Category: Minor League Deal

29Jun

Tristan Sarsland (61)

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Clarkson University Golden Knights‘ senior defenseman Tristan Sarsland(61) scored 8 goals and 15 assists in 39 games with a +14 rating as a junior and did slightly less in his final frame, but still good and grabs an AHL deal with San Jose Barracuda for 2026/2027.

The 6’1″ 203 lbs. blue liner from Wayzata, MN blew up scoring at USHS-MN and only did NAHL juniors after graduating high school and scored there through the playoffs before college.

He reported to his new team on an ato, playing 4 games with no points, but that should change quickly as he really gets started.

29Jun

John Jaworski (18)

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Sacred Heart University Pioneers‘ graduate right wing John Jaworski(18) takes a college best scoring 13 goals and 18 assists in 39 games with a +8 rating to a 1st pro contract 2025/2026 with Cincinnati Cyclones.

The 5’11” 185 lbs. forward did 2 years of juniors before school.

From Grinnell, IA, the 25-year old will likely score well in the ECHL.

After a good scoring season with 15 goals and 20 assists in 55 games with a +3 rating, he decides to take his game elswhere and signs HK 32 Liptovsky Mikulas of Tipsport Extraliga for 2026/2027.

28Jun

Jarod Hilderman (3)

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Four year and consecutive NCAA Champion defenseman with University Of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs‘ Jarod Hilderman(3) knew before the 2019/2020 season came to a crashing halt during the playoffs that he would be heading to Birmingham Bulls for 2020/2021 and spend his rookie season in the SPHL.

Well, a pandemic didn’t sideline those plans, as he reported and played basically a full slate of 36/42 game schedule, unable to grab a goal but he did produce 6 assists.

The 6’1″ 210 lbs. Calgary, AB native started his junior hockey closer to home with 2 seasons for Penticton Vees, where he won his first title, a 2015 BCHL Championship, which is when he committed to college, but then moved south to do a season with Fargo Force of the USHL before reporting to school.

At 24-years old and the leagues opening up to full service, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him elevate his game to the next level.https://www.sandiegogulls.com/players/detail/hilderman

He would spend his 2020/2021 under contract to Tulsa Oilers and ended a 48 ECHL game “rookie” season with a goal and 15 assists, then added 3 assists in 6 playoff matchups.

For 2022/2023, he will return, but we also feel may earn a 1st AHL loan to San Diego Gulls, who have him on their radar.

He puts up some decent enough numbers with a pair of visits up, but needs better on ice accountability.

Despite the parts of his game to work on he gets an invite to return for a 2nd chance in an Oilers‘ jersey.

He has a solid 3rd frame, scoring 35 assists to seemingly rebound hard and will take his game over to Ligue Magnus, signing with Les Bruleurs De Loups for 2024/2025.

He took off 2025/2026 to play for Nottingham Panthers and did decently in the EIHL, but will head back to France and signs with Boxers de Bordeaux for 2026/2027.

28Jun

Spencer Cox (13)

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Long Island University Sharks‘ sophomore defenseman Spencer Cox(13) enters the transfer portal and is up for a new challenge, heading to Miami University (Ohio) Redhawks for 2023/2024.

He committed to his 1st school after a decent NAHL frame for Chippewa Steel, getting 4 goals and 16 assists.

The 5’10” 181 lbs. blue liner, who sometimes skates forward, from Powell, OH will likely find the NCHC schedule a bit tougher to play, but may also add a little pepper to his game.

After 2 years at his new school, he signs a 1st pro contract with Indy Fuel.

In 9 ECHL games, he has 2 assists.

Doesn’t take them too long to re-up with him for his rookie season, 2025/2026 in a Fuel sweater.

Before he even skates a game in the current 2025/2026 frame, he is traded to Cincinnati Cyclones.

He appears in only 28 games, scoring 1 goal and 2 assists, which he takes to some off season training and signs with Canberra Braves of the AIHL.

28Jun

Aaron Ness (27)

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10th year defenseman Aaron Ness(27) was in Boston Bruins‘ training camp, but signs for 2021/2022 with affiliate Providence Bruins to stay in the system.

It’s his 1st minor league deal.

The 5’10” 184 lbs. blue liner has played an outstanding 557 AHL games, scoring 45 goals and 222 assists with an overall +7 rating.

He’s appeared in 72 NHL games in 7 seasons with 3 different teams, scoring just a goal and 6 assists.

We do believe the 31-year old, former 3-year University Of Minnesota Golden Gophers will look to continue his hockey overseas next, just to be able to say he did it as a pro.

Looks like we guessed wrong, as he signs for 2022/2023 with the team he had a 50 assist campaign for a few years ago, Hershey Bears and the recently turned 32-year old should be able to help them find their playoff punch again.

He’s riding a good playoff run with the team after getting 5 goals and 14 assists in 69 games with a +14 rating during the regular season, but has yet to add anything in the playoffs.

No worries says this minor league club as they would like him to stay in Chocolatetown for at least another 2 more years.

For a 7th season, he will stay a Bears, 2024/2025.

He spends his 2nd year as team captain, but maybe limits appearances to 38 games to ease off a bit.

Well, 818 games in the AHL and 72 in the NHL with 1 goal and it’s time to at 36-years old retire from pro hockey.

We think he stays put to assume an assistant coach role, he’d be a perfect fit for.

28Jun

Ben Strinden (21)

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University Of North Dakota Fighting Hawks‘ hometown, senior assistant captain right wing Ben Strinden(21) scored a college best 15 goals and 20 assists in 38 games last season with a +15 rating.

The 6’1″ 209 lbs. forward is a Nashville Predators‘ 7th round pick in the 2022 draft (#210 overall).

