Category: Minor League Deal

11th year defenseman Nicholas Schaus(28) returns to Norfolk Admirals, where he spent 18 AHL games in his third pro season.

Now an ECHL team, in 5 games, he’s already posted a pair of assists.

The 5’11” 200 lbs. blue liner has always been known for dishing helpers in good amounts, reaching 20+ assists and 30+ points overseas on 3 occasions.

He had 10+ assists for 3 of 4 years at UMass-Lowell Riverhawks.

The 35-year old is a great team guy and maybe shows little signs of slowing down.

He likes where he is and decides to stay for 2022/2023 after putting in 4 goals and 11 assists.

This could be it, then he would be an amazing coach.

Undrafted rookie right wing Jack Billings(27) becomes one of the first player signings to the new ECHL team Iowa Heartlanders.

The Oak Lawn, IL native has already experienced an interesting run to ultimately turning pro.

He played his 1st junior season with Janesville Jets, scoring a modest 2 goals and 6 assists in 42 NAHL games as a youngster.

Also, drafted by Green Bay Gamblers, he skated 4 USHL games, grabbing an assist.

He would start the next season back in tier 2 junior hockey, but maybe almost oddly left to join a high performance skating league HPHL 18U for a spell before settling in with Brockville Braves to play out his 2nd frame.

Turns out he like the CCHL and settled in for the next couple years (41-77=118 in 130 games) before committing to Salve Regina University Seahawks DIII.

The 5’9″ 190 lbs. forward would have a decent rookie campaign, but really starting popping as a 2nd year skater for 19 goals and 26 assists in 40 games.

Just as he was readying for a third season at school, Niagara University Purple Eagles swoop in, he sits one season in the transfer portal and finishes up with two seasons on some very decent scoring ground.

The 25-year old is likely ready to transition his game to another level.

He scores 14 goals and 15 assists as a 1st year player and he’s off, signing a 1-year deal with Coventry Blaze of the EIHL for 2022/2023 and on a good team will likely light that league up big.

Colgate University Raiders‘ graduate right wing Griffin Lunn(16) signs a 1st pro contract for 2022/2023 with Wheeling Nailers.

The 5’10” 190 lbs. forward scored a college career best 12 goals and 19 points last season.

He played 2 USHL sessions before leaving for school with his 2nd one for a pair of teams showing good scoring signs.

The 24-year old, Buffalo, NY native will likely shine well in the ECHL.

5th year left wing Jackson Leef(19) is an interesting story and has been on quite the pro hockey ride for himself.

The 6′ 187 lbs. forward started his career under contract to Evansville Thunderbolts, but after scoring 6 goals and 7 assists in 16 games earn a loan up to Brampton Beast.

He was able to assimilate himself nicely into the new lineup and stuck, ultimately getting 5 goals and 9 assists in 44 ECHL games.

Almost phenomenally, he even caught the attention of Laval Rocket and skated a single AHL in that same rookie run.

Not terrible for a kid who didn’t play his college hockey at some fancy D1, but instead went from a pair of USHL and NAHL junior seasons to DIII Westfield State University Owls.

He scored big here, more than point-per-game performances by the end of it, served as senior team captain and was voted player of the year.

The Fort Wayne native was left without his usual team to sign with for 2020/2021, and agreed to terms with Fort Wayne Komets, which turned out very nice, as he would go on to win the 2021 Kelly Cup Championship.

It also happened to be the team his dad played for and is in their hall of fame for his play.

For 2021/2022, the 29-year old has made a nicely competitive decision to sign with Allen Americans.

This is the type of team that could give the always hard working skater new best point totals.

Through last campaign it seemed like the skater was having a hard time finding grip with any one club until he arrived late on a trade with Tulsa Oilers.

He re-gained his scoring form and was once again almost a point-per-game player, along with a tidy +9 rating.

It was fairly obvious the nearby resident would stay for a complete run in 2022/2023.

Undrafted rookie defenseman Jared Brandt(16) takes 4 years at Niagara University Purple Eagles to a 1st pro contract with Reading Royals for 2021/2022.

