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.
Tuscon Roadrunners‘ pto defenseman Brandon Estes(6) comes in after completing a 5th year at Union College Dutchmen, putting up college career bests 7 goals, 22 assists and 29 points in 37 NCAA Division 1 games.
The 6′ 175 lbs. blue liner played two virtually equal seasons of junior hockey, first in the NAHL, then USHL before heading to school.
He has a pair of assists in 5 AHL games with a +3 rating, so is off to kind of a booming start.
The 25 year old from Richardson, TX is setting himself for a good contract somewhere next season.
He signs a 1-year deal with division rivals Henderson Silver Knights for 2022/2023.
Mostly reassigned down to affiliate Savannah Ghost Pirates, he strikes for 9 goals and 15 assists in 62 games, while playing only 4 up with no points.
For 2023/2024, he re-signs to stay in GA with one of their newest ECHL teams.
He scores a new career best 25 assists and 32 points and will take these stats overseas, signing with Odense Bulldogs to play his hockey in Metal Ligaen 2024/2025, where he should do really well.
He takes a tremendous frame in Denmark, helping win the 2025 Metal Ligaen Championship to a new deal with Cardiff Devils that will take him to the EIHL for 2025/2026, another league he will likely do well in.
5th year center, Nick Hutchinson(12) maybe pulls a surprising move, leaving the captaincy at Wheeling Nailers to head back to Europe, signing with EV Landshut of DEL2.
He leaves after 9 ECHL games, scoring 1 goal and 2 assists with a +4 rating.
The pretty big 6’3″ 210 lbs. forward always had 10+ goals and assists through 4 years at Canisius College Golden Griffins.
His best scoring season was his 1st with his recent former team, where he was well over a point per game player.
It’s possibly he goes into the tier 2 league and gets elevated to the top level.
He takes an amazing frame of 12 goals and 13 assists in 22 games to a new opportunity in IceHL, signing with Villacher SV for 2025/2026.
Undrafted 2nd year defenseman Sean Giles(41) gets a nice lift playing for Knoxville Ice Bears as a rookie, scoring 4 assists in 35 SPHL games with a +1 rating, to earn himself a contract with Cincinnati Cyclones for 2021/2022.
The 4-year Robert Morris University Colonials blue liner was pretty much always good for 5 assists a campaign in college.
He’s only ever had one scoring breakout, in his 2nd season as captain of Lone Star Brahmas, the 6’2″ 190 d-man had a pair of goals and 16 helpers with a +13 rating for his best showing and when he committed to college.
We feel the 25-year old Colorado Springs, CO native only has better things to add to his game in the ECHL.
Just before the new season starts, he gets traded to Jacksonville Icemen.
He takes a very decent session, scoring 6 goals and 6 assists in 56 games to a new, tough adventure, signing for 2022/2023 in Slovakia Extraliga with HC Presov Penguins.
For 2023/2024, he signs with Fife Flyers.
He was actually decently impressive in the allegedly tough to play league he was in before making the jump to the EIHL.
Seemingly looking for the right fit, he leaves England for Germany, signing Del2 with last year’s champs, Eisbaren Regensburg 2024/2025.
He does ok during the regular frame, but is not great on ice accountability until the postseason and comes away with 1 goal and 5 assists in 9 games with a +9 rating.
There’s little doubt he is asked to return to see if they can’t come away with a title for Eisbaren.
Washington Capitals‘ 2nd round pick in the 2022 draft (#37 overall), 2 season USNTDP defenseman Ryan Chesley(13) is an incoming freshman at University Of Minnesota Golden Gophers and already has 2 assists in 4 games with a +3 rating.
The 6’2″ 205 lbs. skater was a decent scorer in the junior program following up good totals he posted at Shattuck St. Mary’s 14U & 16U AAA.
So, that he comes out hot in his college career is maybe not to surprising for the only 18-year old.
After his 3rd year at school, he decides to sign a 3-year NHL entry level deal and is sent to affiliate Hershey Bears on an ato to start his pro career.
