Category: Minor League Deal

10Mar

Ben Pizzimenti (33)

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Rookie left wing Ben Pizzimenti(33) started his pro career with Columbus River Dragons, scoring 6 goals and 6 assists in 22 FPHL games with a +1 rating to get loaned up to Birmingham Bulls, where he notched 2 assists in 12 SPHL games.

The 6’2″ 194 lbs. forward was waived, but immediately grabbed by Macon Mayhem.

From Cedar Rapids, IA spent 3 years at Concordia University Wisconsin Falcons, but left after a junior season of little use.

The 24-year old will need to continue to play himself into spots for ice time.

After 2 games with no points, he is waived and returns to the lower league with Pee Dee Ice Cats.

09Mar

Luke Glendening (41)

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12th year defenseman Luke Glendening(41) signs a new 2-year NHL deal with Tampa Bay Lightning on the opening day of unrestricted free agency, so they had their eye on him to add to their organization.

The undrafted 5’11” 190 lbs. blue liner spent his 1st season under a minor league contract with his home town team Grand Rapids Griffins, where he would go on to win the 2013 Calder Cup trophy and ring up an impressive 16 points (6 goals, 10 assists) in 24 playoff games to gain notice of the parent club Detroit Red Wings, who would give him a simple 1-year entry level deal.

He even skated 27 ECHL for Toledo Walleye in his rookie season.

By his 2nd session though, the twice captain as junior and senior at University Of Michigan Wolverines was appearing in 56 games and even 5 through the playoffs, scoring a goal to earn his next 3-year 1-way deal.

The 34-year old has done well and is still having a blast doing it.

He scores a 4th season of 10+ goals in his 1st frame with the new team and twice plays almost an entire schedule of games.

For 2025/2026, he looks to activate with a new team and signs a pto during training camp that turns into a 1-year deal with New Jersey Devils.

In 38 games, he has 3 assists as a 36-year old out there.

After 52 games, he is maybe not gelling with his new team as was thought, so gets waived and picked up immediately at least for the short term by Philadelphia Flyers.

09Mar

Jack Pascucci (28)

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University Of Connecticut Huskies‘ junior defenseman Jack Pascucci(28) enters the transfer portal after maybe a slack 10 games played to skate at Canisius College Golden Griffins as a senior.

The 6’2″ 194 lbs. blue liner from Andover, MA skated Boston Jr. Bruins before 1 USHL junior season prior to college.

He will likely excel much better in Atlantic Hockey.

After a college career high 6 assists scoring, he turns pro as tournament play concludes and signs a deal with Norfolk Admirals to bring his frame to them.

09Mar

Jack Adams (90)

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South Carolina Stingrays‘ 2nd year center Jack Adams(24) arrived at the ECHL and did something he didn’t do with the clarity he was doing at college, scoring big.

The 6’6″ 209 lbs. forward scored 27 goals and 35 assists in 71 games.

His best scoring at University Of Notre Dame Fighting Irish came as a senior with 7 goals and 10 assists in his junior year.

The Boxford, MA native also did 3 years at Union College Dutchmen and 1 with Providence College Friars, but played little games at both.

There is little doubt the 27-year old is emerging.

For 2024/2025, he decides to head to the new team in the league and signs with Bloomington Bison and should explode the stat sheet again.

Not even a few days with his new team (we’re not sure he reported) and he gets scooped up by Orlando Solar Bears, who want his stick in their lineup.

He works well in their lineup to the tune of 15 goals and 29 assists through 61 games, then added another 6 points (1-5) in 11 playoff matchups with a +4 rating.

For 2025/2026, the Solar Bears want him back in the lineup.

He is once again scoring at pretty much the same clip as he did just a season ago, but his +/- is garbage, so Idaho Steelheads work a double deal to pull him into their lineup, where he will do even better.

07Mar

Chase McLane (12)

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Adirondack Thunder rookie center Chase McLane(12) has a nice 4 goals and 10 assists with a +7 rating on a good ECHL team.

The 6’2″ 201 lbs. forward did a graduate frame at Colorado College Tigers before turning pro.

From Trenton, MI, he did 3 frames of USHL juniors with Tri-City Storm prior to heading to college.

His first school, Penn State University Nittany Lions didn’t see him score quite as well as he had been able to through juniors.

The 25-year old, former 7th round Nashville Predators‘ 2020 pick (#209 overall) should continue to do well as he settles.

06Mar

Odeen Tufto(26)

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After a four-year career at Quinnipiac University, finishing with a 2020/2021 season NCAA Division 1 best 39 assists, center Odeen Tufto(26) signs a 1-year entry level deal as an unrestricted free agent with Tampa Bay Lightning and will report to affiliate Syracuse Crunch to see if he can add to that helpers stat.

The small 5’7″ 175 lbs. forward has always connected with the scoresheet in college play, 3 times with 30+ assists and 40+ points.

A Minnesota-native he spent a year in the BCHL before heading back “home” to join the USHL and skated with three different club s in a campaign before heading off to school.

He’s small but we have a feeling he will find his space to grab numbers.

Mostly shipped as a rookie to ECHL affiliate Orlando Solar Bears, where he was close to point-per-game player.

