Category: Minor League Deal

31Dec

Joe Widmar (72)

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Florida Everblades‘ 6th year center Joe Widmar(72) was just obtained from Allen Americans, where he seemed to struggle with only 3 assists in 14 games after starting the season decently for the lowly Norfolk Admirals, scoring 5 goals and 4 assists in 13 contests.

The big 6’1″ 210 lbs. forward has struggled to stay with one team for an entire frame, except for his one complete season overseas, where he skated 26 Polish Hockey League games for Cracovia Krakow.

A former 2-year UMass Minutemen wasn’t a big scorer in college before turning pro.

The 27-year old from Northbrook, IL still can be an elite player in the ECHL, but needs to not get traded.

He has definitely struggled in the higher league some, as he started the 2024/2025 frame with Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs and scored 3 goals and 6 assists in 2 SPHL games to earn a quick loan up, but there he has been perplexed hitting the scoresheet.

With only 1 assist in 20 games, he moves for a 3rd time, claimed from waivers by Fort Wayne Komets, where he hopes to find luck.

27Dec

Matt Kopperud (18)

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Worcester Railers‘ rookie center Matt Kopperud(18) has been scoring at a decent clip with 7 goals and 14 assists in 28 games, but has to clean up a -7 rating.

The 6’1″ 194 lbs. forward was a twice 20+ goal scoring and similar 10+ assists in 4 years at Arizona State University Sun Devils.

From Denver, CO, he did 2 BCHL seasons and 1 USHL before heading to school.

The 25-year old could very well set himself up to do well.

26Dec

Jason Grande (30)

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Holy Cross College Crusaders‘ graduate goaltender Jason Grande(30) put up quite a spectacular 10-4-2 record with a 2.06 GAA and .929 SV%, as his team heads into the Atlantic Hockey playoffs in the 2nd seed position.

The 6’3″ 201 lbs. net minder played 2 stellar years in the NAHL with Amarillo Bulls before committing to his 1st school, Bentley University Falcons.

From West Chester, PA, where he played his youth hockey, the 25-year old will likely turn pro once college hockey wraps up.

Not surprising, he signs an ato with Bridgeport Islanders that we think could get him some action.

He plays no games upon graduation, so looks elsewhere and it may be one of the best offseason signings yet, he agrees to terms for 2024/2025 with HC Nove Zamky of Slovak Extraliga, which will have him playing a very high level of pro hockey.

Things are not going so well in Slovakia, so he looks elsewhere and signs with Nottingham Panthers to try to help them right their EIHL ship.

24Dec

Evan Cowley (31)

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Evan-Cowley

2nd year net minder Evan Cowley(31) signed at the beginning of 2018/2019 with Wheeling Nailers but after one uneven start on a bit of a struggling squad was released.

Originally a Florida Panthers‘ 4th round pick in the 2013 draft (#92 overall), he never agreed to terms with the team but did eventually get a contract with affiliate Springfield Thunderbirds, where he split time with Manchester Monarchs of the ECHL as a rookie.

The former University Of Denver backstop put up stellar numbers in college and went on to win the 2017 NCAA Championship.

At 23-years old, it didn’t take him long to secure a new deal after he was let go, grabbing a contract with MH Automatyka Gdansk of Polska Hokej Liga, where he will likely excel and move up the European hockey ladder as he goes.

He spent the last 3 seasons in Ligue Magnus with Ducs D’Angers and put up league best GAA (2.02) and SV% (.935), but is ready to explore again and signs to Asiago and will play in the IceHL for 2024/2025.

Through 20 games, he has struggled some, so makes a decision to head to HockeyAllsvenskan and signs with IK Oskarshamn.

21Dec

Matt Staudacher (25)

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Rookie defenseman Matt Staudacher(25) leaves Italy2, where he scored 10 goals and 13 assists in 19 games for Brixen/Bressanone Falcons, for a contract with the new Bloomington Bison.

The 6’1″ 194 lbs. blue liner finished up a graduate year of college at Northeastern University Huskies with a new best 2 goals.

He had more assists in 4 years (3 playing) at University Of Minnesota Golden Gophers.

From Grand Blanc, MI, we expect the 24-year old to do quite well in the ECHL.

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.

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.