In 4 games, he grabs a 1st AHL goal and 2 assists, but figures in no playoff matchups.
St. Anselm College Hawks‘ senior defenseman Mark Blaney(96) had a college best 17 assists and 19 points in 29 games with a +8 rating.
The 5’11” 170 lbs. blue liner signs a 1st pro contract with Port Huron Prowlers as his tournament play finishes up.
From Braintree, MA, the 24-year old did only 1 year of EHL juniors with New Hampshire Avalanche.
We believe he gets a contract for his rookie season, 2025/2026, if he wants one.
Holy Cross College Crusaders‘ senior right wing Matt Guerra(20) has a college career best 8 goals, ties his 16 assists set as a junior and has a new high 24 points in a season.
The Orlando, FL native came up to these parts early to attend Cushing Academy before heading to 2 40+ assists NAHL seasons with Lone Star Brahmas.
He did his freshman year at Robert Morris University Colonials, but left when they suspended hockey.
A 5’10” 181 lbs. forward, he is definitely helping lead his Atlantic Hockey college team.
Undrafted, he will do a year of eligibility, heads into the transfer portal to attend rivals Sacred Heart University Pioneers for 2024/2025.
In 39 games for his new college team, he pots 7 goals and 12 assists with a +8 rating, which turns into one of his more productive campaigns.
Upon finishing up tournament play, he signs a 1st pro deal with Wichita Thunder, where in 2 ECHL games he doesn’t record a point.
He will need a contract for 2025/2026.
New York Rangers signed undrafted, unrestricted free agent center Justin Richards(14) to a two-year entry level deal after he completed his third season at University Of Minnesota-Duluth, where he helped the team win consecutive NCAA Championships in 2018 and 2019.
He scored a career high 14 goals in 24 games in 2020/2021.
The 5’10” 188 lbs. forward was originally reassigned to affiliate Hartford Wolf Pack.
In his AHL debut, he introduced himself to his new club with a pair of assists and went on to grab 4 goals and 7 assists in 24 appearances with a +3 rating before his recall.
He was little different in his first game up posting a 1st NHL point, an assist after winning a face-off, through 18 shifts for 10:11 total ice time in a 5-4 win to close out the season with no playoff push.
For his rookie season, he would spent it entirely in the minors.
Left without a qualifying offer, he next signs with Cleveland Monsters on a minor league deal that gets boosted by agreeing to terms with parent club, Columbus Blue Jackets.
He appears in a pair of games and grabs a 2nd assist.
Next up, he would head to Rochester Americans for 2023/2024.
For 2024/2025, he’s made probably one of his best decisions, moving forward, signing a 1-year deal with Dusseldorfer EG of DEL.
He’s maybe a little light on the scoresheet through 44 games, but has a terrible minus rating that has him looking elsewhere for his next pro hockey and he signs Fehervar AV19 of IceHL, which is a great landing spot.
Niagara University Purple Eagles‘ Norwegian-born senior left wing Lars Rodne(10) signed with Adirondack Thunder, scoring 1 goal and 1 assist in 4 games, but is released as they have no playoffs.
The 6′ 181 lbs. forward gets signed to an ato with Wheeling Nailers to help their playoff push.
He did most of his youth hockey and some juniors back home, but came across for 2 NAHL sessions, scoring well.
We look for the 24-year old to do decently.
In 2 regular season games, he records 1 assist, but has no points in 2 playoff matchups.
For his rookie season 2025/2026, he actually returns to Stavenger Oilers, a team he played 19 games for before coming over for juniors.
American International College Yellowjackets‘ Swedish-born, senior defenseman Evan Stella(7) signed with Bloomington Bison for 4 ECHL games, no points to end 2024/2025.
For his official rookie season he decides to head to Czech Extraliga, inking with HC Olomouc for 2025/2026.
He did his youth hockey back home and started junior before transferring to the USHL for 2 frames with Dubuque Fighting Saints.
We think the 24-year old does well in this tough to play in league.
