Category: Minor League Deal

14Sep

Ryan Nicholson (24)

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RIT Tigers‘ senior defenseman Ryan Nicholson(24) signed an ato with Savannah Ghost Pirates upon finishing school and scores 1 assist in 2 ECHL games to get his pro career started.

For his official rookie season, he will head to Finland’s tier 2 Mestis league and signs with RoKi for 2024/2025.

The 6’3″ 201 lbs. blue liner had a college high 9 assists last season.

From Mississauga, ON, he did 3 years of juniors close to home before college.

We think the 25-year old does well in this league.

He scores 1 goal and 7 assists in 47 games and will next take it to the EIHL and signs with Fife Flyers for 2025/2026.

13Sep

Jackson Cates (63)

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Philadelphia Flyers undrafted free agent signing, center Jackson Cates(63) signed a two-year entry level contract after completing his third season at University Of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs, where he scored a college career high 11 goals and 16 assists for 27 points in 28 games with a +8 rating.

He was a freshman when the college team won their 2nd straight NCAA Championship in 2019.

The 6′ 190 lbs. forward played a pair of junior hockey seasons with the famed Waterloo Blackhawks and his 33 goals and 30 assists in year 2 got him voted USHL Forward Of The Year award.

He’s skated roughly 15 shifts for roughly 10 minutes of ice time a night, grabbing a first assist but is a -3 rating with 7 shots on net.

The 23-year old may be just getting started with his big league debut.

He would appear in 11 games, getting his first NHL goal and as a restricted free agent, finally gets his 1-year extension to continue to build.

A group 6 UFA upon exiting last season, he signs a pto with New York Islanders that we feel if doesn’t turn into a deal with the big club, will get him under terms with affiliate Bridgeport Islanders upon reporting to their camp.

He was actually never signed and then released after only 1 goal in 12 games to be offered the same look from Rockford IceHogs, where he scored 2 goals and 3 assists in 6 AHL games to earn a full contract for 2023/2024.

11 goals and 14 assists through 50 games with a -1 rating, gets him another look for 2024/2025 in an Icehogs‘ uni.

After a 64 game season, scoring decently, then contributing a little for the playoffs, he is retained on a new 1-year minor league deal to stay in Rockford.

12Sep

Kieffer Bellows (20)

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New York Islanders‘ 1st round pick in the 2016 draft (#19 overall), left wing Kieffer Bellows(20) signs a 1-year deal as a restricted free agent to stay.

The 6’1″ 195 lbs. forward play the entire 2020/2021 session up with the big club, but only skated 14 games, scoring 3 goals, so was either a healthy scratch or reassigned to the taxi squad.

As a 2nd year player, he would score an AHL best 22 goals and 9 assists for 31 points for affiliate Bridgeport Islanders (Sound Tigers).

The former Edina High School, MN native was selected to head to Boston University Terriers and went onto 2 very successful USHL seasons before heading to college, but only lasted there for one year before deciding to split for Portland Winterhawks.

In 56 WHL games, he scored 41 goals and 33 assists with a +40 rating.

The 23-year old is son of former NHL player of 1188 games, Brian Bellows.

He would end up playing his 1st full frame in the big league, skating a healthy 45 games, scoring a not so bad 6 goals and 13 assists that would lead to his new 1-year, 1-way deal worth a tidy $1.2M AAV.

For 2022/2023, he would start on the roster, but it was decided to waive with the intention of reporting to the minors, but Philadelphia Flyers didn’t let him sit long and pulled him in.

He’s played 3 games with his new team, and although all loses, he’s kept it simple in his 10+ minutes of play and is only a -1.

We think the now 24-year old finds his footing, sticks and starts to make an impression.

He actually doesn’t really find his footing with 3 goals through 27 games.

For 2023/2024, he signed a pto with Toronto Marlies, is scoring big, not looking back and gets a deal for the current season.

Nashville Predators see something for their weighted 2024/2025 lineup that may start with affiliate Milwaukee Admirals, but could get a call up for the 1st time in a couple of frames.

He takes some solid regular season play and point-per-game playoff looks to something new on his pro hockey playing career, a deal overseas with Brynas IF of the SHL, which should heed good results for him.

12Sep

Kirby Proctor (3)

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Trois Rivieres Lions‘ rookie defenseman Kirby Proctor(3) was ready to go for a 2nd ECHL season, but he is traded on the cusp of the start of 2025/2026 to Wichita Thunder.

The 6’3″ 207 lbs. blue liner was a graduate at University Of Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks, who left with a college best 7 goals and 8 assists in a high 40 games.

From Lloydminster, AB, the 24-year old did 2 years of juniors before school.

