Category: Minor League Deal

22Feb

Matt Cairns (22)

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Undrafted rookie defenseman Matt Cairns(22) signs a one-year AHL contract with Rochester Americans for 2021/2022 after completing his senior year at University Of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs.

The big 6’3″ 213 lbs. blue liner skated three seasons at Cornell University Big Red, but we think saw the writing on the wall of a suspended 2020/2021, so entered the transfer portal to continue playing college hockey.

He won an OJHL Championship in his 2nd year of juniors in the league with Georgetown Raiders, scoring all bests 9 goals and 24 assists for 33 points, then added another 3 goals and 16 assists in 21 playoff games to the title.

The Mississauga, ON native would next try his hand at American junior hockey, signing on with Fargo Force, but leaving after 17 USHL games to join Powell River Kings and would keep scoring 2 goals and 14 assists in 18 BCHL games.

We’re not sure how much the 23-year old will be able to connect with points in his new top notch pro league, but do think he’ll be able to shut down offense as necessary.

He was mostly reassigned down to Cincinnati Cyclones for his 1st season, scoring 2 goals and 14 assists with a +21 rating.

For 2022/2023, he re-signs to stay in Ohio and should have another good ECHL year.

1 goal and 5 assists in 45 games with a +17 rating, then 11 playoff match ups, and he is invited to return again for 2023/2024.

Splitting his time between affiliates, his league rights get traded to Maine Mariners, but things get confusing and before you can blink he is going to Indy Fuel for some future rights considerations, so was wanted in the midwest.

He actually sticks through 49 games, 3 goals and 13 assists with a +13 rating, so does pretty well for himself, but is heading to the IceHL, signing for 2024/2025 with Asiago.

We think he does really well in this top Austria league.

He scores pretty decently, but is off on the +/-, so figures he will do better in Sweden’s tier 2 HockeyAllsvenskan and signs with IF Bjorkloven.

21Feb

Ryan Orgel (29)

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Adirondack Thunder 2nd year ECHL defenseman Ryan Orgel(29) 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.

In 16 games, he has 1 goal and 2 assists with a +1 rating, but gets himself dealt again, this time to Fort Wayne Komets.

20Feb

Anthony Nellis (14)

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Undrafted 3rd year left wing Anthony Nellis(14) is having a career year scoring a Trois Rivieres Lions‘ best 19 goals and 38 assists.

Last season he skated for Fort Wayne Komets and was a point-per-game player in the playoffs en route to the ECHL 2021 Kelly Cup Championship.

The former top scorer at Lake Superior State University Lakers had a 1 AHL game loan up to Manitoba Moose this session.

I think it depends if the Levis, QC native wants to stick around or goes for a better deal overseas on strong numbers.

He decides to leave for Slovakia after finishing last season with 22 goals and 39 assists and adding another 7 points in 7 playoff games.

The still young 27-year old signs with HK Spisska Nova Ves for 2022/2023.

He comes away with 12 goals and 10 assists in 37 games to earn himself a 1-year extension to stay at least through 2023/2024.

Leaving on a high note, getting 25 goals and 17 assists in 50 games with a +11 rating, he heads off to Tipsport Extraliga and agrees to term with HK Vitkovice Ridera.

Well, in 43 games, he has a tidy 20 goals and 15 assists to earn himself a 1-year contract extension to stay.

19Feb

Evan Buitenhuis (30)

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Wichita Thunder circles back to re-sign 4th year goaltender Evan Buitenhuis(30) after a trade sent him over for most of 2020/2021.

In 21 ECHL starts he went a career best 15-5-1 with a 2.19 GAA and .937 SV%, also league lows.

The 6’2″ 185 lbs. graduate of NCAA Division 3 Hamilton College signed a pair of AHL contracts, but not played any games.

Instead he was reassigned almost immediately upon his rookie season deal with Bridgeport Islanders (Sound Tigers) to affiliate Worcester Railers, where he played 28 games with good numbers.

For his sophomore frame, he simply just agreed to stick with the Central Massachusetts’ club and was credited with a new high 39 games in the cage.

He won the 2014 OJHL Championship with stellar numbers, 1.84 GAA and .943 SV% in his last year of junior hockey for the Burlington, ON native.

The 28-year old will likely see a lot of action in 2021/2022 and could also see his best totals.

He was definitely seeing a lot of time in the crease, playing a 2nd high 31 games recording a 11-15-4 mark with a 2.92 GAA and .919 SV%, which was decently in line where he was last season, but the team had sunk to last place, so have decided to cut ties and go with more youth in the cage for the time being.

The Burlington, ON native has decided to spread his wings and leaves for Storhamar of Fjordkraftligaen.

He returns to Kansas for a 3rd go at net after a good enough, but maybe brief showing in Norway.

After spending a couple of years in US minor league hockey, he is ready to move back overseas for hopefully a more extended run, signing for 2023/2024 with HC Innsbruck of IceHL.

We expect to see good things happen for the still only 29-year old in Austria’s top league.

Well, he does ok in his new league and is off to something better, signing with Jukurit of Liiga.

18Feb

Casey Dornbach (77)

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University Of Denver Pioneers‘ graduate center Casey Dornbach(77) signs an ato with Iowa Wild for the remaining current frame, but more importantly has agreed to terms for an AHL deal heading into 2023/2024.

The 6′ 181 lbs. forward is likely chopping at the bit to get started after scoring a college career best 13 goals and a 3rd 20+ assist season.

Almost shockingly, undrafted, he did 4 years at Harvard University Crimson, serving as team captain in his senior run.

