Several Quality AHL Free Agents Still Available Prior To 2020-21 Season

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With less than three weeks remaining until the American Hockey League's (AHL) anticipated start date for the 2020-21 regular season, there are still plenty of quality players available in the free agent market - including several former AHL All-Stars.

The updated A to Z AHL Free Agent Tracker with the full 235-player list can be found here, exclusively for Inside AHL Hockey subscribers.

Below are the remaining AHL-level free agents who appeared in AHL games last season that are without a contract for the 2020-21 season.

Forwards

Nick Baptiste, RW (Belleville/Toronto)Veteran-Exception2019-20 AHL Stats: 35GP, 4G-7A, -1, 10 PIM

Traded from Toronto to Belleville in February while on an AHL contract, the five-year pro enters 2020-21 with the veteran-exception tag one last time as the shortened season allowed Baptiste to stay under the 320-game mark and avoid the full-fledged veteran tag, with 312 pro games of experience now in his career.

Kyle Bauman, C (Iowa)2019-20 AHL Stats: 34GP, 3G-5A, -5, 8 PIM

On an AHL contract with Iowa, Bauman spent most of the season in the AHL but saw three games in the ECHL with the Allen Americans in 2019-20.

Francois Beauchemin, LW (Belleville)2019-20 AHL Stats: 6GP, 0G-1A, -1, 2 PIM

On an AHL contract this past season, Beauchemin spent most of the campaign in the ECHL with Brampton where he was a near point per game player.

Colton Beck, F (Iowa)Veteran2019-20 AHL Stats: 47GP, 4G-7A, -11, 10 PIM

A depth forward at the AHL level, Beck has spent all five seasons of his pro career to date with the Iowa Wild.

Matt Beleskey, LW (Hartford)Veteran2019-20 AHL Stats: 56 GP, 16G-10A, -4, 55 PIM

Playing out the final year of a 5-year, $19 million contract signed on July 1st 2015 with the Boston Bruins, 32-year-old Beleskey enters free agency after spending most of the final three years of the contract in the AHL with the WolfPack.

Beau Bennett, RW (Tucson)Veteran2019-20 AHL Stats: 55GP, 12G-28A, +8, 18 PIM

The veteran forward returned from a one-year stint in the KHL to show he can still create offense at the AHL level.

Steve Bernier, RW (Bridgeport)Veteran2019-20 AHL Stats: 20GP, 2G-2A, Even, 26 PIM

Does the 15-year pro have another AHL season left in him? Took an AHL deal to remain with the Sound Tigers organization last off-season.

Paul Bittner, LW (Cleveland)2019-20 AHL Stats: 55GP, 7G-9A, -1, 41 PIM

An unrestricted free agent after Columbus opted not to send a qualifying offer his way.

Terry Broadhurst, C (Bridgeport/Charlotte)2019-20 AHL Stats: 33GP, 1G-8A, Even, 12 PIM

Broadhurst arrived in Bridgeport following an AHL trade from Charlotte, where the journeyman forward tallied a goal and an assist in four games with his new team before the season was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

J.T. Brown, RW (Iowa)Veteran2019-20 AHL Stats: 62GP, 9G-13A, -15, 55 PIM

2019-20 was the first year since his rookie season of pro hockey  in 2012-13 that Brown didn't appear in an NHL contest, but at the AHL level he's in the same bottom-six role he was when he was a mainstay with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Tony Calderone (Texas)2019-20 AHL Stats: 2GP, 0G_0A, Even, 2 PIM

Signed to a two-year entry-level contract by Dallas, the former Michigan product wasn't tendered a qualifying offer this past offseason and is currently a free agent.

Greg Carey, LW (Lehigh Valley)Veteran2019-20 AHL Stats: 57GP, 15G-15A, -14, 22 PIM

It was a bit of a down year for Carey in the goals department, but it was a down year for the Phantoms as a whole in 2019-20. The winger has a lethal shot and when paired with a playmaking center can score at will at the AHL level. Potential bounceback candidate for his next team.

Christopher Clapperton, LW (Belleville)2019-20 AHL Stats: 28GP, 0G-3A, -4, 8 PIM

The rookie out of the University of New Brunswick Canadian college hockey program, Clapperton began the year in the ECHL but finished in the AHL with Belleville last season while on an AHL deal.

Chris Conner, RW (Binghamton)Veteran2019-20 AHL Stats: 53GP, 12G-18A, -7, 6 PIM

Over 700 AHL games of experience to go along with over 550 career points for the longtime small but elusive scoring forward, who still managed 30 points in a pandemic-shortened 2019-20 season with the Devils last season.

Joe Cox, RW (Laval)2019-20 AHL Stats: 46GP, 5G-10A, +5, 16 PIM

2019-20 was Cox's first full season at the AHL level following two years in the ECHL with Florida Everblades.

