American International College Yellowjackets‘ junior right wing Noah Serdachny(91) scored a college best 4 goals and 12 assists last season, but the team he transferred to from 2 years at Colorado College Tigers is heading to a new division in 2025/2026, so heads to yet another new school, Long Island University Sharks.
The 6’1″ 190 lbs. forward did 2 years BCHL juniors, running up points, even in a shortened frame.
From Edmonton, AB, we think the 21-year old ignites at his 3rd school.
Vermont Lumberjacks‘ 2nd year right wing Jordan Blais(14) commits to school relatively close to home in Enfield, CT at the new D3 program for Western Connecticut State University Wolves, 2025/2026.
The 5’9″ 170 lbs. forward scored a junior high 9 goals and 17 points last season.
We look for the 21-year old to contribute for his new school team.
Trois Rivières Lions‘ 2nd year left wing Tyler Halland(15) re-signs to stay with the team after playing in the full ECHL slate of 72 games last season, scoring 15 goals and 17 assists with a +8 rating, then adds another 8 goals. in 18 playoff games to help his team capture their 1st Kelly Cup Championship.
The 5’10” 180 lbs. forward did 5 seasons of QMJHL juniors before another 5 at Concordia University Stingers, scoring quite decently at both.
From Chateauguay, QC, the 27-year seemed very set, where he’s at.
Cornell University Big Red Russian-born, undrafted, senior forward Maxim Andreev(23) is putting up numbers like he is going to be a player to watch come the end of the season, if he wants to turn into an unrestricted free agent.
The 6′ 183 lbs. power forward has 7 goals and 9 assists in 11 games this season, which already outstrips what he did as a freshman and is very near to numbers he put up as a junior.
His team did not play 2020/2021 due to COVID protocols.
He spent his youth hockey at CSKA Moskva U17 before coming over to initially play pay for junior hockey before getting brought up with great EHL numbers to the NAHL, where he spent a solid year.
Next, he would move up again to the USHL and be signed by Central Illinois Flying Aces before heading to school.
Almost completely oddly, he has scored 12 goals and 31 assists on three occasions, twice in juniors and once at youth.
The 23-year old will be a wonder to watch play out potentially his final frame, unless he goes for a year of eligibility.
He does extend school for another year, scoring a college best 16 assists, while taking in assistant captain duties.
Turning pro, he signs with Coachella Valley Firebirds, but is reassigned to affiliate Kansas City Mavericks, where he blows up scoring to the tune of 19 goals and 54 assists in 63 games with a +34 rating.
He signs on to stay for 2024/2025.
Continuing good scoring, he is an unrestricted free agent and Maine Mariners show interest to sign him for 2025/2026 and will likely continue to blow up ECHL scoring.
Clarkson University Golden Knights‘ junior center Ellis Rickwood(29) puts up a college best 10 goals and 25 assists in 39 games with a +16 rating, but enters the transfer portal to next play his hockey at University Of North Dakota Fighting Hawks as a senior, 2025/2026.
The 6’2″ 205 lbs. forward from Brantford, ON did 3 years of juniors up north before college.
We look for the 23-year old, big pivot to do well.
Florida Panthers‘ 1st round pick in the 2019 draft (#13 overall) goaltending wizard Spencer Knight(30) signs his 3-year entry level deal after only a 2 season stay with Boston College Eagles. where he went a phenomenal 39-12-3 record with a 2.05 GAA and .931 SV%, including 8 shutouts.
The fairly sizable 6’3″ 192 lbs. net minder has a collection of awards but maybe none better than the recent 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship gold medal earning.
He will turn just 20-years old soon but more importantly, now signed, where does he go?
The openings seem slim at the AHL, where the parent club is only riding along as their affiliate shut down operations during the pandemic, so maybe he’ll simply be an add to the taxi squad with the main group and go from there.
Before his entry level contract is up, they solidify him to stay with the Litter Cats going forward on a 3-year deal worth $4.5M AAV.
He plays a continuous workload of games with stellar results, but looking for a little more up front, he is traded to Chicago Blackhawks to start their rebuilding process and he starts with a 5-1 win to stake that claim.
