Category: Minor League Deal

25Oct

Joseph LaBate (16)

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7th year left wing Joseph LaBate(16) signed a 1-year AHL deal with Milwaukee Admirals for 2021/2022 and is off to a nice 2 goal in 4 game start.

The very big 6’5″ 217 lbs. forward played 4 years at University Of Wisconsin Badgers, averaging 20 points per season before signing his 2-year entry deal with draft club, Vancouver Canucks (round 4, 2011, #101 overall).

He stayed with them for three campaigns and did play 13 NHL games (no points) before becoming a group 6 free agent and signing the first of three minor league contracts with Belleville Senators.

It was his 2nd run with the club, when he put up his best numbers, just a couple seasons ago, a tying 10 goals and best 16 assists and 26 points with a +19 rating.

The 28-year old, Eagan, MN native has to be looking overseas for his next play and could likely do incredibly well with that big frame.

He comes away with 5 goals and 7 assists in 56 games last season and decides to stick around, signing for 2022/2023 with Chicago Wolves.

In 53 games, he walks with a new best 11 goals and 11 assists with a +3 rating and will take that fortune to a new KHL cal with Barys Astana for 2023/2024, as he enters his 9th pro season.

For his 10th year playing pro hockey, he returns from 8 goals and 10 assists in 49 games to sign pto with Cleveland Monsters to make the team for 2024/2025.

He scores 1 goal and 3 assists in 5 games and he gets himself signed to a 1-year, 2-way contract by the parent club, Columbus Blue Jackets.

In 6 NHL games, he records an assist and is good for 8 goals and 13 assists in 51 games in the minors last season.

An unrestricted free agent, he heads back to his draft team and signs a 1-year deal with Vancouver Canucks for 2025/2026 and will likely join Calder Cup Champs Abbotsford Canucks for a little bit.

He is off to a hot start and maybe had a good training camp that sets him for a 1st NHL game with the team since 2017.

25Oct

Jackson Legro (3)

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University Of Southern Maine Huskies‘ senior defenseman Jackson Legro(3) transferred out of 3 years at Lebanon Valley College Dutchmen.

The 6’4″ 209 lbs. blue liner has never been big on the scoresheet.

From Brentwood, NH, the 20-year old signed a 1st pro contract with Monroe Mocassins.

In 5 FPHL games, he had 1 assist.

He will need a contract for 2025/2026.

Well, he signed and started the new season with Pee Dee Pride, but was dished to Danbury Hat Tricks.

23Oct

Philip Beaulieu (25)

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4th year defenseman Philip Beaulieu(25) signs with Asiago of IceHL for 2023/2024, which should turn out to be a lot of fun for him.

The 5’11” 194 lbs. blue liner had 2 good seasons for Allen Americans.

He got 8 goals and 30 assists in 1 frame.

The former Northern Michigan University Wildcats‘ captain as a senior was always a good assist man in school.

From Duluth, MN, the 28-year old may just stay over there in Austria.

He plays just 20 games, scoring 1 goal and 4 assists, so maybe that helps with his decision to return and play closer to home with Kalamazoo Wings for 2024/2025.

Pretty strong on assists, Maine Mariners take notice and trade for him in 2025/2026.

22Oct

Logan Cockerill (9)

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Undrafted left wing Logan Cockerill(9) spent the last 2 seasons of 5 as team captain at Boston University Terriers.

The 5’9″ 180 lbs. forward had his best year scoring as a freshman with 8 goals and 12 assists, but he’s a +8 skater through school.

He did two campaigns with the USNTDP with very decent results.

The Brighton, MI has decided to turn pro and signs with BIK Karlskoga and will play tier 2 Hockeyallsvenskan in Sweden for 2022/2023.

In 31 games, he gets 7 goals and 7 assists with a +4 rating, then adds another tally in 4 playoff match ups.

For 2023/2024, the former New York Islanders‘ 7th round pick in 2017 (#201 overall) is coming back home to sign a 1-year ECHL deal with Jacksonville Icemen, where he will play with brother Garret.

He nets 10 goals and 27 assists in 63 games with a +6 rating and is set to return in an Icemen jersey 2024/2025.

There’s little doubt he is producing, especially 3 goals and 1 assist in 4 playoff games last season and he an easy invite back to be an Icemen for 2025/2026.

21Oct

Luke Lush (30)

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Sacred Heart University Pioneers‘ senior net minder, Luke Lush(30) will start a graduate program at Atlantic Hockey rivals, RIT Tigers for 2023/2024.

The fairly big 6’3″ 201 lbs. goalie did 3 years of Canadian junior hockey that saw him voted AJHL Best Goaltender in his final frame.

From Sherwood Park, AB, the 25-year old should be able to take his game to another level with his new college team.

He plays only 4 games for his new college club, running a 2-2 record with some impressive 2.27 GAA and .919 SV%, which he takes to a 1st pro contract with Tulsa Oilers in his rookie year, 2024/2025.

We do look for him to do well in the ECHL.

