Category: Juniors

Undrafted senior center Carter Turnbull(98) takes a solid year as team captain, pushing his University Of Connecticut Huskies to its deepest Hockey East climb to the Finals and a loss in overtime to a 1st pro contract with South Carolina Stingrays.

The 5’8″ 181 lbs. forward took a few games to get situated, but finally popped in his 1st ECHL goal and a 2nd one a couple nights later to sit at 2 tallies in 6 games.

He had 30 goals and assists throughout his 3 years with Powell River Kings in 155 BCHL games.

The 23-year old from Nanaimo, BC should be able to light up the league and climb, if he sticks.

He would finish his first pro contract with 2 goals and 3 assists in 11 games to warrant a full look in North Charleston for his rookie season 2022/2023.

After lighting things up to the tune of 24 goals and 18 assists in 41 games, he decides to head off for an opportunity overseas, joining HKM Zvolen for their Slovak Extraliga playoff run.

He appears in 6 games during the end of the regular frame, then skates 7 in the postseason, scoring 1 goal and 1 assist in 7 games.

Slovak rivals HC Banska Bystrica swoop in an sign him up for 2023/2024, and we should see his numbers improve.

He is well over a point-per-game player in the tough to play Slovak hockey, equaling 25 goals and 31 assists in 41 games, but heads of to IceHL for a new experience with Asiago Hockey that could put him back on the radar for a better deal back home.

While scoring isn’t an issue with his new club, on ice accountability is faltering, so he up and moves back to Slovakia, signing once again with HC Banska Bystrica to hopefully regain some glory.

He gets on board and is invited to return to the tune of 20 goals and 17 assists in just 22 games with a +17 rating and there is a desire to keep him around long-term on a 2-year extension through 2026/2027 with HC Banska.

UMASS-Lowell Riverhawks‘ senior center Matt Crasa(22) scored best with 12 goals and 9 assists as a freshman, although he did finish with those same 9 markers and signed a 1st pro deal, an ato with Norfolk Admirals, where he got right onto the scoring sheet with a multi-point game, tallying his 1st ECHL goal.

In 11 regular season contests he added 1 other goal and 3 assists, then in 6 playoff matchups, contributed an assist.

The 5’11” 185 lbs. forward did 2 seasons of juniors, finishing up strong in the USHL with Fargo Force.

He also won a couple of youth championships.

The 24-year old from New York, NY will need a new contract, if he wants one.

After 13 games, he is waived with 1 goal and 1 assist, but gets almost immediately scooped by Wichita Thunder for the remainder of 2025/2026.

Boston Bruins‘ 3rd round pick in the 2020 draft (#89 overall), Boston College Eagles‘ junior center Trevor Kuntar(15) will leave a year of college on the table to sign a 2-year NHL entry level deal.

The 6′ 196 lbs. forward recorded a college career best 13 goals and 16 assists in 34 games with a +5 rating as a junior.

He was a more than a point-per-game player in his 2nd season with Youngstown Phantoms, getting 53 points in 44 USHL games.

The 21-year old may report to and help affiliate Providence Bruins go for a Calder Cup, but will most definitely compete in camp 2023 for a roster spot.

He goes into restricted free agency unqualified, so able to look for a contract as an unrestricted free agent and signs a 1-year AHL deal with Rochester Americans for 2025/2026.

In 24 games this season, he has a team high 9 goals and 13 points, so gets offered a 1-year contract with parent club, Buffalo Sabres worth $775K AAV.

We expect an NHL recall soon.

Columbus Blue Jackets‘ 7th round pick in the 2017 draft (#210 overall), University Of Vermont Catamounts‘ graduate defenseman Robbie Stucker(4) transferred in from 3 years at University Of Minnesota Golden Gophers and has adjusted to Hockey East play nicely.

He had a college career best 4 goals and 10 assists last season in 34 games and this season is on his way again, getting 3 goals and 7 assists in 24 contests.

The 6’3″ 179 lbs. blue liner played only 1 season of juniors, but ended up claiming the 2018 USHL Championship with Fargo Force, scoring 2 goals and 8 assists in 14 playoff games to help the team get there.

From St. Paul, MN, the 24-year old will be an interesting watch to get his NHL entry level deal, but thinks he plays hard and should get a look.

Upon getting knocked from Hockey East tournament play, he signs a 1st pro deal with South Carolina Stingrays to get things started.

After 10 games, scoring 1 goal and 6 assists with a +9 rating, he is going to branch out and signs a 1-year ECHL deal with somewhat rivals Iowa Heartlanders for 2023/2024.

