Category: Minor League Deal

23Sep

Timofei Spitserov (18)

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University Of Vermont Catamounts‘ Russian-born, senior right wing Timofei Spitserov(18) signs an ato with Norfolk Admirals to get his pro game on.

He played 33 games last season, scoring a new best 12 goals and 18 points.

The 6′ 176 lbs. forward played only 2 games of USHL juniors before heading to college right after blowing up scoring at USHS-Prep.

He played 2 ECHL games and will need a new contract for 2025/2026.

It’s getting close to the start of the new season and I think most folks knew, he would be returning for his rookie frame as an Admirals.

22Sep

Justin Young (21)

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Undrafted, center Justin Young(21) finished up a 2nd, graduate year with American International College Yellowjackets, scoring a college career high 12 goals and 19 assists for 31 points with a +18 rating in 36 NCAA Division 1 games and took it to a 1st pro contract with Allen Americans.

In 7 ECHL games, the 6′ 183 lbs. forward has an assist with a +2 rating.

He has yet to appear in a Kelly Cup Playoff game.

The Leduc, AB native played 3 seasons in the local AJHL, scoring very decent numbers.

At 24-years old, we’re sure the one-time University Of Alaska-Fairbanks Nanooks pivot can turn his start into a full year’s contract, if he wants one.

He would actually skate in 5 playoff games, grabbing an assist and was a +1 rating.

For his efforts on an ato, he is given a 1-year contract to stay in Texas.

In 2023/2024, he decides to change sweaters and signs a 1-year deal with Norfolk Admirals, which he’ll have to work harder for, almost certainly.

He would take off for Germany3, signing with Herner EV 2007 and do fairly well in 14 games scoring, but for 2024/2025 wants to come back, so re-signs with the Admirals.

After scoring 12 goals and 16 assists in 54 games with a +11 rating, he is invited back for a 2nd season as an Admirals in 2025/2026.

22Sep

Luke Reid (16)

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University Of New Hampshire Wildcats‘ graduate defenseman Luke Reid(16) signs a 1st pro deal with Adirondack Thunder and in 6 ECHL games had 1 goal and 1 assist with a +3 rating to get him loaned up to affiliate Utica Comets for 5 AHL games, where he got himself 2 assists and a +1 rating.

The 6’1″ 200 lbs. blue liner from Warman, SK did 1 BCHL year before recording identical points in 2 USHL seasons for Chicago Steel before college.

He is 23-years old and was a Nashville Predators‘ 6th round pick in 2020 (#166 overall), but not sign and will need a new rookie deal for 2025/2026, we think will be at the upper level, 2-way.

After his 2 game loan up, he gets to claim a 1-year deal to return to the Comets for 2025/2026, his rookie frame.

21Sep

Oliver Wahlstrom (26)

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New York Islanders‘ 1st round pick in the 2018 draft (#11 overall), 5th year right wing Oliver Wahlstrom(26) signs a conservative 1-year 1-way deal to stick for 2023/2024, as a restricted free agent.

The fairly stocky 6’2″ 205 lbs. forward has twice scored 10+ goals.

He only spent 1 year at Boston College Eagles after exploding his 2nd frame with USNTDP.

The 23-year old from Portland, ME definitely needs to step up his game.

He re-signs to spend a 6th year in the Isles‘ system, 2024/2025.

In 27 games, he has 2 goals and 2 assists and is put on waivers, knowing he will get picked up and skate for another team for the 1st time in his pro career.

A somewhat struggling Boston Bruins reaches out to welcome him back to where he attend on year of post-school.

He’s not a big scorer with 1 goal and 1 assist in 16 games and is basically a point-per-game guy in the AHL, which gains him a new minor league deal for 2025/2026 with San Jose Barracuda.

21Sep

Shane Ott (27)

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Niagara University Purple Eagles‘ senior left wing Shane Ott(27) ran up a college high 25 goals and 34 points.

The 6’1″ 181 lbs. forward did 3 years of junior hockey with his last in the NAHL.

From Centennial, CO, the 25-year old signed with Bloomington Bison and scored 12 assists in 14 ECHL games, but needs a new contract to return.

It’s an absolute no-brainer for him to return for his rookie slate in a Bison jersey.

20Sep

Chris Dodero (26)

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American International College Yellowjackets‘ graduate center, assistant captain Chris Dodero(26) heads off for his 1st pro contract in IceHL with HK Olympija Ljubljana for 2022/2023.

The 5’9″ 175 lbs. forward scored his college best last season, getting 13 goals and 16 assists in 36 NCAA Division 1 games.

