Maillet, Thoresen, Voynov, Kawaguchi, Skirving

Forward Filip Maillet is set to try his luck abroad again as he has signed a contract with HC Ambri-Piotta of the National League in Switzerland according to a team announcementMaillet returned to North America last season with the Laval Rocket after a two-year absence from the Kontinental Hockey League.

The native of Lachenaie, Quebec, began his professional career with the Ontario Reign of the American Hockey League after completing a stellar four-year stint at the University of New Brunswick. Maillett was named the league’s Rookie of the Year in 2013-14 and followed that up with an MVP finish a year later. In 101 games in Canadian collegiate play, Maillet scored 60 goals and 166 points.

He quickly became a prolific scorer in the AHL and parlayed his efforts into a two-year deal with the Washington Capitals in 2019. He appeared in two games for the Capitals in a depth role during the 2021-21 season, but played primarily for the team’s AHL affiliate, the Hershey Bears. After failing to make much progress on Washington’s depth chart, Maillet left North America entirely, signing with Metallurg Magnitogorsk of the KHL.

Maillet returned to North America last year, returning to his native Quebec by signing a one-year deal with the Montreal Canadiens this past summer. Maillet played 67 games for the Rockets last year, scoring 21 goals and 53 points, which was second on the team in scoring. As one of the most consistent threats at the AHL level, Maillet should have no problem making a name for himself in Switzerland.

Other international/small transactions:

• Experienced attacker Patrick Thoresen will play in his 41st season, as he has signed a contract to play for Djurgårdens IF of HockeyAllsvenskan following his previous team, Storhamar in Norway. Although best known for his international exploits, Thoresen spent two years in the NHL from 2006-08 with the Edmonton Oilers and Philadelphia Flyers, where he collected six goals and 24 points in 106 games as the first undrafted Norwegian to make an NHL roster. Thoresen has also regularly represented Team Norway at the Olympics and World Championships, where he collected nine points in 13 games in the former, and 55 points in 66 games in the latter.
• KHL’s Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod have announced they have signed a former NHL defenseman Slava Vojnov to a contract for the 2024–25 season. Voynov was a member of the Los Angeles Kings of the NHL, where he helped the team win the Stanley Cup in 2012 and 2014, while collecting 18 goals and 81 points in 190 career games. Infamously, on December 1, 2014, Voynov entered a no contest to a reduced domestic violence charge in a case brought by his wife, Marta Varlamova. The Kings terminated Voynov’s contract on September 17, 2015, and he has since continued his career in Russia.
• Former captain at the University of North Dakota, Jordan Kawaguchiis trying his luck in the Elite Ice Hockey League, as the Belfast Giants announced that they have signed the young forward for the 2024-25 season. Kawaguchi enjoyed a productive career in North Dakota before signing his entry-level contract with the Dallas Stars in 2021. Unfortunately, Kawaguchi failed to make much of a splash in the AHL with the Texas Stars and was demoted to play for the Idaho Steelheads of the ECHL. He was much more productive in Idaho, but he briefly retired following the 2022-23 ECHL season due to injuries including concussions, a torn MCL, and a broken thumb. Kawaguchi did return to hockey last year, scoring eight goals and 31 points in 23 games for the Steelheads.
• Long-time ECHL veteran Todd Scherving remains in the league, as he has signed a one-year deal with the Reading Royals, as announced by the team. This will be Skirving’s seventh straight season in the ECHL and his first with Reading. Split between the Orlando Solar Bears, Utah Grizzlies, Atlanta Gladiators, Newfoundland Growlers and Florida Everblades, Skirving has scored 74 goals and 149 points in 301 ECHL games, while winning a Kelly Cup with the Growlers in 2019 and with the Everblades last year.