Category: Minor League Deal

04Aug

Will Calverley(36)

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

Merrimack College Warriors‘ graduate center Will Calverley(36) comes over from 4 years at RIT Tigers, where he managed to score 10+ goals and assists in each of his last three seasons.

The small 5’9″ 174 lbs. firecracker on ice will have to work hard, but could eclipse earlier marks in tougher to play Hockey East competition, but has scored 1 goal and 7 assists in 15 games to get himself going in the right direction.

He played two seasons for Chilliwack Chiefs, running up some big totals in 111 BCHL games.

From Scarborough, ON, this will be an excellent player to watch turn pro.

He finishes up with a very decent 5 goals and 15 assists with a +4 rating in 38 games and a good push to the finals of the Hockey East tournament.

Wasting no time, he signs a 1st deal with Florida Everblades and gets an assist in his ECHL debut, then plants a 1st goal 3 games later.

He would finish the regular frame with the 2 points, then add 5 (3 goals, 2 assists) in 12 games en route to a 2nd straight 2023 Kelly Cup for the team from FLA.

Well, nothing like winning a title to want to return for your sophomore frame in 2023/2024.

He’s probably in a little bit of shock, but he will take place amongst the blue liners with his just traded to team, Iowa Heartlanders.

After a good rookie season with a non-playoff team, scoring 8 goals and 13 assists in 39 games with a -1 rating, he gets a new 1-year deal to return to be a Heartlanders for 2024/2025.

04Aug

Nathan Walerowicz (44)

Posted in College Hockey Player, D3, Juniors, Minor League Deal | Leave a comment

MCLA Trailblazers‘ senior defenseman Nathan Walerowicz(44) transferred from little use at Finlandia University Lions and played a college high 21 games, scoring 3 assists.

He’s pretty big at 6’1″ 203 lbs. signed with Elmira River Sharks upon graduation, but only figured in a single appearance.

For 2024/2025, he will play his FPHL rookie season with the newly launched Monroe Moccasins.

From Sanborn, NY, the 25-year old, former EHL New York Applecore will like do well there as a 1st year pro.

04Aug

Jay O’Brien (18)

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

Boston University Terriers‘ senior center Jay O’Brien(18) leaves college hockey scoring a new best 24 assists and 32 points to sign a 1st AHL pro contract for 2023/2024 with Toronto Marlies.

The 5’11” 185 lbs. forward had 10 goals in 24 games as a junior.

He transferred to the school from a freshman year at Providence College Friars that was maybe a little early for the Hingham, MA native to attend, as he had only a few games of junior experience coming out of 2 years at Thayer Academy USHS-Prep, where he would emerge as a Philadelphia Flyers‘ 1st round pick in the 2018 draft (#19 overall)

They elected to not sign him, potentially due to an injury bug that has seemed to follow him through college hockey, despite scoring pretty effectively in each of those frames.

Next he would leave for a session in the BCHL with Penticton Vees that restored his scoring punch, setting him up to return to school.

No doubt, he will have to fight for room to score where he’s heading, but could very well find some light.

The 23-year old is likely just ready to get started and prove himself at the next level, pro, except suffers yet another unqualified injury and sits the entire frame.

For 2024/2025, Charlotte Checkers take the health gamble.

01Aug

Andrew Peski (2)

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

Maine Mariners‘ 3rd year defenseman Andrew Peski(2) seems to be enjoying his 2nd season with the north New England club, scoring a new ECHL best 13 assists and tying 16 points.

The fairly large 6′ 220 lbs. blue liner did play under an AHL contract to Providence Bruins, coming out of 4 years at University Of North Dakota Fighting Hawks for a couple of seasons before officially signing where he is currently.

From Orleans, ON, he played 3 years of junior hockey, 2 in the CCHL and 1 USHL with all successful in assist scoring.

He would finish up with those 13 assists and 3 goals with a +3 rating, then added another 2 points through 6 playoff matchups to finish out his 2nd frame in Maine.

The d-man will return for a 3rd session to see if they can push it further.

After 3 years in the northeast US, he decides to move on and heads to Metal Ligaen, signing with Rungsted Seier Capital for 2024/2025.

31Jul

Jesse Lansdell (34)

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

University Of Notre Dame Fighting Irish senior left wing Jesse Lansdell(34) will start a graduate year at University Of Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks for 2023/2024.

The 5’11” 187 lbs. forward has been an ok scorer through college thus far and was a bit uneven through 4 seasons of BCHL.

From Surrey, BC, the 24-year old probably won’t find the NCHC any easier to play in.

He records a new college high 12 assists with his new team in 39 games with a +1 rating and takes it to a 1st pro contract with Florida Everblades, where he is connecting decent for a 1st 2 ECHL goals in 6 games, then adding an assist through 5 in the playoffs, so far.

4 assists in 23 playoff games with a +6 rating to a 2024 Kelly Cup Championship and he will return for his official rookie season in 2024/2025.

