IceCaps sign Yogan to PTO
FORWARD ANDREW YOGAN JOINS ST. JOHN’S
St. John’s IceCaps Media Release
ST. JOHN’S, NL (March 3, 2016) – Montreal Canadiens and St. John’s IceCaps General Manager Marc Bergevin announced today the IceCaps have signed left-winger Andrew Yogan to a 25-game Professional Tryout contract (PTO).
The 24-year-old has scored 40 points in 32 games with the ECHL’s Cincinnati Cyclones this season, after previous stints in 2015-16 with the American Hockey League’s Syracuse Crunch (two goals in four games) and Iowa Wild (four points in 16 games).
The six-foot-three, 205-pound native of Coral Springs, FL was drafted in the fourth round, 100th overall, by the New York Rangers in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.
IceCaps Release Rankin from PTO
EVAN RANKIN HEADS BACK TO TOLEDO
St. John’s IceCaps Media Release
ST. JOHN’S, NL (February 25, 2016) – Montreal Canadiens and St. John’s IceCaps General Manager Marc Bergevin announced today the IceCaps have released right-winger Evan Rankin from a 25-game Professional Tryout contract (PTO).
Rankin, a six-foot-one, 185-pounder was scoreless in three games with the IceCaps. The 29-year-old previously scored 14 points in 15 games with the ECHL’s Toledo Walleye, after registering seven points in 24 games to start the season with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms of the American Hockey League (AHL).
IceCaps release Neilson from PTO
ERIC NEILSON’S CONTRACT CUT SHORT
St. John’s IceCaps Media Release
ST. JOHN’S, NL (January 16, 2016) – Montreal Canadiens and St. John’s IceCaps General Manager Marc Bergevin announced today the IceCaps have released forward Eric Neilson from a 25-game Professional Tryout contract (PTO).
Chosen by the Los Angeles Kings with the 143rd overall selection in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft, the six-foot-two, 205-pounder played six games with the IceCaps this season, registering nine penalty minutes.
The Fredericton, N.B. native broke into the AHL in 2007-08 with the Peoria Rivermen and has also skated with Hamilton, San Antonio and Norfolk, totalling 280 games, 17 points and 857 penalty minutes.
IceCaps sign Pither to PTO
LUKE PITHER SIGNED TO A 25-GAME PROFESSIONAL TRYOUT CONTRACT
St. John’s IceCaps Media Release
ST. JOHN’S, NL (December 1, 2015) – Montreal Canadiens and St. John’s IceCaps General Manager Marc Bergevin announced today the IceCaps have signed centre Luke Pither to a 25-game Professional Tryout contract (PTO).
The 26-year-old Oshawa, Ont. native has collected five goals and five assists in 12 games this season with the Brampton Beast of the ECHL. The six-foot, 194-pound pivot played his amateur hockey with the Kingston Frontenacs, Guelph Storm, Belleville Bulls and Barrie Colts of the Ontario Hockey League.
Comets pre-season game against Adirondack Flames at Kennedy Arena in Rome, NY.
Beast Acquire Blain Brother Jeremie
Jeremie Blain
Brampton Beast Media Release
BRAMPTON, ON – The Brampton Beast, ECHL affiliate of the St. John’s IceCaps and the Montreal Canadiens, is proud to announce the acquisition of former Edmonton Oilers draft pick, defenseman Jeremie Blain.
The brother of current Beast forward Luc-Olivier Blain, the 23-year-old Longueuil, Quebec native was acquired on loan from the AHL’s Chicago Wolves on Tuesday.
Considered a solid two-way defender with offensive upside, Blain has significant experience at both the AHL and ECHL level and was highly-regarded for his capability to play the game at an elevated level on both sides of the puck.
Blain will be a great fit with the Beast as he is already familiar with his brother Luc-Olivier as well as Beast Head Coach Colin Chaulk, who spent two seasons as Kalamazoo’s Assistant Coach while Blain was under contract with the Wings.
