Category: Minor League Deal

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.

Undrafted, 4th year left wing Mike Szmatula(9) leaves after his 4th ECHL season and first away from Adirondack Thunder, who didn’t play last season, but had they, he would have returned yet again.

The former Northeastern University Huskies and ultimately after a portal transfer University Of Minnesota Golden Gophers skated for Jacksonville Icemen in 2020/2021, scoring a third 20+ goal campaign.

He left once briefly to play in Poland, but that lasted all of 4 games before his return.

The 5’9″ 181 lbs. forward will head to Denmark’s Metal Ligaen, signing with SoderjyskE for 2021/2022.

There’s little doubt the 28-year old will achieving new scoring heights if he stays in this league, but nothing is certain and he could come back to the team he’s played 122 games for.

The Commerce Township, MI native returns home to sign with the last team he left, Jacksonville Iceman and should be able to connect for even more scoring than he did previously.

5th year defenseman Simon Denis(9) tracks back and signs for a 3rd time with Toledo Walleye for 2022/2023 after spending the last four seasons in the Asia League and being voted MVP and league’s best d-man for Tohoku Free Blades.

The 5’10” 187 lbs. blue liner did 5 years at Ferris State University Bulldogs, averaging 10 assists in 4 sessions.

He has been recalled once to Hartford Wolf Pack and in 7 AHL games came away with 4 assists.

The part Japanese/Canadian 30-year old will likely put up some great stats for a team he’s super comfortable with and likely ready to win another title.

Standing in at 6’8″ 245 lbs., you can’t really say Toronto Marlies are taking a chance on with an AHL contract, as much as opening up room for recent University Of Maine Black Bears‘ graduate student Keenan Suthers(34) in the 2022/2023 season.

He scored a tying college career high 9 goals and 5 assists in his 3rd season at St. Lawrence University Saints, and also connected for 13 points in 2021/2022, which is where he seems to sit in roughly 30 NCAA Division 1 games played.

It’s very likely considering his size, the 24-year old from Tecumseh, ON could easily open up some room for himself in front of the net for more scoring chances than were available to him in college hockey.