Allen Americans Affiliate With Ottawa/Belleville Senators - The Details

 Here is the press release announcing the affiliation: https://allenamericans.com/news/2025/08/americans-announce-nhlahl-affiliation

 

The long journey to acquire an affiliation for the Allen Americans has finally come to fruition with a one-year agreement with the Ottawa/Belleville Senators. Asking about the affiliation was the #1 question I have been asked about throughout the summer, so now that the question has been answered, I had a chance to get the complete story from Steve Martinson on the process and outcomes.

 

- The very first step Martinson took when he and Myles Jack shook hands on a coaching deal, long before the May 12 press release announcing his selection, was to send an email to every NHL team. Even though he knew teams don't change affiliations that are working, and many were already committed for 2025-26, he wanted all NHL teams to know he would be coaching in Allen and was looking for an affiliation. Just in case someone was looking to make a change. 

 

- The reality of the affiliation situation became clear very early. Allen was the only ECHL team without an affiliation, and there were only three NHL teams that didn't have an affiliation: the Columbus Blue Jackets, the Utah Mammoth, and the Ottawa Senators. Complicating things was the fact that Allen already had an affiliation history with Utah (2024-25) and Ottawa (2022-23 & 2023-24) before Martinson arrived. Allen left the Ottawa affiliation unceremoniously after the 2023-24 season, which created some ill will for various reasons. The Utah affiliation last season was a problem from Martinson's perspective, because he feels that having two contracted goalies assigned with very few skaters assigned creates a problem and the communication with Utah wasn't very good. 

 

- Columbus was out of the picture very early in the process, so Martinson spent weeks talking to Utah and Ottawa. There was a time when it realistically seemed likely that Allen would not have an affiliation. Ottawa was happy working with Orlando informally, as they had done in 2023-24, and things changed in Utah when it was announced that the Utah Grizzlies were being sold and would be moving. 

 

- In my opinion, there are a couple of reasons Allen and Ottawa eventually came to an agreement. First, Steve Martinson was handling the negotiations, unlike the last two seasons when Zawyer made the decisions. His 30 years of experience give him a big advantage when talking to teams about affiliating. He is very good at selling what he can do for the affiliate, but is also not afraid to share what he needs from them, because he is not looking to get promoted to an AHL job like so many ECHL coaches. The second reason this worked out was the fact that Ottawa named a new general manager for the Belleville Senators about the same time Martinson was selected in Allen. His name is Matt Turek, and before his selection, he was the general manager of the OHL Hamilton/Brantford Bulldogs, a team previously owned by Micheal Andlauer, who now owns both the Ottawa and Belleville Senators.

Turek played professional hockey in both the ECHL and the old Central Hockey League, so he understands how the ECHL operates. Just as important, as a general manager in the OHL, just like Martinson in the ECHL, Turek was the decision maker, so he knew all of the players on all of the teams. 

Martinson and Turek had multiple conversations over months, and the potential for a good working relationship developed. One thing they had in common was a similar approach to the style of play their teams would be playing. Recently, Turek, along with Sean McCauley, Manager of Hockey Operations for Belleville made the decision to recommend an affiliation with Allen up the chain of command. McCauley had spent time in Allen under the previous affiliation with Ottawa. With the support of Turek and McCauley, the obstacles from the past were overcome, and the agreement for a one-year affiliation was made.

 

- What will the affiliation mean for the Americans? 

• Of the players Martinson has signed and announced, Braidan Simmons-Fischer and Carter Savoie will be participating in Ottawa's prospect tournament to be held in Montreal on September 13-14.  The four teams participating in what is called the "Prospect Showdown" are Montreal (host), Toronto, Ottawa, and Winnipeg.  
• There may be others attending the prospect camp who have not been announced yet. These would be players signed by Martinson, but also talked to and supported by Belleville. These aren't players that Belleville is doing a favor for Martinson. These are legitimate depth players for Belleville that will likely see time in the AHL. Turek and Martinson are working together to sell opportunity and availability.
• As part of the affiliation, Allen will be assigned players already under NHL/AHL contract from Ottawa/Belleville. The number won't be big, but the players Allen gets will be top players in the ECHL.
• Looking at the Ottawa goalie depth chart, I expect rookie goalie Jackson Parsons, who recently signed a 3-year entry-level contract with Ottawa, will start the season in Allen.. The 20-year-old is from the Ottawa area and was committed to Clarkson College, but jumped at the chance to sign a 3-year deal with his hometown team. Parsons played for Kitchener in the OHL in 2024-25 and had a breakout season. In 52 games, he had a record of 37-12-3 with a 2.24 GAA and .920 save percentage. For his efforts, Parsons was selected as the OHL Goalie of the Year. He was also awarded the CHL (Canadian Hockey League) Goalie of the Year Award. The CHL covers all three of the major junior leagues in Canada (WHL, OHL, QMJHL).
• Allen will also have many players attend Belleville's training camp. Names to be announced later.
• Carter Savoie is the only player will participate in Ottawa's NHL training camp, after the prospect tournament.   

 

OTHER COMMENTS

- Sometime this week you will start hearing names of Allen players from last season signing with other ECHL teams, some in the Mountain Division. As Coach Martinson has said, the way he has built his roster, and the affiliation with Ottawa becoming a reality, it required him to release/trade some players from last season.

 

- I posted this in the last blog, but wanted to include it again as this item is definitely a one of a kind. I hope to do a story about the eventual winner of the auction. The current bid is $650 and there are six days left to bid. In my opinion, the most meaningful piece of Allen history ever put up for auction.  

The Allen Americans locker room is undergoing a complete renovation for the first time since 2009. One of the most iconic pieces of Allen Americans memorabilia ever is up for auction. That is the logo in the carpet in the middle of the locker room. Four championship celebrations, champagne, beer, and every player in Allen history have graced that logo. And if you are a long-time reader of the blog, there might have been some crow chili spilled on that logo (no stain). The dimensions are 12'9" x 12'9", and it is in surprisingly good shape for its age, plus it has a lot of character. Here is the link to the auction, which will close on Labor Day: https://fans.winwithdash.com/event/68a49648cef70a0008267083  

 

- Here is the ECHL Stats post from yesterday listing the 16 former ECHL players that debuted in the NHL last season. The one player from Allen on the list is Donovan Sebrango. It is hard to forget the opening game of the 2023-24 season. Allen was outshot 45-19, but beat Idaho on the road, 5-2, as Leevi Merilainen stood tall in goal. The trivia question from that game was, "Who scored the first goal for the Americans to start the 2023-24 season? The answer is defenseman Donovan Sebrango. 