Chaulk believes that Blain is exactly the kind of player that the Beast need to help them contend in the ECHL’s tough Eastern Conference.
“Jeremie is a player that can play in any situation on the ice, from killing a penalty to quarterbacking a 5-on-3 power play,” Chaulk said.
“Most importantly, the way he lives his life and the choices he makes when it comes to training, health and the way he treats people, that’s the exact kind of person that the Beast is looking for.”
Blain played four years in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League split between the Victoriaville Tigres and Acadie-Bathurst Titan, where he amassed 16 goals and 116 assists in 211 games played between 2008-09 and 2011-12.
The 91st overall pick in the 2010 NHL entry Draft, Blain started his professional career in the 2012-13 season and split time between the AHL’s Chicago Wolves (25GP, 0G, 4A) and the ECHL’s Idaho Steelheads (47GP, 7G, 24A).
Over the last two seasons, he split time with both the AHL’s Utica Comets and the ECHL’s Kalamazoo Wings.
Between the 2013-14 and 2014-15 seasons, Blain played in 20 games with the Comets and recorded four assists and eight penalty minutes. He blossomed into a great two-way defenseman in Kalamazoo and suited up for 66 games, netting eight goals and chipping in with 36 assists.
The Brampton Beast start the 2015-16 season on the road but that doesn’t mean you have to miss the team’s Season Opener. The Beast are hosting a Watch Party at the Powerade Centre on Friday, October 16 starting at 6:30pm. Later in the week, head back to the Powerade Centre for Fan Fest, taking place on Sunday, October 18. Get your free tickets at BramptonBeast.com.
IceCaps send reinforcements, Beast get Pasquale, Brown
(Photo by Brampton Beast)
Brampton Beast Media Release
BRAMPTON, ON – The Brampton Beast, proud ECHL affiliate of the St. John’s IceCaps and Montreal Canadiens, announced Tuesday that goaltender Eddie Pasquale and defenseman Travis Brown have been reassigned from the St. John’s IceCaps to the Beast.
The duo has arrived in Brampton and will be ready to hit the ice when the Beast kick off their second season in the ECHL against the Manchester Monarchs on Friday, October 16.
Pasquale, a Toronto native, was a fan favourite in St. John’s during his tenure with the Winnipeg Jets organization between 2011-12 and 2013-14 and was an AHL standout, collecting 55 wins in 112 games played in his three seasons on the Rock.
Considered a top-notch legitimate NHL prospect, Pasquale was red hot during his rookie season in the American Hockey League. The 6’2” goaltender was named to the AHL’s All-Rookie Team and took home AHL Player of the Week honours for the week of February 12.
Pasquale has spent the majority of his career in the AHL, but did suit up for 12 games in the ECHL with the Gwinnett Gladiators in 2011-12.
The Beast’s blue line got stronger and deeper on Tuesday as defenceman Travis Brown joined Pasquale on the trip from St. John’s.
Entering his first season as a professional, Brown completed his junior hockey career in 2014-15 with an exceptional year, helping the Victoria Royals to the second round of the WHL playoffs with a stellar 18 goals and 39 assists in 71 regular season contests.
A fifth round pick of the Chicago Blackhawks in 2012, the 21-year-old rearguard is considered a potent two-way force, as evidenced by his career junior point totals (48G, 133A) split between the Royals and Moose Jaw Warriors.
The Brampton Beast start the 2015-16 season on the road but that doesn’t mean you have to miss the team’s Season Opener. The Beast are hosting a Watch Party at the Powerade Centre on Friday, October 16 starting at 6:30pm. Later in the week, head back to the Powerade Centre for Fan Fest, taking place on Sunday, October 18. Get your free tickets at BramptonBeast.com.
