2022 San Jose Barracuda Offseason Player Tracker

SEASON SYNOPSIS

The San Jose Barracuda had a less than stellar 2021-22 season, finishing last in the league with a 20-42-4-2 record. It didn’t help that they had the longest winless streak of the season — from March 22 to April 23, the Barracuda played 15 games and lost every single one of them.

It wasn’t all bad for the Barracuda. They finished the season ninth in the league on the power play. 

Forward Joachim Blichfeld stood out on the stat sheet above his teammates in almost every category. He led the team in points (45), goals (24), and power play goals (12).

Even though Blichfeld stood out on the team, forward John Leonard was the only player named AHL Player of the Week for the Barracuda. He earned the honor on March 7 after scoring five goals in three games. During that week, Leonard earned his first pro hat trick.

Alexei Melnichuk spent 31 games between the pipes for San Jose. Statistically, it wasn’t the best showing as he posted a 3.92 goals against average and .867 save percentage. No other goaltender on the team had below a 3.06 GAA during the 2021-22 season.

(List accurate as of January 3rd, 2023 at 6:00pm PT)

UNDER CONTRACT AND RE-SIGNINGS

Forwards

• Thomas Bordeleau – Second-to-last year of entry-level contract
• Daniil Gushchin – First year of entry-level contract
• Dillon Hamaliuk  – Second-to-last year of entry-level contract
• Timur Ibragimov  – Last year of entry-level contract*
• Adam Raska  – Second-to-last year of entry-level contract 
• Scott Reedy – Last year of entry-level contract
• Jeffrey Viel – Last year of NHL contract
• Jasper Weatherby – Last year of entry-level contract

Defensemen

• Santeri Hatakka  – Second-to-last year of entry-level contract
• Patrick Holway – Last year of AHL contract
• Artemi Kniazev – Second-to-last year of entry-level contract
• Ryan Merkley – Last year of entry-level contract
• Nick Cicek – Signed two-year, two-way NHL contract on April 11
• Jaycob Megna  – Signed two-year, one-way NHL contract extension on May 9
• Montana Onyebuchi – Signed one-year AHL contract extension on June 21

Goaltenders

• Zacharie Émond – Last year of entry-level contract

* – Contract includes European Assignment Clause, detailed in Article 11 – 11.19 of the NHL Collective Bargaining Agreement — “The SPC of any Player may contain a clause that provides that, in the event his NHL Club Loans the Player to a club outside the NHL, during the period of such Loan, the Player shall have the option to be Loaned to a club of his choice outside North America.”

NEW ADDITIONS

Forwards

• Brandon Coe – Second-to-last year of entry-level contract (played for the North Bay Batallion of the OHL in 2021-22)
• Tristen Robins – First year of entry-level contract (played for the Saskatoon Blades in 2021-22)
• Ozzy Wiesblatt – First year of entry-level contract (played for the Prince Albert Raiders of the WHL in 2021-22)
• Max Veronneau – Signed a one-year, two-way NHL contract on April 14 (played for Leksands IF of the SHL in 2021-22)
• Mitchell Russell  – Signed a three-year, entry-level contract on May 19 (played for North Bay Battalion of the OHL in 2021-22) 
• Andrew Agozzino – Signed a two-year, two-way NHL contract on July 14 (played for the Ottawa & Belleville Senators in 2021-22)
• C.J. Suess – Signed a one-year, two-way NHL contract on July 14 (played for Winnipeg and the Manitoba Moose in 2021-22)
• Patrick McGrath – Signed an AHL contract on August 3 (played for the Utica Comets and ECHL’s Adirondack Thunder in 2021-22)
• Luke Johnson – Signed an AHL contract on August 10 (played for the Manitoba Moose in 2021-22)
• Evgeny Svechnikov – Signed a one-year, two-way NHL contract on September 3 (played for the Winnipeg Jets in 2021-22)
• Mark Liwiski – Signed an AHL contract on September 28 (played for the Kelowna Rockets of the WHL in 2021-22)