16 former ECHL players made their NHL debut in 2024-25. Here is the list with position, name, ECHL team, and NHL team:

 

(G) Clay Stevenson, SC (Washington)

(D) Dominick Fensore, NOR, (Carolina)

(G) Tristan Lennox, WOR (New York Islanders)

(G) Victor Ostman, KC (Seattle)

(F) Justin Robidas, NOR (Carolina)

(G) Olivier Rodrigue, WIC (Seattle)

(G) Jakub Skarek, WOR, (New York Islanders)

(F) Jacob Gaucher, REA, (Philadelphia)

(F) Rodrigo Abols, GVL, (Philadelphia)

(D) Donovan Sebrango, ALN & TOL (Ottawa)

(F) Marc Gatcomb, KAL (New York Islanders)

(F) Rory Kerins, RC (Calgary)

(D) Nate, Clurman, UTA (Pittsburgh)

(F) Tye Felhaber, IDH, FW, ORL (Colorado)

(G) Sebastian Cossa, TOL, (Detroit)

(G) Trent Miner, UTA (Colorado)

 

Totals

7 - Goalies

6 - Forwards

3 - Defensemen

 

 

 

- The Allen Americans have announced more players for the 2025-26 season than any other team in the Mountain Division. Here is the list:

 

• 18 - Allen
• 17 - Utah
• 15 - Kansas City
• 12 - Rapid City
• 11 - Tahoe
• 11 - Idaho
• 9 - Wichita
• 7 - Tulsa

Fort Wayne has announced the most players (24), and Cincinnati has announced the fewest (5). It is essential to note that some teams have signed significantly more players than they have announced. Unless teams expect an unusually high number of players to be assigned by their affiliate, most will have 20+ players under contract by now.

 

 

DID YOU KNOW: 

 

Here are the top lamp-lighters returning to the ECHL in 2025-26.

 

All have re-signed with their 2024-25 team:

37 goals - Brandon Hawkins, Toledo

30 goals - Brady Fleurent, Norfolk

30 goals - Jay Dickman, Wichita

29 goals - Ryan Wagner, Rapid City

29 goals - Anthony Repaci, Worcester

28 goals - Peter Bates, Wichita

28 goals - Carson Gicewicz, Florida 

 

 

FYI, the #1, #3, #4, #5 (tied), and #8 (tied) ECHL goal scorers from last season have either signed in Europe, signed in the AHL, or remain unsigned.

 

 

 

 

   

 

Player Profiles - Allen's New Forward Carter Savoie and Defenseman Jackson Decker, Affiliation Update, New ECHL Franchise, Lockerroom Logo Auction and More

 

The Allen Americans added two more players to the 2025-26 roster yesterday, announcing the signing of forward Carter Savoie and defenseman Jackson Decker. Here is the updated roster that now includes one goalie, eight defensemen, and nine forwards: 

 

Goalies

• #33 Marco Costantini 

Defensemen

• #22 Anthony Costantini
• #?? Jackson Decker 
• #28 Troy Murray 
• #43 Matt Register
• #6 Braidan Simmons-Fischer 
• #44 Kevin Spinozzi 
• #2 Quinn Warmuth 
• #9 Hudson Wilson

Forwards

• #26 Spencer Asuchak
• #18 Harrison Blaisdell 
• #11 Thomas Caron
• #8 Michael Gildon
• #7 Colton Hargrove
• #76 Malik Johnson 
• #77 Brad Morrison
• #?? Carter Savoie
• #29 Brayden Watts

 

PLAYER PROFILE - CARTER SAVOIE

Carter Savoie

- Carter Savoie is a 23-year-old,  5'10', 192-pound, left-shot forward from St, Albert, Alberta. He was the 4th round draft pick (#100 overall) of the Edmonton Oilers in the 2020 NHL draft. He turned professional after his college team, the University of Denver, won the NCAA National Championship in 2022. In the semi-finals, Savoie scored the game-winner, 14:32 into overtime, to defeat a loaded University of Michigan team 3-2 to advance to the finals. Denver beat Minnesota State 5-1 in the finals to capture its ninth national title. Carter was named to the All-Tournament team.

To describe Savoie as a pure scorer would be an understatement. As a 17-year-old, playing junior A hockey in the AJHL (Alberta Junior Hockey League), he scored 53 goals in 54 games along with 46 assists for a total of 99 points. 

Here is one scouting report from Savoie's draft year. "Savoie reads defenders like few other players in the draft. He is acutely aware of opposing sticks and actively baits them. Savoie is deceptive: he looks off his targeted play and keeps the same grip on his stick, whether he is passing, dangling, or shooting. Savoie fires with power precision, and with some trickery, using screens to his advantage." 

From the time he turned pro in 2022, through the end of 2023-24 season, Carter was with the Bakersfield Condors (AHL). He played in 109 games and scored 33 points (18G, 15A). Last season, after a short stint in Finland, he signed an AHL deal with the Ontario Reign, but was assigned to Greenville all season and was never called up. He had 47 points (24G, 23A) in 54 games with the Swamp Rabbits. 

How did Savoie end up in Allen, knowing a lot of ECHL teams were recruiting him? He was looking for an opportunity that would get him back to the AHL. Coach Martinson and the Allen affiliate worked together to show him how that would be possible. He is going to score a ton of points in Martinson's offensive system, and the affiliate will call him up at some point. There is no doubt Savoie would not be in Allen if it were not for the recruiting effort from the affiliate. In the perfect world, guys like Savoie will go up to the AHL, and get signed. Allen will get another player back, and it will result in more quality players available for the playoffs. This concept works best if the player goes to Allen's affiliate. But remember, these players, like Savoie, are free agents in the AHL, so any AHL team could ask for them.      

Savoie will be one of the Allen players attending the affiliates prospect tournament.

What did Steve Martinson have to say about Savoie?

