Category: NHL Draft Pick

19May

Hugo Ollas (1)

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Merrimack College Warriors‘ freshman 6’8″ larger than a house goaltender, Swedish-born Hugo Ollas(1) is off to a good 5-3 start with a 2.47 GAA and .908 SV%.

He played all his youth and junior hockey close to home with Linkoping HC U16-J20.

The 19-year old even played a 2 SHL games going 0-1, but with a 1.99 GAA and .903 SV%.

It is going to be interesting to pay attention to see if the New York Rangers‘ 7th round pick in the 2020 draft (#197 overall) plays out 4 years or signs an entry level earlier.

Leaving his senior year on the table, he agrees to a 2-year NHL entry level deal with the Rangers and will report to affiliate Hartford Wolf Pack to play out the rest of the frame.

This was a bit of an easy-see.

After spending all of last season, helping ECHL affiliate Bloomington Bison get into their 1st playoffs, he was still maybe not going to be re-upped and he heads home, signing with Nybro Vikings IF of HockeyAllsvenskan for 2026/2027.

15May

Sascha Boumedienne (78)

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Boston University Terriers‘ Finnish-born sophomore defenseman Sascha Boumedienne(78) enters the transfer portal to head back to the midwest, Ohio State University Buckeyes for his junior frame, 2026/2027.

The 6’2″ 190 lbs. Winnipeg Jets‘ 1st round pick in the 2025 draft (#28 overall) did his youth hockey with Ohio Blue Jackets before heading back home for juniors.

He did 1 season USHL, where his scoring was pretty good and he heads to a college where his brother is at on the fencing team.

13May

Justin Poirier (93)

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University Of Maine Black Bears‘ freshman right wing Justin Poirier(93) takes his point-per-game numbers (18-11-27) into the transfer portal to next go play hockey at Penn State University Nittany Lions for his sophomore frame, 2026/2027.

The 5’8″ 185 lbs. forward came off 2 blowout QMJHL seasons scoring to first commit.

From Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, QC, the 19-year old is a Carolina Hurricanes‘ 5th round draft pick in 2024 (#156 overall).

He simply seems to be heading to another school with a bit of a different profile and will continue to score and turn heads.

11May

Abram Wiebe (52)

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University Of North Dakota Fighting Hawks‘ junior defenseman Abram Wiebe(52) leaves a year on the table to sign his 2-year NHL entry level deal with Calgary Flames.

The 6’3″ 210 lbs. blue liner played a college high 40 games and scored a best 5 goals and 24 assists with a +13 rating last season.

He reports directly to the non-playoff team and gets into the mix for the last 4 games with no points and a 0 rating.

From Mission, BC, the 23-year old was a Vegas Golden Knights‘ 2022 7th round pick (#209 overall). but was recently traded.

He did 3 seasons BCHL, the last scoring lots for Chilliwack Chiefs.

10May

Ryan Tverberg (77)

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University Of Connecticut Huskies‘ sophomore right wing Ryan Tverberg(77) is putting up college career marks with 9 goals and 8 assists in 18 NCAA Division 1 games with a +5 rating.

He’s a Toronto Maple Leafs‘ 7th round pick in the 2020 draft (#213 overall), so optimism is high.

The 6’ 190 lbs. forward put up stellar numbers in his only full OJHL season for Toronto Jr. Canadiens, scoring 26 goals and 25 assists in 47 games.

He played for the team all throughout youth hockey.

The Richmond Hill, ON native will likely continue take his game up.

In his junior frame, he went on to score 15 goals and 15 assists, but became a quick Hockey East exit in the playoffs.

He’s decided to forego his senior year and sign a 3-year NHL entry level deal with the team that selected him.

It is viewed that he will report to affiliate Toronto Marlies.

He has performed well in the minors, taking this year’s totals up to 15 goals and 21 assists with a +21 rating in 63 AHL games.

It has earned him a 1st NHL recall, where in 2 games he skated roughly 10 minutes, had 1 shot on net and let 2 close losses with a +1 rating.

10May

Eric Pohlkamp (23)

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University Of Denver Pioneers‘ junior defenseman Eric Pohlkamp(23) takes college highs goals 18 and points 39 with a +24 rating in 43 games to signing a 2-year NHL entry level deal with San Jose Sharks (2023 5th round, #132).

The 5’11” 205 lbs. blue liner was a goal scorer in his final 2 years USHS-MN and 2nd year USHL before college.

That was the year of him committing to 1st school Bemidji State University Beavers and getting selected.

