Category: Juniors

University Of Notre Dame Fighting Irish left wing senior, captain Justin Janicke(68) takes a college career best scoring 15 goals and 19 assists in 38 games last season to a 1st pro contract for 2025/2026 with Coachella Valley Firebirds, where he grabs a 1st AHL assist in his debut on an ato and only appearance.

He did 2 seasons of USNTDP juniors with good results before school.

The 6′ 187 lbs. forward is a Seattle Kracken 7th round pick in the 2021 draft (#195 overall).

From Maple Grove, MN, we expect the super-young college graduate, 21-year old to pick up the pace.

Reassigned to affiliate Kansas City Mavericks, he helps them push to the ECHL finals and it’s good enough for a new deal to return a Firebirds for 2026/2027.

University Of New Hampshire Wildcats‘ senior left wing Liam Devlin(12) signed with Reading Royals for his rookie season, 2025/2026 and has a 1st ECHL goal and 3 assists in 27 games.

The 5’11” 192 lbs. forward had a college best 14 assists in his final year.

From Needham, MA, the 25-year old did 2 seasons of USHL before his college commit.

In 59 games, he scores 8 goals and 7 assists and gains a new deal for his 2nd frame in 2026/2027 as a Royals.

Lindenwood University Lions‘ junior defenseman Joe Prouty(15) played a college high 32 games, scoring 1 goal and 2 assists that he will take to a senior year closer to his Apple Valley, MN home at Michigan Tech University Huskies.

The 6’1″ 181 lbs. blue liner did 3 strong NAHL seasons with New Mexico Ice Wolves.

He was very successful in high school hockey as well.

The 23-year old will likely see his game increase in the CCHA.

He plays a new college hockey high 39 games, scoring a tie from his freshman season, 2 goals and best 12 assists.

After tournament play, he signed with Greenville Swamp Rabbits, grabbing 3 assists in 10 ECHL games to get a new deal for his rookie season, 2026/2027.

Canisius College Golden Griffins‘ graduate left wing Kyle Haskins(8) put up college career best numbers, 11 goals and 12 assists in 37 games last season.

The 6′ 185 lbs. forward transferred as a senior from Michigan State University Spartans.

He did 2 USHL sessions of juniors for Waterloo Blackhawks before college.

From Huntington, VT, the 25-year old initially signed with Orlando Solar Bears, but was traded with no points to Greenville Swamp Rabbits and grabbed 3 goals and 4 assists in 9 games.

We think he picks up a contract for 2025/2026.

Almost a little hard to believe, he gets picked up in free agency by Reading Royals for his rookie season, 2025/2026.

In 63 games, he puts away 11 goals and 17 assists to easily earn an invite to be a Royals for a 2nd year in 2026/2027.

Chicago Blackhawks‘ undrafted rookie left wing Mike Hardman(39) scores a 1st NHL goal in his 5th game.

The 6’2″ 205 lbs. forward has skated roughly 17 shifts for 10+ minutes per outing.

Signed to a two year entry level deal through 2021/2022, he wasted no time getting situated, joining the taxi squad with the big club instead of heading to Rockford Icehogs to start his pro career.

He’s been with them for just over a month before getting his opportunity to show what the power pivot could do coming off only his 2nd campaign at Boston College Eagles, where he scored 10 goals and 9 assists in a COVID shortened 24 NCAA Division 1 Hockey East game schedule.

The 22-year Hanover, MA native is just getting started, obviously.

In 2 years for Utica Comets, under contract to New Jersey Devils scores pretty well, but for his 1st time, he elects to play his pro hockey elsewhere and signs HV71 for 2026/2027.

He will do well in the SHL.

RPI Engineers‘ senior goalie Noah Giesbrecht(31) had 30 starts last season with a 11-19 record on an under .500 team.

The 6’3″ 194 lbs. net minder came over from 3 years at Ferris State University Bulldogs, but started out of juniors with 8 games in a session for University Of Windsor Lancers, posting a 7-1 record to move to a US school.

