Category: Minor League Deal

11th year center Louie Caporusso(23) signed for a 2nd season with Cincinnati Cyclones after lighting it up for 22 goals and 44 assists in 67 ECHL games last season.

The 5’9″ 185 lbs. forward has 7 times had 10+ goals, 3 times 20+ assists and once had 30 assists in his 3rd DEL campaign.

He also had three 20+ goals and twice 20+ assists at University Of Michigan Wolverines.

Originally an Ottawa Senators‘ 3rd round pick in 2007 (#90 overall), he was in their system for a couple of sessions, but left unqualified and signed the next year with Reading Royals.

He would last only 24 games before leaving for his 1st of 6 frames in Germany’s top hockey.

At 33-years old, the Toronto, ON native is likely just still having fun.

After 3 seasons of point-per-game scoring with Cincinnati Cyclones, he decides looking back on some 265 ECHL games and 216 in DEL Germany is quite enough and will at now 36-years old ease into a special team coaching role with his former, still current team.

Buffalo native, center Patrick Polino(27) didn’t stray far when he signed his first pro contract, agreeing to a pto with Rochester Americans on the eve of the season opener.

The small-is 5’9″ 72 lbs. forward scored a college best 11 goals, 8 assists for 19 points in his fourth and final year at RPI Engineers.

He committed to college during his best USHL campaign, his first of two with Lincoln Stars, which was his third year in the league, and would even play another over-age sessions, maybe hoping to have a better crack at the school’s starting roster.

At 26-years old, he’s getting a bit of a later start and did initially sign with Greenville Swamp Rabbits of the ECHL but never skated with the team.

With a first AHL goal and 3 assists in 11 games, he is looking to show he’s ready for an spc.

Well, he never got his permanent deal for 2020/2021, but he did manage to score 3 goals and 4 assists in 20 games, and had a pair of 2-game scoring streaks.

For 2021/2022, he decides to sign with Cincinnati Cyclones and should become a pretty dominant player in the ECHL.

He puts up just about point-per-game numbers with 24 in 26 clones’ games with a +2 rating.

His efforts get him a new deal to return for 2022/2023 and he should almost easily take it up, unless he’s called up for more than 16 games he played in the higher league last frame.

He records a career high 23 goals and 31. assists in a full frame of 72 games and will once again be putting on that Cyclones‘ jersey for 2023/2024.

Maybe a bit out of nowhere, he is traded in a blockbuster minor league deal of goal scorers to Adirondack Thunder for 2024/2025.

His numbers drop and he is dished to Allen Americans to see if he can straighten out the scoring blip he’s facing.

He does ok, but is still off the mark and is recaptured by Cincinnati Cyclones after he was initially heading to Rapid City Rush.

A contract will be necessary for 2025/2026.

He further branches out in the league and signs with Greenville Swamp Rabbits for 2025/2026.

University Of Alaska-Fairbanks Nanooks‘ senior goalie transfer Pierce Charleson(34) from 3 years at Michigan State University Spartans, where he played a total of 22 games has been getting the start for his new college club.

Through 9 games, he has a new best 5-2-1 record and the 6’2″ 194 lbs. net minder is looking sharp.

He twice won junior championships and ran up a 42-2-0 mark for Brooks Bandits before winning the BCHL Cup and the previous season for Caledonia Corvairs 18-1 to win the OJHL title.

The 23-year from Aurora, ON may have found the right college fit.

He finishes up with a new college high 29 games, 13-12-3 record and 2.46 GAA.

For a year of eligibility he will enter the transfer portal and head to a 3rd school Niagara University Purple Eagles for 2024/2025.

After finishing up, he signs with Greenville Swamp Rabbits and gets into his 1st 8 ECHL games with only ok results, but they like what they see, so sign him up for his rookie run 2025/2026.

Providence College Friars‘ graduate captain defenseman Cam McDonald(27) takes a new best college 6 assists and tying 7 points to a 1-year AHL deal with Bridgeport Islanders for 2024/2025.

The 5’9″ 174 lbs. Eagle River, AK native started his junior hockey in the NAHL close to home with Kenai River Brown Bears, committed, but moved along to the USHL for Muskegon Lumberjacks before heading to school.

He’s likely at 23-years old itching to turn pro.

In 35 ECHL games on reassignment, he pots 14 assists, but only 1 assist with contract club.

For 2025/2026, his sophomore season, he re-signs to be a Worcester Railers.

Undrafted defenseman Ty Farmer(3) takes 4 years and a 2021 NCAA Division 1 Championship at UMass Minutemen to a new calling and start of a graduate program, maybe a little closer to home with University Of North Dakota Fighting Hawks for 2022/2023.

He doesn’t usually strike for a lot of points, but did have 5 goals and 13 assists as a freshman.

The 5’11” 174 lbs. blue liner had a huge run in his 4th USHL year of juniors scoring 9 goals and 30 assists with Fargo Force and winning his 1st title, the 2018 Clark Cup Championship.

We are  sure the one huge driving asset to come to a new school is his big +45 rating of on ice accountability.

The 24-year old from O’Fallon, MO will be a welcome addition to NCHC action.

After graduation, he signs an ato with Allen Americans, striking for 2 assists in 10 ECHL games with a +1 rating.

He is a good invite to return for his rookie season in 2023/2024 and should continue to do well.

