Arizona State University Sun Devils‘ senior scoring machine, left wing Ryan Kirwan(24) signs with Toronto Marlies on a 2-year AHL deal, starting 2025/2026.
The 6’2″ 205 lbs. forward as a freshman and junior at Penn State University Nittany Lions scored 13 goals and 13 assists in a frame.
He also did 2 high point number USHL junior seasons before school.
From DeWitt, NY, the 23-year old should do well as a rookie.
University Of North Dakota Fighting Hawks‘ senior center Carter Wilkie(16) signs a 1st pro deal, an ato with Calgary Wranglers and goes on to score 2 goals and 1 assist in 9 AHL games with a +3 rating.
The 6’1″ 190 lbs. forward did 3 high scoring seasons at RIT Tigers.
From Calgary, AB, the 21-year old did 3 years of BCHL juniors before heading to school.
UMASS Minutemen graduate defenseman Linden Alger(20) played a college best 40 games, scoring new highs 3 goals and 7 assists with a +5 rating.
The 6’3″ 194 lbs. blue liner signed a 1st pro deal with Tahoe Knight Monsters upon completion of tournament play.
He doesn’t score in 2 regular season ECHL games, but gets 1 assist in 4 playoff games with a +1 rating.
The Centerville, MA, 24-year old gets a new deal to stay a Monsters for his rookie season, 2025/2026.
Ogden Mustangs‘ 2nd year captain, center Brody Simko(88) scores a junior best 27 goals and 34 assists in 52 USPHL/NCDC games last season, but really put up numbers in the playoffs last year, going to the final round, scoring 9 goals and 5 assists in 10 games.
The 6′ 194 lbs. forward commits to Trine University Thunder for 2025/2026.
From Butler, PA, the 21-year old continues to stretch out to play his hockey and now his schooling.
Colorado College Tigers‘ senior net minder Matt Vernon(30) posts a college career best 2.57 GAA on a 4-6-1 record with 2 shutouts to a 1st pro deal with Reading Royals.
In 2 ECHL games, he is about equal to his last season school hockey stats.
The 5’11” 175 lbs. backstop had his best junior run in his 2nd NAHL season for Aberdeen Wings to win a 2018 Robertson Cup and pretty much collect all the goalie awards and MVP.
From San Jose, CA, the 25-year old will likely have to prove his game every step of the way.
For 2023/2024, he signs for his rookie season with Jacksonville Icemen, which should turn out to be a good landing spot for him to prove what he can do.
He does pretty well for his first year with a 25-10-3 record, 2.67 GA and .909 SV% to earn a new deal for the son of 1997 Stanley Cup Champion Mike Vernon in an Icemen sweater 2024/2025.
Another nice job done in the cage with a 24-8-6 record, but he is eyeing another opportunity and signs with HC Innsbruck Sharks of IceHL for 2025/2026.
USNTDP‘s 2nd year defenseman Carter Amico(15) is a Boston University Terriers‘ 2025/2026 commit.
He stands at 6’5″ 205 lbs. from Westbrook, ME.
In 4 USHL games this season, he has 2 assists.
He had 13 last year.
At 17-years old, he is eligible for the 2025 draft.
He is drafted by Philadelphia Flyers in the 2nd round of the 2025 draft (#38 overall) despite having a nagging knee injury last season.
9th year defenseman Josh Jacobs(41) helps Chicago Wolves win the 2022 AHL Calder Cup, while under contract to Carolina Hurricanes and moves along to sign a new deal for 2022/2023 with 2022 Stanley Cup Champions, Colorado Avalanche, but will likely skate for affiliate Colorado Eagles.
The fairly sizable 6’2″ 220 lbs. blue liner had an interesting climb from 2 USHL seasons for Indiana Ice, including a 2014 Clark Cup Championship, followed by a year at home state Michigan State University Spartans, but traded that to skate a campaign further up north in the OHL with Sarnia Sting.
An unrestricted free agent, he signed a 3-year NHL entry level deal with New Jersey Devils to start his pro career and stayed in that system for 5 years.
He is very successful with his new club, hitting for 4 goals and 6 assists in 43 AHL games with a +10 ratings, then put up another 4 points in 7 matchups through the playoffs.
For 2023/2024, he scores himself a 1-year 2-way contract with St. Louis Blues that could heed some playing time, but mostly will skate the line for affiliate Springfield Thunderbirds.
He wasn’t able to add to his 341 games in the league due to an injury that sidelined him for the entire frame.
For 2024/2025, Laval Rocket takes a chance and signs him to a 1-year deal.
He only appears in 24 games, but scores 1 goal and 4 assists with a +3 rating and gets another 1-year deal to stay a Rocket for 2025/2026.
Niagara University Purple Eagles‘ senior right wing Casey Carreau(22) signs a 1st pro deal upon getting force out of the Atlantic Hockey playoffs with Kansas City Mavericks.
The 5’9″ 185 lbs. forward scored a goal and an assist for a 5-2 win in his ECHL debut, then went on to grab assists in his next 4 games.
He’s played in 9 contests.
The Acushnet, MA native transferred after 3 what we view as decent campaigns at Boston College Eagles, leaving with a best 6 goals and 6 assist in 36 games.
In a college most games played 40, he had a new high 10 goals and 21 assists with a +2 rating.
A massive scorer through high school, the 24-year old may have found his footing once again, spurred on by a successful last year in school.
In his 2nd season, he scores a new best 3 goals and 14 assists with a +1 rating to earn another season skating for the Mavericks.
He blows up scoring with 21 goals and 36 assists in 64 games with a +32 rating, then adds 11 points in 15 playoff matchups.
For a 3rd season, he will live in Kansas City.
After attending Northeastern University Huskies for a graduate season after 4 at the closer to home Michigan State University Spartans, defenseman Tommy Miller(12) signs a 1st pro contract for his rookie season with Toronto Marlies 2022/2023, but will likely start the season with affiliate Newfoundland Growlers.
The 6’2″ 196 lbs. had 8 assists and 9 points in tough Hockey East play last session with a +5 rating.
He mostly played 2 campaigns of USNTDP before committing to school.
The 23-year old from West Blomfield, MI will likely find room to assist goals and keep opponents from scoring in the ECHL.
He splits time between the 2 teams in his rookie season, but does well enough to earn an AHL spot for last season and answers with 1 goal and 4 assists in 44 games with a +2 rating, then had 2 assists with a +2 in a pair of playoff matchups, which easily has him returning to the Marlies.
For 2025/2026, he signs a 1-year deal with Syracuse Crunch.
University Of Michigan sophomore center William Whitelaw(8) takes a new college best 11 goals and 18 points to a new NHL entry level contract with draft team Columbus Blue Jackets.
The 5’9″ 174 lbs. forward scored crazy point-per-game numbers in his only full USHL year before school.
From Rosemount, MN, the 20-year old, freshman at University Of Wisconsin Badgers seems ready to go pro.
