Los Angeles Kings‘ 3rd round pick in the 2020 draft (#83 overall), right wing Alex Laferriere(14) signs a 3-year NHL entry level deal after completing a hugely successful sophomore season with Harvard University Crimson, scoring a new best 21 goals and 21 assists with a +13 rating in 34 games.
To start his pro career he signs a ato with affiliate Ontario Reign, scoring a 1st AHL goal in 4 games before exiting.
Look for the 6′ 172 lbs. to maybe add some weight over the summer and compete for a roster spot at 1st official camp.
After two seasons up, scoring a new career best 19 goals and 23 assists with a +22 rating last season, the restricted free agent signs a new 3-year deal to stay a Kings‘ scorer for $4.1M AAV.
Undrafted 3rd year, center Robert “Bobo” Carpenter(14) signs a 1-year AHL deal with Milwaukee Admirals for 2021/2022.
He was originally inked to a 2-year entry level deal by New York Islanders after graduating as captain of Boston University Terriers.
Almost oddly, the 5’11” 200 lbs. forward was a breakout scorer as a junior, recording 20 goals and 15 assists in 40 Hockey East games, but maybe played a slightly more reserved style as team leader.
The North Reading, MA native took an interesting path through Austin Prep USHS-Prep to local youth and junior premiere before arriving at Sioux City Musketeers upon graduation, where he pumped in point-per-game stats for his short spell in the USHL.
We think the 25-year old will do well within his new club’s system and potentially gain notice from the parent club Nashville Predators.
After suffering a mid-season injury after putting up point-per-game numbers in the ECHL, he will return to Florida Everblades, signing a 1-year deal for 2022/2023.
He absolutely destroys scoring on the team’s way to a 3rd straight Kelly Cup trophy, but he’s set to move on and we are sure Belfast Giants of the EIHL really want him in their uniform for 2024/2025.
In 47 games, he scores 18 goals and 17 assists, then adds 5 points in the playoffs to win a 2nd straight trophy, but decides to return closer to home for 2025/2026 and signs with Kansas City Mavericks.
Quinnipiac University Bobcats‘ NCAA Division 1 Championship winning, junior goaltender Yaniv Perets(60) signs a 2-year entry level deal with Carolina Hurricanes.
The 6’1″ 181 lbs. net minder ran a 34-4-3 record last season with a 1.49 GAA and .931 SV% and 10 shutouts.
It’s a bit of a wonder why the 23-year old from Dollard-des-Ormeaux, QC was never drafted, despite winning the 2019 USPHL/NCDC Championship with Junior Bruins.
He should do well now that he’s decided to turn pro with a year left in college.
Recalled from the ECHL to the backup for a 2nd time, in this outing he is put into net to face 1 shot in 12:46 net time that he turned away and he has a 1st NHL appearance.
Nice backup.
After playing in all three leagues last season, he is an unrestricted free agent and signs a 1-year AHL deal with Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
6th year center Brian Pinho(28) gets signed relatively quickly in unrestricted free agency by New York Islanders for 2023/2024.
He had a best 17 assists, but his 20 goals in his 2nd season with Hershey Bears, under contract to draft club Washington Capitals, 6th round 2013 (#174 overall) are tops in that category, which suggests he can score at this level.
The 6’1″ 190 lbs. forward had 3 points (2 goals, 1 assist) in 6 playoff games with Utica Comets last season.
He did 4 years at Providence College Friars, serving as senior captain, twice getting 12 goals and 20+ assists.
The 28-year old from Beverly, MA is in a good spot moving forward.
After a season best point totals, he joins Charlotte Checkers on a 2-year AHL pact.
Arizona Coyotes‘ 7th year center Travis Boyd(72) is putting behind him a by a mile NHL career best campaign, scoring 16 goals and 18 assists to earn a nice two-year extension.
The former Washington Capitals‘ 6th round pick in the 2011 draft (#177 overall) once had 15 helpers.
He was also a 2-time 20+ assist player as a junior and senior at University Of Minnesota Golden Gophers.
The 5’11” 185 lbs. forward was also a twice 30+ assist and once had 47 in an AHL season for Hershey Bears.
He continues a nice scoring rolling the start of his new contract, but gets hurt trashing last year after 16 games.
An unrestricted free agent, he moves away from his 3-year team and signs a 1-year deal with Minnesota Wild for 2024/2025.
As an assistant captain for affiliate Iowa Wild, he scores a career 22 goals and 31 assists in 63 games to sign a new 1-year 2-way deal with Toronto Maple Leafs.
Montreal Canadiens‘ 2nd round pick in the 2019 draft (#43 overall), defenseman Jayden Struble(47) signs a 2-year NHL entry level deal as his college team of the last 4 seasons, Northeastern University Huskies wrap up Hockey East play.
The 6′ 205 lbs. blue liner is set to AHL debut with affiliate Laval Rocket.
