Category: Juniors

07Aug

T.J. Tynan (9)

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8th year center T.J. Tynan(9) for the 2nd straight AHL season is the league’s MVP.

He has played 498 games, scoring 85 goals and a massive 361 assists with a +77 rating.

Originally a Columbus Blue Jackets‘ 3rd round pick in the 2011 draft (#66 overall), he has only skated 21 NHL games, recording 1 assist.

He was selected after an explosive freshman campaign at University Of Notre Dame Fighting Irish and at the conclusion of his sophomore session.

The 30-year old needs a new contract to extend with Los Angeles Kings, as he is an unrestricted free agent or try his hand with another club.

He always rolls huge assists and 3 years did for Ontario Reign, but re-signs to head back to Colorado Avalanche, where he played 16 games, but will likely end up with another season in a Colorado Eagles‘ jersey.

In 52 games, he scores 8 goals and 41 assists with a +12 rating and also appears in 9 games with the big club, recording 1 assist.

For 2025/2026, he signs a 1-year, 1-way deal to stay an Avalanche.

07Aug

Aidan McDonough (25)

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Vancouver Canucks‘ 7th round pick in the 2019 draft (#195 overall), senior left wing Aidan McDonough(25) signs his 2-year entry level deal after finishing up 4 years at Northeastern University Huskies, including his last as team captain, scoring 1 point off his junior career high with a college best 18 assists, 39 points (25 goals, 14 assists).

He could join the parent club immediately.

The 6’3″ 190 lbs. is big on his skates and plays an effective power forward style.

In the only year of USHL junior hockey he skated, he scored 21 goals and 21 assists for Cedar Rapids Roughriders.

The 23-year old from Milton, MA has a bright future ahead of him and we bet he’ll be playing for it.

He does join the big league immediately with 6 games and gets a 1st NHL goal, but is reassigned for his entire rookie frame to affiliate Abbotsford Canucks, scoring 11 goals and 8 assists with a +2 rating.

Almost oddly maybe, he isn’t given a qualifying offer and signs an AHL deal for 2024/2025 with Charlotte Checkers that should heed great results.

He is a point-per-game player with his new club, but is a free agent and signs for 1-year with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, where we think he will play under the parent’s club radar.

07Aug

Joel Hanley (44)

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10th year defenseman Joel Hanley(44) re-ups with Dallas Stars for another 2-years potentially putting him on track to 7 years of his pro career with one team.

They are the 1st team to give the 5’11” 190 lbs. blue liner a full-time role in the big league after a couple solid campaigns with affiliate Texas Stars to earn his stripes.

He started his pro career on a minor league deal with Portland Pirates, but after a solid rookie season caught the attention of Montreal Canadiens.

The former UMass Minutemen graduate, who always was good for 10+ assists through his college career next went on to sign with Arizona Coyotes, but was little used.

Even though the 32-year old from Keswick, ON earns just over the league, he still has to have a smile on his face from where he came from.

After 6 years with the same team, he moves on to sign with Calgary Flames after a trade set him up to record a career best 9 points in 53 games with a +12 rating last season to score a new 2-year extension to stay on.

 

07Aug

Georgii Merkulov (10)

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Ohio State University Buckeyes‘ Russian-born, freshman left wing Georgii Merkulov(10) leads NCAA Division 1 players in goal scoring with 18.

The 5’11” 185 lbs. forward spent all of his youth hockey in his homeland and played junior hockey in the MHL for a couple seasons, including 6 VHL games for HK Tambov before leaving during the 2019/2020 session to start his American.

He joined Youngstown Phantoms and was a bit of an instant success with 6 goals and 27 assists in 36 USHL games.

The 21-year old played one more successful campaign of juniors before committing to school.

Undrafted, he will easily be a player to watch.

Boston Bruins waste no time and scoop him from one successful year at college hockey to a 3-year NHL entry level deal starting next season.

He scores a meager 24 goals and 31 assists with Providence Bruins and is back up in rookies training camp to begin the 2nd year of his entry level deal for 2023/2024 and by the looks of it is ready to compete for a spot on the big club.

After a 3rd season of 30+ assists, with a new high 39 last season, he gets a new 1-year deal to stay a Bruins and keep building.

He’s still our pick to make the big club on a more permanent basis.

07Aug

Sean Farrell (57)

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Montreal Canadiens‘ 4th round pick in the 2020 draft (#142 overall), Harvard University Crimson sophomore center Sean Farrell(57) leaves 2 years of school on the shelf to sign a 3-year NHL entry level deal.

The 5’9″ 185 lbs. forward is set to join the team on their upcoming road trip.

Last season he put in a college career best 20 goals and 33 assists with a phenomenal +21 rating in 34 games.

