Category: Minor League Deal

28Jun

Spencer Cox (13)

Posted in College Hockey Player, Juniors, Minor League Deal, Transfers | Leave a comment

Long Island University Sharks‘ sophomore defenseman Spencer Cox(13) enters the transfer portal and is up for a new challenge, heading to Miami University (Ohio) Redhawks for 2023/2024.

He committed to his 1st school after a decent NAHL frame for Chippewa Steel, getting 4 goals and 16 assists.

The 5’10” 181 lbs. blue liner, who sometimes skates forward, from Powell, OH will likely find the NCHC schedule a bit tougher to play, but may also add a little pepper to his game.

After 2 years at his new school, he signs a 1st pro contract with Indy Fuel.

In 9 ECHL games, he has 2 assists.

Doesn’t take them too long to re-up with him for his rookie season, 2025/2026 in a Fuel sweater.

Before he even skates a game in the current 2025/2026 frame, he is traded to Cincinnati Cyclones.

He appears in only 28 games, scoring 1 goal and 2 assists, which he takes to some off season training and signs with Canberra Braves of the AIHL.

28Jun

Aaron Ness (27)

Posted in College Hockey Player, Free Agent Signing, Juniors, Minor League Deal, NHL Draft Pick | Leave a comment

10th year defenseman Aaron Ness(27) was in Boston Bruins‘ training camp, but signs for 2021/2022 with affiliate Providence Bruins to stay in the system.

It’s his 1st minor league deal.

The 5’10” 184 lbs. blue liner has played an outstanding 557 AHL games, scoring 45 goals and 222 assists with an overall +7 rating.

He’s appeared in 72 NHL games in 7 seasons with 3 different teams, scoring just a goal and 6 assists.

We do believe the 31-year old, former 3-year University Of Minnesota Golden Gophers will look to continue his hockey overseas next, just to be able to say he did it as a pro.

Looks like we guessed wrong, as he signs for 2022/2023 with the team he had a 50 assist campaign for a few years ago, Hershey Bears and the recently turned 32-year old should be able to help them find their playoff punch again.

He’s riding a good playoff run with the team after getting 5 goals and 14 assists in 69 games with a +14 rating during the regular season, but has yet to add anything in the playoffs.

No worries says this minor league club as they would like him to stay in Chocolatetown for at least another 2 more years.

For a 7th season, he will stay a Bears, 2024/2025.

He spends his 2nd year as team captain, but maybe limits appearances to 38 games to ease off a bit.

Well, 818 games in the AHL and 72 in the NHL with 1 goal and it’s time to at 36-years old retire from pro hockey.

We think he stays put to assume an assistant coach role, he’d be a perfect fit for.

28Jun

Ben Strinden (21)

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University Of North Dakota Fighting Hawks‘ hometown, senior assistant captain right wing Ben Strinden(21) scored a college best 15 goals and 20 assists in 38 games last season with a +15 rating.

The 6’1″ 209 lbs. forward is a Nashville Predators‘ 7th round pick in the 2022 draft (#210 overall).

He signs a 2-year AHL deal with affiliate Milwaukee Admirals through 2027/2028, but that means he will stay under the watchful eye of the parent club for progress.

From Fargo, ND, the 23-year old has no points in 3 games, but we feel will step into his game as he settles.

28Jun

Harrison Scott (22)

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University Of Maine Black Bears‘ junior center Harrison Scott(22) transferred after 2 years at Bentley University Falcons, where he had a best 8 goals and 7 assists as a sophomore.

In 10 games with his new college club, he has 1 goal and 4 assists, which could best earlier marks.

The 6′ 185 lbs. forward looks more committed to score playing Hockey East competition.

From San Jose, CA, the 23-year old looks to be a pretty natural fit for this northern New England school.

He does certainly best his scoring marks in his 1st year in a new school and then for his senior year, explodes to 18 goals and 17 assists with a +13 rating on a very good team.

His team exits the tournament late and he wastes little time signing a 1st pro deal, an ato to join Texas Stars., but the next day that gets upped to a 1-year NHL entry level deal to start 2025/2026 with parent club, Dallas Stars.