Thomas DiPauli, LW (W-B/Scranton)2019-20 AHL Stats: 39GP, 8G-9A, -5, 24 PIM

Bottom-six energy forward with the Penguins organization the past four seasons.

Ryan Dmowski, LW (Hartford)2019-20 AHL Stats: 31 GP, 4G-2A, Even, 13 PIM

In his first "full" season of pro hockey, Dmowski split the season between the AHL and ECHL following four years at UMass-Lowell.

Matthew Ford, RW (Grand Rapids)Veteran2019-20 AHL Stats: 52GP, 10G-17A, -7, 33 PIM

The 36-year-old is still an effective winger at the AHL level.

Luke Gazdic (San Diego)Veteran2019-20 AHL Stats: 7GP, 0G-0A, Even, 2 PIM

Limited action for the veteran enforcer last season.

Ryan Haggerty, RW (Springfield/W-B/Scranton)Veteran2019-20 AHL Stats: 50GP, 8G-6A, -12, 33 PIM

Haggerty joined Springfield after a trade from the Penguins this past season.

Wacey Hamilton, C (Utica)Veteran2019-20 AHL Stats: 53GP, 28G-19A, +10, 39 PIM

An alternate captain in Utica the past four seasons, and a member of the Comets over the past six seasons.

Nick Jones, C (Hartford)2019-20 AHL Stats: 61 GP, 9G-10A, -14, 20 PIM

In his rookie season out of the University of North Dakota, Jones performed well in adjusting to his first AHL season.

Morgan Klimchuk, LW (Belleville)Veteran-Exception2019-20 AHL Stats: 49GP, 12G-14A, +10, 14 PIM

Klimchuk was an all-situations player for Belleville last season while also wearing an alternate captain's A on his sweater, tallying a pair of power play goals and three shorthanded goals on the year. The 25-year-old was on an NHL contract this past season with Ottawa.

Graham Knott (W-B/Scranton)2019-20 AHL Stats: 11GP, 0G-0A, -1, 7 PIM

Knott came to the Penguins organization in an early-season trade last year, but had more success at the ECHL level with Wheeling where he tallied 14 points (six goals, eight assists) in 18 games.

Miles Koules, RW (Bakersfield)2019-20 AHL Stats: 31GP, 1G-4A, -9, 11 PIM

On an AHL contract with the Condors signed a few games into the season. Had a 13G-14A season in his last full season in the AHL in 2017-18 with Cleveland.

Nick Lappin, RW (San Antonio)Veteran-Exception2019-20 AHL Stats: 42GP, 5G-6A, -13, 8 PIM

It was a down year offensively for Lappin in his first season with San Antonio after three years in the Devils organization.

Mike Liambas, LW (Iowa)Veteran2019-20 AHL Stats: 43GP, 3G-2A, -6, 68 PIM

The 31-year-old enforcer wasn't able to rack up as many PIM in 2019-20 than he's used to.

Jermaine Loewen, RW (Chicago)2019-20 AHL Stats: 31GP, 1G-1A, -9, 62 PIM

On an AHL contract with Chicago last season, the rookie was a depth forward in his first pro campaign.

Matt Lorito (Bridgeport/Toronto)Veteran2019-20 AHL Stats: 58GP, 9G-19A, -25, 22 PIM

Lorito missed most of 2018-19 due to injury, but bounced back last season with Bridgeport before a late-season trade to Toronto before the coronavirus cancelled the remainder of the 2019-20 season.

Joel Lowry, LW (Springfield)2019-20 AHL Stats: 60GP, 8G-19A, +6, 45 PIM

Lowry has been about a 30-point AHL forward in each of his two seasons in Springfield.

Brad McClure, RW (Texas)2019-20 AHL Stats: 49GP, 5G-8A, -6, 24 PIM

Finished his second pro season with Texas in 2019-20.

Colin McDonald, RW (Bridgeport)Veteran2019-20 AHL Stats: 60GP, 5G-15A, Even, 16 PIM

The longtime veteran is still chugging along and is only 82 games away from 1000 pro games in his playing career.

Josh Melnick, C (Texas)2019-20 AHL Stats: 55GP, 5G-11A, +5, 24 PIM

Melnick finished his rookie season with the Stars, formerly of Miami University of Ohio. He didn't receive a qualifying offer from Dallas.

Michael Mersch, LW (Texas)Veteran2019-20 AHL Stats: 61GP, 14G-13A, -1, 53 PIM

The veteran power forward had five power play tallies this past season with Texas.

Nick Moutrey, LW (Rockford)2019-20 AHL Stats: 52GP, 5G-6A, -7, 33 PIM

A depth forward for Rockford at the AHL level the past two seasons.

Chris Mueller, C (San Diego/Syracuse)Veteran2019-20 AHL Stats: 60GP, 19G-19A, -27, 34 PIM

The longtime AHL center is still an offensive player at 34 years old.

