Category: Minor League Deal

Undrafted 4th year right wing Brian Bowen(21) re-signs with Fayettesville Marksmen for 2021/2022 after spending last season away with rivals Macon Mayhem.

The 6′ 220 lbs. forward had his best scoring frame with the team in 2019/2020, pocketing 30 goals and 28 assists for 58 points with a +27 rating in 46 SPHL games.

He also didn’t do so badly in the one weirdo 2020/2021 session away (18-12-30 in 28 games +16).

The former 3-year University Of Vermont Catamounts‘ initially left school and joined Worcester Railers for 11 ECHL games, getting 3 goals and an assist.

He’s been loaned up a couple of times since but hasn’t produced any more points in short activity.

There’s little doubt the 25-year old, Littleton, MA (that’s where we grew up) native, big body presence destroys scoring in the league he’s in and has received contracts and looks but it may just take one more season to secure that spot, if he even wants it.

Didn’t even take for the new 2021/2022 season to start and he gets recruited by Utah Grizzlies and will likely do very well.

In his rookie season in the upper league, he has a tidy 20 goals and 20 assists, but gets traded late in the frame to Orlando Solar Bears, who need to shore up their playoff spot before they look to go deep.

He will return where he finished last frame in Orlando but has been reassigned down to return to Fayettesville Markmen, where he has a goal in 3 games.

He blew up scoring in the lower league and was eventually loaned up to Norfolk Admirals, where he would get 14 goals and 5 assists in 25 games to prove himself worthy of a full look for 2023/2024.

Back in Worcester, he really wasn’t doing much through 6 games, so gets waived and immediately claimed by Reading Royals, who think they can turn the corner with him.

Long Island University Sharks‘ graduate defenseman Austin Rook(2) turns pro with the team right up the road from the 1st college he attended, Skidmore College Thoroughbreds, signing to Adirondack Thunder.

In 3 ECHL games he has no points.

In his senior year at his 1st college, he pulled off 8 goals and 14 assists in 23 games.

He 3 times has 10+ assists.

The 6’2′ 205 lbs. blue liner has definitely shown the potential to put up assist points.

26-years old from Shrewsbury, MA you know he’ll fight for every inch.

He takes a moment, but will return to Glens Falls, NY to continue his game.

9th year defenseman Kevin Gravel(5) has got to be feeling the same way he did when he was a rookie with Manchester Monarchs making an unlikely AHL run to capture the 2015 Calder Cup trophy.

The now 31-year old is locked in with his team, Milwaukee Admirals in a Western Conference battle to head to the Finals.

He has contributed 1 goal and 2 assists in 9 games with a +4 rating.

The 6’4″ 203 lbs. blue liner is signed on a 2-year 2-way deal to Nashville Predators and skated 23 games with them this past season.

He has played 132 NHL games and 332 in the lower league.

Originally a Los Angeles Kings‘ 5th round pick in 2010 (#148 overall), he initially was on a minor league contract, when helping his team to the title, but quickly upped on a 2-year entry level deal heading into the next frame.

The St. Cloud State University Huskies‘ 4-year d-man exploded in his senior year with 10 goals, seemingly out of nowhere.

He’s got another year left on his current deal, so he should settle in nicely.

Playing super well as team captain for the affiliate, Admirals with great plus numbers, despite maybe not scoring huge points earns him 2 more seasons at nice little pay bump to stay.

Undrafted 4th year defenseman Hayden Shaw(82) takes 3 AHL contracts for Manitoba Moose and solid play in the ECHL for Trois-Riveries Lions last season, scoring 6 goals and 17 assists with a +5 in 33 games, then added another 5 points in 7 playoff contests to a 1-year deal with Nurnberg Ice Tigers of DEL for 2022/2023.

The 5’11” 194 lbs. blue liner is an accountable force, maintaining a +33 rating through 4 years at University Of North Dakota Fighting Hawks.

A Woodbury, MN native, the26-year old should do well in Germany’s top league.

In 46 games, he puts in 7 goals and 11 assists, which is good enough to secure him another year for the Ice Tigers.

He is liked in the town of Germany and signs up to stay through 2024/2025 and be an Ice Tigers.

3rd year center Nolan Vesey(11) is off to his best start with a pair of goals and an assist in 5 ECHL games with new contract club, Worcester Railers.

The North Reading, MA native sort came home to a degree, signing with the close to home team for 2021/2022.

A one-time Toronto Maple Leafs‘ 6th round pick in the 2014 draft (#158 overall), he was chosen after an exceptional one year of junior hockey for South Shore Kings USPHL Premiere team, and then went on to attend University Of Maine Black Bears for 4 seasons, but never signed.

He was three times a 10+ goals and 10+ assists player in Hockey East.

The 6′ 185 lbs., 26-year old forward seems to be a bit of an underachiever, considering his brother Jimmy is a full-time NHL skater.

