After many successful seasons in the AHL, Andrew MacWilliam will test himself overseas—at least for a little while. The veteran minor league defenseman has signed a tryout contract with Red Bull Munchen of the DEL that will allow him to compete with them through December 13. The deal does have an option to extend further, but depending on when NHL/AHL training camps get underway MacWilliam might want to come back to compete for a job in North America.
The 30-year-old defenseman does have some experience at the NHL level, playing 12 games for the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2014-15. He hasn’t gotten back to that level since, instead playing for the Manitoba Moose, Albany Devils, and Rochester Americans in the five seasons since. Last year, he posted eight points in 41 games for the Americans while wearing an “A” as an alternate captain, but is not yet signed for the 2020-21 season.
There’s no doubt that an AHL team could benefit from bringing in the experience and leadership of MacWilliam, but with so much uncertainty still surrounding the upcoming minor league season, taking your chances overseas may be a prudent business decision. Not to mention MacWilliam will be joining teammate and defense partner Zach Redmond, who signed with the team earlier this year. Redmond was also an alternate with Rochester the past few seasons and should make MacWilliam feel right at home.
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