After deep Memorial Cup run, Ebert gets deal with Kings

By Jared Clinton (@JPDClinton)

The Los Angeles Kings announced they’ve signed 2012 seventh-round pick Nick Ebert to a three-year entry level contract.

Ebert, 20, spent last season split between the Ontario Hockey League’s Windsor Spitfires and Guelph Storm. With the Spitfires, where Ebert played most of his junior hockey, Ebert was a steady contributor, but he made his impact felt as a member of the Memorial Cup finalist Storm.

In 2010-11, Ebert was named to the OHL’s First All-Rookie Team, and got the nod to play in the Top Prospects Game in 2011-12.

In 38 games with the Storm in 2013-14, Ebert registered nine goals and 24 assists, and had a tremendous playoff, notching 16 points in 20 games. During the Memorial Cup tournament, Ebert added another five assists in four outings.

At 6’0″, 200-plus pounds, Ebert’s size and mobility make him a valuable asset, and he could turn into a late-round steal for the Kings down the line.

With four ECHL games with the Ontario Reign under his belt, Ebert has already seen the professional game, but it will be a while before he makes the jump the NHL. Expectations for Ebert are that he’ll line up with the Manchester Monarchs in 2014-15.

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Davies re-signs with Wolves

Michael Davies, who spent 57 games with the Chicago Wolves last season, has signed another one-year AHL deal with the club.

Davies, a 26-year-old from Chesterfield, Miss., has spent the last three seasons in the AHL with brief stints in the ECHL in between. In his three years with the Wolves, Davies has suited up in 167 games and tallied 34 goals and 35 assists.

After moving on from his four years at University of Wisconsin, Davies signed a tryout deal with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, but failed suit up in a game or stick with the Islanders top affiliate. As a free agent in 2010-11, Davies was inked to a deal with the Chicago Wolves. In his rookie pro season, Davies spent 49 games with the Wolves, registering 20 points (8-12) and another eight games in the ECHL, scoring two goals and tallying five assists.

This past season, Davies posted career highs in goals (15), assists (10), and points (25) in the AHL. The 5-foot-8 forward is entering his fourth pro season.

Utica Comets sign goaltender Corbeil

It’s not a major signing, but it will lend some help in goal for the Utica Comets.

The team announced today via Twitter that they have come to terms with goaltender Mathieu Corbeil. A 2010 fourth round draft pick, selected 102 overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets, Corbeil comes to the Comets after spending last season on a loan from the Chicago Wolves — whose affiliate at the time, Vancouver, now runs the Comets — to the Missouri Mavericks of the Central Hockey League.

A 2011-12 QMJHL Champion as a member of the Saint John Sea Dogs, Corbeil suited up for 48 games with the Sea Dogs that season, posting a 2.38 GAA and .911 SV%. At the completion of his season, the Columbus Blue Jackets chose not to sign him, and he moved to free agency. His next professional contract was with the Wolves, but he will now get a chance at challenging, at the very least, for an AHL job.

Corbeil’s likely role with the team is as a recall. Last season in Missouri, Corbeil had a 2.69 GAA and .915 SV% in 21 regular season games.

Andrew Carroll re-signs with Wolfpack

Andrew Carroll will be back with the same team next season, he’ll just be wearing different threads.

After signing a contract last season with the Connecticut Whale, the 28-year-old forward will skate with the Hartford Wolfpack next season. Carroll, who has worked his way to the AHL after stints with the ECHL’s Charlotte Checkers, Greenville Road Warriors, and Idaho Steelheads.

Carroll, who went pro after going undrafted prior to his four year stint with University of Minnesota-Duluth, signed his first AHL deal with the Hershey Bears in 2011-12, but after a one goal and five assist campaign, he found himself back in Idaho of the ECHL.

With the Whale — who have changed their name back to the Wolfpack — Carroll potted a goal and four assists in 24 games.

Report: Fyten signs deal in OKC

According to Stephen Meserve of 100 Degree Hockey, former Texas Stars forward Austin Fyten has signed a one-year, AHL only deal with the Oklahoma City Barons.

Fyten, 22, spent 11 games with the Texas Stars last season, where he tallied two assists.

An AHL deal for the 22-year-old is a nice vote of confidence in his game, as the forward spent the lion’s share of the 2012-13 campaign in the ECHL with the Idaho Steelheads. While with the Steelheads, Fyten was nearly a point per game player. In 46 games last season, the winger had 41 points (14-27) in 46 regular season games, adding another 11 points (5-6) in 17 playoff contests.

After spending the majority of his junior career with the WHL’s Lethbridge Hurricanes, Fyten went undrafted and found himself a deal with the Steelheads before he opened eyes during his stint with the Stars. During his WHL tenure, Fyten had 59 goals and 73 assists over 220 games.

Via Meserve:

According to sources, former #txstars and Steelheads F Austin Fyten has signed a one way AHL only deal with the OKC Barons.

— 100 Degree Hockey (@100degreehockey) July 17, 2013

 

AHL Stars sign Robinson, Hedden

The Texas Stars announced a pair of signings to help the team next season.

Both Josh Robinson and Mike Hedden have signed one-year AHL contracts with the Dallas Stars top affiliate.

Robinson, a Michigan native who spent his college years with the NCAA’s Mighican Tech, comes to the Stars after a full season with the ECHL’s Idaho Steelheads. Signed by Texas as an undrafted free agent, Robinson’s numbers in the NCAA weren’t the most impressive — his career best GAA was 2.83 and his SV% topped out at .909 — but in the ECHL last year Robinson put together respectable numbers.

While with the Steelheads, Robinson appeared in 39 regular season games and posted a GAA of 2.57 and SV% of .925, and was named the ECHL Rookie of the Month in November. Robinson continued his stellar play in the post season with a 2.50 GAA and .919 SV%.

With the loss of Richard Bachmann, there was a spot for another goaltender to split time between the AHL and ECHL, and Robinson fills that void.

Hedden, a 28-year-old from Dunnville, Ont., has spent the last two seasons in Texas after cracking the roster on a full-time basis. Prior to landing with the Stars, Hedden had spent time in Rockford, Rochester, Grand Rapids, and in the ECHL with the Toledo Walleye. The 5’9″ forward has played 145 games in the AHL — 139 of those with the Stars — and has tallied 34 goals and 42 assists.

This is Hedden’s third straight one-year deal with the Stars.