BRAMPTON, ON – The Brampton Beast, ECHL affiliate of the St. John’s IceCaps and Montreal Canadiens, announced today that the club has released eleven (11) players from its Training Camp roster, shortening the number of players remaining to 22.
The following players have been released from Training Camp:
Peter Hermenegildo
Grant Holliday
Linden Bahm
Ben MacAskill
Grant Gettinger
Jason Yee
Nick Zappia
Ben Rubin
Dean Willmott
Dorian Peca
Paul Dorsey
The players remaining in Training Camp Include:
Forwards (13)
Chris Auger
Bryan McGregor
Brandon Marino
Scott Howes
Yannick Tifu
Jamie Wise
Stephon Thorne
Cal Wild
Jeff Brown
Luc-Olivier Blain
Thomas Stajan
Steven Guzzo
Yannick Riendeau
Defense (7)
Mathew Maione
Zach McCullough
Justin DaCosta
Guy Leboeuf
Steve Tarasuk
Francis Meilleur
Christian Weidauer
Goaltenders (2)
Bryan Pitton
Trevor Cann
The Beast’s second season in the ECHL kicks off on the road for the 2015-16 campaign. The Beast will head to New Hampshire to face the Manchester Monarchs on Friday, October 16 before ending their season-opening road trip in central New York to face the Elmira Jackals on Saturday, October 17.
Beast Announce 2015-16 Training Camp Roster
CAMP ROSTER
Brampton Beast Media Release
BRAMPTON, ON – The Brampton Beast Hockey Club, ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Montreal Canadiens, is pleased to announce its roster for 2015-16 Training Camp.
Players will be taking to the ice starting Monday, October 5 and will practice throughout the week until camp concludes on Wednesday, October 14.
On-ice practice sessions will be taking place at the Powerade Centre at 10 a.m. daily for the duration of Training Camp. Practices are open to the media as well as Beast Season Ticket Holders. Please note that practice times and locations are subject to change.
2015-16 Training Camp Roster
Forwards
Scott Howes
Yannick Tifu
Brandon Marino
Chris Auger
Luc-Olivier Blain
Yannick Riendeau
Bryan McGregor
Nick Zappia
Jamie Wise
Stephon Thorne
Thomas Stajan
Bryan Cameron
Linden Bahm
Benjamin Rubin
Steven Guzzo
Dorian Peca
Grant Holliday
Defense
Guy Leboeuf
Francis Meilleur
Dean Willmott
Steve Tarasuk
Christian Weidauer
Grant Gettinger
Jason Yee
Ben MacAskill
Peter Hermenegildo
Zach McCullough
Danick Malouin
Goaltenders
Trevor Cann
Bryan Pitton
Paul Dorsey
Beast Contracted Players Attending AHL Training Camps
Mathew Maione – D
Justin DaCosta – D
Cal Wild – F
Jeff Brown – F
The Beast’s second season in the ECHL kicks off on the road for the 2015-16 campaign. The Beast will head to New Hampshire to face the Manchester Monarchs on Friday, October 16 before ending their season-opening road trip in central New York to face the Elmira Jackals on Saturday, October 17.
BRAMPTON, ON – The Brampton Beast are pleased to announce the signing of CHL scoring champion Yannick Riendeau.
Riendeau had a stellar junior career averaging almost a point per game in his years in the QMJHL. His most outstanding year was in 2009, where the Quebec native led the Canadian Hockey League in points (178 pts in 83 games). That year Riendeau outscored John Tavares of the New York Islanders. The forward sensation had 126 points (64 g 58 a) in 64 games during the regular season was the playoff MVP with 52 points (29 g 23 a) in 19 games tying Mario Lemieux for the second most goals in Canadian Hockey League playoff history.
“Yannick will be one of the most skilled players the Brampton Beast fans will have ever seen,” said Beast Head Coach Colin Chaulk. “He’s a proven offensive producer who will provide depth to our attack.”
