Category: Minor League Deal

03Aug

Nick Wolff (65)

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Boston Bruins‘ unrestricted free agent signing, consecutive NCAA Division 1 Champion, University Of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs in 2018 and 2019, but was unavailable due to COVID shutting down hockey to finish 2020, defenseman Nick Wolff(65) signed a 1-year entry level deal just as the season was going belly up.

The Minnesota native who stands at a gigantic 6’5″ 224 lbs. was captain in his final year at college hockey.

Never the biggest scorer he finished up his senior year with 10 assists in 33 games.

He started his first pro season by heading over to Slovakia‘s top league joining DVTK Jegesvedmek and sort of came alive a little with 3 goals and 2 assists in 18 games.

The 24-year old has two assists in 24 AHL games on reassignment with Providence Bruins but we’re betting that as his career goes, goals are going to start to go with it.

For 2021/2022, he was fairly quickly retained on a 1-year 2-way deal, which we think could be counted as his rookie campaign.

He is currently in contract club, Black & Gold training camp.

After coming away from last season with 8 assists in 32 games with a +7 rating and adding his 1st league goal in 2 playoff appearances, he signs for 2022/2023 on another one year, two-way NHL deal.

Almost 3 years with one club out of college and it’s time to move on for the Eagan, MN native, who signs for 2023/2024 with San Diego Gulls, who could definitely use him to sure up their zone.

17Jul

Lukas Kaelble (27)

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Clarkson University Golden Knights‘ German-born, graduate defenseman Lukas Kaelble(27) is definitely glad he added a year of eligibility to his calendar, as he was able to come away with a college career high 7 goals in 32 NCAA Division 1 games.

The 6’1″ 205 lbs. blue liner takes what he was able to earn in 2021/2022 to a 1st pro contract with Florida Everblades.

He did all his early junior/youth hockey close to home in Mannheim, but did come over for a year of USHL, skating a full schedule for Fargo Force.

Lake Superior State University Lakers liked what they saw of his US play and invited him aboard.

He was captain as a senior.

The 24-year will likely do well wherever he ultimately decides to play hockey

In 9 ECHL games, he scores 1 goal and 5 assists with a +10 rating, then strikes for exactly the same numbers in 20 playoff games en route to the 2022 Kelly Cup Championship.

This showing earns him a contract with the parent club, Charlotte Checkers for 2022/2023, which should see him need to elevate his game, but hold his own to start in the AHL.

He was never quite able to appear in games at the upper level, as he was reassigned at the start of last frame to toil the zone for the lower affiliate, but he responded.

In 63 games, he posted 4 goals and 26 assists with a +19 rating, then added another 4 helpers in the playoffs, en route to another 2023 Kelly Cup Championship.

He has decided for his next step, he will take his game back home to DEL and signs a 1-year deal with Fischtown Pinguins to guard their territory.

12Jul

Connor McCarthy (2)

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3rd year extra large 6’7″ 239 lbs. defenseman Connor McCarthy(2) is heading to Slovakia’s top hockey, signing 1-year with HC Banska Bystrica for 2023/2024.

He is mostly a stay at home style blue liner, who was twice signed by Bridgeport Islanders, but skated mostly for affiliate Worcester Railers.

The former Clarkson University Golden Knights senior assistant captain should do very well where is headed.

27Jun

Joel Lowry (17)

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8th year center Joel Lowry(17) has switched leagues each of the three seasons he’s been away.

He started scoring well in DEL, then moved over to Austria’s top league IceHL to sign with Vienna Capitals before returning for 2022/2023 to Germany, but going down a rung to DEL2, joining EC Kassel Huskies, where he’s basically a point-per-game player.

The big 6’2″ forward played 208 AHL games with good marks, including a +11 rating.

A former 4-year Cornell University Big Red graduate, it will be interesting to see how and where the 31-year old, son of NHL great Dave Lowry from Calgary, AB will go.

