Category: Minor League Deal

SUNY Cortland Red Dragons‘ senior center Anthony Bernardo(20) signs a 1st pro deal with Binghamton Black Bears and starts scoring right away in 6 FPHL games has 1 goal and 5 assists, then added another helper in 1 playoff matchup.

The 5’11” 183 lbs. forward’s best college scoring season was as a junior with 10 goals and 9 assists in 29 games.

From Hauppauge, NY, the 24-year did all his youth hockey and juniors with PAL Jr. Islanders and seems to be a no-brainer to sign for his rookie season, 2025/2026.

Swedish-born senior left wing Jake Stella(28) leaves 3 years at American International College Yellowjackets for something maybe a bit more challenging in the 2022/2023 schedule of UMass-Lowell Riverhawks.

The 5’11” 185 lbs. forward skated his youth hockey and some juniors at home, but came over initially playing with South Shore Kings for a season before switching to Corpus Christi Ice Rays of the NAHL as assistant captain, where he picked up his college commit and some solid scoring (21-17-38).

He posted college career high marks in 2021/2022, potting 12 goals and 16 assists with a +10 rating in 37 NCAA Division 1 games.

The 23-year old should continue to improve, even with some very tough ice ahead of him.

He actually scored decently as a senior with 4 goals and 9 assists, playing Hockey East schedule and added a graduate session, as team captain.

Finishing up playoff hockey, he signs a pro contract with Rapid City Rush, where in 8 ECHL games he has 1 assist with a +1 rating.

He thanks for east for the hockey experiences, but is heading back home to sign Tingsryds AIF of HockeyAllsvenskan for 2024/2025.

For 52 games, he struggles with on-ice accountability, but rebounds nicely in the playoffs with 3 goals in 7 games and a +4 rating.

He will take this success to a new opportunity in Ligue Magnus, where he signs with Jokers de Cergy-Pontoise for 2025/2026.

5th year center, Nick Hutchinson(12) maybe pulls a surprising move, leaving the captaincy at Wheeling Nailers to head back to Europe, signing with EV Landshut of DEL2.

He leaves after 9 ECHL games, scoring 1 goal and 2 assists with a +4 rating.

The pretty big 6’3″ 210 lbs. forward always had 10+ goals and assists through 4 years at Canisius College Golden Griffins.

His best scoring season was his 1st with his recent former team, where he was well over a point per game player.

It’s possibly he goes into the tier 2 league and gets elevated to the top level.

He takes an amazing frame of 12 goals and 13 assists in 22 games to a new opportunity in IceHL, signing with Villacher SV for 2025/2026.

Washington Capitals‘ 2nd round pick in the 2022 draft (#37 overall), 2 season USNTDP defenseman Ryan Chesley(13) is an incoming freshman at University Of Minnesota Golden Gophers and already has 2 assists in 4 games with a +3 rating.

The 6’2″ 205 lbs. skater was a decent scorer in the junior program following up good totals he posted at Shattuck St. Mary’s 14U & 16U AAA.

So, that he comes out hot in his college career is maybe not to surprising for the only 18-year old.

After his 3rd year at school, he decides to sign a 3-year NHL entry level deal and is sent to affiliate Hershey Bears on an ato to start his pro career.

In 4 games, he grabs a 1st AHL goal and 2 assists, but figures in no playoff matchups.

St. Anselm College Hawks‘ senior defenseman Mark Blaney(96) had a college best 17 assists and 19 points in 29 games with a +8 rating.

The 5’11” 170 lbs. blue liner signs a 1st pro contract with Port Huron Prowlers as his tournament play finishes up.

From Braintree, MA, the 24-year old did only 1 year of EHL juniors with New Hampshire Avalanche.

We believe he gets a contract for his rookie season, 2025/2026, if he wants one.

Holy Cross College Crusaders‘ senior right wing Matt Guerra(20) has a college career best 8 goals, ties his 16 assists set as a junior and has a new high 24 points in a season.

The Orlando, FL native came up to these parts early to attend Cushing Academy before heading to 2 40+ assists NAHL seasons with Lone Star Brahmas.

He did his freshman year at Robert Morris University Colonials, but left when they suspended hockey.

A 5’10” 181 lbs. forward, he is definitely helping lead his Atlantic Hockey college team.

