CollegeHockeyPlayers

Colorado College Tigers‘ graduate defenseman Connor Mayer(18) completes his studies and turns pro, signing a standard player contract with Utah Grizzlies.

The 5’11” 195 lbs. blue liner was never much of a scorer, getting his best 4 goals and 8 assists as a freshman, but maybe more importantly was a +10 rating player.

From Champlin, MN, he did 3 USHL junior sessions before committing.

The 24-year old finds room to score with his 1st ECHL goal and 2 assists on unfortunately a non-playoff team.

He scores 1 goal and 2 assists in 5 games and the parent club and the team from his college town signs him, Colorado Eagles for 2024/2025.

He produces decently in the AHL, but doesn’t stick a 2nd go and is signed by Hershey Bears, where even a 1st goal in his debut still gets him reassigned for the remainder of the frame to affiliate South Carolina Stingrays.

For 2026/2027, he is looking elsewhere and signs with HC Innsbruck Sharks of IceHL, where we think he will do really well.

University Of Lowell Riverhawks‘ undrafted junior center Reid Stefanson(14) catches maximum air in their first of two vs. Northeastern University Huskies.

The Winnipeg-born 6′ 185 lbs. forward was not able to connect with the scoresheet in the game but was a full part of a sound 4-1 win.

He did two years of junior hockey starting with a season in the NAHL but finished up skating for Sioux Falls Stampede of the USHL.

The senior graduated with exact totals of 8 goals and 12 assists he posted as a rookie, but always skated hard and was tough to play against.

Upon getting beaten in Hockey East tournament play, he signs a 1st pro contract with somewhat local Maine Mariners.

He didn’t connect in his debut, but got on the score sheet in game 2 and followed it up with another and a two-game point streak.

The 25-year old is finding his footing quickly in the ECHL.

He will return to Maine for his rookie season after scoring a pair of goals and assists in 9 games on an ato, and another 2 points in 6 playoff appearances.

The power forward should be able to take his game up nicely in his first official season and could even score a loan up.

After a 22 goal and 25 assist performance with a +22 rating in 69 games, he is an easy re-sign to stay in a Mariners‘ jersey for 2023/2024.

He’s an easy point-per-game player as a full 2nd year player in the league and looks elsewhere to find a nice deal with Vienna Capitals to continue in IceHL, where he will likely do very well for himself and become something of a star on skates.

In 13 games, he comes away with 2 goals and 6 assists and maybe doesn’t feel like he is quite catching on, so heads to the EIHL, where he signs with Nottingham Panthers for 2024/2025.

He does pretty well scoring here, but may likes hockey a little better in Central Europe and signs Meran/Merano of AlpsHL, where he should do exceedingly well.

In just 23 games, he scores 12 goals and 23 assists with a +8 rating, then adds another 20 points (a league high 17 assists) in the playoffs.

He decides to continue moving along and spots a deal in Germany3 with KSW IceFighters Leipzig for 2026/2027.

Western Michigan University Broncos‘ Swedish-born senior center Liam Valente(40) had a college best 20 goals and 35 points with a +12 rating in 39 games.

The 6′ 201 lbs. forward played a college best 42 games as a junior and had a high 19 assists in the year the team won the 2025 NCAA D1 Championship.

He played all his youth hockey and juniors back home before playing 2 pro games for HC Kalmar, scoring a 1st Hockeyettan goal before heading to Providence College Friars.

The 22-year old transferred after his sophomore year of inconsistent play and signed a 1-year AHL deal with Rochester Americans for 2026/2027 that is surely under the watch of the parent club, Buffalo Sabres.

In 2 games, he has a 1st goal.

4th year center Marly Quince(11) will take his game up heading from last season with Coventry Blaze, scoring 15 goals and 30 assists with a +17 rating in 53 EIHL games to signing a 1-year deal with HK 32 Liptovsky Mikulas  of Slovak Extraliga for 2023/2024.

After graduating from 4 years at Clarkson University Golden Knights with a new college best 7 assists, he signed 1st in the SPHL with Fayettesville Markmen, but blew up scoring with 9 goals and 4 assists in 9 games to get permanently loaned up to the ECHL to maybe best skate for Reading Royals.

He started the next season down too, but was up quickly again and stuck for 40 games with Norfolk Admirals, scoring 12 goals and 12 assists with a +2 rating on a non-playoff team before heading overseas for the next frame.

The 29-year old from Sioux Lookout, ON should prove to do well in this league and may just play himself up yet again.

He performs really well through 2 seasons, serving as assistant captain in the current frame, but will head off to DEL, signing with Fischtown Pinguins, who he will help.

Scoring no goals in Germany, he is next headed to IceHL to sign with HK Olimpija Ljubljana Dragon for 2025/2026.

He is strong in 48 games with 13 goals, 23 assists and a +3 rating to re-up and stay a Dragon for 2026/2027.

Sheffield Steelers‘ 2nd. year defenseman Brien Diffley(65) re-signs to stay for 2024/2025 after a very decent 52 game frame, scoring 2 goals and 14 assists with a +17 rating.

He has been very good, accountable in 5 years playing overseas hockey.

The 4-year Boston University Terriers‘ blue liner did 2 ECHL seasons before looking for something a bit different.

From Burlington, MA, the 6’2″ 185 lbs., 29-year old d-man is really settling into his game.

His game is going well where he is and he signs on for a 3rd season in a Steelers‘ jersey.

After scoring a new best 4 goals and 23 assists, then adding 3 more points in the playoffs, he signs for a 4th year in Sheffield.