Category: Minor League Deal

16Jul

Michal Stinil (22)

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Undrafted, Czech Republic-born left wing Michal Stinil(22) decides after just one game in his 2nd season with American International College Yellowjackets to turn pro, signing for the remainder of 2021/2022 with Wichita Thunder.

The 5’11” 192 lbs. forward has been a very decent scorer on his way up through junior hockey, twice performing for more than point-per-game play and twice coming up just short of the mark.

He played all his youth hockey close to home with Pirati Chomutov U16-18 before coming over.

The 22-year old, former Springfield Jr. Pics of the USPHL Premiere League will be an interesting watch.

He would absolutely blow up scoring to the tune of 2-30+ goals and this has earned him an AHL contract for 2024/2025 with San Jose Barracuda, but is sent to affiliate Wichita Thunder to start the new campaign.

After a 4th monstrous scoring campaign for even higher points in the league, 25 goals and 52 assists in 63 ECHL games with a +13 rating, he will be back for a 5th year in Thunder attire.

16Jul

Ryan O’Reilly (22)

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Providence College Friars‘ graduate right wing Ryan O’Reilly(22) is looking to set new college bests scoring, if he can figure into enough games on a particularly deep, very good Hockey East team.

The 6’3″ 220 lbs. forward has 6 goals and 3 assists in 18 games with a +9 rating after coming over from 4 years at Arizona State University Sun Devils.

A 2018 Detroit Red Wings‘ 4th round pick in the draft (#98 overall), he had a blowout scoring debut USHL season.

From Southlake, TX, the 24-year old looks like he’d be an easy sign to see to an NHL entry level deal to see what he can do.

He goes unsigned, but inks a 1st deal with Orlando Solar Bears, where he should be a scoring force in the ECHL.

For his rookie season, he signs a contract with Greenville Swamp Rabbits in 2025/2026.

14Jul

Carson Musser (4)

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Long Island University Lakers‘ graduate portal transfer from 4 years at Bowling Green State University Falcons, defenseman Carson Musser(4) took a college best scoring 4 goals and 11 points in 31 NCAA games to a 1st contract with Norfolk Admirals.

In 7 ECHL games, he had an assist and left with no playoffs a +2 rating.

The 6’1″ 192 lbs. blue liner has never really scored many goals, but did manage 10 assists in his 2nd USHL year with Fargo Force.

From Grand Rapids, MI, it’s seems likely the 25-year old could score a new contract for 2022/2023 in the league, if he wants.

As considered, the d-man decides to go for a full session in Virginia to see what’s possible.

He is able to connect for 4 goals and 9 assists, but needs to clean up a -19 rating and hopefully the team posts a better record, as he re-signs to stay.

Increasing his numbers as he goes is easily the way to keep attention, so he scores a new best 8 goals and 18 assists, while bringing up that horrible +/- to a +13 rating in 57 games, then in 11 playoff matchups adds another 7 points, +5.

He is easy to continue to bring back in an Admirals‘ jersey.

For a 4th straight season, he will return to Norfolk after scoring a new high 23 assists and 29 points.

11Jul

Anthony Repaci (81)

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4th year Worcester Railers‘ center Anthony Repaci(81) re-signs for a 3rd season with the team after posting an ECHL career best 27 goals and 54 points, 1 off his assist best of 28.

The 6′ 194 lbs. forward did 3 years of junior hockey in the close by OJHL for hometown Toronto Jr. Canadiens before heading to St. Mary’s University Huskies for 5 campaigns prior to turning pro.

At 28-years old, he will likely continue to score big in the league.

After a bit of an injury plagued campaign last year, but still scoring well, he will return for a 4th crack at getting this Railers‘ team more ready and into the playoffs.

In 57 games, he scores a new high 29 goals and 36 assists for best 65 points and he will return for a 5th season, 3rd as captain with Worcester.

10Jul

Colton Hargrove (7)

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cHp wants to wish one-time Boston Bruins‘ 7th round draft pick in the 2012 draft (#205 overall) left wing Colton Hargrove(7) a happy retirement in what’s easily too early of an exit, forced upon him by recurring back injuries.

The former Western Michigan University Broncos standout leaves hockey with a career high 14 goals and 22 assists for 38 points in 45 IceHL games for Ferhervar AV19.

He was basically good for 15 goals and 15 assists for any team he skated for.

The 6’1″ 215 lbs. power forward was always a pleasure to watch play for Providence Bruins in his first three pro years.

We wish the 28-year old Dallas, TX native, who did get to skate fairly close to home in Cedar Park one season for Texas Stars all the best whatever life holds for him moving forward with what’s next.

Well, he did sit out 2021/2022, after what maybe was a bit of a difficult 2nd run in Austria’s top hockey.

For last season though, when the air had completely cleared, he decided to lace them back up for the close to home Allen Americans.

He became the team’s captain and went onto as they said it an MVP frame, scoring a career best by a mile 39 goals and 46 assists.

That’s basically enough for the now 31-year old to want to return to play some more hockey.

Limited to just 12 games last season, because of a knee injury, he actually become a licensed real estate agent, but for 2024/2025 will continue to play hockey, but is moving away from home for his 9th season to join 2-time champs, Florida Everblades.

After scoring pretty well for his new club, especially come playoff time, he will move back home at age 33-years old on a 1-year deal with Allen.

09Jul

Brendan Less (23)

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Quinnipiac University Bobcats‘ graduate defenseman Brendan Less(23) is definitely glad he added an extra session to his college game after entering the portal transfer from 4 years at Dartmouth College Big Green.

Tying his 2nd most, 31 NCAA Division 1 games played, he has exceedingly good new bests with 2 goals, 14 assists, 16 points and a big +28 rating.

