Minor Transactions: 08/25/23
The following is a list of notable minor-league and overseas transactions for August 25, 2023:
- Former Pittsburgh Penguins forward Adam Johnson has signed a one-year deal with the EIHL’s Nottingham Panthers, according to a team release. Johnson, 29, heads to Britain after spending last season in Germany with the DEL’s Augsburger Panther. There, he tied for fifth in team scoring with seven goals and 15 assists for 22 points in 45 games. An undrafted free agent signing out of the University of Minnesota-Duluth in 2017, Johnson recorded four points in 13 games with Pittsburgh from 2018 to 2020. He last suited up in North America in the AHL in 2021-22, splitting the season between the Ontario Reign and the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
- The ECHL’s Cincinnati Cyclones have signed OHL standout James Hardie to a one-year contract extension, per a team announcement. Hardie, 21, suited up in two regular-season games and ten playoff games for the Cyclones to conclude last season after finishing his major junior career as captain of the Mississauga Steelheads. After clocking over a point-per-game over the past three seasons with Mississauga, it’s admittedly surprising Hardie wasn’t able to secure an AHL contract, but perhaps a lackluster playoff performance in Cincinnati (just a goal and an assist) hurt his ability to land a contract in North America’s second-highest pro tier. Instead, he’ll again suit up for the new ECHL affiliate of the New York Rangers, hoping to work his way up the pro ladder.
This page will be updated throughout the day.
Winnipeg Jets Announce ECHL Affiliation With Norfolk Admirals
The Winnipeg Jets have signed a new affiliation agreement with the Norfolk Admirals of the ECHL for the 2023-24 season, according to a team release.
Winnipeg hasn’t had a full-time ECHL affiliate since the 2020-21 season, the last of a four-year partnership with the Jacksonville Icemen. The last two seasons were their first without an ECHL affiliate since the franchise’s inaugural season in Winnipeg in 2011-12.
The Admirals had spent the last two seasons affiliated with the Carolina Hurricanes and the AHL’s Chicago Wolves. The agreement ended this summer, with the Wolves franchise choosing to operate independently of an NHL parent club.
This Norfolk franchise is not the same one some hockey fans will remember from the 2000s and early 2010s. That team played in the AHL from 2000 to 2015, after which they relocated to San Diego to become the Gulls, the current top affiliate of the Anaheim Ducks. The current iteration of the Admirals began in 2015, relocating from Bakersfield to continue playing in the ECHL.
It’s been an extremely tough stretch for the Admirals since relocating, however. They’ve finished well below the .500 mark every season since their inception and are still looking for their first playoff appearance.
They haven’t even cracked the 30-win mark since their inaugural 2015-16 season, but that’s something the Admirals are hoping to change by signing on with the Jets. Admirals general manager and head coach Jeff Carr gave the following statement:
Last year, our organization made a concerted, positive transformation to our on and off-ice product that our incredible city and fanbase has been desperate for. This affiliation helps us build a solid base as we continue to ascend in our new culture. Winnipeg’s dedication to winning and development is no secret in the hockey world. With the depth that Winnipeg has and their view on development, they’re going to be very involved with our roster. We both felt joining forces together with the goals of character, winning, and development outweighed any obstacle of geographical distance.
It certainly will be a haul for any player shuttling between Norfolk and the AHL’s Manitoba Moose. The cities of Winnipeg and Norfolk are separated by a straight-line distance of 1,375 miles and separated by an indirect commercial flight of at least five hours. While most NHL teams have brought their AHL affiliates closer to home over the past decade, it’s still somewhat common for ECHL affiliates to be more than halfway across the continent from their NHL (or AHL) parents.
One player in the Jets organization set to be impacted considerably by this move is goalie prospect Thomas Milic, The Athletic’s Murat Ates notes. Winnipeg’s fifth-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft is set to return to his final season of major junior hockey with the WHL’s Seattle Thunderbirds in 2023-24 but is a likely candidate for a starting role in the ECHL when he does turn pro. The 20-year-old netminder earned his draft selection after being passed over twice, thanks to winning a gold medal with Canada at the World Juniors and a WHL championship with Seattle last season.
