Category: Minor League Deal

3rd year left wing Lincoln Griffin(44) has skated most of his first two years in the SPHL, but on a pair of loans he scored 3 goals and 2 assists in 13 ECHL games as a rookie.

For 2021/2022 he agrees to terms on a new deal with Indy Fuel.

The former Northeastern University Huskies‘ forward was a decent scorer at college, taking his totals up to new highs as a senior (7-14-21) with a +20 rating.

He was a big scorer through 4 years at Thayer Academy.

The 24-year old from Walpole, MA should be able to elevate his game in the higher league.

He would actually end up playing the entire 2021/2022 frame with Cincinnati Cyclones, scoring an almost bananas, best by a mile 21 goals and 25 assists in 57 games.

There’s little doubt he would be invited back to try to win the whole league thing.

He is taking a very good 2nd frame with the team from Ohio to a new adventure, signing a 1-year deal with HK Nitra to play his next games in Slovak Extraliga 2023/2024.

Only managing to get into 12 games over there, scoring 1 goal and 1 assist, he decides to return home to the team he knows and obviously likes a lot, having spent more than 100 games with in the Cyclones for 2023/2024.

Another solid season of getting points and he is back for a 3rd swing through Cincinnati and may be searching for a home.

He goes on to score new bests in his 4th frame with 25 goals and 27 assists in 70 games with a +7 rating and he will be back for more as a Cyclones again.

University Of Wisconsin-Superior Yellowjackets‘ senior left wing Reed Stark(29) signs a 1st pro deal with Utah Grizzlies.

The fairly big 6’2″ 180 lbs. forward scored a college best 14 goals last season and tied his assists from freshman year at 9.

From Suffern, NY, the 25-year old will likely do well in the ECHL once he gets his footing.

For his rookie season, he decides to sign with Dusseldorfer EG of DEL2, where he will definitely be challenged.

5th year right wing Jake Smith(24) doesn’t seem to be bothered finding the net, regardless of the ECHL team he may be paired with at the moment.

The 5’10” 170 lbs. took a bit of a weird path, starting with 2 QMJHL seasons, then switching to the OHL and heading to a year at Carlton University Ravens before turning pro.

He started as a rookie in the SPHL, but would eventually split for a short run in Germany3 with Starbulls Rosenheim, a team he oddly played a year of youth hockey with, considering his birth place is Pickering, ON.

Returning, he skated the COVID-busted season in the league and would do well enough to score a look in the higher league.

He started with Kansas City Mavericks, but failed to connect and took up with Iowa Heartlanders and the scoring wasn’t immediate, but eventually pulled in for 25 goals and 25 assists in 52 games.

There’s little doubt he can score in the league, but could definitely use more on ice accountability.

The 26-year old seems to have found a good spot with Reading Royals, good for 7 goals and 5 assists in 19 games, but a lowly -12.

It takes a little while, but he signs a 1-year deal to stay in a Royals’ jersey for 2024/2025.

With some good scoring, 16 goals and 21 assists, he decides to head back for another venture and signs with Aalborg Pirates of Metal Ligaen.

Long Island University Sharks‘ graduate defenseman Andrius Kulbis-Marino(6) signs a 1st pro deal with Utah Grizzlies.

The 6’2″ 190 lbs. blue liner had 3 goals and 7 assists in 34 games last season with a +6 rating on a team that maybe won a surprising amount.

He didn’t outpace scoring he had at Sacred Heart University Pioneers as a sophomore, when he had a college best 6 goals and 10 assists in 35 games with a +3 rating.

The Methuen, MA native wasn’t able to grab points in his 1st 6 ECHL games and comes to terms for his official rookie season with the new Greensboro Gargoyles in 2025/2026.

University Of Connecticut Huskies‘ graduate captain defenseman Roman Kinal(41) signs an ato to start his pro career with San Jose Barracuda.

In 5 AHL games, he has no points.