He plays 72 games, scoring 18 goals and 14 assists to gain another 1-year contract to stay with the Stars.

We look for him to 2nd season score a recall.

27Jun

Brad Arvanitis (32)

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Undrafted, graduate goaltender Brad Arvanitis(32) takes a hot finish with D3 Babson College Beavers to a 1st pro contract with the very playoff ready Rapid City Rush.

In his ECHL debut, he scored a 5-1 victory.

The 6’2″ 180 lbs. net minder posted an 11-4-2 record with a 2.52 GA and .918 SV% in his final frame.

He’s definitely had an interesting little journey, first tending cage for EHLP team, Walpole Express before moving up to an NAHL season for Coulee Region Chill before heading to 2 seasons of limited use with UMass Minutemen.

The 24-year old will probably be able to excel in the league if he looks to stick around.

He only started one game his rookie frame before being dealt to Tulsa Oilers, where he played in 2 before being released and picked up by Pensacola Ice Flyers, which he stitched together an admirable 9-6-2 mark with a 2.71 GAA and .919 SV% in 20 SPHL games.

For 2023/2024, he picks up a deal with Maine Mariners, who likely saw him play in college some.

He runs an impressive regular season record of 20-10-1, but in the playoffs was stellar with a 1.69 GAA and .939 SV% to earn himself another contract to return to Maine.

In a 3rd season, he once again puts up impressive numbers, but now it’s time to look elsewhere and he signs in the EIHL with Guildford Flames for 2026/2027.

27Jun

Luke Santerno (25)

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Undrafted left wing Luke Santerno(25) re-signs to stay with Greenville Swamp Rabbits after joining them upon finishing up his graduate year at Clarkson University Golden Knights.

The big 6’3″ 201 lbs. forward scored only an assist in 5 ECHL games on an ato, but could definitely light up this league, much like he did Atlantic Hockey with assists for Bentley University Falcons.

He scored nicely in his 3rd and final season of junior hockey in the BCHL for Trail Smoke Eaters. as a more than point-per-game scorer.

The 26-year old from Smithers, BC should find some room to pocket points in his official rookie season.

After just 2 games, recording 1 assist, he gets dished to Wheeling Nailers, where in 15 games he scored 2 goals and 3 assists and now is on the move a 2nd time as a 1st year player to Kansas City Mavericks, where he may find better footing to score.

Decently effective with 1 goal and 5 assists in 14 games with a +1 rating, he’s invited to return to Missouri for hopefully a full season with one team.

He’s actually doing pretty decently in a full round with the team, scoring 3 goals and 5 assists in 34 games with a +2 rating on a very good team, but finds himself traded to another good club Florida Everblades to continue.

Once again, he scores well with his new team, 4 goals and 6 assists in 19 games with a +4 rating, but finds himself dealt to Cincinnati Cyclones and continues to score with 2 goals and 1 assist in 7 games with a +2.

He would play for 3 different teams last season and scored decently with good accountability.

For 2024/2025, he is looking for something new to his game and signs with Budapest Jégkorong Akadémia.

He explodes scoring in Erste Liga to the tune of 16 goals and 20 assists in 37 games with a +19 rating.

For 2025/2026, he heads of to Ligue Magnus and signs with Rapaces de Gap.

After a solid frame, scoring 11 goals and 26 assists in 43 games, he trades in loyalty to sign with rivals Boxers de Bordeaux for 2026/2027.

27Jun

Griffin Ness (77)

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University Of North Dakota Fighting Hawks‘ senior right wing Griffin Ness(77) recorded his 3rd straight college hockey season of 6 points and signs a 1st pro deal with Maine Mariners.

In 2 ECHL, he doesn’t have any points with a -3 rating and didn’t appear in the playoffs.

The 6′ 184 lbs. forward was a big scorer at Wayzata USHS-MN high school, then put up similar stats as 2-time captain for Waterloo Black Hawks before college.

We will see if the 24-year old gets retained for a full pro season look.

He’s actually signed for 2024/2025, but gets traded just before the start of the new year to Toledo Walleye, which is going to be blessing to his point production.

