3rd year defenseman Tristan Thompson(72) is looking good in his beginnings with new club Adirondack Thunder.
He posted an ECHL career best 8 goals and 34 assists last season.
The 5’9″ 180 lbs. blue liner needs to clean up his -27 rating, but we believe is on the right team to improve that number by a lot.
A native of Cranmore, AB, he did his college hockey at University Of Alaska-Fairbanks Nanooks, contributed points over 35 games.
We think the 26-year old is looking at a nice new start.
He does rather nicely through 38 games with 5 goals and 14 assists and a +9 rating, but maybe gets a little antsy for some better, different kind of hockey, so signs up with HK 32 Liptovsky Mikulas of Slovak Extraliga and will be an interesting watch in this league.
Going on to sign in Ligue Magnus for 2024/2025, he does pretty well, but decides to return a little closer to home, signing with Maine Mariners.
He scores 1 goal and 24 assists in 39 games and will return on a 1-year deal to stay a Mariners for 2025/2026.
Mercyhurst University Lakers‘ graduate Mickey Burns(10) takes a college best 11 assists and 21 points, 10 goals only off his 11 total as a junior, to a 1st pro contract with Atlanta Gladiators.
The 5’9″ 170 lbs. forward did 1 season at University Of Vermont Catamounts, figuring into only 5 games with no points to transfer.
He was a huge point-getter in 2 seasons of USPHL/NCDC juniors with NJ Titans, grabbing 45 goals in 50 games in his 2nd frame.
From Wayne, NJ, the 25-year old had 1 goal and 2 assists in 13 ECHL games, but needs a contract for 2025/2026.
He quickly agrees to return for his rookie season, 2025/2026 as a Gladiators.
University Of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs‘ graduate, assistant captain right wing Luke Loheit(16) takes a college best 20 points (10 goals, 10 assists) to a 1st pro deal with Kansas City Mavericks for 2024/2025.
The 6’1″ 194 lbs. forward stuck close to his Minnetoka, MN home for college.
After connecting as a senior in USHS-MN, he went to one BCHL season, where he continued to do pretty well.
The 24-year old is likely very ready for that next step, signing a first ECHL pro contract.
15 goals and 19 assists in 64 games with a +6 rating and he is an easy return to be a Mavericks for 2025/2026.
Mercyhurst University Lakers‘ graduate left wing Kyler Head(23) has a shoulder injury end his season of eligibility after just 6 games.
The 6’4″ 205 lbs. forward recovers in time to sign a 1st pro deal with Fayettesville Marksmen, where he goes on a bit of a scoring spree with 4 goals and 6 assists in 11 SPHL games with a +1 rating.
He did 2 NAHL junior seasons with New Jersey Titans, blowing up scoring in his 2nd frame.
From Malone, NY, the 25-year old did his freshman year at Robert Morris University Colonels, but left as they went belly up.
He gets an assist in 1 playoff game and will return for his rookie season, 2025/2026 to continue a Marksmen.
University Of Michigan Wolverines‘ 2022/2023 commit, center Frank Nazar(91) hasn’t put up the USHL numbers he did in his 1st USNTDP season, but has skated only half the games and is still a point-per-game player.
His numbers are very similar in U.S. National U18 Team season.
The 5’10” 174 lbs. forward from Mt. Clemens, MI emerged out of a couple Honeybaked campaigns, exploding the scoresheet as a 15U AAA with 49 goals and 78 assists in 55 games.
That came after he agreed to his college after 14U AAA.
The 18-year old was selected in the 1st round of the 2022 draft, #13 overall by Chicago Blackhawks.
He blows up scoring in his 2nd year to the tune of point-per-game numbers with 41 (17-24) in 41 games to get to the NCAA Division 1 Frozen Four matchups.
His team is eliminated and on the next day, he has a contract from draft club in hand to leave 2 years at school on the table and turn pro.
In his debut, he scores the opening strike of the night, a 1st NHL goal and is welcomed to the show, but his team suffers another loss in the process with only a couple games left to skate.
