While we wait for news on some of the big trade targets still on the market, the NHL hot stove has cooled significantly. Still, European and minor leagues continue to fill their rosters and tweak lineups in preparation for a full season. As always, we’ll keep track of the notable minor moves right here.
- The Rochester Americans have signed Dominic Franco, Mitch Eliot, Nick Boka, and Matthews Cairns to one-year AHL contracts for the upcoming season. If you recognize Cairns name, it might be because he was a third-round pick of the Edmonton Oilers in 2016 whose draft rights expired this month. The 23-year-old defenseman never did develop any offense while in college, scoring just three goals and 12 points in his four seasons.
- Josh Wilkins, who played most of last season with the Tucson Roadrunners, is heading to Sweden after signing with Vasterviks IK. He did not receive a qualifying offer from the Nashville Predators at the end of the year, making him an unrestricted free agent. In 25 games with Tucson, he scored five points.
- This season, Keegan Lowe is off to Italy to play for HC Bolzano after a long career in the minor leagues. The son of six-time Stanley Cup champion and Hockey Hall of Fame inductee Kevin Lowe, Keegan managed just four appearances at the NHL level. He played this season with the San Diego Gulls, recording six points in 44 games.
- The Toronto Marlies have signed former Chicago Steel captain Matteo Pietroniro to a one-year AHL contract. The 22-year-old defenseman spent last season in the ICEHL with HC Bolzano, recording four points in 31 games. Toronto happens to have just hired Ryan Hardy as senior director of minor league operations, who was GM of the Steel in 2018-19 when Pietroniro wore the “C.”
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Sabres are now trying to get a third round draft pick for Eckel. They will probably end up cutting him for nothing. Team is rudderless.