Category: Minor League Deal

06Oct

Noah Delmas (24)

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Kansas City Mavericks‘ rookie defenseman Noah Delmas(24) is having a season that maybe exists a little below the radar as he’s on a team that’s still in the hunt but currently at the bottom of their division and he has only tallied a goal and 3 assists through 26 ECHL games.

The 6′ 195 lbs. blue liner was named team captain for Niagara University Purple Eagles, but failed to connect as he did as a sophomore and junior, when he scored 25 assists in both frames and even potted 15 goals in his third year.

He was a 2018 invite to Toronto Maple Leafs‘ development camp.

Playing most of his junior hockey with close to home club Aurora Tigers of the OJHL, the Newmarket, ON native did come down for 17 USHL games with Bloomington Thunder after committing to college, it didn’t last and he headed back for a bit of a playoff push with his former team.

It’s likely the 25-year old will continue in the league he accepted but also wouldn’t be out of the question for him to get a few nods at AHL life.

He signed on for another tour with his 1st pro club and in 32 games, had new best marks of 2 goals and 7 assists with a +2 rating, but he decided to head off to the EIHL, signing for the remainder of 2021/2022 with Manchester Storm.

In 18 games over in England, he grabbed 2 goals and 2 assists, but was a bit of a lowly -8 rating.

He is welcome “home” though, signing a 1-year deal with Worcester Railers for 2022/2023 that will likely see him achieve his best results.

After a decent enough 3rd frame in central MA, scoring 2 goals and 16 assists, but with a horrible plus/minus signs for 2023/2024 with GKS Katowice of Polska Hokej Liga.

In 40 games, he scores 3 goals and 10 assists and will next take that to the EIHL and signs with Fife Flyers for 2024/2025.

He returns “home” after a couple seasons away to sign with the new league team Greensboro Gargoyles and we feel like that will settle his game nicely.

06Oct

Drew Callin (77)

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6th year center Drew Wallin(77) signs on for a 4th straight season with Springfield Thunderbirds, 2024/2025 mostly because he really seems to fit with team mentality well.

His 6’3″ 203 lbs. size definitely has some AHL bearing.

He had 2 20+ assist seasons at Bentley University Falcons.

In 2 junior NAHL sessions with Janesville Jets, he was a 30+ point scorer.

From Madison, WI, we think the 29-year old smiles as he goes.

He has been 3 years with the same team, scoring ok, but will return to Worcester Railers, where he played as a rookie and for a couple seasons and will be back for scoring in 2025/2026.

 

01Oct

Roman Kinal (41)

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University Of Connecticut Huskies‘ graduate captain defenseman Roman Kinal(41) signs an ato to start his pro career with San Jose Barracuda.

In 5 AHL games, he has no points.

The 6’2″ 198 lbs. blue liner has never really put up points, three times hitting 7 in a frame.

From Waterford, MI, the 24-year old may just need a little more time to grow into his pro game.

He signs for 2023/2024, but is dispelled to affiliate Wichita Thunder for a good deal of the session.

For 2024/2025, San Diego Gulls are in search of some assistance and agree with him for a look.

He is up for 36 games and reassigned to affiliate Tulsa Oilers for 17 and does well, help guiding both.

It’s an easy call for him to re-sign to stay a Gulls for 2025/2026.

29Sep

Todd Skirving (17)

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Newfoundland Growlers‘ 3rd year fan favorite, hard-nosed center Todd Skirving(17) re-ups after taking last season off, as did the team, and heading up north, where he’s from for a coaching opportunity that took up a good chunk of his time away from playing.

Well, he’s back, serving as the club’s assistant captain and already has a first goal and 4 assists in 10 ECHL games.

It wouldn’t be surprising to see the 6’2″ 190 lbs. forward from Thunder Bay, ON earn a first loan up to the AHL in 2022.

