LV last season.
Derek Grant	C	BNG	Could contribute 25 or so points as a depth winger
Triston Grant	LW	MIL	Veteran. Grinder. Produced a career high for goals last season.
Josh Gratton	LW	MCH	Vet is an extra forward for the fourth line
Kevin Gravel	D	MCH	2010 LA 5th rounder with a decent pro debut
Scott Greenham	G	BNG	Finished with respectable numbers on bad Binghamton team but could still see the ECHL next year.
Jason Gregoire	LW	IA	Came back from Sweden and put up so-so numbers on terrible Iowa team.
Matt Hackett	G	RCH	Average numbers on a below average Rochester team.
Michael Haley	LW	WOR	Fighter that scored 31 points this season with a -13 +/-.
Wacey Hamilton	C	UTI	Depth center whose defense improved in 41 games with Utica.
Joel Hanley	D	POR	Unknown player to start the season, but quickly became an everyday player on the blueline with 17 points in 63 games.
Dany Heatley	LW	SA	Shell of his former self. Still a net front presence, but has trouble keeping up even at AHL level.
Kevin Henderson	LW	TEX	Bottom six forward with Cup experience. Not going to be a huge scorer, but good vet presence.
Jordan Henry	D	CHA	Everblades Captain always seems to be good for a few AHL games
Brett Hextall	RW	LV	Ron's son saw his production take a dip in '14-15.
Jordan Hill	D	STJ	Depth defender who has carved out an AHL niche for teh past 5 seasons.
Alden Hirschfield	C	GR	Miami-Ohio product with more success at ECHL than AHL.
Danny Hobbs	LW	BNG	Decent ECHLer has yet to stick at the AHL level
Justin Hodgman	C	POR	Top 6 AHL center with some NHL potential. He finished 11 goals, 24 assists in 62 game.
Mike Hoeffel	LW	SPR	Checking forward that is good for 20 points a season.
Ben Holmstrom	C	CHA	Former Phantoms Captain had worst season in AHL to date
Ryan Horvat	LW	MCH	Tough customer who’s not related to Bo
Kent Huskins	D	UTI	Veteran depth defender.
Brayden Irwin	D	RCH	6'5" 28 year old D-man who has struggled to stick in the AHL full time.
Dallas Jackson	D	HFD	Defenseman continued steady play this year
Cam Janssen	RW	ALB	Veteran physical presence who is not known for offensive spark, but can provide big hits.
AJ Jenks	C	CHA	Panthers draft pick has appeared to find a home in the ECHL
Connor Jones	C	OKC	Similar style of play to his brother Kellen, played on the same line throughout most of the season.
Kellen Jones	LW	OKC	Played with a never-quit attitude, constantly back-checking, forechecking, changing momentum. High marks in a rookie season.
Nick Jones	D	WOR	Solid bottom pair defender that doesn't get beat often. Can be used on a power play.
Cory Kane	LW	PRO	Depth winger in first pro year put up close to 20 points.
Darren Kramer	LW	BNG	Kramer’s dance card is always full; lead league in PIMs
Jason LaBarbera	G	NOR	Veteran goalie is declining as he ages, former Baz Bastien Award winner could find work as a mentor to a young goalie
Hubert Labrie	D	SPR	Ex-Stars prospect had a dip in production with Springfield in '14-15.
Kane Lafranchise	D	UTI	Equal split between ECHL and AHL with more success at ECHL.
Kellen Lain	C	OKC	Traded to OKC for Will Acton, played two games before suffering a wrist injury to end his season.
Chirs Langkow	C	BRI	Came up three years ago as an offensive C. The past couple has been a 3rd/4th, PK type mostly.
Matt Lashoff	D	POR	An NHL 1st rounder that is looking to find his way back to the NHL. Acquired in trade w/ NYI, he finished with 4pts in 25 games after starting the season in Europe.
Oliver Lauridsen	D	LV	Stay-at-home defenseman missed all but one game for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms last season. 152 PIMS was most among team defensemen.
Drew LeBlanc	C	RFD	Second year center limited to 41 games because of injury.
Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond	RW	WBS	Third in AHL in PIMs (241)
Mike Liambas	LW	MIL	Scrappy. Small but can fight with the best of them. Has shown improvements every pro season.
Mark Louis	D	BRI	Was a depth defenseman after coming over from Portland for David Leggio. Played a lot on the wing.
CJ Ludwig	D	OKC	Third-pair fill-in. Played well as a 7th D, but probably needs another year in the ECHL.
Maxime Macenauer	C	HAM	Injuries limited him to 47 games last year.
