2nd year USNTDP defenseman John Whipple(4) finally selects University Of Minnesota Golden Gophers for a 2024/2025 commit.
The 6’1″ 194 lbs. blue liner is 2024 draft eligible.
From Morristown, NJ, the 17-year old isn’t exactly known for putting up points, but holds his zone steady.
After another year of mostly shut down play, despite not many points and overall +25 player, he is selected in the 5th round by Detroit Red Wings, who will watch him go to school to start.
Los Angeles Kings‘ rookie signing Tyler Madden(10) returns from an injury that kept him out for a couple of months, just in time for the mini-playoffs the AHL is allowing for Pacific Division.
The 5’11” 180 lbs. forward has a first pro goal and 3 assists in 13 games for affiliate Ontario Reign, including one small stretch of assists in two straight.
Originally a Vancouver Canucks‘ 3rd round pick in the 2018 draft (#68 overall), he was traded as he was torching the scoresheet in his 2nd year at Northeastern University Huskies (19-18-37 in 27 games) before any playoffs got pulled due to the COVID outbreak.
He was wooed to leave school and sign his three year entry level deal.
The thought has to be the Deerfield Beach, FL native is going to step it up.
4 years of scoring very decently with the affiliate gets him a new 1-year NHL deal to continue for his 5th in a Reign jersey.
Faced with the prospects of no senior year, it was a no brainer for Harvard University‘s defensive wunderkid Reilly Walsh(8) to sign his three-year entry level with New Jersey Devils, the team that drafted him 3rd round, 2017, #81 overall.
In his minor league debut with affiliate Binghamton Devils, he gets credited for the overtime 4-3 game-winner and his first pro AHL goal and currently has 2 goals and 5 assists in 12 games, which is impressing big at the struggling parent club.
The 6′ 185 lbs. 21-year old blue liner may have to spend some time honing his game at the stage lower than the show but look for him to get an opportunity.
And after scoring new career bests: 9 goals and a whopping 34 assists in 69 games with a +11 rating for affiliate Utica Comets, gets him the nod for his NHL debut.
In his 1st game, he skated 20 shifts for 14:23, got an assist, had 2 shots, 2 blocks and 1 giveaway in a 5-4 loss.
The Framingham, MA gets traded to his hometown Boston Bruins as free agency looms after 2 seasons of 30+ assists in the minors.
He strikes his 3rd straight season of 9 goals in the minors, but shows maybe a bit more focus in the playoffs with 2 assists in 4 games.
For 2024/2025, he signs a 1-year, 2-way deal with Los Angeles Kings.
Carolina Hurricanes‘ rookie center Jack Drury(72) scores a first recall for his debut and pots a first NHL goal in the process to help the win.
Who had those odds?
The 5’11” 174 lbs. forward skated 23 shifts for 16:05 of ice time with 4 shots, 2 hits, 2 blocks and 2 penalty minutes, leaving the contest with +1 rating.
He’ll easily always where his former school, Harvard University Crimson on his sleeve.
As a rookie, playing in the AHL for affiliate Chicago Wolves, he wins himself a 2022 Calder Cup Championship with very good numbers.
He would split duties for just 1 more frame before becoming full-time in the show, where 8 goals and 19 assists in 74 games with a +4 rating, then adding another 5 points in 11 playoff matchups with a +7.
The restricted free agent picks himself up a nice 2-year deal to stay in a Hurricanes‘ sweater, moving forward through at least 2025/2026.
New Jersey Devils‘ 4th year defenseman John Marino(5) was involved in a trade that sent him to the team from 3-year club Pittsburgh Penguins, where he twice notched 20+ assists, with a career high 24 last season.
The 6’1″ 181 lbs. blue liner is on the hook for another 5-years for the 6-year deal he signed a year and a half ago worth an average of $4.4M AAV through 2026/2027.
Originally an Edmonton Oilers‘ 6th round pick in the 2015 draft (#154 overall), but somewhat oddly traded before he ever got started.
