With the major dust settled in NHL free agency, teams’ AHL affiliates are looking to fill out their roster to complement the many two-way additions made around the league so far this summer. Expect many minor-league-only contracts signed as the month progresses. Here are today’s:
- The Springfield Thunderbirds announced they’ve signed veteran defenseman Scott Harrington to a one-year contract. Harrington, 31, has 255 games of NHL experience and last suited up in 2022-23 for the Ducks and Sharks. He spent last season in Switzerland with the ZSC Lions of the National League, where injuries limited him to four assists, 2 PIMs and a +4 rating in 14 games. He’ll look to get back on track in North America and will take part in his eighth AHL season, now with the Blues’ affiliate. In addition to Anaheim and San Jose, Harrington has also spent time in the Blue Jackets, Maple Leafs and Penguins organizations.
- The Milwaukee Admirals have signed forward Kale Howarth to a one-year deal and center Kyle Marino to a two-year pact, per a team announcement. Neither brings NHL experience to the club, which serves as the Predators’ primary affiliate. Howarth, 27, was a 2017 fifth-round pick of the Blue Jackets but wasn’t signed to an entry-level contract upon finishing up his collegiate career at UConn in 2021. He’s spent the last three seasons in the Blackhawks organization on AHL contracts, splitting his time between the Rockford IceHogs and their ECHL affiliate, the Indy Fuel. Injuries cost him a solid chunk of last season, limiting him to 20 total games. He had six points in 50 games with the IceHogs since turning pro. Marino, 29, will fill out an enforcer role and can play defense if necessary as well. The 6’3″, 220-lb aggressor spent last season with the Chicago Wolves, where he had four points and a career-high 114 PIMs in 65 games. Like Howarth, he’s entering his fourth AHL season.
- The Kings organization has added some goalie depth in the form of Dryden McKay, who inked a one-year contract with the Ontario Reign today. The 26-year-old has spent most of the last two seasons with the ECHL’s Newfoundland Growlers, the second-tier affiliate of the Maple Leafs, which ceased operations shortly before the end of the 2023-24 campaign. McKay, who was an intriguing addition to the Toronto pipeline after winning the Hobey Baker Award as the top player in college hockey with Minnesota State in 2021-22, has been unimpressive. He posted a .899 SV% and 3.18 GAA with a 27-20-5 record for Newfoundland the past two years. He has two AHL games to his name, both in 2022-23, recording a .885 SV% and 3.38 GAA for the Toronto Marlies.
- The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins have signed defenseman Mats Lindgren to a one-year deal, the club announced. Lindgren, 20 in August, lands with the Pittsburgh organization after finishing his junior career with the WHL’s Red Deer Rebels. The smooth-skating left-shot defender was drafted 106th overall in 2022 by the Sabres but wasn’t offered an ELC before the June 1 deadline, thus becoming a UFA. He’ll try to work his way up toward earning an NHL deal with Pittsburgh after recording 41 points and a -4 rating in 63 games for Red Deer last season.