With 11 goals and 11 assists in 59 games, he’s proving he can connect with the net, but gets himself swapped in a player deal to Utah Grizzlies, who may need him a little more.

He scores 3 goals and 7 assists in 14 games with his new team and they are liking what they see to re-sign him to return in Utah for 2025/2026.

In 24 games, he picks up 6 goals and 9 assists, but Kalamazoo Wings eye and want him for future considerations.

After a decent 2nd year in the league, he decides to jump and heads to the EIHL, signs with Coventry Blaze for 2026/2027.

26Jun

Carter Savoie (8)

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Edmonton Oilers‘ 4th round pick in the 2020 draft (#100 overall), University Of Denver Pioneers‘ sophomore left wing Carter Savoie(8) is this close to knocking off first year totals in fewer games.

He already has a college best 12 assists and 22 points, with goal-scoring just one off his total from 2020/2021.

The small 5’9″ but stocky 190 lbs. forward has always been a heck of a point-producer through youth hockey, then blew up juniors with Sherwood Park Crusaders, notching a crazy 172 points (84 goals, 88 assists) in 112 AJHL games.

At just 19-years old, we’ll see what the parent club says about having him turn pro before his four years are up.

And just like that, as he finishes up a 2022 NCAA Division 1 Champion, he signs an at0 with affiliate Bakersfield Condors, which just may be the dawn of him officially signing an NHL entry level deal, turning pro.

After 2 years in the AHL, he gets a nice deal to leave and joins TPS of Liiga.

In 5 games in Finland’s top league, he records only 1 assist and decides to leave and return on a 1-year deal with Ontario Reign for 2024/2025.

Reassigned to Greenville Swamp Rabbits, he puts out a team leading 20+ goals and assists in 57 games and signs for 2025/2026 with Allen Americans.

He actually gets a trade right back to the Rabbits before the new season starts.

Through 22 ECHL games, he has 7 goals and 8 assists and maybe decides he would like a little more competition and heads off to Tipos Extraliga, signing with HK Spisska Nova Ves.

In 2 games, he has 1 assist.

After 21 games with 11 goals and 10 assists, he decides to jump to IceHL and signs with Ferencvarosi TC for 2026/2027.

26Jun

Chris Grando (6)

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Arizona State University Sun Devils‘ 3rd year graduate left wing Chris Grando(6) signed with Jacksonville Icemen upon finishing up the current college frame.

The 5’10” 172 lbs. forward got an assist in his debut, then 4 ECHL games later scored a 1st goal.

His best college season was as a freshman at Boston College Eagles.

He has 3 times struck for 6 goals in a session.

The 24-year old from Islip, NY could possibly find more room to score in the pro league.

He had finished up his time after school with 4 goals and 5 assists in 15 games with a +5 rating, then as a rookie through 69 games, scored 15 goals and 31 assists with a +28 rating.

For 2024/2025, he will be back in an Icemen jersey.

After a league and team best 21 goals and 33 assists in 71 games played, he easily re-signs for a 3rd full season in a Jacksonville jersey.

Through only 28 games, he has scored 3 goals and 7 assists, but decides to head off for a new hockey experience in Germany3 with Lindau Islanders.

 

25Jun

Garnet Hathaway (19)

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10th year right wing Garnet Hathaway(19) didn’t much of a pay boost after signing the 4-year with Washington Capitals worth some $6M total, but he gets 1 on a 2-year deal with Philadelphia Flyers worth $2.375M AAV after a spectacular 25-game effort in a Boston Bruins‘ uniform after a trade sent him there.

The fairly big 6’3″ 207 lbs. forward 1st signed an AHL contract with Adirondack Flames for his rookie season and did well enough to catch the radar of the parent club, Calgary Flames, who signed him to a 2-year entry level deal.

He was in their system for 4 years.

The 31-year old, Brown University Bears‘ graduate from Naples, FL should work harder, but find space to score with his new team.

Doing decently for his new club, he gets 2 more years in a Flyers‘ uniform to continue his game.

With 1-year left on his deal, he is traded to Florida Panthers to hopefully elevate his game again.