IOWA WILD SIGNS FIVE SKATERS TO AHL CONTRACTS
Jul 3, 2023DES MOINES, Iowa – Iowa Wild General Manager Mike Murray today announced that the American Hockey League (AHL) club has signed Kale Kessy, Greg Meireles, and Brenden Miller to one-year, one-way AHL contracts. The team also signed Brett Budgell and Kevin Conley to one-year, two-way AHL contracts.
Budgell, 22 (6/1/2001), collected 52 points (16-36=52) in 72 games with the Newfoundland Growlers in the ECHL in 2022-23. The 6-foot, 187-pound native of St. John’s, N.L totaled 241 points (107-134=241) across 270 games with the Charlottetown Islanders in the QMJHL from 2017-2023. Budgell led the QMJHL in assists (43) in 2020-21 and served as the captain of Charlottetown during the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons.
Conley, 26 (2/17/1997), scored four goals and had one assist in 36 games with Iowa in 2022-23. The Wasau, Wis. native also posted five points (3-2=5) in five games with the Iowa Heartlanders in 2022-23. Following the conclusion of his collegiate career, the 6-foot, 187-pound forward spent the remainder of the 2021-22 season with the Reading Royals, where he recorded three points (2-1=3) in six regular season games and six points (3-3=6) in 12 playoff games. Conley spent four seasons with University of Nebraska-Omaha from 2017-2022, where he skated in 133 games and produced 77 points (37-43=77). Conley served as team captain during the 2020-21 and 2021-22 campaigns. Prior to joining UNO, Conley played 28 games, scored three goals, four assists for seven points and won a NCAA National Championship at the University of Denver in 2016-17.
Kessy, 30, (12/4/1992), split the 2022-23 season between the Hershey Bears and Colorado Eagles. The Shauvanon, Sask. native spent 25 games with Hershey, where he posted two goals and 68 penalty minutes (PIM). Kessy appeared in five regular season games with the Eagles and added a goal in six postseason games with Colorado. The 6-foot-3, 212-pound forward began his professional career in 2013-14; Kessy has skated in 301 AHL games and 122 ECHL games. Prior to his professional career, Kessy recorded 112 points (46-66=112) across 253 games and five seasons in the WHL with the Medicine Hat Tigers, Vancouver Giants, and Kamloops Blazers. Kessy was selected in the fourth round (#111 overall) by the Phoenix Coyotes in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.
Meireles, 24 (1/1/1999), spent the 2022-23 season with the Manitoba Moose, where he recorded 19 points (9-10=19) in 62 games. The Ottawa, Ont. native also skated for Manitoba in 2021-22 and split the 2020-21 campaign between the AHL (Syracuse Crunch) and ECHL (Greenville Swamp Rabbits). Prior to his professional career, the 5-foot-11, 182-pound forward totaled 239 points (99-140=239) in 244 games across five seasons with the Kitchener Rangers in the OHL. Meireles was selected in the sixth round (#168 overall) by the Florida Panthers in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft.
Miller, 29 (3/29/1994), skated in one game for Iowa in 2022-23. The Orangeville, Ont. native also played in two games for the Kalamazoo Wings in the ECHL and appeared in 38 AHL contests with the Cleveland Monsters, where he recorded three assists and 37 PIM. Miller spent 33 games with Iowa in 2021-22 and posted four points (1-3=4). The 6-foot-1, 198-pound defenseman has skated in 74 AHL games and 255 ECHL games during his professional career. Prior to his professional career, Miller recorded 129 points (37-92=129) across 248 games and five seasons with the Brampton Battalion and North Bay Battalion.
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