Kevin Dineen knows there will be hiccups along the way. The newly hired head coach of the Utica Comets is all too aware that it’s par for the course at the American League level. And he’s OK with that. “I’ve said this before,” Dineen shared through his insight of years coaching in the league, “the
American Hockey League
The Edmonton Oilers have signed forward Brendan Perlini to a one-year, two-way contract. Perlini returns to North America after skating with Ambri-Piotta in Switzerland in 2020-21. A veteran of 239 NHL games, Perlini has collected 46 goals and 30 assists for 76 points over four seasons with Arizona, Chicago and Detroit. A first-round choice (12th
The Edmonton Oilers have re-signed goaltender Stuart Skinner to a two-year, two-way contract. Skinner, 22, led the American Hockey League in wins (20), minutes played (1,786) and saves (753) in 2020-21, going 20-9-1 with a 2.38 goals-against average, a .914 save percentage and two shutouts in 31 appearances with the Bakersfield Condors. He also backstopped
The Minnesota Wild have re-signed forward Will Bitten to a one-year, two-way contract. Bitten, 23, completed his third pro season in 2020-21 with seven goals and 12 assists for 19 points in 31 games with the AHL’s Iowa Wild, good for fifth on the team in scoring. Bitten has skated in 145 career games with
The Washington Capitals have signed forward Michael Vecchione to a one-year, two-way contract. Vecchione completed his fourth pro season in 2020-21, tallying seven goals and three assists in 18 games with the AHL’s Colorado Eagles. He added one assist in two postseason contests. A native of Saugus, Mass., Vecchione has played 211 games in the
The Los Angeles Kings have re-signed defenseman Austin Strand to a one-year, two-way contract. Strand, 24, made his NHL debut with the Kings last season, tallying one assist in 13 games. He also played in 19 games with the AHL’s Ontario Reign, recording one goal and four assists. In three pro seasons, Strand has skated
The Florida Panthers have re-signed defenseman Chase Priskie to a one-year, two-way contract. Priskie played 15 games with the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch in 2020-21, recording three goals and four assists for seven points. A native of Pembroke Pines, Fla., Priskie played 57 AHL games as a rookie in 2019-20 with Charlotte and Springfield, totaling eight
The Texas Stars have signed left wing Curtis McKenzie to a two-year American Hockey League contract. McKenzie spent his first four pro seasons with the Stars and currently ranks fifth on the franchise’s career scoring list (190 points). McKenzie spent the 2020-21 season with the AHL’s Utica Comets, posting five goals and eight assists for
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … The American Hockey League Board of Governors has approved the qualification rules and format for the 2022 Calder Cup Playoffs. A total of 23 teams will qualify for postseason play when the 2021-22 regular season ends on April 24, with five rounds of playoffs leading to the crowning of a Calder Cup
Scott Allen has been named the new head coach of the AHL’s Hershey Bears. Allen had served the last two seasons as an assistant alongside Spencer Carbery. Carbery was hired as an assistant with the Toronto Maple Leafs last month. “We are pleased to promote Scott and name him as the next head coach of
The Seattle Kraken have agreed to terms with forward Alexander True and defenseman Connor Carrick on one-year, two-way contracts. True played 27 games with the AHL’s San Jose Barracuda in 2020-21, posting nine goals and 11 assists for 20 points, tied for third on the team in scoring. He added one assist in seven NHL
The Rochester Americans have signed forward Michael Mersch to a two-year American Hockey League contract. Mersch finished second on the Amerks in scoring in 2020-21, posting eight goals and 11 assists for 19 points in 28 games. Entering his eighth pro season, Mersch has skated in 405 career AHL games with Rochester, Texas, Ontario and
The Iowa Wild have named Nate DiCasmirro and Nolan Yonkman as assistant coaches, joining head coach Tim Army behind the Wild bench for the 2021-22 season. DiCasmirro played 17 seasons during his pro career, the first six coming in the American Hockey League with Hamilton, Toronto, Edmonton, Grand Rapids, Providence, San Antonio and Syracuse. He
The Philadelphia Flyers have hired Jason Smith and Riley Armstrong to serve as assistant coaches of the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Smith and Armstrong will serve alongside new Phantoms head coach Ian Laperriere. Smith, 47, played more than 1,000 games in the National Hockey League as a defenseman with New Jersey, Toronto, Edmonton, Philadelphia and
The San Jose Barracuda have signed defenseman Mark Alt to a one-year American Hockey League contract. Alt served as an alternate captain with the AHL’s Ontario Reign last season and notched two goals and five assists in 29 games. He also skated in two NHL games with the Los Angeles Kings. Entering his ninth pro
The Toronto Maple Leafs have signed defenseman Brennan Menell to a one-year, two-way contract. Menell, 24, was acquired by Toronto in a trade with the Minnesota Wild on July 28. The Woodbury, Minnesota native spent last season with the Kontinental Hockey League’s Dinamo Minsk, finishing the season with 38 points (five goals, 33 assists) in
The Florida Panthers have agreed to terms with goaltender Sam Montembeault on a new one-year, two-way contract. Montembeault, 24, played 13 games with the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch in 2020-21, going 8-4-1 with a 2.86 goals-against average, an .898 save percentage and one shutout. A third-round choice by Florida in the 2015 NHL Draft, Montembeault has
The Colorado Avalanche have signed defenseman Jordan Gross to a one-year contract for the 2021-22 season. Gross tallied three assists in seven games with the Arizona Coyotes last season, also spending time on the team’s taxi squad. A native of Maple Grove, Minn., Gross spent his first two pro seasons with the AHL’s Tucson Roadrunners,