Clarkson University Golden Knights‘ graduate defenseman Dustyn McFaul(27) tied his 2 goal high for scoring this season, but those 9 assists as a senior captain look like they are going to stand.
The fairly big 6’2″ 191 lbs. blue liner is a Boston Bruins‘ 6th round pick in the 2018 draft (#181 overall) and looks fairly ready to step into some AHL action, when his final college frame comes to a close.
From Waterdown, ON, the 23-year old has hockey ready all over him.
He adds 1 goal for 3 on the season, his new best, finishes up ECAC action and signs a 1st pro contract with Florida Everglades.
Not sure why he wasn’t moved on by the team that selected him.
He’s moving on and signs for 2024/2025 with Fort Wayne Komets, where he should be able to learn a lot.
After 1.5 years with this team, he decides to move on for 2026/2027 and signs with Guildford Flames of the EIHL.
11th year defenseman Adam Clendening(16) signs a 1st minor league contract to continue as a potential prospect in a system, signing a 1-year AHL deal with the first team he ever skated pro hockey games for, Rockford Icehogs.
The 6′ 194 lbs. Chicago Blackhawks‘ 2nd round pick in the 2011 (#36 overall) has definitely played a good batch of NHL games with maybe little fanfare, earning 4 goals and 20 assists with a healthy +11 rating in 90 games.
He has a goal and 7 assists in 13 games this season.
The former Boston University Terriers‘ could definitely put up the points in college, as he was good for 29 assists as a sophomore before he turned pro.
It would be little surprise to see the 30-year old branch out and head overseas next season.
Before he goes anywhere, he finds himself involved in a minor league deal that sends him to Hartford Wolf Pack for the remainder of 2023.
He has 3 times hit 30 assists in the minors and we feel he will make a fourth this frame.
Rounding out last season with 29 assists, as we thought, he makes a bit of a late decision to join Ilves for 2023/2204, signing a 1-year deal to skate in Liiga.
He does very well there and takes it to 2 years in the KHL, where he also records points, but something is pulling at him to return, so he re-ups on a pto with a team he has lots of experience with, Cleveland Monsters in 2026/2027.
Boston University Terriers‘ freshman right wing Devin Kaplan(13) got a pair in a weeknight 6-2 home win over UMass Minutemen to earn 1st star honors.
The big 6’3″ 206 lbs. forward has 6 goals and 9 assists in 20 games with a +9 rating.
He was selected by Philadelphia Flyers in the 3rd round of 2022 (#69 overall) after he lit up his 2nd season at USNTDP with 8 goals and 10 assists in 22 USHL with a +18 and even better numbers for USDP.
It will be interesting to see how long the 19-year old from Bridgewater, NJ sticks with his college career.
After a junior year, serving as assistant captain, scoring fairly decently, he will leave a year on the table to sign a 3-year NHL entry level deal.
He makes his debut on the last night of regular season, skates 16 shifts for 12:12 ice time with 1 hit and left a 5-4 loss with a -1 rating.
Still nice to get on the big ice.
He plays 49 AHL games, scoring 5 goals and 8 assists, but as we’re heading into 2026/2027 he is traded to Seattle Kracken, where they are likely to assign him to affiliate Coachella Valley Firebirds.
Harvard University Crimson senior captain, defenseman Jack Bar(24) signed a 1st pro contract with San Jose Barracuda for 2025/2026, his rookie season, but has been reassigned to affiliate Wichita Thunder to get started.
In 26 ECHL games, he has 2 goals and 8 assists with a +7 rating.
The 6’2″ 209 lbs. blue liner was a Dallas Stars‘ 5th round pick in 2021 (#138 overall), but was left unsigned.
From Newmarket, ON, we believe the 23-year old gets an AHL look before too long and was a pto in San Jose Sharks‘ training camp.
For 2026/2027, he is a free agent after only 5 games with his contract club and signs up with Maine Mariners, where we think he have some luck and maybe even gain some notice.
Boston University Terriers‘ senior center Dylan Peterson(22) scored a college best 8 goals and 20 points last season and signs his 2-year NHL entry level contract with draft club St. Louis Blues (3rd round, 2020 #86 overall).
The big 6’4″ 203 lbs. forward did 2 years USNTDP juniors racking up decent point totals before heading to school.
From Roseville, CA, look for the 22-year old to be an impact player as soon as he arrives as a rookie.
Upon skating 3 games with affiliate Springfield Thunderbirds, he earns a 1st recall after 10+ goals in his 1st 2 years.
He skates 14 shifts for 8:57 of ice time, has 4 hits and 1 giveaway, gets into a 5-minute fighting major and leaves a 7-2 victory with a +1 rating in his Blues‘ debut.
New Jersey Devils‘ 4th round pick in the 2013 draft (#100 overall), 7th year left wing Miles Wood(11) signs to stay on for 2022/2023 avoiding arbitration after suffering hip surgery last season that left him almost completely off the calendar, skating only 3 NHL games.
As a 2nd year player, he posted a career best 19 goals and 32 points to earn himself a 4-year extension.
The 6’2″ 194 lbs. power forward only spent one season at Boston College Eagles before turning pro.
He didn’t even play junior hockey, going straight from USHS-Prep to college.
The 27-year old may only have signed on for a year, but we fully expect him healthy and picking up his hard-hitting style game right where he left off.
After rebounding with a decent 13 goals, 14 assists in 76 games frame in the same jersey for the 1st 8 years of his career, the unrestricted free agent makes a big change and signs a 6-year deal with Colorado Avalanche through 2028/2029.
He would play 2 seasons before he was traded to Columbus Blue Jackets.
In 54 games, he gets 8 goals and 6 assists, but for 2026/2027 is involved in another trade, a big one to Toronto Maple Leafs.
11th year left wing Matt Nieto(83) signs a new 2-year NHL deal with Pittsburgh Penguins through 2024/2025 for $900,000 AAV.
He was originally a San Jose Sharks‘ 2nd round pick in the 2011 draft (#47 overall), he skated almost 4 years for them before getting traded to Colorado Avalanche, where he spent close to the next 4 and then would return to the Sharks.
The 5’11” 190 lbs. forward did 3 years at Boston University Terriers after 2 campaigns with the USNTDP.
From Long Beach, CA, at 30-years old, he’s still ticking and could still be worth 10+ goals, 20+ assists.
He split time, playing a few AHL games, as he did in the beginning of his pro career, but after sitting out last season decides to retire after 705 NHL games played
Pittsburgh Penguins‘ 5th year defenseman Mark Friedman(95) re-ups for another two years after scoring a goal and 4 assists in 26 NHL games with a +1 rating.
The 5’10” 192 lbs. blue liner has appeared in big league games for the last 4 seasons, but seems to have arrived in the current session.
He scored 2 goals and an assist in 5 games, when he arrived via the waiver wire from Philadelphia Flyers.
The Bowling Green State University Falcons blue liner left a year on the table after scoring college career best 8 goals, 18 assist and 26 points.
It looks like the 26-year old is in a good spot with his new team.
He picks up 20+ games in the big league 2 years in a row, but gets himself traded in sort of a minor deal to Vancouver Canucks, where he could find a spot on d with the big club.
In 5 games, he had no points, but got 1 goal and 5 assists in 20 games with a +4 rating for affiliate Abbotsford Canucks.
He finds himself traded to Nashville Predators to help shore up their zone, but initially he will head to Milwaukee Admirals.
In 21 games, he comes away with 2 goals and 11 assists with a +11 rating, which in turn he will take to a new opportunity in his 9th season to go skate for Rogle BK of the SHL for 2025/2026.
He scores 3 goals and 12 assists in 47 games with a +7 rating to get a new deal and stay Rogle BK for a 2nd year, 2026/2027.
Pittsburgh Penguins‘ 9th year, Boston, MA native, played his college hockey at Boston University Terriers and for draft team (3rd round, 2012, #85 overall), Boston Bruins‘ 8 year defenseman, Matt Grzelcyk(48) is playing his hockey away from home for the 1st time since heading to USNTDP for juniors.
The 5’11” 174 lbs. blue liner even did his high school hockey at Belmont Hill.
He just hit 30-years old and 4 times has had 20+ assist seasons, so we think he will blend in well with his new club.
In a full slate of 82 NHL games, he scores 1 goal and a new high 39 assists, 40 points and signs a pto to find space on Chicago Blackhawks‘ blue line for 2025/2026, which we think he will be successful in his pitch.
He scores 12 assists in 69 games, but the now 32-year old is an unrestricted free agent and Buffalo Sabres offer him a 1-year deal.
University Of North Dakota Fighting Hawks‘ senior, assistant captain center Cameron Berg(12) signs to a 1-year AHL contract under the guide of draft club (4th round, 2021, #125 overall), New York Islanders.
The 6′ 192 lbs. transferred from 2 years at University Of Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks, where he was a good scorer.
He did 3 years of USHL juniors before college.
From West Fargo, ND, the 23-year old will probably score decently in the AHL with contract club, Bridgeport Islanders.
In 53 games as a rookie, he scores 7 goals and 13 assists, which is enough to get him an invite to play in 2026/2027 with the new affiliate Hamilton Hammers.
