Michigan State University Spartans‘ senior captain defenseman Nash Nienhuis(4) scored a college career best 9 goals and tied his 15 assists set as a junior.
The undrafted 5’10” 181 lbs. blue liner will take his game overseas for his rookie frame, as he signs with EC Red Bull Salzburg of IceHL.
From Sarnia, ON, he did 1 season GOJHL before transferring to the USHL, where he skated mostly with Muskegon Lumberjacks before heading to school.
We look for the 24-year old to do well in Austria’s top league.
In his 1st frame with the team he would win the 2025 Championship and sign on for a more productive 2nd season with 17 assists and 19 points in 47 games with a +20 rating, then 3 more points in the playoffs.
No doubt, he signs for a 3rd year at Red Bull.
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.
He gets 4 goals and 2 assists in 34 games with a 0 rating and is released to Kansas City Mavericks, where his scoring is almost assured to increase.
MCLA Trailblazers‘ junior defenseman, captain Connor Nagy(7) transferred after a freshman year at Finlandia University Lions.
The 6’1″ 190 lbs. blue liner from Trenton, MI has 1 goal and 1 assist through 16 games with a -15 on a team with only 2 wins this season.
He did 2 campaigns of EHL with a couple of different teams before heading to school.
The 23-year old will very likely return for another year to help lead the club to hopefully better outcomes.
He finishes up school with a 2nd straight season of 1 goal and 1 assist in 24 games.
As tournament play winds down, he signs a 1st pro contract with Topeka Scarecrows and has 1 assist in 9 FPHL games to start.
Franklin Pierce University Ravens‘ senior right wing Austin Pick(47) looks to be setting up some college best scoring with 1 goal and 8 assists in 5 games to start 2025/2026.
He had 10 goals as a sophomore after transferring from Stonehill College Skyhawks.
The 5’8″ 185 lbs. forward scored 20 points in his junior year.
From Troutdale, OR, the 24-year old, former 2-year Seahawks HC looks great on his game out there.
He did put up bests 19 assists and 28 points that he takes to a 1st pro deal with Monroe Moccasins.
In 12 FPHL games, he is off and running with 6 goals and 2 assists, +1 rating.
Austin Pick (8)
University Of Maine Black Bears‘ senior defenseman Brandon Chabrier(15) takes 12 assists last season with a +8 rating in 31 games to a 1st pro contract with the in-state pro team, Maine Mariners.
The 6′ 185 lbs. blue liner had his most college points as a sophomore with 6 goals and 16 assists.
In 4 ECHL games, he has 1 assist.
The Bayville, NY 23-year old did 3 USHL seasons before college.
UMASS-Lowell Riverhawks‘ junior defenseman Mitchell Becker(3) enters the transfer portal and will skate at Niagara University Purple Eagles as a senior, 2025/2026.
The 6’4″ 223 lbs. blue liner did 3 junior seasons with New Mexico Ice Wolves, playing a high 60 NAHL games, scoring 10 goals and 21 assists.
From Rogers, MN, the 24-year old will do well playing Atlantic Hockey.
The d-man had a new best 8 assists in 30 games last season that he takes to a 1st pro contract with Adirondack Thunder.
University Of Alaska-Fairbanks Nanooks‘ junior left wing Kyle Gaffney(23) enters the transfer portal to maybe skate a little closer to Plymouth, MI home, arriving at University Of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs for 2025/2026, as a senior.
In 20 games, he has 1 goal and 5 assists with a +1 rating.
The 24-year old was a 2nd year captain of Aberdeen Wings, running up some nice scoring totals.
He takes 4 goals and 13 assists in 30 games to a 1st pro contract also maybe close-ish to where he lives with Toledo Walleye.
University Of Connecticut Huskies‘ Swedish-born, sophomore defenseman Viking Gustafsson Nyberg(5) transferred from his freshman year at Northern Michigan University Wildcats.
In 33 games last season, he had 2 goals and 1 assists and in 3 Hockey East games, he already has 2 assists with a +2 rating.
The 6’6″ 205 lbs. tower on the blue line played his youth and junior hockey back home before arriving for school.
Rounding off his junior year with 11 assists and a +18 rating, he decides to sign an ato with Iowa Wild under the guidance of the Minnesota Wild parent club, who are thought could sign him to an NHL entry level deal in the forthcoming days.
Undrafted, we believe they will like what they see.
After 2 AHL games, he is signed to a 2-year entry level deal that begins 2025/2026, so will become a restricted free agent at the end of next season.
Stonehill College Skyhawks‘ junior left wing Teddy Lagerback(4) has 1 goal and 1 assist in 6 games.
He is a twice transfer, starting at Arizona State University Sun Devils as a freshman before moving on to Miami University (Ohi0) Redhawks, but apparently doesn’t like sticking in one school spot too long.
The 6’1″ 194 lbs. forward was a big scorer at Winnetonka High.
He did 1 USHL season, but then scored as before in the BCHL before heading to college.
From Chanhassen, MN, the 23-year old may just stay where he is.
He easily found good space, scoring for a college best 11 assists and 15 points, while helping his team win more games that he takes to a 1st pro contract with Rapid City Rush.
Michigan State University Spartans‘ freshman goaltender Trey Augustine(1) is a Detroit Red Wings‘ 2nd round pick in the 2023 draft (#41 overall).
The 6’1″ 179 lbs. net minder had a stellar 29-1-2 in 33 games mark last season with the USNTDP 18U team.
His early college numbers show him to be struggling some, but this is a solid backstop, who easily could lead a national champion is how we see it.
From South Lyon, MI, he’s basically just staying home all around for his hockey, we see a pretty bright future for the 18-year old.
He plays 34 games in his junior frame, posting a 24-9-1 record and his draft club wants him and offers him a 3-year NHL entry level deal that he will report to affiliate Grand Rapids Griffins on an ato.
