CollegeHockeyPlayers

Upon graduating from Niagara University Purple Eagles after entering the transfer portal and coming over from 3 years at Merrimack College Warriors, rookie defenseman Ryan Cook(44) started his pro career with 17 SPHL games for Huntsville Havoc (2 goals, 2 assists) before getting loaned up to South Carolina Stingrays and signing a standard player contract with the team.

The gigantic 6’3″ 225 lbs. blue liner has 3 assists in 7 ECHL games with a +5 rating for his new club, but has found it increasingly hard to get into game appearances.

Maybe the upcoming playoffs will create more room.

It looks as though he was originally signed to a deal with Kansas City Mavericks but what occur here prior to him starting in Alabama is unknown.

A Lancaster, NY native, he spent his youth hockey in the Buffalo Jr. Sabres‘ system before graduating to the USHL for 28 games with Lincoln Stars until wanting to switch up leagues and move back up north with Aberdeen Wings of the NAHL.

He had his most significant outing in his 2nd season in South Dakota getting a huge 7 goals and 19 assists, unlike any numbers he’s ever posted, before committing to college in MA.

The 26-year old may have got the boost he needed to elevate his game to the next level.

He would get a late trade to Kalamazoo Wings, striking for 1 goal and 1 assist in 12 games to grab himself another look with the team for 2022/2023.

Traded to Reading Royals late, he acquaints himself with 6 assists in 14 games, then 1 goal in 5 playoff matchups.

He’s not sticking around for a 4 season, as he signs a 1-year deal with GKS Katowice of Polska Hokej Liga for 2023/2024.

Undrafted rookie right wing Grant Jozefek(15) agrees to terms with Worcester Railers to start his pro career after 5 years at Northeastern University Huskies.

He was a very decent scorer in college hockey with 29 goals, 47 assists and a +12 rating in 134 Hockey East games.

This came off similar results through two sessions for Lincoln Stars, where he dropped 25 goals and 54 assists in 108 USHL games, then grabbed another 5 points in 4 playoff contests.

The 5’10” 185 lbs. forward played all of his youth hockey close to home in Chester, NJ and as his new club knows, is a threat to score in the ECHL every time he steps on the ice.

After 14 games in Central MA, scoring 1 goal and 3 assists, he moves along and signs for his rookie season 2022/2023 with the one of the newest clubs in the league, Savannah Ghost Pirates.

He actually doesn’t play any games with this team, yet a month into the new season, he signs with Adirondack Thunder and gets right to work, notching 18 goals and 33 assists in 68 games with a +5 rating, then adds 3 points in 5 playoff matchups.

It’s a bit of a no brainer, if he wants to return to have him suit up again for 2023/2024 and that is just what has happened.

Undrafted rookie left wing Matt Alvaro(25) signs on for 2021/2022 with 2021 Kelly Cup Champs, Fort Wayne Komets.

He played single games with Orlando Solar Bears after graduating 4 years at University Of Vermont Catamounts, serving as junior captain and senior assistant, but was twice quickly released.

The 5’9″ 185 lbs. forward played a pair of junior seasons close to home in Toronto with the OJHL before getting drafted by Youngstown Phantoms, where he did equally well on the scoresheet before agreeing to college near the conclusion of his final campaign.

We’re thinking with a better, more secure deal, the 25-year old could start to affect the scoresheet some.

In his 2nd campaign with the team, he records a new best 24 assists with a +5 rating and for 2023/2024, he will head overseas to sign with Guildford Flames of the EIHL.

Rapid City Rush rookie defenseman Darren Brady(92) seems to be enjoying his time with the team, since being signed up from starting the year with Macon Mayhem, recording 2 assists in 8 SPHL games.

He has another two assists with a +4 rating to add to his collection in 29 ECHL games on a team fighting tough for a playoff berth.

The solid 6′ 200 lbs. blue liner came from four years at Rochester Institute Of Technology Tigers, where he served as team captain as a senior, scoring new bests 3 goals and 9 assists for 12 points.

He came to the school from 3 seasons of junior hockey, most notably in his final NAHL year for New Jersey Junior Titans, where he scored a pretty big 9 goals and 24 assists with a +12 rating, then went onto add another 2 assists in 3 playoff games.

At 25-years old, he’s likely in the thick of it wanting to score for the postseason, but the Lake Orion, MI native could easily stay and get comfortable in South Dakota.

For 2021/2022, Idaho Steelheads have raised their hand to say they like what they saw and sign him to a new contract.

He has an outstanding 1st year, scoring 7 goals and 25 assists in 47 games with a +7 rating and will return for 2022/2023.

Starting the new season with 3 assists in 12 games with a mighty +20 rating gains notice of San Jose Barracuda, who sign him to a pto that would turn into an spc recently.

Talk about playing yourself up.

He ends last season playing 50 AHL games, scoring 3 goals and 6 assists with a +5 rating, pretty much proving he belongs.

Lehigh Valley Phantoms notice and sign him to a minor league contract for 2023/2024.

