Category: Minor League Deal

13Aug

Cam Johnson (33)

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4th year goaltender Cam Johnson(33) split his playing time between the AHL with Cleveland Monsters and ECHL for Florida Everblades, while under NHL contract for a 2nd season to parent club, Columbus Blue Jackets.

He started most of the season in the lower league, but played most of the latter part with the direct affiliate.

The 6’1″ 205 lbs. net minder was loaned down when the upper team’s year was up, he joined them to backstop their playoff run.

He would finish with a 15-2-1 mark and 1.90 GAA and .933 SV% on the way to being declared MVP of the 2022 Kelly Cup Champions.

The 27-year old from Troy, MI, who also won the 2016 NCAA Division 1 Championship with University Of North Dakota Fighting Hawks, needs a new contract for 2022/2023, but this seems like almost a 2-year lockup.

An unrestricted free agent, he wasn’t retained, but fairly quickly into free agency signs a 1-year deal with Charlotte Checkers, which seems like it will be a perfect fit.

After guiding the Everblades to a 2nd straight Kelly Cup and grabbing MVP honors, he is rewarded with a 1-year deal with parent club Charlotte Checkers for 2023/2024.

An unrestricted free agent, he signs with Springfield Thunderbirds and hopes to become their #1 net minder, returning him specifically to the league for the 1st time in a few seasons.

He is reassigned and plays a crazy 47 games with a league best 1.92 GAA and .921 SV% and a 37-6-4 record to win MVP.

For 2025/2026, he re-signs with the Thunderbirds and we shall see.

13Aug

Jack Page (19)

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Boston University Terriers‘ freshman defenseman Jack Page(19) is still working his way into the lineup, only appearing in 4 wins thus far with the team this season, recording no points yet, but stands at a +1 rating.

The big 6’4″ 194 lbs. blue liner joined the team for 1 appearance coming off 15 NCDC/USPHL games in his 2nd run for New Jersey Rockets, where he had 19 assists just 1 season earlier.

From West Chester, PA, the 21 year old looks like he is going to make moves to become a roster regular for his sophomore run.

He plays a college best 23 games as a senior and records 2 assists, which he takes to a 1st pro contract with Reading Royals for his rookie season, 2025/2026.

12Aug

Jake Schmaltz (9)

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University Of North Dakota Fighting Hawks‘ senior assistant captain, center Jake Schmaltz(9) finished up with 6 goals and 10 assists in 38 games with a +2 rating that he took to a 1st contract with Providence Bruins after tournament play concluded.

A Boston Bruins‘ 7th round pick in the 2019 draft (#192 overall), he signed a 1-year 2025/2026 AHL deal with the affiliate for his rookie season, 2025/2026.

He scored a 1st pro goal in his 2nd appearance.

From McFarland, WI, the 6’2″ 185 lbs. forward, 24-year old should catch on.

11Aug

Reid Irwin (43)

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Colgate University Raiders‘ graduate, captain defenseman Reid Irwin(43) scored a new college best 6 goals and 17 points in 32 games last season, which he took to a 1st pro contract with Wichita Thunder and scored a 1st ECHL goal and assist in 9 games.

The 6’1″ 198 lbs. blue liner decides to sign with Belfast Giants of the EIHL for his official rookie year, 2025/2026.

From Victoria, BC, the 25-year old transferred from 2-years at University Of Denver Pioneers.

He did 3 years of junior hockey.

10Aug

Jamie Engelbert (18)

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Providence College Friars‘ graduate center Jamie Engelbert(18) scores 7 goals for a 2nd time in his college career and will take that to a 1st pro contract with the new Bloomington Bison of the ECHL for his rookie season, 2024/2025.

The big 6’4″ 205 lbs. forward should find the net better in his upcoming 1st season.

From Coburg, ON, he played 2 strong frames for local Cobourg Cougars of the OJHL before committing.

The 24-year old is likely ready for the next challenge.

After 2 games and 1 assist with a +1 rating, he finds himself maybe a little fortunately heading to South Carolina Stingrays to complete an earlier trade transaction.

He scores 17 goals and 14 assists in 38 games with a +13 rating and also gets loaned to Manitoba Moose for 3 games to get a 1st AHL goal and a +1 rating.

For 2025/2026 Rockford Icehogs pick him up on their radar and sign him to a 1-year deal.

10Aug

Logan vande Meerakker (46)

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Alvernia University Golden Wolves‘ senior defenseman Logan vande Meerakker(46) takes a college best 14 goals and 19 assists in 27 games with a +24 rating to a contract for his rookie season, 2024/2025 with Evansville Thunderbolts.