Utah Grizzlies make a trade to grab the big d-man in hopes he helps their blue line for a playoff push.

He goes from split time last session to signing for 2024/2025 with Orlando Solar Bears, which should be a really good stop for him.

Before he’s barely even started with his new team, Reading Royals are looking to bolster their blue line and offer up future considerations to score him.

With 1 goal and a new high 16 assists, he signs to stay a Royals for 2025/2026.

After 1 goal and 4 assists in 17 game with a +2 rating, he heads back to Utah Grizzlies.

11th year center Chris Brown(11) takes 4 seasons with Nurnberg Tigers and trades it in to return to Iserlohn Roosters, the team he started with overseas, for 2022/2023.

The 6’3″ 214 lbs. forward was originally a Phoenix Coyotes‘ 2nd round pick in the 2009 draft (#36 overall) and was in their system for only about a year and a half before being traded to Washington Capitals. , where he arguably had his best success, but still only played 23 NHL games with 2 goals, 1 assist and a +1 rating.

He’s a 3-time 10+ goal scorer and 20+ assist guy in DEL.

The 31-year old former 3-year University Of Michigan Wolverines from Flower Mound, TX keeps on ticking very nicely.

For 2023/2024, he will start a new adventure at now 32-years old and head to Slovak Extraliga to suit up for HC Slovan Bratislava.

He scores kind of big in Austria with 14 goals in 24 games and decides to head back to Germany and signs with Schwenninger Wild Wings.

After 7 seasons in the same league, he looks to switch things up a bit and signs with Fehervar AV19 of IceHL and comes away with 21 goals and 12 assists in 48 games.

For 2025/2026, he late was going to retire, but decides to come play hockey a little closer to home and agrees to terms with Tahoe Knight Monsters of the ECHL.

Long Island University Sharks‘ sophomore defenseman Spencer Cox(13) enters the transfer portal and is up for a new challenge, heading to Miami University (Ohio) Redhawks for 2023/2024.

He committed to his 1st school after a decent NAHL frame for Chippewa Steel, getting 4 goals and 16 assists.

The 5’10” 181 lbs. blue liner, who sometimes skates forward, from Powell, OH will likely find the NCHC schedule a bit tougher to play, but may also add a little pepper to his game.

After 2 years at his new school, he signs a 1st pro contract with Indy Fuel.

In 9 ECHL games, he has 2 assists.

Doesn’t take them too long to re-up with him for his rookie season, 2025/2026 in a Fuel sweater.

Before he even skates a game in the current 2025/2026 frame, he is traded to Cincinnati Cyclones.

Undrafted defenseman Davis Bunz(7) takes 4+ years at Providence College Friars to a 1st pro contract with Wheeling Nailers for the 2022/2023 season.

The 6’1″ 181 lbs. blue liner has never been much of a scorer, but did leave a USHL frame for Central Illinois Flying Aces to head to school mid-campaign.

A Middleton, WI native, his senior year was way off the hook with 23 goals in 24 games.

The 23-year old should have a really good rookie run.

3 goals and 20 assists in a 1st ECHL frame was impressive enough to want to keep him in West Virginia another season.

He’ll have to work on his +/- some.

Accomplishing exactly what he needed to, he walks away from 2023/2024 with a league high 10 goals and 21 assists with a new accountable +20 rating in 2nd 58 games, then adds another 5 points in the playoffs.

For his new move, he skates overseas, accepting a 1-year EIHL deal with Nottingham Panthers for 2024/2025.

He comes home for 2025/2026 and signs with Orlando Solar Bears, but after 13 games with no points gets traded to Reading Royals.

University Of Alaska-Fairbanks Nanooks‘ Russian-born, graduate left wing Anton Rubtsov(11) had a college best 8 goals and 20 assists in 30 games with a +6 rating as a junior.

He skated only 13 games last season, grabbing 3 goals and 1 assist.

The 5’11” 181 lbs. forward did most of 2 seasons in the NAHL, but also previous to it played most of 2 frames in Switzerland’s tier 3 league, Hockeyettan.

He signs a 1st pro contract with Danbury Hat Tricks and in 10 games has a nice 2 goals and 9 assists.

Cornell University Big Red junior left wing Kyle Kovich(38) enters the transfer portal to next skate at University Of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs for 2025/2026.

The 6’2″ 181 lbs. forward had a college best 5 goals and 9 assists last season with a +13 rating in 36 games played.

This season he has 1 goal in 18 games, so is still looking to pop.

From Coquitlam, BC, he did 2 BCHL frames before 1 in the USHL prior to school.