Category: Minor League Deal

Canisius College Golden Griffins‘ graduate left wing Kyle Haskins(8) put up college career best numbers, 11 goals and 12 assists in 37 games last season.

The 6′ 185 lbs. forward transferred as a senior from Michigan State University Spartans.

He did 2 USHL sessions of juniors for Waterloo Blackhawks before college.

From Huntington, VT, the 25-year old initially signed with Orlando Solar Bears, but was traded with no points to Greenville Swamp Rabbits and grabbed 3 goals and 4 assists in 9 games.

We think he picks up a contract for 2025/2026.

Almost a little hard to believe, he gets picked up in free agency by Reading Royals for his rookie season, 2025/2026.

Colgate University Raiders‘ senior right wing Ross Mitton(47) will take on a year of eligibility in Hockey East, when he suits up for University Of Maine Black Bears for a graduate session, 2024/2025.

The 5’10” 190 lbs. forward was the school’s top scorer last season with his new college best 11 goals and 19 assists in 34 games.

From Manhasset, NY, he went from the Portledge School, scoring to Fargo Force and Lincoln Stars, but didn’t find USHL success until hooking up with Omaha Lancers.

The undrafted 23-year old will be an interesting watch.

In 32 games, he scores 4 goals and 7 assists, while raising his on-ice to a +10 rating.

He finishes up tournament play and signs with Bridgeport Islanders, where he will hopefully get himself into at least a couple AHL games to get his pro game started.

In 1 game, he scores a 1st goal in the league.

It’s an easy bet he is invited to return for his official rookie frame as an Islanders, 2025/2026.

Undrafted fourth year right wing Justin Danforth(17) played with three teams after completing his studies at Sacred Heart University Pioneers on ato’s before signing his first contract with the last club he skated for, Rochester Americans.

The small-ish 5’9″ 185 lbs. forward played most of his rookie campaign for affiliate Cincinnati Cyclones putting up a pile of points (28-31-59 in 44 ECHL games) with a +26 rating and taking home 2017/2018 Rookie Of The Year honors.

He was smart to take these outstanding numbers overseas agreeing with Luuko of Finland’s Liiga for his first trip outside of North American hockey and was able to put up a best 34 assists in a season, then following it up with another campaign as assistant captain for a career and league high 60 points and another +26.

The Oshawa, ON native took that experience to a new venture, heading to the KHL to skate for Vityaz Podolsk and he would go on to score a blazing 23 goals and 32 assists with a +3 rating, which has caught the attention of Columbus Blue Jackets.

They sign the 28-year old to his first NHL deal, a one-way contract for 2021/2022 and he is fully expected to make the opening night roster.

He was actually sent to affiliate Cleveland Monsters to open 2021/2022 and has gone right to work, grabbing 2 goals and 3 assists in 8 AHL games, earning him a first recall from the parent club.

In his debut, he skated a conservative 11 shifts for 7:23 ice time with 2 shots on net in a 5-3 win.

He has found himself some space and is scoring decently for 5 goals and 2 assists in 22 games and a +2 rating to earn himself a nice two-year extension to continue.

In the 1st year of his new deal, he tears his labrum and is reduced to just 6 games in the frame, but he did manage 2 goals and 1 assists with a +4 rating.

His tenacity earns him another year for 2024/2025 in a Blue Jackets‘ sweater worth a tidy $1.1M AAV to add to the kitty.

After 2 seasons of 20+ points scoring, the unrestricted free agent gets a 2-year add at $1.8M AAV with Buffalo Sabres and his head must be spinning a little.

Long Island University Sharks‘ senior transfer from his freshman year at University Of Alaska-Anchorage Seawolves , left wing Zack Nazzarett(11) turns pro after graduating the independent college schedule the team plays with Fayetteville Marksmen.

The small 5’8″ 165 lbs. forward had a new college best 9 assists and tied his freshman points mark at 11.

In 2 SPHL games, he has his 1st assist.

The Cheektowaga, NY 23-year old native will likely do well in this league and could very well play himself up, if he sticks with it.

He is on a bit of a scoring tear with his rookie season club, Peoria Rivermen and is signed by Worcester Railers for the remainder of 2024/2025 to an spc.

With no points in 3 ECHL games, he is on the hunt for his next pro stop and eyes Germany3, signing with EHF Passau BlackHawks for 2025/2026.

Northeastern University Huskies‘ senior defenseman Jeremie Bucheler(4) will head north to Hockey East rival, University Of Vermont Catamounts to start a graduate year.

The impressively big, undrafted 6’4″ 200 lbs. blue liner had solid junior and senior campaigns with a goal and 10 then 9 assists, but a combined +28 rating.

With a good graduate frame, the 23-year old, Montreal, QC native could easily jump on an NHL teams radar.

He takes a fully breakout season, scoring new bests 6 goals, 12 assists and 18 points in 33 games to signing a 1st pro deal, an ato to join San Jose Barracuda.

In 52 ECHL games on reassignment to Wichita Thunder, he pots 6 goals and 26 assists in 52 games with a +7 rating.

He almost magically takes that to a new deal with Rockford Icehogs, who must have been eyeing him as he was playing close by.

Merrimack College Warriors‘ graduate defenseman Colby Enns(55) already has 1 assist in 1 game with his new team.

The 6’2″ 205 lbs. 4-year Northern Michigan University Wildcats also did 1 year at University Of Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks after a single season each in the NAHL and USHL for junior hockey.

He left his 1st school after 1 game to skate for Lincoln Stars.

