Category: Juniors

22Sep

Luc Salem (6)

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Saint Lawrence University Saints‘ senior captain defenseman Luc Salem(6) skated a college best 38 games last season before signing with Utah Grizzlies upon finishing up ECAC tournament play.

The 5’10” 181 lbs. blue liner had his best college year scoring as a junior, hitting 10 goals and 17 assists in 37 games with a +12 rating.

He was definitely able to load up assists through 2 NAHL junior seasons.

From Los Angeles, CA, the 24-year will need a new deal moving forward.

He signs with Indy Fuel for his rookie season, 2024/2025, where we think he will have good success.

With 3 assists in 16 games with a -3, he finds himself twice traded but is wanted by Kalamazoo Wings to help their d corps.

He doesn’t stay long, as he is dealt to Utah Grizzlies for 2025/2026.

In a new high 69 games, he scores a best 21 assists and 24 points with a +4 rating and then is traded from the team he went to after the sale of his last club to Tulsa Oilers for 2026/2027.

22Sep

Scott Ramaekers (28)

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Binghamton Black Bears‘ 3rd year right wing Scott Ramaekers(28) signs on to return for 2026/2027 after helping the team win 2 FPHL Championships, which he just signed on when they won their 1st of 3 in a row.

The 6′ 229 lbs. forward came from 5 years at SUNY Brockport Golden Eagles, where he scored 10+ points in his last 2 years.

From Hamburg, NY, the 28-year old came up through the Buffalo Jr. Sabres‘ youth hockey system.

22Sep

David Jankowski (12)

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Undrafted center, captain David Jankowski(12) takes a college career best 12 assists and 16 points to a new school hockey endeavor at Michigan Tech University Huskies from 4 years at St. Lawrence University Saints.

The 6’1″ 175 lbs. forward from Dundas, ON played two seasons of juniors in the CCHL, but he really came alive in his 2nd frame, connecting for most goals (38), most points (90) and league MVP.

We think the 25-year old will find more open room to score in the CCHA and may even get to join his NHL brother Mark Jankowski on a minor league deal.

He somehow would continue to score 4 goals as he did from his sophomore frame on after getting 8 as a freshman, then signed an ato with Wheeling Nailers, striking for 3 goals and 3 assists in 7 games with a +2 rating.

His efforts don’t go unnoticed, as he agrees to stay on for 2023/2024.

Through 69 ECHL games, he puts in a strong performance with 11 goals, 26 assists and a +9 rating.

Little doubt, he’s seeing the light, following his best season and will return for a 2nd.

He run exact totals in his 2 seasons with the team, but is traded to Norfolk Admirals, who will utilize his scoring prowess with great ability.

In 19 games, he scored 1 goal and 7 assists, but gets himself traded Jacksonville Icemen for future considerations.

He would once again do well with his new club and was for a 3rd straight season a 20+ assist player, but for 2026/2027 will head east and signs to Maine Mariners.

21Sep

Jesse Tucker (17)

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Clarkson University Golden Knights‘ junior center Jesse Tucker(17) transferred in from 2 seasons at Michigan State University Spartans.

The stocky 5’11” 187 lbs. forward played 3 USHL seasons of junior hockey with Green Bay Gamblers, the last as captain and twice 30+ assists, 3 times 10+ goals.

From Longlac, ON, he also did 1 successful frame in the OJHL.

We expect the 24-year old to do best in Atlantic Hockey as a senior.

In his rookie year with Indy Fuel, he scores 12 goals and 26 assists in a full slate of 72 ECHL games with +4 rating and will easily return for 2026/2027.

21Sep

Colin Bilek (66)

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It’s the no-brainer, unrestricted free agent signing of the 2022 post-college hockey season, in undrafted center, twice captain Colin Bilek(66) at Army West Point Black Knights‘ gets a AHL contract with Manitoba Moose for 2022/2023 and stays on Winnipeg Jets‘ radar.

The 5’11” 195 lbs. forward came away from 2021/2022 with a college career high 20 assists and 31 points in 34 NCAA Division 1 games.

He scored 18 goals as a junior.

The Brighton, MI native also had 18 goals in each of his 2 years of junior hockey with Northeast Generals.

