Schwenninger Wild Wings‘ 3rd year defenseman Will Weber(78) will hang around for a 4th frame, as he signs a 1-year extension through 2024/2025.
The big 6’4″ 227 lbs. blue liner doesn’t necessarily put up a lot of points, but is a fairly accountable, very large presence out there.
Originally a Columbus Blue Jackets‘ 2nd round pick in the 2007 draft (#57 overall), he only twice had 10+ assists.
The first time was his sophomore season at Miami University (Ohio) Redhawks and the 2nd was his 1st session of DEL for Fischtown Pinguins.
At 35-years old, he has to be glad he’s still pulling down good contracts to play pro hockey.
Add another season, as he will skate for a 6th frame in a Wild Wings‘ jersey that he is looking mighty comfortable in lately.
UMASS Minutemen Russian-born, freshman left wing Aydar Suniev(89) is off and running in his 1st crack at college hockey with 11 goals and 10 assists in 27 games, including a +4 rating.
The 6’2″ 192 lbs. forward came over pretty quickly to play his youth hockey, some high school, then with Penticton Vees, lighting up the scoring with 45 goals and 45 assists, followed by 23 points en route to a 2023 BCHL Championship.
A Calgary Flames‘ 3rd round pick in the 2023 draft (#40 overall), the 19-year old. has a lot of upside to watch.
After a sophomore season of new college bests 20 goals and 18 assists with a +12 rating to a 3-year NHL entry level deal with the team that selected him.
On the final night of the regular season, he receives a debut, skating 18 shifts for 14:48 of ice with 1 shot, 1 giveaway and was a +2 in a 6-1 win.
Boston University Terriers‘ 2023/2024 commit, left wing Shane Lachance(18) was going to head to 1 season with Youngstown Phantoms before reporting to school, but plans changed.
In 14 USHL games he has a goal and an assist.
The very big 6’4″ 190 lbs. Andover, MA native forward was coming off a solid season with local Junior Bruins, scoring 6 goals and 9 assists in 25 USPHL/NCDC games.
He’s an Edmonton Oilers‘ 6th round pick in the 2021 draft (#186 overall) and the 18-year old son of Scott Lachance, who played 819 NHL games.
In maybe a little bit of a last minute decision, he stayed on for a 2nd season of junior hockey and throws up 33 goals and 21 assists in 62 games with a +13 rating and is ready for Hockey East matchups.
Through 8 games, the xl up-front guy has 2 goals and 3 assists and is looking like he belongs out there.
In his 2nd season, as captain he has another 10+ goals and new best 15 assists and maybe a little off the radar, his playing rights are traded to New Jersey Devils, where he will join a team, looking to remake a giant.
He is named team captain as a sophomore and scores a college best 18 assists and 30 points last season in a run that went all the way to the final game.
No one is surprised he signs, maybe a little conservative 2-year NHL entry level deal and will get started.
University Of Maine Black Bears‘ freshman center, Bradly Nadeau(29) is picking up where he left off after 2 years with Penticton Vees, including consecutive BCHL Championships, most goals, most assists, MVP twice over and now has 7 goals and 5 assists with a +7 rating in 10 games.
Carolina Hurricanes swooped right in selected him in the 1st round of the 2023 draft (#30 overall).
The 5’10” 170 lbs. forward plays like he is constantly being shot from a cannon out there.
From St. Francois-de-Madaswaska, NB, the 18-year old might be a tough sell to stick with school.
He takes a 1st year scoring 19 goals and 27 assists in 37 games with a +20 rating and signs a 3-year entry level contract with the team that chose him for pros.
It wouldn’t be surprising to see him in a Canes‘ jersey immediately.
In the minors, he scores a jaw-dropping 30 goals and 26 assists in 63 AHL games as a rookie, but will have to raise that -20 rating, despite it earns a 1st NHL look.
He skates 16 shifts for 13:01 of ice time with 1 assist, 1 point, 6 shots on net, 1 hit and left a 4-2 loss with a -1 rating.
Not bad at all.
UMASS Minutemen junior defenseman Ryan Ufko(85) looks to challenge his 8 goal mark, set as a sophomore with 5 already in 16 games, but may not touch that 26 assist tally he posted in his freshman frame.
He has 9 in the current session with a +6 rating.
The 5’10” 181 lbs. blue liner did 2 seasons with Chicago Steel and won the 2021 Clark Cup Championship in his 2nd campaign.
