Junior net minder Dominic Basse(31) heads to St. Cloud State University Huskies in hopes to change his luck from a couple of tough sessions with Colorado College Tigers.
At 6’6″ 185 lbs., he’s a pretty massive block, who will likely find a ton more luck on a good club in the WCHA.
The Alexandria, VA native is a Chicago Blackhawks‘ 6th round pick in the 2019 draft (#167 overall), who will almost assuredly step up on their radar after just a season where he’s headed.
He’s still super young at 21.
After 2 decent years at his new school, he heads to St. Lawrence University Skating Saints to play a graduate frame.
He gets a couple tryouts that don’t go as well as anyone would have liked, but has waited and signs with Pensacola Ice Flyers for the remainder of 2025/2026.
Loaned up to the ECHL on a number occasions, he decides to return to the SPHL and signs with Macon Mayhem for 2026/2027.
Misericordia University Cougars‘ graduate defenseman Domenic Della Civita(2) signs a 1st pro deal with Watertown Wolves.
In 9 games, he has 2 assists.
The 6’1″ 190 lbs. blue liner had a college best 2 goals and 5 assists last season.
He came over after 4 years at SUNY Morrisville Mustangs.
From Trenton, ON, the 25-year old must feel good to being playing pro and likely looking to elevate that game.
In 14 FPHL games, he scored 3 goals and 5 assists, then added another 2 points in the playoffs and gets elevated to the SPHL and sign with Macon Mayem to start 2025/2026.
He would only come away with 1 assist in 13 games, so returns to the Wolves and has 1 goal in his 1st game back.
For the start of the new season, he would actually sign with Macon Mayhem and through 13 SPHL games had 1 assist with a 0 rating.
He was put on suspension and ultimately went back to Watertown Wolves, running up point totals to the tune of 3 goals and 7 assists in 7 games with a +5 rating, but they trade him to PeeDee IceCats.
After 4 goals and 9 assists in 30 games with a +18 rating, then adds another 5 points with a +4 in the playoffs, but elects to sign with rivals Columbus River Dragons for 2026/2027.
Niagara University Purple Eagles‘ assistant captain, junior right wing Declan McDonnell(26) had 12 goals and 14 assists in 37 games last season.
He came over from 2 USports‘ seasons at Saint Mary’s University Huskies, where he also scored well.
The 5’10” 185 lbs. forward has had a wild little run already, doing 4 years OHL, but going pro in the AHL the COVID campaign 2020/2021 with Syracuse Crunch.
Originally a Tampa Bay Lightning 7th round pick in the NHL draft (#217 overall) made sense for him to play with the affiliate.
From Buffalo, NY, the 24-year old played his youth hockey in the Jr. Sabres‘ system.
He foregoes a senior year and signs a pro deal with Worcester Railers.
In 9 games, he has a 1st ECHL goal and 2 assists.
He ends up with 1 goal and 4 assists in 11 games and is an easy invite for his rookie season to return as a Railers for 2026/2027.
University Of Connecticut Huskies‘ senior defenseman Thomas Messineo(47) signs a 1st pro deal with Kansas City Mavericks, as tournament play winds down.
The 6′ 190 lbs. blue liner played 3 ECHL before being loaned up to San Jose Barracuda on a pto.
He played 3 AHL games and 1 in the playoffs.
From Westwood, MA, the 24-year old will still need to be signed for 2026/2027.
After his 3-game loan, he scores a 2026/2027 deal for his rookie season with the Barracuda.
6th year right wing Wade Murphy(6) returns to sign with Idaho Steelheads for 2022/2023 after spending the last 3 seasons of pandemic madness away in Norway, Austria and Slovenia, where he managed to capture that country’s 2022 league championship.
The 6′ 194 lbs. forward has 120 games of ECHL experience with decent scoring, but definitely could flatten that +/-.
Originally a Nashville Predators’ 7th round pick in the 2013 draft (#185 overall), he was never signed after an outstanding junior season based on his early college numbers.
He graduated after a 2 season transfer to Arizona State University Sun Devils from University Of North Dakota Fighting Hawks with a college career best 9 goals and 11 assists.
The 28-year old from Victoria, BC is a big frame that should be able to score goals almost at will we the right team in this league.
He takes a career high by a mile frame, scoring 21 goals and 22 assists in 54 games with a +38 rating to 20 playoff match ups and another 20 point total.
It’s an absolute no brainer that he receives a new contract to continue wearing a Steelheads‘ jersey for 2023/2024.
He is taking career scoring bests goals, assists, points with him for another foray to test his skills overseas in the tough to play Slovak Extraliga and signs with HC Slovan Bratislava for 2024/2025 and we think does very well here.
