Category: Minor League Deal

04Mar

Bennett Stockdale (26)

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University Of Alabama-Huntsville Chargers‘ freshman right wing Bennett Stockdale(26) was able to score a pair of goals in only 15 NCAA Division 1 WCHA games.

The Ottawa, ON native skated a couple of seasons in the close by CCHL for Kanata Lasers before taking it to America and up a level in two seasons with Johnstown Tomahawks, where he struck for a total of 29 goals and 52 assists in 110 NAHL games before committing.

We think the 5’11” 185 lbs. forward is probably just getting himself situated before he starts affecting the score sheet.

He moves on and is a big scorer at SUNY-Plattsburgh Cardinals before turning pro with Maine Mariners, which yields good results in 3 goals and 7 assists in 18 games to earn himself a return visit for 2024/2025.

In his 2nd season, he comes away with 1 goal and 3 assists in 14 games, but is traded off to Indy Fuel.

Through 23 games, he gets no goals and 3 assists with a -3 rating and is traded to Worcester Railers to see if they can get him scoring again.

02Mar

Logan Neaton (31)

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Winnipeg Jets‘ 5th round pick in the 2019 draft (#144 overall) goaltender Logan Neaton(31) isn’t finding enough space in the cage for UMass Lowell Riverhawks, so after two tries goes through the transfer portal to commit to Miami University (Ohio) Redhawks for 2021/2022.

The large 6’4″ 205 lbs. net minder maybe wasn’t able to settle in Hockey East play after putting up stellar numbers, first for Fairbanks Ice Dogs of the NAHL, then even better with Prince George Spruce Kings going 32-8-5 with a league best 1.92 GAA, then posting a 16-1 mark with a 1.46 GAA and .940 SV% en route to a 2019 BCHL Championship.

He also had shutdown numbers at his local Brighton High USHS-MI.

The 22-year old may just need the belief he can play the minutes and backstop wins.

For his rookie season, he bounces around some ECHL teams to arrive at Kalamazoo Wings with a deal for 2024/2025.

Allen Americans are struggling some, so trade to bring him in to hopefully solidify the starter’s role with the team.

He continued to move and ended up with Kansas City Mavericks, where in 1 start he didn’t post the win, but had a 2.08 GAA and .938 SV%.

4 times moved with little starts and he goes to Indy Fuel, who hopefully look to use him a bit more.

01Mar

Seth Helgeson (2)

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9th year, veteran defenseman Seth Helgeson(2) recently appeared in his 500th AHL game with 5th year club, Bridgeport Islanders.

The 6’4″ 216 lbs. blue liner was originally a New Jersey Devils‘ 4th round pick in the 2009 draft (#114 overall) and played in their system for his first 4 seasons.

He skated his only games in the big league with the team and even got a 1st NHL goal in his 44th appearance, where he also had 3 assists and almost oddly a +1 rating.

The former 4-year University Of Minnesota Golden Gophers‘ d-man has never been a big point scorer, but does have 2 goals in the current frame.

If he adds another one, he will have a career high 3.

He’s 3 times had 10+ assists in the league and twice close.

The 31-year old has done well for himself and it’s a bit of wonder if he doesn’t go exploring for his next contract, just for some different kind of fun in the game.

For 2022/2023, he re-signs to stay in Connecticut another season.

He will return to captain the little Islanders for a 7th straight run.

It took him a minute, but he will return on a pto for a 8th season in a little Islanders‘ jersey, but you got to figure, unless he decides not to, he will sign.

And 7 games in, he officially re-signs.

24Feb

Tanner Fritz (11)

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Undrafted 7th year right wing Tanner Fritz(11) signs a 2nd straight AHL contract, but will skate for heated CT opponents from where he’s played 198 games, Bridgeport (Sound Tigers) Islanders to Hartford Wolf Pack for 2021/2022.

The 5’11” 192 lbs. forward originally signed a minor league deal after 4 years at Ohio State University Buckeyes , including captain as a senior and junior assistant, to the only team he’s thus far appeared with, but was up to a 2-way NHL contract after his sophomore season in which he popped 19 goals and 23 assists.