From Minot, ND, he played the local USHS-ND high school.

The 25-year old is in a good position as he continues to play.

In his transfer to Hockey East, he picks up 4 assists in scoring.

Upon completion of tournament play, he signs a 1st pro deal with Iowa Heartlanders.

He plays 1 ECHL game to get his feet wet, but decides to sign with Utah Grizzlies for his rookie frame, 2025/2026.

After a super strong showing for EHC Munchen, scoring 4 goals and 16 assists in only 26 DEL games with a +18 rating, 6th year defenseman Ethan Prow(12) nets a 1-year NHL deal from Buffalo Sabres for 2021/2022.

It’s the 6′ 185 lbs. blue liner’s first big league deal after 220 AHL games, with his best season coming in his 3rd for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, scoring a crazy 18 goals and 32 assists.

He originally left for Germany’s top league with a +32 plus/minus.

The former St. Cloud State University Huskies‘ d-man scored 30 assists to go along with 8 goals and a +29 as a senior.

It’s likely he’s destined for reasignment to affiliate Rochester Americans, but the 28-year old could be ready for a look in the show.

And he does some scoring business in the minors to merit a first game in the show, in which the now 29-year old scores a 1st NHL goal on a 1st shot.

For his 9th season, he simply returns to where he’s been playing his hockey for a 1-year deal with the Amerks.

After 4 years playing hockey in the same place, he for a 1st time jumps to an overseas opportunity, signing with Grizzlys Wolfsburg in DEL for 2025/2026.

Sacred Heart University Pioneers‘ graduate center Austin Magera(5) leaves his long-standing program with a college career best 20 assists and 28 points before signing a 1st pro deal with South Carolina Stingrays.

The 6’1″ 190 lbs. forward is off to a nice start, in 7 ECHL games he has 2 goals and 3 assists with one multi-point outing.

He appeared in only 1 USHL session previous to heading to college, coming off a successful high school run at Lawrence Academy for the Suwanee, GA native.

The 24-year old appears to impress at the next level.

He is voted “rookie of the year” for his efforts scoring 29 goals and 45 assist for 74 in 70 games with a +21 rating.

After being top scorer (74 points in 70 games), the parent club says hey, come up here and Hershey Bears sign him for a 1st AHL contract in 2024/2025.

Another strong season with the affiliate, twice scoring 40+ assists, he leaves to sign with Fort Wayne Komets for 2025/2026.

2nd year pro, undrafted right wing Brandon Hawkins(7) has another outstanding ECHL season with contract club Fort Wayne Komets, scoring a new best 23 goals and 39 points in 37 games.

He seemingly really burst the bubble en route to a 2021 Kelly Cup Championship, striking for 6 goals and 5 assists in 13 games, including a hat trick and a 4 point effort.

The former Northeastern University Huskies‘ graduate, transfer from Bowling Green State University Falcons, signed his first deal with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins upon completing school and grabbed a 1st pair of goals in 5 AHL games to earn himself another contract for the next frame.

He was mostly reassigned as a rookie to affiliate Wheeling Nailers, where he began to establish he could score for big numbers in the lower league.

The 5’10” 198 lbs. forward was definitely able to put up points through college hockey, credited with 46 goals and 62 assists in 142 NCAA Division 1 games.

He did receive a loan up in 2020/2021 to Rochester Americans for 10 games, where he got a goal and 3 assists.

We do believe the 27-year old, Michigan native is maybe a bit of a late bloomer and will continue to climb.

He signs for his 2nd season with Toledo Walleye and posts career bests 35 goals and 29 assists for 64 points with a +11 rating in 52 games, but then in the playoffs explodes with a most 15 goals and 18 assists, 33 points.

The now 28-year old likes where he sits and signs on to stay for 2022/2023.

He finished last season with a new career highs 39 goals and 42 assists with a +16 rating, then added another 17 points in 13 playoff matchups.

His efforts are rewarded with an invite to spend a 3rd season in Ohio’s very decent-sized community.

In his 3rd season with the same club, he comes away with a league best 40 goals and 93 points to win himself the ECHL Most Valuable Player Award for 2023/2024.

Easily he signs on to stay a fish, Walleye for a 4th frame, 2024/2025.

He scores only 89 points, his 2nd highest totals in his 2nd year as assistant captain and will return a fish in Toledo for a 5th season without question.

Wheeling Nailers‘ rookie left wing Matt Quercia(22) arrived from almost finishing up college hockey as a senior at Michigan Tech University Huskies.

The 6’3″ 203 lbs. forward left after playing 14 NCAA Division 1 games, scoring 2 goals and 2 assists.

He was a portal transfer from three seasons at Boston University Terriers.

His best campaign was as a sophomore, scoring 6 goals and 7 assists.

The 24-year old, Andover, MA native has skated 4 ECHL games with no points yet, but that seems imminent to happen.

After suffering an injury during training camp that knocked him out of the upcoming frame, he gets a new deal to stay in West Virginia for what will actually be his rookie season and show everyone what they know he can do in this league.

He does just that, coming away with 11 goals and 22 assists in 64 games with +13 rating, then another 6 points including a huge goal in 7 playoff matchups.

Parent club, WBS Penguins also ask him to loan up for 6 AHL games.

It’s the biggest no brainer that he will be back in a Nailers‘ jersey for 2024/2025.

After playing a new best 68 games, scoring new high 20 goals and tied his 33 points of his rookie frame, he re-signs to stay in Wheeling for a 3rd season.