Steve MacIntyre	LW	NOR	Once thought to be retired, enforcer appeared in 21 games for ECHL Utah
Matt MacKenzie	D	RCH	Defender that rode the AHL / ECHL seesaw last season.
Daniel Maggio	D	LE	Punishing D-man had 215 PIM in just 48 GP
Jeff Malcolm	G	HFD	Yale alum looks like another candidate for the ECHL
Denver Manderson	D	TOR	Typical bottom end defender with better success in ECHL.
Kevin Marshall	D	BNG	Left handed 26 year old defender.
Steve Mastalerz	G	MCH	4 okay years at UMass Amherst
Jamie McBain	D	MCH	Emergency defenseman played 26 games for LA, could be headed back to NHL
John McCarthy	LW	CHI	Boston native, bottom six forward.
Nathan McIver	D	NOR	Tough guy played both bottom-pairing defense and bottom-line forward this year
Chris McKelvie	LW	ALB	Injuries limited him to 56 games, but played well with 4th line minutes and was an assistant captain.
Frazer McLaren	LW	TOR	NHL veteran limited to 28 games in the past two seasons.
Alex McPherson	C	RCH	23 points for ECHL Elmira last year.
Phillip McRae	C	CHI	Fifth in points on a loaded Chicago team. Defense is a question.
Brad Mill	C	BNG	Mills drops the gloves but can also score
Zach Miskovic	D	RFD	Spent 2014-15 season in Icehog's bottom pairing after jumping around AHL previous year.
Domenic Monardo	RW	SPR	10 goals for Springfield last year in first full year pro.
Mike Moore	D	HER	Princeton grad had a solid bounce back after missing the first half of the season with an injury. Finished the campaign with 14 points in 41 games with the Bears.
Patrick Mullen	D	BNG	Consistent two-way player at AHL level
John Negrin	D	UTI	Reserve defender.
Chad Nehring	C	HFD	ECHL vet made AHL debut with 12 points in 53 games for Hartford
Greg Nemisz	RW	CHA	2008 Flames 1st rounder can’t stay healthy and missed most of the year
Zach O'Brien	F	MCH	2nd-year player should be in line for a 2-way deal
Shawn O'Donnell	RW	HFD	Typical fourth liner.
Colton Orr	RW	TOR	Pair of fists.
Nathan Paetsch	D	GR	Effective puck mover. Will his legal troubles scare teams away?
Trevor Parkes	RW	WOR	Speedy physical type that can score.
Stephane Pattyn	C	CHA	North Dakota product with 14 and 16 points last two NCAA seasons
Reid Petryk	C	LEM	First year player had better AHL numbers than ECHL
Brett Ponich	D	SPR	105 PIMs led Springfield in that department.
Darroll Powe	C	LV	Two concussions in one season held him to 43 games with five goals, and may strongly jeopardize his future in professional hockey.
Kevin Raine	D	MCH	Hard-nosed, old-school defender.
Evan Rankin	RW	RCH	Production took a dip with a below average Rochester team.
Joel Rechlicz	RW	IOWA	Offensively challenged penalty machine. Remains to be seen if his style has a place in today's AHL.
Brett Regner	D	CHI	Breakout season for Chicago's blueline. 29 points, +21 +/-.
Blair Riley	RW	STJ	Scrapper that can score 20 points easily.
Bobby Robins	RW	PRO	Scrapper limited to five games last season, cut short by concussion.
Jay Rosehill	LW	LV	Plays enforcer role which has led him to 117 career NHL games. 219 PIMS in 65 games with Lehigh Valley in 2014-15 nearly matched a career high set in 2008-09 of 221.
Andrew Rowe	LW	CHA	Prolific ECHL scorer was big part of SC’s run to Kelly Cup Finals
Kenny Ryan	RW	LEM	2009 2nd round draft pick put up 29 points in first season with Monsters
Cameron Schilling	D	HER	Played four games for WSH last season. Three goals in the regular season in 63 games an three goals in the postseason in 10 games.
Ryan Schnell	LW	RFD	24 games, 71 PIMs for Rockford last year.
Michael Schumacher	LW	LEM	46 points in first two pro seasons.
Keith Seabrook	D	RFD	Brent's little brother has struggled to establish himself as a player in North America.
Eric Selleck	LW	POR	Known as a fighter, but brings underrated skill as well. Career high 23 pts this season.
Tim Sestito	C	ALB	Solid season saw him score 10 goals and have the most trips south to New Jersey.
Tom Sestito	LW	UTI	May retire. Played just 10 games for Utica last year.
Devin Setoguchi	RW	ADK	Former 1st rounder who has bounced between 4 NHL teams in 5 years.
