Yale University Bulldogs‘ senior center David Chen(24) takes college hockey bests scoring 17 assists and 24 points to a 1st pro contract with Shanghai Dragons of the KHL in 2026/2027, as a rookie.
The 6’1″ 190 lbs. forward did only 1 USHL year before school.
From Livingston, NJ, the 24-year old should do well over there.
The tower of a skater 6’6″ 231 lbs., undrafted center Jay Dickman(23) takes a pair of good seasons for Wichita Thunder and signs with HC Nove Zamky of Slovakia.
In 2020/2021, he scored an ECHL best 20 goals and 38 assists.
He did 5 years at Bemidji State University Beavers with his best totals as a junior, scoring 15 goals and 8 assists.
The St. Paul, MN native spent 2 years with Austin Bruins, running up point-per-game totals in 114 NAHL games before committing to school.
At 29-years old, he is heading out on a new hockey adventure and should do well.
He actually returned after a short 2 games away and powered in a new best 26 goals and 61 points in 67 games to want to keep him around in Kansas for continued views.
In his 4th overall frame with the team, he posts career bests 29 goals, 40 assists and 69 points to keep on keeping on in Wichita.
Well, he goes on to score a new career high 30 goals and 43 assists in a full tilt of 72 games with a +7 rating and he will return for a 6th season as a Thunder.
After a 3rd complete 72-game schedule, scoring 59 points, he finally decides to take his game for his 8th season to a new team, Tulsa Oilers in 2026/2027.
Rapid City Rush rookie signing, 4 year American International College Yellowjackets‘ left wing Blake Bennett(91) is off to a nice start as a pro, scoring his 1st ECHL goal in his 5th game and adding 3 assists in 6 total sightings.
The small 5’9″ but stocky 195 lbs. forward had a college career best 22 goals and 35 points in 38 games as a senior, his 2nd season with 20+ goals, 10+ assists and 30+ points.
He was a point-per-game player in his only NAHL session for Corpus Christi Ice Rays after playing himself up from a couple of seasons in lower levels and half a one in a Canadian based league before heading to college.
We predict the 24-year old from Grand Island, NY settles in nicely with his new club.
He finishes up from his ato with 1 goal and 4 assists in 15 games with a 0 rating.
This is good enough for the Rush to want to see a full rookie season by him in one of their jerseys.
In a full slate of 72 games, he absolutely blows up scoring with 35 goals and 28 assists, but decides to look elsewhere for his next contract and will head to Metal Ligaen to skate for Odense Bulldogs in 2024/2025.
He skates only 9 games, but scores 6 goals and 3 assists with a +1 rating.
Next, he will head to DEL2 and signs with EV Landshut for 2024/2025.
He does ok with 3 goals and 1 assists in 16 games, but maybe thinks he should be doing better, so eyes a return back to his one team, the Rush for the remainder of the frame.
After scoring a 2nd high numbered frame in the league, worth 50+ points, he signs a 2-way deal with parent club Calgary Wranglers for 2025/2026.
With 22 goals and 29 assists in 56 games, he is scoring and gets a trade to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
He is sent to Wheeling Nailers and scores well, but for 2026/2027, he signs with Greenville Swamp Rabbits.
4th year Latvian-born defenseman Janis Jaks(27) signs on for a 2nd season to stay with HC Litvinov of Czechia Extraliga for 2023/2024.
The 6’1″ 190 lbs. blue liner played a lot of his youth hockey and beginnings of juniors before coming over to the NAHL with Minnesota Wilderness, where he was twice a +10 player fully grounded in his own zone and helped his team with the 2015 Robertson Cup.
After spending 4 fairly strong sessions at American International College Yellowjackets, he signed with Dinamo Riga, but after 17 KHL games, the relationship soured and he agreed next to Bakersfield Condors and things were looking decent with 2 goals and 4 assists in 20 AHL games with a +3 rating.
He would return to Russia to skate for HK Sochi, but the results didn’t yield much, so he turned his attention to where he is now with much better results, 8 goals, 17 assists in 47 games with a +3 rating to move forward.
