Below is a list of former Worcester pro hockey players that are new NHL unrestricted free agents or restricted free agents. These players can sign with any NHL organization after noon ET on Friday, October 9th. Those that are restricted free agents and sign with a new organization can have their offer matched by their previous team. If the offer is not matched their new team has to give compensation, based on average salary, to the organization losing the player.
This listing includes just those players who played during the 2019-20 season on NHL contracts and does not include players who played in the AHL, ECHL, or overseas on non-NHL contracts. It also didn’t include players that have already signed NHL contracts for the 2020-21 season, but those listed before edits will have their current status noted.
Unrestricted Free Agents (Former team)
Justin Braun (PHI) re-signed with Flyers
Aaron Dell (SJS) Signed with Toronto
Dylan DeMelo (WPG) re-signed with Jets
Nikolay Goldobin** (VAN) Signed with CSKA Moskva (KHL)
Thomas Greiss (NYI) Signed with Detroit
Troy Grosenick (NSH) Signed with LA
Micheal Haley (NYR) Signed with Ottawa
Matt Irwin (ANA) Signed with Buffalo
Melker Karlsson (SJS) Signed with Skelleftea AIK (SEL)
Mirco Mueller** (NJD)
Matt Nieto (COL) Signed with San Jose
Joakim Ryan (LAK) Signed with Carolina
Linus Soderstrom (NYI)* Signed with Assat (Liiga)
Restricted Free Agents (Rights holder team)
Chris Tierney (OTT) re-signed with Ottawa
*Soderstrom was a restricted free agent but despite his three-year entry-level contract expiring he does not have three years of service, so the Islanders held exclusive rights to him (meaning another team cannot sign him to an offer sheet) and he is not arbitration-eligible. His situation falls under section 10.2(c) of the current CBA between the NHL and NHLPA. When the Islanders did not give him a qualifying offer, he became an unrestricted free agent.
**Not qualified, became an unrestricted free agent.
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