Anaheim Ducks recently acquired Minnesota Wild 6th round pick in the 2019 draft (#172 overall), Boston College Eagles‘ junior center Nikita Nesterenko(62) gets a 2-year NHL entry level deal to leave school a year early to come skate pro.
The 6’2″ 183 lbs. forward had a college career best 13 goals and 21 assists in 36 games that last through the 2nd round of Hockey East tournament.
He gets to skate a first big league game, going 17 shifts for 13:06 of ice time with 4 shots on net and left a 4-1 loss with a -1 rating.
Only 21-years old from Brooklyn, NY there is time for him to develop, but he may be ready to play at the highest level.
He reports to affiliate San Diego Gulls and helps them win games with 16 goals and 21 assists in 70 games and a +6 rating.
Little thought to invite him back to see what more he has to accomplish.
East Coast Wizards‘ 2nd year center Casey Raffone(17) picks the new D3 program at Keene State College Owls for his 2024/2025 commit.
The 6′ 181 lbs. forward scored 21 goals and 22 assists in 44 EHL games last season.
From Guilford, CT, the 21-year old will do well playing the independent schedule of his new school.
Rookie left wing Jack Olmstead(9) blew up scoring in Finland’s Division 2 for Amals SK to the tune of 28 goals and 29 assists in 27 games played and wants to return close to home late season, signing with Kalamazoo Wings for their playoff run.
The 5’10” 181 lbs. forward played 3 years at Miami University (Ohio) Redhawks, but wasn’t really a big scorer and that came after 2 years of little use with University Of Michigan Wolverines.
From Troy, MI, the 25-year old only did 1 NAHL season, popping the scoring for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights for 23 goals and 30 assists.
We are interested to see if his scoring can extend into the ECHL, but we suspect he’ll connect.
He doesn’t much connect in his time back and looks to an opportunity in Germany3 with EC Bad Tolz for 2024/2025.
Rockets Hockey Club‘ 3rd year left wing Cam Bergeman(22) takes 3 USPHL/NCDC seasons of scoring to a 2024/2025 commit at University Of New England Nor’easters for 2024/2025.
The 5’9″ 150 lbs. forward may find the CCC a bit more of a challenge to score, but he also may find space.
From Newark, DE, the 21-year old should be a fun watch.
After a 5th year, serving as captain of Colorado College Tigers‘, showcasing a 3rd 10+ point season defenseman Bryan Yoon(4) signs a 1st pro deal with Utah Grizzlies for 2023/2024.
The 6’1″ 180 lbs. blue liner pulled off back-to-back 60 game USHL seasons for Tri-City Storm with his 32 assists, doubling what he did in his 1st year.
A native of Parker, CO, he also had an equally impressive 1 BCHL frame with 27 assists.
The 25-year old is likely ready to get started in the ECHL.
He pulls off 3 goals and 14 assists in 35 games with a +11 rating to earn a loan up to Hartford Wolf Pack, where he signs a 1-year AHL deal for 2023/2024 to stay.
In 18 games, he grabs 2 goals and is a +1 skater, but elects to head home and signs with Colorado Eagles for 2024/2025, but could see playing time with affiliate Utah Grizzlies too.
Northeast Generals‘ 3rd year left wing, captain Caiden Hess(16) chooses to commit to New England College Pilgrims for 2024/2025.
He scored 13 goals and 17 assists in 40 NA3HL games last frame and did even better in his 1st pair of seasons.
The 5’8″ 170 lbs. forward from Abington, MA will leave the nest for a 1st time at 21-years old.
Colgate University Raiders‘ senior left wing Levi Glasman(20) signs in the newly named CEHL for 2024/2025, agreeing with Golden Sharks Mechelen.
He was never a big scorer through college, his junior year scoring 3 goals and 6 assists was his best.
The 6’2″ 174 lbs. forward will likely score better in this league, as he did and was a 20+ goal and assist scorer in 3 years of the BCHL.
From Minnedosa, MB, the 25-year old is out seeing what kind of pro game he’s got.
Former AIC captain, undrafted defenseman Brennan Kapcheck(5) graduates and signs and 2-year AHL deal with Toronto Marlies to get his pro career started.
The small 5’9″ 170 lbs. defenseman is very mobile and knows how to move and head man the puck.
He may have failed to tally a goal in this last frame but did put up 18 assists, which basically gave him an average of 20 helpers per season throughout his college career with a combined +41 rating.
The Illinois native can also score goals, as he did in his second session with Aston Rebels of the NAHL, where he struck for 17 goals and left the program with a huge +59.
There’s a lot of upside to this young signing, who should be able to contribute positively right away.
To start 2023/2024, he started in Slovakia Extraliga with HKM Zvolen, but through 10 games only recorded 1 assist and returns under contract to the only ECHL team he has played games for, Newfoundland Growlers, where he had 25 assists last season.
After 34 games, the team collapses and he waits to sign his next contract.
The new Tahoe Knight Monsters sign him up for 2024/2025.
Minnesota Wild 7th year center Steven Fogarty(29) signed a 2-year deal to come “home” as he is a native of right up the road, Edina, MN.
He has managed to skate NHL games in the last 6 seasons, but only scored 1 goal and 2 assists with Buffalo Sabres.
The 6’3″ 205 lbs. former New York Rangers‘ 3rd round pick in the 2011 draft (#72 overall), he off to a nice start with affiliate Iowa Wild, scoring 5 goals and 9 assists in 20 AHL games with a +7 rating.
A 2-year captain at University Of Notre Dame Fighting Irish, the 29-year old always looks to be a leader in the locker room.
After his 8th pro season, 464 AHL games, 31 NHL and the all important 1st goal and 150 NCAA, he decides that’s enough and call it quits.
We could see him starting to coach somewhere this season.
10th year defenseman Andrew MacWilliam(4) switched up 2 years in DEL skating for EHC Munchen to signing with EC Salzburg for 2022/2023.
In 15 IceHL games, he has a goal and 3 assists with a +6 rating.
The fairly big 6’2″ 223 lbs. blue liner has 413 AHL games to his credit, scoring 9 goals and 53 assists with a +6 rating.
He has also played 12 NHL games with a draft team Toronto Maple Leafs (7th round, 2008, #188 overall), recording 2 assists.
A University Of North Dakota Fighting Hawks‘ graduate, he may have not put up a lot of points, but left school a +37 player.
The 32-year old from Calgary, AB may just be starting a new chapter.
After just one year away from Germany, he missed it and returns to sign on for a 3rd frame with the Red Bull Munchen boys.
Finishing up with his team of mostly the last few seasons, he heads to his 3rd overseas league, EIHL and agrees to terms with Cardiff Devils, which should equal a good late career move.
