Monsters ink three more to AHL deals

Photo: Micheline Veluvolu

The Cleveland Monsters have signed defenseman Thomas Schemitsch, forward Cole Fonstad and defenseman Billy Sweezey to American Hockey League contracts for the 2021-22 season.

Schemitsch, 24, enters his sixth AHL season after notching two goals and a team-leading 16 assists in 28 appearances with the Monsters in 2020-21.

Originally a third-round choice by Florida in the 2015 NHL Draft, Schemitsch has skated in 247 career AHL contests with Cleveland and Springfield, totaling 26 goals and 54 assists for 80 points.

Fonstad, 21, turned pro this spring following his over-age season with Everett (WHL) and appeared in two games with Cleveland, recording an assist in his AHL debut on May 14 vs. Grand Rapids.

Fonstad collected 92 goals and 189 assists for 281 points in 293 career junior games with Everett and Prince Albert. He was a fifth-round pick by Montreal in the 2018 NHL Draft.

Sweezey, 25, notched four assists in 22 games as a rookie with the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in 2020-21.

Sweezey played collegiately at Yale University, recording 29 points and a plus-16 rating in 127 games over four seasons.