"With the guys I will have playing with Savoie, I think he will lead the league in average goals per game. I expect he will get an opportunity with our affiliate, but we will get a good player back when he goes up."

"Savoie scored 10 goals one year in the AHL and wasn't playing top-six, minutes. That is very hard to do in that league. He is a goal scorer, and with all of the good puck carriers we will have, he will be a top scorer in our league." 

"The one thing I ask of these players that I expect we will lose to the AHL is that they come back and help us in the playoffs if our affiliate doesn't make the playoffs or loses early in the playoffs. This is an important conversation for players like Savoie, who I know can play in the AHL." 

 

- Here is a Carter Savoie highlight reel when he was a freshman at the University of Denver:

 

  - Here is a video from a couple of years ago when Carter was in the Edmonton organization. He was being interviewed before the start of rookie camp:

    

- Here is the press release on Savoie issued by the Allen Americans: https://allenamericans.com/news/2025/08/americans-sign-top-line-forward 

 

 

JACKSON DECKER

Jackson Decker

 - Jackson Decker is a 26-year-old. 5'10', 180-pound left-shot defenseman from Algonquin, IL, who just finished his five-year collegiate career at Canisius College. He is the all-time Canisius leader in games played (159). In his collegiate career, Decker tallied 70 points (15G, 55A). 

Jackson played as a graduate student (Business) last season and has been on his conference (AHA) all-academic team. 

In 2023, Canisius won its conference championship to earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Division I tournament. They had to beat Army, Niagara, and Holy Cross on the way to the championship. Decker was one of six players selected to the all-tournament team.          

What did Martinson have to say about Decker?

"Decker prides himself on getting the puck up to the forwards, then jumping into the play." 

"I think he should fit it very well to the style we like to play."

"When I was talking Decker, he told me he took a lot of pride in being one of the top hitters on his team. At first glance, I would not have known that. When a player brings something like that up, you know it is legit."  

 

- Unfortunately, I could not find any Decker videos. Here is the press release on Decker issued by the Allen Americans: https://allenamericans.com/news/2025/08/americans-sign-talented-young-blueliner

 

OTHER COMMENTS

- No more hedges from me on when the affiliation announcement will happen. I will unequivocally say it takes place sometime next week. The good news is that the delay has not stopped Coach Martinson from going full speed ahead, knowing it will happen.

 

- Martinson has already had to trade or release three players from last season. These are players who had been signed, but not yet announced. Going forward, if Martinson signs a player, he will have to release a player.

 

- Sometimes players get signed by an AHL team, but they don't get an opportunity. They get held onto because they are a really good player for the ECHL affiliate. The player would like to be traded to another AHL team that will give them an opportunity. Sometimes you end up with an unhappy player because they were not given an opportunity, and they will move on rather than re-sign. 

 

- The ECHL announced on Wednesday that a new franchise has been awarded that will play in Augusta, Georgia, starting in the 2027-28 season. The same primary owners of the Tahoe Knight Monsters (Tim Tebow & David Hodges) will own the Augusta franchise. Zawyer Sports will be consulting with Tebow and Hodges, just as they do in Tahoe. Here is the press release if you haven't seen it: https://echl.com/news/2025/08/echl-approves-expansion-membership-for-augusta 

 

- The Allen Americans locker room is undergoing a complete renovation for the first time since 2009. One of the most iconic pieces of Allen Americans memorabilia ever is up for auction. That is the logo in the carpet in the middle of the locker room. Four championship celebrations, champagne, beer, and every player in Allen history have graced that logo. And if you are a long-time reader of the blog, there might have been some crow chili spilled on that logo (no stain). The dimensions are 12'9" x 12'9", and it is in surprisingly good shape for its age, plus it has a lot of character. Here is the link to the auction, which will close on Labor Day: https://fans.winwithdash.com/event/68a49648cef70a0008267083  

 

 

- There are some jerseys up for auction as well, and the minimum bid is only $100. Chance to pick up a jersey at a good price. https://fans.winwithdash.com/team/allenamericans/event/689b5b3de3773e00083c6a4c   

  

DID YOU KNOW: I posted this on my ECHL Stats page the other day, of fun facts, which is a list of the oldest, youngest, tallest, shortest, heaviest, and lightest players in the ECHL. In addition to the top spot on the list, Matt Register is shown as #2 on the oldest list (35), and Spencer Asuchak is shown as #5 on the tallest list (6'6") and #2 on the heaviest (231). Keep in mind, this list is from Elite Prospects, where height and weight can be suspect. I remember when Zach Pochiro played for the Americans, he was shown as one of the lightest players in the league at something like 145 pounds, which was taken from his junior days, when in fact he weighed 190 pounds.  

Fun facts on ECHL players announced thus far for the 2025-26 season:

 

Oldest - 36, Justin Taylor (Adirondack)

Youngest - 20, Rasmus Ekstrom (Rapid City)

Tallest - 6’8”, Braiden Simmons-Fischer (Allen)

Shortest - 5’5”, Danny Dzhaniyev, (Idaho)

Heaviest - 240 lbs., Braiden Simmons-Fischer, (Allen)

Lightest - 150 lbs., Danny Dzhaniyev (Idaho)

 

Source: Elite Prospects 

 

 

DID YOU KNOW II: Here is the ECHL Stats post from today, which shows the Allen Americans have two of the best playmakers in the ECHL over the last three seasons in Matt Register and Brayden Watts:

 

Playmakers are critical to success. Of the ECHL players returning in 2025-26, here are the combined assist leaders over the past three seasons:

 

148: Matt Register, Allen

147: Brandon Hawkins, Toledo

135: Michal Stinil, Wichita

118: Jay Dickman, Wichita

118: Brayden Watts, Allen

109: Logan Nelson, Greensboro

107: Ty Pelton-Byce, Idaho

106: Alex Aleardi, Fort Wayne 

 

 

Matt Register is the only defenseman on this list, yet he leads all players, averaging almost 50 assists per season the last three years.

