CollegeHockeyPlayers

Undrafted 2nd year defenseman Ivan Chukarov(13) takes the COVID season off, but decides to get back on the ice and switches allegiance from Worcester Railers, the only team he’s played for since graduating UMass Minutemen to Wheeling Nailers for the 2021/2022 ECHL.

The 6’2″ 203 lbs. forward was a big scorer in his 2nd year of junior with Minnesota Wilderness, scoring 12 goals and 31 assists in 55 NAHL games to get his college commitment.

Originally a Buffalo Sabres‘ 7th round pick in the 2015 draft (#182 overall), it seems like the 26-year old still can be a big contributor, despite what league he eventually lands.

He would actually land at Adirondack Thunder for last season’s play and had 2 goals and 5 assists in 38 games, but a terrible -22 rating.

For 2022/2023, the Des Plaines, IL native will return to continue work on his game, trying to contribute.

He puts up a career best 11 assists with 12 points and was a +12 rating through 58 games last season.

For 2023/2024, he gets traded and signs a 1-year deal with Jacksonville Icemen, his 3rd team in the league.

After 67 games, scoring a new best 7 goals and 26 assists with a +16 rating, he will take his game for a 1st time overseas, joining Coventry Blaze of the EIHL for 2025/2026.

In 23 games, he is scoring ok, but has a bad +/-, so decides to come back and signs with Bloomington Bison for the 2nd half of 2025/2026.

With only 1 assist in 8 games and a not so hot +/-, Savannah Ghost Pirates see something they can use in his game and acquire him for future considerations.

Undrafted 3rd year right wing Patrick Newell(14) will next take his game to Stjernen Hockey of Fjordkraftligaen for 2021/2022, and we think will find some excellent results, as his 2-year entry level deal with New York Rangers doesn’t net a qualifying offer.

The 5’10” 170 lbs. forward was signed upon completing 4 years at St. Cloud State University Huskies, pocketing 21 goals and 26 assists for 47 points in 39 NCHC games with a highly impressive +35 rating and a Hobey Baker Finalist nod.

From Thousand Oaks, CA he quickly moved to play a split frame of juniors, both successful, with Fairbanks Ice Dogs of the NAHL and USHL‘s Indiana Ice, where he stayed to play a follow-up frame.

He would help them win the 2014 Clark Cup Championship, scoring 13 goals and 30 assists in regular season, then another 4 and 3 in 12 playoff contests to the title.

Next he would move up to a year with Penticton Vees before committing to college and yup, his 16 goals and 31 assists in the natural frame, then 3 tallies and 11 helpers in 22 playoff games led to a 2015 BCHL Championship.

The 25-year old small spark should light up Norway hockey.

Exactly what we thought would happen, happened, as he struck for 21 goals and 30 assists with a +15 rating in 42 games, then added another 8 points in 12 playoff contests.

This performance got him looking and he signs for 2022/2023 with Fehervar AV19 of IceHL, and no doubt he will be more challenged in this top Austrian league.

He actually leaves after 17 games with decent scoring for HockeyAllsvenskan, signing for the rest of the frame with Sodertalje SK and does ok with 15 points in 30 games.

Something has changed his mind though and he is returning for 2023/2024 on a 1-year ECHL deal with Orlando Solar Bears.

Through 18 games, he has 4 goals and 10 assists, which is maybe a little easy pickins’, so decides to head to Slovakia Extraliga joining HK Nitra and has 1 goal in 2 games.

He does quite well here, scoring 3 goals and 7 assists in 16 games with a +9 rating, then adds another 9 points in 21 playoff games with a +6 to win the 2024 Slovakian Extraliga Championship. , but has decided he’ll return to playing pro hockey closer to home, signing with Tahoe Knight Monsters for 2024/2025.

Through a career high 67 games, he scored a new best by a mile 10 goals and 28 assists with a +7 rating, then added more in the playoffs.

For 2025/2026, he heads off to sign with another new team to the league, Greensboro Gargoyles.

He would become assistant captain and in 46 games scored a tidy 8 goals and 21 assists, but Kalamazoo Wings look to add him to their roster.

Norfolk Admirals‘ 2nd year Russian-born left wing Denis Smirnov(8) is looking to up his totals from his 1st year with the team, when he scored 9 goals and 12 assists in 39 ECHL games.

The 5’9″ 185 lbs. forward already has 7 goals and 9 assists, so things are looking quite positive.

He came over pretty quickly to play youth hockey, displaying amazing numbers to get drafted into juniors and wins the USHL Clark Cup Championship in his 1st of 3 years in the league.

Penn State University Nittany Lions‘ 4-year scorer took a couple of years after college hockey through COVID to establish his game as a pro.

He is an exciting player to watch.

In 51 games, he scores 14 goals and 32 asssists with a +3 rating to earn an easy invite back in an Admirals‘ jersey for 2024/2025.

He’s a high scoring free agent heading into 2025/2026 and a powerhouse team, Toledo Walleye step in to offer him a 1-year deal.

In a league high 54 games, he scores 15 goals and 20 assists, but gets a trade to Greenville Swamp Rabbits, where he will very likely just continue.