The 1-year Miami University (Ohio) Redhawks‘ transfer was pretty much good for 10 points per frame.

He skated three seasons of juniors for Minot Minotauros and sort of popped his scoring lid as captain with 5 goals and 22 assists with a +17 rating in 59 NAHL games.

The 6′ 196 lbs., 25-year old blue liner will likely be able to connect for points in the ECHL.

He wound up with 1 goal and 6 assists with a +4 rating before a trade sent him to Worcester Railers for the remainder of the frame and he would end up with another helper in 9 contests.

His performance was good enough to want to have him around for a full season in central MA.

Niagara University Purple Eagles‘ senior defenseman Zac Herrmann(12) wasted zero time turning pro, as soon as his team was ousted from NCAA Division Atlantic Hockey play for 2021/2022 and inked a contract to join Cincinnati Cyclones for the remainder of the frame.

In a new high 36 games, he was able to score a best 5 goals and 10 assists.

He had 31 helpers in his 2nd NAHL season of juniors as assistant captain for Odessa Jackalopes.

The Lancaster, NY native also managed 34 assists in one season up north in the OJHL for Burlington Cougars.

No points in a pair of ECHL games to start, but it would be little surprise to see the 6′ 185 lbs. blue liner have an impact early.

Only able to put up an assist in 12 games, he decides to look elsewhere for a contract and signs on with Manchester Storm and will skate EIHL as a rookie.

Michigan Tech Huskies senior transfer portal pick up from 3-years at Boston University Terriers, left wing Matthew Quercia(13) was never the biggest scorer, but through 4 games with his new team has an assist and is a +3 rating.

The 6’3″ 203 lbs. forward from Andover, MA played most of his youth hockey in the New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs‘ program, and when he was ready to age out, was given the chance to skate with the tier 3 junior team, picking up 5 assists in 6 games, then adding another 7 points (4-3) in the playoffs to a 2016 EHL Championship.

From there he accepted the invitation to head to the popular local college and was a 6th round pick in the USHL draft by Sioux Falls Stampede and spent 2 years there before heading to school.

The 22-year old, because of his size, will be an interesting look to turn pro once he graduates.

He signed with Wheeling Nailers upon finishing up and got to business with 3 goals and 4 assists in 19 games, then another 2 and 2 in 10 playoff games to become an absolute no-brainer to invite back for a full run at a season.

Trois Rivières Lions‘ rookie center Brendan Locke(27) is off to a hot start with 3 goals and 6 assists in 16 ECHL games with a +5 rating, as the team heads into its 1st playoff berth.

He was coming off a 5th, graduate year at Cornell University Big Red, where he was always a solid scoring threat.

The 5’10” 176 lbs. forward did 4 campaigns of junior hockey, starting with a pair in the NOJHL before heading to 2 OJHL stints.

He twice was good for 40+ points in the Ontario league.

The 24-year old has to have a small smile on his face as he goes into postseason play.

For 2022/2023, he decides to sign with rivals Indy Fuel.

Undrafted left wing Steven Ipri(23) takes a 4-year college career at Mercyhurst University Lakers to a 1st pro contract with Wichita Thunder.

The 5’11” 155 lbs. forward was a solid scorer through 2 NAHL seasons, getting 17 goals and 27 assists in his 2nd frame.

In 3 ECHL games, he already has an assist.

The 24-year old from Broadview Heights, OH should find success in this league, if he sticks around.

In an almost odd move, he signs for 2022/2023 in Germany3 with HC Landsberg and will likely post some career high stats.

After 8 seasons of essentially guiding Reading Royals and winning the 2013 Kelly Cup with the team as an assistant captain, Kirk MacDonald(13) steps away for a new opportunity to become head coach with Dubuque Fighting Saints.

He wrapped up his playing days with that title and went on to become assistant coach at his old college, RPI Engineers to get his feet wet, but turned pro after a single frame.

Not sure what went into the 6’2″ 209 lbs. right wing veteran of 272 AHL games and 135 ECHL games had in mind to leave for a USHL junior hockey team, but obviously there is some reasoning there.