Last season, he helped his team with a 3rd NCAA Division 1 hockey title in 5 years time.

08May

Peter DiLiberatore (4)

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Quinnipiac University‘s 3rd year, assistant captain defenseman Peter DiLiberatore(4) decides to forego his senior campaign in favor of signing a 3-year entry level deal with draft team, Vegas Golden Knights.

The 6′ 180 lbs. blue liner was a 6th round pick in 2018 (#160 overall).

His numbers at college have been pretty consistent.

He tied his 6 goal best in 2020/2021 and averaged 15 helpers through his three years.

There’s little doubt he’ll report immediately, likely hooking up with affiliate Henderson Silver Knights, a stellar AHL club, so breaking that lineup could be a thinker.

After almost 2 full seasons and his entry level contract about to expire, he gets dealt to Pittsburgh Penguins at the trade deadline, who look like they were eyeing him to be obtained and should retain him for at least another year.

Invited to Arizona Coyotes‘ training camp on a pto, he is released and looked to sign with affiliate Tuscon Roadrunners for 2023/2024, but has slipped off the radar and will lace them up with South Carolina Stingrays.

He plays 8 ECHL games with his new club, recording 3 assists to get himself loaned up to his former team.

While there he gets 1 goal and 2 assists for a new league best of 3 points and gets himself a deal for the season to stay up.

In 29 games, he scores 1 goal and 8 assists with a +2 rating to earn an invite to return for 2024/2025 in a Roadrunners‘ jersey.

He still struggled to get into games and score with only 2 goals in 19 games, so he decides to leave and see if he can’t find something better for himself elsewhere.

Signing with Kalmar HC of HockeyAllsvenskan, he goes on to find his scoring legs with 8 goals and 28 assists, as a d-man.

This performance earns him a look up and contract with Malmo Redhawks SHL for 2026/2027.

05May

Nick van Tassell (22)

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UMASS Minutemen freshman center Nicholas Van Tassell(22) is an Ottawa Senators‘ 7th round pick in the 2023 draft (#215 overall).

The big 6’5″ 215 lbs. forward scored pretty well in his 2nd USHL season for Green Bay Gamblers.

He only got 1 goal and 1 assist in 23 games, but definitely appears on the verge of opening that up with more experience.

From Basking Ridge, NJ, the 19-year old did all his youth hockey close to home.

In his junior year, he twice puts up 2 goals and adds 10 assists, but maybe wants to seek out something else for his senior frame and signs up with Hockey East foe, University Of New Hampshire Wildcats as a senior in 2026/2027.

03May

Michael Hrabal (35)

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UMASS Minutemen junior Czechia-born net minder Michael Hrabal(35) leaves a year on the table after a solid 19-9-1 record with a 1.95 GAA and .937 SV% to sign his 3-year NHL entry level deal with “draft” club Utah Mammoth (2nd round, 2023 #38 overall).

The absolute mammoth 6’7″ 216 lbs. goalie started juniors back home, where he did his youth hockey, but came over for 1 USHL frame before college.

He takes a consistent winning record to his 1st deal, a pto with affiliate Tucson Roadrunners. , where he goes 3-1-1 on a non-playoff team.

02May

Kenny Agostino (11)

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Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod‘s 2nd year center Kenny Agostino(11) is already off to a good start for 2022/2023 with 2 goals and 3 assists in 7 KHL games with a +3 rating.

Last season he scored 20 goals and 20 assists in 46 games with a +8, his 1st season overseas.

The former 4-year 10+ goal scorer and 2 time 20+ assist guy at Yale University Bulldogs was originally a Pittsburgh Penguins‘ 5th round pick in the 2010 draft (#140 overall).

He was traded to Calgary Flames and signed an entry level deal before his skates ever hit the ice.

The Morristown, NJ native bounced around on 1-year deals mostly before getting signed to a 2-year, 1-way contract late with Toronto Maple Leafs, yet he only appeared in 1 NHL game with them.

At 30-years old, he’s done ok enough, but is still likely earning his way in Russia and playing some elite puck.

For 2023/2024, he is trading in a couple of seasons where he is for new surroundings in the SHL and will join Skelleftea AIK.

He actually switches things up and heads to Germany instead, signing with Dusseldorfer EG of DEL and scores himself point-per-game numbers in 48 (14-34), but will ink with rivals, ERC Ingolstadt for 2024/2025 and likely do just as well.

With another 19 goals to his credit last season, he is easily wanted to return for a 3rd frame at Ingolstadt 2026/2027.