CollegeHockeyPlayers

San Jose Sharks‘ acquired defenseman Henry Thrun(3) from draft team Anaheim Ducks, where he was selected in the 4th round of 2019 (#101 overall) and after 3 years at Harvard University Crimson, putting up just about equal stats as a sophomore and junior with 7 goals and 25/24 assists, he has decided to sign a 2-year NHL entry level deal to turn pro.

The big 6’2″ 195 lbs. blue liner skated his 1st big league game with his new pro team, getting a tough 4-3 OT win and him picking up a pair of assists in the conquest, earning a 2nd star of the game.

He has always been a good assist guy, twice with 10+, almost 20 when with the USNTDP, when he got drafted.

The 22-year old from Southborough, MA plays to form and will likely do very well for himself.

In his 16th appearance, for the new year 2024, he steps up to score a first big league goal.

He is handily playing himself into a full-time role with the big club and it’s now extended for another 2-year to continue that growth in a Sharks‘ sweater for the big man on d.

In maybe an oddball move, he gets shipped to Toronto Maple Leafs with a year remaining on his low-pay contract and he should shine pretty bright on a team that could really use him to improve.

Boston Bruins have just traded a 7th round pick to obtain the NHL rights for Providence College Friars‘ senior defenseman, 3-time captain Michael Callahan(79).

The Franklin, MA native is essentially coming home if he signs his entry level contract.

He was an Arizona Coyotes‘ 5th round pick in 2018, #142 overall after finishing up his only USHL junior season split between a couple of teams with solid playoff run with Youngstown Phantoms.

The 6’2″ 196 lbs., 22-year old blue liner is a solid prospect, grinding his game the right way in Hockey East before turning pro.

Fresh out of his 4th year at school, he picks up a 2-year entry level deal and will likely report to affiliate Providence Bruins to start, which is basically right next to where he played his college game.

After a decent rookie frame, he finds himself back at Bruins‘ rookie camp and is looking like he will compete for whatever open spot on defense may exist for him to fill is how good he was out there.

He records new league highs for himself with 4 goals and 13 assists and is offered a 1-year deal to continue in a Bruins‘ jersey.

In 35 games with the affiliate, he scores 1 goal and 5 assists with a +1 rating to earn himself a 1st look in the big league.

For his NHL debut, he skates a full slate of 22 shifts for 14:11 of ice time with 1 shot and 2 giveaways and a +1 rating in a big 6-2 win.

He picks up a 1st NHL goal in his 16th game, where he also logs a most amount of 18:11 ice time.

In 17 games, he is looking like he belongs out there, but reassigned in 45 games, he scores 1 goal and 8 assists with a +3 rating to earn a 4th season with the hometown Boston team.

Boston Bruins‘ sign unrestricted free agent center John Farinacci(32) to a 2-year NHL entry level deal after finishing up his 4th year at Harvard University Crimson as senior captain.

He was originally an Arizona Coyotes‘ 3rd round pick in the 2019 draft (#76 overall), but went oddly unsigned.

The 6’ 190 lbs. forward from Red Bank, NJ came north for his high school hockey, but played little junior hockey before committing to school.

He is the Crimson coach Ted Donato‘s nephew.

In his 2nd season in the minors, he scores 9 goals and a new best 28 assists to earn himself a 1st recall.

He skates 16 shifts for 10:58 ice time with 1 shot that equaled a 1st NHL goal and 3 hits for his debut, a 5-4 overtime loss.

In his 2nd season in the minors, he matches his 1st year totals with 38 points with a +9 rating and plays a 1st game in the big league to score himself a new deal with the Bruins for 2025/2026, as a restricted free agent.

9th year defenseman Josh Manson(42) signs a new 4-year NHL deal worth $4.5M AAV with Colorado Avalanche after helping them claim the 2022 Stanley Cup in not even his 1st year with the team.

He was originally an Anaheim Ducks‘ 6th round pick in the 2011 draft (#160 overall) and stayed with them for 8+ years.

The 30-year old, Hinsdale, IL native played 3 seasons, including junior captain at Northeastern University Huskies before signing an entry level contract.

Continuing to do well despite being limited to 48 games due to injury, he signs a 2-year deal to continue in an Avalanche jersey.

12th year center Chris Wagner(14) signs a 1-year deal to return to Colorado Avalanche, which almost certainly has the 32-year old seeing most of his playing time with their affiliate Colorado Eagles.

In his last couple of seasons under contract with Boston Bruins, he spent most of his playing time in the AHL with Providence Bruins.

He was originally an Anaheim Ducks‘ 5th round pick in the 2010 draft (#122 overall) and mostly stayed with them for 6 years.

The 6’ 195 lbs. forward from Walpole, MA left after 2 years at Colgate University Raiders to turn pro and likely made a pretty good decision.

He of 363 appearances in the minors and 360 NHL games would be an amazing coach going forward.

17 games in the minors with 4 goals and 4 assists and a +3 rating and 10 up in the show for another 1 goal and 1 assist with another +3 rating and he is happily invited to wear an Avalanche jersey for another season.

He spends 28 games with the contract team and 44 on reassignment, where he equals perfectly his best scoring with 12 goals and 19 assists.

Going forward, he almost smartly signs a 2-year minor league deal with Springfield Thunderbirds that will likely just equal good things for his future, especially considering he is still contributing big.

New York Rangers‘ 1st round pick in the 2018 draft (#22 overall) rookie defenseman K’Andre Miller(79) wastes no time acquainting himself to his new club as he made the 2020/2021 starting roster out of a COVID-delayed camp.

The very big 6’5″ 210 lbs. blue liner left University Of Wisconsin after 2 seasons with the college Badgers.

He signed a three-year entry level deal  just as the world was shutting down and has obviously figured in the team’s plans going forward.

The St. Paul, MN 21-year old native is a solid, block the offense-type of d-man and in 28 games has a first NHL goal plus two and 5 assists with a hefty +9 rating, while usually playing some 20+ minutes a night on a squad that’s fighting to make the playoffs.

Nice start, no doubt.

In 5 seasons, he is a solid performer and becomes a fan favorite, but heading into restricted free agency, he becomes maybe a little too expensive to keep and is dished to Carolina Hurricanes for some draft picks and is immediately signed to an 8-year, $7.5M AAV.

He will work unreal in their system and make them more dangerous going forward.