2023 Ontario Reign Offseason Player Tracker

SEASON SYNOPSIS

The Ontario Reign struggled this season, finishing the year with a record of 34-32-5-1, placing them sixth in the Pacific Division. While they opened the season strong, several late-season losing streaks — including a 10-game streak in February and March — drove the Reign down in the standings. 

Their league-leading power play from the 2021-22 season wasn’t able to find its top form again. Ontario finished the season with a 22.2% success rate on the man advantage, placing them seventh in the AHL. The penalty kill was excellent, however. They finished the season with an 84.4% success rate, good for second in the league. 

Scoring in general was a problem for the Reign. Their 206 goals in the regular season was among the worst, placing them 27th in the league. 

The playoffs did not treat the Reign well, either. For the second year in a row, they were swept by the Colorado Eagles. They scored no power play goals and allowed goals on all three penalty kills. 

Captain T.J. Tynan led the team in scoring with 81 points in 72 games. His 73 assists were the most in the AHL. Tynan is the second player in league history to lead the league in assists in three separate seasons. He previously accomplished the feat in the 2021-22 and 2018-19 seasons. 

Ontario had hoped for breakout seasons from forwards Alex Turcotte and Akil Thomas. However, both spent the majority of the season injured. Turcotte was limited to just 32 games; Thomas played 13 before being shut down for season-ending surgery. 

Goaltending also took an unexpected turn for the Ontario Reign. They had expected to use a tandem of Matt Villalta and Pheonix Copley. However, Cal Petersen‘s struggles in the NHL resulted in a swap of veteran goaltenders. The organization hoped that Petersen would rediscover his game in the AHL. He did not bounce back as expected, though. Meanwhile, Copley excelled in the first lengthy NHL stint of his career. Villalta, who was in a position to take on more starts this year, was put in the back seat in favor of Petersen. 

The Kings did not offer Villalta a qualifying offer and he left in free agency. That turns the Reign’s net over to veteran David Rittich and newcomer Erik Portillo.

(List accurate as of Sept. 20th, 3:20pm PT)

UNDER CONTRACT AND RE-SIGNINGS

Forwards

• Martin Chromiak — Second-to-last year of entry-level contract
• Samuel Helenius — First year of entry-level contract (entry-level slide)
• Alex Laferriere — Second-to-last year of entry-level contract
• Andre Lee — Last year of entry-level contract
• Alex Turcotte — Last year of entry-level contract
• T.J. Tynan — Last year of one-way NHL contract
• Taylor Ward — Signed a one-year, two-way NHL contract extension on June 30
• Samuel Fagemo — Signed a one-year, two-way NHL contract on July 6
• Tyler Madden — Signed a one-year, two-way NHL contract on July 6
• Akil Thomas — Signed a one-year, two-way NHL contract on July 8
• Nikita Pavlychev — Signed one-year AHL contract extension on July 27
• Jacob Doty — Signed a one-year AHL contract on August 16 (only played nine games for Ontario in 2022-23 after suffering upper-body injury on November 26, 2022)

Defensemen

• Jacob Moverare — Last year of one-way NHL contract
• Kim Nousiainen — Second-to-last year of entry-level contract
• Jordan Spence — Last year of entry-level contract 
• Cole Krygier — Signed a two-year, entry-level NHL contract on March 25 (played for Reign on an ATO and Michigan State University [NCAA] in 2022-23)
• Tobias Björnfot — Signed a two-year, one-way NHL contract on July 7
• Tyler Inamoto — Signed one-year AHL contract extension on July 27

Goaltenders

• Erik Portillo — Signed a two-year, entry-level NHL contract on April 22 (appeared for Reign on an ATO and University of Michigan [NCAA] in 2022-23)
• Jacob Ingham — Signed a one-year AHL contract on July 18 (not extended qualifying offer on June 30; did not play in 2022-23 after successful offseason back surgery)

NEW ADDITIONS

Forwards

• Hayden Hodgson — Acquired via a three-team trade with the Philadelphia Flyers for Sean Walker, Cal Petersen, and a 2023 second-round pick (played for Philadelphia and Lehigh Valley in 2022-23)
• Mikhail Maltsev — Signed a one-year, two-way NHL contract on July 1 (played for the Colorado Avalanche and Eagles in 2022-23)
• Charles Hudon — Signed a two-year AHL contract on July 3 (played for the Colorado Avalanche and Eagles in 2022-23)

Defensemen

• Kevin Connauton — Acquired via a three-team trade with the Philadelphia Flyers for Sean Walker, Cal Petersen, and a 2023 second-round pick (played for Lehigh Valley in 2022-23)
• Steven Santini — Signed a one-year, two-way NHL contract on July 1 (played for St, Louis and Springfield in 2022-23)
• Andreas Englund — Signed a one-year, one-way NHL contract on July 1 (played for the Chicago Blackhawks and Colorado Avalanche & Eagles in 2022-23)
• Joe Hicketts — Signed a one-year, two-way NHL contract on July 2 (played for the Iowa Wild in 2022-23)
• Wyatte Wylie – Signed a one-year AHL contract on August 1 (played for Lehigh Valley in 2022-23)
• Max Martin – Signed a one-year AHL contract on August 15 (played for ECHL Greenville in 2022-23)

Goaltenders

• David Rittich — Signed a one-year, one-way NHL contract on July 1 (played for Winnipeg in 2022-23)
• Ryan Bednard – Signed a one-year AHL contract on August 15 (played for ECHL Greenville and Wheeling, loaned to Grand Rapids and Belleville in 2022-23)

DEPARTURES

Forwards

• Alex Ierullo — Signed a three-year contract with Asiago of the ICEHL on June 17 (played majority of 2022-23 with ECHL Greenville)
• Brett Kemp — Signed a contract with Västerås IK of HockeyAllsvenskan on May 3 (played majority of 2022-23 with ECHL Greenville)
• Lias Andersson — Signed a one-year, two-way NHL contract with the Montreal Canadiens on July 2
• Alan Quine — Signed a one-year contract with the Malmö Redhawks of the SHL on July 12
• Nate Thompson — Announcement retirement on July 19; joined Ontario coaching staff as Skills Coach on September 20
• Aidan Dudas — Signed a one-year contract with TPS of Liiga on July 31 (not extended qualifying offer on June 30)
• Nate Schnarr — Signed a PTO with Columbus on August 22 (was not extended qualifying offer on June 30)
• Justin Nachbaur – Signed a one-year AHL contract with Coachella Valley on September 13

Defensemen

• Helge Grans — Traded to Philadelphia Flyers
• Tobie Bisson — Signed a one-year AHL contract with the Laval Rocket on July 3

Goaltenders

• Cal Petersen — Traded to Philadelphia Flyers
• Matt Villalta — Signed a one-year NHL contract with the Arizona Coyotes on July 1

FREE AGENTS

Forwards

• Tyrell Goulbourne — UFA (AHL)

Defensemen

• Cameron Gaunce — UFA (AHL)

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

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Other 2023 AHL Off Season Trackers :

Links will be updated as articles are released.

Central

• Chicago Wolves
• Grand Rapids Griffins
• Iowa Wild
• Manitoba Moose
• Milwaukee Admirals
• Rockford IceHogs
• Texas Stars

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

Atlantic

• Bridgeport Islanders
• Charlotte Checkers
• Hartford Wolf Pack
• Hershey Bears
• Lehigh Valley Phantoms
• Providence Bruins
• Springfield Thunderbirds 
• Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins

North

• Belleville Senators
• Cleveland Monsters
• Laval Rocket
• Rochester Americans
• Syracuse Crunch
• Toronto Marlies
• Utica Comets