From South Surrey, BC, the 26-year old signs a 1st pro try-out with Rapid City Rush, we think will stick.

He would end up with Knoxville Ice Bears for his rookie season and is loaned up to the ECHL on a couple of occasions.

For the offseason, he heads to the AIHL and signs with Melbourne Mustangs.

Returning, he agrees to terms for 2026/2027 with Baton Rouge Kingfish and should find his game in the FPHL.

Merrimack College Crusaders‘ portal transfer graduate student, left wing Steven Jandric(18) is off to a healthy start with his new club, scoring 3 goals and 7 assists in 15 games with a +3 rating.

The 6′ 201 lbs. power forward is a double transfer, heading from 3 solid scoring years University Of Alaska-Fairbanks Nanooks to 1 at University Of Denver Pioneers before arriving east.

The Prince George, BC native also did ok in a pair of BCHL junior seasons for Vernon Vipers.

It will be interesting to see what develops for him next.

He finished his graduate season tying his college career high 20 assists, while also netting 8 goals and the always gunning power forward signs an ato with Worcester Railers.

In his ECHL debut he gets a first point, an assist and follows it up the next night with a first goal.

He gets a 2nd goal to his credit in his 3rd game, so things are going swimmingly well.

For 2022/2023, he won’t go far as he re-ups to stay in central MA for his official rookie season, after scoring 4 goals and 4 assists in 15 games and getting a 2 game AHL loan up to Providence Bruins, where he potted 1.

After starting the season in the lower league, jumping on 6 goals and 7 assists in 11 games, he is loaned up to Springfield Thunderbirds, where he is given an spc recently to stay.

He ends his rookie season with 31 games played, 2 goals, 6 assists and a 0 rating.

They are liking what they see and sign him to a 1-year deal to continue.

His league rights were sold to Orlando Solar Bears, where he strikes for 10 goals and 6 assists in 19 games, but he spies something new, better and signs for the remainder of 2023/2024 with Lukko and will play his hockey in Liiga.

This is a pretty exciting move for a player of this caliber.

In his 1st season overseas, he grabs 12 goals and 10 assists in 31 games with a +10 rating to want him back, so he re-signs to stay with the Rauman club.

There is little doubt he has found a place to very well play his game with 18 goals and 22 assists in 55 games with a 0 rating, he is invited to return for a 3rd time in a Lukko jersey.

He takes 3 years of Swiss hockey to a new journey and signs Czechia Extraliga, joining BK Mlada Boleslav for 2026/2027.

Curry College Colonels‘ Finnish-born, sophomore left wing Eelis Laaksonen(19) had a pair of tallies and an assist to help his team to a 5-1 semi-finals win to advance to the NCAA Division 3 CCC Finals.

The 6′ 185 lbs. forward has a college career tying 9 goals and best 15 assists for 24 points in 25 games this season.

At 22-years old, he should just continue to excel where he is playing hockey.

He finished up his senior year with a college best 14 goals and +19 rating, which he takes to possibly a slightly conservative deal with Evansville Thunderbirds, where he should score well in the SPHL to move up.

In 47 games, he scores 4 goals and 6 assists, that he takes to a new contract for 2026/2027 with rivals, Quad City Storm.

Dartmouth College Big Green senior defenseman Ian Pierce(58) has seemingly found his game nicely as a pro with 2 goals and 4 assists in 6 ECHL games with a +3 rating for Adirondack Thunder.

His best college season scoring was as a freshman, where he got 4 goals and 10 assists.

The 5’10” 190 lbs. from New York, NY did 2 USHL junior seasons before school.

He will need a new contract for 2025/2026, but that would seem to be a no brainer to sign the 24-year old.

Easily he is given a deal for 2025/2026 to return in a Thunder jersey to continue scoring.

He actually signs with Fort Wayne Komets, but is traded after 15 games with 3 assists to Rapid City Rush for the rest of 2025/2026.

An unrestricted free agent, he signs with Norfolk Admirals for 2026/2027.