Utica Jr. Comets‘ 2nd year defenseman Owen Hodgett(24) takes a junior high games played 54, scoring new junior bests 3 goals and 11 assists, which he takes to a 2025/2026 commit at Suffolk University Rams.
The 5’11” 181 lbs. blue liner play his way through the Blue Jackets Jr. system for youth hockey.
From Montgomery, OH, the 20-year will likely do alright
Bentley University Falcons‘ graduate defenseman Nick Bochen(5) scored a college best 9 goals and 21 assists in 40 games with a +15 rating.
The 5’9″ 170 lbs. blue liner from North Vancouver, BC signs a 1st pro contract in tier 2 Hockeyallsvenskan with Vimmerby HC for his rookie year, 2025/2026.
He did 2 successful BCHL junior seasons before 1st heading to Quinnipiac University Bobcats for 2 seasons.
We look for the 24-year old to be successful in this league.
Boston University Terriers‘ sophomore Finnish-born defenseman Sascha Boumedienne(78) got himself 1st round drafted by Winnipeg Jets, #30 overall in the 2025 draft.
As a freshman, he scored 3 goals and 10 assists in 40 games with a +8 rating.
The 6’2″ 190 lbs. blue liner came over quickly doing youth hockey in the Blue Jackets‘ system before 1 year of USHL previous to school.
We look for the still very young 18-year old to slowly grow his game.
Philadelphia Flyers undrafted free agent signing, center Jackson Cates(63) signed a two-year entry level contract after completing his third season at University Of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs, where he scored a college career high 11 goals and 16 assists for 27 points in 28 games with a +8 rating.
He was a freshman when the college team won their 2nd straight NCAA Championship in 2019.
The 6′ 190 lbs. forward played a pair of junior hockey seasons with the famed Waterloo Blackhawks and his 33 goals and 30 assists in year 2 got him voted USHL Forward Of The Year award.
He’s skated roughly 15 shifts for roughly 10 minutes of ice time a night, grabbing a first assist but is a -3 rating with 7 shots on net.
The 23-year old may be just getting started with his big league debut.
He would appear in 11 games, getting his first NHL goal and as a restricted free agent, finally gets his 1-year extension to continue to build.
A group 6 UFA upon exiting last season, he signs a pto with New York Islanders that we feel if doesn’t turn into a deal with the big club, will get him under terms with affiliate Bridgeport Islanders upon reporting to their camp.
He was actually never signed and then released after only 1 goal in 12 games to be offered the same look from Rockford IceHogs, where he scored 2 goals and 3 assists in 6 AHL games to earn a full contract for 2023/2024.
11 goals and 14 assists through 50 games with a -1 rating, gets him another look for 2024/2025 in an Icehogs‘ uni.
After a 64 game season, scoring decently, then contributing a little for the playoffs, he is retained on a new 1-year minor league deal to stay in Rockford.
American International College Yellowjackets‘ Russian-born junior left wing Timofei Khokhlachev(22) heads home, signing with Lada Togliatti, but starts in the lower VHL with CSK VVS Samara for 2025/2026.
The 6’4″ 216 lbs. forward scored a college best 8 goals and 10 assists in 32 games with a +5 rating last season.
He came over fairly quickly for some school and 3 years of juniors before college..
The 23-year old should compete to move up to play with his older brother Alexander.
Johnstown Tomahawks‘ 2nd year right wing Nicholas White(91) takes 2 seasons of 34 and 27 points to a 2025/2026 commit at Trine University Thunder.
The 6’3″ 190 lbs. forward also did 2 years of Canadian juniors previous.
From Ottawa, ON, the 21-year old is likely to be a bit dangerous.
USNTDP 2nd year defenseman Asher Barnett(4) doesn’t put up a lot of points (3 goals and 3 assists in 21 games), but did show nice accountability last season with +8’s.
The 6’1″ 201 lbs. blue liner was an Edmonton Oilers‘ 5th round pick in the 2025 draft (#131 overall).
He commits to University Of Michigan Wolverines for 2025/2026.
From Wilmette, IL, the 18-year will likely continue to grow into his game.
New York Islanders‘ 1st round pick in the 2016 draft (#19 overall), left wing Kieffer Bellows(20) signs a 1-year deal as a restricted free agent to stay.
The 6’1″ 195 lbs. forward play the entire 2020/2021 session up with the big club, but only skated 14 games, scoring 3 goals, so was either a healthy scratch or reassigned to the taxi squad.
As a 2nd year player, he would score an AHL best 22 goals and 9 assists for 31 points for affiliate Bridgeport Islanders (Sound Tigers).
The former Edina High School, MN native was selected to head to Boston University Terriers and went onto 2 very successful USHL seasons before heading to college, but only lasted there for one year before deciding to split for Portland Winterhawks.
In 56 WHL games, he scored 41 goals and 33 assists with a +40 rating.
The 23-year old is son of former NHL player of 1188 games, Brian Bellows.
He would end up playing his 1st full frame in the big league, skating a healthy 45 games, scoring a not so bad 6 goals and 13 assists that would lead to his new 1-year, 1-way deal worth a tidy $1.2M AAV.
For 2022/2023, he would start on the roster, but it was decided to waive with the intention of reporting to the minors, but Philadelphia Flyers didn’t let him sit long and pulled him in.
He’s played 3 games with his new team, and although all loses, he’s kept it simple in his 10+ minutes of play and is only a -1.
We think the now 24-year old finds his footing, sticks and starts to make an impression.
He actually doesn’t really find his footing with 3 goals through 27 games.
For 2023/2024, he signed a pto with Toronto Marlies, is scoring big, not looking back and gets a deal for the current season.
Nashville Predators see something for their weighted 2024/2025 lineup that may start with affiliate Milwaukee Admirals, but could get a call up for the 1st time in a couple of frames.
He takes some solid regular season play and point-per-game playoff looks to something new on his pro hockey playing career, a deal overseas with Brynas IF of the SHL, which should heed good results for him.
Trois Rivieres Lions‘ rookie defenseman Kirby Proctor(3) was ready to go for a 2nd ECHL season, but he is traded on the cusp of the start of 2025/2026 to Wichita Thunder.
The 6’3″ 207 lbs. blue liner was a graduate at University Of Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks, who left with a college best 7 goals and 8 assists in a high 40 games.
From Lloydminster, AB, the 24-year old did 2 years of juniors before school.
Miami University (Ohi0) Redhawks‘ senior defenseman Conner Hutchinson(20) signs a 1st pro contract with Greenville Swamp Rabbits and he comes away with 3 assists in 11 ECHL games with a 0 rating.
The 5’11” 170 lbs. blue liner did 3 years at Sacred Heart University Pioneers before transferring.
His best college scoring year was as a sophomore with 3 goals and 17 assists in 34 games.
From Hicksville, NY, he did 2 BCHL frames before heading to University Of Vermont Catamounts.
That lasted 6 games before he signed with Tri-City Storm of the USHL and did very well.
The 24-year old is likely in line for a contract 2025/2026.
Adirondack Thunder step in to offer a 1-year deal.