Limited to only 10 games last season, he scored 6 goals and 2 assists with a +5 rating and will next skate in the same league for HK Poprad in 2024/2025.
He is seemingly doing ok over there for a couple different teams, but has decided to return to strap on an Idaho jersey yet again.
St. Lawrence University Skating Saints‘ senior, captain defenseman Drake Burgin(26) signs a 1st pro contract with Kansas City Mavericks and in 10 ECHL games, nets 2 goals and 2 assists with a +2 rating.
The 6′ 181 lbs. blue liner scored best as a junior with 7 goals and 13 assists.
From Winnipeg, MB, he did 3 seasons of juniors up there.
The 24-year old has yet to appear in the playoffs and may have not made that roster, but will need a deal for 2025/2026.
He does sign and figures nicely in their push to the Kelly Cup Finals and even got loaned up to the AHL for 1 game.
For 2026/2027, he is actually picked up by Savannah Ghost Pirates in a trade.
UMASS-Lowell Riverhawks‘ senior defenseman Brehdan Engum(10) enters the transfer portal to do a graduate frame at Boston University Terriers in 2024/2025.
The 6’3″ 220 lbs. blue liner doesn’t score a lot of points, but is definitely accountable on a good team.
He left the USHL for Waterloo Blackhawks with 2 seasons of 10+ assists and a +36 rating.
From Burnsville, MN, the 24-year continues his Hockey East play another frame.
The big d-man scores only 2 assists in 30 games with a +7 rating last season and signs a 1st pro contract with Norfolk Admirals that should be an awesome pro match for both.
He scored 2 goals and 16 assists in 66 ECHL games with a +8 rating and signs another deal to continue with the Admirals for 2026/2027.
Union College Dutchmen graduate left wing Chaz Smedsrud(8) finishes up and signs an ato with Allen Americans that may get switched quickly.
The 6’2″ 195 lbs. gets a 1st ECHL goal and assist in his debut, a 6-3 losing effort, but somehow comes away with a +1 rating.
He scored a best (by a mile) in his final year at college with 14 goals, 8 assists and new high 22 points.
The Luverne, MN blew up scoring in his high school, then did the same in the AJHL for 2 seasons before coming back to life in the USHL for 1 frame before school.
At 25-years old, he is very much ready to get pro started.
Through 9 games, with 3 goals and 4 assists, he’s looking good for an invite to return for his rookie run in 2024/2025 in an Americans‘ sweater.
After just 3 games into his rookie frame with no points, Rapid City Rush are seeking his services and acquire him in a trade for future considerations.
A 2nd good frame with the same club and he decides to try something new and signs with Greenville Swamp Rabbits for 2026/2027.
UMASS-Lowell Riverhawks‘ graduate goaltender Henry Welsch(41) plays a 2nd season of 20+ games that he takes to a 1st pro contract with Adirondack Thunder for his rookie season, 2025/2026.
The 6’2″ 205 lbs. net minder had 1 amazing NAHL season before heading to school.https://echlthunder.com/news/2026/08/henry-welsch-returns-to-glens-falls
From Lakeville, MN, the 25-year old will have to work for the starter’s job.
He only gets into 2 ECHL games last season, but will return for a 2nd season and hopefully more time in 2026/2027 in a Thunder uniform.
Undrafted third year defenseman Charlie Curti(3) somewhat returns home to Adirondack Thunder, where he had a breakthrough rookie campaign, scoring a career high 11 goals and 20 assists for 31 points in 56 ECHL games.
He had to go away as a sophomore skater, signing for 2020/2021 with Rapid City Rush, as his upper state NY club was forced to sit due to COVID restrictions.
The 6′ 191 lbs., 26-year old, former 4-year Yale University Bulldogs‘ blue liner returns to his first year club and could very well set more bests point totals.
Instead of heading back to upper state New York for a 2nd season, the 25-year old has rethought that decision and accepts a contract with Aalborg Pirates of Metal Ligaen.
This may just be the start of his hockey life overseas as he could do very well in Denmark’s top league.
He would return after scoring nicely overseas and sign a 1-year ECHL deal with Toledo Walleye, where he ran up 25 points in 39 games with a +20 rating before adding 8 assists in 12 playoff matchups.
For 2023/2024, he is heading to play with 2-time EIHL Champs Belfast Giants, where he just may help them raise a 3rd straight trophy.
He maybe didn’t capture a title, but did nicely with 2 goals and 17 assists in 39 games with a +11 rating to sign with rivals, Guilford Flames for 2024/2025.
After 2 years oof good play, he decides to head to Metal Ligaen for 2026/2027 and signs with Herlev Eagles.