A Cumberland, RI native, the 21-year old didn’t play any real junior hockey before heading to college.
He plays 2 straight seasons of 56 appearances and records a new assist high with 11 and points, 13 with a +2 rating to earn a new 2-year deal, as a restricted free agent to stick around in a Canadiens‘ sweater.
Cornell University Big Red senior captain, defenseman Sam Walinski(70) signs an pto with Colorado Eagles and in 2 games already has a 1st AHL goal and an assist with a +3 rating on a playoff bound club.
Undrafted, parent club Colorado Avalanche inked him to a 2-year NHL deal after he posted a college career best 8 goals, junior season tying 18 assists and new high 26 points with a +10 rating, which was a +20 in his junior session.
The 5’11” 190 lbs. blue liner put up some magical points in his 2nd NAHL junior frame with Bismarck Bobcats, striking for 14 goals and 31 assists in 59 games with another +20 rating.
From Lakeville, MN, the 24-year old gets lucky, but could just be the right unrestricted pick up.
He will remember November 13 going forward, as that is the date of his NHL debut.
In a 5-1 win, he skated 17 shifts for 12:02 worth of ice time, had 1 shot, 1 hit and was a +1, when it was all done.
Last season he appears in 76 games, scoring 5 goals and 10 assists with a +8 rating and earns another season as an unrestricted free agent, keeping him an Avalanche.
Providence Bruins‘ 2nd year AHL left wing Joey Abate(47) signs a 1-year 2-way deal with parent club Boston Bruins for the current season 2023/2024, maybe to give them a little insurance as they head to the postseason.
The 6’2″ 187 lbs. forward is tied at his rookie season 3 goal mark, but 9 assists is greatly improved.
He spent 3 years at University Of Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks before deciding to turn pro.
From Bloomingdale, IL, he spent 3 campaigns of junior hockey, probably most notably late for Youngstown Phantoms.
The 25-year old may be getting a good indicator of what’s in his future with the organization, as he was on a 2-year minor league deal through 2024/2025.
Last year, he scores a new best 8 goals and his consistent play earns him a 4th look in a Bruins‘ jersey for 2025/2026.
Vancouver Canucks‘ 4th round pick in the 2017 draft (#95 overall) rookie defenseman Jack Rathbone(51) makes his NHL debut after being recalled from affiliate Utica Comets to the taxi squad a half month ago.
He’d scored two goals and 7 assists in 8 AHL games before getting recalled.
In the 5’10” 177 lbs. d-man’s debut he skated 14 shifts for 12:04 total ice time with a shot on net and a 0 rating in a 4-1 loss.
The former Harvard University Crimson blue liner spent two years there, leaving with a tied career high 7 goals and new best 24 assists and 31 points in a COVID cut season of 28 NCAA Division 1 Hockey East games with no playoffs, then no season to play in 2021/2022 for the school, which had to make his decision to turn pro unfortunately easy.
The almost 22-year old has plenty to look forward to.
He works his way into an average of 10 games per frame, but gets himself moved in his 4th season with the team that sends him to Pittsburgh Penguins for 2023/2024, although he already has 1 goal in the minors and that’s likely where he headed first.
An unrestricted free agent, he signs a 1-year, 2-way deal with Buffalo Sabres that could see him mostly reassigned to affiliate Rochester Americans, but also could see him as being given an opportunity with his new team.
In 63 games, he scores 6 goals and 17 assists with a +9 rating, then adds another 3 points in the playoffs, which earns a 2-year contract to continue under the look of Buffalo.
Undrafted Abbotsford Canucks‘ rookie right wing Marc Gatcomb(43) scores a new contract for 2022/2023 after joining them upon completion of his senior year at University Of Connecticut Huskies.
The 6’2″ 194 lbs. forward had a college career best 8 goals and 13 assists with a +6 rating last season.
In 6 AHL on an ato he had no points.
The Woburn, MA native never played any junior hockey, instead going right from USHS-Prep to college.
Hopefully the 23-year old will be able to step into his game and start to connect.
He plays a pretty solid 1st year and even gets reassigned down to the ECHL for a few games to light it up in that league.
It was likely little thought to have him back for a 2nd look and in 64 games, he scores 9 goals and 11 assists.
He somehow catches the eye of New York Islanders, who sign him to a 1-year, 2-way deal and in 35 games with affiliate Bridgeport Islanders, he has equaled his 9 goals and 8 assists with a +1 rating to score himself a 1st NHL recall.
In his debut, he skated 11 shifts for 7:27 of ice time with 4 hits, 1 shot block, 1 takeaway and he went 100% on the face-off dot in a 2-0 loss.
He returned in a 4-1 win with 16 shifts, 11:23 ice, 3 shots and 7 hits.
In 39 games last season, he gets 8 goals and 1 assist to gain a new contract to remain an Islanders for 2025/2026.
