Most of the big signings in the offseason are in the rearview mirror. It’s when the dog days of the offseason truly hit. That doesn’t mean that the offseason is complete and teams won’t put together great rosters through late summer signings. 

That’s what teams are doing at the moment. There are a few veterans who can join teams and take them to another level. Some teams signed these lifetime AHLers to one-way contracts, who they have bought in on the league and look to lead the team both on and off the ice. So, let’s look at 5 players who signed AHL-only deals this offseason but can become difference-makers.

This is the type of signing expected out of the Springfield Thunderbirds, especially now that Steve Ott has a full offseason to work with this team. T.J. Tynan is a 34-year-old veteran who is a constant threat on the offensive end, with 49 points or more in each of the last five seasons (and 98 in 2021-22), plus is a reliable player on the defensive end.

One theme since Ott took over the Thunderbirds is to have players willing to buy in and play a two-way game. Tynan was one of the standouts for the Colorado Eagles, who made the Western Conference Final, with his play being a key part of their success. 

The question is how Tynan will adjust to the Eastern Conference being in the Eastern Time Zone for the first time since the 2016-17 season. One scout once noted that the conferences are two opposite lifestyles, and veterans can struggle with the adjustment. So, that might be something to monitor for an otherwise great signing for the Thunderbirds. 

Mike Sgarbossa took a sabbatical from the AHL last season, spending it in Switzerland hoping the money and lifestyle would better suit him. He’s back and signing with the Texas Stars. The 33-year-old forward is exactly what the Stars needed. 

Before signing overseas, he was a key part of the Hershey Bears, spending seven seasons with the team and winning two Calder Cup titles in the process. He knows how to play in playoff situations and is a mentor both on and off the ice, making him great for the Dallas Stars prospects. Sgarbossa can also add a spark to the offense, even at this point in his 13-year career, with 467 points.

The Stars lost a lot of veteran talent this summer but managed to replace it with Sgarbossa leading the way. It’s why they might be one of the best teams in the Central Division and the Western Conference this season. 

The Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins turned over their roster this offseason. With most of their veterans signing elsewhere and multiple prospects projected to make the NHL team, they look like they’ll take a step back after reaching the Eastern Conference Final. However, the Hugh McGing signing will allow the Penguins to remain one of the top teams in the league. 

McGing was a staple of the Thunderbirds' forward group. In five seasons, he was a consistent 30-point player and embraced the leadership role on the team in recent seasons. He’ll pick up where he left off with the Penguins and help prospects like Mikhail Ilyin and Ville Koivunen take that next step in their development. 

It seems odd to have a player who only scored three points last season on this list, especially since that player had 114 penalty minutes. However, this is a big signing for the Hartford Wolf Pack, who needed a player with a tougher mentality to instill that identity in the team. 

Justin Nachbaur is an enforcer who will set the tone when he’s on the ice with his physicality. Having him around will change the culture in Hartford, which needs that shift after finishing last season with the AHL’s worst record. 

The Rochester Americans made one of the high-value signings of the summer when they landed Matthew Peca. The 33-year-old forward is a top scorer in the AHL and makes the players around him better. He had 47 points last season and 63 in 2024-25 while displaying a burst of speed and skill that make him a reliable top-line player. 

The Amerks needed that spark last season, especially as they stumbled down the stretch and barely made the playoffs. They needed a veteran who could pick up the team and take over games even as the rest of the team struggled. Peca is that type of player. 

The question is whether Peca is a high-impact player on both ends, with his defensive play being a question mark. His play on the defensive end was one of the reasons the Thunderbirds traded him halfway through last season. However, if he buys into Mike Leone’s style of play, which preaches defending, he’ll be a major boost for the Americans.