31Jul

Alex Kile (23)

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

Undrafted 5th year left wing Alex Kile(23) circles back to re-sign with Maine Mariners after a year away, when they had to make the decision not to play hockey for 2020/2021.

He signed with Florida Everblades and matched his ECHL career high from 2019/2020 with 31 points, but also managed to score a new best 25 goals.

The 6′ 201 lbs. forward’s best season was likely his 2nd, as he managed three loans to the AHL, including an extended 33 game look from Laval Rocket, scoring 5 goals and 2 assists.

He was a solid skater through 4 years at University Of Michigan Wolverines, where he served as team captain as a senior.

The Troy, MI native played a pair of seasons in juniors and won the 2012 Clark Cup in his first USHL year with Green Bay Gamblers.

At 27-years old, it would be little surprise to see him leave for better opportunities overseas, unless he’s already lining up things post-playing career closer to home.

He was loaned up to Lehigh Valley Phantoms mid-season and would skate 27 games, getting 4 goals and 3 assists and be called up and returned on a couple of occasions.

For 2022/2023, he’s played his way up and scores himself an AHL contract to continue in PA.

He plays more games with affiliate Maine Mariners, putting up point-per-game numbest in the ECHL and when recalled for 19 games he scored 2 goals and 2 assists.

The now 29-year old is still impressive enough and a heck of a great teammate in the room to score a new 1-year deal to stay.

For 2024/2025, he decides to head back to the Everblades, where certainly he was able to score quite nicely and maybe concedes a little to play his hockey at a lower level, for now.

29Jul

Will Gavin (37)

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

Air Force Academy Falcons‘ senior left wing Will Gavin(37) takes some very decent 10+ goals and 10+ assists through his 3 finals seasons and bests in his final frame to a 1-year AHL deal with Tuscon Roadrunners for his rookie year, 2024/2025.

The 5’10” 190 lbs. forward was also a big scorer through 2 junior USPHL NCDC runs, 2nd as captain with Northern Cyclones.

From Durham, CT, the 24-year old will do well as a pro is how we are seeing it.

27Jul

Casey DeSmith (1)

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

Undrafted 8th year goaltender Casey DeSmith(1) gets a new 2-year deal to stick with the only team he has ever known, Pittsburgh Penguins, signing a new 2-year NHL deal.

The 6′ 181 lbs. net minder has consistently held his GAA to around 2 and SV% in the .900 range either up with the big club or tending for affiliate Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, so has some skill in the crease.

His actual 1st contract after graduating University Of New Hampshire Wildcats was with Wheeling Nailers and he played 13 ECHL games with very good numbers to get loaned up in the system, where he did outstanding in 6 AHL games to earn his entry level contract in the next frame.

The 31-year old from Rochester, NH has worked very hard, but also has had some very good luck riding on his shoulders.

For the 1st time in his pro career, he gets moved to a new team, Montreal Canadiens, who pick up his contract.

He barely suits up for his new club and gets a promo photo shot before he is moved to Vancouver Canucks, who may have more of a need for a new kind of #1.

It’s here where his game comes back together, as he gets 29 starts and does pretty well, but it’s his playoff look that really gets him some action.

Dallas Stars step in and offers the unrestricted free agent a 3-year deal.

27Jul

Patrick Curry (17)

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

3rd year left wing Patrick Curry(17) takes a 2-year deal with Grand Rapids Griffins to a new 1-year contract to rivals Iowa Wild for 2022/2023.

The former Boston University Terriers‘ senior captain scored a college career best 19 goals and 33 points before turning pro.

He actually did 8 games in Slovak2 Extraliga on loan to HC Detva before the COVID-cracked 2020/2021 AHL got started.

The 5’10” 185 lbs. 26-year old forward should continue to add to his totals, especially as he plays more games.

He puts up blockbuster ECHL numbers for Kansas City Mavericks with a single season best, scoring 39 goals and 48 assists with a +29 in a full-slate of 72 games.

For 2024/2025, he gets an offer to head to Liiga and sign with Kalpa to continue his game overseas.

27Jul

Kobe Roth (11)

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

Undrafted left wing, Kobe Roth(11) finishes up a graduate season as captain of University Of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs to sign a 1st pro deal for 2022/2023 with Florida Everblades.

The 5’9″ 175 lbs. forward posted a college career best 16 goals and 13 assists last season and was a 3-time 10+ tally-getter.

We think the 25-year old from Mason City, IA is going to find some room in the ECHL to get on the scoreboard lots.

After spending most of his rookie season putting up formidable numbers with the eventual 2023 Kelly Cup Champs before getting traded to Kalamazoo Wings to finish out the frame, he has decided to look onwards.

For 2023/2024, he signs with Coventry Blaze and should see quite the uptick in his scoring in the EIHL.

And he definitely did, scoring 25 goals and 16 assists in 54 games, but will next take his game to Germany3 and signs with Tilburg Trappers for 2024/2025.