New York Rangers‘ 3rd round pick in the 2019 draft (#63 overall), defenseman Zac Jones(6) signs his 3-year entry level contract after his college team UMass Minutemen for the past two years wins the NCAA Division 1 Frozen Finals in spectacular fashion.
The 5’10” 185 lbs. blue liner has put up some decent numbers since he was at school, leaving behind 61 games played, scoring 12 goals and 35 assists with a super good +29 rating.
He was selected by the Blueshirts after a breakout season for Tri-City Storm, where he picked up 7 goals and 45 assists in 52 USHL games with a mammoth +38.
The still young 21-year old should be heading straight to the big club to play games and the Virginia-born (?) player has a super future ahead of him.
He played 4 years in the system before signing a 1-year NHL deal with Buffalo Sabres that saw him grab 52 assists in 60 AHL games.
For 2026/2027, he picks up a 2-year contract with Utah Mammoth.
Providence College Friars‘ 2022/2023 commit, center Grant Porter(10) is spending his final year of junior hockey with Youngstown Phantoms.
The 5’10” 170 lbs. hard playing forward has a goal and 4 assists in 15 USHL games.
He had a seriously strong run in his first year for closer to home New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs, scoring 17 goals and 27 assists in 33 USPHL/NCDC games.
The 19-year old seemed to grow into scoring leaving high school with good numbers.
After only seeing action in 1 game as a freshman, he has decided to try his luck at Canisius College Golden Griffins for his sophomore campaign and should show vastly improved playing time and scoring.
As a senior he plays a college high 35 games and scores point-per-game numbers 12 goals and 23 assists that he takes to a 1st pro contract with Bloomington Bison.
He seems to like being a pro with 4 ECHL goals and 5 assists in 11 games with a +2 rating.
South Shore Kings‘ 1st year defenseman Ryan Diffley(20) has a new junior best 14 assists in only 19 USPHL/NCDC games that he will take to a 2026/2027 commit at Babson College Beavers.
The 5’10” 185 lbs. blue liner had 7 goals last year with Springfield Jr. Pics 1st season in 29 games.
From Old Saybrook, CT, the 20-year plays with leadership qualities and should contribute to Little East play when he arrives.
Canisius College Golden Griffins‘ graduate right wing Alton McDermott(21) had a college best 8 goals in only 17 games last season, likely due to injury.
He sat out all of 2023/2024.
The 6′ 181 lbs. forward signs a 1st pro deal, an spc with Orlando Solar Bears.
From Oakville, ON, the 24-year has 1 assist in 5 ECHL games.
He did 2 years of OJHL juniors, scoring 20+ goals each frame and winning a 2019 Championship in his 1st year.
Dartmouth College Big Green junior center Luke Haymes(43) had 12 goals and 6 assists in 22 games last season and will leave a year on the table to sign a 2-year NHL entry level deal, as an undrafted, unrestricted free agent with Toronto Maple Leafs.
The 6’1″ 192 lbs. forward from Ottawa, ON did only 1 BCHL season before school.
He scored 2 goals and 4 assists in 9 AHL games with a +1 rating on an ato with affiliate Toronto Marlies.
We look for the 21-year old to step right in, when given an opportunity.
In 63 games, he scored a new best 15 goals and 17 assists and gets the recall for his NHL debut and has appeared in 3 games thus far with a 1st assist in the books.
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.
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)
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 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.
