Category: Minor League Deal

25Oct

Joseph LaBate (16)

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7th year left wing Joseph LaBate(16) signed a 1-year AHL deal with Milwaukee Admirals for 2021/2022 and is off to a nice 2 goal in 4 game start.

The very big 6’5″ 217 lbs. forward played 4 years at University Of Wisconsin Badgers, averaging 20 points per season before signing his 2-year entry deal with draft club, Vancouver Canucks (round 4, 2011, #101 overall).

He stayed with them for three campaigns and did play 13 NHL games (no points) before becoming a group 6 free agent and signing the first of three minor league contracts with Belleville Senators.

It was his 2nd run with the club, when he put up his best numbers, just a couple seasons ago, a tying 10 goals and best 16 assists and 26 points with a +19 rating.

The 28-year old, Eagan, MN native has to be looking overseas for his next play and could likely do incredibly well with that big frame.

He comes away with 5 goals and 7 assists in 56 games last season and decides to stick around, signing for 2022/2023 with Chicago Wolves.

In 53 games, he walks with a new best 11 goals and 11 assists with a +3 rating and will take that fortune to a new KHL cal with Barys Astana for 2023/2024, as he enters his 9th pro season.

For his 10th year playing pro hockey, he returns from 8 goals and 10 assists in 49 games to sign pto with Cleveland Monsters to make the team for 2024/2025.

He scores 1 goal and 3 assists in 5 games and he gets himself signed to a 1-year, 2-way contract by the parent club, Columbus Blue Jackets.

In 6 NHL games, he records an assist and is good for 8 goals and 13 assists in 51 games in the minors last season.

An unrestricted free agent, he heads back to his draft team and signs a 1-year deal with Vancouver Canucks for 2025/2026 and will likely join Calder Cup Champs Abbotsford Canucks for a little bit.

He is off to a hot start and maybe had a good training camp that sets him for a 1st NHL game with the team since 2017.

25Oct

Jackson Legro (3)

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University Of Southern Maine Huskies‘ senior defenseman Jackson Legro(3) transferred out of 3 years at Lebanon Valley College Dutchmen.

The 6’4″ 209 lbs. blue liner has never been big on the scoresheet.

From Brentwood, NH, the 20-year old signed a 1st pro contract with Monroe Mocassins.

In 5 FPHL games, he had 1 assist.

He will need a contract for 2025/2026.

Well, he signed and started the new season with Pee Dee Pride, but was dished to Danbury Hat Tricks.

24Oct

Adam Rockwood (12)

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5th year center Adam Rockwood(12) takes a career year with 33 assists and 39 points for AIK of HockeyAllsvenskan to a new challenge, joining HC Innsbruck to skate IceHL for 2023/2024.

The 5’11” 185 lbs. had 40 assists as a junior transfer to Northern Michigan University Wildcats, then 28 as a senior.

He won a 2014 BCHL Championship with hometown junior team Coquitlam Express as a 2nd year player before heading to his 1st school, University Of Wisconsin Badgers.

The 27-year old from Coquitlam, BC may continue to play himself up through leagues overseas or could come back and light the ECHL again.

He comes away from his 1st year in Austria, with a career high 33 assists and +25 rating and decides to stay, but signs with rivals, Asiago for 2024/2025.

Slovak Extraliga is calling his name and he is heading there to skate for HC Ducla Michalovce.

He would record 32 assists in 33 games, but decides to sign with the rivals HK Spisska Nova Ves.

In 10 games, he scores 2 goals and 4 assists, but is dished to HC Presov Penguins and has 1 goal and 1 assist in his debut game.

24Oct

Tim Lovell (43)

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Arizona State University Sun Devils‘ German-born, sophomore transfer Tim Lovell(43) has already completely burnt through any scoring he had in one year at Boston University Terriers (2 assists in 18 games with a +3 rating).

In 10 NCAA Division 1 games, he has 3 goals and 8 assists, but does have a -6, so needs to work on that.

The small 5’8″ 156 lbs. blue liner did most of his youth hockey in the Boston Advantage 15U to 18U AAA, a team his father Tim Lovell is currently General Manager of, and he played 7 NAHL games with Northeast Generals, while his dad was assistant coach.

He was drafted by Chicago Steel, but didn’t last long before he took up shop with Des Moines Buccaneers for 27 USHL games (5 goals, 11 assists) and then headed to school.

The 19-year old is definitely setting himself up for some looks.

He had a particularly productive senior year with college bests 5 goals and 32 assists with a +10 rating before transferring once more to University Of Michigan Wolverines for an extra frame.