The 27-year old has to have at least a little smile on his face to how things are going, especially after winning Bronze at the recent IIHF Worlds.
After 2 strong seasons with the same team, he was in a pretty good spot for himself, but decides to sign with rivals, HC Energie Karlovy Vary.
After 2 seasons with the same club, he decides to return to to HC Litvinov in 2026/2027, where he’s had good success.
Nashville Predators sign their 2017, 3rd round pick (#92 overall) Boston University graduate, defenseman David Farrance(9) to a 2-year entry level contract as he finishes up his 4 session at school scoring another more than point per game performance (5-11 in 11 games).
He had his best season as a junior in ’19/20, when he rocked 14 goals from the “point” to go along with 29 helpers through 34 games.
After a pair of campaigns with USNTDP, in the 2nd he amassed 30 assists to likely get him fully on the NHL club’s radar as well as his future college.
The 6′ 190 lbs. blue liner may report first to affiliate Milwaukee Admirals, but you can beat he will be fighting for a roster spot with the big club as soon as he arrives.
He would play 50 AHL games as a rookie, scoring 1 goal and 13 assists, but would not be given a qualifying offer to stay.
For 2022/2023, he signs a 1-year minor league contract with last year’s champs, Chicago Wolves.
After 14 games, scoring a goal and 4 assists, the d-man finds himself on the move, as Colorado Eagles see something they can use in his game and trade for him.
2 goals and 17 assists in 31 games and he is on the move, signing a 1-year deal with Toronto Marlies for 2023/2024.
He has mostly been loaned to affiliate Newfoundland Growlers, scoring 2 assists, but searching for something better finds it, signing with ERC Ingolstadt of DEL for the remainder of the session.
Coming away with 2 assists in 7 playoff games, he moves on to sign with KooKoo of Liiga for 2024/2025.
After exceeding his 29 assist junior year with a new high 35 in 53 games and a +26 rating, he will move his game up to the KHL, signing with HC Sibir Novosibirsk.
He takes maybe a bit of a slow start in Russia to a new contract back in DEL with Augsburger Panther in hopes of upping his game.
With just 1 goals and 1 assists in 19 games, he decides to look on and signs in IceHL with HC Pustertal Wolfe in 2026/2027.
2-time, undrafted senior captain center Zachary Tsekos(17) signed a pro deal as soon as his 4-year college team Clarkson University Golden Knights were eliminated from tournament play with Colorado Eagles for 2022/2023.
Signing an ato for the remainder of the current session, he was reassigned almost immediately to start his pro career with affiliate Utah Grizzlies.
He played in 3 regular season games, grabbing an assist with a +1 rating.
The 5’10” 185 lbs. forward has definitely upped his game in the Kelly Cup playoffs.
Through 10 games, he has a 1st ECHL goal and 7 assists.
Little doubt, the 25-year old from Montreal, QC will look to up his game when the new season gets started.
He mostly finds him other than 6 AHL games (no points) reassigned, but strikes for 13 goals and 12 assists in 30 games.
For 2023/2024, he signs with 2-time Kelly Cup Champions, Florida Everblades.
He plays 27 games, scoring 5 goals and 6 assists with a +4 rating, but was injured for much of last frame.
For 2024/2025, he decides to leave for something different and signs in the EIHL with Dundee Stars.
He takes an impressive run, scoring 19 goals and 27 assists that he takes to DEL2 for 2025/2026, signing with Blue Devils Weiden.
In 25 games, he gets 3 goals and 10 assists that he takes to a new deal for 2026/2027 with Rapaces de Gap.
Harvard University Crimson senior Marek Hejduk(14) right wing didn’t score in college hockey as hard of a game he played as a power forward.
He had 2 goals and 5 assists in 35 games last season and did best in his freshman frame with 6 goals and 7 assists.
The 6’1″ 190 lbs. point signed a 1st pro deal with Utah Grizzlies, when tournament played finished up.
From Parker, CO, the 22-year old has 4 goals and 2 assists in 8 ECHL games with a +3 rating, but will need a new deal for 2026/2027 with a new team.
For his actual rookie season, he decides to head to a place of his family background, Tipsport Extraliga and signs a try-out with HC Motor Ceske Budejovice, but we think it sticks for 2026/2027.