Julien Nantel, LW (Colorado)2019-20 AHL Stats: 35GP, 8G-5A, -4, 8 PIM

A depth forward for Colorado who's been back and forth between the AHL and ECHL in his career.

Anthony Peluso, RW (Bakersfield)Veteran2019-20 AHL Stats: 37GP, 3G-5A, -2, 30 PIM

The big winger qualifies as an AHL veteran, having appeared in more than 320 professional games between the NHL and AHL in his 11-year career.

Francis Perron, LW (Utica)2019-20 AHL Stats: 42GP, 6G-12A, -4, 24 PIM

Wasn't tendered a qualifying offer from Vancouver.

Blake Pietila (San Diego)Veteran-Exception2019-20 AHL Stats: 49GP, 12G-12A, Even, 20 PIM

After a 20-goal season in 50 AHL games with Binghamton in 2018-19, Pietila signed a one-year contract to play with the Anaheim Ducks organization, where he spent this past season with their AHL affiliate in San Diego.

Jacob Pritchard, LW (Charlotte)2019-20 AHL Stats: 32GP, 2G-5A, -4, 6 PIM

Pritchard didn't receive a qualifying offer from Carolina after his one-year entry-level contract expired.

Matt Read, RW (Toronto)Veteran2019-20 AHL Stats: 48GP, 13G-12A, -8, 24 PIM

Read was on an AHL deal with the Marlies this past season.

Kevin Roy, LW (W-B/Scranton/Springfield)2019-20 AHL Stats: 58GP, 14G-21A, -14, 23 PIM

Shifty, offensively creative forward switched teams midseason and made the most of it with the Penguins down the stretch.

Kerby Rychel, RW (Charlotte)Veteran2019-20 AHL Stats: 6GP, 0G-1A, -4, 4 PIM

A year to forget for Rychel, who tried the overseas route in the KHL but quickly returned to North America and signed an AHL deal with Charlotte this past season but limited to just six games in November with the Checkers. Previously a 20-goal guy at the AHL level.

Tim Schaller, C (Ontario)Veteran2019-20 AHL Stats: 5GP, 1G-0A, -4, 6 PIM

Acquired by Los Angeles in the Tyler Toffoli trade, Schaller was sent to the Kings' AHL affiliate in Ontario prior to the coronavirus pandemic canceling the 2019-20 season.

Eric Tangradi, LW (Grand Rapids)Veteran2019-20 AHL Stats: 21GP, 9G-4A, -6, 12 PIM

Tangradi joined the Griffins on an AHL deal in December after beginning the year in the KHL. Made most of his damage on the power play with five power play tallies.

Corey Tropp, RW (San Diego)Veteran2019-20 AHL Stats: 23GP, 1G-8A, -6, 51 PIM

Veteran forward has been with the Gulls the past five seasons since their inception into the AHL.

Nolan Vesey, LW (Bakersfield)2019-20 AHL Stats: 8GP, 1G-0A, Even, 5 PIM

The younger brother of NHL forward Jimmy Vesey, Nolan wasn't extended a qualifying offer from Edmonton after splitting the first two years of his pro career between the AHL and ECHL.

Garrett Wilson, LW (Toronto)Veteran2019-20 AHL Stats: 51GP, 10G-10A, +8, 81 PIM

The physical veteran forward and former W-B/Scranton captain was in Toronto this past season with the Marlies.

Valentin Zykov, RW (Chicago)*Veteran-Exception 2019-20 AHL Stats: 29GP, 10G-5A, -2, 22 PIM

With just over 260 pro games experience, the former Carolina Hurricanes prospect and one-time 33-goal scorer at the AHL level, Zykov will enter 2020-21 with a "veteran-exception" tag moving forward as he continues to be a classic NHL/AHL floater.

Defensemen

Chris Breen, LD (Providence)Veteran2019-20 AHL Stats: 14GP, 0G-2A, -6, 25 PIM

Breen has been an alternate captain of Providence Bruins the past five seasons.

~~Dylan Blujus (Utica)~~ EDIT: Signed a one-year AHL contract with Rochester Americans. 2019-20 AHL Stats: 35GP, 4G-5A, +5, 26 PIM

Blujus continues his tour of AHL teams in New York, now having gone from Syracuse to Utica prior his signing with Rochester.

Erik Burgdoerfer, RD (Hershey)Veteran2019-20 AHL Stats: 54GP, 2G-7A, +5, 63 PIM

On an AHL deal with Hershey back after spending 2014-16 with the Bears, Burgdoerfer helped be a veteran presence among several young blue liners.

Ryan Collins, RD (Cleveland)2019-20 AHL Stats: 11GP, 1G-2A, +3, 6 PIM

Wasn't tendered a qualifying offer from Columbus after being limited to 11 games due to injury this past season.