After throwing in a career high by a long shot 12 goals and 28 assists with a +13 rating in 62 games as assistant captain last season and a 3-game loan up to Springfield Thunderbirds, he decides to stick around in central MA for a 2nd run.

He posts a career best 13 goals last season in the lower league, but his eyes are open for opportunities leading in his next stage and he maybe a tiny bit oddly late signs with DVTK Jegesmedvek of Erste Liga for the remainder of the frame.

Mercyhurst University Lakers‘ graduate, senior captain center Geoff Kitt(10) signs a 1st pro deal with Kansas City Mavericks for 2022/2023.

In his last year, he scored a college career best 9 assists and 12 points, which isn’t a lot, but we think the 6’3″ 198 lbs. forward will open up some space to score in the ECHL.

He was an almost point-per-game scorer in his 2nd and 3rd year of CCHL juniors for Carleton Place Canadians.

The 25-year old from Sioux Lookout, ON will be an interesting watch.

He did try something new signing with EV Duisburg of Germany3 and scored decently, but was hampered by an horrendous +/-.

So, the player who skated exactly 1 SPHL game on reassignment before agreeing with a couple Austrian leagues returns.

Tulsa Oilers think they can turn the big man into a scorer.

2nd year right wing Tyler Hinam(20) re-signs to stay with Maine Mariners for 2022/2023 after a decent successful rookie season, scoring 8 goals and 13 assists in 31 ECHL games with a +7 rating.

The Cole Harbour, NS native played 4 successful season with Rouyn-Noranda Huskies winning both the 2019 QMJHL and Memorial Cup Championships.

At 6’1″ 194 lbs., he’s a bit of a power forward.

For the next two seasons, while COVID loomed, he decided to attend Arcadia University Axemen, but only managed to skate 3 USports‘ games.

The 23-year old should see some loans up to the AHL in his future if he can continue scoring.

He did get loaned up to Belleville Senators for 4 games, scoring 1 assist.

For 2023/2024, he branches out and signs with Manchester Storm of the EIHL, where he should see his game reach new heights.

He has wracked up 12 goals and 13 assists in 29 games with a +3 and is a fan favorite to earn him a new deal to stay in Manch through 2025/2026.

Norfolk Admirals‘ 2nd year right wing Keaton Jameson(16) had a pretty decent rookie season for Utah Grizzlies, scoring 15 goals and 22 assists in the regular, then adding another 4 points through 6 games with a +4 rating in the playoffs.

He has 2 goals and 12 assists through 34 games this year.

The 6′ 190 lbs. forward did 3 years of MJHL junior hockey for Swan Valley Stampeders before heading to 4 at University Of Manitoba Bisons, where he was good for 10+ assists for the 3 sessions they skated.

From Brandon, MB, the 26-year old may have found a decent minor league landing spot.

Trois-Rivieres Lions‘ rookie left wing Maxim Trepanier(15) has 5 goals and 1 assist as 2023/2024 rolls in.

The 5’11” 190 lbs. forward took a bit of an interesting little journey before turning pro.

From St-Jean-sur-Richilieau, QC, he did 4 years in the QMJHL, leaving the Quebec development league in his 3rd season to start at the higher junior level.

He made the smart decision to continue his education as COVID was locking down society as we knew it and enrolled at Concordia University Stingers, where he stayed and score point-per-game stats for 3 years.

The 24-year old has hockey pro written all over him and we are sure he will gain scoring footing in the ECHL.

He actually decides to bolt and leaves for EliteHockey Ligaen signing with Storhamar for the remainder of the frame.

Canisius College Golden Griffins‘ transfer portal, graduate right wing Jake Witkowski(83) has made a good decision trading 4 seasons at Hockey East, Boston University Terriers for Atlantic Hockey.

in 6 games, he almost unbelievably has outpaced anything he did previously, as those became his first college tallies.

The 5’10” 180 lbs. forward played 4 years at Malden Catholic High, which was near to where he was born in Melrose, MA,

He would leave for a year at Avon Old Farms School, lighting it up for 13 goals and 27 assists in 27 games, then head off to the BCHL.

Signed for his only junior campaign with Alberni Valley Bulldogs, he continued to gain notice with 23 goals and 17 assists and agreed to head to his first school.

It will be interesting to see what the 25-year old ends up with and where he looks to take his hockey next.

He scores a college career best 5 goals and 6 assists in 32 games with a +6 rating and signs a rookie contract with Pensacola Ice Flyers just as the season starts.

In 2 SPHL games, he has an assist.

He will likely find room in this league to put the puck in the back of the net.

After 9 games last season, scoring 2 goals and 1 assist, he leaves for the 2nd tier league NIHL, signing with Leeds Knights and putting up a bundle of points, 46 (16-30) in 26 games.

He waits a tiny bit, but re-signs to head back to the small English town team for 2023/2024.