Tucson Roadrunners Sign Forward Sammy Walker to One-Year AHL Contract

TUCSON, AZ – The Tucson Roadrunners, the American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate of the Utah Mammoth, announced today that the club has signed forward Sammy Walker to a one-year AHL contract.

“Sammy scored some important goals for us last season and we look for him to build on that success,” said John Ferguson, general manager of the Tucson Roadrunners.

Walker, 27, recorded 28 points (12g, 16a) and 16 penalty minutes (PIM) in 57 games with Tucson during the 2025-26 season. He led the team with a career-high three overtime goals, tied for the second-most in the AHL, and ranked tied for third on the club in game-winning goals (3) and fourth in shots (124).

The 5-foot-10, 186-pound forward has played parts of the last two seasons with the Roadrunners after being acquired by Utah from the Minnesota Wild on Feb. 3, 2025. Following the trade, he was assigned to Tucson and recorded 22 points (8g, 14a) and eight PIM in 31 games with the Roadrunners during the 2024-25 campaign.

Across four AHL seasons, Walker has totaled 154 points (63g, 91a) and 94 PIM in 244 career games with Tucson and the Iowa Wild. He has also appeared in four Calder Cup Playoff games between the two clubs, recording one assist and a plus-two rating.

Walker has also registered two points (1g, 1a) in 13 career NHL games with Minnesota, scoring his first NHL goal on Dec. 27, 2022, against the Winnipeg Jets during his rookie season.

As an AHL rookie with Iowa in 2022-23, Walker set franchise rookie records for goals (27), power-play goals (9) and plus-minus (+19). He was named the AHL Rookie of the Month for November 2022, selected to the 2023 AHL All-Star Classic and represented Team USA at the 2023 IIHF World Championship. He followed that by leading Iowa in assists (31) and points (45) during the 2023-24 season.

Originally selected by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the seventh round (200th overall) of the 2017 NHL Draft, Walker signed with Minnesota as a free agent on Aug. 18, 2022, following his collegiate career at the University of Minnesota.

The Edina, Minnesota, native played four seasons with the Golden Gophers, serving as team captain for three years – the first player in program history to do so. As a senior, he recorded 27 points (14g, 13a) in 39 games while helping Minnesota capture the 2021-22 Big Ten regular-season championship and advance to the NCAA Frozen Four. He finished his collegiate career with 112 points (48g, 64a) in 144 games, earning Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors in 2018-19 and All-Big Ten Honorable Mention recognition as a sophomore, junior and senior. He also helped lead Minnesota to the 2020-21 Big Ten Tournament championship.