Defensemen

• Derrick Pouliot – Signed an AHL contract on August 10 (played for Seattle & Vegas and the Henderson Silver Knights in 2021-22)
• Billy Constantinou – Signed an AHL contract on October 13 (played for AHL Chicago and the ECHL’s Iowa Heartlanders, Atlanta Gladiators, & Wichita Thunder in 2021-22)
• Patrick Sieloff – Signed an AHL contract on October 13 (played for Kölner Haie of the DEL in 2021-22)

Goaltenders

• Strauss Mann – Signed a one-year, entry-level contract on April 19 (played for Skellefteå AIK in the SHL in 2021-22)
• Aaron Dell  – Signed a one-year, two-way NHL contract on July 13 (played for Buffalo and the Rochester Americans in 2021-22) 
• Eetu Makiniemi – Traded to the San Jose Sharks from Carolina with forward Steve Lorentz and a conditional 2023 third round selection for defenseman Brent Burns and forward Lane Pederson on July 13

DEPARTURES

Forwards

• Joachim Blichfeld – Signed a two-year contract with Växjö Lakers HC of the SHL on June 8 (not extended qualifying offer on July 11)
• Joseph Garreffa – Signed with HK Olimpija Ljubljana of the ICEHL on July 22
• John Leonard – Traded to Nashville with a third round pick in 2023 for Luke Kunin on July 8 (given one-year, two way contract extension on July 18)
• Krystof Hrabik – Signed a one-year contract with HC Plzen of Czechia on May 4
• Kyle Topping – Signed a one-year contract with HC La Chaux-de-Fonds of the Swiss League on June 15
• Lane Pederson – Traded to Carolina with Brent Burns for forward Steve Lorentz, goaltender Eetu Makiniemi, and a conditional third-round pick in the 2023 NHL draft on July 13
• Mason Jobst – Signed a one-year AHL contract with the Rochester Americans on July 14
• Sasha Chmelevski – Signed a one-year contract with Salavat Yulaev Ufa of KHL on July 26
• Antoine Morand  – Signed with Augsburger Panther of the DEL on July 27
• Jayden Halbgewachs – Signed a one-year contract with Växjö Lakers HC of the SHL on September 6
• Jake McGrew  – Signed a one-year contract with AIK of HockeyAllsvenskan on September 12
• Evan Weinger – Signed a PTO with San Diego on October 3; re-assigned to the ECHL’s Tulsa Oilers on October 13
• Zachary Gallant – Committed to McGill University (USports) for 2023-24 on January 3, 2023 (not extended qualifying offer on July 11)
• Steenn Pasichnuk – Did not play in 2022-23

Defensemen

• Anthony Bitetto – Signed a one-year, two-way NHL contract with Florida on July 13
• Cole Moberg – Signed an ECHL contract with the Florida Everblades on August 25
• Brinson Pasichnuk – Listed with the NCHL’s Bonnyville Pontiacs on October 17

Goaltenders

• Alex Stalock – Signed a one-year, two-way NHL contract with the Chicago Blackhawks on July 13
• Zachary Sawchenko – Signed a one-year, two-way NHL contract with Carolina (not extended qualifying offer on July 11)

(Special thanks to CapFriendly and Elite Prospects for all the contract terms and definitions for this offseason player tracker!)

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Other 2022 AHL Off Season Trackers :

Pacific

• Abbotsford Canucks

• Bakersfield Condors

• Calgary Wranglers

• Coachella Valley Firebirds

• Colorado Eagles

• Henderson Silver Knights

• Ontario Reign

• San Diego Gulls

• San Jose Barracuda

• Tucson Roadrunners

 

Central

• Chicago Wolves

• Grand Rapids Griffins

• Iowa Wild

• Manitoba Moose

• Milwaukee Admirals

• Rockford IceHogs

• Texas Stars

 

North

• Belleville Senators

• Cleveland Monsters

• Laval Rocket

• Rochester Americans

• Syracuse Crunch

• Toronto Marlies

• Utica Comets

 

Atlantic

• Bridgeport Islanders

• Charlotte Checkers

• Hartford Wolf Pack

• Hershey Bears

• Lehigh Valley Phantoms

• Providence Bruins

• Springfield Thunderbirds

• Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins