Undrafted center, captain David Jankowski(14) takes a college career best 12 assists and 16 points to a new school hockey endeavor at Michigan Tech University Huskies from 4 years at St. Lawrence University Saints.
The 6’1″ 175 lbs. forward from Dundas, ON played two seasons of juniors in the CCHL, but he really came alive in his 2nd frame, connecting for most goals (38), most points (90) and league MVP.
We think the 25-year old will find more open room to score in the CCHA and may even get to join his NHL brother Mark Jankowski on a minor league deal.
He somehow would continue to score 4 goals as he did from his sophomore frame on after getting 8 as a freshman, then signed an ato with Wheeling Nailers, striking for 3 goals and 3 assists in 7 games with a +2 rating.
His efforts don’t go unnoticed, as he agrees to stay on for 2023/2024.
Through 69 ECHL games, he puts in a strong performance with 11 goals, 26 assists and a +9 rating.
Little doubt, he’s seeing the light, following his best season and will return for a 2nd.
He run exact totals in his 2 seasons with the team, but is traded to Norfolk Admirals, who will utilize his scoring prowess with great ability.
University Of Alaska-Anchorage Seawolves‘ graduate center Tanner Edwards(14) already has a college best scoring with just 2 goals and 4 assists in 15 games to go along with a +3 rating is doing nicely.
The 6’1″ 170 lbs. returns home to play a year of eligibility and only ever appeared in 21 games through 4 years at Minnesota State University Mavericks.
He is easily being used and is excelling in all game situations.
The 24-year old does look great out there with his new club and has to have a smile on his face every game.
He plays a new high, by a mile 31 games, scoring 3 goals and 5 assists, then signs a 1st pro contract with Florida Everblades for his rookie season, 2025/2026.
Waived close to the calendar year, he is quickly scooped by Toledo Walleye.
He gets into 1 ECHL game with his new team and South Carolina Stingrays come seeking his duties in a trade for future considerations.
Great side story, his dad, Jeff actually played for the team in the late 90’s.
5th year center Troy Josephs(16) signs on for a 2nd season with HC Lugano, continuing his climb up Swiss Hockey leagues.
He skated for EHC Visp of the tier 2 SL, when arriving from North America.
The 6′ 194 lbs. was originally a Pittsburgh Penguins‘ 7th round pick in the 2013 draft (#209 overall), but only signed an AHL deal with affiliate Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
He was two years in the system, but mostly reassigned down to Wheeling Nailers, where he exploded on the scoresheet as a more than point-per-game player and eventually just signed an ECHL contract.
There’s little doubt the 27-year, former 4-year Clarkson University Golden Knights‘ old found his footing immediately overseas and will continue to do so, as he climbs.
He would end up a 2nd full session with the NL club, putting up 5 goals and 15 assists that he will take to a new, bold opportunity, signing a 1-year deal with Lada Togliatti of the KHL.
Doing best in his first run at Russian hockey, he scores 20 goals, but is fairly consistent as he travels between a couple of teams and for 2025/2026 will head to a 3rd, signing with HK Sochi.
After 10 games with 2 assists, not sure what has occurred, but he becomes available to Shanghai Dragons to sign for the term.
6th year left wing Kyle Criscuolo(42) gets a new crack at the NHL with Detroit Red Wings, his first since an unsuccessful 9 game stint after signing an entry level deal with Buffalo Sabres.
The 5’9″ 175 lbs. forward started his pro career on a 1-year minor league deal with Grand Rapids Griffins, where he put up 17 goals and 24 assists with a +15 rating to get on the major radar.
He has always managed to put up good numbers with affiliates and has point-per-game stats in the current AHL frame.
The 29-year old, former Harvard University Crimson two-time captain posted outstanding points in school and is likely very happy how his pro career is stretching out to include yet another recall.
He would re-sign for a 5th season in a Griffins‘ uniform, but a mid-year minor trade sends him to San Jose Sharks for a new look and start on things at now 30-years old.
After a decent enough showing in the minors, he scores a 1-game recall to the big league and what do you know, the now 31-year old grabs a 1st NHL goal.
For 2023/2024, the Southampton Township, NJ native comes home, signing a 1-year, 2-way deal with New Jersey Devils that will very likely see him mostly with affiliate Utica Comets, but could score some looks.
He walks away from last season with a career best assists, 26 and points, 42 and he signs for 2024/2025 with Charlotte Checkers and will likely just continue to score in the minors.
After another solid scoring season with 19 goals and 16 assists with a +6 rating, he is a free agent and decides to return to Utica Comets on a 1-year deal for 2025/2026.
Notre Dame University Fighting Irish senior captain Nick Leivermann(4) was originally selected by Colorado Avalanche in the 7th round of the 2017 draft (#178 overall), but went unsigned upon completing his graduate frame with a 3rd 10+ assist season (21 as a senior).
He turns pro and signs a 1-year AHL deal with last year’s Calder Cup Champion, Hershey Bears for 2023/2024.
The 5’11” 185 lbs. blue liner from Eden Praire, MN did only 1 BCHL season with Penticton Vees before heading to school.
At 24-years old, he’s likely gunning to get going.