C.J. Severyn	LW	LEM	Has played for 6 teams between ECHL/AHL in 4 pro seasons.
Bobby Shea	D	HAM	146 PIMs split between ECHL and AHL
Jamie Sifers	D	SPR	Appeared in every game for Springfield last year putting up 22 points.
Frankie Simonelli	D	PRO	Right handed D played 36 games for Providence in his first year pro.
Dalton Smith	LW	SYR	Grinder that can score, had 11 goals that went along with a -13.
Nick Sorkin	RW	HAM	Rookie who put up 25 points for an average Hamilton team. On a better team, could have career year.
Jordan Southorn	D	POR	AHL depth player that can fill holes in all areas of the blueline. Showed promised on the power play where he proved to be an effective quarterback.
Tim Spencer	LW	HER	Career AHL/ECHL tweener. The enforcer saw an increase in scoring production with ECHL South Carolina this season. He posted eight goals, 17 points in 33 games.
Steve Spinnell	D	HFD	Stay-at-home rearguard appeared in just 3 playoff games after 52 appearances in regular season
Frederic St. Denis	D	SPR	Responsible, puck moving defender who is good for 20 points a season.
Dave Steckel	C	NOR	Face-off specialist captained Norfolk this year; is not the offensive force in the AHL he used to be
Stevenson, Dustin	D	ADK	Another big D-man who played well in his first extended look in the AHL.
CJ Stretch	C	OKC	Had a good season going in Bridgeport, but couldn't quite get it going in his second stint in OKC.
Colin Stuart	LW	PRO	Veteran winger with a Calder Cup under his belt is probably good for 20 points again.
Lukas Sutter	C	BRI	Didn't play much, and that mostly on the fourth line. Was ECHL Stockton's all-star. Was an Islanders draft pick playing on an AHL deal; they didn't agree on a contract for next year.
Danny Syvret	D	WBS	His -26 was two stokes off of Scott Kosmachuk's AHL worst -28.
Brad Thiessen	G	ADK	Went 10-16-7 playing as a backup for Adirondack in first full season back from overseas.
Matthew Tousignant	C	ADK	Bottom six pest role player. Has racked up 294 PIM over last two seasons.
Corey Trivino	C	POR	Depth player that filled in nicely for the Pirates when injuries arose. He’s likely to remain in that role for 15-16.
Evan Trupp	C	WOR	Solid AHLer with upside.
Tony Turgeon	LW	SA	50 PIM in 18 GP. Nothing more than a pair of fists
Denny Urban	D	SPR	Pittsburgh native played 31 games for Springfield last year. Middle to bottom pair defender.
Justin Vaive	LW	HFD	First full AHL season for Vaive, who provided Pack with 32 points in 62 games
Scott Valentine	D	TEX	Gritty d-man. Spent time in ECHL to start 14-15 but belongs in the AHL, not a lot of points, but a good presence
David Van der Gulick	LW	MCH	Solid AHL 3rd liner
Mark Van Guilder	C	MIL	UFA via Nashville Predators. Veteran. Great leader, penalty killer, and faceoff man. Aging.
Taylor Vause	C	ADK	Speedy center with good two-way talent. Likely AHL two-way.
Stephane Veilleux	LW	IA	Veteran winger caught on a terrible Iowa team.
Trent Vogelhuber	C	SPR	Checking line center scored career high 16 points last season.
Ben Walker	RW	STJ	Minnesota native usually good defensively, was -14 for the IceCaps this season.
Dane Walters	RW	RFD	Western Michigan grad, ECHL depth.
Ryan Walters	LW	IA	43 points for ECHL Alaska last year.
Francis Wathier	C	POR	Heart and soul player. Signed AHL deal at the start of the 14-15 season and posted 14 pts in 68 games.
Patrick Watling	C	TOR	28 points split between 53 AHL / ECHL games in Toronto organization last year.
Will Weber	D	SPR	Injuries limited him to 30 games last year.
Brad Winchester	LW	NOR	Injured most of the year, AHL vet only appeared in 36 games between Norfolk and OKC
Jamie Wise	LW	RFD	Depth winger. 52 games, 15 points between AHL and ECHL.
David Wohlberg	LW	ALB	3rd year player had trouble getting into the lineup at times due to so many forwards, but did manage 5 goals in 49 games and a career high +7 while playing mostly 3rd/4th line minutes.
Gus Young	D	WOR	Rocksteady AHL defender that could command bottom pairing on an NHL squad.
Darcy Zajac	RW	ALB	Bounced back from an injury ridden 2013-14 campaign with 8 goals and solid 4th line play.

This list will be updated as Free Agency wears on. Feel free to add your comments on if you agree / disagree with these Rankings.