Category: Juniors

21Nov

Chase Zieky (25)

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Undrafted rookie right wing Chase Zieky(25) didn’t play last season, but decided to jump in 2021/2022 and signed with Idaho Steelheads.

He managed to put up 12 goals and 5 assists in 38 ECHL games, but was surrendered as compensation for an earlier trade and sent to Greenville Swamp Rabbits.

The 5’10” 187 lbs. forward seems to like his new team, as he grabbed an assist in his 2nd appearance, then a pair of goals in the follow-up.

After finishing up high school locally, the Avon, CT native went north for his only session of juniors lighting it up for Salmon Arms Silverbacks with 28 goals and 24 assists in 49 BCHL games.

He followed it up by heading to Providence College Friars, but in 2 seasons only figured in a handful of contests, so entered the transfer portal and arrived as a junior at RPI Engineers.

Arriving at his new school, he figured in the mix with his new club and as a senior posted a college career best 16 assists and 23 points with a +4 rating.

The 26-year old really seems to be just getting it started.

He would finish his rookie session with 3 goals and an assist in 6 games and only appeared in a single playoff game, but left with a +1, so he will stay in North Carolina to see if he can help ignite this club to the next level.

In a full season with his 3rd team in the league, Maine Mariners, he posts a much better 2nd frame with 17 goals and 20 assists in 50 games with a +5 rating, but he’s maybe a little anxious for more, so signs for 1-year with Rapaces de Gap of Ligue Magnus for 2024/2025.

He lasts all of 3 games in France and wants to return to his home-away-from-home, Maine.

21Nov

Mitchell Fossier (49)

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Rockford Icehogs‘ rookie left wing Mitchell Fossier(49) currently has a three-game scoring streak going pushing his totals for 2021 to 4 goals and 3 assists in 17 AHL games.

The former University Of Maine Black Bears‘ captain put up huge numbers as a senior notching 32 assists and 42 points with a +16 rating in 34 games with no playoffs possible.

Undrafted, the sturdy 6′ 188 lbs. forward had pretty big stats through 4 years of college, grabbing 38 goals and 90 assists in 134 NCAA Hockey East games.

He had similar success through a pair of campaigns at juniors, first in the NAHL with Janesville Jets, then moving up to the USHL to play for Sioux City Musketeers.

The 24-year old is finding his footing at exactly the right time.

Hello Chicago Blackhawks!

He finished his rookie run with 8 points in 19 games with a bit of a sad -9 rating to conclude 2020/2021.

The Alpharetta, GA native has decided to try his game in Slovak Extraliga for 2021/2022, signing a one-year deal with HC Banska Bystrica, and we’re thinking he could strike some gold in Slovakia’s top hockey.

He heads back from a season overseas to sign with the pro team in the same state as his college team, Maine Mariners for 2022/2023 after a decent 15 goal, 12 assist in 38 game showing in Slovakia.

It will be his debut ECHL season and he should do well.

He puts up more than point-per-game numbers: 21 goals and 36 assists in 47 games, but finds himself caught in a trade that sends him to Atlanta Gladiators, where he has signed for 2023/2024 and will likely continue to do just as well as he did in his last frame.

His numbers are point-per-game to earn him a loan up to San Jose Barracuda for 4 games with 1 assist and a +1 rating.

He will take last season over to the EIHL for 2024/2025, signing with Nottingham Panthers, which should keep him on the scoresheet.

21Nov

Ryan Kayser (4)

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South New Hampshire University Penmen freshman defenseman Ryan Kayser(4) comes over from Highlands Ranch, CO and it looks like the transition is flawless.

The 6′ 176 lbs. blue liner already has 2 goals and 2 assists in 6 games to start his college career.

He played high school hockey locally, but left for SIJHL hockey with 2 years for Wisconsin Lumberjacks.

The 20-year old has to have a little smile on his face.

20Nov

Connor Gregga (39)

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Long Island University Sharks‘ graduate right wing Connor Gregga(39) definitely looks set to come away with college bests scoring this season with 3 assists in 9 games already, only 1 away from that mark, but he does need 6 goals to equal what he did as a sophomore at Minnesota State University (Mankato) Mavericks.

The 5’10” 181 lbs. forward plays an outright chippy style out there.

From Markham, ON, he did 2 BCHL years with Coquitlam Express before heading to school.

It would be little surprise to see the 24-year old eyeing pro outlets after completing this one.

19Nov

Seth Helgeson (2)

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9th year, veteran defenseman Seth Helgeson(2) recently appeared in his 500th AHL game with 5th year club, Bridgeport Islanders.

The 6’4″ 216 lbs. blue liner was originally a New Jersey Devils‘ 4th round pick in the 2009 draft (#114 overall) and played in their system for his first 4 seasons.

