Category: Minor League Deal

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.

30Jul

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.

After 43 games in his first frame, scoring 3 goals and 4 assists, he had good size and plays almost exactly into the style of Railers to accept a 1-year deal to stick around 2025/2026.

30Jul

T.J. Lloyd (6)

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University Of Alaska-Fairbanks Nanooks‘ graduate, assistant captain defenseman T.J. Lloyd(6) had a 3-time tying 3 goal season with new college best 16 assists and 19 points in 34 games.

He also scored 3 goals as a freshman at Bowling Green State University Falcons before transferring after his sophomore year.

The 5’10” 179 lbs. blue liner 4 times reached 10+ assists.

He did 3 junior frames and in his 2nd won the 2018 AJHL Championship, then as team captain was voted most outstanding d-man.

From Lloydminster, SK, the 23-year old signs a 1st pro deal with Savannah Ghost Pirates and has no points in 3 ECHL games, but is a +2 rating.

He signs to play his rookie campaign with Wichita Thunder in 2024/2025.

In 66 games, he scores 9 goals and 16 assists and earns himself an easy contract to return for 2025/2026 as a Thunder.

30Jul

Josh McDougall (23)

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Mercyhurst University Lakers‘ senior defenseman Josh McDougall(23) wasted little time signing a pro contract once his team was eliminated from tournament play and agreed to an ato with Wichita Thunder.

The 5’10” 181 lbs. blue liner took a college career best 3 goals and 15 points to 5 ECHL games with no points, but a +1 rating.

A Prince Albert, SK native, he skated two junior seasons with Nipiwin Hawks and had most points by a defenseman (74), was voted best defenseman and won the 2018 SJHL Championship before heading to school.

The 23-year old should be able to set himself up nicely with a new deal for 2022/2023.

He comes off his 1st pro experience, fresh out of college at the end of last season, and signs a new 1-year deal with Indy Fuel.

After 19 games and 3 assists with a +2 rating, he gets traded and then traded again to end up with Norfolk Admirals.

27 games into his stint with his new club, he gets a first goal in the league for a puck keeper.

Through 41 games, he would score 3 and pick up 7 assists, which is enough to invite him back to put on the Admirals‘ sweater for 2023/2024.

As a 3rd year d-man his scoring exploded to the tune of 6 goals and a monster 39 assists with a +24 rating to re-sign to return for a 4th year in Norfolk.

30Jul

Bobby Raymond (21)

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14th year defenseman Bobby Raymond(21) is trying his hand at a new league for 2022/2023, signing for 1-year with Grenoble of Ligue Magnus.

The 5’10” 185 lbs. blue liner spent the last 3 seasons in DEL2 last winning the 2022 Championship with Loewen Franfort and DEL the previous two, as captain and assistant for Iserlohn Roosters, his 2nd stint with the team.

Almost oddly, his one title in Germany’s top league came during his one campaign for Adler Mannheim.

He also played 3 seasons for EC Salzburg in the old EBEL, where he ran his best point totals.

The RIT Tigers‘ graduate had a good run there, in his 2nd run with Florida Everblades and helped them capture the 2012 ECHL Kelly Cup trophy.

At 35-years old, he’s likely happy to be playing at the level his is and still contributing big.

He starts the new frame 2023/2024 playing in the OEHL, but gets wooed to enter the fray once again at 38-years old, signing with 2023 Erste Liga Champs, Gyergyoi HK.

In 8 games, he scores 1 goal and 3 assists, then through 10 playoff matchups, he adds another goal and 2 assists with a +3 rating to very much be wanted back in a Bears‘ jersey for 2024/2025.

A 40-year old, Raymond will return to the team he is still connecting with for 2025/2026.

30Jul

Reed Lebster (13)

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UMass Minutemen senior right wing Reed Lebster(13) is going to extend college for another year and will attend Michigan State University Spartans for the start of a graduate program.

Last season the 6′ 187 lbs. forward had a college career best 14 assists and 22 points.

He was on the team, who won the 2021 NCAA Division 1 Championship.

A Grand Rapids, MI native, he had a strong 2nd frame of USHL junior hockey with Des Moines Buccaneers.

The 24-year old will likely do pretty good in Big Ten Conference play.

He holds his own at his new school, scoring 6 goals and 13 assists with a +11 rating to signing a 1st pro contract with Florida Everblades, where he has only been able to figure in 1 playoff game on the reserved list.

Appearing in 5 playoff games for some experience en route to the team’s 3rd straight Kelly Cup Championship, he is liked enough for his contributions to sign up for his rookie season, 2024/2025.

As he is to get started on a pro career, a pitfall occurs almost immediately, as he is traded to Utah Grizzlies, where he will definitely be a valued team member.

After skating in 67 games as a rookie, scoring 17 goals and 27 assists on a non-playoff team, he is well-liked invite to score a return to the Grizzlies for 2025/2026.

29Jul

Matt Tugnutt (29)

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Rookie right wing Matt Tugnutt(29) signs his first pro contract with Idaho Steelheads 2021/2022.

He played for Providence College Friars in 2020/2021 after transferring from 3 years at Sacred Heart University Pioneers, who did not skate last season.

The 5’10” 185 lbs. forward spent 5 campaigns in junior hockey all with Kemptville 73’s, , who happened to be coach by his dad of 537 NHL games, Ron Tugnutt, running up big points (83-127) in 261 CCHL games.

