Category: Minor League Deal

11Sep

Garrett Metcalf (39)

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Undrafted rookie net minder Garrett Metcalf(39) originally signed on with Knoxville Ice Bears to start his pro career in the SPHL, but within a week off that occurring his home town Utah Grizzlies had a better offer ready.

After graduating from his third school on record, Long Island University Sharks, he would go 4-4 in his first ECHL stint with a 2.33 GAA and .915 SV%.

These stats proved good enough for them to offer the 6’4″ 195 lbs., former Anaheim Ducks‘ 6th round pick in the 2015 draft (#179 overall), now unrestricted free agent a 1-year deal to return to the crease.

The 25-year old 1st commit to UMASS-Lowell Riverhawks for only 1 year of little usage before pushing off to Mercyhurst University Lakers for 2 for the Salt Lake City, NV native, who will definitely help his team win games.

After going 2-2-1 for his new club with an outstanding 1.84 GAA and .932 SV%, he gets the nod from Lehigh Valley Phantoms and in his AHL debut gets a 2-1 win in overtime with 25 saves, posting a 0.99 GAA and .962 SV%.

He will return to Maverik Center his home state again for 2022/2023, the team he’s spent most of his time with since graduating college.

It will be little surprise to see him compete for the starter’s job.

For 2023/2024, the parent club of the team he spent most of last session with Colorado Eagles sign him to a contract.

He would head back to Utah to start the current frame, but through 4 games it is determined he should have dual hip replacement surgery (we can’t even imagine), so that will wrap up a very short-lived career, but what he turns it into next will be something to watch.

Looks like he is heading back to LIU Sharks and will jump behind the bench as an assistant coach, starting 2024/2025.

10Sep

Cole Gallant (9)

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Western Michigan University Broncos‘ graduate right wing Cole Gallant(8) takes a college best 18 assists in 39 games to a 1st pro deal with Trois-Rivieres Lions.

In 7 ECHL games, he has 2 goals and 2 assists on a non-playoff team.

The 5’10” 190 lbs. forward scored lots of assists (37) in his 2nd season of USHL juniors for Omaha Lancers and twice popped 15 goals.

From Surrey, BC, the 25-year old appears ready to go.

For 2023/2024, he is actually moved in a trade that sees him heading to Utah Grizzlies, which should turn out just about perfectly for him is how we’re seeing it.

He scores 12 goals and 35 assists in 68 games, but needs to clean up that +/- and will get another chance with a 2nd season for the Grizzlies agreed upon for 2024/2025.

10Sep

Braeden Tuck (23)

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Sacred Heart University Pioneers‘ 3-time captain, graduate right wing Braeden Tuck(23) signs with Norfolk Admirals for his rookie frame, 2024/2025.

He scored best as a junior with 12 goals and 15 assists in 28 games.

The 6’1″ 170 lbs. forward played 3 seasons of BCHL junior hockey, all with Trail Smoke Eaters and scored very well in his final 2 sessions.

From Osoyoos, BC, we expect the 26-year old to connect in the ECHL.

09Sep

Marshall Rifai (83)

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Toronto Marlies‘ rookie defenseman Marshall Rifai(83) has an assist in his first 2 AHL games with a +2 rating.

He scored a college career best 5 goals and 8 assists as a senior last season for Harvard University Crimson in 35 NCAA Division 1  games with a +23 rating.

The 6’1″ 190 lbs. blue liner came here fairly quickly from Beaconsfield, QC to attend Hotschkiss School USHS-Prep, then did 1 USHL season before heading to school.

At 24-years old, he’s definitely ready to get started.

He scores 4 goals and 12 assists in 69 games last season with a +3 rating to earn a 2-year deal with parent club Toronto Maple Leafs to continue under their watchful eye.

Through 34 games, he has 2 goals and 9 assists with a +15 rating to earn himself a recall and a 1st NHL game.

He skates 19 shifts for 11:33 ice time with 1 shot on net, 1 hit and 1 block in a big 4-2 win.

Appearing in 57 games last season, he scores 2 goals and a new best 17 assists with a +14 rating, then pops in 3 goals and 1 assist in 3 playoff games.

It’s easy to see him get a new 2-year deal to stick with the Leafs.

05Sep

Trevor Mingoia (11)

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8th year right wing Trevor Mingoia(11) has bounced through a pair of leagues he’d previously skated, but arrives in a new place for the remainder of 2023/2024 with Valerenga of EliteHockey Ligaen.

Judging by some off ice going ons, he may have been wooed by a good deal, but looks a bit settled back at his 1st team overseas Vasteras IK HockeyAllsvenskan.

The 5’11” 185 lbs. forward played only 2 years ECHL and AHL before leaving.

From Fairport, NY, the 32-year old started at Union College, but left for Providence College Friars as a sophomore.

He may be settling in Sweden quite nicely.

After 6 seasons lighting up the scoreboard overseas, he has decided to return and sign with South Carolina Stingrays for 2024/2025.

02Sep

Graham McPhee (27)

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Edmonton Oilers‘ 6th round pick in the 2016 draft (#149 overall) left wing Graham McPhee(27) signed a minor league contract with affiliate Bakersfield Condors to start his rookie season.

He originally left to start overseas with Vienna Capitals of the ICEHL, where he played 21 games scoring 2 goals and 3 assists with a +1 rating.