New York Rangers Add To Hockey Operations Department
This morning, the General Manager of the New York Rangers, Chris Drury, announced several promotions and hires to the team’s hockey operations department. The totality of the announcement is as follows:
- Ryane Clowe has been promoted to Co-Senior Advisor to President and General Manager
- Angela Ruggiero has been hired as a Hockey Operations Advisor
- Christian Hmura has been hired as a Skills and Performance Development Coach
- Mark Ciacco has been named Prospect Development Skills Coach
- Paul Mara has been hired as a Player Development Assistant
- Andy Hosler has been named Head Athletic Trainer
- Brandon Rodgers has been named Senior Sports Therapist
- Kayla McAvoy has been hired as an Assistant Sports Scientist
- Kathryn Yates has been hired as a Manager of Performance Data Insights
Jumping off the page, the most notable promotion and hire are represented by the top two announcements. Clowe is now in his third season with the Rangers organization, who had previously been serving as a Hockey Operations Advisor since 2022. Aside from spending 10 seasons in the NHL for the San Jose Sharks, New Jersey Devils, and Rangers, Clowe spent two seasons as an Assistant Coach for the Devils, before spending just under one season as the Head Coach of the Newfoundland Growlers of the ECHL.
Ruggiero, on the other hand, will begin her first position for a team in the National Hockey League. She is best known for her time spent with the United States Women’s Ice Hockey Olympic team, helping the team win their first gold medal in the 1998 Winter Olympics. She would go on to win two silver medals in 2002 and 2010, while acquiring a bronze medal in the 2006 Winter Olympics. A member of both the Hockey Fall of Fame, and the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame, Ruggiero will replace Clowe in her new role with New York.
Jay O’Brien Signs AHL Contract With Toronto
9:36 AM: The Marlies have made the signing official, per a team announcement.
9:32 AM: Without an official announcement coming from the team up to this point, Adam Kimelman of the NHL is reporting that former top prospect of the Philadelphia Flyers, Jay O’Brien, has signed a one-year contract with the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League. Less than a week ago, the Marlies also added another intriguing prospect, Robert Mastrosimone, to a similar contract.
Much like Mastrosimone, given his skill set, O’Brien has a legitimate chance to earn his way to an NHL contract off of this deal. Originally drafted 19th overall by the Flyers in the 2018 NHL Draft, O’Brien went off for 43 goals and 37 assists in 30 high school games in his draft year.
Unfortunately for O’Brien and Philadelphia, the beginning of his college career did not bode well for his future with the club. Originally committing to Providence College out of high school, O’Brien would only score two goals and three assists in 25 games during his freshman year.
Taking a bridge year during the 2019-20 season in the BCHL, O’Brien would re-enter the NCAA a year later, transferring to Boston University to finish off his college career. In 79 total games for the Terriers, O’Brien scored 26 goals and 44 assists, showing some serious improvement compared to his freshman year.
Still being a bit undersized at 5’11” at the center position, O’Brien will join a Marlies team coming off a very strong season in 2022-23. Last year, the Marlies finished with a 42-24-4-2 record, clinching the league’s North Division. In all likelihood, O’Brien will transition to the wing at some point this season, but should get his AHL career off to a winning start.
Projecting Sidney Crosby’s Next Contract
With Auston Matthews’ recent signing to a record-breaking contract, speculation has already started to ramp up as far as other soon-to-be elite free agents. While it is far too early for a lot of the chatter, it’s fair to wonder what kind of money these elite free agents will command when they come up for new deals. Connor McDavid was asked recently about it, and it is exactly what Dan Kingerski writes about in Pittsburgh Hockey Now. Kingerski wonders what type of contract Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby will get when his contract ends in two years. The comparison isn’t a great one given that Matthews and Crosby are in wildly different places in their respective careers, however, it is a fair question to ask given that Crosby is still playing at an elite level despite being 36 years old, and he will be eligible for an extension in less than a year.
Crosby is entering the 11th season of a 12-year deal he signed back in 2013. At the time, the Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia native’s $8.7MM cap hit was a considerable discount to give the Penguins. It allowed the team to have the cap space to surround him with elite talent. It was also a huge risk from the Penguins’ perspective given that Crosby was coming off multiple concussions, including one that put him out of action for nearly a year. But the Penguins made the move, which paid off in spades as the team captured Stanley Cups in 2016 and 2017.