After a solid rookie frame, scoring 3 goals and 13 assists in 37 games with a +5 rating is an easy re-sign to stay a Bears for 2025/2026.
Merrimack College Crusaders‘ senior left wing Mick Messner(87) is having a breakout campaign in his 2nd year with the team since being a portal transfer from 2 seasons at University Of Wisconsin Badgers.
In just 7 NCAA Division 1 games, he has a goal and 4 assists with a +4 rating.
The 5’11” 194 lbs. forward had mostly always connected for points through close to home high school in Madison, WI and 2 and a half USHL seasons for the Capitals.
At still just 22-years old looks poised to post Hockey East college career highs in 2021/2022, making him a nice unrestricted rookie pick up, if he decides to turn pro.
He spends a graduate season at the school and posts 5 goals and 4 assists in 35 games with a +6 rating on the way to a Hockey East Finals bout.
It takes him little time to agree to a pro deal, signing with Utah Grizzlies, where he has no points through 6 games with a +1 rating.
His efforts earn him an ECHL contract for 2023/2024 to wear that Grizzlies‘ jersey as a rookie.
He had a nice full frame, scoring 15 goals and 23 assists in a full slate of 72 games, gets him wanted back to continue wearing that Utah shirt.
As an assistant, he scores a new pro best 16 goals and 24 assists in another complete 72 game schedule and will return for his 3rd season as Grizzlies‘ team captain.
After 3 games, he has a change of attitude, sees an opportunity overseas to sign with HC Banska Bystrica for 2025/2026 in Slovak Extraliga and has an assist in his debut.
Undrafted center Danny Weight(19) takes a single season at Boston College Eagles across the country through the transfer portal to Colorado College Tigers, where he’ll look to finish up the next three years.
He seemed to struggle scoring only grabbing a goal and an assist as a freshman in 19 Hockey East games.
It’s doubtful that the college division play was too much, but potentially he could have expected different coming from an all-star season for Penticton Vees, scoring 25 goals and 35 assists in 58 BCHL games.
He seems to score in seasonal spurts with nothing matching the 120 points (52-68) in 83 games he was able to put up as a P.A.L. Junior Islanders 16U AAA.
The 20-year old 6′ 175 lbs. forward will likely find more room to skate in the NCHC, but it still won’t be easy.
Oh, and he happens to be former 1238 NHL games played and 1033 points’ Hall Of Fame, center Doug Weight‘s son.
He skated in only 6 games on a well-led team last season, but is now a graduate and enters the transfer portal for one last college skate.
The Edmonton, AB native will next play some Atlantic Hockey with American International College Yellowjackets, which also brings him back east.
We believe he finds more space in this conference too.
He matches his 12 point best, but scores a new high 5 goals and signs a 1st pro deal with Wichita Thunder for his rookie frame, 2025/2026.
After 1 ECHL game, he is reassigned to affiliate Birmingham Bulls and scores a 1st SPHL goal in his 2nd game.
Union College Dutchmen senior right wing Caden Villegas(28) had a college best 22 assists in his final season.
The 5’8″ 174 lbs. forward from Plano, TX moved through the ranks of youth hockey before heading to juniors, where he moved up before college.
He signed a 1st pro deal with Adirondack Thunder and in 12 ECHL games, recorded 1 goal and 2 assists.
For his rookie run, he will need a contract.
He finally does come around to sign a 1-year deal to remain a Thunder for 2025/2026, but actually changes things up to become a free agent and signs for a 1st year with Maine Mariners instead.
Undrafted 7th year center Josh Jooris(36) leaves North American pro hockey for a first time to sign with Lausanne HC of NLA for 2019/2020.
He departs having played 213 NHL (23-32-55) games for 5 different teams but was exclusively in the minors with Toronto Marlies last season, although signed by the parent club Toronto Maple Leafs.
The former high scoring 6’1″ 198 lbs. Union College forward has less AHL games to his credit at 160 (20-26) but suited up for an equal amount of teams as he did at the higher level.
He is now 34-years old and that hasn’t deter how well he does in Switzerland’s top hockey.
Staying with his new Swiss team for 2 seasons, he switches it up to sign with Geneve-Servette HC, where he agrees for a 4th frame and is scoring pretty well out of the gate.
Consistently producing 20+ points, he is back for a 5th season with Geneve-Servette and is scoring very well with 3 goals and 5 assists in 17 games.
Bridgeport Islanders‘ technically 2nd year left wing Erik Brown(18) finally got to appeared in an almost full slate of 49 AHL games last season, scoring 6 goals and 8 assists with a +6 rating.
The former RIT Tigers‘ senior captain scored 29 goals as a junior.
At 6’2″ 194 lbs., he also scored big in 2 CCHL junior seasons for the Keene, ON native.
The 26-year old will likely continue to roll scoring totals as he plays more.
As he finishes up his 3rd season with the same team, he will move on for his next club and signs a 1-year deal with Vaasan Sport to skate games in Liiga for 2023/2024.
After skating in DEL with Lowen Frankfort last season, he signs in the lower DEL2 for 2025/2026 with Dusseldorfer EG.
