Category: Minor League Deal

31Jul

Tyler Ward (73)

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Rookie left wing Tyler Ward(73) is lighting things up in Germany3 with Tolzer Lowen, scoring 2 goals and 6 assists and must be eyeing a call up to a higher level over there.

The 5’11” 185 lbs. forward played 2 years at University Of Denver Pioneers before transferring to 2 at University Of New Hampshire Wildcats, where as a senior he popped a college career high 11 goals and 16 assists in 34 games.

From Kamloops, BC, th 23-year is definitely off to a nice rookie start.

And like wow! did he run up scoring with 33 goals and 49 assists in 44 games with a +37 rating, which for 2023/2024 he will take to rivals, Blue Devils Weiden.

He goes on to score even more with 41 goals and 43 assists to earn offensive player of the year awards and is killer in the playoffs as well.

The team would climb to a DEL2 status for 2024/2025 and he continues to rip scoring to sign for a 3rd season with the Devils.

31Jul

Jake Gaudet (25)

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Cleveland Monsters‘ 2nd year center Jake Gaudet(25) returns on a new 2-year AHL deal to see if he can improve on his 3 goals and 7 assists in 40 games for 2022/2023 and beyond.

The 6’2″ 201 lbs. former UMass Minutemen senior captain was a part of the 2021 NCAA Division 1 Championship and left a +36 player at college.

An Ottawa, ON native, he spent 3 seasons with Kemptville 73’s, scoring 22 goals and 27 assists as a 2nd year skater in the CCHL.

The 26-year old must be happy he doesn’t have to think about a contract for at least the next couple of frames.

He was limited to only 19 games in his 1st season, but returned to play 49 last season, then scored 5 points in 12 playoff games to earn yet another contract to continue his development in Cleveland.

Acquired by Providence Bruins, his scoring picks up right away with 2 goals and 3 assists in 3 games, but oddly isn’t credited for the playoffs.

For 2025/2026, he decides to head over to the EIHL and signs with Belfast Giants for 2025/2026.

31Jul

David Cotton (13)

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Carolina Hurricanes‘ 6th round pick in the 2016 draft (#169 overall) center David Cotton(13) is blowing up the AHL scoring in his rookie season with 6 goals and 4 assists with a +8 rating in 12 games for Chicago Wolves.

He would easily be getting a look from the NHL level if his parent club wasn’t so good, but may just stay in the minors and look to make the big league out of training camp next season.

The 6’2″ 200 lbs. power forward has always been a good scorer in 4 years at Boston College, putting up his best numbers overall totals last campaign scoring 15 goals and new bests 24 assists and 39 points as team captain.

This is an overall player/skater that easily went in later rounds as he was seemingly just getting going in his one year of juniors with Waterloo Blackhawks of the USHL.

His progress should be easy to follow and he’s even signed alongside brother Jason in his pro contract.

He wasn’t given a qualifying offer as a restricted free agent to stay, so for 2022/2023, he signs a minor league deal to join the brand new Coachella Valley Firebirds.

After appearing in only 2 games with a good team, he gets himself traded to San Diego Gulls for a necessary new start.

In 34 games with his new team, he scores 4 goals and 5 assists with a -13 rating on a non-playoff contender.

For 2023/2024, he makes a smart move, signing with Florida Everblades, where his scoring talents should finally emerge as a pro.

After 7 games with 2 assists, he receives a trade to a team that seems to really want him, Kansas City Mavericks, another good landing spot, then scores a goal in his 1st game.

He would excel with his new team, scoring 14 goals and 24 assists in 41 games with a +25 rating, then connecting solidly in the playoffs, so he will re-sign to stay in KC for 2024/2025.

As the new captain, he records a best 22 goals and 25 assists in 54 games, then added another 10 in 13 playoff matchups.

For 2025/2026, it’s a easy match for his return 2025/2026 to the Mavericks.

31Jul

Nick Zabaneh (45)

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Boston University Terriers‘ senior center Nick Zabaneh(45) finishes up with a 2nd season of 8 goals, raises his assist total to the same number and leaves with a college best 16 to sign a 1st deal, an ato with Providence Bruins.

In the 5’10” 183 lbs. forward scored a goal in his AHL debut.

We do believe he may have signed a contract this morning (or last night) and played his 1st game this afternoon.

He had a pair of successful USHL frames with Green Bay Gamblers before committing to school.

It would be a little ironic to see pro hockey ice easier to score on than Hockey East.

After 32 games with Charlotte Checkers last season, scoring 2 goals and 2 assists, he re-signs to stay for 2025/2026.

30Jul

Chris Grando (6)

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Arizona State University Sun Devils‘ 3rd year graduate left wing Chris Grando(6) signed with Jacksonville Icemen upon finishing up the current college frame.

The 5’10” 172 lbs. forward got an assist in his debut, then 4 ECHL games later scored a 1st goal.

His best college season was as a freshman at Boston College Eagles.

He has 3 times struck for 6 goals in a session.

The 24-year old from Islip, NY could possibly find more room to score in the pro league.