Crosby has given the Penguins a discount on every extension he has signed thus far in his career with both of his extensions coming with that $8.7MM cap hit. It has set the tone for Pittsburgh and allowed the Penguins to keep many of their stars under below-market contracts. For Crosby, he was always a team player but was also able to make nearly as much money off the ice as he did on it.
Pittsburgh fans and media have speculated about Crosby’s future since well before Matthews signed his extension and will likely continue to do so right up until he signs his next contract. But what might that look like?
It’s tough to project where Crosby’s game will be in two seasons, Crosby will be 38 years old by the time his next contract begins, however, NHL.com is projecting that Crosby will increase his point totals next season. Sid the Kid had 33 goals and 60 assists last season in 82 games and it’s hard to imagine him topping that at 36-years-old. But that is exactly what NHL.com is projecting he will do as they are predicting he will put up 102 points next season.
Whether or not Crosby hits that number is likely inconsequential when it comes to contract talks with the face of the Penguins franchise. Crosby has remained loyal to Pittsburgh and the Fenway Sports Group has remained steadfast in their desire to have Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang retire as Pittsburgh Penguins as evidenced by the long-term deals they gave Malkin and Letang.
Josh Yohe of The Athletic has said in the past that he believes Crosby wants to play until he’s around 40, which could make a two-year extension make sense. Under normal circumstances, a rising cap would lead a superstar like Crosby to ask for north of $10MM annually on an extension. However, given the past two extensions Sid has signed with Pittsburgh, Kingerski throws out an interesting number, $8.7MM per year.
Free Agent Profile: Zack Kassian
Zack Kassian had one of the lowest-scoring seasons we’ve seen in quite some time as he put up just two goals last season in 51 games with the Arizona Coyotes. This prompted Arizona to buy out the 32-year-old forward prior to free agency in a move that made sense, given the lack of production from the former 13th overall pick. Kassian lasted just a single season in the desert and never really seemed comfortable playing on a very bad Coyotes team.
This is Kassian’s first crack at free agency and unfortunately for him he is coming off a season in which he posted career lows in many statistical categories. As mentioned earlier, he had just two points on the season, and posted a -18. His hitting was way down, which is one of the facets of the game he typically excels in. Kassian threw just 32 hits in 51 games last season, a dramatic drop from the 158 he threw the year prior with the Edmonton Oilers in 58 games. It’s not uncommon for physical players to see a decline in their 30’s, but the decline generally isn’t that steep.
Kassian deserves a ton of credit for battling several off-ice issues and resurrecting his career when it looked like it could be in trouble. At one point in 2015 Kassian bounced from Vancouver to Montreal to Edmonton in less than six months and looked like he could be out of the league. But, to his credit, he turned it around and even managed to post career highs in 2019-20 when he potted 15 goals to go along with 19 assists in 59 games. This run of good play prompted the Oilers to sign Kassian to a four-year contract extension in January 2020 worth $3.2MM annually. Unfortunately for the club and the player, Kassian struggled through the pandemic shortened 2020-21 season and hasn’t regained his footing ever since. Over the past three seasons combined Kassian has posted just 10 goals and 16 assists in 136 games, a drastic decline from his 2019-2020 numbers. The other issue that will work against Kassian is that he is strictly a 5 on 5 player. He has never been a regular contributor on the power play and hasn’t been a regular part of a penalty kill since 2018-19.
In a normal cap world, Kassian would have played out the final season of his contract with a salary that is well below his cap hit but given how poor his play was Arizona opted to move on and spread out that cost over two seasons.
Despite his struggles last season, it is still likely that Kassian will get an opportunity when training camps open in a few weeks. Teams are always looking for physical players, especially ones who can take a regular shift and will play under a reduced cap hit. Kassian checks all those boxes, which is a good indication that someone will give the Windsor, Ontario native a look to see if he still has anything to offer.
