Category: Minor League Deal

Wheeling Nailers‘ center Tim Doherty(37) was recently claimed off waivers after being released by Allen Americans, where he played 12 ECHL games scoring a pair of assists.

In his debut with his new team, he scored a goal and has already surpassed what he did previously, popping in 3 goals, an assist, including a multi-point effort and +3 rating.

The Penn State University Nittany Lions‘ graduate spent the previous four seasons at University Of Maine Black Bears, where he produced his best numbers as a fourth year player (although he didn’t play in his freshman frame), scoring 14 goals and 23 assists with a +14 rating.

He definitely did ok at his new school during a very COVID busted 2020/2021, but did pick up an additional 8 goals and 10 assists in 22 games.

The 6′ 190 lbs. actually originally committed to Brown University Bears after two sessions with Junior Bruins Premier but then added another year.

At 25-years old, the Portsmouth, RI native may find himself a good hockey home for the time being in West Virginia, but we’ll have to wait and see what happens after the season concludes.

As it turns out, he had such a good run after the trade to Wheeling Nailers, scoring 7 goals and 2 assists, he re-signs to stay for 2021/2022.

He would have great totals in his 2nd frame, scoring 17 goals and 28 assists in 65 games.

As 2022/2023 is set to get started, he’s involved in a trade that sends him a little closer to home, Maine Mariners.

In a no brainer move, Chicago Wolves sign him to an AHL contract for 2023/2024 after he absolutely blew up scoring with 21 goals and 52 assists with a +15 rating in 69 games.

We definitely predict he does well at the higher level.

Not sure why, but he spends his 1st 10 games of the new session back in northern New England, running up 8 assists in the process before getting himself traded for future considerations to Hartford Wolf Pack.

He is reportedly heading to their affiliate Cincinnati Cyclones.

Through 21 games, he pots 5 goals and 9 assists with a +1 rating and maybe gets a little bored, so signs with SG Cortina of AlpsHL in maybe a little oddball of a move to potentially set something up bigger over there later.

He does well through a short regular season run, then extremely well in the playoffs, but is heading to the EIHL for 2024/2025, signing with Nottingham Panthers.

In 2025/2026, he scored a new best 39 assists and 57 points, which makes him an absolute no-brainer to keep around for a 3rd season, as a Panthers.

After 2 outstanding seasons for UMass-Lowell Riverhawks, including an overtime game-winning goal to send the team to the Hocky East Tournament Finals, undrafted, junior left wing Matthew Brown(46) jumps at a great opportunity to continue with Boston University Terriers, starting 2021/2022.

The small 5’9″ but wide 190 lbs. forward committed after an outstanding season for former tier 3 junior hockey with close-to-home New Jersey Rockets, where he exploded the stat sheet for 31 goals and 20 assists in 44 EHL games and Rookie Of The Year honors.

He was quickly put into a higher program, first signing with Dubuque Fighting Saints but that lasted all of 6 games before  a trade across leagues and he turned up more happily in uniform for Odessa Jackalopes, and his scoring once again elevated.

The Wood Ridge, NJ native looked back to skate at the highest level possible, signing with Des Moines Buccaneers to before heading to school.

Once again, he was a point-per-game producer, getting 30 goals and 27 assists in 57 games.

The 21-year old stays in Hockey East, so knows what to expect.

He’s feeling his new environment in his 1st year and scores 17 points in 24 appearances, but has it all figured out as a senior, helping his club to the Final Four with a bang up 16 goals and 31 assists with a +15 rating.

For his 1st pro deal, now 23-years old, he signs a pto with Lehigh Valley Phantoms to help them try to push Calder Cup playoff limits.

He will skate his rookie season with the team as he signs a 1-year AHL contract for 2023/2024.

To start his rookie frame, he has 1 assist in 2 games, which we think is an indicator.

After 2 seasons with the same team, he signs with Bakersfield Condors for his 3rd run, but would mostly be reassigned to Fort Wayne Komets, scoring point-per-game numbers.

