Category: Minor League Deal

15Dec

Derek Lodermeier (16)

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Jacksonville Icemen left wing Derek Lodermeier(16) signed his first contract after finishing up his final COVID busted season as two-year captain at University Of Vermont Catamounts.

Never exactly the biggest point scorer in his four years, he twice had 11 points and twice 18.

Well, the big 6’3″ 225 lbs. forward has a new best 10 goals in 45 ECHL games this season plus 5 assists, so turning pro seems to be working for this rookie, who still has a lot of the season left to play.

The 26-year old Minnesota native, who did one year of NAHL before switching things up and heading up north to the AJHL for two seasons with Brooks Bandits, must be smiling to himself at least a little.

He is ready to suit up for a 3rd season in northern Florida 2022/2023 after scoring a new best 15 assists and 30 points, tying his 15 goal total from last session.

In the last frame, he blows up scoring with a new best 26 goals and 21 assists for 47 points, then added 7 goals and 2 assists in 12 playoff games to earn a 4th look in an Iceman jersey for 2023/2024.

He continues to score with 11 goals and another 21 assists and takes a minute in 2024/2025, but ultimately does and grabs an assist and is a +1 in his 5th year in Jacksonville debut.

12Dec

Zach White (5)

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6th year center Zach White(5) gets traded from single year team Worcester Railers to Greenville Swamp Rabbits for 2024/2025.

He twice had really good seasons with Iowa Heartlanders.

The 5’7″ 150 lbs. former Curry College Colonels‘ senior captain started his pro career with a solid frame in France2, scoring big.

He came back during the COVID season and agreed to terms with Carolina Thunderbirds of the FPHL.

From Milford, CT, the 28-year old has worked his game up nicely.

In 6 games, he scores no points and is dished to Fort Wayne Komets for future considerations.

12Dec

Ryan Smith (10)

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University Of Maine Black Bears‘ graduate, right wing Ryan Smith(10) was never a big goal scorer through his college career or in two years of juniors with Green Bay Gamblers but struck for a quick goal and pair of assists in his debut with Macon Mayhem through 6 SPHL games.

His play earned him a loan up to Tulsa Oilers of the ECHL, where he appeared in three games with no points and was  returned to increase his totals in the lower league to 5-9-14 in 25 appearances.

It seems like the 6′ 195 lbs. forward could start striking the stat sheet with more frequency to possibly, more permanently put him at a higher level of play.

He was actually signed by Adirondack Thunder to start 2020/2021, but they decided to sit it out due to COVID concerns, so he’s on the radar.

The 24-year old does finally sign on with the Glens Falls, NY club and will skate 2021/2022 for them.

He records 11 goals and 16 assists in 70 games as a rookie, but was a bit of a woeful -22 rating.

His play scored him a 2 game AHL loan to Springfield Thunderbirds.

For 2022/2023, he re-signs to stay where he skated his 1st season.

He blows up his scoring last season with 16 goals and 26 assists in another 70 game rack to easily score himself an invite to return yet again to Cool Insuring Arena.

Last season he post more goals, 27 and points, 60 than he has in the past and will stay for a 3rd straight run in a Thunder jersey and maybe get more loans up, where he got a 1st goal in 2023/2024.

He has basically changed the type of player his is since turning pro.

In 18 games, he scores 6 goals and 6 assists, but is heading off to DEL2, signing with Selber Wolfe for the balance of the frame.

10Dec

Matt Berry (19)

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6th year right wing Matt Berry(19) decided to take the COVID season off last year and only skated one ECHL game for Kalamazoo Wings in 2019/2020, so must have been anxious to sign a contract and elected to go with the high powered offense of Toledo Walleye for 2021/2022.

He’s off to a blazing hot start, scoring 3 goals and 6 assists in 7 games with a +9 rating.

The 5’10” 176 lbs. forward started his pro career after 4 years at Michigan State University Spartans, where he averaged around 20+ points, 31 as a sophomore, in the AHL with 5 games for Norfolk Admirals.

He didn’t get any points, but for his rookie season, San Diego Gulls gave him a contract.

Through 15 games, he had 3 goals and an assist, but was mostly reassigned to affiliate Utah Grizzlies, where he was putting up point-per-game numbers.

He would head off for a couple of campaigns with Florida Everblades, putting up a best 24 goals and 44 assists for 68 points in his first year there.

The Canton, MI native once again moved west to Utah, but was quickly scooped to head back to Southern California, only to put up 4 goals and 14 assists with a +6 rating, but can’t seem to garner any real respect from the league.

At 29-years old, he’s likely just accepted his path.

He was loaned up to Grand Rapids Griffins for 19 games, grabbing 2 goals and 4 assists with a +1, but really lit it up big in the lower league with 24 goals and 37 assists in 44 games with a +30, then added another 14 (5-9) points in 21 playoff matchups.

For 2022/2023, he signs a 1-year deal with Cincinnati Cyclones and could be on the move for his best session yet.

After basically point-per-game numbers last season, matching his exact output in the previous frame 61 points, he has decided to go exploring.

For 2023/2024, he is heading to the tougher to play Slovak Extraliga and signs a 1-year deal with HK 32 Liptovsky Mikulas.

He does pretty well in Slovakia, scoring 15 goals and 19 assists in 48 games with a +3 rating and 4 points in 5 playoff matchups, but wants something different and ultimately signs with Glasgow Clan, where he must have been given some good incentives.

30Nov

Garrett Devine (28)

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University Of New England Nor’easters‘ 2nd year, graduate left wing Garrett Devine(28) came over after limited usage in 3 years at Providence College Friars.

The 6’1″ 205 lbs. forward popped out 11 goals and 7 assists in 30 games with a +10 rating as a senior.