For his rookie frame, he comes away with 5 goals and 5 assists in 48 games with a +9 rating, so he is an easy invite to return and wear an Americans‘ jersey for 2024/2025.

He actually suits up for Indy Fuel in the new frame, where he was quietly traded to, scoring a new best 7 goals and 20 assists with a +11 rating, which he will take to a new contract for 2025/2026 with Aalborg Pirates of Metal Ligaen.

Undrafted defenseman Quinn Wichers(5) signs a first pro contract for his rookie campaign 2021/2022 with Rapid City Rush.

The 6’4″ 217 lbs. blue liner has never been exactly the biggest point scorer through 4 years at Mercyhurst University Lakers, but did connect for a junior hockey high 19 assists and tying 24 points in 45 CCHL games in his 4th frame before heading to school with Kemptville 73s.

From Metcalfe, ON, the 24-year old should be able to elevate his game in the ECHL.

He will return to South Dakota for 2022/2023 after scoring 2 goals and 8 assists in 43 games with a +3 rating, then adding 4 assists through 11 playoff contests.

Multiple loans up to Tuscon Roadrunners, where he skated 16 games with no points, but was decently enough steady.

We expect everything to go just that much better in his 2nd year.

Through 50 games, he basically mirrors his rookie point production with the same club, but for 2023/2024, he gets himself traded to Wheeling Nailers and we shall see if that changes anything.

We think it might.

After 3 games with no points, he gets himself dished to a perfect location for the big forward, Utah Grizzlies.

In 52 games, his scoring pops some with 2 goals and a new best 14 assists, but he is looking for something new, different, so signs with Nottingham Panthers of the EIHL for 2024/2025.

After 38 games in England, he is next heading for Asia League and signs with Tohuko Free Blades for 2025/2026.

University Of North Dakota Fighting Hawks‘ senior, assistant captain center Cameron Berg(12) signs to a 1-year AHL contract under the guide of draft club (4th round, 2021, #125 overall), New York Islanders.

The 6′ 192 lbs. transferred from 2 years at University Of Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks, where he was a good scorer.

He did 3 years of USHL juniors before college.

From West Fargo, ND, the 23-year old will probably score decently in the AHL with contract club, Bridgeport Islanders.

Detroit Red Wings‘ 3rd round pick in the 2018 draft (#81 overall) defenseman Seth Barton(49) was signed to a 2-year entry level deal after completing his third season at UMass-Lowell Riverhawks in a very COVID cut short 2020/2021.

The very decently sized 6’3″ 185 lbs. blue liner from Kelowna, BC played a year in Canadian juniors for Trail Smoke Eaters of the BCHL putting up 27 assists in 49 games before reporting to college.

It looks as though the 21-year old reports first to affiliate Grand Rapids Griffins, but his play could gain him a look early from a team that has struggled in 2020/2021.

He skates most of his 2nd season in the system up, but gets reassigned late to Toledo Walleye, finishes the season strong with 8 points in 10 ECHL games, then adding another 13 points (1 goal, 12 assists) in 13 games in the playoffs.

With no qualifying offer to stay, he becomes an unrestricted free agent, signing a 1-year AHL deal with Hartford Wolf Pack for 2023/2024.

He starts the new season with Cincinnati Cyclones, but after just 1 game spies a new deal he is going after, a 1-year deal to sign with KooKoo and play his hockey in Liiga for the near future.

In 10 games, the big back liner scores his 1st Finnish goal and adds 5 assists with a +8 rating to earn a +1 next to his contract for 2024/2025.

After 1st full season, in 55 games scoring 6 goals and 13 assists with a +6 rating and next he will head to the SHL and signs with Malmo Redhawks for 2025/2026.

3rd year defenseman Tristan Thompson(72) is looking good in his beginnings with new club Adirondack Thunder.

He posted an ECHL career best 8 goals and 34 assists last season.

The 5’9″ 180 lbs. blue liner needs to clean up his -27 rating, but we believe is on the right team to improve that number by a lot.

A native of Cranmore, AB, he did his college hockey at University Of Alaska-Fairbanks Nanooks, contributed points over 35 games.

We think the 26-year old is looking at a nice new start.

He does rather nicely through 38 games with 5 goals and 14 assists and a +9 rating, but maybe gets a little antsy for some better, different kind of hockey, so signs up with HK 32 Liptovsky Mikulas of Slovak Extraliga and will be an interesting watch in this league.

Going on to sign in Ligue Magnus for 2024/2025, he does pretty well, but decides to return a little closer to home, signing with Maine Mariners.

He scores 1 goal and 24 assists in 39 games and will return on a 1-year deal to stay a Mariners for 2025/2026.

Mercyhurst University Lakers‘ graduate Mickey Burns(10) takes a college best 11 assists and 21 points, 10 goals only off his 11 total as a junior, to a 1st pro contract with Atlanta Gladiators.

The 5’9″ 170 lbs. forward did 1 season at University Of Vermont Catamounts, figuring into only 5 games with no points to transfer.

He was a huge point-getter in 2 seasons of USPHL/NCDC juniors with NJ Titans, grabbing 45 goals in 50 games in his 2nd frame.

From Wayne, NJ, the 25-year old had 1 goal and 2 assists in 13 ECHL games, but needs a contract for 2025/2026.

He quickly agrees to return for his rookie season, 2025/2026 as a Gladiators.