The free agent market is still wide open with Alex Pietrangelo and others unsigned, but some minor transactions are also happening behind the scenes. We’ll keep track of some of the deals that don’t get the same headlines:
- Dalton Smith has signed a one-year AHL contract with the Rochester Americans, returning to the team for a fourth season. Smith, 28, actually made his NHL debut in 2019-2- with the Buffalo Sabres but will not be eligible for recall on this deal.
- The Pittsburgh Penguins have loaned Jan Drozg to HK Olimpija Ljubljana in Slovenia for the time being, giving him a chance to play while the North American seasons continue to wait. Drozg, 21, was the Penguins fifth-round pick in 2017 and split last season in the AHL and ECHL.
- Logan Day has signed a one-year AHL contract with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, bringing him over from the Edmonton Oilers minor league system after he was not given a qualifying offer. Day, an undrafted free agent signing out of division III college hockey, had 16 points in 48 games for the Bakersfield Condors in 2019-20.
Why will smith not be eligible for recall. What’s the point of signing a guy if you cant bring him up? Or did I misunderstand that
Signed an AHL contract, meaning he has no contract ties to the actual Sabres anymore, just Rochester.
Yup, he’d have to sign an NHL contract to be brought up