He signs a 2-year AHL deal with affiliate Milwaukee Admirals through 2027/2028, but that means he will stay under the watchful eye of the parent club for progress.

From Fargo, ND, the 23-year old has no points in 3 games, but we feel will step into his game as he settles.

28Jun

Harrison Scott (22)

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University Of Maine Black Bears‘ junior center Harrison Scott(22) transferred after 2 years at Bentley University Falcons, where he had a best 8 goals and 7 assists as a sophomore.

In 10 games with his new college club, he has 1 goal and 4 assists, which could best earlier marks.

The 6′ 185 lbs. forward looks more committed to score playing Hockey East competition.

From San Jose, CA, the 23-year old looks to be a pretty natural fit for this northern New England school.

He does certainly best his scoring marks in his 1st year in a new school and then for his senior year, explodes to 18 goals and 17 assists with a +13 rating on a very good team.

His team exits the tournament late and he wastes little time signing a 1st pro deal, an ato to join Texas Stars., but the next day that gets upped to a 1-year NHL entry level deal to start 2025/2026 with parent club, Dallas Stars.

He plays 72 games, scoring 18 goals and 14 assists to gain another 1-year contract to stay with the Stars.

We look for him to 2nd season score a recall.

27Jun

Brad Arvanitis (32)

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Undrafted, graduate goaltender Brad Arvanitis(32) takes a hot finish with D3 Babson College Beavers to a 1st pro contract with the very playoff ready Rapid City Rush.

In his ECHL debut, he scored a 5-1 victory.

The 6’2″ 180 lbs. net minder posted an 11-4-2 record with a 2.52 GA and .918 SV% in his final frame.

He’s definitely had an interesting little journey, first tending cage for EHLP team, Walpole Express before moving up to an NAHL season for Coulee Region Chill before heading to 2 seasons of limited use with UMass Minutemen.

The 24-year old will probably be able to excel in the league if he looks to stick around.

He only started one game his rookie frame before being dealt to Tulsa Oilers, where he played in 2 before being released and picked up by Pensacola Ice Flyers, which he stitched together an admirable 9-6-2 mark with a 2.71 GAA and .919 SV% in 20 SPHL games.

For 2023/2024, he picks up a deal with Maine Mariners, who likely saw him play in college some.

He runs an impressive regular season record of 20-10-1, but in the playoffs was stellar with a 1.69 GAA and .939 SV% to earn himself another contract to return to Maine.

In a 3rd season, he once again puts up impressive numbers, but now it’s time to look elsewhere and he signs in the EIHL with Guildford Flames for 2026/2027.

27Jun

Luke Santerno (25)

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Undrafted left wing Luke Santerno(25) re-signs to stay with Greenville Swamp Rabbits after joining them upon finishing up his graduate year at Clarkson University Golden Knights.

The big 6’3″ 201 lbs. forward scored only an assist in 5 ECHL games on an ato, but could definitely light up this league, much like he did Atlantic Hockey with assists for Bentley University Falcons.

He scored nicely in his 3rd and final season of junior hockey in the BCHL for Trail Smoke Eaters. as a more than point-per-game scorer.

The 26-year old from Smithers, BC should find some room to pocket points in his official rookie season.

After just 2 games, recording 1 assist, he gets dished to Wheeling Nailers, where in 15 games he scored 2 goals and 3 assists and now is on the move a 2nd time as a 1st year player to Kansas City Mavericks, where he may find better footing to score.

Decently effective with 1 goal and 5 assists in 14 games with a +1 rating, he’s invited to return to Missouri for hopefully a full season with one team.

He’s actually doing pretty decently in a full round with the team, scoring 3 goals and 5 assists in 34 games with a +2 rating on a very good team, but finds himself traded to another good club Florida Everblades to continue.

Once again, he scores well with his new team, 4 goals and 6 assists in 19 games with a +4 rating, but finds himself dealt to Cincinnati Cyclones and continues to score with 2 goals and 1 assist in 7 games with a +2.

He would play for 3 different teams last season and scored decently with good accountability.

For 2024/2025, he is looking for something new to his game and signs with Budapest Jégkorong Akadémia.

He explodes scoring in Erste Liga to the tune of 16 goals and 20 assists in 37 games with a +19 rating.

For 2025/2026, he heads of to Ligue Magnus and signs with Rapaces de Gap.

After a solid frame, scoring 11 goals and 26 assists in 43 games, he trades in loyalty to sign with rivals Boxers de Bordeaux for 2026/2027.

27Jun

Griffin Ness (77)

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University Of North Dakota Fighting Hawks‘ senior right wing Griffin Ness(77) recorded his 3rd straight college hockey season of 6 points and signs a 1st pro deal with Maine Mariners.

In 2 ECHL, he doesn’t have any points with a -3 rating and didn’t appear in the playoffs.

The 6′ 184 lbs. forward was a big scorer at Wayzata USHS-MN high school, then put up similar stats as 2-time captain for Waterloo Black Hawks before college.

We will see if the 24-year old gets retained for a full pro season look.

He’s actually signed for 2024/2025, but gets traded just before the start of the new year to Toledo Walleye, which is going to be blessing to his point production.

With 11 goals and 11 assists in 59 games, he’s proving he can connect with the net, but gets himself swapped in a player deal to Utah Grizzlies, who may need him a little more.

He scores 3 goals and 7 assists in 14 games with his new team and they are liking what they see to re-sign him to return in Utah for 2025/2026.

In 24 games, he picks up 6 goals and 9 assists, but Kalamazoo Wings eye and want him for future considerations.

After a decent 2nd year in the league, he decides to jump and heads to the EIHL, signs with Coventry Blaze for 2026/2027.