He had finished up his time after school with 4 goals and 5 assists in 15 games with a +5 rating, then as a rookie through 69 games, scored 15 goals and 31 assists with a +28 rating.

For 2024/2025, he will be back in an Icemen jersey.

After a league and team best 21 goals and 33 assists in 71 games played, he easily re-signs for a 3rd full season in a Jacksonville jersey.

30Jul

Ty Pelton-Byce (32)

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Manitoba Moose 2021/2022 signing Ty Pelton-Byce(32) agreed to join the team on an ato to finish up the season after completing his studies at University Of Wisconsin Badgers, scoring a new college best 12 goals, 19 assists and 31 points in only 24 NCAA Division Big Ten games.

In his 5th AHL game, he pots a first pro goal for himself.

The 6’2″ 194 lbs. power forward started college at Harvard University Crimson but entered the transfer portal a couple of seasons in to switch schools, closer to his Madison, WI home.

He should be able to crack the score sheet with decent regularity as he enters his rookie campaign but this is a good chance to get those skates wet.

For 2022/2023, he switches up teams, signing with Idaho Steelheads after performing very well for Newfoundland Growlers, when he was on ECHL reassignment.

He slams it out of the park with 60 points in 57 games and gets some loans to a couple teams that play up higher and he will be back for more in a Steelheads‘ jersey for 2024/2025.

In his 3rd season, he comes away with a 24 best goals and 61 best points to easily sign to return and be a Steelheads for 2025/2026.

30Jul

Ben Poisson (12)

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University Of Maine Black Bears‘ graduate assistant captain, left wing Ben Poisson(12) accepts a 1-year ECHL deal with Greenville Swamp Rabbits for 2024/2025.

The 6’1″ 200 lbs. played a college high 37 games last season, but scored better as senior with 9 goals and 17 assists.

From Vancouver, BC, the 24-year old played 3 BCHL years with Prince George Spruce Kings.

In his rookie frame, he plays 59 games, scoring 3 goals and 7 assists with a +1 rating to gain an invite to return to be a Swamp Rabbits for 2025/2026.

30Jul

John Parker-Jones (95)

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3rd year, extra large 6’7″ 229 lbs. left wing John Parker-Jones(95) signs an AHL deal with Ontario Reign for 2024/2025.

He played most of last season for Trois Riviere Lions.

After 4 seasons with Peterborough Petes of the OHL, he decided to head to University Of Windsor Lancers for a year before turning pro.

From Brantford, ON, the 24-year old may have landed at a good spot.

He played a pretty solid ECHL campaign with Greenville Swamp Rabbits, scoring 10 goals and 17 assists in 50 games, while only skating one game up, but is liked enough to invite back to potentially make more waves with the Reign in 2025/2026.

30Jul

Colby Ambrosio (77)

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Boston College Eagles‘ senior center Colby Ambrosio(77) will do a year of eligibility at Miami University (Ohio) Redhawks 2024/2025 graduate season.

The Colorado Avalanche 4th round pick in the 2020 draft (#118 overall) didn’t score quite as much as he is used to, playing a college best 40 games, but likely accepted a different, more checking oriented role on a very strong team.

From Welland, ON, the 24-year old did 2 USHL frames with Tri-City Storm before heading to school.

He finishes up his extra year tying the 13 assists he had as a sophomore to sign a 1st pro deal with Toledo Walleye that begins even before his college life concludes.

In his ECHL, he records a multi-point game with a 1st goal and an assist and has 3 tallies and 2 helpers with a +2 in 7 games so far for a more than solid start.

Through his early time as a pro, he skates 12 games, claiming 3 goals and 5 assists, then added another 11 points in 18 playoff games to easily earn himself a deal for his rookie season to be a Walleye, 2025/2026.

30Jul

Grant Hebert (93)

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After 8 games into the 2022/2023 as a 2nd year graduate center Grant Hebert(93) at University Of Maine Black Bears, scoring 1 goal and 2 assists has decided to turn pro, signing for the remainder of the session with Allen Americans.

He transferred in after 3 years at Robert Morris University Colonials, where he put up a college best 8 goals and 15 assists as a junior.

The burly 6’3″ 191 lbs. 25-year old forward from St.Andrews West, ON should be able to connect his scoring in the ECHL.

He would get 8 goals and 18 assists in 37 games, then adds another 6 points (2-4) in 11 playoff matchups with a +1 rating as he gains comfort with his new team.

Makes complete sense for him to gain a new 1-year deal to stay in Allen for his sophomore frame.

In 43 games, he grabs 10 goals and 10 assists that he will take with him to his new deal with Manchester Storm of the EIHL, where he should be able to help them.

He scores pretty much bonzo for his overseas team at point-per-game pace, but has decided to return closer to home and sign with Norfolk Admirals for the rest of this term.

In 24 games, he scores 5 goals and 11 assists, then gets 9 points in 11 playoff games with a +2 rating to easily get an invitation to return to Admirals for a full frame, 2025/2026.