The former 4-year RIT Tigers‘ has only managed 2 real breakout scoring sessions, both in his time with Sioux Falls Stampede, where he struck for a combined 40 goals and 30 assists in 114 USHL games.

Could be the 29-year old is arriving a bit late.

In 2021/2022, he blew away his career high totals with 21 goals and 20 assists in 60 games and a +10 rating to be offered a 4th straight contract to return.

More new career bests continue to follow the bearded one for new highs with 31 goals and 27 assists, 58 points and he is easily going to be wearing that Growlers‘ jersey for a 5th frame.

His longtime Canadian team goes belly-up for the final part of the current frame and he is forced to find a new team or close down the season a bit early.

We knew the 31-year old wouldn’t be on the blocks long, as Florida Everblades move in to offer him some ice time and he returns the favor with 1 assist and a +1 rating in his debut.

He would only play 4 games in the regular frame with 2 assists, but then in 22 playoff matchups had 2 goals and 2 assists, helping them to a 2nd straight Kelly Cup Championship.

For his 7th season, he will lace them up for Reading Royals in 2024/2025.

He would become team captain with his new club and takes another good season of play to another deal with Kalamazoo Wings for 2025/2026.

29Sep

Eelis Laaksonen (18)

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Curry College Colonels‘ Finnish-born, sophomore left wing Eelis Laaksonen(18) had a pair of tallies and an assist to help his team to a 5-1 semi-finals win to advance to the NCAA Division 3 CCC Finals.

The 6′ 185 lbs. forward has a college career tying 9 goals and best 15 assists for 24 points in 25 games this season.

At 22-years old, he should just continue to excel where he is playing hockey.

He finished up his senior year with a college best 14 goals and +19 rating, which he takes to possibly a slightly conservative deal with Evansville Thunderbirds, where he should score well in the FPHL to move up.

28Sep

Spencer Kersten (41)

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Bowling Green State University Falcons‘ graduate right wing Spencer Kersten(41) signs with Orlando Solar Bears upon finishing up and scores 2 goals and 4 assists in 10 ECHL games with a +5 rating, then another 6, 3 in 11 with a +4 in the playoffs to easily get him wanted to return for his rookie frame in 2024/2025.

The 5’10” 185 lbs. forward came over from 4 years of always playing 31 games as senior captain for Princeton University Tigers and scoring decently.

From Waterloo, ON, the 24-year old looks to have found more space to connect for points as a pro.

He explodes scoring with 24 goals and 28 assists in 53 games with a +20 rating to get himself a loan up to Belleville Senators, where we feel he will do well, once he starts to gel.

Also, loaned to Syracuse Crunch, where he scores a 1st AHL goal, he is signed for 2025/2026.

26Sep

Riley Nash (20)

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12th year unrestricted free agent center Riley Nash(20) picks up a 1-year deal at the minimum with Winnipeg Jets for 2021/2022.

He was coming off a good money deal, but terrible fit with Columbus Blue Jackets that was eventually rolled to Toronto Maple Leafs for no games played.

A former Edmonton Oilers‘ 1st round pick in the 2007 draft (#21 overall), he’s never quick displayed the offensive finesse he did in 2 seasons with Thompson Blazer U18 AAA, then 1 season for Salmon Arms Silverbacks, scoring 38 goals and 46 assists in 55 BCHL games before heading to Cornell University Big Red.

The 6’2″ 188 lbs. forward is a veteran of 578 NHL games, 63 goals, 109 assists with his best outing coming in the 2nd year of his 2-year deal with Boston Bruins, and he somehow tipped in career highs 15 goals and 26 assists with a +16 rating to earn him that 3-year deal with the Ohio club.

At 32-years old, we got to think he’s pretty happy just getting a contract and who knows what he’s still capable of putting together.

For 2022/2023, he will return on a 2-year AHL deal to where it all started 13 years ago in 2010 with Charlotte Checkers, and will likely be one of the happiest guys in the locker room (and a true leader).