   

 

  

  

How Steve Martinson Builds His Roster and Why, Allen Re-Signs Quinn Warmuth and Michael Gildon, Affiliate Announcement This Week and More

 

The Allen Americans concluded the week with the addition of two more players on Friday. With five players announced last week, the roster total for the 2025-26 season is up 16 players. The Americans have re-signed defenseman Quinn Warmuth and forward Michael Gildon. Here is the press release issued by the Allen Americans:  https://allenamericans.com/news/2025/08/news-americans-announce-two-returning-players    

 

- Here is the updated Allen roster. For players who have switched numbers, their old number is in parentheses: 

Goalies

• #33 Marco Costantini 

Defensemen

• #22 Anthony Costantini
• #28 Troy Murray 
• #43 Matt Register
• #6 Braidan Simmins-Fischer 
• #44 Kevin Spinozzi 
• #2 Quinn Warmuth 
• #9 Hudson Wilson (#5)

Forwards

• #26 Spencer Asuchak
• #18 Harrison Blaisdell (#24) 
• #11 Thomas Caron
• #8 Michael Gildon  (#16)
• #7 Colton Hargrove (#17)
• #76 Malik Johnson 
• #77 Brad Morrison 
• #29 Brayden Watts (#92)

 

QUINN WARMUTH

Quinn Warmuth

- A year ago, Quinn arrived at Allen's training camp as a tryout player, not signed to a Standard Player's Contract. If you have followed the team over the years, you know it is rare for tryout players to make the team. I found Quinn's approach to training camp was different than other tryout players, and I wrote about it the second day of camp. This story tells you a little about Quinn and a lot about why he made the team.

- Quinn Warmuth - Why I talked to Quinn was two-fold. In researching his background, I found a get-to-know-you type video from his amateur days in which he mentioned he was an only child, and it made me wonder how he first got involved in hockey. Secondly, he is one of the few rookie tryout players in training camp that has not signed with a SPHL club for 2024-25. Warmuth is a 6'4" 205-pound right-shot defenseman who finished his collegiate career at Division III SUNY- Oswego last season. Here is how he answered my two questions last year

Q: How did you get involved in hockey?

A: Nobody in my family is involved in hockey. I was taking swimming lessons at the local rec center, and my mom walked me over to the ice center to get a snack. I looked at the skaters on the ice and told my mom I would like to give that a try. I started in snowplow classes when I was four. My parents didn't know what we were doing. I ended up playing in a house league, and I just loved it, and I have been playing ever since. Nobody in my family has ever touched the ice.

Q: I noticed you are not signed elsewhere, like the SPHL. What is your plan if you don't make the team in Allen?

A: I came to Allen on a tryout, looking for an opportunity, and that is all that I wanted. Thankfully, Coach Adams gave me that opportunity. Right now, my complete focus is on making this roster and doing everything I can by showing up every day, looking to win the day. Right now, that is where my focus is at. I am looking to do everything I can that is going to get me in the lineup and keep me on the roster. If that means dropping the gloves, I am willing to do that. Fortunately, there are a lot of guys in camp with experience in that, and if they are willing to teach me, I am willing to learn.

 

Warmuth ended up making the team and improved throughout the season. When the season ended, here is how he ranked among all Allen defensemen:

• #1 - goals (7)
• #2 - points (17)
• #2 - assists (10)
• #2 - games played (55)   

 When I asked Martinson about Warmuth he mentioned that it helps him that he is a right shot and, he scored some goals last season. He was one of the players who made it clear to Martinson that opportunity was more important to him than money.  

 

It always fun to include way back get to know you videos. This is Quinn for six years ago. 

  

 

MICHAEL GILDON

 

Michael Gildon

- At the end of last season (March 9), the Allen Americans traded Kyle Crnkovic to Fort Wayne in a 2-for-1 deal. Allen acquired Brad Morrison and Michael Gildon in the trade.

Gildon grew up in Plano and played for the Dallas Stars Elite AAA team as a U14 and U16 player. In 2016-17, Steve Martinson's son played on the same team, so Martinson watched Gildon play a lot. He led his team in points that season (33 points in 31 games). The following year Gildon moved on to the US National Team Development Program. Playing with the Under-18 National Team in 2018-19, Gildon finished #7 on the team in scoring. (26 games, 29 points, 13G, 16A). Here are the six players who scored more than him, all established NHL players:

• Jack Huges - New Jersey
• Matt Boldy - Minnesota
• Cole Caufield - Monttreal
• Trevor Zegras - Anaheim
• Alex Turcotte - Los Angeles
• Cam York - Philadelphia

 Steve Martinson is a big believer that if a player has been a scorer in the past, he doesn't lose that ability. At 6'2" and 200 pounds, if Gildon gets to play with the right players, his numbers will be much improved in Martinson's system. 

FYI, Gildon played his college hockey at Ohio State University, where he earned a Bachelor's Degree and a Master's Degree (Sports Coaching). He was a four-time Academic All-Big Ten selection.  

Michael has an older brother (Max) who was drafted in the third round of the 2017 NHL draft by the Florida Panthers. He played in 101 AHL games between 2020-2023 and has been playing in Europe since. He will be playing in Italy in 2025-26. 

Michael has a younger sister, McKenna, who is a junior at Clemson University and is on the volleyball team. 

Here is a way back, get to know video from 2017 with Michael and his teammate at the time, NHL All-Star, Jack Hughes:

  

 

MY ROSTER THOUGHTS

- This is the 11th year I have worked with Steve Martinson, so I have a pretty good understanding of how he builds a roster. He will have an offensive-minded team that is tough to play against, but the team is also expected to play defense. There are so many factors Martinson has to consider when recruiting players. Here are some of those factors.