After point-per-game numbers with the affiliate Rockford Icehogs and 12 goals and 14 assists in 53 games with the parent club gets him a huge increase to stay on with a 7-year, $46.13M contract, worth $6.59M AAV to stay a Blackhawks.
Norfolk Admirals‘ 3rd year defenseman Lordanthony Grissom(3) won the 2022 SPHL Championship with Peoria Rivermen after completing 4 years, twice as captain at Aurora University Spartans.
He actually scored points in that league, raising his profile to score ECHL contracts moving forward.
The very large 6’4″ 229 lbs. blue liner had a league career best 3 goals and 7 assists last season for Greenville Swamp Rabbits.
From Detroit, MI, the 28-year old has 1 assist in 3 games in the current frame and could find his way to scoring more points when out there.
In 16 games, he only posts 1 assists, but is a +2 rating.
He is released and claimed off waivers by Jacksonville Icemen, who hope to do something with his great size.
Not really with a lot of luck last season, split between a couple of teams, Iowa Heartlanders see something they think they can turn into more of a scoring factor and bring him in for 2025/2026.
5th year center John Stevens(16) has maybe started to find his footing with new team Abbottsford Canucks, scoring 3 goals and 3 assists in 22 AHL games.
He signed a one-year, two-way NHL deal with parent club, Vancouver Canucks after producing well for former affiliate Utica Comets in the weird 2020/2021 frame.
The 6’3″ 204 lbs. forward had his best season as a rookie with 19 points in 66 games for Bridgeport Sound Tigers, while under a 2-year entry level deal to New York Islanders.
He was a 3-time 20+ point player and once, as a junior 30+ for Northeastern University Huskies was maybe some of his highs, but we think the 27-year old is ready to start connecting at a higher clip.
We think the 27-year old scores an oddball recall in 2022 for his chance at the big league.
He may have not grabbed that recall, but he did run up a career best 19 goals and 24 assists with a +11 rating to secure a 2nd season under a major contract for the now 28-year old.
While he didn’t score a recall for his 6 goals and 13 assists in 43 games last season, he was still steady as she goes per usual on his playing style with a +5 rating to earn himself a 2-year minor league deal going forward.
After 4 seasons with Abbotsford Canucks and to win the 2025 Calder Cup, he is finally after 8 pro seasons heading off to try something new, signing in Liiga with Kiekko-Espoo for 2025/2026.
Sacred Heart University Pioneers‘ Belarus-born, graduate left wing Mark Cheremeta(24) signs a 1st pro deal for 2024/2025 with ECHL team, Kalamazoo Wings.
The 5’11” 185 lbs. forward also played 3 years at Ohio State University Buckeyes and as a freshman with Boston University Terriers.
He came over as a teenager and elevated his game as a junior player to connect big in his only UPSHL/NCDC frame before school.
At 25-years old, he should do pretty well in the league.
In his rookie frame, he grabs a 1st goal and 2 assists in 14 games, but is dished to Orlando Solar Bears, where he should strike better for points.
He bounces around as a 1st year player and ultimately ends up with Worcester Railers, where he is able to strike for 3 goals and 1 assist in 9 games with a +3 rating.
For 2025/2026, he going to head home to Belarusian Extraliga and signs with Dinamo Molodechno.
2nd year Norfolk Admirals‘ left wing Danny Katic(12) is flirting with new ECHL career highs or tying marks set as a rookie with 18 goals and 22 assists.
The tower of 6’3″ 220 lbs. forward has 6 goals and 10 assists in 36 games this frame with a +10 rating.
He did 3 years (1 no COVID) in the OHL with Saginaw Spirit, scoring well in his 3rd year.
From Porcupine, ON, the 23-year old did one year at University Of Toronto Varsity Blues after junior with point-per-game stats, but then turned pro.
On reassignment to Bloomington Bison, he scored 13 goals and 8 assists in just 24 games to earn a deal for 2025/2026 with Belleville Senators.
Boston Jr. Eagles‘ 1st year defenseman Gerald Cahill(8) commits to Oklahoma State University Cowboys for 2025/2026.
The 6’2″ 190 lbs. blue liner did only 1 season of EHL junior hockey after high school.
From Dorchester, MA, the 20-year old is branching out.