He spent an extend run in junior hockey, starting with 2 sessions for USNTDP, followed by 2 runs with Chicago Steel, where in his 2nd stint with the team won the 2018 USHL Clark Cup and he donned most assists (72), most points (101) and was voted Player Of The Year in the league.

The 21-year old from Hopkinton, MA is set to play big time hockey.

A restricted free agent, he signs up for 1-year to stay a Rocket in the system after 20 goals and 24 assists with a +8 rating, then another 10 in 13 playoff games.

07Aug

Mark Estapa (20)

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University Of Michigan Wolverines‘ senior left wing Mark Estapa(20) signed a 1st pro deal after tournament played was up with Laval Rocket, a pto.

The 6’2″ 210 lbs. forward played only 1 AHL regular season game.

He left college hockey with a best 10 assists and sophomore tying 12 points.

We definitely think the size of the former Tri-City Storm has them thinking potential scoring.

From St. Clair, MI, the 24-year old will need a new contract going forward.

He gets his rookie contract to be a Rocket in 2025/2026.

07Aug

Carter Rose (5)

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Clarkson University Golden Knights‘ sophomore defenseman Carter Rose(8) takes a college best played 25 games with 2 assists into the transfer portal to skate as a junior at Union College Dutchmen, 2025/2026.

The 6’2″ 194 lbs. blue liner was a big scorer through high school hockey.

He played 3 seasons of USHL juniors before committing to his 1st school.

From Brasher Falls, NY, we look to the 22-year old to take up his game in more ECAC play.

06Aug

Connor Doherty (28)

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7th year ECHL, 3rd season Maine Mariners‘ captain, defenseman Connor Doherty(28) signs on to stay in upper New England after posting a mammoth +31 rating last season.

From Holden, MA he played all his junior hockey for Junior Bruins before heading off to Sacred Heart University Pioneers.

He left a year of college on the shelf before turning pro with the local Worcester Railers, where he stayed for his 1st 3 sessions.

The 6’2″ 195 lbs. blue liner left in 2020/2021, signing with Kansas City Mavericks, when some teams elected not to play.

When he arrived with his current club, the fit seemed very right and was worth 20 assists just 1 season ago.

For his 8th year of pro hockey, he decides to switch up teams and signs on with 3-time league champs, Florida Everglades for 2024/2025.

After a season of scoring 4 goals and 14 assists with a mammoth +30 rating, he will return to the Everblades‘ blue line in 2025/2026.

06Aug

Gianfranco Cassaro (23)

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RIT Tigers‘ sophomore defenseman Gianfranco Cassaro(23) looks to be happy to have made the portal transfer to arrive at his current club from a pair of seasons with UMass Minutemen.

In 26 NCAA Division 1 games, he has no goals but a new best 4 assists and points.

The 5’11” 185 lbs. blue liner had a couple of seasons in juniors, where he amassed 20+ assists, but has mostly not been known for scoring.

We do expect the 22-year old d-man from Nobleton, ON will continue to take up his ECAC numbers.

He signed a 1st contract with Lehigh Valley Phantoms, but was mostly reassigned to affiliate Reading Royals, where in 66 games got 13 goals and 25 assists.

An unrestricted free agent, he signs with Florida Everblades and we think that will be a really good move for his game.

06Aug

Casey Dornbach (77)

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University Of Denver Pioneers‘ graduate center Casey Dornbach(77) signs an ato with Iowa Wild for the remaining current frame, but more importantly has agreed to terms for an AHL deal heading into 2023/2024.

The 6′ 181 lbs. forward is likely chopping at the bit to get started after scoring a college career best 13 goals and a 3rd 20+ assist season.

Almost shockingly, undrafted, he did 4 years at Harvard University Crimson, serving as team captain in his senior run.

The Edina, MN native did 2 USHL sessions with Lincoln Stars, coming close to point-per-game stats in his 2nd stint.

We believe the 25-year old plays himself into a position where he gains looks for the parent club.

As a rookie, he is mostly dispatched to ECHL affiliate Iowa Heartlanders, where he scored 13 goals and 29 assists in 55 games, which he will take to a new contract with Toledo Walleye, which we feel is only going to meet good things in 2024/2025.

He’s a decent prolific scorer with 3 goals and 17 assists in 37 games with a +2 rating, but Greenville Swamp Rabbits need his points punch more than his current club, so trade to get him.

Scoring isn’t a problem with his new team, as he pots 1 goal and 4 assists in 8 games with a +5 rating, but maybe wants a little more and branches out to sign in Liiga with Jukurit.

We do think this is a huge move for the player and this team.

In 13 games, he comes away with 7 assists, but maybe sees a better opportunity in IceHL for his next move and signs with Pioneers Vorarlberg for 2025/2026.