His 1st time back in forever and he lights it up big with an easy minor league career best 24 goals and 35 assists.

For 2023/2024, he makes maybe a little of a strategic decision, signing for 2-year 2-way the 2nd campaign with New York Rangers.

He plays 41 games in the minors, scoring well, then shows nice increases in the Calder Cup playoffs, but sits for all of the 2nd year of his deal and after 628 NHL and 312 in the A, at 36-years old enough is enough due to nagging concussion issues.

We see what awaits him next.

26Sep

Colton Young (26)

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Colgate University Raiders‘ junior left wing Colton Young(26) is having a college career year with new bests of 11 goals and 19 points in 20 NCAA Division 1 games.

The 6′ 174 lbs. forward put up consecutive 60+ point numbers in two years of junior hockey for Canmore Eagles, finishing with 157 in 176 AJHL games.

At 23-years old, the forthcoming unrestricted free agent will definitely be one to see where he heads to start pro hockey, if he does.

And he does, signing a deal with Greenville Swamp Rabbits, where he has 1 goal and 3 assists in 4 ECHL games, heading into the playoffs.

He grabs 1 assist in 5 playoff games and is an easy sign to welcome back as a Swamp Rabbits for his rookie season 2023/2024.

Through 39 games, he scores 6 goals and 10 assists, but is loaned up to Ontario Reign for 19 AHL games, where he pots 2 goals and 2 assists.

For 2024/2025, he is invited back to wear a Swamp Rabbits‘ jersey, which he would do, but late in the game is invited back to the Reign for the upcoming session.

Mostly reassigned, he is traded to Norfolk Admirals, where he does pretty well, but is an unrestricted free agent, heading into 2025/2026 and signs with Kalamazoo Wings.

26Sep

Trevor LeDonne (57)

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Robert Morris University Pioneers‘ senior defenseman Trevor LeDonne(57) signs a 1st pro deal, an ato with Allen Americans after putting up a college best 3 goals and 2 assists last season.

The 6’1″ 192 lbs. blue liner came over following 2 full seasons at University Of St. Thomas Tommies.

From Stony Break, ON, he did 2 BCHL junior seasons before college.

The 25-year old has 1 assist in 7 ECHL games.

He grabs 1 goal and 3 assists in 15 games, but looks to Wheeling Nailers for his 1st official contract for his rookie season, 2025/2026.

25Sep

Alex Tonge (88)

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Undrafted 3rd year left wing Alex Tonge(88) returns from a short, three game stint in Poland’s top league for GKS Tychy to Norfolk Admirals, where he spent the last 20 ECHL games of the 2019/2020 season, scoring a tidy 9 goals and 7 assists.

The former solid three-year scorer at Robert Morris University Colonials had sophomore and junior campaigns with 44 points, then 39 points in 39 Atlantic Hockey games as a senior.

He spent 4 years in the OJHL with Kingston Voyageurs growing his game and was discovered by his college after a strong 3rd session, getting 29 goals and 43 assists.

The 26-year old will definitely be a top scorer in the league but still has to become more accountable on ice to round out his overall play.

After an easy season best campaign in 2021/2022, scoring a way high 28 goals and 38 assists for 66 points in 66 games on a non-playoff team, he is set to leave for DEL2, signing a 1-year deal with Heilbronner Falken for 2022/2023.

He blows up tier 2 German scoring to the tune of 19 goals and 40 assists in 52 games, then another 8 points in the playoffs.

Scoring would continue with his new league team EV Landshut, but he decides to look elsewhere and signs with Sweden’s tier 2 HockeyAllsvenskan and does alright.

For 2024/2025, he will head to the EIHL and signs with Dundee Stars, where we think he will become a very popular player.

The injury bug hits him and he is only able to skate 10 games last season, which was almost still equal to a point-per-game outcome.

He returns “home” for 2025/2026 and signs with Orlando Solar Bears.