Category: Minor League Deal

23Dec

Mitch Walinski (57)

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Salve Regina University Seahawks‘ senior right wing Mitch Walinski(57) saw his team’s season end in a close game against the club maybe to win the entire D3 hockey this year.

The 6’1″ 180 lbs. forward takes the news in stride and quickly signs a 1st pro deal with Atlanta Gladiators.

He posted an assist in his debut and then a few days later in game 2, grabs a 1st ECHL goal with a 0 rating in some high scoring wins.

From Lincoln, RI, the 24-year old left two seasons with 10+ goals and 10+ assists in college hockey.

He finished his ato with 3 goals and 1 assist and a -5 rating, but they see something they want to continue and sign him up for his official rookie season, 2023/2024.

Scoring ok for his 1st year, he definitely needs to bring up that +/-, but he is wanted to return to wear a Gladiators‘ sweater for 2024/2025.

He grabs 7 goals and 5 assists last season, but hadn’t figured into a game yet this season, so gets dished to Adirondack Thunder to see if they can turn the magic.

After 4 games with no points he gets waived and quickly scooped by the new Bloomington Bison.

22Dec

Ryan Orgel (28)

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Adirondack Thunder 2nd year ECHL defenseman Ryan Orgel(12) scores a loan up to Syracuse Crunch.

In 1 AHL game, he has no stats to report.

The 6′ 190 lbs. blue liner has a career best 5 goals this season, but his 10 assists after moving up from the SPHL Pensacola Ice Flyers stands for now.

He did 2 years of little use at University of Denver Pioneers, only to transfer to University Of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Pointers where his best showing was the ill-fated 2020/2021, where he scored 5 goals and 4 assists in 10 games.

The 27-year old from Los Angeles, CA seems to be pulling his game together at the perfect time.

He actually left his 2nd NAHL season to head to college.

In 40 games, he scores a new best 5 goals and will take that to a contract with the new to the league, Tahoe Knight Monsters for 2024/2025.

He records 2 assists in 9 games with a +3 rating, but gets himself dished to Indy Fuel.

21Dec

Matt Staudacher (25)

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Rookie defenseman Matt Staudacher(25) leaves Italy2, where he scored 10 goals and 13 assists in 19 games for Brixen/Bressanone Falcons, for a contract with the new Bloomington Bison.

The 6’1″ 194 lbs. blue liner finished up a graduate year of college at Northeastern University Huskies with a new best 2 goals.

He had more assists in 4 years (3 playing) at University Of Minnesota Golden Gophers.

From Grand Blanc, MI, we expect the 24-year old to do quite well in the ECHL.

20Dec

Ryan Mahshie (25)

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RPI Engineers‘ senior left wing Ryan Mahshie(25) is coming off a college career best 15 goals and 22 points to enter the transfer portal for a graduate season that he will spend with University Of Connecticut Huskies and put himself in the middle of Hockey East battle.

The 6’3″ 215 lbs. forward won the 2019 AJHL Championship in his 2nd junior season for Brooks Bandits.

Undrafted, the 24-year from Stony Creek, ON is already a welcome scoring addition to his new team.

After 21 games with only 2 goals and 3 assists, it’s maybe not moving as he had envisioned, so he leaves school to turn pro and signs for the remainder of 2024 with Orlando Solar Bears, where the big pivot will likely step right in to help the team win.

He gets 1 goal in 12 games and they offer him an ECHL contract for his rookie season, 2024/2025.

In 8 games, he scores no points and gets himself traded to Allen Americans, who are looking to put his size to their advantage.

He scores only 1 goal in 11 games, so gets dealt to Worcester Railers, where he may gel with their team better.

19Dec

Luc Salem (5)

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Saint Lawrence University Saints‘ senior captain defenseman Luc Salem(5) skated a college best 38 games last season before signing with Utah Grizzlies upon finishing up ECAC tournament play.

The 5’10” 181 lbs. blue liner had his best college year scoring as a junior, hitting 10 goals and 17 assists in 37 games with a +12 rating.

He was definitely able to load up assists through 2 NAHL junior seasons.

From Los Angeles, CA, the 24-year will need a new deal moving forward.

He signs with Indy Fuel for his rookie season, 2024/2025, where we think he will have good success.

With 3 assists in 16 games with a -3, he finds himself twice traded but is wanted by Kalamazoo Wings to help their d corps.