12Sep

Conner Hutchinson (20)

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Miami University (Ohi0) Redhawks‘ senior defenseman Conner Hutchinson(20) signs a 1st pro contract with Greenville Swamp Rabbits and he comes away with 3 assists in 11 ECHL games with a 0 rating.

The 5’11” 170 lbs. blue liner did 3 years at Sacred Heart University Pioneers before transferring.

His best college scoring year was as a sophomore with 3 goals and 17 assists in 34 games.

From Hicksville, NY, he did 2 BCHL frames before heading to University Of Vermont Catamounts.

That lasted 6 games before he signed with Tri-City Storm of the USHL and did very well.

The 24-year old is likely in line for a contract 2025/2026.

Adirondack Thunder step in to offer a 1-year deal.

12Sep

Nicholas Cafarelli (72)

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RIT Engineers‘ graduate defenseman Nicholas Cafarelli(72) signed with Reading Royals to an at0 when tournament play finished up.

The 5’10” 185 lbs. blue liner did 4 years at University Of New Hampshire Wildcats, where he scored a college best as a junior with 6 goals and 5 assists in 28 games with a +2 rating.

From Middleton, MA, the 24-year old signs with Kalamazoo Wings on a pto.

11Sep

Lee Lapid (28)

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Undrafted, Canisius College Golden Griffins‘ graduate center Lee Lapid(28) agrees to a 1st pro deal with Cincinnati Cyclones for 2022/2023.

The 6’1″ 190 lbs. power forward scored a college career tying 11 goals and new best 12 assists and 23 points in 33 NCAA Division 1 games with a +6 rating as a senior.

A Thornhill, ON native, he played 3 seasons in the OJHL, really lighting things up as a 3rd year player.

The 24-year old is going to be a great ECHL rookie.

He scored 13 goals and 29 assists in 59 games with a +33 rating and for his 2nd frame with the club is very much in line with 8 goals, 19 assists in 34 with a +18 and he eyes some better hockey to play, signing with SaiPa of the Finnish elite league Liiga going forward.

in 14 games, he grabs 2 assists and they want him to return for 2024/2025, back in a Sputniks‘ uniform.

He actually reconsiders and elects to sign with a bit closer to home Abbotsford Canucks for the upcoming frame.

Sent to Kalamazoo Wings, he skated 47 games, scoring 10 goals and 17 assists with a +3 rating.

A free agent, heading into 2025/2026, he signs a 1-year deal with Indy Fuel.

10Sep

Cameron Wright (16)

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University Of Denver Pioneers‘ graduate portal transfer, left wing Cameron Wright(16) comes in from 4 strong years at Bowling Green State University Falcons and pulls off a rare college hockey feat, scoring a hat trick in a recent blowout.

The 6’1″ 190 lbs. forward currently has 10 goals and 6 assists, which is basically in line how he’s scored the previous four campaigns.

He’s once had 20 goals and twice 16 assists.

The Richmond Hill, ON native rattled off big numbers in his 2nd and 3rd sessions with St. Michael’s Buzzers amassing 130 points in 136 OJHL games.

At 23-years old, he will definitely be an interesting undrafted watch heading into unrestricted free agency upon finishing up 2021/2022.

He would score a new college best 23 goals and 34 points last season with the team that won the 2022 NCAA Division 1 Championship.

For 2022/2023, he signs a 1st pro AHL deal he stays close by with Colorado Eagles and will likely blow up scoring as a rookie to potentially get someone’s attention.

Mostly just skating for Utah Grizzlies, he scored a mammoth 29 goals and 34 assists in 64 games, then added another 7 points in 6 playoff matchups.

For 2023/2024, he’s looking for more playing time up, so signs with Bakersfield Condors to help give them more scoring punch.

After 48 games, scoring a rookie team best 12 goals and 9 assists with a +9 rating, he is a no brainer to bring back to try to help this struggling Condors‘ team move further.

In 60 games, he scores 13 goals and 11 assists, but we believe he isn’t receiving the looks he wants, so ups and leaves for Liiga to sign with HPK for 2025/2026.

10Sep

Brehdan Engum (10)

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UMASS-Lowell Riverhawks‘ senior defenseman Brehdan Engum(10) enters the transfer portal to do a graduate frame at Boston University Terriers in 2024/2025.

The 6’3″ 220 lbs. blue liner doesn’t score a lot of points, but is definitely accountable on a good team.

He left the USHL for Waterloo Blackhawks with 2 seasons of 10+ assists and a +36 rating.

From Burnsville, MN, the 24-year continues his Hockey East play another frame.

The big d-man scores only 2 assists in 30 games with a +7 rating last season and signs a 1st pro contract with Norfolk Admirals that should be an awesome match for both.