Tuesday was a busy day around the NHL as teams were able to, for the first time this year, sign undrafted free agents to entry-level contracts. 



The Tampa Bay Lightning inked the first deal in the morning snagging Acadie-Bathurst assistant captain Bennett MacArthur. But the Bolts weren’t the only team to bring in some fresh blood. 



Pittsburgh Penguins



The Penguins made two moves on Tuesday signing goaltender <a href="https://puckpedia.com/player/taylor-gauthier">Taylor Gauthier</a> and center <a href="https://puckpedia.com/player/jordan-frasca">Jordan Frasca</a> to three-year entry-level deals.



Gauthier, 21, has seen his game in the WHL take off in the last two years. He got his major-junior start with the Prince George Cougars but struggled to do much in front of some shaky teams. His record in his first two years was a meagre 23-48-9, while he posted a sub-.890 save percentage and goals-against average north of 3.50.<div class="injected-ad injected-video" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="0" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="140"></div>



Since then, however, Gauthier has looked sharp. In two seasons between 2019 and 2021, his record didn’t improve much, just a 23-34-7. His save percentage, however, skyrocketed to better than .915 in both years. 



This season, he started off with the Cougars once again but was traded to the Portland Winterhawks days after Christmas and he has looked tremendous. He’s posted a .932 save percentage over the course of the year along with a stellar 2.17 GAA. 



In Portland, Gauthier set a franchise-record shutout streak of a whopping 252:11 minutes that included a stretch of three straight shutouts. It came just 10 minutes short of setting the all-time WHL record set by Chris Worthy in 1967-68.



Frasca, 20, has played his major junior hockey with the OHL’s Kingston Frontenacs where, this year, he has delivered hands-down his most successful campaign. In 44 games, he’s found the back of the net 32 times while pitching in 33 assists.<div class="injected-ad" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="1" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="159"></div>



The club’s assistant captain, Frasca joined the Frontenacs in a 2019 trade after spending parts of two seasons in the Windsor Spitfires organization. 



Seattle Kraken



The Kraken made one signing Tuesday, inking forward <a href="https://puckpedia.com/player/tye-kartye">Tye Kartye</a> to a three-year entry-level contract. Kartye, 20, is in his fourth year with the OHL’s Soo Greyhounds, where in 45 games he’s scored 33 goals and 58 points. 



His production continued to climb with each passing major junior season and, in his 173 OHL games, he’s scored 62 goals and 135 points. Earlier this year, the Kraken had their eye on Kartye as he attended their training camp. 



Washington Capitals



One “undrafted” player signed with the Washington Capitals — Seattle Thunderbirds forward <a href="https://puckpedia.com/player/henrik-rybinski">Henry Rybinski</a>, who inked a three-year entry-level deal. He was technically drafted by the Florida Panthers in the fifth round of the 2019 draft, but he never signed with the team. <div class="injected-ad" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="2" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="152"></div>



Instead, he’s remained with the WHL’s Thunderbirds, where he’s been a great producer. In his 225 WHL games, he’s scored 47 goals and 165 points. This year, however, has been his best in the league. In 39 games, Rybinski has scored 18 goals and 54 points. 



Rybinski attended the Edmonton Oilers rookie camp this past season, scoring multiple goals in exhibition games. 



Calgary Flames



The Flames made one signing yesterday of a player they did draft, inking 19-year-old forward <a href="https://puckpedia.com/player/rory-kerins">Rory Kerins</a> to a three-year pact. He was selected by the Flames in the sixth round of the 2020 draft.



Kerins has played his major junior with the Soo Greyhounds and has seen an explosion of offense this season. In 50 games, he’s scored 33 goals and 84 points putting him second in points in the whole OHL. <div class="injected-ad" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="3" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="140"></div>



Now in his third year with the Greyhounds, Kerins has scored 72 goals and 166 points over his 171-game career. During the 2020-21 season which saw the OHL not play a game, Kerins appeared in four games with the Flames’ AHL affiliate, the Stockton Heat.



Dallas Stars



The Stars also inked one of their own draft picks in 2020 fourth-round pick <a href="https://puckpedia.com/player/antonio-stranges">Antonio Stranges</a>. Ranked as high as 48th overall by independent scouting service FC Hockey, Stranges plummeted down rankings. Since then? All he’s done is produce. In 2020-21 he appeared in nine AHL games with the Texas Stars registering just one assist, but this year back with the OHL’s London Knights, he’s producing at a great clip. 



In 39 games this year, he’s scored 18 goals and 51 points. Over his career, Stranges has appeared in 166 games, scoring 50 goals and 125 points. <div class="injected-ad" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="4" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="146"></div>


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Zach Laing is the Nation Network’s news director and senior columnist. He can be followed on Twitter at<a href="http://www.twitter.com/zjlaing"> @zjlaing</a>, or reached by email at zach@oilersnation.com.
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