Riendeau had his first professional start with the Providence Bruins of the AHL and signed a three-year contract. From 2009-2012, the 5’10 185lbs winger suffered from numerous injuries while with the Bruins and spent some time with the Reading Royals of the ECHL where he met recent Beast signee and childhood teammate Yannick Tifu. After his season with the Stockton Thunder of the ECHL in 2012-13, Riendeau headed to France where he played a full season finishing with 33 points in 25 games. Riendeau returns to the ECHL where had a 137 total career points in 145 games.
“I’m excited to join the Brampton Beast organization and I have heard nothing but good things,” said the Beast forward. “I’m a natural offensive player with good stick handling and can be a great contributor. I’m good offensively but I know that to win a championship you have to also be defensive.”
BRAMPTON, ON – The Brampton Beast is pleased to announce the signing of the two new additions to the team’s blue line, Mississauga native and international veteran Justin DaCosta and Ryerson Rams alumni Dean Willmott. The duo will join Mathew Maione, Guy Leboeuf and Francis Meilleur as the core of the Beast’s defensive unit.
DaCosta spent his 2014-15 season in Europe and split time between the Elite Ice Hockey League’s (EIHL) Coventry Blaze and the Polish Hockey League’s KH Sanok, where he was teammates with new Beast goaltender Bryan Pitton.
He enjoyed a great season overseas but when presented with the opportunity to return to North America to play for the Beast, his answer was a simple one.
“When I first found out there was a team in Brampton, I always thought it would be a great place to play,” DaCosta said. “I was born in Toronto and I live in Mississauga now and (playing near my hometown) has always been something that I wanted to do. I’m excited about the team that Coach Chaulk is building. He’s bringing in a lot of great players.”
The 30-year-old played in 212 Ontario Hockey League games between 2002 and 2006 for the Barrie Colts, Owen Sound Attack and Mississauga IceDogs before moving on to a successful university career with the University of New Brunswick.
He kicked off his professional career during the 2009-10 Central Hockey League playoffs, suiting up for 10 contests with the Colorado Eagles.
Over the next five seasons, he collected quite a few stamps on his passport as his professional career took him all over the globe, including stops in the United States, France, Austria, Hungary, Finland and the United Kingdom.
Beast Head Coach Colin Chaulk believes DaCosta’s vast international experience will make him an asset on the Beast blue line.
“Justin is a puck-moving power play defense man who will fit in well with our possession style of play,” he said. “His veteran presence will bring valuable experience and leadership to our defense.”
Willmott, 25, is no stranger to Beast fans, having played his rookie season with Brampton in 2014-15. He suited up for 21 contests, scoring one goal and chipping in with two assists and 16 penalty minutes and is excited to remain a member of the Beast for the 2015-16 season.
“It feels great to be back,” Willmott said. “To be able to be able to play in front of my family and friends and stay close to home is important to me. Brampton has a great hockey culture and there have been a lot of great teams that have played in the city. It’s great to be able to come back and play again at the Powerade Centre with the Beast.”
Willmott scored his first goal as a professional at the Powerade Centre in Brampton on March 27, 2015 and earned First Star honours in a 6-3 loss to the Rapid City Rush.
Beast President and General Manager Cary Kaplan liked what he saw from Willmott from last season and is looking forward to seeing what he is capable of in his second pro season with the Beast.
“We really respect Dean’s resolve,” Kaplan said. “After being on the Beast last year, he was required to re-up and tryout again with the team. Many players would have walked away, but Dean stepped up and earned another opportunity with the team. We respect his commitment.”
Hailing from Toronto, Willmott has been playing in his home province of Ontario for his entire junior and professional career. He spent three seasons in the Ontario Junior A Hockey League between 2008 and 2011, including two with the Seguin Bruins and one with the Huntsville Otters.
Willmott then went the university route and spent his entire four-year OUAA career with the Ryerson University Rams and played in 103 games and earned himself eight goals and 17 assists.
