Category: Minor League Deal

16Nov

Luke Witkowski (4)

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10th year defenseman Luke Witkowski(4) returns to Springfield Thunderbirds, where he played 16 regular season games, then 17 in the playoffs after a trade from Detroit Red Wings sent him to St. Louis Blues‘ system.

The sizable 6’2″ 209 lbs. blue liner doesn’t exactly score a lot of points in his 324 AHL games, but does have a nice +38 rating for accountability.

In 132 NHL games, the former Tampa Bay Lightning 6th round pick in the 2008 draft (#160 overall) has 2 goals and 11 assists.

He was a senior captain at Western Michigan University Broncos and 3-time lead guy for Syracuse Crunch.

The 32-year old from Holland, MI is likely smiling with each big contracts he still gets.

For 2023/2024, he has made the decision to try something completely new and heads to Finland to join Tappara and will play his games in Liiga.

Switzerland was good enough fun for the now 34-year old, but will elevate his game a little by signing in the SHL with Skelleftea AIK for 2024/2025.

He waits a minute after skating 25 regular season, then 11 in the playoffs to sign with rivals, Brynas IF for 2025/2026.

15Nov

Carter Camper (11)

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13th year center Carter Camper(11) is heading to a new league, Finland’s Liiga for 2023/2024 after 8 games in the Swiss NL and almost 3 SHL seasons with Leksands IF.

He will next skate for Tappara.

The 5’9″ 176 lbs. forward 3 times had 10+ goals and twice 30+ assists in Sweden’s top league.

He was mostly a more than point-per-game scorer through 4 years at Miami University (Ohio) Redhawks before signing as an undrafted, unrestricted free agent with Boston Bruins.

The Rocky River, OH native played 3 NHL games as a rookie and score a 1st goal.

He is a veteran of 558 AHL games.

At 35-years old, it’s hard to believe it’s been that long.

He scores nicely with 17 goals and 31 assists in 60 games with a +19 rating, then adds 7 points on his way to a 2024 Liiga Championship.

For 2024/2025, he eyes another opportunity in HockeyAllsvenskan, signing for 1-year with IK Oskarshamn.

After a solid season in tier 2 Sweden hockey, at 37-years old he has decided to retire with 558 AHL games, 3 NHL appearances with 1 goal and 137 in the SHL to his credit.

11Nov

Devon Paliani (65)

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Reading Royals‘ 2nd year center Devon Paliani(65) is scoring ECHL bests 16 goals, 25 assists and 41 points, but definitely needs to improve his -33 rating.

The 5’10” 170 lbs. forward from LaSelle, ON played 4 years OHL with a few teams before heading to Ryerson University Rams for 5 seasons, including the 2020/2021 no play COVID busted.

He did have 2 10+ goals and assists’ seasons in college.

The 27-year old show no signs his scoring would pop in his 1st frame with the team, but it did.

Just before the start of the new season, he finds himself involve in a trade that take his scoring to Savannah Ghost Pirates, where he will look to improve that +/-.

He scores a new best 32 goals and 27 assists in a full slate of 72 games, but decides to move on and sign with another 1st year team, Tahoe Knight Monsters for 2025/2026.

In 11 games, he has a moderate 1 goal and 2 assists.

11Nov

Connor LaCouvee (1)

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8th year net minder Connor LaCouvee(1) is off to a hot start in his 2nd Tipsport Extraliga season for Vici Zilina, 2025/2026.

The 6’1″ 201 lbs. goalie is 9-3 in 12 games with a 2.03 GAA and .932 SV%.

From Qualicum Beach, BC, he did his senior year at Minnesota State University Mavericks and 3 at Boston University Terriers, going 23-6 in his final year with a 1.80 GAA through 31 games.

The 31-year old has spent the better part of 5 years in the league.

11Nov

Thomas Gale (33)

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Holy Cross College Crusaders‘ senior goaltender Thomas Gale(33) signs a pro deal with close by Worcester Railers for his rookie season, 2025/2026.

He got a 1st start and looked good in a 4-2 loss.

The 6’1″ 181 lbs. net minder had impressive stats in his final college year with 39 starts, a 24-13-2 record and a 2.14 GAA, .927 SV%.

From Kirkland, QC, the 25-year old is set to do well once he gets situated with a good spot to become a starter.

He runs a 5-6 ECHL record with a 2.62 GAA and .909 SV% that captures the attention of Rockford Icehogs, who sign him up for 2026/2027.

08Nov

Will Riedell (24)

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Ohio State University Buckeyes‘ graduate, captain defenseman Will Riedell(24) played a couple of AHL games with Lehigh Valley Phantoms after graduating, but signs for his rookie season 2022/2023 with the brand new Savannah Ghost Pirates.

