Category: Juniors

Undrafted 3rd year right wing Patrick Newell(14) will next take his game to Stjernen Hockey of Fjordkraftligaen for 2021/2022, and we think will find some excellent results, as his 2-year entry level deal with New York Rangers doesn’t net a qualifying offer.

The 5’10” 170 lbs. forward was signed upon completing 4 years at St. Cloud State University Huskies, pocketing 21 goals and 26 assists for 47 points in 39 NCHC games with a highly impressive +35 rating and a Hobey Baker Finalist nod.

From Thousand Oaks, CA he quickly moved to play a split frame of juniors, both successful, with Fairbanks Ice Dogs of the NAHL and USHL‘s Indiana Ice, where he stayed to play a follow-up frame.

He would help them win the 2014 Clark Cup Championship, scoring 13 goals and 30 assists in regular season, then another 4 and 3 in 12 playoff contests to the title.

Next he would move up to a year with Penticton Vees before committing to college and yup, his 16 goals and 31 assists in the natural frame, then 3 tallies and 11 helpers in 22 playoff games led to a 2015 BCHL Championship.

The 25-year old small spark should light up Norway hockey.

Exactly what we thought would happen, happened, as he struck for 21 goals and 30 assists with a +15 rating in 42 games, then added another 8 points in 12 playoff contests.

This performance got him looking and he signs for 2022/2023 with Fehervar AV19 of IceHL, and no doubt he will be more challenged in this top Austrian league.

He actually leaves after 17 games with decent scoring for HockeyAllsvenskan, signing for the rest of the frame with Sodertalje SK and does ok with 15 points in 30 games.

Something has changed his mind though and he is returning for 2023/2024 on a 1-year ECHL deal with Orlando Solar Bears.

Through 18 games, he has 4 goals and 10 assists, which is maybe a little easy pickins’, so decides to head to Slovakia Extraliga joining HK Nitra and has 1 goal in 2 games.

He does quite well here, scoring 3 goals and 7 assists in 16 games with a +9 rating, then adds another 9 points in 21 playoff games with a +6 to win the 2024 Slovakian Extraliga Championship. , but has decided he’ll return to playing pro hockey closer to home, signing with Tahoe Knight Monsters for 2024/2025.

Through a career high 67 games, he scored a new best by a mile 10 goals and 28 assists with a +7 rating, then added more in the playoffs.

For 2025/2026, he heads off to sign with another new team to the league, Greensboro Gargoyles.

He would become assistant captain and in 46 games scored a tidy 8 goals and 21 assists, but Kalamazoo Wings look to add him to their roster.

USNTDP‘s 2nd year left wing Cole Eiserman(34) played an eye-popping 94 games for the 3 teams (U17, U18, juniors) last season and got 97 goals and 51 assists (he doesn’t give up the puck much).

The 17-year old from Newburyport, MA isn’t even draft age yet.

At 6′ 196 lbs. he already has 9 goals and 1 assist in 5 games up and 18 points (13-5) in 8 down.

Last night he had a hat trick against the school he will commit to in 2024/2025, Boston University Terriers in a lopsided 8-2 shattering.

We expect this stock to potentially hit that #1 pick spot.

New York Islanders make him the #20 pick in the 2024 NHL draft and more huge scoring, he is set to return, but discussions have to be taking place.

Two years of exceptional scoring and he is wooed to take a 3-year NHL entry level deal and get started.

Norfolk Admirals‘ 2nd year Russian-born left wing Denis Smirnov(8) is looking to up his totals from his 1st year with the team, when he scored 9 goals and 12 assists in 39 ECHL games.

The 5’9″ 185 lbs. forward already has 7 goals and 9 assists, so things are looking quite positive.

He came over pretty quickly to play youth hockey, displaying amazing numbers to get drafted into juniors and wins the USHL Clark Cup Championship in his 1st of 3 years in the league.

Penn State University Nittany Lions‘ 4-year scorer took a couple of years after college hockey through COVID to establish his game as a pro.

He is an exciting player to watch.

In 51 games, he scores 14 goals and 32 asssists with a +3 rating to earn an easy invite back in an Admirals‘ jersey for 2024/2025.

He’s a high scoring free agent heading into 2025/2026 and a powerhouse team, Toledo Walleye step in to offer him a 1-year deal.

In a league high 54 games, he scores 15 goals and 20 assists, but gets a trade to Greenville Swamp Rabbits, where he will very likely just continue.

Stonehill College Skyhawks‘ sophomore big 6’4″ 205 lbs. defenseman Greg Japchen(2) commits to his 3rd college through the transfer portal and changes it to next lace up for Robert Morris University Colonials as a junior 2024/2025.

He played in a college high 30 games last season, scoring 3 goals and 11 assists.

From Doylestown, PA, he played his youth hockey with Philadelphia Jr. Flyers before eventually doing well in 2 NAHL frames before first heading to Union College.

We’ll see how the 22-year old responds to the new schedule.

He plays a college best 32 games, scoring 1 goal and 1 assist, which he takes to a 1st contract with Kalamazoo Wings.

Long Island University Sharks‘ Finnish-born junior defenseman Valtteri Piironen(5) enters the transfer portal of his senior year at Ferris State University Bulldogs, 2025/2026.

The 6’4″ 207 lbs. blue liner scored a college best 11 assists and tied his 12 points from his sophomore frame.

He came over initially for 3 frames of USHL junior hockey with Sioux Falls Stampede before college.

The 24-year old has skated 10 games and recorded 1 assist.

In 29 games, the big d-man scores 1 goal and 6 assists that he takes to a 1st pro contract with Norfolk Admirals.

After only 13 games as a freshman at Nichols College Bison, center Ike Frankel(3) enters the transfer portal to a team that can definitely use him, despite only getting 1 goal in the last frame, Franklin Pierce University Ravens.

The 6’1″ 175 lbs. forward from San Diego, CA was a big scorer in 3 seasons of USPHL Premier with Minnesota Moose, grabbing 40+ points twice and 50 once.

He played all his youth hockey close to home and we think he’s going to find the net in NE10 play.

For his senior year, he scores a new high 5 goals and 7 points that he takes to a 1st pro contract with Monroe Mocassins.

He has 1 assist in 4 FPHL games.

University Of New Hampshire‘s 2022/2023 season commit, center Cy LeClerc(17) chose the nearby college after blowing up the score sheet in 2nd and final go of Seacoast Spartans 16U AAA with 55 goals and 57 assists in 60 games.

Having spent all of his youth hockey up north he signed with the just south Islanders Hockey Club a couple of seasons ago and finished up a completely COVID busted 2020/2021 with 11 goals and 20 assists in just 28 tilts

He produced just above point-per-game numbers in his debut campaign with the team and won 2019/2020 NCDC Rookie Of The Year honors.

The Brentwood, NH native left for a final, up a level of junior hockey with Janesville Jets, and he’s on fire with 13 goals and 11 assists in 19 NAHL games with a +8 rating.

The still super-young 5’8″ 150 lbs., 19 year old will turn 20 before school year, is going to be a nice addition to the Wildcats‘ team and Hockey East competition.

As a senior, assistant captain, he scored 4 goals and 11 assists in 34 games, which he takes to a 1st contract with Utah Grizzlies.

We look for him to connect in the ECHL for points.