Category: Minor League Deal

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.

23Nov

Brian Chambers (21)

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UMass-Lowell Riverhawks‘ senior center Brian Chambers(21) will extend another year and go to Arizona State University Sun Devils to start a graduate program.

He scored by a bit of a mile new best 8 goals and 11 assists last season.

The 6’1″ 181 lbs. forward from Weymouth, MA played some of his junior hockey close to home for Northeast Generals, but for his last frame before college, played 60 USHL games, scoring 17 goals and 24 assists with a +19 rating before heading to the playoffs and adding another 5 points to a 2019 Clark Cup Championship.

At 24-years old, he may find a bit more space to score playing the independent schedule his new college team plays.

He finishes up at his new school with a college high 16 assists and 20 points to take it to a 1st pro contract with Kalamazoo Wings, where he should do well in the ECHL.

In 10 games, he records 2 assists, but signs for his official rookie season, 2024/2025 with Idaho Steelheads.

He’s actually acquired by Orlando Solar Bears just as the season is to get started for future considerations.

After 12 games, he scores 1 goal and 1 assist with a -4 rating, but gets himself traded to Allen Americans, who would like to put him to good use.

22Nov

Sam Sternschein (25)

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Undrafted left wing Sam Sternschein(25) played his year of eligibility for Boston College Eagles, but was only able to connect for 3 assists in 24 NCAA Division 1 games.

Maybe Hockey East style shut down the 6’2″ 205 lbs. forward, who once had 12 tallies as a junior at Penn State University Nittany Lions.

As soon as his school was ousted from tournament played he quickly signed a 1st pro contract with Jacksonville Icemen.

In 8 ECHL games, he has 3 goals and 4 assists with a +2 rating on a team headed to the Kelly Cup Playoffs.

The 23-year old from Syosset, NY can definitely light things up and it would be little surprise to see him score a look at a higher level for 2022/2023 play.

He bounced around, playing minimal games with a couple team, but wasn’t able to connect so well, yet Toledo Walleye see something in his big frame that they can maybe use and teach how to use and connect for points in 2023/2024.

After only 1 game with his contract team, he is waived and claimed by Idaho Steelheads.

He appears in only 14 games, scoring 1 goal and 3 assists with a +3 rating, but it’s enough to earn him a full season look for 2024/2025 in a Steelheads‘ sweater.

For his 2nd season, he signs with his last team, but is traded to the new Bloomington Bison before he gets started.

21Nov

Chase Zieky (25)

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Undrafted rookie right wing Chase Zieky(25) didn’t play last season, but decided to jump in 2021/2022 and signed with Idaho Steelheads.

He managed to put up 12 goals and 5 assists in 38 ECHL games, but was surrendered as compensation for an earlier trade and sent to Greenville Swamp Rabbits.

The 5’10” 187 lbs. forward seems to like his new team, as he grabbed an assist in his 2nd appearance, then a pair of goals in the follow-up.

After finishing up high school locally, the Avon, CT native went north for his only session of juniors lighting it up for Salmon Arms Silverbacks with 28 goals and 24 assists in 49 BCHL games.

He followed it up by heading to Providence College Friars, but in 2 seasons only figured in a handful of contests, so entered the transfer portal and arrived as a junior at RPI Engineers.

Arriving at his new school, he figured in the mix with his new club and as a senior posted a college career best 16 assists and 23 points with a +4 rating.

The 26-year old really seems to be just getting it started.

He would finish his rookie session with 3 goals and an assist in 6 games and only appeared in a single playoff game, but left with a +1, so he will stay in North Carolina to see if he can help ignite this club to the next level.

In a full season with his 3rd team in the league, Maine Mariners, he posts a much better 2nd frame with 17 goals and 20 assists in 50 games with a +5 rating, but he’s maybe a little anxious for more, so signs for 1-year with Rapaces de Gap of Ligue Magnus for 2024/2025.

He lasts all of 3 games in France and wants to return to his home-away-from-home, Maine.

21Nov

Mitchell Fossier (49)

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Rockford Icehogs‘ rookie left wing Mitchell Fossier(49) currently has a three-game scoring streak going pushing his totals for 2021 to 4 goals and 3 assists in 17 AHL games.

The former University Of Maine Black Bears‘ captain put up huge numbers as a senior notching 32 assists and 42 points with a +16 rating in 34 games with no playoffs possible.

Undrafted, the sturdy 6′ 188 lbs. forward had pretty big stats through 4 years of college, grabbing 38 goals and 90 assists in 134 NCAA Hockey East games.

He had similar success through a pair of campaigns at juniors, first in the NAHL with Janesville Jets, then moving up to the USHL to play for Sioux City Musketeers.

The 24-year old is finding his footing at exactly the right time.

Hello Chicago Blackhawks!

He finished his rookie run with 8 points in 19 games with a bit of a sad -9 rating to conclude 2020/2021.

The Alpharetta, GA native has decided to try his game in Slovak Extraliga for 2021/2022, signing a one-year deal with HC Banska Bystrica, and we’re thinking he could strike some gold in Slovakia’s top hockey.

He heads back from a season overseas to sign with the pro team in the same state as his college team, Maine Mariners for 2022/2023 after a decent 15 goal, 12 assist in 38 game showing in Slovakia.

It will be his debut ECHL season and he should do well.

He puts up more than point-per-game numbers: 21 goals and 36 assists in 47 games, but finds himself caught in a trade that sends him to Atlanta Gladiators, where he has signed for 2023/2024 and will likely continue to do just as well as he did in his last frame.

His numbers are point-per-game to earn him a loan up to San Jose Barracuda for 4 games with 1 assist and a +1 rating.

He will take last season over to the EIHL for 2024/2025, signing with Nottingham Panthers, which should keep him on the scoresheet.

16Nov

Matt Irwin (52)

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Defenseman Matt Irwin(52) will skate his 14th season for Vancouver Canucks.

He is signed to a 2-way deal, so potentially could be sent to play for affiliate Abbotsford Canucks, which could be ok at this point in his career.

In the last 7 years, he has skated 4 AHL games with the rest in the NHL.

The 35-year old has skated a handy 461 games in the big league, so this season could reach a milestone.

At the very least, for the 1st time, the former 2-year UMass Minutemen d-man, is skating closer to his Victoria, BC home this upcoming frame.

After a full season in the minors, doing very well with the farm club, he has yet to announce a new move in addition to his retirement from playing.

He had quite the successful run and was in the dressing room, when I got married at center ice of a Worcester Sharks‘ 2011 game.

15Nov

Nicolas Guay (91)

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3rd year right wing Nicolas Guay(91) returns rather quickly for a little overseas pro hockey experiment in Slovak Extraliga with HC Nove Zamky to sign with the team he has spent 108 ECHL games with Trois Rivieries Lions for the now remainder of 2024/2025.

He was a pretty big scorer as a rookie with 12 goals and 35 assists in a full load of 72 games.

The 6′ 185 lbs. forward did most of 5 years in the QMJHL before heading to 2 seasons at University Of New Brunswick Reds, scoring big in his 2nd frame.

From Chataeuguay, QC, the 25-year old must have missed his hockey closer to home.