Category: Minor League Deal

07Mar

Chase McLane (12)

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Adirondack Thunder rookie center Chase McLane(12) has a nice 4 goals and 10 assists with a +7 rating on a good ECHL team.

The 6’2″ 201 lbs. forward did a graduate frame at Colorado College Tigers before turning pro.

From Trenton, MI, he did 3 frames of USHL juniors with Tri-City Storm prior to heading to college.

His first school, Penn State University Nittany Lions didn’t see him score quite as well as he had been able to through juniors.

The 25-year old, former 7th round Nashville Predators‘ 2020 pick (#209 overall) should continue to do well as he settles.

06Mar

Odeen Tufto(26)

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After a four-year career at Quinnipiac University, finishing with a 2020/2021 season NCAA Division 1 best 39 assists, center Odeen Tufto(26) signs a 1-year entry level deal as an unrestricted free agent with Tampa Bay Lightning and will report to affiliate Syracuse Crunch to see if he can add to that helpers stat.

The small 5’7″ 175 lbs. forward has always connected with the scoresheet in college play, 3 times with 30+ assists and 40+ points.

A Minnesota-native he spent a year in the BCHL before heading back “home” to join the USHL and skated with three different club s in a campaign before heading off to school.

He’s small but we have a feeling he will find his space to grab numbers.

Mostly shipped as a rookie to ECHL affiliate Orlando Solar Bears, where he was close to point-per-game player.

In 2022/2023, he was signed by Tuscon Roadrunners, but played 13 games with Atlanta Gladiators before heading to DEL2, signing with Krefeld Pinguin, getting 15 points in 12 games, then 11 in 12 through the playoffs.

He’ll return in 2023/2024, agreeing to terms with Iowa Heartlanders.

Through 29 games, he managed 3 goals and 19 assists, but isn’t great with his plus/minus and maybe gets a little bored, looking elsewhere and signs with EHC Olten of the tier 2 Swiss League, SL.

He will return for 2024/2025 after a successful little run through Switzerland’s hockey and signs with Fort Wayne Komets.

A point-per-game player again during regular season, he returns for 2025/2026 and scores 3 goals and 2 assists in 5 games, but decides to head back to DEL2 and signs with Ravensburg Towerstars.

With 8 goals and 17 assists in 25 games, including a nice +12 rating, he is asked to return for 2026/2027 as a Towerstars.

06Mar

John Woernle (7)

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Assumption University Greyhounds‘ senior defenseman John Woernle(7) had a best 3 goals and 2nd 16 assists in his final frame that he took to a 1st pro deal with Evansville Thunderbolts for his rookie season, 2025/2026.

In 13 games, the 6’1″ 185 lbs. blue liner has 3 assists with a -2 rating.

He scored 22 assists as a junior.

From Wellesley, MA, the 25-year old did 2 productive EHL years with New England Wolves that he worked up from EHLP.

With 4 assists in 32 SPHL games, he gets traded to Fayettesville Marksmen, who look to use his size maybe a little more effectively.

03Mar

Andrew Kurapov (7)

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Endicott College Gulls‘ senior right wing Andrew Kurapov(12) is looking to best his 13 goals and 18 assists he set as a junior with 5 goals and 9 assists in 12 games with a +5 rating to start this campaign.

The 5’10” 170 lbs. forward blew out scoring his 2nd frame of USPHL/NCDC for Twin City Thunder, amassing 22 goals and 39 assists after a year earlier had 1 goal and 2 assists in 35 games.

From Corvallis, OR, the 24-year old.

He does a graduate frame and comes away with a new college best 14 goals in the process.

Upon finishing up tournament play, he signs an ato with Reading Royals and has gotten into 1 ECHL before playoffs.

He signs for his rookie season with Knoxville Ice Bears, but scores pretty well through 27 SPHL games to earn a loan back up to Reading, where he connects for 1 goal and 2 assists with a +3 rating, but when he is returned immediately gets traded to Pensacola Ice Flyers before deadline.

28Feb

C.J. Smith (29)

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JYP left wing C.J. Smith(29) quickly signs up for a 1-year extension after 1 goal and 4 assists through 5 games looks like a lock for him to score goals in Liiga after starting the season late with the team.

After 3 years at UMASS-Lowell Riverhawks, the 5’11” 183 lbs. forward signed an NHL entry level deal as an unrestricted free agent with Buffalo Sabres and stayed in their system for 4 years.

The 29-year old from Des Moines, IA is said to be coming back from surgery due to an injury, so this is a nice landing spot for him to re-stake his game.

He comes away with 8 goals and 12 assists in 33 games, which gains interest from Barys Astana of the KHL for 2024/2025.

So much for the tryout in Germany, as he will head home under contract to Charlotte Checkers, where he should do well and help.

