Category: Juniors

Undrafted rookie right wing Grant Jozefek(15) agrees to terms with Worcester Railers to start his pro career after 5 years at Northeastern University Huskies.

He was a very decent scorer in college hockey with 29 goals, 47 assists and a +12 rating in 134 Hockey East games.

This came off similar results through two sessions for Lincoln Stars, where he dropped 25 goals and 54 assists in 108 USHL games, then grabbed another 5 points in 4 playoff contests.

The 5’10” 185 lbs. forward played all of his youth hockey close to home in Chester, NJ and as his new club knows, is a threat to score in the ECHL every time he steps on the ice.

After 14 games in Central MA, scoring 1 goal and 3 assists, he moves along and signs for his rookie season 2022/2023 with the one of the newest clubs in the league, Savannah Ghost Pirates.

He actually doesn’t play any games with this team, yet a month into the new season, he signs with Adirondack Thunder and gets right to work, notching 18 goals and 33 assists in 68 games with a +5 rating, then adds 3 points in 5 playoff matchups.

It’s a bit of a no brainer, if he wants to return to have him suit up again for 2023/2024 and that is just what has happened.

Salve Regina University Seahawks‘ graduate right wing John McLean(22) played his 1st pro hockey for Olofstroms IK of Division3 last season, running up scoring totals 19 goals and 17 assists in 26 games, then added another 8 (4-4) in 6 through the playoffs.

He ran up good, almost point-per-game totals sophomore through graduate seasons.

The fairly big 6’2″ 200 lbs. forward from North Andover, MA played his high school hockey at Malden Catholic, then maybe conservatively went on to play of Islanders HC Premier team and won a USPHL Premier Championship.

At 27-years old already, he switches things up to advance to a bit of a higher level in BeNeLiga, where he signs for 2023/2024 with EG Diez Limburg Rockets.

We think he will have great success here too and hopefully look for some pro hockey that competes at the level he does.

Arcadia University Knights‘ sophomore left wing Tyler Kaminski(61) has only appeared in 14 games through 2 seasons, so has decided to move on to another home state Michigan college, Davenport University Panthers for his junior frame, but will play for their D1 team.

The 5’9″ 170 lbs. forward was always a solid scorer through 3 years of NA3HL juniors, twice getting 30 assists and 40+ points, while 3 times a 10+ goal scorer, once at 19.

He’ll likely play a lot more here and the 23-year old will likely excel at scoring in ACHA D3 hockey.

Undrafted rookie left wing Matt Alvaro(25) signs on for 2021/2022 with 2021 Kelly Cup Champs, Fort Wayne Komets.

He played single games with Orlando Solar Bears after graduating 4 years at University Of Vermont Catamounts, serving as junior captain and senior assistant, but was twice quickly released.

The 5’9″ 185 lbs. forward played a pair of junior seasons close to home in Toronto with the OJHL before getting drafted by Youngstown Phantoms, where he did equally well on the scoresheet before agreeing to college near the conclusion of his final campaign.

We’re thinking with a better, more secure deal, the 25-year old could start to affect the scoresheet some.

In his 2nd campaign with the team, he records a new best 24 assists with a +5 rating and for 2023/2024, he will head overseas to sign with Guildford Flames of the EIHL.

University Of Maine Black Bears‘ senior defenseman Dawson Bruneski(22) will add a graduate season on the other side of the US map, heading to University Of Alaska-Fairbanks Nanooks for 2023/2024.

The 5’11” 203 lbs. blue liner isn’t much of a point scorer, but maintained a +1 rating in last season.

He had 4 decent successful years of AJHL with a pair of teams before agreeing to college.

The 24-year old, Camrose, AB native will likely do well with his new club’s schedule.

 

2nd year center Alex Cohen(10) had a strange 1st year skating pro, playing for 3 different SPHL teams and exiting for 3 games in Czechia3 before returning.

Atlanta Gladiators see something in the 6′ 192 lbs. forward and sign him to a tryout agreement for 2023/2024.

He played 3 years of NAHL junior hockey for Northeast Generals, scoring a best 16 goals and 15 assists in his 3rd frame.

The Newton, MA native was with Union College Bobcats for 3 seasons, but played only 15 games total as one ECAC season was scrapped due to COVID.

Rapid City Rush rookie defenseman Darren Brady(92) seems to be enjoying his time with the team, since being signed up from starting the year with Macon Mayhem, recording 2 assists in 8 SPHL games.

He has another two assists with a +4 rating to add to his collection in 29 ECHL games on a team fighting tough for a playoff berth.

The solid 6′ 200 lbs. blue liner came from four years at Rochester Institute Of Technology Tigers, where he served as team captain as a senior, scoring new bests 3 goals and 9 assists for 12 points.

He came to the school from 3 seasons of junior hockey, most notably in his final NAHL year for New Jersey Junior Titans, where he scored a pretty big 9 goals and 24 assists with a +12 rating, then went onto add another 2 assists in 3 playoff games.

At 25-years old, he’s likely in the thick of it wanting to score for the postseason, but the Lake Orion, MI native could easily stay and get comfortable in South Dakota.

For 2021/2022, Idaho Steelheads have raised their hand to say they like what they saw and sign him to a new contract.

He has an outstanding 1st year, scoring 7 goals and 25 assists in 47 games with a +7 rating and will return for 2022/2023.

Starting the new season with 3 assists in 12 games with a mighty +20 rating gains notice of San Jose Barracuda, who sign him to a pto that would turn into an spc recently.

Talk about playing yourself up.

He ends last season playing 50 AHL games, scoring 3 goals and 6 assists with a +5 rating, pretty much proving he belongs.

Lehigh Valley Phantoms notice and sign him to a minor league contract for 2023/2024.

In his NHL debut, center Nick Abruzzese(26) skates 15 shifts for 9:05 ice time in a 6-3 Toronto Maple Leafs‘ win.

The 5’9″ 160 lbs. forward was a 4th round pick in the 2019 (#124 overall).

He was signed to a 2-year entry level after skating his junior season for Harvard University Crimson.

The Slate Hill, NY native had a very good 2nd USHL season for Chicago Steel, scoring a league high assists (51) and points (80).

At 22-years old, he may spend a little time in the AHL to see how that develops.

He has been playing up in the show since he started and pots a 1st goal in his 9th appearance.

After 69 games with 16 goals and 32 assists, then 7 points in 7 playoff games and 2 assists in 2 games in the big league, he is retained for 2023/2024.

The restricted free agent gets a new, 2-year 2-way deal and will likely continue with affiliate Toronto Marlies, and it’s very likely he will continue to see time in the show.