In the 2nd tier German league, he puts up almost point-per-game numbers, then adds more in the playoffs with a combined +30 rating to rightly earn himself another season to stay with the Huskies, but he could also be in line for a promotion is what we are seeing.

24Jun

Derek Nesbitt (17)

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16th year veteran left wing Derek Nesbitt(17) will have his career culminate with his 1000th pro game played for 9th ECHL season club, Atlanta Gladiators, 5th as captain.

He has skated games in 4 different leagues, including 7 playoff matchups for Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs of the CHL (Central Hockey League) and one season overseas for HC Bolzano in EBEL.

The 6′ 195 lbs. forward has 372 AHL games to his credit, appearing in 4 full frames in the league, but also a pair of years, where he was playing more games closer to the NHL than not.

He has played for 5 teams that don’t exist anymore and the native of Egmondville, ON won a 2007 Kelly Cup in his one season with Idaho Steelheads.

The 39-year old, former graduate, almost point-per-game player at Ferris State University Bulldogs has to have a little smile on his face for the achievement, but also taking in as much of the game as he’s been able to in his time on ice.

At the conclusion of 2021/2022, he closes the door on 615 games played, 538 points scored in the E, 372, 225 points in the A and 154 games, 142 points NCAA.

His no. 17 is retired to the rafters and he assumes duties as the team’s assistant coach.

1 year later and he is named the 6th Head Coach in the team’s history and everyone in Gladiatortown is completely happy.

22Jun

Nick Hutchison (37)

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Undrafted 3rd year center Nick Hutchison(37) circles back to Adirondack Thunder, the team he started his pro career with 1 ECHL game after finishing up 4 years at Canisius College Golden Griffins.

In his debut he scored a first goal, got an assist too and left the game a +3 rating.

The 6’3″ 201 lbs. forward would have circled back sooner but the team decided to suspend 2020/2021 due to COVID restrictions, so he branched out, inked a deal with Indy Fuel, scored 6 goals and 13 assists in 47 games.

He was a strong scorer in college, amassing 60 goals and 53 assists in 140 Atlantic Hockey games with a +16 rating for on-ice accountability.

The 26-year old, Hicksville, NY native will likely light it up big in 2021/2022 is what we’re thinking.

Needing more help on the back end, the former Salmon Arms Silverbacks pivot gets traded for a defenseman to Wheeling Nailers just before the new session is readying.

The far above a point-per-game guy in the league, he gets loaned up with no success through 5 AHL games to upper affiliate Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, but a month later heads off to Manitoba Moose, where in his 8th game he gets his 1st and a night later follows it up with a 2nd to go along with an assist.

It’s likely he stays in this uniform for as long as possible on a pto.

He would finish up 2021/2022 scoring 3 goals and 4 assists in 27 games with a -3 rating and also appeared in 4 playoff games.

For 2022/2023, he gets a bit of a change of scenery and signs a 1-year deal with Utica Comets.

After 31 games, good for 4 goals and 5 assists, he gets acquire by the team he played only 1 game for Adirondack Thunder and is right to business, getting 3 goals and 2 assists in 3 games.

It’s doubtful he stays.

For 2023/2024, he’s off and signs with Vasteras IK of HockeyAllsvenskan and should do well in Sweden’s tier 2 hockey league.

19Jun

Michael Huntebrinker (37)

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5th year center Michael Huntebrinker(37) takes his point-per-game numbers for HC Innsbruck through 45 IceHL games with a +6 rating to a new adventure midseason to Switzerland tier 2 SL, joining HC La Chaux-de-Fonds for the remainder of 2021/2022.

The 5’11” 194 lbs. forward is a 4-time 40+ point scorer in the ECHL, ascending to a high last season with Florida Everblades to 46.

He spent four years at Minnesota State University (Mankato) Mavericks, leaving them with a college career high 18 assists and 22 points.

The 29-year old may just play himself up the ladder overseas.

