Ontario Reign: The List of Unrestricted Free Agents

A month has passed since the Ontario Reign season ended, and it is time to look at the list of unrestricted free agents on the team.

Last week we predicted whether the restricted free agents of the Ontario Reign would return or not to the LA Kings organization or if their future was unclear. Today, we will do the same with the unrestricted free agents of the Ontario Reign. Let’s get started!

Tyrell Goulbourne

Stat line: 22 games, 2 goals, 2 assists, 4 points, +3 rating

After the 2021-2022 season, Tyrell Goulbourne decided to hang up his skates and call it a career. His retirement was short-lived when the Ontario Reign signed him to a PTO (professional tryout) in early January. In his first game as a member of the Ontario Reign, he recorded a goal and got into a scrap in a 3-1 Reign win over the San Diego Gulls. After being in and out of the lineup the next month he found a home on the fourth line with Andre Lee and Samuel Helenius, which received high praise from head coach Marco Sturm because of the energy, physicality, and spending plenty of time in the offensive zone. While Goulbourne is not an offensive threat, he can contribute in other areas.

Prediction: Will return

Alan Quine

Stat line: 64 games, 8 goals, 19 assists, 27 points, -15 rating

After losing captain Brett Sutter to free agency, the Ontario Reign signed Alan Quine to fill that veteran leadership role. He filled that role nicely and spent most of the season on the second line. His point production (27 points) was his lowest in the AHL with at least ten games played since the 2013-2014 season (27 points). With the Reign being an offensively challenged team, I can see them looking elsewhere for better production.

Prediction: Will not return

Cameron Gaunce

Stat line: 52 games, 2 goals, 7 assists, 9 points, +1 rating

Cameron Gaunce is a GREAT veteran to have for a young team. Gaunce joined the Reign in 2021 when plenty of LA Kings prospects turned pro. Those players included Quinton Byfield, Samuel Fagemo, Akil Thomas, Alex Turcotte, Arthur Kaliyev, and Tyler Madden. For three seasons, he has provided a calm, veteran presence on the blue line and has been a mentor to the Kings’ prospects. With the Cal Petersen trade earlier this week, the Kings got two veteran AHL players in return. One of those players was left-handed defenseman Kevin Connauton. Connauton is the same age and has a similar play style as Gaunce. With the Reign already having a crowd of left-handed defensemen, could Gaunce be on the move?

Prediction: Will not return

Jacob Doty

Stat line: 9 games, 1 goal, 2 assists, 3 points, +2 rating

Jacob Doty was brought back on a one-year contract last June. In nine games Doty recorded three points before being sidelined the rest of the season with an upper-body injury in November. Doty plays a heavy game and slots into the lineup based on the opponent and style. If Tyrell Goulbourne returns, it may spell the end of his four-year tenure with the Ontario Reign.

Prediction: Will not return

Nate Thompson

Stat line: 30 games, 1 goal, 5 assists, 6 points, -11 rating

The Ontario Reign signed Nate Thompson to a PTO days before the start of the regular season. Thompson was a good veteran leader on the ice, as several younger players enjoyed learning from him. Tasked with winning key faceoffs and being on the penalty kill, Thompson was a player that head coach Marco Sturm could trust early on in the season. Unfortunately, Thompson missed at least a month on two occasions due to an injury. At age 38, it’s unclear if Thompson wants to play or hang up the skates.

Prediction: Will not return (possibly retires).

Featured image credit: Ontario Reign

Tags:

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *