Category: Minor League Deal

07Jul

Marc Johnstone (26)

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Undrafted rookie right wing Marc Johnstone(26) signs a 1-year ECHL deal with Newfoundland Growlers for 2021/2022.

He only managed to get in 6 games with South Carolina Stingrays, recording 2 assists for 2020/2021’s completely weirdo hockey season before being released.

This came after the former two-time captain of Sacred Heart University Pioneers‘ forward graduated, having potted point-per-game numbers (6-10-16) in 16 Atlantic Hockey games as a senior.

He was always a good scorer at school, coming in after a decent 2nd showing with Chicago Steel that exploded in playoff run for 3 goals and 12 assists in 14 USHL games en route to the 2017 Clark Cup Championship.

The Cranford, NJ native was also captain of this club.

At 25-years old and having seen him play, we feel he may just be getting started for some attention.

Through 46 games as a rookie, he has scored 7 and assisted on 13 for 20 points to earn notice and a recall from parent club, Toronto Marlies.

For 2022/2023, he doesn’t need to look far, as he’s given a new AHL deal to continue.

He scores 9 goals and 13 assists in 69 games and catches the attention of Pittsburgh Penguins, who sign him to a 2-year, 2-way NHL deal through 2024/2025.

In 21 games with the affiliate Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, he has 2 goals and 3 assists, but mostly we feel it’s his style of play earns him a 1st game in the big league for Christmas 2023.

He skated 10 shifts for 7:19 ice time, dished 2 hits and took 1 face-off successfully in a 3-1 loss.

Reassigned, he scores 3 goals and 6 assists, but is an unrestricted free agent and signs a 2-year minor league deal with Toronto Marlies.

03Jul

Mathieu Gosselin (63)

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Clarkson University Golden Knights‘ graduate right wing Mathieu Gosselin(63) was a 3 time 10+ goals and twice 10+ assists and once more than 20 in a frame scorer and will next take his game to the ECHL, joining Newfoundland Growlers for the rest of the season.

The 5’10” 170 lbs. forward on 4 occasions played 30+ games.

From Quebec, QC, he did 2 BCHL sessions with Merritt Centennials, scoring more than point per game numbers in his 2nd year.

The 24-year old will likely find room to score in the league and does with 2 goals and 3 assists, but now has to find himself a new team to play for, as his ceased operations.

Parent club Toronto Marlies step right in and offer him an amateur tryout to see what he might do in the AHL, which turns into a full deal for 2024/2025.

He spends most of his time, running up numbers for affiliate Cincinnati Cyclones that he decides to take across the way to a deal with Guilford Flames, 2025/2026, where we think he will do very well for himself in the EIHL.

02Jul

Anthony Beauregard (92)

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6th year center Anthony Beauregard(92) signs a 1-year deal with Trois-Rivieres Lions after spending most of last season with the team, running new ECHL high totals with 26 goals.

He didn’t quite eclipse the massive 49 assists he put up with Wichita Thunder.

The 5’7″ 165 lbs. forward has twice gone overseas and shot 10+ goals and 20+ assists in seasons with Dundee Stars and HC Sierre.

He has twice earned AHL looks from Laval Rocket, once after completing 2 USports years at Concordia University Stingers.

From St-Damase, QC, the 27-year old would love to likely earn some more looks from the upper level, but in the meantime may just blow the lid off the league he’s in, scoring.

He may have not had quite the season he was hoping for, but is still a point producer and he becomes the 1st league player to re-sign with his club for what will become 3 years in a Lions‘ jersey.

Finishing up his 3rd frame with the team, skating a new best 67 games, scoring point-per-game numbers 25 goals and 42 assists, he will return once again as a team favorite for 2025/2026 after helping them win the 2025 ECHL Championship with 18 points in 21 games.

01Jul

Jackson Kunz (89)

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University Of North Dakota Fighting Hawks‘ senior center Jackson Kunz(89) signs a 1-year AHL deal with draft team Vancouver Canucks (4th round, 2020, #113 overall) affiliate Abbotsford Canucks for 2025/2026.

He joined the team for 1 game and recorded an assist, but play in no playoff games en route to the 2025 Calder Cup Championship.

The 6’3″ 207 lbs. forward blew up USHS-Prep scoring, then took that to 1 off the hook USHL frame before college.

 

29Jun

Jackson Pierson (19)

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University Of Notre Dame Fighting Irish graduate left wing Jackson Pierson(19) signs a 1st pro deal and doesn’t go far from school with Fort Wayne Komets, which should lend him some valuable experience out of the gate.

The 5’9″ 172 lbs. forward only put up 1 goal and 8 assists in 31 games, but managed 4 10+ assist seasons for University Of New Hampshire Wildcats.

From Zionsville, IL, the 23-year old barely played but 2 games of USHL hockey before heading to college.

We think he’s on the right team to find some footing out of the gate.

After 6 ECHL games with no points, he signs for 2023/2024 with Atlanta Gladiators, where he is likely to find his footing to score.

And he does score some points, 17 goals and 26 assists in a full slate of 72 games, the rookie assistant captain will return in a Gladiators‘ jersey to work on that horrible plus/minus, which we are sure happens on a better team.

He is taking 2 seasons of 26 assists to a new adventure for himself, signing with Herforder EV Ice Dragons of Germany3 for 2025/2026.