Stats
2022-23: 51 GP, 2-0-0, -18 rating, 50 PIMS, 25 shots, 37.5% faceoffs, 38.4% CF, 9:09 ATOI
Career: 661 GP, 92-111-203, -55 rating, 913 PIMS, 798 shots, 31.0% faceoffs, 48.2% CF, 12:37 ATOI
Potential Suitors
Kassian is still chasing hockey’s ultimate prize, the Stanley Cup. And after spending a dozen years in the league, he would probably prefer to spend his time chasing a championship with a Stanley Cup contender. However, given his status as a fringe NHLer at the moment, he likely won’t have the opportunity to be choosey. That doesn’t mean he won’t have a suitor, but it could mean that he would be playing on a weaker team, or a team that has a borderline chance of making the playoffs. But anything can happen, and even players that are past their best before date can catch on with good teams when it is least expected.
Let’s start out West in Edmonton. Kassian found his game almost eight years ago when it looked like his career was hanging on by a thread. It was there that he turned his intensity and physicality into effective NHL minutes on a team that was competitive for most of his run there. Kassian brought an edge that the Oilers severely lacked and gave them an option that they could plug almost anywhere in their lineup. But that was then, and this is now, and Kassian isn’t that player anymore. His body has broken down, as per normal with physical players when they hit the wrong side of 30. But Kassian could still help Edmonton, and it feels like the Oilers are always looking for bodies up front. Kassian couldn’t play in Edmonton’s top-9, but he could be a could fill-in for their fourth line if they aren’t able to find help between now and the start of the regular season.
Sticking with the West, the Colorado Avalanche were riddled with injuries last season. So much so that it looked like they might miss the playoffs entirely, however, a late-season rally secured their spot in the round of 16. But it was there that they were physically dominated by the Seattle Kraken and ousted in an exhilarating seventh game. The Avalanche were one of the lightest-hitting teams in the NHL last season, which on the surface isn’t the big of a deal given how skilled they are. However, the regular season and the playoffs are two different things and Colorado didn’t have an answer for Seattle in the postseason and really missed some of the grit they lost when Nazim Kadri departed last summer. Now, Zack Kassian is far from the answer to that problem, but he can offer Colorado something that is in short supply in their group, and it wouldn’t cost them more than a contract slot and a league minimum contract.
Finally, in the East, one team that could use a depth physical forward is the Buffalo Sabres. Coincidently, the team that took Kassian in the first round of the NHL entry draft some 14 years ago. The Sabres have a competent fourth line at the moment with Tyson Jost centering Kyle Okposo and Zemgus Girgensons, but injuries happen (see Jack Quinn), and Kassian could provide insurance to their Sabres if they were to lose any additional depth up front. The Sabres were also a team that didn’t throw the body around all that often-last year and with the talent that they have up front, they could likely place Kassian into a role that wouldn’t overextend him and could allow him to perhaps resurrect his career once again.
Projected Contract
Kassian enters free agency at a time when his free agent stock is very damaged. And while he has his shortcomings, he still offers a rare combination of physicality mixed with a bit of skill and could find success when he is sheltered in the right situation.
At this point in his career Kassian would be lucky to get a one-way contract for the league minimum of $775K. The most likely outcome for him will be a PTO with a team that is looking to add a 13th forward that offers some sandpaper and can chip in on the fourth line when a regular falls out of the lineup. A role like that would allow Kassian to play to his strengths and would offer longer windows of recovery for an aging player who has been banged up from years of throwing his body around with reckless abandon.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
St. Louis Blues Sign Isaac Ratcliffe To PTO
The St. Louis Blues have announced the signing of forward Isaac Ratcliffe to a professional tryout agreement for the preseason. Bally Sports Midwest’s Andy Strickland reports that there “could still be another” PTO signing coming for the team as they prepare for training camp.
In July, the AHL’s Chicago Wolves announced they’d signed Ratcliffe to an AHL contract for the 2023-24 season. Ratcliffe’s first priority will now be to make the Blues’ roster out of camp and earn a spot in the NHL, though AHL Chicago could very well end up his 2023-24 team should he fall short in that pursuit.
In Ratcliffe, the Blues are rolling the dice on a former highly-drafted prospect whose professional career has not to this point lined up with many scout’s projections.
Way back when he was a prospect for the 2017 draft, many scouts were intrigued by Ratcliffe’s imposing six-foot-six frame and coveted combination of size and goal-scoring ability.
