Category: Juniors

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.

06Aug

Mason Emoff (17)

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3rd year center Mason Emoff(17) will take his game over to Italy2, signing with Pergine Sapiens for 2025/2026.

The 5’10” 171 lbs. forward did pretty well, intially with Fayetteville Marksmen before loans called him up most successfully with Greenville Swamp Rabbits, where he had 2 goals and 4 assists in 10 ECHL games.

He went back to SPHL for playoffs.

After successful climbing the EHL junior program, he would head to Mahattanville College Valiants, where he struck for a best 11 goals and 13 assists in 26 games as a senior captain.

From Orangeville, ON, we think the 27-year old excels where he is heading.

05Aug

Dakota Mermis (5)

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9th year defenseman Dakota Mermis(5) re-signs to stay within Minnesota Wild organization for a 4th straight year after posting a career high 3-time tying 21 assists in a frame for affiliate Iowa Wild.

The 6′ 194 lbs. blue liner took a somewhat odd path up through junior hockey starting a year with the USNTDP before moving on to 1 season for Lincoln Stars, where he won the 2012 USHL Clark Cup, then committing to University Of Denver Pioneers.

That was 19 games short-lived, as he went on to join London Knights and win the 2013 OHL Championship, then 2 years later would pull the same feat, plus the 2015 Memorial Cup for Oshawa Generals.

He has 426 AHL games to his credit and 27 in the NHL with a 1st goal coming from his time with New Jersey Devils.

Undrafted, the 29-year old from Alton, IL continues to pull big contracts and that has to make him feel pretty good.

He actually plays more time with the main club, 47 games, scoring 3 goals and 5 assists, which is good enough to net him a new 1-year deal with Toronto Maple Leafs, but could find himself more with their affiliate Toronto Marlies.

After 3 games with his new team, scoring 1 assist and a +2 rating, he is recalled and waived only to be claimed by Utah Hockey Club.

He skates on game with his new club, only to be waived and reclaimed by the Leafs, then sent back down.

Liked within the organization, he is signed to a 2-year extension through 2026/2027 in Toronto.

05Aug

Anthony Greco (28)

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6th year right wing Anthony Greco(28) receives the nod from 2nd year club New York Rangers to come up and skate an NHL game.

In his debut (2nd overall all game in the league), he played 14 shifts for 9:44 ice time with 5 shots on net, 1 block and 1 giveaway.

He was the leading goal scorer in 2018/2019, while under a 2nd contract to Florida Panthers, for affiliate Springfield Thunderbirds, getting 30 goals and 59 points.

The 5’10” 172 lbs. forward originally signed a minor league deal with this team, but was up to a 2-year entry level contract, when he produced as a rookie.

He had a good 4 years at Ohio State University Buckeyes, leading them as a senior captain.

The 28-year old has 93 goals and 108 assists in 320 AHL games and sure would love to play himself into a spot up.

After putting up a career best 39 assists and tying his 59 points from a few years ago, he isn’t waiting around to see if he be re-signed as a ufa and signs a 1-year deal with Frolunda HC.

He is easily the type of player that could put up huge numbers in the SHL.

In his 2nd season with HC Linkoping, he does reasonably well, but gets an opportunity to play the KHL and signs with HC Lada Togliatti for 2024/2025.

After 19 games without much pop, he decides to head to the much friendlier NL for his next hockey and signs with EHC Biel-Bienne.

He does pretty nicely in Swiss hockey, but wants to continue to move along and signs with Adler Mannheim of DEL for 2025/2026, another league we feel he’ll do well in.