29Jun

Cooper Moore (3)

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Quinnipiac University Bobcats‘ graduate defenseman Cooper Moore(3) left his 2 years at the school with a +36 rating.

He transferred as a junior from University Of North Dakota Fighting Hawks.

The 6’2″ 192 lbs. blue liner from Greenwich, CT did only 1 very strong BCHL session before college.

He was very successful at USHS-Prep.

The 24-year old signed a 1-year AHL deal with Hartford Wolf Pack for his rookie season 2025/2026.

He was originally a Detroit Red Wings‘ 5th round pick in 2019 (#128 overall).

28Jun

Scott Wilson (10)

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Charlotte Checkers‘ 8th year center Scott Wilson(10) is off to a good start with his new team, scoring 4 goals and 2 assists in 16 AHL games, while helping them win games.

Originally a Pittsburgh Penguins‘ 7th round pick in the 2011 draft (#209 overall), he was selected after a 2nd strong session for Georgetown Raiders of the OJHL.

The 5’11” 176 lbs. forward would then head to UMass-Lowell Riverhawks for three seasons.

He spent three years in the Pens’ system and played the entire 2016/2017 in the NHL en route of the 2017 Stanley Cup Championship, where he played 20 playoff matchups, scoring 3 goals and 3 assists.

The 29-year old should have some fun with his minor league deal this year and then look for a nice overseas contract for 2022/2023.

After scoring a career best 24 goals in 71 games, he decides at the last minute to head off and sign with Vityaz Podolsk, as we thought he might do, after initially thinking he was going to return.

He should be able to match up well in the KHL.

After a couple of good 20-goal scoring seasons, he was maybe off a bit in the current frame, so switches up allegiances to skate for Salavat Yulaev Ufa for the remainder of 2024/2025.

He has a pretty spectacular season with 9 goals and 14 assists in 30 games with a +13 rating, then added 16 points in 19 playoff matchups, but for 2025/2026, he will sign with a 5th league team, agreeing to terms for HC Sibir Novosibirsk for 2025/2026.

26Jun

Noah Carlin (62)

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Niagara University Purple Eagles‘ senior defenseman Noah Carlin(62) played a college high 37 games, scoring a new best 4 goals, despite having better assists 9 as a junior and 12 points twice in previous frames.

The 6′ 174 lbs. blue liner did the Honeybaked youth hockey system before 3 seasons of juniors previous to college.

From Marine City, MI, the 24-year signed a 1st pro deal with Kalamazoo Wings that saw him appear in his 1st 3 ECHL games.

23Jun

Adrien Bisson (8)

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Mercyhurst University Lakers‘ senior transfer from University Of Maine Black Bears, defenseman Adrien Bisson(8) looks to be heading for a conservative college career best assists with 4 already in 20 games, but has been able to stabilize his game into a +6 player.

The 6’2″ 185 lbs. blue liner hasn’t really put up stats in school, but did have 2 straight 21 assists campaigns in CCHL for Ottawa Jr. Senators.

From Cornwall, ON, we’ll see whether the undrafted d-man does a graduate session.

He does add on another college frame, but as soon as that wraps, he signs a 1st pro contract with Florida Everblades.

In 9 games, he records an assist, then appears in 2 playoff games, as his team captures their 3rd straight Kelly Cup trophy.

He has 4 assists in just 10 games with a +3 in his rookie season, but Adirondack Thunder look to need him more and trade up some future considerations to get him to come north.

Through 23 ECHL games with his new team, he has 6 assists, but is a horrible -12 rating and despite it Tahoe Knight Monsters see room to add him.

Talk about landing spots: he pulls off 1 goal and 2 assists in 11 games with a +10 rating to head into a 1st ever playoffs.

For his sophomore season, he decides to take off and signs in Ligue Magnus with Diables Rogues de Briancon for 2025/2026.

22Jun

Garrett Roe (9)

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13th year center Garrett Roe(9) returns home to sign with Hershey Bears for 2023/2024 after playing in 4 different leagues overseas with the last 6 in the NL for ZSC Lions and EV Zug.

The 5’9″ 180 lbs. forward was in fact a Los Angeles Kings 7th round pick in the 2008 draft (#183 overall), but did not sign.

His 1st contract was with Adirondack Phantoms, where he scored 32 assists and he stuck there a 2nd season before leaving.

The Vienna, VA native initially went to Austria’s top hockey EBEL, signing with EC Salzburg and score points.

He left for Germany’s DEL, agreeing to terms with EHC Muenchen and he scored points.

His next stop would be for a pair of sessions in the SHL with Linkoping HC and yup, he scored points.

He would continue to do it in Switzerland and it’s expected the 35-year old, former St. Cloud State University Huskies will help out his new AHL team continue to score.

In 48 games, he bags 7 goals and 14 assists with a +15 rating, then through 12 in the playoffs, he nets another 6 goals and 4 helpers, which makes the now 36-year old and easy re-sign to continue being a Bears, 2024/2025.

He scored 4 goals and 14 assists in 38 games with a nice +16 rating of accountability.

In 4 playoff games, he grabs 2 assists with a +3 and that is plenty enough for the now 37-year old.

Chalk up 14 years, 226 games in the Swiss league, 215 in the minors and time spent in three other overseas leagues is a nice tally.