2023 Charlotte Checkers Offseason Player Tracker

SEASON SYNOPSIS

In any sport, when you finish first in the division, anything less the following season is a letdown.

That was the position the Charlotte Checkers were coming into the 2022-23 AHL regular season. After clinching the Atlantic Division crown, the Checkers finished third this past season with a 39-25-8 record, 86 points, and a .597 points percentage. The Charlotte Checkers did qualify for its fifth postseason berth in a row, but for the second year in a row, lost to the eventual Eastern Conference Champion (Hershey this season and Springfield in 2022).

Defenseman Lucas Carlsson finished second in AHL defenseman scoring with 54 points. He also tied with then-Manitoba defender Leon Gawanke for first in goals amongst d-men (20). Forwards Riley Nash and Gerry Mayhew led the Charlotte Checkers in goals, with each skater potting 24 apiece. Nash led Charlotte in total points with 59.

(List accurate as of Sept. 6th, 11:30am ET)

UNDER CONTRACT AND RE-SIGNINGS

Forwards

• Xavier Cormier – Last year of AHL contract (played five games for Charlotte and 48 games for ECHL Florida in 2022-23)
• Patrick Giles – Last year of entry-level contract
• Justin Sourdif – Second-to-last year of entry-level contract
• Zac Dalpe – Signed a two-year, two-way NHL contract extension on March 27
• Ryan McAllister – Signed a three-year, entry-level NHL contract on April 3 (played with Charlotte on a PTO and Univ. of Michigan [NCAA] in 2022-23)
• Mackie Samoskevich – Signed a three-year, entry-level NHL contract on May 8 (played with Charlotte on a PTO and Univ. of Michigan [NCAA] in 2022-23)
• Riley Bezeau – Signed a two-year AHL contract on June 15
• Grigori Denisenko – Signed a two-year, one-way NHL contract on July 1
• Gerry Mayhew – Signed a one-year, two-way NHL contract on July 2
• Cam Morrison – Signed a one-year, one-way AHL contract on July 2
• Mark Senden – Signed a one-year two-way AHL contract on July 26 (played for Charlotte on an ATO and Univ. of North Dakota [NCAA] in 2022-23)

Defensemen

• Dennis Cesana – Last year of AHL contract
• Matt Kiersted – Last year of NHL contract (one-way)
• Santtu Kinnunen – Last year of entry-level contract
• Calle Själin – Last year of entry-level contract
• Nathan Staios – Second-to-last year of entry-level contract (played all of 2022-23 with ECHL Florida)
• Zach Uens – Second-to-last year of entry-level contract (played majority of 2022-23 with ECHL Florida)
• Lucas Carlsson – Signed a one-year, two-way NHL contract on July 1
• John Ludvig – Signed a two-year, two-way NHL contract on July 17

Goaltenders

• Mack Guzda – Last year of entry-level contract
• Cam Johnson – Signed a one-year, one-way AHL contract on July 26 (played vast majority (all but one regular season game) of 2022-23 with ECHL Florida)

NEW ADDITIONS

Forwards

• Kai Schwindt – First year of entry-level contract (entry-level slide; played for the Mississauga Steelheads of the OHL in 2022-23)
• Wilmer Skoog – Signed a one-year AHL contract on April 19 (played for Boston Univ. [NCAA] in 2022-23)
• Skyler Brind’Amour – Signed a PTO and two-year AHL contract on April 25 (played for Quinnipiac Univ. {NCAA] in 2022-23)
• William Lockwood – Signed a one-year, two-way NHL contract on July 1 (played for Vancouver, Abbotsford, and Hartford in 2022-23)
• Alex True – Signed a one-year, two-way NHL contract on July 1 (played for Coachella Valley in 2022-23)
• Jonah Gadjovich – Signed a one-year, one-way AHL contract on July 2 (played for the San Jose Sharks in 2022-23)
• Rasmus Asplund – Signed a one-year, two-way NHL contract on July 5 (played for Nashville and Buffalo in 2022-23)
• Patrick Khodorenko – Signed a one-year, two-way AHL contract on August 7 (played for Hartford in 2022-23)
• Jake Wise – Signed a one-year AHL contract on August 17 (played for Charlotte on a PTO and Ohio State Univ. [NCAA] in 2022-23)
• Sean Josling – Signed a one-year, two-way AHL contract with Charlotte on August 18 (played for ECHL Florida, ECHL Wheeling, and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in 2022-23)

Defensemen

• Robert Calisti – Last year of AHL contract (played for ECHL Florida & Kalamazoo in 2022-23)
• Evan Nause – First year of entry-level contract (entry-level slide; played for the Québec Remparts of the QMJHL in 2022-23)
• Michael Benning – Signed a three-year, entry-level NHL contract on April 12 (played with Univ. of Denver [NCAA] in 2022-23)
• Uvis Balinskis – Signed a one-year, entry-level NHL contract on April 18 (played with Bili Tygri Liberec of Czechia in 2022-23)
• Casey Fitzgerald – Signed a one-year, two-way NHL contract on July 17 (played for Florida and Buffalo in 2022-23)
• Will Reilly – Signed a one-year, two-way AHL contract on August 7 (played for Tucson in 2022-23)

Goaltenders

• Ludovic Waeber – Signed a one-year, entry-level NHL contract on June 12 (played for the ZSC Lions of the Swiss NL in 2022-23)
• Evan Cormier – Signed a one-year, one-way AHL contract on July 26 (played for Manitoba and ECHL Kalamazoo in 2022-23)

DEPARTURES

Forwards

• Logan Hutsko – Signed a two-year contract with IK Oskarshamn of the SHL on May 12
• Cory Conacher – Signed a one-year AHL contract with the Chicago Wolves on May 31
• Lukas Kälble – Signed a one-year contract with the Fischtown Pinguins of the DEL on June 26 (played all of 2022-23 with ECHL Florida)
• Riley Nash – Signed a two-year NHL contract (23-24 is one-way, 24-25 is two-way) with the New York Rangers on July 1 (was on last year of AHL contract)
• Dominic Franco – Signed a one-year AHL contract with the Chicago Wolves on July 10
• Aleksi Heponiemi – Signed a one-year contract with EHC Biel-Bienne of the Swiss NHL on July 21
• Connor Bunnaman – Signed a one-year contract with Kärpät of Liiga on July 31
• Henry Bowlby – Signed a one-year AHL contract with the Colorado Eagles on August 17
• Ethan Keppen – Signed a one-year contract with ECHL Maine on August 23

Goaltenders

• Evan Fitzpatrick – Signed a one-year AHL contract with Syracuse on July 1
• Alex Lyon – Signed a two-year, one-way NHL contract with Detroit on July 1
• Jean-François Bérubé – Signed a PTO with Los Angeles on September 5

FREE AGENTS

Forwards

• Serron Noel – UFA (was not extended a qualifying offer on June 30; played seven games for ECHL Florida in 2022-23)

Defensemen

• Anthony Bitetto – UFA

(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