Well, the graduate defenseman takes his 10 games in 2024/2025 with new college club to a 1st professional deal midseason with Mikkelin Jukurit of Liiga.

In 3 games, he has yet to record a point, but hockey in Finland will be a good look.

He figures into 6 games with 1 goal and 1 assist to his credit, but decides to US shores, signing for 2025/2026 with Greenville Swamp Rabbits, where in 3 ECHL games has 1 assist.

23Oct

Philip Beaulieu (25)

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4th year defenseman Philip Beaulieu(25) signs with Asiago of IceHL for 2023/2024, which should turn out to be a lot of fun for him.

The 5’11” 194 lbs. blue liner had 2 good seasons for Allen Americans.

He got 8 goals and 30 assists in 1 frame.

The former Northern Michigan University Wildcats‘ captain as a senior was always a good assist man in school.

From Duluth, MN, the 28-year old may just stay over there in Austria.

He plays just 20 games, scoring 1 goal and 4 assists, so maybe that helps with his decision to return and play closer to home with Kalamazoo Wings for 2024/2025.

Pretty strong on assists, Maine Mariners take notice and trade for him in 2025/2026.

23Oct

Colin Tracy (3)

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Plymouth State University Panthers‘ graduate defenseman Colin Tracy(3) signs a 1st pro contract with Evansville Thunderbolts for his rookie frame, 2025/2026.

The 6’3″ 190 lbs. blue liner scored a new college best 2 goals and 9 assists last season in 21 games with a +8 rating.

From Manchester, NH, the 25-year old should score more in the FPHL.

He actually has shown up on Pee Dee Pride roster; we think on a trade, but are still looking into it.

22Oct

Logan Cockerill (9)

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Undrafted left wing Logan Cockerill(9) spent the last 2 seasons of 5 as team captain at Boston University Terriers.

The 5’9″ 180 lbs. forward had his best year scoring as a freshman with 8 goals and 12 assists, but he’s a +8 skater through school.

He did two campaigns with the USNTDP with very decent results.

The Brighton, MI has decided to turn pro and signs with BIK Karlskoga and will play tier 2 Hockeyallsvenskan in Sweden for 2022/2023.

In 31 games, he gets 7 goals and 7 assists with a +4 rating, then adds another tally in 4 playoff match ups.

For 2023/2024, the former New York Islanders‘ 7th round pick in 2017 (#201 overall) is coming back home to sign a 1-year ECHL deal with Jacksonville Icemen, where he will play with brother Garret.

He nets 10 goals and 27 assists in 63 games with a +6 rating and is set to return in an Icemen jersey 2024/2025.

There’s little doubt he is producing, especially 3 goals and 1 assist in 4 playoff games last season and he an easy invite back to be an Icemen for 2025/2026.

22Oct

Carter Savoie (48)

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Edmonton Oilers‘ 4th round pick in the 2020 draft (#100 overall), University Of Denver Pioneers‘ sophomore left wing Carter Savoie(48) 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.

21Oct

Luke Lush (30)

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Sacred Heart University Pioneers‘ senior net minder, Luke Lush(30) will start a graduate program at Atlantic Hockey rivals, RIT Tigers for 2023/2024.

The fairly big 6’3″ 201 lbs. goalie did 3 years of Canadian junior hockey that saw him voted AJHL Best Goaltender in his final frame.

From Sherwood Park, AB, the 25-year old should be able to take his game to another level with his new college team.

He plays only 4 games for his new college club, running a 2-2 record with some impressive 2.27 GAA and .919 SV%, which he takes to a 1st pro contract with Tulsa Oilers in his rookie year, 2024/2025.

We do look for him to do well in the ECHL.

He plays 6 games with what we see as decent results, but finds interest for 2025/2026 with Quad City Storm and should have good success in the SPHL for a potential loan up.

20Oct

Brenden Datema (57)

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Giant 6’5″ 220 lbs. Canisius College Golden Griffins‘ graduate defenseman Brenden Datema(57) finishes up his studies and turns pro, signing for the remainder of the season with Atlanta Gladiators.

The senior year transfer from Michigan Tech Huskies, but played little there.

He’s not exactly the biggest point getter and through 3 ECHL has no points yet.

We think he can come away as a big presence on the blue line and someone that can generate offense.

He grabs 2 assists in 12 games and they like what they are seeing to invite him to return for his rookie season, 2024/2025 in a Gladiators‘ sweater.

With 2 goals and 5 assists in 48 games, he is invited to return for a 2nd full year with Atlanta.

He was maybe all set to go and in at the last minute he is traded and joins Bloomington Bison for 2025/2026.