He spent 5 campaigns in junior hockey, initially in the USHL, but switching to the BCHL for a year, then NAHL for the session before heading to school.

The 26-year old, West Chicago, IL native will definitely do well in Austria’s top league.

After a decent frame, scoring 10 goals and 20 assist in 39 games, he signs for 2023/2024 with a rival, Grazz99ers.

He maybe couldn’t get it started with 2 assists in 8 games and a woeful -8 rating, so pulls up the stakes and signs for the remainder of 2023/2024 with Starbulls Rosenheim of DEL2 for a new German start.

After some good seasons to start pro hockey away, he decides to return “home” and signs with Tahoe Knight Monsters for 2024/2025.

He gains 3 goals and 3 assists in 15 games, but gets dished to the struggling Cincinnati Cyclones, who need some scoring.

With an ECHL high 6 goals and 12 assists through 39 games with a +1 rating, he is once again dealt, this time heading to Idaho Steelheads for 2025/2026.

20Sep

Ryan Leibold (16)

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Merrimack College Warriors‘ graduate center Ryan Leibold(16) signs a 1st pro deal with South Carolina Stingrays.

He transferred from 4 solid seasons at Holy Cross College Crusaders, where he had a college career high as a senior, 10 goals and 16 assists in 35 games with a +3 rating in Atlantic Hockey play.

The looks smaller 5’10” 194 lbs. forward is a spark plug on the ice and despite maybe not always getting points is right in the play at all times.

From Ashburn, VA, the 24-year old with 5 years of extra school under his belt should be able to assimilate himself nicely into the pro ranks.

He even got himself a pair of assists in a crushing 11-0 win against another top ranked ECHL team.

In 9 games, he scores a 1st league goal and adds 3 assists to earn himself a full look for his rookie season 2023/2024.

After a successful 1st pro frame, scoring 14 goals and 16 assists in 65 games with a +1 rating, he re-signs to stay with the Stingrays for 2024/2025.

He plays 5 games into his 2nd season scoring 2 assists and gets traded to Reading Royals, where he has 1 helper in 2 games.

Through 62 games, he had 12 goals and 8 assists, but Jacksonville Icemen see more of a use for him, so trade to get him.

20Sep

Ryan Lautenbach (43)

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UMASS Minutemen senior, assistant captain right wing Ryan Lautenback(43) takes a college best 15 assists to a 1st pro contract with San Diego Gulls for his rookie season, 2025/2026.

The 5’11” 190 lbs forward did 3 years of junior hockey, 2 with Omaha Lancers of the USHL.

He put up a high 39 assists in his final year before school.

From Dearborn, MI, the 24-year old signed after tourney play and is liked enough to retain.

19Sep

Tyler Halland (15)

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Trois Rivières Lions‘ 2nd year left wing Tyler Halland(15) re-signs to stay with the team after playing in the full ECHL slate of 72 games last season, scoring 15 goals and 17 assists with a +8 rating, then adds another 8 goals. in 18 playoff games to help his team capture their 1st Kelly Cup Championship.

The 5’10” 180 lbs. forward did 5 seasons of QMJHL juniors before another 5 at Concordia University Stingers, scoring quite decently at both.

From Chateauguay, QC, the 27-year seemed very set, where he’s at.

19Sep

Maxim Andreev (23)

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Cornell University Big Red Russian-born, undrafted, senior forward Maxim Andreev(23) is putting up numbers like he is going to be a player to watch come the end of the season, if he wants to turn into an unrestricted free agent.

The 6′ 183 lbs. power forward has 7 goals and 9 assists in 11 games this season, which already outstrips what he did as a freshman and is very near to numbers he put up as a junior.

His team did not play 2020/2021 due to COVID protocols.

He spent his youth hockey at CSKA Moskva U17 before coming over to initially play pay for junior hockey before getting brought up with great EHL numbers to the NAHL, where he spent a solid year.

Next, he would move up again to the USHL and be signed by Central Illinois Flying Aces before heading to school.

Almost completely oddly, he has scored 12 goals and 31 assists on three occasions, twice in juniors and once at youth.

The 23-year old will be a wonder to watch play out potentially his final frame, unless he goes for a year of eligibility.

He does extend school for another year, scoring a college best 16 assists, while taking in assistant captain duties.

Turning pro, he signs with Coachella Valley Firebirds, but is reassigned to affiliate Kansas City Mavericks, where he blows up scoring to the tune of 19 goals and 54 assists in 63 games with a +34 rating.

He signs on to stay for 2024/2025.

Continuing good scoring, he is an unrestricted free agent and Maine Mariners show interest to sign him for 2025/2026 and will likely continue to blow up ECHL scoring.