For 2026/2027, he decides to look elsewhere and signs IK Oskarshamn of HockeyAllsvenskan.

Canisius College Golden Griffins‘ senior right wing Ryan Miotto(27) has chosen to add another season to his studies and will join University Of Vermont Catamounts for the start of a graduate program.

The 6′ 185 lbs. forward punched through on scoring last season with 17 goals and 18 assists in 42 games, more than doubling his previous highs.

He was a very decent scorer in his 2nd BCHL junior session for Alberni Valley Bulldogs.

The 23-year old from Thorold, ON should do well in Hockey East.

He takes a decent season, playing a little different style of hockey to a 1st pro contract with Wheeling Nailers and he just got his 1st ECHL goal in his 5th appearance with a +3 rating.

For his official rookie season, he signs with Iowa Heartlanders, 2024/2025.

After a successful 1st campaign, scoring 18 goals and 21 assists in 67 games with a 0 rating, he gets traded to a team that will use his size, Worcester Railers for 2025/2026.

For 2026/2027, he finds himself involved in a future considerations deal that sends him to Idaho Steelheads.

University Of Alaska-Fairbanks Nanooks‘ sophomore center Cade Neilson(25) enters the transfer portal to skate for Michigan Tech Huskies for 2024/2025.

The 6′ 189 lbs forward took up scoring last season to the tune of 5 goals and 14 assists in 31 games with a +8 rating.

He did 3 NAHL frames for Aberdeen Wings, blowing up scoring in his final year.

The Lafayette, LA native won a MJAHL Championship his 1st year of juniors after playing most of his youth hockey in England.

He actually decides to return home and signs with Glasgow Clan of the EIHL for the new season.

After 21 games overseas, he decides to return and signs with Utah Grizzlies for 2024/2025.

He eventually returned to England for the playoffs and then has gone on to continue signing to stay a part of the Clan as they move into 2026/2027.

 

Clarkson University Golden Knights‘ junior center Ellis Rickwood(29) puts up a college best 10 goals and 25 assists in 39 games with a +16 rating, but enters the transfer portal to next play his hockey at University Of North Dakota Fighting Hawks as a senior, 2025/2026.

The 6’2″ 205 lbs. forward from Brantford, ON did 3 years of juniors up north before college.

We look for the 23-year old, big pivot to do well.

In 35 games, he would be up a new college best 28 assists and 37 points with a +14 rating, gets signed by Texas Stars for 2026/2027 and signs an ato to get started.

He plays 2 regular season games, scoring 2 goals and 1 assist with a +3, then gets another 2 points with a +1 in the playoffs.

Quinnipiac University BobcatsNCAA Division 1 Championship winning, junior goaltender Yaniv Perets(1) signs a 2-year entry level deal with Carolina Hurricanes.

The 6’1″ 181 lbs. net minder ran a 34-4-3 record last season with a 1.49 GAA and .931 SV% and 10 shutouts.

It’s a bit of a wonder why the 23-year old from Dollard-des-Ormeaux, QC was never drafted, despite winning the 2019 USPHL/NCDC Championship with Junior Bruins.

He should do well now that he’s decided to turn pro with a year left in college.

Recalled from the ECHL to the backup for a 2nd time, in this outing he is put into net to face 1 shot in 12:46 net time that he turned away and he has a 1st NHL appearance.

Nice backup.

After playing in all three leagues last season, he is an unrestricted free agent and signs a 1-year AHL deal with Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

He does well between the two leagues and signs up for 2026/2027 to continue as a Phantoms net minder.

Buffalo Sabres‘ 4th round pick in the 2016 draft (#99 overall), 3rd year left wing Brett Murray(57) played his first season under the guide of the parent club on an AHL contract with affiliate Rochester Americans.

The kinda giant 6’5″ 228 lbs., former year and a half Penn State University Nittany Lions‘ forward posted 9 goals in each of his first two seasons and 10+ assists before dropping a goal and 7 assists in 6 games in the current frame to earn a 2nd recall.

In his first re-appearance, he failed to connect in a win, but had an assist the next night and topped it with a two point, first NHL goal and an assist performance in a loss that should have earned him a third star award.