Undrafted, he will do a year of eligibility, heads into the transfer portal to attend rivals Sacred Heart University Pioneers for 2024/2025.

In 39 games for his new college team, he pots 7 goals and 12 assists with a +8 rating, which turns into one of his more productive campaigns.

Upon finishing up tournament play, he signs a 1st pro deal with Wichita Thunder, where in 2 ECHL games he doesn’t record a point.

He will need a contract for 2025/2026.

New York Rangers signed undrafted, unrestricted free agent center Justin Richards(14) to a two-year entry level deal after he completed his third season at University Of Minnesota-Duluth, where he helped the team win consecutive NCAA Championships in 2018 and 2019.

He scored a career high 14 goals in 24 games in 2020/2021.

The 5’10” 188 lbs. forward was originally reassigned to affiliate Hartford Wolf Pack.

In his AHL debut, he introduced himself to his new club with a pair of assists and went on to grab 4 goals and 7 assists in 24 appearances with a +3 rating before his recall.

He was little different in his first game up posting a 1st NHL point, an assist after winning a face-off, through 18 shifts for 10:11 total ice time in a 5-4 win to close out the season with no playoff push.

For his rookie season, he would spent it entirely in the minors.

Left without a qualifying offer, he next signs with Cleveland Monsters on a minor league deal that gets boosted by agreeing to terms with parent club, Columbus Blue Jackets.

He appears in a pair of games and grabs a 2nd assist.

Next up, he would head to Rochester Americans for 2023/2024.

For 2024/2025, he’s made probably one of his best decisions, moving forward, signing a 1-year deal with Dusseldorfer EG of DEL.

He’s maybe a little light on the scoresheet through 44 games, but has a terrible minus rating that has him looking elsewhere for his next pro hockey and he signs Fehervar AV19 of IceHL, which is a great landing spot.

Niagara University Purple Eagles‘ Norwegian-born senior left wing Lars Rodne(10) signed with Adirondack Thunder, scoring 1 goal and 1 assist in 4 games, but is released as they have no playoffs.

The 6′ 181 lbs. forward gets signed to an ato with Wheeling Nailers to help their playoff push.

He did most of his youth hockey and some juniors back home, but came across for 2 NAHL sessions, scoring well.

We look for the 24-year old to do decently.

In 2 regular season games, he records 1 assist, but has no points in 2 playoff matchups.

For his rookie season 2025/2026, he actually returns to Stavenger Oilers, a team he played 19 games for before coming over for juniors.

American International College Yellowjackets‘ Swedish-born, senior defenseman Evan Stella(7) signed with Bloomington Bison for 4 ECHL games, no points to end 2024/2025.

For his official rookie season he decides to head to Czech Extraliga, inking with HC Olomouc for 2025/2026.

He did his youth hockey back home and started junior before transferring to the USHL for 2 frames with Dubuque Fighting Saints.

We think the 24-year old does well in this tough to play in league.

LIU Sharks‘ graduate center, captain Billy Jerry(26) is definitely putting himself on NHL scouts’ radar with his play for his new club this season after transferring from 4-years at RPI Engineers.

The 6’4″ 190 lbs. forward has a college career high 11 goals and 14 assists with a +3 rating.

His numbers this season put all of his previous school years to shame.

He was a pretty prolific scorer at St. Thomas Academy and did ok in one year of USHL juniors with Madison Capitals before committing to further education.

The 24-year old is definitely playing hockey like he is one to watch.

In maybe a bit of a surprising move, the Rivers Falls, WI native signs his first pro deal with Adirondack Thunder, and in his 2nd ECHL game connects for a 1st goal, then adds an assist the next night, appearing in 6 games.

He got 4 goals and 2 assists in 15 games and will return to Glens Falls, NY for his rookie season in 2022/2023.

Well, he was traded to Florida Everblades, but doesn’t sign with them, instead opting for a deal with Fayettesville Marksmen, where he hopes his scoring fortunes in the SPHL will look pretty good.

He would actually mostly end up with Macon Mayhem and scored well for them, but eyes a new opportunity in Germany3, where he signs with EV Fussen for 2024/2025.

In 48 games, he blows up to 24 goals and 25 assists, but has a poor -24 rating and looks to rivals Hannover Indians for his next contract, 2025/2026, where he should do equally as well, if not better.