In 10 games through the current frame he has 2 goals and 3 assists.

He did just 1 USPHL/NCDC season with South Shore Kings, then sat a year before heading to his 1st school.

The 26-year old from Windsor, CO is looking right at home playing D3 hockey.

He finishes up with school and it’s time to turn pro and he signs an ECHL deal with the team closest to where he played his college hockey, Maine Mariners.

In 6 games, he comes away with a first assist and is asked to return for his official rookie season in a Mariners‘ jersey.

After 11 games with no points, he is released and before he can even report to another new club, is signed by Bloomington Bison to an spc for 2024/2025.

28Nov

Jerry D’Amigo (74)

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13th year left wing Jerry D’Amigo(74) stays in DEL for a 2nd straight season, but leaves an alright frame with Düsseldorfer EG to sign with rivals Loewen Frankfort for 2022/2023.

He briefly returned home for a season, signing with Orlando Solar Bears after his 1st pair of years in Germany’s top league, which followed a some ok frames in Liiga, where he split time with a couple teams.

The 5’11” 201 lbs., originally a 2009 Toronto Maple Leafs‘ 6th round NHL draft pick (#158 overall) is bit streaky scoring, but did manage 10+ goals 4 times in the AHL and once hit 20 with 6 seasons of 10+ assists to go along with.

At 31-years old, the Binghamton, NY native, who only did 1 year at RPI Engineers, lightly up Atlantic Hockey, is likely pretty happy to still be signing good contracts.

After 4 seasons in Germany and 2 in Finland, it’s time to come back and sign with a team that has some sunny weather going for it year round, agreeing to terms with Jacksonville Icemen for the rest of 2023/2024.

He has a decent season, leading in the ECHL, but is ready for more adventures overseas and signs with a 3rd new league, the tough to play Slovak Extraliga, signing with HK 32 Liptovsky Mikulas.

27Nov

Joe Cannata (35)

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12th year net minder Joe Cannata(35) switches up 4 seasons in Sweden, 3 with IK Oskarshamn of the SHL, loading some decent enough stats, but will go for something new and tend net in 2023/2024 for Lowen Frankfort of DEL.

Originally a Vancouver Canucks‘ 6th round pick in the 2009 draft (#173 overall), the 6’1″ 201 lbs. goalie was in the system for 4 years.

He would next bounce to Washington Capitals, then eventually Colorado Avalanche, where he would play shutdown for affiliate Colorado Eagles, going 21-5-2 with a 2.22 GAA and .931 SV% in the regular season, then backstopping a 2018 Kelly Cup Championship.

In his 1st year overseas, he basically won all the league awards in HockeyAllsvenskan.

The 33-year old, former Merrimack College Warriors from nearby Wakefield, MA probably has a little smile on his face how his hockey is still going.

He does ok for himself in a German net, but has decided to return to playing hockey much closer to home, signing a 1-year ECHL deal with Norfolk Admirals.

After 5 games in net and things maybe not going quite as well as he may have wanted, he decides he is heading back overseas and signs with Villacher SV in IceHL.

25Nov

Travis Broughman (28)

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2nd year right wing Travis Broughman(28) put up some serious ECHL numbers while on loan from SPHL team Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs, where he was a better than point-per-game player.

As a rookie of 48 games with Adirondack Thunder, he scored a nice 12 goals and 21 assists to be invited back for a full 2023/2024 season with the team.

The 6’2″ 185 lbs. forward also scored 3 points in 5 playoff games.

He played his college hockey D3 at SUNY-Oswego Lakers scoring 10+ goals and 10+ assists all 3 seasons they played.

From Richmond, VA, the 26-year old has to be smiling for himself just a little.

He continues to add to his totals in the higher league with a new high games at 66 and goals scored 14.

You could say he does so well, his playing rights are traded to Reading Royals, who simply now need to sign him for 2024/2025.

Once again, his number is called and he is heading to Kalamazoo Wings for his next visit.

24Nov

C.J. McGee (5)

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Quinnipiac University Bobcats‘ graduate defenseman C.J. McGee(5) signs a 1st pro deal with Savannah Ghost Pirates for his rookie season, 2024/2025.

From Pearl River, NJ, he came to Don Bosco USHS-Prep, scoring well to 1 USHL frame for Shreveport Mudbugs worth 10 goals and 33 assists before heading to college.

The 6′ 181 lbs. forward should do ok for himself in the ECHL.

He was allegedly to stay with the team he signed with out of school, but it’s learn he agrees to terms with Orlando Solar Bears instead.

23Nov

Ryan Verrier (5)

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University Of New Hampshire Wildcats‘ senior assistant captain, now graduate defenseman Ryan Verrier(5) signed on with Worcester Railers as soon as their Hockey East season had wrapped.

The 6′ 185 lbs. blue liner has one assist in 8 ECHL games.

He only spent one season in the USHL with Green Bay Gamblers before heading off to school.

The 23-year old from Reading, MA plays a pretty solid game and should be able to find a solid playing spot in this league.

In maybe not a really surprising move, he decides to leave for the EIHL, signing with Dundee Stars for 2022/2023 and should find some good room to move his game.

He maybe didn’t have the frame he was hoping for out of his rookie season with 5 goals and 15 assists in 54 games, but a bit of a woeful -20 rating.

He will return to sign with the “home team” Railers for a full look 2023/2024 and we think it will heed better results.

From last season, he walks away scoring 4 goals and 12 assists through 58 games with a +9 rating on a non-playoff team.

Well, he’s happy where he is and re-signs once again to stay a Railers for 2024/2025.

After 10 games, scoring 1 goal with a -5 rating, the local kid gets himself shipped to Orlando Solar Bears, where he should do pretty well.