Category: Minor League Deal

Junior net minder Dominic Basse(31) heads to St. Cloud State University Huskies in hopes to change his luck from a couple of tough sessions with Colorado College Tigers.

At 6’6″ 185 lbs., he’s a pretty massive block, who will likely find a ton more luck on a good club in the WCHA.

The Alexandria, VA native is a Chicago Blackhawks‘ 6th round pick in the 2019 draft (#167 overall), who will almost assuredly step up on their radar after just a season where he’s headed.

He’s still super young at 21.

After 2 decent years at his new school, he heads to St. Lawrence University Skating Saints to play a graduate frame.

He gets a couple tryouts that don’t go as well as anyone would have liked, but has waited and signs with Pensacola Ice Flyers for the remainder of 2025/2026.

1st year pro Mats Lindgren(23) was scheduled to report to Bakersfield Condors on a 1-year AHL deal, but skated no games and has informed the team of his intentions to head to Colorado College Tigers for the remainder of 2025/2026.

The 6′ 186 lbs. good puck-moving defenseman twice had 30+ assists, 40+ points in the WHL with 2-year Red Deer Rebels.

He last season was under contract to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, but mostly reassigned to ECHL affiliate Wheeling Nailers.

In 56 ECHL games, he had 7 goals and 14 assists with a +4 rating.

From North Vancouver, BC, the 21-year old, former Buffalo Sabres‘ 4th round pick in the 2022 draft (#106 overall) will have something new to work towards.

Bentley University Falcons‘ graduate portal transfer from 4 years at University Of New Hampshire Wildcats, left wing Kohei Sato(25) is off to a nice start with his new club, connecting for a goal and 4 assists in 9 games.

He only ever really did decently as a junior with 7 goals and 10 assists in 32 games with a +4 rating.

The Nishitokyo, JPN native took a pretty hard road up through earning his space, initially spending one year with North Iowa Bulls, blowing up scoring with 22 goals and 20 assists with a stellar +38 rating, then 17 more points in 9 games en route to the 2016 NA3HL Championship.

That and an incredibly hot start to the next session with his title team earned him a look up and a contract with Northeast Generals, where he secured his college choice.

The 25-year old will be fascinating to see if he decides to turn pro.

Finishing up a solid graduate season, he decides to leave to try Finland’s tier 2 Mestis, signing a 1-year deal with JoKP for 2022/2023.

He would end up splitting last season with KeuPa HT, but for his new adventure will head to the EIHL powerhouse Belfast Giants.

In 47 games, he comes away with 11 goals and 12 assists with a +2 rating, but has decided he wants to return to the states and signs for 2024/2025 with Orlando Solar Bears.

He scores 1 goal and 1 assist in 10 games and is traded to Bloomington Bison, who look to get him more involved with scoring.

After the deal, he starts to connect with his new club to the tune of 2 goals and 8 assists in 22 ECHL games with a +2 rating on a non-playoff team and is wanted to return for 2025/2026 in a Bison jersey.

In 8 games, he has 1 goal and 1 assist, but maybe gets a little bored, so jumps for Ligue Magnus and signs with Diables Rogues de Briancon for the rest of the 2025/2026 season.

Long Island University Sharks‘ graduate defenseman Andrius Kulbis-Marino(6) signs a 1st pro deal with Utah Grizzlies.

The 6’2″ 190 lbs. blue liner had 3 goals and 7 assists in 34 games last season with a +6 rating on a team that maybe won a surprising amount.

He didn’t outpace scoring he had at Sacred Heart University Pioneers as a sophomore, when he had a college best 6 goals and 10 assists in 35 games with a +3 rating.

The Methuen, MA native wasn’t able to grab points in his 1st 6 ECHL games and comes to terms for his official rookie season with the new Greensboro Gargoyles in 2025/2026.

In 16 games, he is in and out of the lineup, he has only 2 assists, so decides to look for some other hockey and signs with Bruleurs de Loups de Grenoble of Ligue Magnus.

Undrafted 3rd year left wing Anthony Nellis(19) 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.

He’s almost a point-per-game player in the current frame and is offered a 2-year deal to continue on with Ridera through 2026/2027.

Cornell University Big Red senior goaltender Ian Shane(1) signed a 1st pro deal with Norfolk Admirals once tournament play concluded.

He posted a 3-0-2 record with them in 5 ECHL games.

For his rookie season, the 6′ 176 lbs. signs a 1-year deal with Kansas City Mavericks.

