Category: Juniors

27Sep

Curtis McElhinney (35)

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16-year net minder Curtis McElhinney(35) was snooping around for a new deal to play 2021/2022, but nothing seemed to break, as the 2-year deal at his best hit $1.3M AAV with Tampa Bay Lightning was expiring.

He is 38-years old.

The 6’1″ 210 lbs. goalie has 249 NHL games to his credit, posting a 94-95-20 record, mostly as a relief pitcher.

He started his pro career on an AHL deal to tend the cage for Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights before attracting the attention of Calgary Flames, who signed him to his one-year deal.

The Colorado College solid backstop (62-16-8) with a 2.32 GAA, .912 SV% and 8 shutouts, 2 WCHA Goaltending Champion was surprisingly overlooked to step right in, but the longevity that he’s built is pretty incredible.

He’s won a decent amount of awards in his run, but none sweeter than back-to-back 2020 and 2021 Stanley Cup Championships.

26Sep

Dajon Mingo (10)

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6th year defenseman/right wing Dajon Mingo(10) signs with Cincinnati Cyclones for 2021/2022.

The former Bowling Green University Falcons‘ skater took 2020/2021 off, as did a lot of good players, but has 267 ECHL games of experience with 31 goals and 89 assists.

He’s only received one 3 game loan up to the AHL (no points).

The small 5’8″ 174 lbs. d-man/forward has definitely had seasons where his scoring increased nicely, like 2018/2019, his 2nd of three campaigns for Jacksonville Icemen (11 goals, 29 assists), sophomore year at college (8-14) and was almost a point-per-game guy with two teams in NAHL junior hockey.

At 31-years old, it’s a little surprising to not see the Canton, MI native take off from some overseas ventures, but he still has time.

24Sep

Pat Nagle (35)

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11th year goaltender Pat Nagle(35) has played more AHL games in the last 2 seasons by 8x the previous amount through his 1st 9 years.

It didn’t hurt that he was under contract to one team, Grand Rapids Griffins for the last four campaigns and split duties for the last pair of runs after doing a super job for affiliate Toledo Walleye, whenever he was asked.

The 6’2″ 200 lbs. net minder did win a 2012 ECHL Kelly Cup Championship by being stingy with Florida Everblades.

He has started 328 games in the league and posted phenomenal numbers (191-83-33) with 16 shutouts and a 2.59 GAA and .913 SV%.

The former Ferris State University Bulldogs standout signed an NHL entry level deal with Tampa Bay Lightning, but has always played the minors despite always having a winning record, whether it’s through one NAHL year of juniors for St. Louis Bandits, college or pros.

For 2021/2022, the unrestricted free agent signs a 1-year deal with Lehigh Valley Phantoms, but we will see where the 33-year old plays most of his games.

19Sep

Julian Boisclair (21)

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Boston Jr. Rangers‘ 1st year center Julian Boisclair(21) was sitting right in front of the opposing team’s net when the puck came to him to end the 2-2 standoff on opening day of the new EHL season.

He came to Massachusetts after playing last season for Philadelphia Hockey Club in USPHL Premiere, scoring 12 goals and 13 assists in 39 games, then added another 8 points (4-4) in 4 playoff contests.

The 20-year old, Vorhees, NJ native should be able to take his totals up in the new league before committing to a college.

14Sep

Jake Pappalardo (37)

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2-year Holy Cross College Crusaders transfer (from University Of Maine Black Bears), center Jake Pappalardo(37) takes probably his best stats in a severely COVID cut 2020/2021, getting 5 goals and 3 assists in 13 Atlantic Hockey games to a 1-year ECHL deal with Idaho Steelheads.

The 5’10” 185 lbs. forward spent barely any time in juniors after graduating as 2-year captain at Proctor Academy and quickly entered college play.

He was an absolute scoring stud in high school.

The 25-year old, Salem, NH native is being given a tremendous opportunity with a top team in the league.

13Sep

Brock Trotter (9)

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There could be an argument to be made that 12th year center Brock Trotter(9) would like to play games in as many overseas leagues as possible.

Signing with ASC Corona Brasov Wolves brings that number up to 7.

He’s only returned to one league: the KHL.

The 5’10” 180 lbs. forward originally left to join the league after skating a pair of games for 1st contract club Montreal Canadiens, but was mostly an elite player for affiliate Hamilton Bulldogs.

Injuries completely sidelined him for the next pair of seasons, but he fought through to make a return and signed a tryout to return to Russia, but unfortunately did arrive with the same impact he had for Dinamo Riga earlier.

Undeterred, he would move along to sign with IF Bjorkloven and once again found that scoring touch, connecting for a modest 6 goals and 20 assists in 35 HockeyAllsvenskan games.