The 6’2″ 198 lbs. blue liner has never really put up points, three times hitting 7 in a frame.

From Waterford, MI, the 24-year old may just need a little more time to grow into his pro game.

He signs for 2023/2024, but is dispelled to affiliate Wichita Thunder for a good deal of the session.

For 2024/2025, San Diego Gulls are in search of some assistance and agree with him for a look.

He is up for 36 games and reassigned to affiliate Tulsa Oilers for 17 and does well, help guiding both.

It’s an easy call for him to re-sign to stay a Gulls for 2025/2026.

Utica College Pioneers senior left wing Shane Murphy(29) signs a 1st pro contract with Birmingham Bulls and in 2 regular season SPHL games scores 1 goal and 1 assist to get started.

The 5’11” 181 lbs. forward has his best college scoring year as a junior with 13 goals and 15 assists in 30 games with a +27 rating.

He also scored pretty well as a senior.

From Oriskany, NY, the 25-year old played 2 years of NAHL juniors before school.

On their protected list, he will need a new contract for 2025/2026.

He’s an easy sign to return for his rookie season, 2025/2026 to be a Bulls.

University Of Alaska-Fairbanks Nanooks‘ senior center Matt Koethe(20) has always recorded 10+ points through college hockey and once the schedule was done signed on, an ato to join Tulsa Oilers.

the 5′ 10″ 190 lbs. forward from Minnetonka, MN scored 1 goal and 2 assists in 7 ECHL games with a +1 rating.

For his rookie season, he is an easy sign to return for a full frame, 2025/2026.

After high school hockey, the now 26-year old did 2 years of junior hockey, right where he was heading to school, Fairbanks Ice Dogs.

Rapid City Rush rookie signing, 4 year American International College Yellowjackets‘ left wing Blake Bennett(48) is off to a nice start as a pro, scoring his 1st ECHL goal in his 5th game and adding 3 assists in 6 total sightings.

The small 5’9″ but stocky 195 lbs. forward had a college career best 22 goals and 35 points in 38 games as a senior, his 2nd season with 20+ goals, 10+ assists and 30+ points.

He was a point-per-game player in his only NAHL session for Corpus Christi Ice Rays after playing himself up from a couple of seasons in lower levels and half a one in a Canadian based league before heading to college.

We predict the 24-year old from Grand Island, NY settles in nicely with his new club.

He finishes up from his ato with 1 goal and 4 assists in 15 games with a 0 rating.

This is good enough for the Rush to want to see a full rookie season by him in one of their jerseys.

In a full slate of 72 games, he absolutely blows up scoring with 35 goals and 28 assists, but decides to look elsewhere for his next contract and will head to Metal Ligaen to skate for Odense Bulldogs in 2024/2025.

He skates only 9 games, but scores 6 goals and 3 assists with a +1 rating.

Next, he will head to DEL2 and signs with EV Landshut for 2024/2025.

He does ok with 3 goals and 1 assists in 16 games, but maybe thinks he should be doing better, so eyes a return back to his one team, the Rush for the remainder of the frame.

After scoring a 2nd high numbered frame in the league, worth 50+ points, he signs a 2-way deal with parent club Calgary Wranglers for 2025/2026.

University Of Connecticut Huskies‘ senior right wing Nick Capone(14) signs a 1st pro contract with Lehigh Valley Phantoms for 2024/2025.

The 6’2″ 216 lbs. forward had his best scoring season as a junior with 9 goals and 9 assists in 35 games with a +2 rating.

From East Haven, CT, the just 22-year old mostly kept it close to home for youth hockey, but did branch out to Tri-City Storm for his only USHL junior campaign before college.

He was originally a Tampa Bay Lightning 6th round pick in the 2020 draft (#157 overall), but not signed.

Reassigned for the entire year to affiliate Reading Royals, he scored 7 assists in 49 games with a +1 rating and re-signs with the Phantoms to stay in the system for 2025/2026.