He was ranked 15th among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting and was ultimately drafted near the top of the second round by the Philadelphia Flyers, 35th overall. Although Ratcliffe had slipped out of the first round, the Flyers ended up trading their own second-round pick, a third-rounder, and a fourth-rounder in order to move up nine spots in the draft order to be able to select Ratcliffe, highlighting just how highly Ratcliffe was viewed by some NHL evaluators.
Ratcliffe then proceeded to set the OHL on fire, scoring 41 goals the season after he was drafted and 50 goals in his final regular season of major junior hockey. Ratcliffe also added 30 points in 24 playoff games that year, partnering with Nick Suzuki to win the Guelph Storm an OHL title. At that point, there was a widespread belief that Ratcliffe had a chance to become an important part of the Flyers’ future forward corps, and he was ranked as the team’s fifth-best prospect by The Athletic’s Corey Pronman. (subscription link)
Pronman wrote at the time that “the pace [of the professional game] will be a big test” for Ratcliffe, noting that Ratcliffe’s “quickness is an issue.” That proved to be something of an understatement, as Ratcliffe struggled immensely to adjust to the faster pace of AHL hockey. While he could leverage his size and physicality to overpower his peers in junior hockey, the seasoned pros that populate the AHL proved far more difficult to outmuscle.
At the end of his rookie season as a pro player, Ratcliffe had collected six goals and 15 points in 53 games. His spot in the Flyers’ plans looked to be on increasingly thin ice, and after the COVID-19 pandemic wiped away much of the 2020-21 AHL season, Ratcliffe had the 2021-22 campaign as his best shot to prove to Philadelphia that he was still a legitimate NHL prospect.
He certainly played better, scoring 11 goals and 28 points in 59 games, and even earned his first NHL call-up, ultimately skating in 10 games in Philadelphia. But he still looked to be a step behind the pace of the pro game, and after injuries and inconsistency conspired to make the start of his 2022-23 season a real struggle, he was dealt to the Nashville Predators at the 2023 trade deadline.
Ratcliffe put together a solid stretch of games for the Predators’ AHL affiliate but ultimately was not issued a qualifying offer by the franchise, leading to his signing with the Wolves and this PTO with the Blues. The Blues have a few young wingers they’d like to see take real steps forward in their development and convincingly snatch regular roles in head coach Craig Berube’s lineup.
While players such as Oskar Sundqvist and Samuel Blais are locks for the Blues’ NHL roster, Ratcliffe will compete in camp against less established names such as top prospect Jake Neighbours, big Alexey Toropchenko, and veteran Mackenzie MacEachern.
With this PTO, Ratcliffe will have the chance to join the Blues for training camp and the preseason with the hope of pushing those players for an NHL job. While it’s ultimately unlikely that the Blues elect to sign and roster Ratcliffe over someone like Neighbours, Toropchenko, or MacEachern, he’ll have the chance to potentially showcase his talents to other clubs in preseason games as well.
Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Snapshots: Ducks Prospects, Ruggiero, Duhamel, Viveiros
It’s been more than a half-decade since the Anaheim Ducks made it to the NHL’s postseason, and despite acquiring some talented players this offseason they remain likelier to finish the season outside of the playoff picture looking in. But even though Pat Verbeek’s rebuilding team may not be ready to earnestly compete for a Stanley Cup in 2023-24, Anaheim may not be far away. That’s at least according to The Athletic’s Corey Pronman, who ranked the Ducks’ prospect pool as the NHL’s best. (subscription link) Headlined by a trio of highly talented pivots in ascending star Trevor Zegras, 2023 second-overall pick Leo Carlsson, and 2021 third-overall pick Mason McTavish, the Ducks have the sort of foundation down the middle that most true contenders boast.
But even beyond those three centers is a deep group of high-upside players, including a glut of talented defensemen. Pavel Mintyukov, Olen Zellweger, and Tristan Luneau each scored at high rates in the CHL last season and all three would be in the conversation for best prospect in several other NHL systems. In Anaheim, they rank fifth, sixth, and ninth, according to Pronman. So regardless of how the Ducks ultimately perform in the standings next season, it appears fans in Orange County will have plenty to look forward to.