In 2022/2023, he was signed by Tuscon Roadrunners, but played 13 games with Atlanta Gladiators before heading to DEL2, signing with Krefeld Pinguin, getting 15 points in 12 games, then 11 in 12 through the playoffs.

He’ll return in 2023/2024, agreeing to terms with Iowa Heartlanders.

Through 29 games, he managed 3 goals and 19 assists, but isn’t great with his plus/minus and maybe gets a little bored, looking elsewhere and signs with EHC Olten of the tier 2 Swiss League, SL.

He will return for 2024/2025 after a successful little run through Switzerland’s hockey and signs with Fort Wayne Komets.

A point-per-game player again during regular season, he returns for 2025/2026 and scores 3 goals and 2 assists in 5 games, but decides to head back to DEL2 and signs with Ravensburg Towerstars.

With 8 goals and 17 assists in 25 games, including a nice +12 rating, he is asked to return for 2026/2027 as a Towerstars.

06Mar

John Woernle (7)

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Assumption University Greyhounds‘ senior defenseman John Woernle(7) had a best 3 goals and 2nd 16 assists in his final frame that he took to a 1st pro deal with Evansville Thunderbolts for his rookie season, 2025/2026.

In 13 games, the 6’1″ 185 lbs. blue liner has 3 assists with a -2 rating.

He scored 22 assists as a junior.

From Wellesley, MA, the 25-year old did 2 productive EHL years with New England Wolves that he worked up from EHLP.

With 4 assists in 32 SPHL games, he gets traded to Fayettesville Marksmen, who look to use his size maybe a little more effectively.

06Mar

Logan Dapprich (7)

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Castleton University Spartans‘ senior defenseman Logan Dapprich(7) looks to set college high scoring this season with 1 goal and 8 assists puts him on 1 tally away from tying previous bests.

The 6’2″ 181 lbs. blue liner did 2 years juniors before committing to Rivier University Raiders as a freshman.

From Amherst, MA, the 24-year old should continue to do well.

He scores 6 goals and 13 assists in 26 games last season, all college bests and signs a 1st pro contract, a pto with Birmingham Bulls of the SPHL.

05Mar

Neil Shea (27)

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Undrafted, junior left wing Neil Shea(27) has played most of his hockey relatively close to home (Marshfield, MA), but after two underperforming seasons at Northeastern University Huskies, he’s branching out to leave for well, Connecticut, joining Sacred Heart University Pioneers in 2021/2022.

He was a prolific scorer when he committed to college in his 1st year at Lawrence Academy, then took it up a notch in his senior season with 24 goals and 34 assists in 32 USHS-Prep games before taking up with draft club, Cedar Rapids RoughRiders for 11 USHL games (1 goal, 2 assists).

The 6’1″ 205 lbs. forward was once again selected and skated his only full season of juniors for Chicago Steel, scoring 15 goals and 28 assists.

It’s possible the switch to Atlantic Hockey style play will connect with the 22-year old’s ability to amass points.

The Massachusetts’ native has scored big with his switch of schools, amassing decent scoring with 4 goals and 10 assists, blowing away his previous college marks, in 20 NCAA Division 1 games.

He finishes up a 2nd season at his new school with a new college best 14 goals and signs a 1st contract, an ato with Chicago Wolves to test the waters.

No doubt, he will have to step up his game to score in the AHL.

He gets a 1st goal in the league and adds 1 assist in 6 games with a +3 rating as a newly turned pro.

For 2023/2024, Toronto Marlies are liking what they see and sign him to a 1-year minor league deal as an official rookie.

He actually skates 64 ECHL games for affiliate Newfoundland Growlers, scoring 18 goals and 19 assists, but is moving on and signs with Colorado Eagles for 2024/2025.

In 8 contests, he scores 1 goal and 2 assists, but on reassignment to affiliate Utah Grizzlies popped 19 goals and 20 assists in 36 games to earn another year to wear an Eagles‘ jersey more often than not.

We are a little unsure of the detail of him leaving to sign with Greenville Swamp Rabbits, but that is where he shows up under a new contract and should help them on the scoresheet.

04Mar

Janis Jaks (72)

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4th year Latvian-born defenseman Janis Jaks(72) signs on for a 2nd season to stay with HC Litvinov of Czechia Extraliga for 2023/2024.

The 6’1″ 190 lbs. blue liner played a lot of his youth hockey and beginnings of juniors before coming over to the NAHL  with Minnesota Wilderness, where he was twice a +10 player fully grounded in his own zone and helped his team with the 2015 Robertson Cup.

After spending 4 fairly strong sessions at American International College Yellowjackets, he signed with Dinamo Riga, but after 17 KHL games, the relationship soured and he agreed next to Bakersfield Condors and things were looking decent with  2 goals and 4 assists in 20 AHL games with a +3 rating.

He would return to Russia to skate for HK Sochi, but the results didn’t yield much, so he turned his attention to where he is now with much better results, 8 goals, 17 assists in 47 games with a +3 rating to move forward.

The 27-year old has to have at least a little smile on his face to how things are going, especially after winning Bronze at the recent IIHF Worlds.

After 2 strong seasons with the same team, he was in a pretty good spot for himself, but decides to sign with rivals, HC Energie Karlovy Vary.

He apparently has found a good spot in Vary and re-signs for his 3rd upcoming season, 2026/2027.