The North Easton, MA native spent 3 years at nearby Harvard University Crimson, amassing an amazing +/- numbers before turning pro.
6th year d-man becomes the #1 for the new Utah Hockey Club, who pick him up for some draft options and he gets a 3-year deal moving forward.
8th year left wing Max McCormick(17) scores a new 1-year NHL deal with Seattle Kracken maybe a little late into unrestricted free agency, yet it did arrive to get him on a good club going forward.
He spent the last pair of seasons with Carolina Hurricanes, playing 12 games with 2 goals, 1 assist and a +3 rating in 2020/2021, while mostly doing time on their taxi squad.
The 5’11” 185 lbs. played the first year of his deal entirely with affiliate Charlotte Checkers, where he tied his best 19 assists and 35 points was one shy of his high with a +6, and amassed him a 3rd 30+ point season.
He had a pair of 30 point seasons in his 3 years at Ohio State University Buckeyes.
The 29-year old De Pere, WI native may spend some time in the AHL, but also could play himself into more minutes in the show.
He skates 46 games in the minors, but gets recalled for 10 games with no points and leaves a +1.
His 29 points at +17 has certainly helped that team to a top playoff spot.
Those efforts earn him a new 2-year contract to continue leading the group one league away from the show and contribute whenever called upon.
The twice captain for affiliate Coachella Valley Firebirds, who on 2 straight occasions made it all the way to the Finals before bowing out was quite the leader and is rewarded with a 2-year, 1-way contract to continue.
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.
Boston Bruins‘ 4th round pick in the 2018 draft (#119 overall), center Curtis Hall(10) signs his 3-year entry level deal that will officially begin at the onset of 2021/2022.
He left after two seasons at Yale University Bulldogs, where he had a career high 17 goals and 10 assists with a +14 rating in his sophomore campaign, only signing very deep into the season, as his college team elected out of ECAC play due to COVID restrictions.
The big 6’4″ 212 lbs. forward signed a kind of weird one-year spc to play for affiliate Providence Bruins and finished up 13 AHL games scoring his first pro goal.
At 21-years old, the Chagrin Falls, Ohio native is easily just getting his feet moving.
He was mostly in the system for 3-years, but also sent to the lower affiliate, Maine Mariners before being loaned to Grand Rapids Griffins.
Likely no qualifying offer to continue, he signs a minor league deal with Cleveland Monsters for 2024/2025.
USNTDP‘s 2nd year right wing Lucas Van Vliet(19) is pretty big at 6’2″ 181 lbs. and has definitely displayed signs of scoring sharpness for him to be chosen by Las Vegas Golden Knights in the 7th round of the 2024 NHL draft (#197 overall).
From Livonia, MI, the 18-year old won’t travel far for his 2024/2025 college commitment, Michigan State University Spartans.
Northeastern University Huskies‘ sophomore defenseman Michael Kesselring(23) fires the puck basically exactly where I’m standing (thank you, glass) looking to clear the puck from the zone.
The Edmonton Oilers‘ 6th round pick in the 2018 draft (#164 overall) scored his first goal of the season in a 5-4 win over University Of New Hampshire Wildcats (2/13).
After only one season on juniors in the USHL with Des Moines Buccaneers then Fargo Force, the large than life 6’4″ 215 lbs. blue liner from New Hampton, NH has decided it’s time to turn pro, signing a three-year entry level contract starting immediately.
We knew it. Too big not to play with the big boys already.
As he heads into the final season on his initial deal, he finds himself traded to Arizona Coyotes, who we believe super like the 13 goals and 9 assists he’s posted in the minors with Bakersfield Condors with that super large frame of his and give him his NHL debut, skating 24 shifts for 16:04 of ice time in a 6-1 loss with a 0 rating.
Through 65 games, he scores 5 goals and 16 assists with a +11 rating on a non-playoff team to earn himself a 2-year deal worth $1.4M AAV.