• In an ideal world, Martinson would have an even number of left-shot and right-shot defensemen. The split right now is five left-shot and four right-shot defensemen. 
• The split between offensive and defensive defensemen is also important. Martinson has always felt defensive defensemen have to be very physical and willing to drop the gloves. 
• Everyone knows Martinson will have a very physical team. Unlike last season, if the team is getting beaten 3-0 ten minutes into the game, there is no doubt there will be a response. If a game turns into a shit show, there will be plenty of guys in front of the line to respond. Guys on the bench will be asking to get on the ice.  
• With this year's roster, Martinson has what I would describe as three tiers of players. You have the top-tier high-end players he knows will earn their pay. Guys like Register, Hargrove, Spinozzi, Watts, and Asuchak.  
• A second tier are the guys who have been caught up in the change of the team under Martinson. These are second and third year guys who have potential, but will have to prove themselves in training camp.
• Martinson needs players who fit into certain salary levels. Guys who have played two or three years in the league may now be at a pay level that doesn't work, and they will lose their spots just like you see in the NHL. That is why you might see Martinson release your favorite players from last season or not recruit one of your favorite players from last season. 
• Martinson is not done signing players. He told me he plans to sign two defensemen in the next couple of days, another reason he will have to release players.
• Martinson is also trying to land a couple of top-tier rookies who will go to the affiliate's prospect tournament, yet another reason he will have to release players.
• With all of these salary considerations, Martinson's depth players will have to be entry-level ECHL players playing for rookie salaries.
• Martinson could decide to have one more high-end player and a rookie player, rather than two middle-tier players for the same total salary. He will have to decide the right mix.
• The reason some players are on the roster is that they chose opportunity over money. Other players are gone because they chose money over opportunity.   

 

- So when you are asking yourself, why did Martinson sign this player instead of that player, keep in mind it could be his style of play, is he physical, is he a left-shot or right-shot, how good is he defensively, how much money is he asking for, is he married or single, and a myriad of other factors. If Martinson could hire the best players without regard to cost, the job would be a lot easier. Getting the right mix of high-end players, mid-range players, and entry-level players without knowing exactly what help is coming from the affiliate is why many consider Martinson the best GM/ recruiter in the league.  

 

- It will be fun to watch it continue to unfold over the next couple of months. I know I sound like a broken record, but you can look for a very competitive training camp in October. 

 

OTHER COMMENTS

-  With Allen's announced roster at 16 players, the Americans rank #6 in the league in the number of players announced. Here are the top five:

• 19 - Florida
• 19 - Toledo
• 18 - Fort Wayne
• 17 - Utah
• 17 - Worcester

 

- How do the Americans rank in some of the other team comparisons? Keep in mind these are averages that will change as more players are announced. The range of players announced is from 19 to 5 (Cincinnati). Here is Allen's rank based on the averages today. Source: Elite Prospects:

• #1 - ECHL game experience (2424 games)
• #1 - Average Height (6'2")
• #1 - Average Weight (201 pounds)
• #8 - Average Age (27.06 years)    

 

- The ECHL All-Star Break for the 2025-26 Season is Tuesday, Jan. 20 to Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. There are to be no games, practices, or team events during the All-Star Break. The Allen Americans will host the 2026 Warrior/ECHL All-Star Classic on Monday, Jan. 19. The format for the All-Star game has not been announced, but I have heard rumors that it will be different than in the past when the host team played the All-Stars. 

 

- In closing, the long-awaited announcement on Allen's affiliate for 2025-26 should happen this week. The agreement is being finalized, and the signatures could happen any day. You never want to be specific when lawyers are involved, but I will go out on a limb and say it happens this week.    

 

Allen Americans Sign Three Wood Choppers at the Tip of the Spear - Steve Martinson Explains, Player Profiles and More

 

The Allen Americans added three more players to their 2025-26 roster yesterday, bringing the total number of announced players to 14. The players added yesterday were defensemen Braidan Simmons-Fischer and Troy Murray, and forward Malik Johnson. Here is Allen's updated roster with the assigned jersey numbers:

  

Goalies

• #33 Marco Costantini 

Defensemen

• #22 Anthony Costantini
• #28 Troy Murray 
• #43 Matt Register
• #6 Braidan Simmins-Fischer 
• #44 Kevin Spinozzi 
• #9 Hudson Wilson 

Forwards

• #26 Spencer Asuchak
• #18 Harrison Blaisdell 
• #11 Thomas Caron 
• #7 Colton Hargrove 
• #76 Malik Johnson 
• #77 Brad Morrison 
• #29 Brayden Watts 

- I had a chance to ask Steve Martinson how these three players fit into his plans, given they have a combined total of 15 ECHL games played. Here is what he has to say. 

"When I left Allen after the 2021-22 season, one of the things I had the opportunity to do was color commentary for the Rockford IceHogs. I did that for about 25 games. It had been a long time since I had seen AHL games. It was clear that the top players were very identifiable. These were the guys going up and down to the NHL. However, the bottom AHL players were about the same as the top players on ECHL teams. It was evident to me that there are a lot of guys in the ECHL who could play in the AHL, if given the opportunity. They are not given the opportunity for a variety of reasons, age being a big factor." 

"The same thing applies to players going from the SPHL and FPHL to the ECHL. There are a lot of top players at the single-A level that are just as good as the bottom players in the ECHL. They are just not given the opportunity. For most of my coaching career, I had so many high-quality players contacting me, I didn't need to find diamonds in the rough in the SPHL. What I have learned by coaching in Athens is that these players can play at the ECHL level. Even better is the fact that games played in the SPHL and FPHL don't count toward rookie status in the ECHL Johnson and Murray are experienced pro players who are considered rookies."     

"When I started putting the roster together, before I knew if we would have an affiliation, I wanted to make sure we had depth guys that could play, but were physical players that bring a lot of energy and understood their role. As it turns out, some of our top forwards are going to be very physical players. Plus, the players we will get from our affiliate will be top players in the ECHL, but also physical guys."

"It is safe to say our team this season will be the most physical team I have had in Allen. The three guys announced today not only finish their checks, but when they hit, they go right through the players. 

 

PLAYER PROFILES

Braiden-Simmons-Fischer

 

- Braidan Simmons-Fischer is a 23-year-old, 6'8", 234-pound, right-shot defenseman who signed with his hometown team after he left school last February. He comes from a hockey family. His dad, Juri Fischer, played eight seasons (305 games) with Detroit Red Wings and has been part of the Red Wings player development staff since 2007. Braidan's younger brother (18), Lukas, was the 2nd round draft choice of the St. Louis Blues in the 2024 NHL draft. 

Martinson on Braidan, "Sometimes it takes a while for real tall guys to become their best player because there is a lot to adjust to and it takes time to develop. Zdeno Chara, the 6'9" defenseman who played in 1680 NHL games talks about being cut from teams when he was 16 years old after being told he was too tall to play hockey." 

Braidan skates well, he handles the puck well, and he is tough. He has a lot of upside, and in my opinion, the sky is the limit. That is why he will be attending our affiliates' prospect tournament, to ensure they won't get pushed around by anyone. 

