Toronto Marlies sign Cason Hohmann, Eric Faille

Photo Credit: Twitter / @TorontoMarlies

The Toronto Marlies added to their AHL-only wing of the roster over the past two days, adding Cason Hohmann and bringing back occasional contributor Eric Faille on one-year deals.

Hohmann is an interesting pickup, and perhaps a sign that the organization hasn’t abandoned the idea of the undersized being undervalued. Hohmann, who is a 23-year-old right winger from Arlington Texas, stands at just 5’9 and weighs approximately 175 pounds.

Certainly, that’s not the makings of a giant. But you don’t need to be 6’5 to put the puck in the net, and that’s what the Marlies are surely gambling on him being able to use his lightning-quick foot speed and shifty hands to get the puck towards the net. In his teens, Hohmann drew early comparisons to Martin St. Louis, but never quite ended up panning out. Granted, St. Louis was also undrafted and didn’t score his first NHL point until he himself was 23, but he was also a much more dominant NCAA player.

Hohmann’s college career hit its peak in 2012/13, finishing four in scoring on a Boston University team led by San Jose Sharks forward Matt Nieto. The year that followed was largely a disappointment, but he closed off with a bit of a recovery on BU’s championship winning, Jack Eichel possessing 2014/15 team. The Eichel connection is probably what led to the Sabres approaching him to play for the Rochester Americans last season, but he spent all but three of his games in the ECHL, scoring at nearly a point per game pace in the ECHL.

As with most AHL signings, this signing can be met with two basic takes. Either the team sees something interesting in Hohmann’s game that they’d like to build upon, or simply feel that they need some depth that can bounce between the Marlies and the Solar Bears. Though, if his social media game keeps up, it won’t be hockey that puts him on the latter squad:

The Marlies also signed Eric Faille today, giving them another option on the Right Wing. Faille was one of the most pleasant surprises of last season as far as non-prospects go; the 26-year-old led the Solar Bears in scoring with 60 points in 56 games and had 7 goals and 3 assists in his 15 games with Toronto. Faille is an energetic, medium-sized forward who loves to shoot the puck.

Faille is an easy player to root for, in the sense that he’s been relentless in his chase for the dream. Born in the Montreal suburb of Lachine, Quebec, Faille played four years for the Acadie-Bathurst Titan before heading to the college ranks. Unlike most, though, he played in the CIS, representing the University of Moncton for four years. As it stands, Faille is yet to spend more than 21 games in the AHL in a single season, but a strong camp could certainly change that.