The seems bigger than 6′ 189 lbs. forward started as the AHL 2021 began but was only able to break what was a tough lineup to crack in hunt of a playoff berth for 3 games (no points).

Although he has never been the biggest scorer through two years of juniors with the USNTDP and four years at Boston College Eagles, where his best effort was as a sophomore tallying 12 goals and 12 helpers in 36 NCAA Hockey East games.

It seems like the still super young 22-year old, kid of Vegas Golden Knights’ President Of Hockey Operations, George McPhee, is looking for a breakout moment that seems to be right on the edge of happening.

The recently turned 23-year old re-signs to stay in Southern California and in the system of the team he was selected by.

In a new best 5 games, he doesn’t have any points, but it really seems like once he can strike, he will continue to, but needs that breakthrough.

He would finish 2021/2022 with 5 goals and 6 assists in 33 games with a +5 rating to earn an invite to return to the CA team.

As we near the almost end point and trade deadline for 2023, he seem to just be floundering where he was, so gets dealt to Belleville Senators, where he will need a new deal at the end of the year, but looks to be wanted.

After 14 games, recording only 1 assist, the Senators think he can contribute, so bring him back for the full 2023/2024 session.

He isn’t exactly putting up points in the league, but when was assigned to the ECHL for 3 games, had 3 assists.

For 2024/2025, he signs with Savannah Ghost Pirates to see he can activate his game.

01Sep

Matt Donovan (46)

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12th year defenseman Matt Donovan(46) will for a 3rd time take his game overseas, but this time signs for 2022/2023 with Adler Mannheim of DEL.

He twice played for SHL teams, Frölunda HC and HV71.

The former 2-year University Of Denver Pioneers‘ d-man was a New York Islanders‘ 4th round pick in the 2008 draft (#96 overall) and was in that system to start his pro career for 4 seasons.

At 6’1″ 205 lbs., he has skated 69 NHL games.

The 32-year old from of all places, Edmond, OK is likely happy to be still playing at a good level.

He actually does fairly well in German’s top league, scoring 8 goals and 15 assists with a +7 rating in 47 games, then added another 8 helpers in 12 playoff matchups.

For 2023/2024, he decides to come on and sign an AHL deal with Chicago Wolves, which makes a lot of sense.

He records 39 assists in 69 games and that will do it: 69 games in the big league, 524 in the lower league with 232 assists to his credit, 13 years of pro hockey and very quickly Nashville Predators sign him up to be an assistant coach with a team he spent 3 years with, affiliate Milwaukee Admirals.

Smart move.

30Aug

Colin Felix (26)

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University Of Massachusetts‘ senior defenseman Colin Felix(26) signs with Lehigh Valley Phantoms to start his pro career at the AHL level.

He would leave school a 3-time Hockey East Champ and 2021 NCAA Division 1 title too.

The 6’1″ 203 lbs. blue liner was a +27 player in college, so has good accountability.

He played a pair of junior seasons, first in the NAHL, then was drafted, ended up with Madison Capitals and somehow exploded for 8 goals and 19 assists in 56 USHL games.

The 23-year old from nearby Camden, NJ will likely find success in the league and will score another look in Philadelphia Flyers‘ camp.

Unfortunately he wasn’t even given a look at the higher level and reassigned to affiliate Reading Royals, where he spent all of last season scoring 8 goals and 19 assists, putting up a mammoth +29 rating, then adding another 2 points in 11 playoff matchups.

For 2023/2024 Utica Comets saw something they like and step in to sign him.

He is mostly dispatched to affiliate Adirondack Thunder and does well enough to grab a 2024/2025 look with a 1-year contract from Rockford IceHogs.

30Aug

Nolan Welsh (17)

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Long Island University Sharks‘ senior right wing Nolan Welsh(17) signs a 1st pro deal after wrapping up the team’s independent schedule.

The 6′ 185 lbs. forward inks with Savannah Ghost Pirates of the ECHL.

He wasn’t exactly the biggest scorer through 4 college years, getting a best 12 assists as a junior and six goals his senior frame.

The Burnaby, BC native played 4 BCHL junior seasons before school.

At 24-years old, he is likely ready for that next step.

For his rookie season, he signs with Reading Royals 2024/2025 and should score much like he did in juniors.

30Aug

Carson Gicewicz (15)

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UMass Minutemen undrafted center Carson Gicewicz(15) missed most of 2019/2020, as he was readying to skate his fourth campaign at St. Lawrence University Saints, so he decided to take his extra year of eligibility for another season and enter the transfer portal, which saw him show up in western MA.

It was a great decision as he simply burst on the score sheet with his new club, striking for new highs 17 goals (a team best) and 24 points with a +8 rating.

The very decently sized forward 6’3″ 212 lbs. also won himself a piece on a 2021 NCAA National Championship.

With his new hardware and heightened profile, he signs a first pro contract with Rockford IceHogs of the AHL that will extend through the 2022/2023 campaign.

We think the huge question that will need to get answered is will the 24-year old play himself onto the radar of the parent club, Chicago Blackhawks to score himself an NHL contract.

After over 100 games in the midwest, he is dealt to Rochester Americans at the deadline to finish up last season there.

For 2023/2024, Milwaukee Admirals, who had their own deep playoff push last round, see something in the big frame they can use.

He gets reassigned to Atlanta Gladiators for most of last frame, despite doing decently for the contract club.

In 43 ECHL games, he scores 6 goals and 21 assists, but will next play his game for Florida Everblades in 2024/2025.