 

 

 

Malik Johnson

- Malik Johnson is a 30 year old, 6'1'', 192 pound, left-shot forward who played for Martinson in Athens last season, where he played 48 games and had 44 points (15G, 29A) and 122 penalty minutes. Johnson was called up to South Carolina, the top team in the ECHL last season, for six games at the end of December. South Carolina coach, Jared Nightingale, who was recently selected as the head coach in Rockford (AHL), had this to say about Johnson, "He has been outstanding. I talked to his coach, Steve Martinson; everyone in the hockey world knows Steve and all of his success, and he has a great eye for talent. Steve talked highly of Malik. Johnson skates well, but he is also smart. He stays above the play, he gets to the net, and he has given us an emotional boost."

Johnson has played in 110 SPHL games in his four-year pro career. 

Martinson on Malik. "He is a good skater, he gets to the net and finishes every check. He is a good penalty killer, and he will be a fan favorite in Allen. 

 

 

 

 

Troy Murray

 - Troy Murray is a 27-year-old, 6'2, 220 pound left-shot defenseman who played for Martinson in Athens last season. He had 11 points (3G, 8A) in 32 games. He was also called up to the South Carolina Stingrays for nine games, had no points but 50 penalty minutes. He has also played 116 games in the SPHL over his five-year pro career. 

Martinson's comments on Murray, "He is a defenseman who can play forward, because he is a good skater. He is a defensive defenseman. He is the kind of player who is going to hit people hard, given the opportunity. His ability to go through people when he checks is a trait that is hard to teach. He is big and strong, he moves well, and is a fluid skater. I watched all of his shifts when he was loaned to South Carolina. You would have never known he wasn't there all year."

 

OTHER MARTINSON COMMENTS

"I talked about this before, that my housing budget allows me to have a team that is more like an NHL team. We are not going to get a lot of players from the affiliate, but the ones we do get will be very good. The housing budget allows me to sign more players who are playing for Allen, so I have more control of the roster and the ability to have the type of team I want to have. By signing more married guys who want to stay and play and win in Allen it allows me to have a team where my depth guys are energy guys that are very difficult to play against. We are going to have physical guys who can score on every line."

 

"I once had an AHL general manager tell me you can win with intimidation in the ECHL, but it is harder to do in the AHL. My response to him was I am not in the AHL."

I will tell you right now, we are going to have an intimidating team. We will not be a team that one tough guy on the opposition can do something about. We are going to have top players who like to hit, and our depth guys even more so. You have heard me say in the past that you need guys who carry the water and guys who chop the wood. We are going to have our top guys who carry the water and chop the wood. Our depth guys, like the three we announced yesterday, will be wood choppers extraordinaire. I know they can play, and I know they will be physical."

 

"Tip of the spear defined, we will have a big spear with guys like Asuchak, Hargrove, and Caron being goal scorers that play physical. Every "rookie" I have will play the heavy style that our fans know and love." 

 

"Every year, the pool of physical players gets a little smaller. When you have to deal with the salary cap, you often look to first-year players to be the guys who bring the physical energy. With rookies, you are never quite sure if they can be effective pro players. With the three guys we announced, who are all ECHL rookies, I know they can play and will finish every hitting opportunity. Even better, there are more of those types of players yet to be announced." 

 

"We have other players to announce, and I will repeat myself. "We will have a lot of players in training camp, and it will be very competitive. Training camp is not the place to get in shape. The players who make the opening day roster will have to show they are ready to play, buy into the style we are going to play, and are good teammates."

 

"This will be the first time I have ever coached a team with four lines, since the number of skaters was increased to 18 last season. That will allow for a lot of different strategies."   

 

In closing, you can expect to see more blog posts like this one, where I will be interviewing Coach Martinson, the players, and team owner Myles Jack about the challenges of creating the right culture with a roster that has been almost completely overhauled. 

 

DID YOU KNOW: Hockey season is less than 60 days away. Help from NHL/AHL affiliates plays a big role in the ECHL, both during the regular season and the Kelly Cup playoffs. Here are the regular season dates for each league:

ECHL: October 17 - April 12 (30 teams play 1080 games)

AHL: October 10 - April 19 (32 teams play 1152 games)

NHL: October 7 - April 16 (32 teams play 1312 games)

 

 

Teams in USA vs Canada

 

NHL: 25 USA vs 7 Canada

AHL: 26 USA vs 6 Canada

ECHL: 29 USA vs 1 Canada

 

 

 

Steve Martinson Shares Good News on Affiliate and Roster, 3ICE Championship on Thursday, and More

 

It has been a while since I had any information to share for an update, but that changed yesterday when I spoke with Coach Martinson at length about what he has been working on since the calendar turned to August. 

 

- Martinson was in Allen for a few days getting all of the family's household goods out of storage and set up in their apartment. He wanted to thank Tim Brown, owner of Hotshots Delivery and Moving, for his assistance with the move-in. Steve and Michelle will be in Allen at the beginning of September, and the team will set up a luncheon or get-together for fans to hear directly from Martinson and ask questions.

 

-  The best news I heard from Martinson is that the affiliation agreement is being finalized, and there should be an announcement by the end of the week if all goes as planned. I think everyone knows from my reporting that since Martinson was named head coach, he has been working hard on lining up an affiliation. To be completely honest, it has been a challenge to try and overcome some of the obstacles and decisions made related to affiliations in the recent past. 

 

- Everything is now falling into place for Martinson. He has already been given multiple slots in the affiliate's rookie camp and AHL training camp. While no names have been announced yet, Martinson is in the process of recruiting players for some of those camp spots he was just given. I fully expect Mark Duarte will be heading to one of the camps. With these training camp spots to work with, Martinson feels that recruiting two or three more players will put him over the top.   

 

- Because it was uncertain if Allen would get an affiliate, Martinson had to sign a lot of players to protect himself. With the help he will now be getting from the affiliate, he will have to release some of the players he signed earlier in the summer. The number of players currently under contract is around 24, so you can expect several to be released now that Martinson has a good idea where the affiliate is with players. 