His 34 assists were a league most last season and he helped his 2nd team to a deep playoff run, and for it decides to head to the competitive SlovakExtraliga, signing with HKM Zvolen for 2022/2023.

After a point-per-game season, getting 13 goals and a league high 37 assists in 50 games, he is quickly thought to re-up for 2023/2024 and continue with that scoring putting up career best numbers.

Apparently, the now 30-year is rethinking his path forward and has decided to retire.

18Jun

Cory Conacher (10)

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13th year center Cory Conacher(10) initially played a couple of games for Belleville Senators, but that was short lived and is likely going to be more comfortable joining Charlotte Checkers for the remainder of 2023.

Undrafted, he was initially signed to a minor league deal and won the fantasy run 2012 Calder Cup for Norfolk Admirals.

The 5’8″ 185 lbs. forward was next signed for a pair of seasons on a 2-way deal with Tampa Bay Lightning, but traded midway through his debut campaign to Ottawa Senators.

They lost him in the 2nd year of his term to Buffalo Sabres, who claimed him off waivers.

He would next sign the 1st of 4 1-way NHL contracts with New York Islanders, but toiled more time in the minors.

The Burlington, ON native would leave for the NL, hooking up with SC Bern, striking for more than point-per-game numbers en route to a 2016 Championship.

He would return on nice deals for the next few runs with the Lightning before again returning to Switzerland to win more titles.

The 33-year old former Canisius College Golden Griffins standout is likely just smiling, still playing hockey.

In 15 games he grabs 4 goals and 5 assists with a +3 rating, then adds another 3 points in 7 playoff matchups.

For 2023/2024, he moves on in the league to sign with Chicago Wolves.

15Jun

Brodie Reid (21)

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11th year right wing Brodie Reid(21) spent last season closer to home pumping the scoresheet for Kansas City Mavericks, scoring 25 goals and 35 assists in 60 ECHL games, returning from 5 years in Austria’s EBEL, skating 2 campaigns with HC Bolzano, then 2 for Dornbirner EC and 1 at Villacher SV.

He was mostly a 40-point player in that league.

The 6′ 187 lbs. forward has decided to switch things up, agreeing to terms for 2021/2022 with Cardiff Devils and he’s just exploded the stat sheet with 9 goals and 1 assists in 6 EIHL games.

After only a year at Northeastern University, he turned pro on a 2-year entry level deal with San Jose Sharks that was extended once, but he was never recalled from affiliate Worcester Sharks, where he was a 20-point performer.

He would next sign late to join Elmira Jackals, but lasted only 9 games before he was loaned up to the AHL for the remainder of the session.

It was after that season, when the now 32-year old left for overseas and has stuck nicely with good success.

He comes off a career year for goals, 31 and points, 59 with his new club and decides to stay put for in Cardiff for 2022/2023.

After 2 successful seasons, he will push off for a new adventure, joining Ducs D’Angers of Ligue Magnus for 2023/2024.

11Jun

Stephen MacAulay (81)

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8th year left wing Stephen MacAulay(81) will spend a 3rd & 4th season with Dusseldorfer EG after putting up a healthy 17 goals and 19 assists in 56 DEL games with a +17 rating.

He originally earned a promotion up from DEL2 after the 2020/2021 silly season with Loewen Frankfurt, but did manage 17 goals and 23 assists in 35  games with a +15, which earned him a look at the higher level.

The 6’2″ 187 lbs. forward originally skated 4 seasons in the QMJHL, mostly with Saint John Sea Dogs, where he won 2 Championships and Memorial Cups before heading to Halifax Mooseheads to win another pair of trophies.

He would next turn pro, but maybe wasn’t loving the results so enrolled in St. Marys University Huskies for the next 3 years.

Originally a St. Louis Blues‘ 6th round pick in the 2010 draft (#164 overall), he never signed, but did ink an AHL deal out of school with affiliate Springfield Thunderbirds.

Despite scoring some, he was sent down to affiliate Florida Everblades, where he would sign for the next frame and blow up scoring.