2nd year Bentley University Falcons‘ goaltender Nicholas Grabko(33) is definitely garnering some attention.
He has put up an impressive pair of victories vs. ranked clubs, but even in losses has performed with gymnastic-like theatrics, stopping pucks.
The almost unassuming 5’11” 181 lbs. net minder was a late add to the college after a 2nd season on good junior hockey stats for Green Bay Gamblers of the USHL, even though he was basically an upcoming star in the Chicago Mission 13U – 16U AAA.
For a 2nd time in 3 weeks, the 21-year old has been named Atlantic Hockey Goalie Of The Week.
He has decided to take on a graduate season at University Of Alaska-Fairbanks Nanooks for 2024/2025 and we should watch him help his new college team win games.
In 20 games, he goes 5-11-4 with a 2.74 GAA and .899 SV%, which he takes to a 1st pro contract with Idaho Steelheads.
After 1 unsuccessful start, he finds himself on the move, signed by Toledo Walleye, where he notches a 1st ECHL win.
For 2025/2026, he leaves to sign with Yetis du Mont-Blanc of France2, which is likely to give himself a completely new start.
He had returned to sign with one FPHL team, but as the season approaches gets traded to join Columbus River Dragons for 2026/2027.
6th year right wing Wade Murphy(6) returns to sign with Idaho Steelheads for 2022/2023 after spending the last 3 seasons of pandemic madness away in Norway, Austria and Slovenia, where he managed to capture that country’s 2022 league championship.
The 6′ 194 lbs. forward has 120 games of ECHL experience with decent scoring, but definitely could flatten that +/-.
Originally a Nashville Predators’ 7th round pick in the 2013 draft (#185 overall), he was never signed after an outstanding junior season based on his early college numbers.
He graduated after a 2 season transfer to Arizona State University Sun Devils from University Of North Dakota Fighting Hawks with a college career best 9 goals and 11 assists.
The 28-year old from Victoria, BC is a big frame that should be able to score goals almost at will we the right team in this league.
He takes a career high by a mile frame, scoring 21 goals and 22 assists in 54 games with a +38 rating to 20 playoff match ups and another 20 point total.
It’s an absolute no brainer that he receives a new contract to continue wearing a Steelheads‘ jersey for 2023/2024.
He is taking career scoring bests goals, assists, points with him for another foray to test his skills overseas in the tough to play Slovak Extraliga and signs with HC Slovan Bratislava for 2024/2025 and we think does very well here.
Limited to only 10 games last season, he scored 6 goals and 2 assists with a +5 rating and will next skate in the same league for HK Poprad in 2024/2025.
He is seemingly doing ok over there for a couple different teams, but has decided to return to strap on an Idaho jersey yet again.
Undrafted third year defenseman Charlie Curti(3) somewhat returns home to Adirondack Thunder, where he had a breakthrough rookie campaign, scoring a career high 11 goals and 20 assists for 31 points in 56 ECHL games.
He had to go away as a sophomore skater, signing for 2020/2021 with Rapid City Rush, as his upper state NY club was forced to sit due to COVID restrictions.
The 6′ 191 lbs., 26-year old, former 4-year Yale University Bulldogs‘ blue liner returns to his first year club and could very well set more bests point totals.
Instead of heading back to upper state New York for a 2nd season, the 25-year old has rethought that decision and accepts a contract with Aalborg Pirates of Metal Ligaen.
This may just be the start of his hockey life overseas as he could do very well in Denmark’s top league.
He would return after scoring nicely overseas and sign a 1-year ECHL deal with Toledo Walleye, where he ran up 25 points in 39 games with a +20 rating before adding 8 assists in 12 playoff matchups.
For 2023/2024, he is heading to play with 2-time EIHL Champs Belfast Giants, where he just may help them raise a 3rd straight trophy.
He maybe didn’t capture a title, but did nicely with 2 goals and 17 assists in 39 games with a +11 rating to sign with rivals, Guilford Flames for 2024/2025.
After 2 years oof good play, he decides to head to Metal Ligaen for 2026/2027 and signs with Herlev Eagles.
Curry College Colonels‘ Finnish-born, sophomore left wing Eelis Laaksonen(19) had a pair of tallies and an assist to help his team to a 5-1 semi-finals win to advance to the NCAA Division 3 CCC Finals.
The 6′ 185 lbs. forward has a college career tying 9 goals and best 15 assists for 24 points in 25 games this season.
At 22-years old, he should just continue to excel where he is playing hockey.
He finished up his senior year with a college best 14 goals and +19 rating, which he takes to possibly a slightly conservative deal with Evansville Thunderbirds, where he should score well in the SPHL to move up.