Undrafted 2nd year defenseman Ivan Chukarov(13) takes the COVID season off, but decides to get back on the ice and switches allegiance from Worcester Railers, the only team he’s played for since graduating UMass Minutemen to Wheeling Nailers for the 2021/2022 ECHL.
The 6’2″ 203 lbs. forward was a big scorer in his 2nd year of junior with Minnesota Wilderness, scoring 12 goals and 31 assists in 55 NAHL games to get his college commitment.
Originally a Buffalo Sabres‘ 7th round pick in the 2015 draft (#182 overall), it seems like the 26-year old still can be a big contributor, despite what league he eventually lands.
He would actually land at Adirondack Thunder for last season’s play and had 2 goals and 5 assists in 38 games, but a terrible -22 rating.
For 2022/2023, the Des Plaines, IL native will return to continue work on his game, trying to contribute.
He puts up a career best 11 assists with 12 points and was a +12 rating through 58 games last season.
For 2023/2024, he gets traded and signs a 1-year deal with Jacksonville Icemen, his 3rd team in the league.
After 67 games, scoring a new best 7 goals and 26 assists with a +16 rating, he will take his game for a 1st time overseas, joining Coventry Blaze of the EIHL for 2025/2026.
In 23 games, he is scoring ok, but has a bad +/-, so decides to come back and signs with Bloomington Bison for the 2nd half of 2025/2026.
With only 1 assist in 8 games and a not so hot +/-, Savannah Ghost Pirates see something they can use in his game and acquire him for future considerations.
In 13 games, he gets 5 assists, but for 2026/2027 he is heading to Germany4 and signs with Eisadler Dortmund.
Hobart College Statesmen senior center Tanner Daniels(8) scores 2 years of almost equal more than point-per-game performances and helped his team win 3 straight NCAA Division 3 titles.
The 5’10” 170 lbs. forward signs a 1st pro deal with Les Dogs de Cholet of France2 for his rookie season, 2026/2027.
From Edinboro, PA, the 24-year old always scored decently in 3 years of junior hockey.
Hershey Bears jumped fairly quickly to sign undrafted, former University Of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs‘ 2-time NCAA Champion, captain, goaltender Hunter Shepard(30) to a deal for 2020/2021.
The fairly large 6’1″ 210 lbs. net minder was reassigned to affiliate South Carolina Stingrays, where he has played 14 ECHL games, recording a 6’5-2 record with a 2.84 GAA and .915 SV% on a club headed to the postseason, as there was little room in the crease above for the young goalie.
He has gotten his opportunity to shine though in 2 AHL appearances delivering a pair of wins, including a debut shut out for a .50 GAA and .983 SV%.
The one-time NAHL Goaltender Of The Year in 2016, right before committing to college, the 25-year old has always seemed to work hard for any credit but has to have Washington Capitals step in and offer him an NHL entry level deal, as he is firmly on their radar.
For his efforts backstopping the Bears to a 12th Calder Cup Championship, he is rewarded with a 2-year, 2-way deal that is worth some handsome money wherever he throws on those pads.
He gets to start a 1st game, as the big club is out to a bit of a wobbly start and gets the W in a 6-4 contest, stopping 18 of 22 shots to potentially get a 2nd nod in another night.
His 2-1-1 record wasn’t bad, although maybe his numbers could have improved, but for a 2nd straight season with the affiliate, he posts a 27-4-3 record with a 1.76 GAA and .929 SV% to earn himself the Baz Bastien Award as the AHL’s Most Outstanding Goaltender and will once again look to push his club deep in the playoffs.
He’s all set with a 2-year contract through 2024/2025, so can continue to concentrate on winning.
Very successful in his time, as an unrestricted free agent, he signs a 1-year, 2-way deal with Ottawa Senators.
He is mostly tending net for affiliate Belleville Senators, but does see action in 1 big league game and finds himself traded to Montreal Canadiens, where he will likely report to Laval Rocket.
For 2026/2027, he decides to leave for a 1st time and accepts a deal with Barys Astana of the KHL.