In 15 games, he runs a 5-8-2 record and he is the future of their net minding, signing to a 3-year deal for worth $5.83M AAV to be a Blackhawks for the long run.
Undrafted rookie center Tyler Drevitch(38) has found it a bit difficult sticking with a team through the tough to play 2020/2021 but has circled back to re-sign with his original club, Wheeling Nailers.
He was released after 25 ECHL games scoring 3 goals and 2 assists, signing with Wichita Thunder for a single effort, but getting let go again.
The former, 4-year Merrimack College Warriors senior captain hasn’t exactly lit up the proceedings on the scoresheet, but through a few instances struck decent or big, almost perfectly in each other session after a huge affair as a 16-year old in the EmJHL with Boston Bandits (16-51-67 in 34 games).
He played a couple of years of USHL with little effect, but really broke out, when he switched it up to the NAHL with Lone Star Brahmas.
The 25-year old is the son of long-time minor league skater, Scott Drevitch, so easily has seen dad fully survive 17 years playing only 104 AHL games and 858 contests in lower rungs on the hockey ladder, so knows there’s work ahead of him.
For 2022/2023, he will spend a 3rd season in West Virginia and continue to work on his game, but did come away with slight career highs last season.
He will take some more super-charged numbers, scoring 18 goals and 15 assists in 72 games to a new deal with Maine Mariners for 2023/2024 that should help keep those numbers up.
He continues his productivity with a new best 18 assists and +11 rating in 70 games last season, but finds himself on the trade block, heading to Atlanta Gladiators for 2024/2025, where he will continue to increase his game.
Due to injuries, he figures in only 25 games last season for 3 goals and 2 assists, but just as the new 2025/2026 season is to start Orlando Solar Bears claim him as a future consideration from a player deal they sent.
We did one of our awesome new feature Twitter interviews with Tyler:
cHp: I noticed you signed with Wheeling Nailers in September last year but were either released or traded to Wichita Thunder, but only played a single game against your former team and were released. I noticed that you have re-upped with Wheeling for 2021/2022. I guess I just want to confirm the truth of that information.
TD: Yeah so I got released and picked up by Wichita and then played one game before being released again. And then few weeks back re-signed with Wheeling and I’m currently back with them right now. We have 9 games left. I’ve played 2 since being back.
cHp: You started your youth hockey in the EHL and looked to play at least one year in the league. Isn’t that a pay to play league, and were any fees waived for you because your dad coached there and it was just a good place for you to develop close to home?
I saw after what looked like a breakout season for you 13/14, you were drafted by Des Moines and went there, but it also looks like you committed to attend Merrimack College around that time too. Which came first?
It also looks like you were drafted earlier as well and even were chosen to go up to the QMJHL. Did you eventually turn both those down to stay closer to home. Was your dad your coach then? Looks like you played for a few teams in the USHL but had your best success when you switched it up to sign with Lone Star Brahmas of the NAHL. Why the switch? This was the year before you were to attend Merrimack.
TD: So I was drafted my Sioux City first but decided to stay home and play for the bandits. That was my senior year of high school. During that year I committed to Merrimack and then later was drafted to Des Moines. When I was drafted in the QMHJL, I knew I wanted to play college so I never really considered it much. My dad was not my coach. I played for Todd Stirling, who I give a lot of credit for helping me develop into a great player. I still work with Todd to this day in the off-seasons working on skills and skating. I played for a few teams in the usual which was a great lesson for me to learn to play up and down the lineup. I learned valuable lessons that year and half that has helped me deal with the everyday life of a hockey player. I went to Lone Star because I was released late into my age out year. Lonestar gave me a great opportunity to grow my game, on both sides of the puck. We had a great group down there with tons of great players. The coach there was Dan Wildfong, who I loved playing for. Type of coach who really pushed me and helped me elevate my game. Following that season I entered Merrimack, where I loved it there. Made tons of great memories and relationships, as well as prepare me for the pro game. Bottom line, you asked if my dad was my coach . Yes I played for him for my first two years of junior hockey and several times in youth hockey. But he has been my personal coach throughout all the years I’ve played since too. Not just on hockey but life. Has taught me how to be the man I am today. He’s spent several hours watching film with me, talking hockey with me, and always is there lending a helping hand to improve my game. I can’t thank him enough for being there for me throughout the ups and downs I’ve been through. Recently, he’s helped guide me through what it is to be a pro and how to grow up into an adult. Obviously, my mother and sisters has been there for me all these years supporting me and being there as an outlet to help me in hockey and life. Last, my brother. Without going too long, he’s pushed me, motivated me, and made hockey so fun since I can remember. Having a brother pursue the same dreams and goals as me is like having a co-pilot on a long road trip. Im lucky to have such an amazing hockey family beside me through this wild ride. I love the game and I can’t wait for what the future holds for me.