The Bolton, ON native took an interesting path from a first year at juniors, directingly into a first year at college hockey, but only stayed one run before returning to Youngstown Phantoms to absolutely detonate the stat sheet with a league best 41 goals and 35 assists with a +13 rating.

That was basically all the now 23 year old needed to turn pro and now he’s looking at some extended time up.

He manages less games in the big league as he goes, but scores pretty easily in the lower league, so decides to move as unrestricted free agent status approaches, signing for 2025/2026 with Nurnberg Ice Tigers.

Recording very close to point-per-game totals, he takes his game up to the KHL and agrees to terms with Shanghai Dragons for 2026/2027.

Montreal Canadiens‘ 7th round pick in the 2018 draft (#190 overall), 2022 NCAA Division 1 University Of Denver Pioneers’ Champion center Brett Stapley(7) signs a 1-year AHL deal with affiliate Laval Rocket for 2022/2023.

The 5’10” 172 lbs. forward scored a college best 18 goals and tying 25 assists in 41 games with a +22 rating.

He was also a solid scorer in his 2nd and 3rd BCHL seasons with Vernon Vipers.

The 23-year old from Campbell River, BC may be an immediate impact player.

For his rookie season, he was shipped down to Trois-Rivieres Lions and has a tidy 9 goals and 36 assists in 49 ECHL games, playing a real energy role on the team.

He ends with 41 helpers, which gains the notice of Colorado Eagles, who sign him to bring him “home” to an AHL deal for 2023/2024.

For the entire season, he is sent to play for affiliate Utah Grizzlies and blows up scoring as a 2nd year league player with 24 goals and a monster 47 assists in 67 games.

He’s stretching and signs with HK Ducla Trencin of Slovak Extraliga to try his hand at a higher rung of hockey, just overseas.

In maybe a bit of a surprise decision, he decides to head to HockeyAllsvenskan and signs with Sodertalje SK for 2025/2026 after recording very close to point-per-game numbers last season.

After 13 games with 1 goal and 5 assists, he is wooed by Pelicans of Liiga to come skate maybe a little more aggressively.

He has a pretty outstanding frame with his new club, scoring 8 goals and 14 assists in 30 games to gain a new contract to stay a Pelicans for 2026/2027.

7th year right wing Nick Saracino(13) trades in a successful regular season, but even a better playoff run with 6 goals and 3 assists in 11 games for HKM Zvolen of Slovak Extraliga for a new 1-year deal to head to IceHL and suit up for Asiago.

The 5’11” 185 lbs. forward originally came over after posting an ECHL best 18 goals and 27 assists for Jacksonville Icemen.

He also had a couple of AHL deals, one signed mid-season with Binghamton Devils after lighting it up big for Wheeling Nailers.

The already 30-year old from St. Louis, MO, former 2015 NCAA Division 1 Champion as a junior with Providence College Friars likely has no problem continuing to push success in overseas hockey.

He stayed with them for 3 seasons before moving onto HC Bolzano for 2024/2025 playoff, but last season skating with HC Pusteral, continuing to score 10+ goals and assists.

For 2026/2027, he continues his move through the league and signs with HC Milano Cortina.

New England College Pilgrims only graduate hockey player, right wing Jhuwon Davis(6) is still looking to connect this season.

Through 15 games, his team has struggled to win games.

The 5’9″ 165 lbs. forward had 5 goals and 15 assists as a freshman, as his college highs.

He was twice a more than point-per-game scorer for Metro Jets USPHL Premier.

The 25-year old from Southgate, MI would likely score points, if he were to decide to turn pro after this year is done.

He would only come away with 2 assists in his final frame, but signed a few pro contract, eventually landing with Dashers Hockey last season, scoring very decently, except needs to pull up the plus/minus on a not so good team.

Maybe taking a minute to access, he signs with Indiana Sentinels for 2025/2026.

After only 14 games, scoring 1 goal and 2 assists he signs with rivals Motor City Rockers for 2026/2027.