2023 Springfield Thunderbirds Offseason Player Tracker

SEASON SYNOPSIS

In the American Hockey League, there is oftentimes a slump when a team makes a deep run in the postseason. Individual player stock goes up, they sign elsewhere, and the original team is left looking to readjust.

After the Springfield Thunderbirds went all the way to the Calder Cup Finals in 2022, the T-Birds fell off a bit, finishing fourth in the division compared to second the year prior. Springfield finished with a respectable 38-26-8 record, accruing 84 points and a .583 points percentage on the year. Even though the Thunderbirds qualified for the postseason, they were abruptly swept by the Hartford Wolf Pack in the first round, two games to none.

The Thunderbirds boasted two players in the Top 20 of AHL scorers. Winger Martin Frk was tied for 12th with 64 total points, and forward Matthew Highmore finished 19th with 61 points. Those two were the only Springfield skaters to end the year with 60+ points on the team.

As with the 2021-22 campaign, this season also extoled the value of goaltender Joel Hofer. Hofer went 27-15-5, with his 27 wins good for 2nd among AHL goalies this year. He also posted Top 10 numbers in goals against average (2.50 GAA, 8th in the AHL), save percentage (.921 SV%, 3rd in the AHL), shutouts (five, 2nd in the AHL), saves (1357, 2nd in the AHL), and minutes played (2779:46, 3rd in the AHL).

(List accurate as of Aug. 25th, 6:55pm ET)

UNDER CONTRACT AND RE-SIGNINGS

Forwards

• Mikhail Abramov – Last year of entry-level contract
• Nikita Alexandrov – Last year of entry-level contract
• Will Bitten – Last year of two-way NHL contract
• Jake Neighbours – Second-to-last year of entry-level contract
• Matthew Peca – Last year of two-way NHL contract
• Keean Washkurak – Last year on entry-level contract
• Mathias Laferrière – Signed a one-year, two-way NHL contract extension on May 10
• Adam Gaudette – Signed a one-year, two-way NHL contract extension on June 21
• Anthony Angello – Signed a two-year, two-way NHL contract on July 1
• Hugh McGing – Signed a one-year, two-way NHL contract on July 6
• Drew Callin – Signed a one-year AHL contract extension on July 24
• Mitchell Hoelscher – Signed a one-year AHL contract with August 17
• Steven Jandric – Signed a one-year AHL contract with August 17 (split time between Springfield and ECHL Worcester in 2022-23)

Defensemen

• Matthew Kessel – Last year of entry-level contract
• Hunter Skinner – Last year of entry-level contract
• Anton Malmström – Signed a two-year, entry-level NHL contract on March 6 (played for Springfield on a PTO and Bowling Green Univ. [NCAA] in 2022-23)
• Scott Perunovich – Signed a one-year, one-way NHL contract extension on June 24
• Tyler Tucker – Signed a two-year, one-way NHL contract on June 30
• Austin Osmanski – Signed a one-year AHL contract with August 17

Goaltenders

• Colten Ellis – Last year on entry-level contract (played all of 2022-23 season with ECHL Tulsa)
• Vadim Zherenko – Second-to-last year of entry-level contract
• Joel Hofer – Signed two-year, one-way NHL contract extension on January 2

NEW ADDITIONS

Forwards

• Zachary Bolduc – First year of entry-level contract (entry-level slide; played for the Québec Remparts of the QMJHL in 2022-23)
• Zach Dean – First year of entry-level contract (entry-level slide; played for the Gatineau Olympiques of the QMJHL in 2022-23)
• Tanner Dickinson – Second-to-last year of entry-level contract (did not play in 2022-23 after suffering a broken femur in late January 2022)
• Andre Heim – Signed a one-year, entry-level NHL contract on May 8 (played for Ambrì-Piotta of the Swiss NL in 2022-23)
• Sam Bitten – Signed a one-year AHL contract on May 23 (played for HC Plzeň of the Czechia Tipsport Extraliga in 2022-23)
• Mackenzie MacEachern – Signed a two-year, one-way NHL contract on July 1 (played for the Chicago Wolves in 2022-23)
• Oskar Sundqvist – Signed a one-year, one-way NHL contract on July 12 (played for Minnesota and Detroit in 2022-23)

Defensemen

• Michael Buchinger – Signed a three-year, entry-level NHL contract on March 1 (played for the Guelph Storm of the OHL in 2022-23)
• Leo Lööf – Signed a three-year, entry-level NHL contract on April 28 (played for Ilves of Liiga in 2022-23)
• Josh Jacobs – Signed a one-year, two-way NHL contract on July 1 (played for the Colorado Eagles in 2022-23)
• Wyatt Kalynuk – Signed a one-year, two-way NHL contract on July 1 (played for Abbotsford and Hartford in 2022-23)
• Joseph Duszak – Signed a one-year AHL contract on July 6 (played for Dinamo Minsk of the KHL in 2022-23)
• Jérémie Biakabutuka – Signed a three-year, entry-level NHL contract on July 19 (played for Grand Rapids and the QMJHL’s Charlottetown Islanders in 2022-23)

Goaltenders

• Will Cranley – Second-to-last year of entry-level contract (played for the Flint Firebirds of the OHL in 2022-23)
• Malcolm Subban – Signed a one-year, two-way NHL contract on July 1 (played for Rochester in 2022-23)

DEPARTURES

Forwards

• Martin Frk – Signed a two-year contract with SC Bern of the Swiss NL on April 24
• Matthew Highmore – Signed a one-year, two-way NHL contract with Ottawa on July 1
• Nathan Todd – Signed a two-year, two-way NHL contract with the San Jose Sharks on July 3
• Dylan McLaughlin – Signed a one-year contract with Växjö Lakers HC of the SHL on July 6
• Greg Printz – Signed a one-year contract with the Belfast Giants of the EIHL on July 27
• Jacob Hayhurst – Signed a one-year AHL contract with Coachella Valley on August 2 (split time between Springfield and ECHL Worcester in 2022-23)
• Andrei Bakanov – Signed a one-year contract with ECHL Worcester on August 25 (played mostly with Worcester in 2022-23)

Defensemen

• Steven Santini – Signed a one-year, two-way NHL contract with Los Angeles on July 1
• Brady Lyle – Signed a one-year, two-way NHL contract with Calgary on July 3 (was not extended qualifying offer on June 30)
• Griffin Luce – Signed a one-year AHL contract with Milwaukee on July 13
• Dmitri Samorukov – Signed a one-year AHL contract with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on July 31 (was not extended qualifying offer on June 30)
• Tommy Cross – Officially announced retirement on August 4

FREE AGENTS

Forwards

• Brayden Guy – UFA (AHL); played all of 2022-23 season with ECHL Orlando

Defensemen

• Luke Witkowski – 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