He’ll have to work for it, but the 25-year old could run up some good numbers in the ECHL.

Traded after 49 games, he winds up with Greenville Swamp Rabbits heading down the stretch, and in 4 games managed to put up 5 assists with a +4 rating, but was unable to find space on the playoff roster before the season came to an end.

The Portland, ME native should easily sign where he wants for 2022/2023.

He decides to head off to see how hockey life will be on the other side of the ocean as a pro and signs a 1-year deal with Chamonix Mont-Blanc Pionneers of Ligue Magnus and should do extremely well in France’s top league.

Through 37 games, he grabs 13 goals and 16 assists with a +5 rating, but will return home to sign a 1-year deal with South Carolina Stingrays for 2023/2024.

After 12 games, recording 2 goals and 1 assist, he decides to head back across the pond and signs in the EIHL with Guildford Flames for the remainder of the season.

In 32 games, he scores 6 goals and 8 assists, but it’s the 3 helpers in 4 playoff matchups with a +3 rating that we were mostly eyeing.

For 2024/2025, he will take his game back to France’s highest Ligue Magnus and it’s an easy choice, who to sign with as he returns to the Pionneers for more.

He is having fun, skating well for this team and will come back for a 3rd season, 2025/2026 in Chamonix.

29Jul

Jayden Lee (6)

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Quinnipiac University Bobcats‘ graduate defenseman Jayden Lee(6) signs a 1st pro deal with Hershey Bears for his rookie season, 2024/2025.

The small 5’9″ 165 lbs. blue liner scored a college best 23 assists and 26 points last season.

He leaves the program a remarkable +74 player.

From North Vancouver, BC, the 23-year old did 2 sessions of BCHL before committing to school.

Reassigned to affiliate South Carolina Stingrays, he basically explodes scoring with 8 goals and 24 assists in 48 ECHL games with a +36 rating, then does pretty well in the playoffs too.

For his efforts, hometown team Abbotsford Canucks were keeping track and sign him for 2025/2026.

29Jul

Hunter Shepard (30)

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Hershey Bears jumped fairly quickly to sign undrafted, former University Of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs‘ 2-time NCAA Champion, captain, goaltender Hunter Shepard(30) to a deal for 2020/2021.

The fairly large 6’1″ 210 lbs. net minder was reassigned to affiliate South Carolina Stingrays, where he has played 14 ECHL games, recording a 6’5-2 record with a 2.84 GAA and .915 SV% on a club headed to the postseason, as there was little room in the crease above for the young goalie.

He has gotten his opportunity to shine though in 2 AHL appearances delivering a pair of wins, including a debut shut out for a .50 GAA and .983 SV%.

The one-time NAHL Goaltender Of The Year in 2016, right before committing to college, the 25-year old has always seemed to work hard for any credit but has to have Washington Capitals step in and offer him an NHL entry level deal, as he is firmly on their radar.

For his efforts backstopping the Bears to a 12th Calder Cup Championship, he is rewarded with a 2-year, 2-way deal that is worth some handsome money wherever he throws on those pads.

He gets to start a 1st game, as the big club is out to a bit of a wobbly start and gets the W in a 6-4 contest, stopping 18 of 22 shots to potentially get a 2nd nod in another night.

His 2-1-1 record wasn’t bad, although maybe his numbers could have improved, but for a 2nd straight season with the affiliate, he posts a 27-4-3 record with a 1.76 GAA and .929 SV% to earn himself the Baz Bastien Award as the AHL’s Most Outstanding Goaltender and will once again look to push his club deep in the playoffs.

He’s all set with a 2-year contract through 2024/2025, so can continue to concentrate on winning.

Very successful in his time, as an unrestricted free agent, he signs a 1-year, 2-way deal with Ottawa Senators.

29Jul

Oliver Chau (20)

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Quinnipiac University Bobcats‘ center Oliver Chau(20) is definitely glad he added another year to his college hockey playing days with the portal transfer from 2021 NCAA Division 1 champs University Of Massachusetts Minutemen.

The plays bigger than 5’9″ 165 lbs. forward has a new best 13 goals and 33 points, with his 20 assists just 2 behind the mark he set last season and has a +19 rating.

Undrafted, the 24-year old Oakville, ON native is definitely setting himself up for some looks with another potential title winner.

Soon after his team was eliminated from tournament competition, he signed on for the remainder of 2021/2022 with Tuscon Roadrunners and in 3 AHL games already has 2 assists.

He finished up his ato with 4 assists in 10 games, which definitely was a nice start to a pro career.

For 2022/2023, he signs a nice 1st deal with last year’s champions, Florida Everblades, which should be a great place to play his rookie frame.

He is able to put together 13 goals and 24 assists with a +32 rating in 42 ECHL games, then 7 goals and 10 assists in 19 playoff match ups en route to a 2nd 2023 Kelly Cup Championship.

It’s an absolute no brainer for him to return for his sophomore frame, 2023/2024.

After another career scoring season, then point-per-game playoffs to be MVP and win a 2nd straight 2024 Kelly Cup, he gets an offer to ascend and sign a 1-year AHL deal with Springfield Thunderbirds for 2024/2025.

He spent his 3rd season in Florida and would be named captain with once again very good scoring.

For 2025/2026, he returns for a 4th season and will likely continue in his role.