 

- Martinson reiterated to me that with the affiliate coming on board, he is even more comfortable with the roster he is putting together. His quote to me was, "Things are really working out in our favor. I can assure everyone we will be big, fast, physical, and skilled. It will be the biggest team I have ever had. We will have some big forwards that are physical but also skilled." 

 

- Martinson mentioned to me one of the reasons he has been able to build a roster that is older and more experienced is because team owner Myles Jack and team President Jonny Mydra have given him a housing budget that has allowed him to recruit more married players. Since married players get their own apartment, while single players share an apartment, it is more costly when recruiting married players, especially those married with children.   

 

- In addition to the potential affiliate announcement at the end of the week, you can expect more player announcements as early as today. Martinson paused player announcements last week because he wanted to have a call with our affiliate to find out where they were at with players and training camp spots. Now that he has those answers, player announcements will commence again.          

 

- Here is the current roster. Note that several of the returning players will be wearing different numbers in 2025-26. The player's prior Allen number is in parentheses:  

Goalies

• #33 Marco Costantini 

Defensemen

• #22 Anthony Costantini
• #43 Matt Register
• #44 Kevin Spinozzi 
• #9 Hudson Wilson (#5)

Forwards

• #26 Spencer Asuchak
• #18 Harrison Blaisdell (#24)
• #11 Thomas Caron 
• #7 Colton Hargrove (#17)
• #77 Brad Morrison 
• #29 Brayden Watts (#92) 

 

OTHER COMMENTS

 - Here are the NHL prospect/rookie tournaments I could find in a search this morning for my ECHL Stats page:

Look for some young ECHL-signed players to participate in these 2025 NHL rookie/prospect tournaments:

 

September 11-15: Buffalo (host), New Jersey, Boston, Columbus, Pittsburgh

September 12-14: Colorado (host), Utah, Vegas

September 12-14: Anaheim (host), Los Angeles, San Jose

September 13-14: Dallas (host), Detroit

September 13-14: Montreal (host), Toronto, Ottawa, Winnipeg

 

 

 -  Brayden Guy, who played in 52 games for Allen last season, has retired from professional hockey at age 24 to become an assistant coach for the OHL Sarnia Sting, the junior team he played for and served as captain. Here is a very nice story about his selection: https://chl.ca/ohl-sting/article/sarnia-sting-name-brayden-guy-assistant-coach/  

 

- Noah Kane, who played 19 games in Allen at the end of last season, has signed with the Worcester Railers. https://echl.com/news/2025/08/kane-joins-railers  

 

- The 3ICE championship tournament will take place on Thursday (August 14) at 7:00 pm EDT. The top four teams from the four regular-season tournaments will play for the Patrick Cup. The #1 seed (Buffalo) plays the #4 seed (Minnesota) in game one, and the #2 seed (NY/NJ) plays the #3 seed (Tennessee) in game two. The two losing teams will play a third-place game, followed by the two winners playing for the championship. The final four teams are loaded with current and former Allen Americans players as well as many other ECHL players. The only team without an Allen connection is the #3 seed (Tennessee).  

The championship tournament will be live streamed on the Fanduel Sports Network and will be replayed on the NHL Network in Friday (August 15) at 7:00 pm EDT. 

I apologize for the poor editing on these graphics.     

 

   

DID YOU KNOW: I posted this on my ECHL Stats page the other day, which shows how one-sided most ECHL championship series have been. The Americans were an exception to the general rule. Allen won 4-3 when it won its first Kelly Cup over South Carolina in 2015, and won 4-2 when they beat Wheeling in 2016.

 

Trois Rivières beat Toledo in five games (4-1) to win the 2025 ECHL Kelly Cup championship. In the 37-year history of the ECHL, 19 different teams have won ECHL championships, with nine teams winning multiple times. However, the championship finals have been a one-sided series for the most part. Here are the all-time final series results:

 

4-0 - 5 times

4-1 - 17 times

4-2 - 8 times

4-3 - 5 times (1999 game 7 went 2OT)

3-1 - Once (2021), only 14 teams played in 2020-21

 

There were no playoffs in 2020 as the season was cancelled on March 14, 2020, because of COVID-19.

 

Steve Martinson Goes In-depth on the Allen Roster, The Team He is Trying to Build, Affiliation, and His "All-In" Defense

 

 The Allen Americans announced their ninth player for the 2025-26 roster on Tuesday with the addition of forward Brayden Watts, who led the team in scoring last season. Here is Allen's current roster.

Goalies

• #33 Marco Costantini

Defensemen

• #22 Anthony Costantini
• #43 Matt Register
• #44 Kevin Spinozzi 

Forwards

• #26 Spencer Asuchak
• #11 Thomas Caron 
• #7 Colton Hargrove
• #77 Brad Morrison 
• #92 Brayden Watts 

 

- With a big part of Allen's core group now announced, I had a chance to talk to Steve Martinson about how he sees all these pieces fitting together and the strengths of each player. Martinson is building a roster that can compete, regardless of how much help comes from NHL/AHL contracted players (even though I expect some assistance to be forthcoming). Just looking at the experience level of the nine players above says a lot about this group. They have a total of 2199 games of ECHL experience; no other team in the league is close. In addition, six of the nine have more than 20 games played in the AHL, led by Hargrove's 259. 

 

- Coach Martinson wanted to share with Allen Americans fans what he is trying to build, how the players he has signed fit into the system, with a few other tidbits along the way.  The player order is the order the players were announced. The first quote is from the press release when the player was first announced. 

Asuchak  

• Spencer gives our power-play not only net front expertise, but instant face-off puck possession, while finishing every hitting opportunity. 
• Normally, your centers are your puck dispersers. Asuchak is a different guy. He is a power center. We will be able to utilize his strengths by putting him with one of our puck-carrying/play-making wingers.
• Veteran spots are valuable, and with Spencer, you have a guy who is at the top of the chart in power play, net front, and faceoffs. 
• There are times I don't have him kill penalties because I need him for the next faceoff. He will win the faceoff, we will send the puck down the ice, and he will come off until the next faceoff. 

 

Hargrove

• Colton is the best overall forward that I’ve watched in years. He scores, makes plays, but also battles shifts in and out. He does it all. 
• When I watched Hargrove play for Allen in 2022-23. I thought he was the best overall player in the league. If I give him the right guys to play with, he can be a 100-point guy in our system. 
• I was looking for our core guys to be players who play a greasy game. Hargrove plays hard at both ends of the ice, and that is why he is a great leader. 