He would next jump for a short stint with a couple teams in Liiga and did decided well for Oulun Karpat, recording 4 goals and 8 assists in 9 games, but decided to return home.

Signing a tryout with Chicago Wolves, it ended after only 4 AHL games and then he seemingly was to head back to Sweden, but maybe never made it.

He firmly had his sites set on a couple of targets that would do well for his scoring abilities, first signing with Dornbirner EC, blowing up assists to 40 in 41 EBEL games.

The Brandon, MB native didn’t stay in Austria though, moving on to the tougher HKM Zvolen, but reloaded for 46 assists in 51 Tipos Extraliga games.

Almost oddly, he next would agree to terms with Rouen, and it looks like he was admiring the scenario some, although still did ok with 5 goals and 10 assists in 20 Ligue Magnus games.

The 34-year old is going to dominate Hungary/Romanian hockey and that could be the curtain call for the former 3-year University Of Denver Pioneers‘ rock star.

13Sep

Ben Street (9)

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12 year center Ben Street(9) leaves the nest for a first time, signing in 2021/2022 with EHC Munchen of DEL.

He has played a phenomenal 523 AHL games, scoring 173 goals and 266 assists for 439 points with an overall +32 rating.

The 6′ 194 lbs. forward has only skated 59 NHL games (3 goals, 6 assists), but has had 7 big league contracts with 5 different teams, maybe most notably Anaheim Ducks, who he scored 3 goals and a pair of assists with.

His first pair of contracts were minor league deals with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.

The former two-time University Of Wisconsin Badgers‘ captain was also a good point-getter through 4 years of school.

At 34-years old, he may not have much time left to play, so probably decided it was a good time to go adventure.

11Sep

Marcus Power (57)

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Toronto Marlies‘ almost ironically signed 4th year center Marcus Power(57) to an AHL deal for 2021/2022.

The 6′ 185 lbs. forward skated 2 seasons for their ECHL affiliate Newfoundland Growlers and won the 2019 Kelly Cup.

He’s basically a point-per-game player through his two seasons in the league (47-60-107, 109 games).

The St. John’s, NL native left in 2020/2021 for EV Landshut and absolutely destroyed scoring for 29 goals and 40 assists in 47 DEL2 games.

He played three seasons with Rouyn-Noranda Huskies and flipped the lid off their scoring in his final campaign, potting 31 goals and 78 assists in 61 QMJHL games before heading off to University Of Prince Edward Island Panthers, where he called home for the next four years.

The 28-year old still has a lot of work to do to stay at this level, but could very well do it.

10Sep

Brendan O’Donnell (21)

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7th year center Brendan O’Donnell(21) once again trades out his overseas leagues and teams, agreeing to a 1-year deal with Dusseldorfer EG for 2021/2022.

It seems like he joins a new country’s team, detonates the score sheet and leaves to go elsewhere from the first time he arrived under contract to Kunlun Red Star.

He may have only had limited success in the KHL, but when reassigned down to KRS Heilongjang, scoring 3 goals and 10 assists in 13 VHL games.

Almost exactly like the previous season, he next went on to join KooKoo, but after only 3 Liiga games with no points maybe split from the tryout for Dornbirner EC Bulldogs and scored 33 goals and 20 assists in 43 EBEL games with a +7 rating.

The 6’2″ 197 lbs. former Tampa Bay Lightning 6th round pick in the 2010 draft (#156 overall) almost shockingly never signed.

His first contract was with Florida Everblades after 4 steady years at University Of North Dakota Fighting Hawks.

Despite blowing up the scoring in Austria’s top league, he next went to Czech Extraliga and was decently solid, but following it up by heading to Slovakia’s Tipos Extraliga, skating for HC Slovan Bratislava once again elevated his game.

The now 29-year old will have to be on his best game going into DEL, but very well could be a great fit for his style.

10Sep

David Backes (42)

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16 years and 965 NHL games played is plenty enough for David Backes(42) to call it a career at the ripe old age of 37.

The 6’3″ 215 lbs. always a banger signed a 1-day deal with St. Louis Blues, the team he skated 727 of those games with.

He was five-time team captain before being wooed by a lucrative 5-year deal from Boston Bruins to leave the nest.

This was the team who selected him in the 2nd round of the 2003 draft (#62 overall), he spent the first 10 years of his pro career with.

The former Minnesota State University (Mankato) Bulldogs‘ junior captain was a huge, twice 40+ point scorer through 3 years of college.

He only spent half of one season in the minors with Peoria Rivermen and originally signed an ato with the team after signing his entry level deal.

The Minneapolis, MN native only one a single title, the 2003 Clark Cup Championship with his 1.5 year junior club, Lincoln Stars.