He skated his only games in the big league with the team and even got a 1st NHL goal in his 44th appearance, where he also had 3 assists and almost oddly a +1 rating.

The former 4-year University Of Minnesota Golden Gophers‘ d-man has never been a big point scorer, but does have 2 goals in the current frame.

If he adds another one, he will have a career high 3.

He’s 3 times had 10+ assists in the league and twice close.

The 31-year old has done well for himself and it’s a bit of wonder if he doesn’t go exploring for his next contract, just for some different kind of fun in the game.

For 2022/2023, he re-signs to stay in Connecticut another season.

He will return to captain the little Islanders for a 7th straight run.

It took him a minute, but he will return on a pro for a 8th season in a little Islanders‘ jersey, but you got to figure, unless he decides not to, he will sign.

19Nov

Aksel Reid (1)

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Hamilton College Continentals‘ sophomore goaltender Aksel Reid(1) has come over from a freshman season with only 1 start at Union College Dutchmen, a seemingly easy transfer.

The 6’1″ 185 lbs. net minder is already impressive in his D3 debut in a 5-1 win with a 1.00 GAA and .962 SV%.

He did 2 NAHL seasons with Springfield Jr. Blues, starting 39 games in his 2nd frame.

The 21-year old from Minnesota, MN is likely just looking to show what he can do.

18Nov

Filip Fornaa Svensson (14)

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UMASS-Lowell Riverhawks‘ Swedish-born, graduate center Filip Fornaa Svensson(14) skated only 3 games with his 1st team, Fort Wayne Komets grabbing an assist, but is wanted for his 6’4″ 216 lbs. frame in Norfolk Admirals to continue.

He transferred to his new school as a senior, coming over from University Of Alaska-Fairbanks Nanooks, where he scored his college best as a junior with 9 goals and 16 assists.

All of his junior hockey was played back home before coming over strictly for school and now for his pro game.

18Nov

Ryan Mahshie (25)

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RPI Engineers‘ senior left wing Ryan Mahshie(25) is coming off a college career best 15 goals and 22 points to enter the transfer portal for a graduate season that he will spend with University Of Connecticut Huskies and put himself in the middle of Hockey East battle.

The 6’3″ 215 lbs. forward won the 2019 AJHL Championship in his 2nd junior season for Brooks Bandits.

Undrafted, the 24-year from Stony Creek, ON is already a welcome scoring addition to his new team.

After 21 games with only 2 goals and 3 assists, it’s maybe not moving as he had envisioned, so he leaves school to turn pro and signs for the remainder of 2024 with Orlando Solar Bears, where the big pivot will likely step right in to help the team win.

He gets 1 goal in 12 games and they offer him an ECHL contract for his rookie season, 2024/2025.

In 8 games, he scores no points and gets himself traded to Allen Americans, who are looking to put his size to their advantage.

16Nov

Matt Irwin (52)

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Defenseman Matt Irwin(52) will skate his 14th season for Vancouver Canucks.

He is signed to a 2-way deal, so potentially could be sent to play for affiliate Abbotsford Canucks, which could be ok at this point in his career.

In the last 7 years, he has skated 4 AHL games with the rest in the NHL.

The 35-year old has skated a handy 461 games in the big league, so this season could reach a milestone.

At the very least, for the 1st time, the former 2-year UMass Minutemen d-man, is skating closer to his Victoria, BC home this upcoming frame.

After a full season in the minors, doing very well with the farm club, he has yet to announce a new move in addition to his retirement from playing.

He had quite the successful run and was in the dressing room, when I got married at center ice of a Worcester Sharks‘ 2011 game.

15Nov

Ryan Leibold (16)

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Merrimack College Warriors‘ graduate center Ryan Leibold(16) signs a 1st pro deal with South Carolina Stingrays.

He transferred from 4 solid seasons at Holy Cross College Crusaders, where he had a college career high as a senior, 10 goals and 16 assists in 35 games with a +3 rating in Atlantic Hockey play.

The looks smaller 5’10” 194 lbs. forward is a spark plug on the ice and despite maybe not always getting points is right in the play at all times.

From Ashburn, VA, the 24-year old with 5 years of extra school under his belt should be able to assimilate himself nicely into the pro ranks.

He even got himself a pair of assists in a crushing 11-0 win against another top ranked ECHL team.

In 9 games, he scores a 1st league goal and adds 3 assists to earn himself a full look for his rookie season 2023/2024.

After a successful 1st pro frame, scoring 14 goals and 16 assists in 65 games with a +1 rating, he re-signs to stay with the Stingrays for 2024/2025.

He plays 5 games into his 2nd season scoring 2 assists and gets traded to Reading Royals, where he has 1 helper in 2 games.