He played all of his youth hockey and 4 years of junior hockey close to home with Grand Prairie Storm and won the 2009 AJHL Championship, then was voted most valuable player, scoring 70 points in 60 games, before heading off to college.

The 30-year old signed a pair of contracts with parent club New York Islanders, including a single 1-way deal, and played in 42 games with 3 goals and 5 assists.

It’s likely this could be his last time in the minors, as we’re predicting he leave for some hockey overseas before retirement.

After 2 years of playing up the road in Connecticut, he returns on a 1-year minor league deal with Bridgeport for 2023/2204.

After 20 games, scoring 1 goal and 6 assists, he may be getting a little bored as he closes in on 350 games played in the league.

He decides to leave and signs with Dinamo Minsk of the KHL, which should definitely bring some challenge and excitement back into his game.

Not surprisingly he does ok with 2 goals and 9 assists in 18 games, but decides not to try and return.

He waits a little and signs with SC Rapperswil-Jona Lakers of NL and with 5 goals and 7 assists in 15 games with a +3 rating, there’s little doubt he gets asked to return for 2025/2026.

22Feb

Matt Cairns (22)

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Undrafted rookie defenseman Matt Cairns(22) signs a one-year AHL contract with Rochester Americans for 2021/2022 after completing his senior year at University Of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs.

The big 6’3″ 213 lbs. blue liner skated three seasons at Cornell University Big Red, but we think saw the writing on the wall of a suspended 2020/2021, so entered the transfer portal to continue playing college hockey.

He won an OJHL Championship in his 2nd year of juniors in the league with Georgetown Raiders, scoring all bests 9 goals and 24 assists for 33 points, then added another 3 goals and 16 assists in 21 playoff games to the title.

The Mississauga, ON native would next try his hand at American junior hockey, signing on with Fargo Force, but leaving after 17 USHL games to join Powell River Kings and would keep scoring 2 goals and 14 assists in 18 BCHL games.

We’re not sure how much the 23-year old will be able to connect with points in his new top notch pro league, but do think he’ll be able to shut down offense as necessary.

He was mostly reassigned down to Cincinnati Cyclones for his 1st season, scoring 2 goals and 14 assists with a +21 rating.

For 2022/2023, he re-signs to stay in Ohio and should have another good ECHL year.

1 goal and 5 assists in 45 games with a +17 rating, then 11 playoff match ups, and he is invited to return again for 2023/2024.

Splitting his time between affiliates, his league rights get traded to Maine Mariners, but things get confusing and before you can blink he is going to Indy Fuel for some future rights considerations, so was wanted in the midwest.

He actually sticks through 49 games, 3 goals and 13 assists with a +13 rating, so does pretty well for himself, but is heading to the IceHL, signing for 2024/2025 with Asiago.

We think he does really well in this top Austria league.

He scores pretty decently, but is off on the +/-, so figures he will do better in Sweden’s tier 2 HockeyAllsvenskan and signs with IF Bjorkloven.

15Feb

Joseph Nardi (18)

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Reading Royals‘ 2nd year left wing Joseph Nardi(18) is leaving most of his earlier scoring behind with 17 goals and 30 assists in 66 ECHL games.

The 5’10” 179 lbs. forward skated 5 years at Northern Michigan University Wildcats before turning pro.

From Edmonton, ON, he did 3 junior AJHL seasons for Whitecourt Wolverines, running up 30+ assists twice.

The 26-year old was originally signed out of college by Manitoba Moose, but mostly reassigned despite a 1st AHL goal in 4 games.

He would put up bests 17 goals and 33 assists, but wants some different kind of hockey for his 3rd season, 2024/2025 and signs with Pioneers Voralberg of the IceHL.

Through 26 games, he does ok here, but searches for maybe a little higher level and signs with HK Dukla Michalovce, but in 11 games comes away with only 1 goal and a -8 rating.

He is heading back to the Royals, where it seems his point production riches are best, but still has to bring up that +/-.

10Feb

Kevin Clark (32)

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14th year right wing Kevin Clark(32) has carved out a heck of a career for himself playing and scoring in leagues, such as the SHL, KHL (only 1/2 one session), NL and returns to DEL for his 5th season, signing with Düsseldorfer EG for 2023/2024.

