Category: Juniors

St. Louis Blues‘ 2nd round pick in the 2018 draft (#45 overall), rookie defenseman Scott Perunovich(48) gets a first NHL recall after putting up a dandy 2 goals and 18 assists in 12 AHL games for affiliate Springfield Thunderbirds.

In his debut he skated an almost unreal 24 shifts for 18:26 ice time with 1 shot on net in a 3-2 loss.

They must figure the unlikely 5’10” 175 lbs. blue liner is accountable and may come to life head-manning the puck.

In his first and second years at University Of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs managed to capture a pair of back-to-back NCAA Division 1 Championships. and left winning Player Of The Year award and the Hobey Baker Award as a junior.

He played three campaigns recording 85 assists with an overall +49 rating.

The 23-year old, Hibbing, MN native is just getting started.

He would stay up in the big league for 19 games and record 6 assists with a +2 rating, then added another 4 assists in 7 playoff contests.

For his efforts, he gets rewarded with a 1-year, 1-way contract at the league minimum to show them some more.

He was just about a point-per-game player in the minors, playing limited games due to a season ending injury, but returned to appear only in the big guns lineup and scores 17 assists in 54 games with a +1 rating.

His efforts are rewarded to return in a Blues‘ jersey for 2024/2025.

NY Islanders are suffering injuries in their zone and inquire, pick him up in a trade and will employ his services for the remainder of the year.

He has 2 goals and 4 assists with a +1 rating.

As a free agent, he signs a new 1-year 2-way deal with Utah Mammoth that will hopefully bring his assist strength back.

He heads to affiliate Tuscon Roadrunners and runs up 9 goals and 40 assists in 64 games with a +4 rating.

An unrestricted free agent, he signs a 1-year deal with Los Angeles Kings for 2026/2027.

Colgate University Raiders‘ senior right wing Ross Mitton(47) will take on a year of eligibility in Hockey East, when he suits up for University Of Maine Black Bears for a graduate session, 2024/2025.

The 5’10” 190 lbs. forward was the school’s top scorer last season with his new college best 11 goals and 19 assists in 34 games.

From Manhasset, NY, he went from the Portledge School, scoring to Fargo Force and Lincoln Stars, but didn’t find USHL success until hooking up with Omaha Lancers.

The undrafted 23-year old will be an interesting watch.

In 32 games, he scores 4 goals and 7 assists, while raising his on-ice to a +10 rating.

He finishes up tournament play and signs with Bridgeport Islanders, where he will hopefully get himself into at least a couple AHL games to get his pro game started.

In 1 game, he scores a 1st goal in the league.

It’s an easy bet he is invited to return for his official rookie frame as an Islanders, 2025/2026.

He is reassigned to affiliate Worcester Railers for the balance of the season, scoring 7 goals and 8 assists, which catches the eye of Toronto Marlies, who sign him for 2026/2027.

UMASS-Lowell Riverhawks‘ graduate, twice captain, defenseman Ben Meehan(7) initially signed with Iowa Wild after tournament play, but agrees to Lehigh Valley Phantoms on a 2-way deal for his rookie season, 2025/2026.

The 6′ 187 lbs. blue liner had a college best 14 assists last season and tied his 17 points from his junior year.

From Boston, MA, the 24-year old did only 1 year of USHL before school.

After a 12 goals and 34 assists in 69 games for affiliate Reading Royals, he gets signed to a 1-year AHL deal with Toronto Marlies.

UMASS Minutemen graduate right wing Lucas Vanroboys(67) must be glad he extended for a season of Hockey East, as he has a tidy 3 goals and 2 assists in 13 games with a +2 rating.

The big 6’2″ 190 lbs. forward came over from 4 years at Bentley University Falcons, where he had 16 assists and 20 points as a senior.

From Thamesville, ON, he did 2 campaigns in the BCHL for juniors before school.

The 24-year old is looking for his breakout session and he may have just hooked up with the right team to pull it off.

He may have not scored exactly the way he wanted to with 3 goals and 5 assists in 29 games, but his +4 show offense effect.

San Jose Barracuda are out of the playoff picture, but step in to offer him an ato.

In his rookie season, he scores 11 goals and 5 assists in 69 AHL games with a +6 rating.

He is offered a new contract to return for a 2nd frame as a Barracuda.

Splits a little time with the lower league, but still plays the majority of the time up.

For 2026/2027, he’s a free agent and signs a 1-year deal with Hartford Wolf Pack.

Washington Capitals‘ 8th year defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk(57) re-upped on a new 2-year deal through 2023, as last season’s weirdo run was wrapping up.

He’s out of the gate strong in his 2nd season, notching 6 assists in 17 NHL games with a +6 rating.

The 6’3″ 191 lbs. blue liner scored very decently through 3 years at University Of New Hampshire Wildcats, averaging 5 goals and 15 assists a frame.

At 30-years old, he just may be arriving into his best game a little late.

After 6 seasons with 1 club, the unrestricted free agent signs a 2-year deal with Pittsburgh Penguins that should work out well.