In 47 games, he scores 4 goals and 6 assists, that he takes to a new contract for 2026/2027 with rivals, Quad City Storm.
Undrafted right wing Chase Gresock(13) will play his year of eligibility at Bowling Green University Falcons for a graduate season after 1-year at Miami University (Ohio) Redhawks and 3, 2 as captain for Merrimack College Warriors.
The 6’1″ 205 lbs. forward is almost a deceptively good scorer.
A Powell, OH native he spent his youth hockey with the Ohio Blue Jackets 14U – 18U AAA before joining close by Youngstown Phantoms for 2 successful USHL frames.
The 24-year old should have a good campaign, but find play in the CCHA tough.
He would finish up an extra year with tying his twice best 11 goals and adding a new high 20 assists and 31 points before signing an ato with San Jose Barracuda to finish out the session.
For his official rookie season, he agrees to terms with “home team” Toledo Walleye, which should be a pretty great 1st stopping spot.
In his 1st year, he strikes for 16 goals and 19 assists with a +7 rating in 69 ECHL games, but he looks around a signs for 2024/2025 with Coventry Blaze, so switches up a letter and will be playing his pro hockey int he EIHL.
Ok, so this is a bit of a surprise maybe, he scores 32 goals and 30 assists in 54 games with a +7 rating, but decides to head over to Ligue Magnus for 2025/2026 and signs with Dragons de Rouen.
Once again, he scores huge numbers, but he is heading back to the EIHL and signs with Guildford Flames for 2026/2027.
Providence College Friars‘ graduate center Logan Will(20) scored a college best 8 goals and 16 assists in his extra frame.
The 5’11” 185 lbs. twice captain forward at Colorado College Tigers was a consistent scorer there.
He did 3 years USHL juniors before school.
From Ames, IA, the 25-year old signs a 1st pro contract with Florida Everblades and has 2 goals and 3 assists with a +4 rating in 14 ECHL games.
After 30 games, scoring 4 goals and 6 assists with a +8 rating, he decides to leave for a little better hockey in Slovak Extraliga, signing with HK Spisska Nova Ves.
In 3 games, he has 3 assists with a +2 rating.
He would finish up with 11 games, scoring 2 goals and 5 assists, but is ready to move on and signs with Eispiraten Crimmitschau for 2026/2027.
2nd year left wing Mike O’Leary(10) re-signs to stay with Hartford Wolf Pack for a third overall AHL contract with the team.
He played in roughly 3/4 of the games last season as a rookie, getting a goal and 2 assists in 16 appearances.
The 6’1″ 200 lbs. forward finished 4 years at University Of Notre Dame Fightining Irish with a college high 9 goals and 23 points in 37 games.
Heading into his first season that should seemingly be pulled off unencumbered may see him settle into some scoring.
In 53 games, he was able to notch 6 goals and 5 assists, and will take that to a next opportunity, a 1-year minor league deal with Iowa Wild for 2022/2023.
He takes his scoring up to a new level with 12 goals and 15 assists in 66 games, but in the current frame only has 3 assists in 40 contests.
Likely feeling pretty agitated, he moves on for a completely new experience, signing with Ilves of Liiga in hopes of finding that scoring touch once again, in Finland.
He actually didn’t connect so well in Swiss hockey and returned to sign with Tahoe Knight Monsters for 2024/2025.
In 65 ECHL games, he collected 33 points.
For 2026/2027, he goes for a new start with Greenville Swamp Rabbits.
Salve Regina University Seahawks‘ senior center Cade DeStefani(9) scored a college hockey best 14 goals and 18 assists in 25 games with a +19 rating last season.
The 6’2 185 lbs. forward transferred from 2 seasons at Lindenwood University Lions.
From Bedford, NH, the 25-year old cycled through 3 junior leagues before heading to school.
For his rookie season, he heads to France2 and signs with Drakkers de Caen.
University Of New Hampshire Wildcats‘ Latvian-born senior center Kristaps Skrastins(17) scored 3 goals 3 times in his college hockey career.
The 5’10” 187 lbs. forward did 1 high scoring NAHL junior frame before school.
He did his youth hockey back home and even played a few pro games over seasons.
For 2026/2027, he heads home to sign a 1st pro contract for his rookie season with HK Mogo.
Maine Mariners‘ 2nd year, assistant captain center Jacob Hudson(29) takes some new ECHL best scoring with 23 goals and 26 assists in 63 games, including a +6 rating, then added another 16 points in 14 games in the playoffs. f
The 5’8″ 179 lbs. forward did 4 years QMJHL before heading to 3 of college at St. Francis Xavier University X-Men, where he was always a point-per-game scorer.
From Antigonish, NS, the 25-year old is heading to the IceHL for 2026/2027, signing with EC-KAC.