18Dec

Chris Dodero (55)

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American International College Yellowjackets‘ graduate center, assistant captain Chris Dodero(55) 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.

15Dec

Derek Lodermeier (16)

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Jacksonville Icemen left wing Derek Lodermeier(16) signed his first contract after finishing up his final COVID busted season as two-year captain at University Of Vermont Catamounts.

Never exactly the biggest point scorer in his four years, he twice had 11 points and twice 18.

Well, the big 6’3″ 225 lbs. forward has a new best 10 goals in 45 ECHL games this season plus 5 assists, so turning pro seems to be working for this rookie, who still has a lot of the season left to play.

The 26-year old Minnesota native, who did one year of NAHL before switching things up and heading up north to the AJHL for two seasons with Brooks Bandits, must be smiling to himself at least a little.

He is ready to suit up for a 3rd season in northern Florida 2022/2023 after scoring a new best 15 assists and 30 points, tying his 15 goal total from last session.

In the last frame, he blows up scoring with a new best 26 goals and 21 assists for 47 points, then added 7 goals and 2 assists in 12 playoff games to earn a 4th look in an Iceman jersey for 2023/2024.

He continues to score with 11 goals and another 21 assists and takes a minute in 2024/2025, but ultimately does and grabs an assist and is a +1 in his 5th year in Jacksonville debut.

13Dec

P.J. Fletcher (8)

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Miami University (Ohio) Redhawks‘ senior center P.J. Fletcher(8) scored a college best 11 goals last season, but had 16 assists and 24 points as a sophomore transfer from Quinnipiac University, where he attended as the ECAC chose to shutdown next session due to COVID and he went to be captain for Dubuque Fighting Saints and scored 16 goals and 18 assist in 44 USHL games before heading to his new school.

The 6’2″ 201 lbs. forward from Dana Point, CA played his original junior hockey in the BCHL, where he really tilting scoring in the playoffs for 14 points in 18 games.

He signed a 1st pro contract, an ato with Florida Everblades and in 3 ECHL games has yet to connect, but could very well be a playoff contributor.

For his rookie season, he signs with Atlanta Gladiators for 2024/2025.

In 18 games, he has a 1st goal and 3 assists, but is a little miserable -9 and gets himself traded to the new Bloomington Bison to see if he can correct it.

12Dec

Zach White (5)

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6th year center Zach White(5) gets traded from single year team Worcester Railers to Greenville Swamp Rabbits for 2024/2025.

He twice had really good seasons with Iowa Heartlanders.

The 5’7″ 150 lbs. former Curry College Colonels‘ senior captain started his pro career with a solid frame in France2, scoring big.

He came back during the COVID season and agreed to terms with Carolina Thunderbirds of the FPHL.

From Milford, CT, the 28-year old has worked his game up nicely.

In 6 games, he scores no points and is dished to Fort Wayne Komets for future considerations.

12Dec

Ryan Smith (10)

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University Of Maine Black Bears‘ graduate, right wing Ryan Smith(10) was never a big goal scorer through his college career or in two years of juniors with Green Bay Gamblers but struck for a quick goal and pair of assists in his debut with Macon Mayhem through 6 SPHL games.

His play earned him a loan up to Tulsa Oilers of the ECHL, where he appeared in three games with no points and was  returned to increase his totals in the lower league to 5-9-14 in 25 appearances.

It seems like the 6′ 195 lbs. forward could start striking the stat sheet with more frequency to possibly, more permanently put him at a higher level of play.

He was actually signed by Adirondack Thunder to start 2020/2021, but they decided to sit it out due to COVID concerns, so he’s on the radar.

The 24-year old does finally sign on with the Glens Falls, NY club and will skate 2021/2022 for them.

He records 11 goals and 16 assists in 70 games as a rookie, but was a bit of a woeful -22 rating.

His play scored him a 2 game AHL loan to Springfield Thunderbirds.

For 2022/2023, he re-signs to stay where he skated his 1st season.

He blows up his scoring last season with 16 goals and 26 assists in another 70 game rack to easily score himself an invite to return yet again to Cool Insuring Arena.

Last season he post more goals, 27 and points, 60 than he has in the past and will stay for a 3rd straight run in a Thunder jersey and maybe get more loans up, where he got a 1st goal in 2023/2024.

He has basically changed the type of player his is since turning pro.

In 18 games, he scores 6 goals and 6 assists, but is heading off to DEL2, signing with Selber Wolfe for the balance of the frame.