Merrimack College Warriors‘ sophomore center Matt Copponi(28) gets a maybe little surprising nod on NHL draft day, as he is selected in the 7th round of 2023 (#216 overall) by Edmonton Oilers.

He was actually ranked fairly decent by NHL Scouting.

As a 2nd year college player, he put up a best 13 goals and 14 assists in 37 games last frame with a +8 rating.

The 6″ 179 lbs. forward from Mansfield, MA skipped junior hockey, arriving at college straight from Dexter Southfield School USHS-Prep.

He’s just 20-years old.

For his senior year, he enters the transfer portal to skate for Boston University Terriers.

He posts decent numbers (6-18) in a college high 40 games played with a new best +15 rating.

Upon graduation, he signs an ato with the affiliate Bakersfield Condors and records an assist in his 2nd AHL game, where he was possibly signed to a deal by the parent club, but that seems to only be a rumor so far.

He records 2 assists in 3 games with a +2 rating to earn a new deal to stay a Condors.

After splitting time, he signs for 2026/2027 with 2026 Calder Cup Champ Toronto Marlies.

2nd year in Florida Panthers‘ system (6th overall), left wing Ryan Lomberg(94) gets a new contract extension for a couple more seasons after opening 2021/2022 with 2 goals and 3 assists in 14 NHL games with a +5 rating.

The scrappy 5’9″ 187 lbs. forward started his pro career on a minor league deal and even was sent to the ECHL for most of his rookie session to Adirondack Thunder, putting up close to point-per-game production, then helping the playoff push with more strikes.

He spent the entirety of his sophomore campaign up in the AHL, scoring 13 goals and 16 assists with a +15 in 68 games to gain final notice of the parent club, Calgary Flames, who signed him to a 2-year entry deal with a one year follow-up.

He received some big league time and had an assist, but couldn’t hang on with the parent club.

The 2-year University Of Maine Black Bears’ averaged close to 10 goals while he was there, but in an almost oddball move, left and returned to become captain of Youngstown Phantoms for another run through the USHL before turning pro.

While not exactly a fighter, he has gotten into some scraps with guys much bigger than him, which shows disregard but a level of balls for sure.

As an unrestricted free agent, he waited right up until the start of the new season before agreeing to terms, but almost oddly played entirely up in the show.

The 26-year old has to laugh a little at the ride he’s taken to make it stick.

Through 2027/2028, he signs a 2-year deal with Columbus Blue Jackets, we feel will work out really well.

UMass Minutemen junior defenseman Matthew Kessel(51) decides to leave a year on the table and signs his 2-year entry level deal with St. Louis Blues.

The 6’3″ 203 lbs. blue liner was a 5th round pick in 2022 (#150 overall).

He reports to affiliate Springfield Thunderbirds and in 12 AHL games, has a pair of assists and is a +5 rating, heading into the playoffs.

The 2019 USHL Clark Cup Champion with Sioux Falls Stampede had a junior career high 17 assists that season.

He is definitely the height of on-ice accountability with an NCAA Division 1 hockey +37 rating.

The 21-year old may just play himself onto the big league squad before too long.

With some injuries to the blue line, the Scottsdale, AZ native scores a 1st NHL game for himself, in which he skates 15:17 ice time with 1 shot on net, 1 block shot and left the 4-3 shootout loss with a -1.

Still, nice start.

He signs a 2-year 1-way extension through 2025/2026 to continue in a Blues‘ jersey.

In his 35 game season (37th overall), he scores a 1st NHL goal for himself.

For 2026/2027, he signs a 1-year deal with New York Islanders.

Buffalo Sabres‘ 6th year center Sean Malone(17) continues with Rochester Americans under a new 1-year deal from the team he’s skated 5 seasons for.

The former Harvard University Crimson senior scorer is coming off a career year, getting a new best 20 goals and 37 points.

He only has 2 NHL games to his credit, with an assist in his 2nd appearance with 1-year contract club, Nashville Predators.

A Buffalo, NY native, the 27-year old is definitely keeping his hockey close to home.

Following 6 years and 284 AHL games, the 28 year is heading off to Switzerland to skate in the NL with SCL Tigers in 2023/2024.

He has two good Swiss seasons and takes it to a new deal with Orebro HK of SHL for 2025/2026.

At the end of the session, he would get loaned back to the SCL Tigers of NL, but for 2026/2027 elects to sign with Augsburger Panther.

University Of Vermont Catamounts‘ senior goaltender Gabriel Carriere(35) takes a college career high 34 games to with a 2.77 GAA and .908 SV% to an ato with San Jose Barracuda.

The 6’2″ 185 lbs. backstop did 3 seasons of junior hockey, eventually making it to Waterloo Blackhawks of the USHL.

From Ottawa, ON, the 23-year old will hopefully impress to score an AHL deal for 2024/2025 and he does.

He actually signs for 2025/2026 with San Jose Sharks and spends the lion share of time with the affiliate.

For 2026/2027, he signs a 1-year deal with Hartford Wolf Pack.