Huard and Minella among Cyclone July signings

The Cincinnati Cyclones went to work on July 1, signing a couple of key players to return while handing out qualifying offers to another seven.

Nick Huard will start the season with the Cyclones after impressing in a 13-game audition at the end of the 2014-15 season, said the coach in a team press release.

“Nick is a guy who came in for the last 13 games for us last season, and made his presence felt by scoring six points in those games,” said Cyclones Head Coach Matt MacDonald. “I believe coming into his first full pro year, he has the maturity and grasp on things and will make a big statement this year.”

Huard, a 5’9″, 181 lbs. center is  a native of Sudbury, ON and played his junior in the QMJHL before attending the University of Guelph for three seasons. At the end of his third season at Guelph, Huard played the 13 games with the Cyclones and was also loaned to Adirondack of the AHL for one game.

Also signed to return with the Cyclones on July 1 was veteran forward Christiaan Minella, a native of Aurora, CO.

The 6’2″ 205 lbs. forward has played pro since graduating from Notre Dame in the spring 2010 and in fact started his pro career with the Cyclones, playing 41 games in the 2011-12 season.

He moved on to the Wheeling Nailers later that season and spent the next three campaigns there — also loaned to Wilkes Barre of the AHL for an eight game stint in 2012-13.

Last season he returned to Cincinnati, collecting 19 points (9g, 10a) in 64 games along with 89 penalty minutes.

“We’re excited to have Christiaan Minella back, as he is an integral part of our organization and I believe he will be a big part of next year’s success,” said MacDonald in the same team press release.“Not only is he a great character guy on the ice and in the locker room, he does a lot off the ice and in the community and we couldn’t be happier that he is returning.”

Additionally, the Cyclones have extended qualifying offers to Jack Downing, Branden Gracel, Geoff Irwin, Garrick Perry, Michael Quinn, and Brett Wysopal.

Each ECHL team was entitled to reserve the rights to a maximum of eight qualified players. Of the eight qualified players, no more than four could be veterans (260 regular season professional hockey games played as of the start of the upcoming 2015-16 season). Also, players on open qualifying offers cannot be traded.

A qualifying offer must remain open for acceptance until August 1, at which time the qualifying offer becomes null and void and the team may sign the qualified player to any salary, or may elect to take no further action. Teams that extend a valid qualifying offer to a non-veteran player shall retain the rights to that qualified player for one playing season.

A team that extends a valid qualifying offer to a veteran player will retain the rights to that veteran until August 1. After August 1, if the veteran player is not signed to a contract by the team, the veteran shall be deemed a restricted free agent and shall be entitled to seek and secure offers from other ECHL teams.

Other July signings

On July 15, the Cyclones announced the signing of Steve Weinstein, a 5’10”, 174 lbs. defenseman from Los Angeles who will be playing his rookie season at Cincinnati.

Weinstein actually made his pro debut with the Springfield Falcons of the AHL this past spring, making a three game debut there after graduating from Bentley College. Last season Weinstein collected 24 points (5g, 19a) in 35 games at Bentley, then added one more assist with the Falcons.

“Steve is a strong skating, puck moving defenseman who has had great production throughout his whole college career,” said Coach MacDonald in a team press release. “His skating ability and hockey IQ will translate well to the pro game, and we are excited to have a player with his character and abilities play for us this season.”

The team added a little more depth on defense a week later with the signing of Cody Carlson, a 24-year old veteran with previous experience in both the ECHL and European pro.

Carlson, a 5’10”, 181 lbs. native of Victoria, BC played parts of six seasons in the WHL with Medicine Hat, Regina and Prince George before making his pro debut in the CHL with Rio Grande in the 2011-12 post season.

The following season Carlson moved around from Gwinnett, to San Francisco and finally Utah in the ECHL and in that off season he moved to France, playing 22 games with Strasbourg in the French Pro League. He stayed overseas last season, collecting 42 points (9g, 33a) in 44 games with EC Peiting in Germany.  He hopes that experience will help him secure a more permanent position with the Cyclones this season and coach MacDonald is glad to have him on the club.

“Cody is a solid, hard-nosed defenseman who has played and done well in the ECHL before,” said MacDonald. “He prides himself on being tough to play against and playing the game the right way. He will add experience along with physicality to our back end.”

Cyclones keep Preds affiliation

Also, this month, the Cyclones announced it would continue its affiliation agreement with the Nashville Predators of the NHL for a ninth consecutive season.  The Cyclones will be the official ECHL affiliate of the Predators who also use Milwaukee Admirals as its AHL affiliate.