 

Costantini

• Marco has proven that he can be a top goalie in this league. He backstopped an OHL championship team in junior hockey (Hamilton Bulldogs). 
• I don't know a lot about Marco other than looking at his record and knowing he played great during his time in Allen. Our goalie coach, Chris Johansen, likes his game and thinks he has the ability to be a top goalie in the league. 

 

Costantini 

• Anthony has AHL experience and increases our team speed on defense, which is one of our top priorities.
• He is a real steady defenseman who I think will put up more offensive numbers in our system. When I talked to the folks in Ottawa/Belleville they liked him. 
• I want to have at least two left-right defensive pairings in the lineup. Anthony, being a right shot, will help us because we can hinge both directions. I noticed more NHL teams doing that in the playoffs. 

 

Caron

•  Thomas is a true power forward; he scores, makes plays, and hits like a truck. He is just one of the signed players who guarantees that we have the guys that can play the heavy offensive style that our fans expect and love to watch.  
• You can't just have your hitters be at the bottom of the lineup. You have to have the top guys that play against the top players on the other team, be hard to play against, and that is what we have in Caron.
• Caron's wife was born in Dallas, so they have ties to the area. She is the daughter of Mike Keane, who played in over 1100 NHL games and won three Stanley Cups, including with the Dallas Stars in 1999.   

 

Morrison

• Brad led the team in points per game last season, and if he had that pace all season, he would have been one of the ECHL’s top scorers. He’s a fast and skilled puck carrier. His junior playoff scoring tells you what he’s capable of doing. 
• I think Morrison has a ton of upside. I don't think anyone has seen the type of numbers he is capable of putting up at our level.    

 

Register

• Matt is the Brent Burns of the ECHL. He led the league in scoring for Defensemen, while with the Steelheads, and was also Idaho’s top plus/minus player three years running.  With Idaho, he had 173 points while being nearly a +100.  Last year, his plus/minus was +24, for a non-playoff team, which is literally unheard of. Reggie will be a player-coach for us until he’s ready to retire, and then will seamlessly step behind our bench.
• If you want to play an offensive-type game, you can't do it with all of the offense coming from the forwards. Nobody is better at creating offense from the point than Register. With the defensemen we already have signed and those we still have coming, we will have plenty of offense from the point. 
•  Reggie has soft hands along with the skill and vision to find guys at the side of the net.

 

Spinozzi

• Kevin gives us the one-two punch that Matt Register and Les Lancaster had a few years ago. He has a bomb from the point but is also tough and can play a hard game against the league’s top players. These two give us proven scoring that will be a lot of fun to watch.
• Playing in our offensive style system, I expect Spinozzi to put up offensive numbers like he did when he played in Wheeling and in Europe. In Wheeling, he led all ECHL defensemen in goals (17) and only played in 44 games, because he spent time in the AHL.
• I am not bringing him in to play the tough guy role, but he is tough and difficult to play against. If he does drop the gloves, he knows what he is doing.   

 

Watts

• Brayden is the type of puck carrier that can really flourish in our system. I believe he will commit to our all-out offense and all-in defense mentality. This is going to be Brayden's year to establish himself as one of the top players in the league. 
• He is a playmaker who can also score. He led his team in assists the last two seasons and in the last four seasons finished #1, #3, #2, and #3 in points on his team.
• His offense is a big plus for the style we want to play, as he is an excellent puck carrier. The key to his success will be on the defensive side of the puck. Look for him to play a more defensive and greasier game. I am counting on that from Brayden.     

 

OTHER  MARTINSON QUOTES  

"In a perfect world, we will have a great puck carrier on every line."  

 "To be successful in having defensemen jump up in the play, you have to have forwards that can go east and west and can pull up and find the late guy. Hargrove, Watts, and Morrison are some of the top guys that have that skill, and we will have others as well."   

"The team this season is being modeled more like our heyday teams in that we have a lot of top players signing with us. The difference is that a lot of our top guys have AHL experience and can skate."

"Where do we go from here? We still have some guys to announce. We have some physical guys coming, we have guys from last year, and players I get from working through an affiliation. I have said before and will say again, the training camp will be very competitive."

"I am not there yet, but everything is being put in place to announce an affiliation, hopefully in the next few days."

"We want to be hitters, and then whatever happens will happen. We will have a lot of players that are not necessarily fighters, but hit. Then we will have guys that hit and fight."    

 

- I asked Martinson to explain exactly what he means by all-out offense and all in defense, because he used to say all-out offense and all-out defense. These are some of the things that go on that fans may not understand. Here is what he had to say:

"It is easy to be all-out offense; players are very good at that. What has been challenging with some of the teams I have had is defense. By redefining it as all-in defense, I acknowledge some players are better at it than others, but everyone has to buy in. When we are coming back, we are coming back full speed, and that is an easy thing to see."

"The other big key to all-in defense is reading the play. Good hockey IQ is the ability to pay attention and quickly make decisions based on observation. Players have to read percentages of what is going to happen. That includes the location of the puck battle, who is in the battle, and where are the other players. Using all of that information and quickly determining the risk/reward. Some players are always on the offensive side of a puck battle because if they gain possession of the puck, they are in a good position to create a scoring chance, but if they lose the puck, they are in a bad position that can lead to an odd-man rush. My all-in defensive mentality is making sure our positioning is right for how the play is developing. That is the big difference in giving up odd-man rushes. In my last year in Allen, we gave up a league-leading 20 shorthanded goals when we had our best offensive players on the power play. That was more than any year of my coaching career. The reason that happened is that too many of those players were always on the offensive side of things. Some players want to score and take risks without thinking about the score of the game. We always want to score, but you have to do it within a system. All it means is not cheating to score. Hockey IQ is knowing when to take the risk to be on the offensive side of the puck. Reading and reacting quickly is key."

"With players that make better decisions, you allow them to make mistakes because they don't make as many. A step further is that players who have good offensive numbers are allowed to be a bit more offensive in their decision-making because they make plays. It is the guys who don't make a lot of plays and make bad decisions defensively that get a shorter leash. How do you get a longer leash? You make more good decisions than you make bad decisions."