He joined them upon graduation and didn’t register a point in 3 SPHL games, but then popped for 2 goals and 1 assists in 5 playoff matchups with a +1 rating.

The 6′ 209 lbs. solid blue liner from Dieppe, NB should do well in a full frame and it’s possible the 24-year old gets loaned up.

After an outstanding frame, scoring 18 goals and 19 assists in 54 games with a +4 rating, then another 7 points (4-3) in 7 playoff matchups, he will take these numbers over to the NIHL and signs with Swindon Wildcats for 2025/2026.

09Aug

Sam Jardine (21)

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7th year defenseman Sam Jardine(21) leaves for overseas hockey a 2nd time, this time signing with Bratislava Capitals of IceHL for 2021/2022.

Originally a 6th round pick by Chicago Blackhawks in 2011 (#169 overall), he initially signed a one-year minor league deal with affiliate Rockford IceHogs to stay in the system but was sent further down for most of his rookie campaign.

The almost deceptively built 6’2″ 209 lbs. d-man has played 228 ECHL games and won a pair of Kelly Cups: 2017 and most notably 2019 in a great run with Newfoundland Growlers.

He’s also had 4 AHL contracts and played 71 games.

The Lacombe, AB native spent 2019/2020 overseas with Cardiff Devils of the EIHL, not scoring a load of points (15) but was a nice +24 rating for on-ice accountability.

He decided to spend 2020/2021 a little closer to home after confirming a return to England, and, inked with Greenville Swamp Rabbits, where he exploded for a personal best 41 assists and 44 points in 67 games.

The 29-year old, former 3-year, 10+ assist man at Ohio State University Buckeyes will likely do well in Austria’s 6 nation league.

As said, he excelled pretty well with a pair of goals and 4 assists in 14 games with a +2 rating to gain a look from HIFK of Liiga, so will head to Finland.

For 2022/2023, he went to skate in England’s top league for another spell with Cardiff Devils and although he may have not scored a ton of points, was an accountable +7.

He decides to return to the states for 2023/2024 and will come back to the Swamp Rabbits, where he recorded his greatest assist total.

Spending a bit more time on loan to Calgary Wranglers, he finishes up the year and has decided to return to Austria to sign with Fehervar AV19 for 2024/2025.

He actually has a change of attitude and signs in the Senior AAA Alberta league with Lacombe Generals, probably to just play some hockey somewhere to keep in shape.

For 2025/2026, he’s making a big return and signs with Idaho Steelheads.

09Aug

Riley Hughes (19)

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Northeastern University Huskies‘ senior right wing, assistant captain Riley Hughes(19) will take his game into the transfer portal for one more year at Ohio State University Buckeyes before hopefully signing an NHL entry level contract with draft team (7th round, 2018, #216 overall), New York Rangers.

The 6’1″ 172 lbs. forward’s numbers at Hockey East don’t match up with what he was able to do in high school, then one BCHL season with Victoria Grizzlies, notching more than point-per-game numbers in the regular campaign, then playoffs.

While we don’t expect the 22-year old Westwood, MA native to be a scoring machine once he arrives at Big Ten hockey, we do think he’ll connect with better frequency, and continue to play as he always does with a spark plug of energy out there.

He knew as he was entering the new season that he would not be signed, but still goes on after graduating to get a 1st pro deal with Iowa Heartlanders, where we feel once he reaches the ECHL will find the scoresheet with more frequency and came away with 3 goals and 1 assist in 12 games.

Charlotte Checkers are watching and sign him up for a 2-way AHL contract in 2024/2025.

After 31 games with the team and 20 reassigned to the ECHL, where he was a more than point-per-game performer, he receives another 1-year deal to continue being a Checkers.

09Aug

Aaron Bohlinger (25)

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UMass Minutemen undrafted freshman defenseman Aaron Bohlinger(25) has 15 assists in the 2020/2021 frame but no goals.

Well, not until the NCAA Championship Final vs. St. Cloud University Huskies, where he nets the opening tally and that might be enough to close the door on the title and also be a game-winner.

The small 5’9″ 165 lbs. blue liner early in his tenure with Waterloo Blackhawks of the USHL but was probably put on the radar after playing a year north in the BCHL for Alberni Valley Bulldogs, where he made a 7 goal and 27 assists in 55 games impression.

The 20-year old may be small but motors and can head man the puck with ease, so might garner some looks as he continues at school.

He becomes captain as a senior, but decides to add a year of eligibility and enters the transfer portal to skate for Quinnipiac University Bobcats, as a graduate.

ECAC was a nice switch up, as he scores a new best 3 goals and 11 assists with a +11 rating in 32 games.

He is set to turn pro and signs a 1st ECHL contract with Cincinnati Cyclones for 2025/2026.