Not too crazy bad for a player that skated only 2.5 campaigns in the AHL after 4 years at University Of Alaska-Anchorage Seawolves.

He really blew up scoring in his senior year at school with 23 goals and 14 assists, making him a twice 30+ point guy in college hockey, as he achieved that feat as a junior too.

The 5’9″ 172 lbs. 35-year old from Winnipeg, MB has run up awards where he is in one campaign and last year helped win his 1st title, the 2022 DEL Championship in his 2nd year with Eisbären Berlin, so likely wants more with someone else.

Despite doing decently with 13 goals of production in 49 games, he decides at 36-years old to become the player development coach for Tri-City Storm, despite playing no American-based junior hockey.

He is maybe still getting the itch to play some hockey and signs with EC-KAC of IceHL should be a good challenge for him.

09Feb

Ted Nichol (26)

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University Of Guelph Gryphons‘ graduate center Ted Nichol(26) signs a 1st pro deal to join Florida Everblades for the remainder of the 2022/2023 season.

The 5’11” 201 lbs. forward hasn’t been the biggest scorer through his college career, grabbing a best 9 goals 12 assists in 24 USports‘ games through the shortened 2019/2020 frame.

He arrived at school after 5 years at juniors including 4 Kingston Frontenacs of the OHL.

The 26-year old may just have a big enough frame to have a huge effect in the ECHL.

He played in 15 games to finish off the regular frame with 1 goal and 2 assists, but appear in no playoff games.

For 2023/2024, he signs with Kalamazoo Wings, which will likely give him some league scoring success.

He actually only gets 4 goals and 1 assist in 34 games last season, but they see something and want him back in a Wings‘ jersey for 2024/2025.

In 38 games, scoring a new best 4 assists and 7 points with a -4, he looks for another type of hockey and signs with Ferencvarosi of Erste Liga.

06Feb

Austin Heidemann (20)

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RPI Engineers‘ junior transfer from Mercyhurst University Lakers right wing Austin Heidemann(20) kept on pace scoring despite the level of play maybe going up a notch in ECAC from Atlantic Hockey.

His 10 goals and 10 assists closely match the 12 and 15 he posted last season.

The 6′ 190 lbs. forward plays a power style, effective on the net strikes.

From Maple Grove, MN, the 23-year old will likely only get even better as a senior.

He posts a new best scoring totals with 11 goals and 16 assists in 37 games and signs a 1st pro deal with Worcester Railers to get started as a pro and has 1 goal in 7 games.

For his rookie frame, he will return to wear a Railers‘ uniform and look to up his pro game.

After just a single ECHL game, he is released and quickly gets snapped up by Wichita Thunder, who put him under contract.

Not doing so terribly with 7 goals and 5 assists in 31 games with a -3 rating, he gets dealt outright for future considerations to the new, Bloomington Bison.

03Feb

Slava Demin (20)

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Vegas Golden Knights‘ 4th round pick in the 2018 draft (#99 overall), Merrimack College Warriors‘ graduate defenseman Slava Demin(20) decided on skating a 5th season on his 2nd transfer, this time from UMass Minutemen.

He was initially at University Of Denver Pioneers for 3 years.

The 22-year old from Santa Clara, CA did 2 seasons with Wenatchee Wild and won a 2018 BCHL Championship.

With 3 goals and 10 assists this season, he’s close to coming up with college career highs for himself.

There’s little doubt, he’s an interesting watch.

He finishes up a fantastic season in North Andover, MA and waits it out, but signs for his rookie year 2023/2024 with Allen Americans, which should prove to be a very good fit.

After 23 ECHL games, recording 5 assists, but a woeful -15, he gets shipped to Florida Everblades, which should turn out to be a good landing spot.

He does manage to turn his game around quite nicely, getting 2 goals and 5 assists in 28 games with a +13 rating.

Fort Wayne Komets see the upside in his game and trade to pull him into their lineup.

He has a mostly inconsistent game, bouncing between 3 different teams, but Idaho Steelheads know what the upside is and trade for him in 2024/2025 that should work well for both parties.

In 19 games, with only 4 assists and a -2 rating, he finds himself dished to the new Tahoe Knight Monsters, where we think he’s fortunes will improve.