Mike Cornell, RD (Bridgeport)2019-20 AHL Stats: 25GP, 0G-2A, -3, 36 PIM

Cornell has floated between the AHL and ECHL throughout his career, most recently splitting time between Bridgeport and ECHL Worcester this past season while on an AHL contract.

Jake Dotchin, RD (San Antonio)2019-20 AHL Stats: 37GP, 1G-7A, -3, 72 PIM

In his first season with San Antonio, Dotchin played a chippy defensive game transitioning to hockey in the western conference the past two years.

Cameron Gaunce, LD (Syracuse)Veteran2019-20 AHL Stats: 52GP, 4G-28A,+12, 38 PIM

The veteran defender can still work an AHL power play and put up points from the blueline.

Kevin Gravel (Toronto)Veteran-Exception2019-20 AHL Stats: 23GP, 1G-2A, +4, 8 PIM

Despite only appearing in 26 total games last season (AHL and NHL), Gravel finds himself a free agent during the pandemic and also now counts as a veteran by AHL standards - having passed the 260-pro games played threshold this past season.

Steve Johnson, LD (Cleveland)2019-20 AHL Stats: 30GP, 0G-2A, -4, 10 PIM

Mostly an ECHL player in his first two seasons of pro hockey, but Johnson split time between the AHL and ECHL this past season after securing an AHL contract with Cleveland.

Brett Lernout, RD (Chicago)Veteran2019-20 AHL Stats: 38GP, 0G-2A, -6, 25 PIM

Lernout didn't receive a qualifying offer from Vegas, making him an unrestricted free agent.

Brandon Manning, LD (Bakersfield)Veteran2019-20 AHL Stats: 21GP, 0G-9A, -14, 29 PIM

The nine-year pro provides a little bit of everything on the back end, including two-way ability and over 500 pro games of experience - including 255 in the NHL.

Alec McCrea, RD (Grand Rapids)Veteran2019-20 AHL Stats: 28GP, 0G-5A, +2, 15 PIM

The rookie blueliner split his first pro season between the AHL and ECHL.

Evan McEneny, LD (Laval)2019-20 AHL Stats: 21GP, 2G-1A, -1, 16 PIM

A depth defender for Laval in 2019-20.

Scott Moldenhauer, RD (San Diego)2019-20 AHL Stats: 37GP, 0G-4A, -4, 21 PIM

A depth defender at the AHL level in his second season of pro hockey following four-year collegiate career at Western Michigan.

Rob O'Gara, LD (Springfield/San Antonio)2019-20 AHL Stats: 25GP, 3G-3A, Even, 10 PIM

O'Gara was acquired by Springfield for future considerations back in December.

Michael Paliotta, RD (Binghamton)2019-20 AHL Stats: 21GP, 0G-2A, -6, 20 PIM

The AHL version of a journeyman, the defender has amassed 198 career AHL games now with six different teams in the past six seasons.

Michael Prapavessis, LD (Cleveland)2019-20 AHL Stats: 26GP, 1G-1A, -3, 2 PIM

Split time between the AHL and ECHL this past season, and became an unrestricted free agent after not being tendered a qualifying offer from Columbus.

Jordan Schmaltz, RD (Bridgeport/Toronto)Veteran-Exception2019-20 AHL Stats: 43GP, 2G-12A, Even, 26 PIM

With 265 games of pro experience, Schmaltz now falls under the veteran-exception tag moving forward. Spent most of 2019-20 with AHL Toronto before being traded to the Islanders in exchange for forward Matt Lorito in late February before the trade deadline.

Patrick Sieloff, LD (Syracuse/San Diego)Veteran2019-20 AHL Stats: 32GP, 2G-4A, -4, 22 PIM

A depth defender for Syracuse this past season.

Rinat Valiev, LD (Stockton)Veteran-Exception2019-20 AHL Stats: 49GP, 2G-8A, +3, 28 PIM

Valiev completed the past two seasons with Stockton after three years in Toronto organization.

Nollan Valleau, LD (Syracuse)2019-20 AHL Stats: 35GP, 2G-4A, -13, 14 PIM

Journeyman AHL defender.

Goalies

Angus Redmond (Bakersfield)2019-20 AHL Stats: None

Spent the 2019-20 season in the ECHL with Newfoundland, and was not tendered a qualifying offer from Edmonton.

Nick Schneider (Stockton)2019-20 AHL Stats: 1GP, 0-0-0, 1.38 GAA, .938 SV%

Schneider spent the majority of the season in the ECHL with the Kansas City Mavericks.

Adam Wilcox (San Antonio)2019-20 AHL Stats: 22GP, 8-8-4, 3.14 GAA, .877 SV%, 0 SO

Wilcox was the backup to Ville Husso in San Antonio this past season.