Rookie left wing Alex Gilmour(6) originally signed with Orlando Solar Bears over the summer after finishing up a COVID playoff crushed 2019/2020 season at St. Lawrence University Saints, but found the club to be weighed down by lots of already pros from up and down leagues, looking for spots and was released after training camp.

The very very big 6’5″ 220 lbs. forward quickly picked up with Birmingham Bulls of the SPHL and got right to work scoring 2 goals in his pro debut, following it up with another goal and a first assist in his next outing.

He finished up just over a month later, potting 4 goals and 3 assists in 10 games before oddly getting released.

The 25-year old found prospects of where to go next fairly limited as most clubs had committed to their rosters going forward.

There is zero doubt he signs on with a new club next season’s fully open campaign and finds more room to score goals, wherever he turns up.

No doubt, he found his room to score in his 1st full frame of pro hockey, grabbing 16 goals and 24 assists in 63 ECHL games with a +14 rating for Tulsa Oilers.

He re-signs to stay in a good spot, hopefully elevate totals and even score himself a loan up to the higher level.

For 2023/2024, he is traded to Savannah Ghost Pirates, who will still need to sign him.

We were able to host our 2nd Twitter player interview with Alex:

cHp: From the looks of it, you were originally signed to an ECHL spc for 2020/2021 by Orlando Solar Bears, but then were released and seemed to hook up fairly quickly with Birmingham Bulls. You only skated for the Bulls for one month though, racking up a quick 7 points in 10 games, including two in your SPHL debut. Did you get injured? Anything you can say why you weren’t able to stick with the Solar Bears? I mean you’re 6’5″ 220 lbs and as I remember from ’19/20 with St. Lawrence you were pretty good out there.

AG: Yeah I signed with Orlando late in the summer and attended training camp. Just a crazy year all around the minor leagues and a very limited amount of spots available. We had a bunch of guys down from the American League that hadn’t started yet, so that made things a little more difficult there. Just seemed like a very tough year to break in with the amount of teams that didn’t play. I had a great run in Birmingham and the team had plans to go in a different direction. Hope to come back stronger, and look forward to more opportunity moving forward! Hopefully next year is a full schedule and all the teams are back on the ice! With Orlando they are a very experienced team this year and have a lot of veteran guys on the roster. Made it very difficult to stick. Obviously have some things to work on to play at that level on my end. They’re having a good year and I hope they make it far in the playoffs!

cHp: Yeah, I know that about Orlando this season; good club fighting for their playoff life. See that about former AHL players or vets from the E crowding space. So, it seems a little strange that you put up so many points with the Bulls but didn’t stick and that no other team picked up your option if they couldn’t keep you. I would think you’re a no brained to receive opportunities next season when our hockey world is fully open.

AG: Exactly! With teams not playing, there were a lot of elite players that needed homes for the year. Hopefully that opens up a bit next year. Hopefully I have some options and I’m optimistic moving forward.

cHp: Why did you only last 10 games at Birmingham scoring 7 points. You said they went in a different direction but that seems insane to me to split with you. So, then the other thing that is driving me crazy is, why didn’t you see if there was another SPHL team to pick up your option. Seems like someone else could have used you.

AG: I was doing really well down there and the team had guys they were looking to bring in from else where and they needed to get rid of guys. I guess I was one of the guys they decided to let go. I was surprised by the decision. There were also only four other teams playing in the league at the time and they all had solid forward rosters set, so they weren’t looking to pick me up.

cHp: I see you played more than a few years in junior hockey, starting in Canada in the OJHL but then left after the start of your 2nd season with Stouffville left for the top junior league in America, the USHL Des Moines Buccaneers, but lasted only 7 games there before going to the CCHL with Pembroke. It looks like you lasted a season and most of the next but then suddenly left to attend school. So, I guess the first question is: what prompted you to come to the U.S. and why didn’t that work? It was Des Moines‘ sucked, wasn’t it. My wife and I have been there. We know. just joking. Then, did you in fact leave the Lumber Kings mid season to attend school and start up with the Saints?

AG: I was drafted by Des Moines in the USHL draft and I felt it would be the best opportunity for me to obtain a D1 scholarship. I was in my third year of juniors and still had some improvements to make in my game, so I started there for a while and ended up getting sent home. I landed in Pembroke and it was the best thing that could’ve happened to me. I was given so much opportunity there. I was the captain in my second season there and St. Lawrence had some injuries and they needed to pick up a body half way through the season. It was a great fit, as I was ready for the jump.

cHp: See, now that’s just a good story you’ve given me. I honestly think you’ll find a good landing spot once we’re out of this mess and into 2021/2022 season. Glad to see a full ECHL calendar was released. Thanks for answering all my questions. It’s definitely a fascinating take. Be on the lookout for the profile piece soon. I’ll always be out there cheering you on.

AG: Glad I could help! I hope I do as well! I’ve had an interesting road for sure! I appreciate the support. Thank you.