He didn’t put up many points last season, but was always good for at least getting on the scoring sheet every other game or so, as a junior and senior with Lake Superior State University Lakers.

At 6’2″ 194 lbs., the blue liner plays a shut down style and left college as a +22 player.

The 26-year old from Greensboro, NC should find plenty of room to play his game and contribute points in the ECHL.

After 15 games, recording 4 assists with a +4 rating, the fairly sizable d-man gets loaned up to San Jose Barracuda and in 20  games only grabs 1 tally, but the team likes what they see and recently sign up for the remainder of the frame.

He moved onto Calgary Wranglers in the next frame and split time with Rapid City Rush.

In his 3rd season, he would re-sign with the Ghost Pirates, but leave late, signing with EHC Munchen.

Despite recording no points, he is wanted for the upcoming season, 2025/2026 with Fischtown Pinguins.

He actually decides to play his hockey closer to home and signs with Savannah Ghost Pirates.

07Nov

Dalton Skelly (72)

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SPHL rookie defenseman Dalton Skelly(72) had himself a bit of a career season in his 1st outing scoring a new overall best 3 goals and tying his Holy Cross Crusaders‘ senior year high 13 points.

The 5’10” 175 lbs. d-man skated for a couple of different clubs, starting the split time for Knoxville Ice Bears before eventually finishing up with Huntsville Havoc with 10 assists overall and a tidy overall +9 rating.

He played for three different teams through two campaigns in the NAHL pushing a little offense with good assist numbers, but arriving at Lone Star Brahmas must have been the right fit as he elevated for 7 goals, 20 assists and 27 points with a +11 and 3 more helpers in 4 playoff games.

It’s basically an open shot where the 25-year old goes next.

He would start his 2nd season with Huntsville Havoc and put up 5 assists in 6 games to score a loan to Wichita Thunder that turned into him staying for his ECHL rookie season of 51 games with 3 goals and 8 assists.

Allen Americans see something they want to use on their blue line for 2022/2023 and sign him up to a 1-year deal.

The Keller, TX native scores 11 assists in 54 games last season, then adds another 4 helpers in 6 playoff matchups.

His performance merits a sophomore season in an Americans‘ sweater.

He would do ok, but returned on contract for 2024/2025 with Knoxville that got him a loan up to Rapid City Rush.

For 2025/2026, he signs with the new squad, Greensboro Gargoyles and has 1 assist in 6 games.

06Nov

Zachary Borgiel (1)

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Merrimack College Warriors‘ senior goaltender Zachary Borgiel(29) will do a year of eligibility at rival Providence College Friars to start a graduate program, 2024/2025.

The 6’2″ 205 lbs. net minder initially started youth hockey through the Honeybaked system before doing a split junior frame and heading north, where his game came together nicely in the BCHL, starting 44 games for Cowichan Valley Capitals.

After 12 Hockey East games with some college best marks, including 2 shutouts he signs a 1st pro contract with Tahoe Knight Monsters for 2025/2026, but we do feel he gets dealt due to the glut in that net.

05Nov

Max Willman (10)

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Undrafted 3rd year center Max Willman(10) has quite the unlikely, surprise hockey story to tell.

Upon finishing up his one year in a graduate program at Boston University Terriers after a transfer from Brown University Bears, he signed an ECHL contract to join Reading Royals.

The 6′ 183 lbs. forward was loaned up to Lehigh Valley Phantoms a couple of months into his rookie run and earned an spc, mostly staying in the AHL, earning 3 goals and 6 assists in 24 games before the season exploded with no playoffs.

He re-signed to stay and in a weirdo season with like 3 constant opponents, he ascended to a career high 9 goals, 7 assists and 16 points with a +7 in just 30 games.

His efforts have earned him an NHL 2-year, 2-way deal with Philadelphia Flyers that starts in the upcoming frame.

The 26-year old is likely all smiles heading into 2021/2022.

And the story continues to take the strangest turns, as the Barnstable, MA native has made the opening night roster of the Broad Street Bullies and skated 13 shifts for 9:30 of total ice with one shot on net, one hit, 2 minutes in the sin bin and left the 5-4 shootout loss a -1 rating.

An unrestricted free agent, he signs a 1-year 2-way deal with New Jersey Devils for 2023/2024.

In 18 games with the big club, he scores 3 goals and 1 assist with a +1 rating and he scores himself another year, another look in a Devils‘ jersey.

After 69 games on reassignment with Utica Comets, scoring 10 goals and 20 assist, he is off for his next venture, signing with Barys Astana of the KHL for 2025/2026.