cHp: how did it come up for you to sign back on with Wheeling for the rest of this season considering they are not heading to any playoffs?
TD: I decided to sign back with Wheeling when they called and asked me to come back to finish the season. The staff and organization are first class. As well as my teammates are a great group of guys. Not a hard decision for me to return back to a familiar place and play some hockey.
cHp: Too cool all around. I saw your brother with you last year and got to see him play against Northeastern and photographed a couple of times this past season. Nice to hear you have a great relationship that pushes one another. Love the Wheeling story. Seems like a good place. No one knows the minor leagues like your dad. That was basically just when I started to see a whole lot of hockey and have been able to continue but switched my focus to college hockey play in 19/20 and love it. I’ll still go see the occasional AHL and ECHL games, so maybe we’ll get to meet in the tunnel at Worcester sometime. Thanks for the Twitter interview!
TD: Of course! Thank you
Stevenson University Mustangs‘ graduate defenseman Evan Beers(4) signs a 1st pro contract with Macon Mayhem for 2025/2026, his rookie year.
The 5’11” 190 lbs. blue liner showed good, increasing number with a college best 14 assists and 19 points last season.
From Peabody, MA, he did 2 campaigns of juniors before school.
The 25-year old will likely keep his zone clear.
University Of Massachusetts Minutemen graduate center Liam Gorman(20) may only have 2 assists in 10 games, but you feel the 6’2″ 187 lbs. power forward will strike for some Hockey East points sooner than later.
He had a college career best 12 goals and 10 assists as a senior with Princeton University Tigers.
The 23-year old from Boston, MA is a Pittsburgh Penguins‘ 6th round pick in the 2018 draft (#177 overall), but was traded to Chicago Blackhawks and will need an NHL entry level deal after this frame.
Through 28 games, he only scores 1 goal and 3 assists with a +2 rating, but is not signed, so the free agent agrees to terms with Allen Americans for his ECHL rookie season, 2024/2025.
After 6 goals and 11 assists in 62 games last season, he is traded to Maine Mariners, who look to add him.
Northeastern University Huskies‘ graduate defenseman, Pito Walton(8) is off to a hot start with his new team, getting the 1st goal of the 2023/2024 season and adding another tally the next night.
The 6’2″ 200 lbs. blue liner has come over from Princeton University Tigers and is making an impact, setting up a next move post college for the big man on d.
He had 7 goals and 14 assist in his final ECAC season and scores a darn close 6 goals and 12 assists in the slightly more difficult Hockey East play, but is really a pivotal +8 rating player on this team.
Upon finishing up a 5th year of college, he signs with Florida Everblades that should have him see some good action from the get-go, but unfortunately only played 1 ECHL game before being released, quickly picked up by Savannah Ghost Pirates for a look and has 1 assist in 4 games.
For 2024/2025, he re-signs with the Ghost Pirates for his rookie season.
After 14 games, with his 1st pro goal and 3 assists, he is traded to Idaho Steelheads, where he should see better success.
In 23 games, the Peacock, NJ native has 2 assists with a -4, but is wanted by another team for their back end, so is traded for future considerations to Worcester Railers, bringing him back to where he did his last year of college.
He scores 2 goals and 3 assists in 14 games last season, but is traded to Tulsa Oilers, who look to add him for 2025/2026.