He definitely help his new team win games, going into the playoffs, but waits a moment before signing 2025/2026 and agrees to terms with Bridgeport Islanders.

After 17 AHL games with 8 assists, he decides to head of to DEL and signs with Fischtown Pinguins for the 2nd half of 2025/2026.

28Feb

Ashton Collazo (17)

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Framingham State University Rams‘ senior, captain center Ashton Collazo(17) takes some decent scoring numbers to a 1st pro contract with Blue Ridge Bobcats.

The 5’8″ 176 lbs. forward played 2 FPHL games with no points.

After high school, the Victor, NY native worked himself up from a season in the EHLP to the EHL, putting up some pretty good numbers along the way.

The 24-year old will need a contract for 2025/2026, if he plans to continue.

He gets signed by the new Indiana Sentinels and goes on to score 5 goals and 17 assists, but gets himself dished to Watertown Wolves for the 2nd half of the session.

28Feb

Ryan Glazer (9)

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Rookie left wing Ryan Glazer(9) gets traded after picking up FPHL scoring to 14 goals and 3 assists in 16 games for Indiana Sentinels to Baton Rouge Zydeco for the remainder of 2025/2026.

The 5’10” 183 lbs. forward scored a college high 6 goals and 8 assists as a junior before leaving a year on the table at Morrisville University Mustangs to turn pro.

He did 3 years of junior hockey, scoring well.

From Montreal, QC, the 24-year old will likely continue to do well and maybe get loaned up.

27Feb

Jake Lucchini (19)

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Undrafted 4th year center Jake Lucchini(19) signed with Montreal Canadiens for 2020/2021 and has agreed to continue in the system on a minor league deal to affiliate Laval Rocket.

The former Michigan Tech Huskies‘ senior captain jumped in quick upon signing his first deal on an ato with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, grabbing a quick 6 goals and an assist in 15 AHL games.

He had a similar breakout upon the trade, scoring 4 goals and 1 assist in 6 games after being obtained in a trade with Pittsburgh Penguins.

The 5’11” 183 lbs. forward will need to get back on the scoring tear but could easily play his way into another NHL contract.

A product of Trail, BC, he played for hometown juniors Trail Smoke Eaters popping the lid leading the team with 35 goals and 48 assists in 58 BCHL games.

The 26-year old is still climbing.

After 2 almost 20 goal (19) sessions with Belleville Senators and a 2nd 30+ assist frame, he signs as an unrestricted free agent for 2023/2024 with Minnesota Wild and will help their affiliate Iowa Wild climb into the rankings.

He also skated 11 games with Ottawa Senators and potted a 1st big league goal.

After 40 games in the big league and 30 in the minors, he would move on to sign a 1-year deal with Nashville Predators.

He only skated 3 games with them, but 70 in the minors with affiliate Milwaukee Admirals.

It appears his time is good there as, after a 2nd 20+ assist season, signs for 2026/2027.

27Feb

TJ Semptimphelter (35) with video feature: 1-question interview

Posted in College Hockey Player, Juniors, Minor League Deal, Transfers, Videos | Leave a comment

Northeastern University Huskies‘ 2020/2021 commit, goaltender TJ Semptimphelter(35) really seemed to hit stride last season, while playing his only junior campaign in the USPHL/NCDC for Junior Bruins.

The 6’1″ 185 lbs. net minder posted a fairly ridiculous 21-6-3 record in 2020/2021’s weirdo stop & start COVID infected run with a 2.05 GAA and .933 SV% including 4 shutouts.

He mostly posted some good numbers through youth hockey but it was the Marlton, NJ native’s 18U season and as a senior at Lawrenceville School, where it really seemed to come together big.

At just 18 years old he looks like a goalie some big clubs will have their eye on and could even challenge for the top job in his first year at the new school.

He started in 8 games as a rookie and ran totals, except for the record, almost exact to what he did in his last year of juniors.

Looking for more, he enters the transfer portal to tend net for Arizona State University Sun Devils that goes exceedingly well in his 2nd campaign there, posting a 16-5-4 record with a 2.52 GAA and .908 SV%.

For his senior year though, he is off to maybe his greatest college challenge, University Of North Dakota Fighting Hawks, 2024/2025.

He starts 31 games, posting a 18-11-2 record with a 2.64 GAA and .910 SV% and has earned a tryout agreement with Bridgeport Islanders, which will hopefully have him see a couple of games before the season wraps.

After his 1st game in net, he signs for 2025/2026 with Milwaukee Admirals, but is mostly playing for affiliate Atlanta Gladiators, where he puts up some amazing ECHL marks to earn a 1-year extension.

College Hockey Players one question interview with Northeastern University Huskies 2021/2022 commit and Junior Bruins stellar 2020/2021 goaltender, TJ Semptimphelter.