Patrick WilliamsTheAHL.com Features Writer
The Calder Cup playoffs are in full swing, but planning for the 2026-27 season is already well underway.
With just over four months until the start of next season, several NHL organizations and their AHL affiliates are already taking action to build out their rosters and depth charts. It remains to be seen whether these players will stay in the NHL this fall or head to the AHL. The NHL draft, development camps, rookie tournaments and training camps will all help determine those rosters. There are also coaching vacancies that need to be filled.
Here’s a look at the transfer status for NHL Eastern Conference teams, including players playing in the AHL this season as well as potential prospects who have signed two-way contracts for next season. We’ll look back at the Western Conference later.
Boston Bruins (Providence Bruins)
forward Lucas Reichel He performed well after Boston acquired him from the Vancouver Canucks at the March NHL trade deadline.
Reichel, who was drafted 17th overall by the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2020 NHL Draft, will try to further establish himself by signing a new one-year contract extension with Boston. He played 27 games in the AHL with the Abbotsford Canucks and Providence, finishing with 19 points (7 goals, 12 assists). He played in 10 regular season games for Boston, scoring 3 points (1 goal, 2 assists), and also played in one Stanley Cup playoff game. He also played 19 games between Chicago and Vancouver before being traded to Boston. He played a total of 198 NHL games and another 148 AHL games.
Carolina Hurricanes (Chicago Wolves)
With the team still active in the Stanley Cup and Calder Cup playoffs, Carolina’s front office has also been hard at work. The Hurricanes have long shown a tendency to heavily utilize the AHL for development, and they continue to stockpile strong prospects.
Their newest member is Defender Noel Franson Fejestad from the Swedish Hockey League. The 20-year-old Fransen played 13 games for Färjestad and 38 games for HockeyAllsvenskan’s BIK Karlskoga, scoring 14 points (6 goals, 8 assists). He was selected by the Hurricanes in the third round of the 2024 NHL Draft. Wolves forward Charlie Cerrato also has a three-year entry-level contract that takes effect next season. Serrato, 21, scored 27 points (seven goals, 20 assists) in just 23 games as a sophomore at Penn State. On March 31, he signed a trial contract with the Wolves and has so far represented the Wolves in one playoff game. Carolina selected him in the second round of last year’s NHL draft.
The Hurricanes won the Calder Trophy in 2019 (with Charlotte) and 2022 (with Chicago).
New York Islanders (Hamilton Hammers)
Former AHL and NHL defenseman Jay McGee Will lead the first-year Hammers in their first season at TD Coliseum.
McGee, 48, has been the head coach of the Ontario Hockey League for the past five years. He returned to Hamilton, where he coached the OHL Bulldogs to the league title in 2021-22.
McGee’s career spanned 14 seasons, including 802 games in the NHL with Buffalo, St. Louis and Pittsburgh. After being selected by the Sabers in the first round of the 1995 NHL Draft, he also played 24 games in the AHL with Rochester.
New York Rangers (Hartford Wolfpack)
The Wolfpack’s coaching staff has undergone dramatic changes after finishing last in the AHL with a 26-38-5-3 record. Rangers management choose not to bring back head coach Grant Botuni and assistant coach Paul Mara and Jamie Tardif. also, Tanner glass Takes over as New York’s director of player development, replacing Jed Altmyer.
Philadelphia Flyers (Lehigh Valley Phantoms)
Every organization needs a reliable option to join an NHL roster if needed or compete for the top goalie job at an AHL affiliate. The flyer will have Alexei Kolosov Help fill that role next season with a one-year contract extension.
At just 24 years old, Kolosov compiled a 15-21-2 record, a 2.98 GAA and an .895 save percentage in 38 games for the Phantoms. He splits Lehigh Valley goalkeeping duties with rookies Carson Bjarnasonthese two will have another chance to compete for a spot on Philadelphia’s goalie depth chart. Further goalkeeping depth will remain the same Keith Petruzzelli Signed a one-year contract extension with the AHL. Petruzzelli split his playing time between the Phantoms (six games) and their ECHL affiliate, the Reading Royals.
Tampa Bay Lightning (Syracuse Crunch)
Tampa Bay is already trying to retain players from a Syracuse team that finished second in the North Division.
stubborn striker Scott Sabourin Will remain with the organization on a one-year, two-way contract. The 33-year-old split this season with Tampa Bay (26 games) and Syracuse (24 games). Tampa Bay also re-signed linebacker Maxim Groshev Sign a two-year two-way contract Nick Abruzzese A one-year two-way agreement was reached. defensive player Tommy Miller (one year) and Matteo Pietronillo (Two years) Also signed a new AHL contract with the Crunch.
Washington Capitals (Hershey Bears)
Washington has prioritized Hershey’s promising roster this season. Now move forward Theodor Niederbach The 24-year-old will compete with some of those candidates for a job in Washington this fall after the Capitals signed him to a one-year, two-way contract.
Niederbach comes to Washington from the SHL’s highly regarded Frölunda organization. He scored 32 points (13 goals, 19 assists) in 52 regular-season games and helped Frölunda win the Champions League.
About two decades in the American Hockey League, TheAHL.com feature writer Patrick Williams also currently covers the league for NHL.com and FloSports and is a regular contributor to SiriusXM NHL Network Radio. In 2016, he received the AHL’s James H. Ellery Memorial Award for outstanding coverage of the league.
