Minor Signings: 07/02/2026

Although the overwhelming majority of the heavy-lifting is done for much of the league, teams continue to poach the free agent market to address their depth and improve their AHL affiliates. Today, several recognizable names have signed, and we will continue to update the list throughout the day. Here are today’s minor signings:

• One of the particularly busy teams on the opening day of free agency, the San Jose Sharks announced four additional signings. The Sharks have signed netminder Kyle Keyser , forward Brett Leason, and forward Tye Felhaber to one-year, two-way contracts. Additionally, San Jose has signed forward Alex Barré-Boulet to a two-year, two-way contract.
• According to a team announcement , the Vancouver Canucks have signed forward Matthew Stienburg to a one-year, two-way contract for the 2026-27 season. Stienburg was injured for much of the 2025-26 season, finishing with two goals and three points in eight appearances for the AHL’s Colorado Eagles.
• The team at PuckPedia confirmed that the Toronto Maple Leafs have signed defenseman Cole McWard to a two-year, $1.75MM contract. Surprisingly, it will be a one-way contract in both years of the deal. McWard spent last season with the AHL’s Bridgeport Islanders, scoring six goals and 27 points in 63 games with a -11 rating.
• PuckPedia also confirmed that the New York Rangers have signed former first-round pick Dennis Cholowski to a two-year, $1.75MM contract. Cholowski has 173 games of NHL experience, scoring 13 goals and 42 points with a -60 rating, averaging 16:30 of ice time. Additionally, the Rangers announced that they’ve also signed forward Glenn Gawdin to a two-year, two-way contract.
• Adding to their defensive depth, the Anaheim Ducks announced that they’ve signed Travis Mitchell to a one-year, two-way contract. Aside from making his NHL debut, Mitchell spent much of last year with the AHL’s Bridgeport Islanders, scoring one goal and 17 points in 58 games with a +3 rating.
• According to a team announcement , the Buffalo Sabres have signed forward Aidan McDonough to a one-year, two-way contract. McDonough is coming off his best professional season, scoring 23 goals and 44 points in 63 games for the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
• The Florida Panthers announced that they’ve signed defenseman Casey Fitzgerald to a one-year, two-way contract for the 2026-27 campaign. Fitzgerald is two years removed from his first stint with the Panthers organization, when he scored four goals and 21 points in 69 games for the Charlotte Checkers with a +22 rating.
• According to a team announcement , the Winnipeg Jets have signed Henry Thrun to a one-year, two-way contract. Thrun spent most of last season with the AHL’s Toronto Marlies, scoring five goals and 23 points in 55 games with a -1 rating. He added two goals and nine points in 24 postseason games, helping the Marlies to a Calder Cup championship.