Wednesday morning, the Toronto Marlies announced that they have re-signed to AHL contracts a handful of Newfoundland Growlers regulars who all got a cup of coffee with the Marlies at some point during the season.

Kristians Rubins, Matt Bradley (not to be confused with Trey who is also on an AHL deal, and Michael who is a soccer player), Brady Ferguson, Zach O’Brien, and Scott Pooley all received contracts. They are, presumably, all one one-year deals, but we don’t know for sure because no one bothers to make AHL contracts public.

Rubins was a free agent signing out of the WHL who has played at every international tournament level for Latvia. He is a smooth skating giraffe (6’4”) that can move the puck efficiently at the ECHL level and showed promise at the AHL level at the end of the season. Unfortunately for him, players returning from injuries, prospects coming in from college and junior. as well as demotions from the NHL pushed him out of the Marlies. He should be a big part of the Growlers’ defense of the Kelly Cup* after showing he could play big minutes on that team in the playoffs.

I nearly got M. Bradley confused with T. Bradley because I was certain he had already gotten a contract. Eventually I figured it out and both the Bradleys (no relation) are in Toronto on AHL deals. M. Bradley is a former fifth-round pick by the Montreal Canadiens that didn’t get signed out of the draft. The Marlies picked him up last summer and he gave the Growlers a 45-point season in 66 games as a 21-year-old.

Ferguson is a 24-year-old centre out of the NCAA. He has good puck skills and really good offensive instincts. When he’s played for the Marlies, he’s gotten power play time in order to maximize his playmaking and shooting abilities. In 49 ECHL games last season, Ferguson put up 30 goals and 58 points. If he can round out his game as a centre, he could be very useful to the Marlies.

O’Brien was a leader for the Growlers in their Kelly Cup run. The 27-year-old St. John’s native put up an incredible 28 goals and 68 points in 53 regular season games before throwing together 16 goals and 29 points in 23 playoff games. He and Ferguson were the dynamic duo at the top of the lineup all of last season.

And finally, Pooley is a 6’2” 25-year-old right winger out of the NCAA. This is his second AHL contract with the Marlies after he came to the team on an ATO at the tail end of the 2018-19 season. In his first full ECHL campaign, Pooley put up 31 goals and 60 points playing in the middle of the lineup and on the power play.

From our archives, these five players join the following list of players on AHL deals with the Marlies:

  • C - Riley Woods
  • LW - Trey Bradley
  • RW - Colt Conrad
  • RW - Justin Brazeau
  • HC - Sheldon Keefe/

Meanwhile several Marlies and Growlers regular roster players have signed contracts with other teams or. in Colin Greening’s case, retired from hockey.

  • Vincent LoVerde, on an NHL one-way deal last year, signed an AHL deal with Hartford
  • Chris Mueller, on an NHL one-way deal last year, signed a two-way deal with Tampa Bayi and will play in Syracuse
  • Josh Kestner, on an AHL deal last year and a star on the Growlers, signed with Grand Rapids in the AHL
  • Kristian Pospisil, who did not play all season has signed with Lukko in Finland
  • Josh Jooris, on an NHL deal last year, signed with Lausanne in Switzerland
  • J.J. Piccinich, a former Leaf draft pick, who has been in the ECHL on an AHL contract, signed with San Antonio in the AHL
  • Michael Garteig, the Growlers goalie who was on an AHL deal, signed with Tappara in Finland/
Toronto MarliesNewfoundland Growlers