Some other notes from across the NHL:
- The New York Rangers are hiring Hockey Hall of Famer Angela Ruggiero as a hockey operations advisor, according to Mollie Walker of the New York Post. Ruggiero is one of the most accomplished women’s hockey players of all time, winning four Olympic medals (one gold), four IIHF Women’s World Championships gold medals, and numerous All-Star and top defender honors. Her playing career ended in 2011-12 and since her retirement Ruggiero has built up an impressive off-ice resume, serving on the board of the IIHF and the executive board of the IOC. She’ll join Rangers GM Chris Drury’s front office in New York and have a voice in shaping the team’s quest for its first Stanley Cup since 1994.
- The Arizona Coyotes have officially confirmed that assistant coach Mario Duhamel has been signed to a multi-year contract extension. Duhamel’s relationship with Tourigny stretches back all the way to 2005-06, when Duhamel joined Tourigny’s staff with the QMJHL’s Rouyn-Noranda Huskies. Duhamel oversees the Coyotes’ defense, and a recent breakout season for waiver claim Juuso Välimäki, the rapid rise of J.J. Moser, and the near-resurrection of Shayne Gostisbehere‘s career after a trade from Philadelphia all speak to the value Duhamel brings to Tourigny’s squad.
- The WHL’s Vancouver Giants have hired Manny Viveiros to be the team’s next head coach, according to a team announcement on X. Viveiros, 57, served as the head coach for the Henderson Silver Knights, the Vegas Golden Knights’ AHL affiliate, for the last three seasons. Although he didn’t produce overwhelming on-ice results this past season with the Silver Knights, Viveiros does have valuable WHL experience, such as from 2017-18 when he won a league title with the Swift Current Broncos and was named WHL Coach of the Year. Viveiros’ one-year stint in 2019-20 with the Spokane Chiefs was also highly successful (he went 41-18-5 in 64 games before the WHL season was scuttled by the COVID-19 pandemic) and it’s likely that the Giants are hoping for big things from Viveiros and his potential partnership with 2023 Calgary Flames first-rounder Samuel Honzek.
Atlantic Notes: DeBrusk, Peksa, Red Wings
Independent Boston Bruins reporter Joe Haggerty surmises that Brandon Hagel‘s recent eight-year, $6.5MM AAV extension with the Tampa Bay Lightning likely sets the table for Bruins winger Jake DeBrusk‘s next deal. The circumstances surrounding DeBrusk are a bit different, however. Not only is DeBrusk two years older than Hagel, but he’s slated for unrestricted free agency next summer – a threat Tampa wasn’t facing with Hagel, at least not imminently.
The two players have performed relatively similarly over the past two seasons. DeBrusk has 52 goals and 92 points in 141 games since 2021, while Hagel has 55 goals and 108 points in 158 games. Both have shown the ability to be high-end complementary players to stars in the top six, and Hagel was paid as such this week. With DeBrusk, however, it seems more prudent for the Bruins to wait it out and see how he starts the season without David Krejci or Patrice Bergeron to serve as his center. If DeBrusk’s production trails off with decreased support down the middle, the Bruins could very well trade DeBrusk or let him walk to UFA if his ask is similar to Hagel’s.
Elsewhere from the Atlantic Division today:
- It appears Toronto Maple Leafs goalie prospect Vyacheslav Peksa will be staying in North America, according to The Score’s Kyle Cushman. There had been some conflicting reports on whether the Leafs would loan Peksa back to Russia for 2023-24 – Peksa himself told Cushman earlier this summer he anticipated staying in Toronto (with the AHL’s Marlies) this season, while assistant general manager Hayley Wickenheiser told reporters at development camp that Peksa would be loaned out. Peksa, a 2021 sixth-round pick, posted a sparkling .921 save percentage and 2.34 goals-against average on a struggling Bars Kazan team in the Russian second-tier VHL last season.
- The Detroit Red Wings have announced their roster for their first event of the 2023-24 league year – their annual prospect tournament held in Traverse City. On offense, they’ll have 2022 and 2023 top-ten picks suiting up in Marco Kasper and Nate Danielson, among others. 2021 first-round selection Sebastian Cossa will also participate between the pipes.
Minor Transactions: 08/24/23
Yesterday was the busiest day in the NHL news cycle in quite some time, seeing multiple high-profile extensions, including Auston Matthews‘ $13.25MM AAV mega-deal for four years. Those aren’t the only transactions worthy of coverage, however. Many moves continue to trickle in as the offseason rolls on from the minor, major junior and European ranks.