He plays 6 games with what we see as decent results, but finds interest for 2025/2026 with Quad City Storm and should have good success in the SPHL for a potential loan up.

18Oct

Kyle Jeffers (23)

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Lindenwood University Lions‘ junior right wing Kyle Jeffers(23) transferred from only 6 games in the ill-fated COVID draped 2020/2021, as a freshman at American International College Yellowjackets.

From Oviedo, FL, he quickly came north to play most of his youth and then 3 years of NAHL for New Jersey Junior Titans in his last season scoring a junior best 34 assists and 57 points.

In 26 games in the current frame, the 5’10” 165 lbs. forward has a college high 9 goals.

Despite, 4 years listed in school, he looks eligible for his senior campaign 2024/2025 after leading his team in scoring in the current frame with a college best 9 goals and 8 assists in 26 games.

Barely even finished with the current frame before he jumps on a contract with Savannah Ghost Pirates and has an assist in his ECHL debut.

In 19 games to finish up last session, he scores 6 goals and 4 assists with a -1 rating on a non-playoff team to earn a contract to stay in a Ghost Pirates‘ jersey for his rookie frame, 2024/2025.

After a full season with the team, the unrestricted free agent looks around a little and come away with a new 1-year deal with Wichita Thunder for 2025/2026.

13Oct

Isaiah Fox (8)

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Long Island University Sharks‘ commit for 2021/2022 right wing Isaiah Fox(8) gives us the peace nod that his club Maine Nordiques clinched their berth into the upcoming playoffs.

The 5’11” 165 lbs. blue liner has posted similar numbers in his pair of NAHL seasons scoring a pretty phenomenal 16 goals and new best 23 assists and 39 points in 49 games and should be ready for a good showing as a rookie.

After 4 years, with his best scoring season as a junior, 14 goals and 20 assists in a college high 37 games, he is ready to move on and turns pro, signing a standard player contract with Adirondack Thunder.

We think he does well in the ECHL to start.

In his 1st 17 games, he scores 3 goals and 7 assists with a +1 rating to easily grab a new contract for his rookie season, 2025/2026 as a Thunder.

Well, he can’t even get his 1st campaign going and in a bit of a shocker is traded to Iowa Heartlanders, who likely really need him to fill in their blue line.

12Oct

Gabriel Chicoine (3)

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Bowling Green State University Falcons‘ senior defenseman Gabriel Chicoine(3) came over after 3 successful seasons at D3 Norwich University Cadets.

The 6′ 181 lbs. blue liner recorded a pretty impressive goal and 18 assists in NCAA Division 1 hockey games.

A native of St. Dominique, QC, he played 4 seasons of junior hockey in the QJHL before heading to school.

Upon finishing up college hockey, the 25-year old agreed to a contract with Maine Mariners and in 10 ECHL games, he has a goal and an assist, but has yet to appear in a playoff matchup.

For 2022/2023, he will return to Maine to play his official rookie season.

Following a solid campaign with 4 goals and 30 assists with a +3 rating in 63 games, he easily signs on to wear a Mariners‘ jersey for a 2nd frame in 2023/2024.

He rolls even better numbers with 16 goals and a massive 45 assists in 66 games and he will take it to the tough to play overseas hockey of Slovak Extraliga and signs with the somewhat famous, HC Banska Bystrica for 2024/2025.

After a very decent 33 assists in 54 game frame, he signs with rivals Vici Zilina for 2025/2026.

11Oct

Anthony Shrum (35)

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Misericordia University Cougars graduate goaltender Anthony Shrum(35) played a college best 12 games last season that he took to a 1st pro contract with Blue Ridge Bobcats.

In 3 FPHL games, the 6’2″ 194 lbs. net minder wins 2-0 games with a 1.73 GAA and .947 SV% to start.

He did 4 years at Worcester State University Lancers with only 7 games total played.

From Holland, MI, the 26-year old could easily sign or someone higher may swoop in.

It’s a no-brainer they want him back in a Bobcats‘ uniform for his official rookie season.

Almost on equal terms of barely having to think, he is signed by Cincinnati Cyclones to a 2-way deal for 2025/2026.

11Oct

Casey Bailey (93)

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7th year right wing Casey Bailey(93) re-signs with Iserlohn Roosters after putting up a 2nd 40+ point season.

The 6’3″ 194 lbs forward has twice earlier hit the 40+ mark, first as a junior at Penn State University Nittany Lions, then as a 3rd year AHL player for Bridgeport Sound Tigers.

At 30-year old, the Anchorage, AK native is definitely still hitting the ice hard.

After a 3rd season with the same club, putting up 39 points in his last frame, he signs for 2023/2024 with DEL rivals ERC Ingolstadt.

He leaves 4 years in the league for some new waters, signing with the famous Graz99ers of IceHL, which should be a good country for him to play in.

Through 46 games, he scores 15 goals and 12 assists, so does alright, but decides to come back and play a little closer to home, signing with Tahoe Knight Monsters for 2025/2026.