From Manhattanville, CA, the 24-year old did 2 years of juniors before college.

He posted a 66-32-16 through college with 11 shutouts, so think he will do pretty well in this league.

Through 8 games, he does ok, but Reading Royals need his help in net, so trade future considerations to grab him.

Big 6’4″ 195 lbs. defenseman Joe Leahy(4) concludes 2 years at University Of Vermont Catamounts after transferring from 3 with Cornell University Big Red and signs a 1st pro deal with Greenville Swamp Rabbits.

Other than maybe his junior year with 2 goals and 8 assists, he isn’t much of a point-getter, but does leave college hockey with a +12 rating.

We think the Waterloo, ON native makes a great stay-at-home style d-man.

He also won a 2017 BCHL Championship with Penctiton Vees in his 1st session of juniors.

The 25-year old should do quite well in the ECHL, but we don’t really expect him to stay around too long.

He gets 4 assists in 10 games for his new team and is impressive enough to want to have him return in a Swamp Rabbits‘ uniform for his rookie season.

For his rookie season, he skates 69 games, scoring 9 goals and 18 assists with a +18 rating to get him an easy invite to return and be a Swamp Rabbits for 2024/2025.

He actually leaves the team late season to try his hand at Czech Extraliga and signs with HC Vitkovice Ridera.

In 13 games, he scores no points, but adds 2 assists in 5 playoff matchups to earn an invite to return for 2025/2026.

With 3 goals, 7 assists in 28 games and a +3 rating, he is invited to stay with Ridera through 2026/2027.

Worcester Railers‘ 3rd year right wing Quinn Ryan(53) returns  for 2023/2024 after a successful 2nd year run, grabbing 15 goals and 25 assists in 49 ECHL games with a +4 rating.

He spent most of his rookie season with Utah Grizzlies, scoring 12 goals and 12 assists.

The 5’10” 170 lbs. spent 5 years at Liberty University Flames putting up 30+ assists twice, 43 as a senior and twice 20+ goals.

From Branchville, NJ, the 27-year old has to thinking about moving up overseas, if he continues to burst this league scoring .

Things are not quite zooming on the scoresheet the way they were in his first campaign with 2 goals and 3 assists in 14 games, so he decides to move on, signing with Rungsted Seier Capital for the remainder of the frame in Metal Ligaen.

His totals in Denmark are really good at 5 goals and 3 assists in 6 games with a +10 rating and he will maybe a bit oddly take those totals to Germany3, signing with Tilburg Trappers for 2024/2025.

Looks like he decided not to play in this session, but returns for 2025/2026 with a contract to Norfolk Admirals.

In 4 games, he scores a 1st goal, but is a -4 and is scratched from some appearances, so decides to head back overseas and signs with Dundee Stars, where we think his game elevates in the EIHL.

7th year defenseman Michael Kapla(3) signs on for a 2nd season with Rogle BK and is off to a nice start with 2 goals and 9 assists in 12 SHL games.

He scored 7 goals and 21 assists with a +12 rating in 44 games last season.

After his junior and senior year as captain of UMass-Lowell Riverhawks, he signed as an unrestricted free agent with New Jersey Devils.

He played 5 NHL games upon signing.

The 6′ 201 lbs. blue liner from Eau Claire, WI is 29-years old and has to be pretty happy about his hockey career has worked out.

After 3 seasons in Sweden, he switches things up to head to Switzerland next, signing with HC Fribourg-Gotteron of the NL.

In 35 games, he has 9 goals and 14 assists with a +5 rating, which gets him re-upped to stay another 2 season in Friboug-Gotteron.

Clarkson University Golden Knights‘ junior defenseman, assistant captain Jordan Power(23) takes his game through the transfer portal and will arrive at Minnesota State University-Mankato Mavericks for his senior year 2023/2024.

He takes a college career best 11 assists and sophomore season tying 11 points to his new school.

The 6’1″ 187 lbs. blue liner produced 29 assists as captain of Lincoln Stars in his 2nd USHL session.

From Ottawa, ON, the 21-year should have fun playing hockey in the CCHA.

He signs with Greenville Swamp Rabbits after tournament play is up and scores 1 assist in 6 games with a +2 rating and will be with them for his rookie season, 2025/2026, as he signs on to stay.

After maybe a bit of a slow start with 1 assist in 13 games, he decides to sign with Coventry Blaze to see if he can bring his game up in the EIHL.