CollegeHockeyPlayers

Arizona Coyotes‘ rookie center Jack McBain(22) gets a first crack at the NHL after scoring a Boston College Eagles‘ career best by a long shot 19 goals and 14 assists for 33 points with a +13 rating, then signing his entry level contract a couple weeks ago.

In his debut, he skated 24 shifts for 13:45 ice time with one shot block and left a 6-2 loss a -1.

The 6’3″ 201 lbs. Toronto, ON native did a couple of seasons in the OJHL with Toronto Jr. Canadiens, exploding the stat sheet in his 2nd year before school.

He also won an Ivan Hlinka Memorial Gold Medal with 2018 Team Canada.

The 22-year old will have to show up game in and game out with this team, but they are likely counting on that after picking him up from draft club Minnesota Wild (round 3, 2018, #63 overall).

Through 82 NHL games, he picks up 12 goals and 14 assists as a rookie on a non-playoff by a long shot club.

He avoids arbitration, agreeing to a new 2-year Coyotes‘ deal worth $1.599M AAV, which seems pretty accurate.

There’s little doubt now that he has this contract will look to put his team back on the map.

In his 1st full season with new Utah Mammoth hockey club, he scores a new high 14 goals and 13 assists in a full slate of 82 games with a +8 rating.

As a restricted free agent, he is fully rewarded with a 4-year, $4.25M AAV contract.

9th year defenseman Mike Reilly(6) signs a 1-year deal with Florida Panthers for 2023/2024 after spending most of the last 2 seasons with Boston Bruins, although he was dished to their affiliate Providence Bruins for most of last season and his contract was eventually bought out and he was waived.

He’s 3 times reached 10+ assists and 4 times 10+ points in a frame.

The 6’1″ 195 lbs. blue liner was originally a Columbus Blue Jackets‘ 4th round pick in the 2011 (#98 overall) draft, but 1st signed his 2-year NHL entry level deal as an unrestricted free agent with Minnesota Wild, then re-upped with them on a 1-way deal for another 2.

A former University Of Minnesota Golden Gophers, he is a veteran of 339 games in the big league and the 30-year old could hang up his skates happy if he wanted to at this point.

He was ready to be reassigned to their AHL affiliate, but in steps New York Islanders to claim him off waivers, as they look to have a need for him to help cover their blue line.

Through a 2nd best 59 games, he scores a new high 6 goals and 24 points to earn himself another 1-year deal to stay on the Isle for 2024/2025.

He misses a chunk of last season due to concussion, which limits his availability to 18 games.

For 2025/2026, he signs a simple 1-year $1.1M AAV deal with Carolina Hurricanes, a team that can use his veteran leadership.

6th year center Sean Kuraly(52) was seeing less playing room in the system he’d spent his first five development years with, Boston Bruins, so makes the smart, even best move of unrestricted free agency and signs a nice 4-year deal with close to home Columbus Blue Jackets.

He was born in Dublin, OH, skated his T1EHL 16U & 18U for Ohio Blue Jackets, played 4 years and was senior captain with hometown Miami University (Ohio) Redhawks, so gets to return big.

The 6’2″ 218 lbs. forward is going to be a perfect fit in his new club’s system, so may have also hit nice pay dirt.

4 years passes pretty quickly and he becomes 3-time assistant captain in his new team’s system, always brings his game despite maybe not scoring quite as many points as he once did when he first came over and put up a new best 30 points.

In an oh, my god move, he returns to Boston Bruins on a 2-year $1.85M AAV NHL contract that will see him back to lead a newer, younger club.

4th year center Brett Seney(62) was an unrestricted free agent coming off a 1-year extension with draft club, New Jersey Devils (6th round, 2015, #157 overall) to sign away on a two-way deal for a first time with Toronto Maple Leafs.

In 7 AHL games, he has 4 goals with a +2 rating, which has to have the parent club at least watching.

The small 5’9″ 175 lbs. forward was a sniper in four years at Merrimack College Warriors, striking for 26 points twice to start and finished with campaigns of 31 and 32 totals before graduating.

His 3 goals and 5 assists on 12 games signed to an ato after college was probably a good indicator of what could occur.

It will be interesting to see if the 25-year old gets anymore time in the show and what he does next.

In 2021/2022, the London, ON native would put up a new career best 42 assists and 59 points in 62 games with a +16 rating and also skated a pair of games in the big league.

For 2022/2023, he jumps ship for another 1-year, 2-way deal, this time from Chicago Blackhawks, where he could very put in more time at a higher level.

After an almost point-per-game season with affiliate, as MVP Rockford IceHogs and a 1st NHL goal for the team, he gets a 1-year deal to continue, then almost repeat performances through more games, he’s given more time in a ‘Hawks‘ jersey.

He continues to motor with points and for 2025/2026, he signs a 2-year AHL deal to remain captain of the Icehogs.