As the pace of NHL signings starts to slow down after a hectic start to free agency, there will start to be a higher number of minor signings as players look for AHL contracts or deals overseas. We’ll keep tabs on today’s moves like that here.
- Unrestricted free agent Zach Magwood has signed a one-year deal with HC Innsbruck in Austria, per a team announcement. The 23-year-old played in nine games with AHL Belleville last season after being acquired from Nashville but Ottawa declined to tender him a qualifying offer earlier this week.
- Quinton Howden’s international tour will continue. The 2010 first-round pick left North America in 2017, making stops in Belarus, Russia, and Sweden since then. Now he’s off to Germany as Kolner Haie of the DEL in Germany announced that they’ve signed the 29-year-old. He takes the place of former NHLer James Sheppard who requested and was granted his release.
- The Kings’ AHL affiliate in Ontario, California announced that they have signed a trio of players to minor-league deals in forwards Brett Kemp and Nikita Pavlychev plus goaltender John Lethemon. Kemp had 31 points in 23 games with WHL Medicine Hat in his overage junior season while Pavlychev made his pro debut last season, splitting time between AHL Syracuse (eight games) and ECHL Orlando (28 games). As for Lethemon, he was under contract with Ontario last season but didn’t play for them, instead suiting up in 25 games with ECHL Greenville.
- Turner Elson is returning to Grand Rapids of the AHL but not on an NHL contract this time around as the Griffins announced (Twitter link) that the 28-year-old has signed a minor-league deal. Elson, who had been on NHL two-way deals with Detroit since 2017, had 17 points in 31 games last season.
- Columbus inked a trio of players to AHL deals per an announcement from their affiliate in Cleveland. Forward Cole Cassels and defenseman Olivier LeBlanc each signed one-year deals while goaltender Jet Greaves inked a two-year pact. Cassels had 17 points in 31 games with AHL Belleville last season while Leblanc played a dozen contests with Belleville. As for Greaves, he didn’t play at all last year with the OHL being shut down but played in 60 career games with OHL Barrie, posting a 3.99 GAA with a SV% of .899.