The 5’11” 170 lbs. blue liner committed in his 2nd year at Choate Rosemary Hall without recording a lot of points, so they saw something more in his game they liked.

At 23-years old, it’s tough to say the route he takes after 5 years in the ECAC, but the Kinnelon, NJ native may find some space to grow his game as a pro.

After his team was eliminated from tournament play, the d-man signed an ECHL contract to join Worcester Railers.

He would appear in 6 games, grabbing a first pro point, an assist.

For 2022/2023, he signs with Jacksonville Icemen, a team he should gel well with.

He actually gets released from training camp and quickly inks with Iowa Heartlanders, where he should stick and do nicely.

In 22 games, he notches 4 assists, but Adirondack Thunder see something they can work with and sign him for 2023/2024.

Through a season high 44 games, he scores 2 goals and 11 assists with a +12 rating to easily gain an invite to return to continue wearing a Thunder uniform.

He gets loaned up to Syracuse Crunch for 1 AHL game, while scoring a best 19 assists and 20 points with a +11 rating last season, but gets himself traded to Atlanta Gladiators for 2025/2026 and will need a contract.

09Jul

Jon McDonald (47)

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UMass-Lowell Riverhawks‘ graduate captain, defenseman Jon McDonald(47) signed an ato with Toledo Walleye after finishing up Hockey East tournament play last season.

The tough as nails, the undrafted 6′ 181 lbs. blue liner scored 3 assists in 10 ECHL games.

He played 2 years of USHL junior hockey with Fargo Force and helped them with the 2018 Clark Cup Championship.

The Livonia, MI native signs for his rookie season, 2023/2024 with South Carolina Stingrays.

We think the 25-year old will have great luck with this club.

In 64 games, he scores 4 goals and 13 assists with a +2 rating to score himself a contract with the parent club, Hershey Bears heading into his 2nd campaign.

He would appear in 31 games, scoring 3 goals and 3 assists with a -5 rating, then appeared in 7 playoff matchups with o points, but was a +2.

For 2025/2026, he re-signs to stay a Bears and will likely be mostly on a 1-way deal.

08Jul

Grant Gabriele (12)

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Last season rookie defenseman Grant Gabriele(12) scored 6 goals and 16 assists in 67 ECHL games for Maine Mariners with a +5 rating.

He signs a new 1-year deal with Toledo Walleye for 2023/2024, which couldn’t be a better team for him to hook up with.

The 6’2″ 196 lbs. blue liner was a 2-time 10+ assist man in his 5 years at Ohio State University Buckeyes.

He twice played for the USNTDP and for 3 different USHL clubs before heading to school.

The 26-year old from Brighton, MI should have an outstanding season.

He scores 1 goal and 14 assists in 40 games with a tremendous +34 rating to earn himself a 2nd season as a fish in a Walleye jersey.

Loaned up to Cleveland Monsters for 15 AHL games with no points, he gets traded to Utah Grizzlies.

In the offseason, he gets dealt to Fort Wayne Komets in a d-man switch for 2025/2026.

08Jul

William Lemay (8)

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University Of Vermont Catamounts‘ senior left wing William Lemay(8) signs a 1st pro deal fairly quickly after exiting the Hockey East tournament with Trois-Rivieres Lions.

The 5’10” 194 lbs. forward has 2 goals and 2 assists in 7 ECHL games as a pro.

His highest totals through college were 9 assists as a freshman and 5 goals as a junior.

The 24-year old from Marieville, QC could find the room he needs in this league to score more frequently.

4 goals and 4 assists in 14 games on an ato means sign this man up to a rookie T-RLions‘ contract for 2023/2024.

After escaping late last season to Italy2 to blow up scoring, especially in the playoffs to help win the Italian Cup for Pergine.

He will take off to the better known Ligue Magnus for 2024/2025, signing with Diables Rogues de Briancon.

In 44 games, he scores 20 goals and 18 assists with a +10 rating, but is wooed by rivals, Gothiques d’Amiens to sign a contract for 2025/2026, which should go as well as it did in his 1st frame.

08Jul

Neil Shea (38)

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Undrafted, junior left wing Neil Shea(38) has played most of his hockey relatively close to home (Marshfield, MA), but after two underperforming seasons at Northeastern University Huskies, he’s branching out to leave for well, Connecticut, joining Sacred Heart University Pioneers in 2021/2022.

He was a prolific scorer when he committed to college in his 1st year at Lawrence Academy, then took it up a notch in his senior season with 24 goals and 34 assists in 32 USHS-Prep games before taking up with draft club, Cedar Rapids RoughRiders for 11 USHL games (1 goal, 2 assists).

The 6’1″ 205 lbs. forward was once again selected and skated his only full season of juniors for Chicago Steel, scoring 15 goals and 28 assists.

It’s possible the switch to Atlantic Hockey style play will connect with the 22-year old’s ability to amass points.

The Massachusetts’ native has scored big with his switch of schools, amassing decent scoring with 4 goals and 10 assists, blowing away his previous college marks, in 20 NCAA Division 1 games.

He finishes up a 2nd season at his new school with a new college best 14 goals and signs a 1st contract, an ato with Chicago Wolves to test the waters.

No doubt, he will have to step up his game to score in the AHL.

He gets a 1st goal in the league and adds 1 assist in 6 games with a +3 rating as a newly turned pro.

For 2023/2024, Toronto Marlies are liking what they see and sign him to a 1-year minor league deal as an official rookie.

He actually skates 64 ECHL games for affiliate Newfoundland Growlers, scoring 18 goals and 19 assists, but is moving on and signs with Colorado Eagles for 2024/2025.

In 8 contests, he scores 1 goal and 2 assists, but on reassignment to affiliate Utah Grizzlies popped 19 goals and 20 assists in 36 games to earn another year to wear an Eagles‘ jersey more often than not.