True North start free agency with five AHL deals

The Jets started free agency!…

Okay, no. The Jets have not started, but the Manitoba Moose have. The Moose sign five players to AHL contracts.

Baker is a 6’5, left-handed shooting defender. He played nine games for the Moose last season, which are the only games he’s ever played in the AHL. It should be noted taht in over 58 games in the ECHL Baker has 2 goals and 9 assists, and only 25 points in 144 NCAA games.

Baker won’t be helping the team’s absence in puck-moving abilities from the backend that hurt the team so much last year, but he does add size.

Denham adds more size to the Moose. The 6’4, right winger played nine games for the Moose last season after graduating from the NCAA. He is an intriguing prospect who developed in the NCAA. He put up 98 points in 154 games, but 42 of his points were in his last 39-game season.

Fronk played about half a season for the Moose last year. He started off the season quite hot and was one of the better even strength scorers per icetime players on the team. Unfortunately things cooled down and there were questions about his defensive game, and so he spent some time in the pressbox and in the ECHL. Fronk is treated in many ways like a Jets’ prospect, as he went to the prospects tournament in Penticton last year and will be going to Development Camp this summer.

Kramer may not add size in the same manner as Baker and Denham, but he brings toughness. He also brings a lot of penalty killing time, as he has 683 penalty minutes in 197 AHL games. He has 34 career AHL points over those same 197 games.

The Moose also sign the 6’1 left-shot defender Tyson Wilson. Wilson also got a 9 game tryout showing with the Moose last season. Wilson developed a bit of scoring in the NCAA, especially with a strong final season with 27 points in 38 games. Overall, he ends up with a 0.54 point per game pace of his NCAA career. Wilson was a decent puck-mover in the NCAA, so he fills a bit of need for the Moose.