He also posted 22 and 32 assists.

The 25-year old will certainly arrive ready to compete for a roster spot as a rookie.

He skates only a couple of games with the big club before being dispatched to ECHL affiliate Trois-Rivieres Lions, where he has a decent 14 goals and 9 assists in 46 games.

As the trade deadline looms, he gets a new address as Rockford Ice Hogs will adopt his contract, but likely will start with Indy Fuel.

We will see if he can make a bigger difference for a playoff tilted team.

After just 1 game with new contract club and then being reassigned down, he 7 goals and 4 assists in 18 games, then another 2 goals and 1 assist in 4 playoff matchups, he gains their confidence to have him back in an Ice Hogs‘ jersey for 2023/2024.

He would be reassigned down for the entire frame, but got settled and started connecting regularly for 20 goals and 23 assists in 51 games with a +5 rating.

For 2024/2025, he officially signs with the Fuel to try to improve their playoff push.

After 3 seasons in the same jersey, scoring a new best 34 assists, he agrees with Kalamazoo Wings, who seem to be scooping up a lot of the unrestricted free agent prospects for a Cup run.

In a career high 71 games played, he scores a new best 22 goals and 18 assists to be asked to return a Wings for 2026/2027.

21Sep

Ian Shane (1)

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Cornell University Big Red senior goaltender Ian Shane(1) signed a 1st pro deal with Norfolk Admirals once tournament play concluded.

He posted a 3-0-2 record with them in 5 ECHL games.

For his rookie season, the 6′ 176 lbs. signs a 1-year deal with Kansas City Mavericks.

From Manhattanville, CA, the 24-year old did 2 years of juniors before college.

He posted a 66-32-16 through college with 11 shutouts, so think he will do pretty well in this league.

Through 8 games, he does ok, but Reading Royals need his help in net, so trade future considerations to grab him.

In 5 games, he does well enough to be asked to return a Royals for a full frame in 2026/2027.

21Sep

Xavier Lapointe (28)

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RIT Tigers‘ senior defenseman Xavier Lapointe(28) signs a 1st pro contract with Orlando Solar Bears.

The 6′ 190 lbs. blue liner only got into 17 games last season, scoring 2 goals and 6 assists.

His best year was as a junior, when he got 5 goals and 10 assists.

From Quebec, QC, the 24-year old scored 2 goals in 8 ECHL games with a +1 rating.

He is sort of an easy invite to play his rookie season in Orlando for 2026/2027.

20Sep

Mike Reilly (6)

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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.

In 42 games, he scores 1 goal and 8 assists with a +11 rating, then adds 2 assists in 2 playoff games with a +2 to easily be asked to return a Canes for his 33rd year on a 2-way deal, so they may have some ideas for his future.

20Sep

Lee Lapid (28)

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Undrafted, Canisius College Golden Griffins‘ graduate center Lee Lapid(28) agrees to a 1st pro deal with Cincinnati Cyclones for 2022/2023.

The 6’1″ 190 lbs. power forward scored a college career tying 11 goals and new best 12 assists and 23 points in 33 NCAA Division 1 games with a +6 rating as a senior.

A Thornhill, ON native, he played 3 seasons in the OJHL, really lighting things up as a 3rd year player.

The 24-year old is going to be a great ECHL rookie.

He scored 13 goals and 29 assists in 59 games with a +33 rating and for his 2nd frame with the club is very much in line with 8 goals, 19 assists in 34 with a +18 and he eyes some better hockey to play, signing with SaiPa of the Finnish elite league Liiga going forward.

in 14 games, he grabs 2 assists and they want him to return for 2024/2025, back in a Sputniks‘ uniform.

He actually reconsiders and elects to sign with a bit closer to home Abbotsford Canucks for the upcoming frame.

Sent to Kalamazoo Wings, he skated 47 games, scoring 10 goals and 17 assists with a +3 rating.

A free agent, heading into 2025/2026, he signs a 1-year deal with Indy Fuel.

In 62 games, he scores a new best 15 goals with a +6 rating, but for 2026/2027, he elects to sign with Idaho Steelheads and could definitely show another scoring increase.