A Nashville Predators‘ 4th round pick in the 2021 draft (#115 overall), the 20-year old will likely have a great senior year, then sign an NHL entry level deal.
As a junior captain, he scores a new college best 10 goals, ties his 16 assists and 26 points.
He is wooed to leave a year of college on the table and signs a 3-year entry level deal with the team that selected him and looks to head to affiliate Milwaukee Admirals to get things started.
As a 1st year d-man, he puts up 8 goals and 21 assists in 70 games with a +3 rating to earn a 1st recall.
In his NHL debut, he plays 20 shifts for 15:37 of ice with 1 hit and 2 giveaways in a 7-3 loss.
Boston University Terriers‘ captain center Ryan Greene(20) leaves a year on the table and signs with draft team Chicago Blackhawks (2nd round, 2022, #57 overall) after scoring a new college high 13 goals and 25 assists in 40 games with a +6 rating.
The 6’2″ 190 lbs. forward has 3 seasons of 20+ assists.
He did 2 high scoring years of USHL juniors for Green Bay Gamblers.
From St. John’s, NL, the 21-year old will likely do well with his power style play and makes his NHL debut, skating 20 shifts for 12:55 ice time, 3 shot blocks, 3 giveaways and went 33% on the face-off dot in a 4-3 shootout win.
Harvard University Crimson senior captain defenseman Ian Moore(74) signs a 2-year entry level contract with draft team Anaheim Ducks (3rd round of 2020, #67 overall) and starts his pro career with affiliate San Diego Gulls, where he’s good for a 1st AHL goal and 4 assists in 9 games to score a recall in his short pro career.
In his NHL debut, he skates 18 shifts for 15:31 of ice time with 3 shots and 1 block in a 4-2 loss.
The 6’3″ 194 lbs. blue liner equaled his college best 3 goals last season and had 18 assists as a sophomore.
From Concord, MA, the 24-year is just getting started.
Boston Bruins‘ 6th round pick in the 2020 draft (#182 overall), Providence College Friars‘ junior center Riley Duran(59) may just have the hardest shot in all of NCAA Ice Hockey.
He is once again a standout at 2023 Development Camp.
The 6’2″ 181 lbs. Woburn, MA native takes a junior season at college to a 2-year NHL entry level deal with the team that selected him, like everyone knew was going to happen.
He will report to their affiliate Providence Bruins and get to play as a pro in front of friends.
After scoring a new high 12 goals with the affiliate, he scores his 1st NHL recall and skates 20 shifts for 13:36 of ice time with 2 shots on net, 4 hits and went 100% on the face-off dot with a -1 rating in a 5-2 loss.
Dartmouth University Big Green sophomore left wing Cooper Flinton(20) is a Tampa Bay Lightning 7th round pick in the 2021 draft (#211 overall) and has scored a new college best 9 goals this season, but needs some more helpers to equal last year’s mark.
The 6’2″ 205 lbs. forward only did 1 USHL campaign with Cedar Rapids RoughRiders of juniors with decently efficient scoring.
From Auburn, NH, the 20-year old has kept things fairly close to home, as he’s elevated his hockey to college and looks to be a fairly easy entry level contract sign.
In his junior year, he records a college best 15 assists and the parent club has seen enough to want to sign him to a 2-year NHL deal and he will join affiliate Syracuse Crunch immediately.
University Of Connecticut Huskies‘ sophomore left wing Matthew Wood(71) ties his goals as a freshman at 11, but is I’m sure he would say vastly off his 23 mark of assists with 11 in 2023/2024.
The 6’3″ 190 lbs. forward from Lethbridge, AB is a Nashville Predators‘ 1st round pick in the 2023 draft (#15 overall).
He plays a big power forward style.
As a mostly 2nd year BCHL junior, he blew the lid off scoring with 45 goals and 40 assists in 46 games for Victoria Grizzlies.
He was drafted after his freshman tilt at school and pinpointed to go high.
Not sure why he has decided to head elsewhere through the transfer portal, but University Of Minnesota Golden Gophers are the exceedingly happy recipients of the big power forward for his junior season.
Maybe it is a good idea, as he blows up scoring to the tune of 17 goals and 22 assists in 39 games last season and his draft club thinks he is ready, offering him a 3-year NHL entry level deal to come aboard.
In 4 games, he has yet to notch a point.