The Edina, MN native did 2 USHL sessions with Lincoln Stars, coming close to point-per-game stats in his 2nd stint.

We believe the 25-year old plays himself into a position where he gains looks for the parent club.

As a rookie, he is mostly dispatched to ECHL affiliate Iowa Heartlanders, where he scored 13 goals and 29 assists in 55 games, which he will take to a new contract with Toledo Walleye, which we feel is only going to meet good things in 2024/2025.

He’s a decent prolific scorer with 3 goals and 17 assists in 37 games with a +2 rating, but Greenville Swamp Rabbits need his points punch more than his current club, so trade to get him.

Scoring isn’t a problem with his new team, as he pots 1 goal and 4 assists in 8 games with a +5 rating, but maybe wants a little more and branches out to sign in Liiga with Jukurit.

We do think this is a huge move for the player and this team.

17Feb

Lordanthony Grissom (27)

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Norfolk Admirals‘ 3rd year defenseman Lordanthony Grissom(27) won the 2022 SPHL Championship with Peoria Rivermen after completing 4 years, twice as captain at Aurora University Spartans.

He actually scored points in that league, raising his profile to score ECHL contracts moving forward.

The very large 6’4″ 229 lbs. blue liner had a league career best 3 goals and 7 assists last season for Greenville Swamp Rabbits.

From Detroit, MI, the 28-year old has 1 assist in 3 games in the current frame and could find his way to scoring more points when out there.

In 16 games, he only posts 1 assists, but is a +2 rating.

He is released and claimed off waivers by Jacksonville Icemen, who hope to do something with his great size.

 

15Feb

Joseph Nardi (18)

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Reading Royals‘ 2nd year left wing Joseph Nardi(18) is leaving most of his earlier scoring behind with 17 goals and 30 assists in 66 ECHL games.

The 5’10” 179 lbs. forward skated 5 years at Northern Michigan University Wildcats before turning pro.

From Edmonton, ON, he did 3 junior AJHL seasons for Whitecourt Wolverines, running up 30+ assists twice.

The 26-year old was originally signed out of college by Manitoba Moose, but mostly reassigned despite a 1st AHL goal in 4 games.

He would put up bests 17 goals and 33 assists, but wants some different kind of hockey for his 3rd season, 2024/2025 and signs with Pioneers Voralberg of the IceHL.

Through 26 games, he does ok here, but searches for maybe a little higher level and signs with HK Dukla Michalovce, but in 11 games comes away with only 1 goal and a -8 rating.

He is heading back to the Royals, where it seems his point production riches are best, but still has to bring up that +/-.

14Feb

Caleb Huffman (4)

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Simon Fraser University Red Leafs‘ junior defenseman Caleb Huffman(4) decides to leave school and turn pro, signing a contract with Wichita Thunder.

The big 6’4″ 210 lbs. blue liner had 3 goals and 13 assists in 20 games this season.

He transferred from 2 years at University Of Alaska-Anchorage Seawolves, where he first played after leaving as captain of 2nd year NAHL junior team, Kenai Brown Bears.

From Fairbanks, AK, the 23-year old should fit in quickly with his new ECHL team.

13Feb

Lincoln Erne (24)

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Canisius College Golden Griffins‘ senior defenseman Lincoln Erne(24) left school with new modest bests 1 goal and junior year tying 5 points, playing 41 games en route to a 2023 Atlantic Hockey Championship.

The very solid 6’2″ 201 lbs. blue liner, magically ascended to 29 assists in his 2nd NAHL frame as assistant captain for Minot Minotauros.

From Blaine, MN, the 24-year old signs a 1st pro deal with Tulsa Oilers for 2023/2024.

He actually ends up with Newfoundland Growlers and in 23 games has 6 assists, but Idaho Steelheads want him and trade to get him to reunite with a former college player on their team.

3 goals and 8 assists through 27 games is ok, but he once again finds himself on the trading block and is dealt to another team that allegedly want him, Jacksonville Icemen.

No points in 3 games and for 2024/2025 he will go to Iowa Heartlanders.

He has 1 goal and 1 assist in 14 games with a -1 rating and gets traded to Savannah Ghost Pirates to see if he can ignite scoring better.

In just 3 games, he has no points and is a -4 rating, so gets again moved, this time to Utah Grizzlies give him a home.

12Feb

Jake Stevens (44)

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Long Island University Lakers‘ graduate defenseman Jake Stevens(44) has college career high 4 goals, tied his 13 assists as a freshman and a new best 17 points in 29 games.

The 6’2″ 205 lbs. committed after his first BCHL season for Victoria Grizzlies, then in his follow-up went on to score junior best 8 goals and 45 assists in 58 games.

He transferred for 2021/2022 from 4 years at St. Lawrence University Saints.

The undrafted, 25 year old is definitely a good player to see what develops.

Upon completing his 5th year, the native of Naperville, IL signs a 1st pro deal with Iowa Heartlanders and has a 1st ECHL goal and 2 assists in 6 games with a +1 rating on a team that has been losing.

He would conclude his short spell with 1 goal and 7 assists in 11 games with a +1 rating.

For 2023/2024, he signs with Orlando Solar Bears and should be able to help their blue line not give up goals and score points.

He gets released after 2 goals and 2 assists in 24 games and quickly picked up by Greenville Swamp Rabbits, who think they can add to those totals.

In 10 games, he records 1 goal and 4 assists with a +5 rating, but decides to sign with Maine Mariners to start 2024/2025.

9 game played without any points, Tahoe Knight Monsters want him to join their team.

In 3 games with his new club has 2 assists with a +4 rating, so things are looking up.