- The OHL’s Niagara IceDogs have acquired forward Gavin Bryant and a 2027 third-round pick in the OHL Priority Selection Draft from the Owen Sound Attack in exchange for forward Declan Waddick, according to a team release. Bryant, 19, is coming off a breakout season unfortunately shortened by multiple injuries which limited him to 30 games. However, he did produce near a point-per-game rate when he did play, recording ten goals and 16 assists for 26 points while serving as an alternate captain. He heads to a Niagara team that won just 12 games last season while mired in off-ice instability. Waddick, NHL draft-eligible for the first time in 2023, led the IceDogs in goals last season with 28. He added 21 assists to finish with 49 points in 64 games, finishing second on the team.
- The ECHL’s Orlando Solar Bears have signed former OHL Saginaw Spirit defenseman Mitchell Smith to a one-year ECHL contract. The deal represents the Solar Bears’ second defensive addition of the last few days, with the team bringing in sophomore defenseman Chris Perna on Tuesday. While Perna is a stay-at-home defenseman with a year of pro experience under his belt, Smith is an offensive defenseman set to make his professional debut in the fall. Smith has tallied 102 points across the last two OHL seasons with the Spirit and ranked second among Saginaw blueliners in scoring in that time frame, behind only 2022 10th overall pick Pavel Mintyukov. Smith with get a chance to establish himself as an offensive difference-maker from the back end in Orlando with the hope he’ll eventually be able to climb the ladder of North American pro hockey and get a look in the AHL.
- Former Kingston Frontenacs captain Ted Nichol has signed a one-year ECHL deal with the Kalamazoo Wings. Nichol, 26, has 14 professional games under his belt after concluding a four-season career at the University of Guelph earlier this year. His playing rights were acquired by the Wings from the Everblades, the team he made his pro debut with last season, as part of a March trade that sent Logan Lambdin to Florida. Nichol only managed three points in 14 games with Florida last season but will look to earn a bigger role on head coach Joel Martin’s team.
- Zane Franklin, a former WHL star with the Kamloops Blazers, has re-signed with the Idaho Steelheads of the ECHL. The feisty 24-year-old winger enjoyed something of a breakout season in Idaho last year, scoring 16 goals and 33 points in 55 games. The Steelheads were dominant in the ECHL regular season and made a run all the way to the Kelly Cup Finals, and this signing will allow the franchise retain a useful contributor from that squad.
- Atro Leppänen, one of the breakout stars of the 2022-23 season of Finland’s second-tier league, has earned a contract with a Liiga club: Vaasan Sport. The 24-year-old left-shot blueliner led Kiekko-Espoo to a Mestis title last season, leading the league in scoring by a blueliner. He ranked fourth in league scoring as a defenseman and now will get the chance to try to translate that success to the highest level of Finnish hockey.
- Longtime Swiss National League forward Reto Suri, a veteran of nearly 700 games in the Swiss top flight, will retire at the end of the season according to his club EV Zug. Suri recently injured his knee and is expected to be out for four-to-six months, and now with some clarity on that injury the club has issued some clarity on the player’s long-term plans. Suri only managed three points in 30 games for Zug last season but has long been a quality contributor in the Swiss league, managing 15 or more goals four times and 30 or more points six times. He’s represented Switzerland internationally at both the Olympics and the IIHF Men’s World Championships, and when he retires he will do so having recently won a Swiss league championship with Zug in 2021-22.
- The USHL’s Madison Capitols acquired Latvian import netminder Patriks Bērziņš from the Tri-City Storm in exchange for multiple draft picks. The 19-year-old University of Maine commit has represented Latvia at two IIHF World Junior Championships and was highly impressive at the 2023 tournament, posting a .914 save percentage and 2.47 goals-against-average in six games. Bērziņš outperformed U.S. netminder and eventual 41st overall pick Trey Augustine at the tournament, but ultimately was not selected at the 2023 draft. Bērziņš split time between the USHL with the Storm and the NAHL with the Danbury Jr. Hat Tricks last season, and now will likely get a chance to be a number-one USHL netminder before heading to college for 2024-25.
This page will be updated throughout the day.