Category: NHL Draft Pick

11Feb

Emmett Croteau (70)

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Clarkson University Golden Knights‘ freshman goaltender Emmett Croteau(70) has only received 5 starts in 2023/2024, good for a 2-3 record with maybe below what he calls for 3.38 GAA and .851 SV%, but that should improve lots as he spends more time in the net.

6’4″ 209 lbs. big, the 3 USHL season Waterloo Blackhawks‘ back stop was pretty good through 79 games with 2.91 GAA and .904 SV%.

The Bonnyville, AB native is a Montreal Canadiens‘ 6th round pick in the 2022 draft (#162 overall).

He enters the transfer portal for his sophomore year to go tend net at Dartmouth College Big Green and through 18 games, the results are vastly improving.

In his junior frame, he has 10-3 record with a 1.71 GAA and .929 SV% on a team that has entered top 10 best teams.

10Feb

Riley Barber (11)

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8th year right wing Riley Barber(11) signs a 1-year deal with Dallas Stars for 2022/2023, as an unrestricted free agent, coming out of 2 years of contracts with Detroit Red Wings.

The 6′ 194 lbs. forward is off to another quick start this season, scoring 3 goals and 2 assists in 6 AHL games for affiliate Texas Stars.

He once had north of 30 goals and 4 times passed the 20+ tally mark and on 3 occasions had 20+ assists.

Originally a Washington Capitals‘ 6th round pick in the 2012 draft (#167 overall), he stayed in their system for 4 years after burning a hole through the college score sheet with Miami University (Ohio) Redhawks.

The 28-year old has somehow skated in 16 NHL games but not registered a point.

You have to think he’ll get another opportunity where he is this season.

He manages a very good, career high 32 goals and 32 assists in 69 games for the Cedar Park team and will next take his scoring abilities to the KHL, signing a 1-year deal with Barys Astana for 2023/2024.

While scoring 10 goals and 13 assists in 28 games, he still finds himself on the move and will head to AK Bars Kazan for the rest of the season.

He does ok, but signs with his 3rd team, Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk, where he scores well with 16 goals and 14 assists, but lacks a little with a -13 on ice accountability.

For 2025/2026, he decides to move to Germany and ERC Ingolstadt step right in to ink him to a DEL deal.

He absolutely blows up scoring to the tune of 27 goals and 29 assists in 46 games with a +24 rating to conservatively only signing for another year in 2026/2027, Ingolstadt.

22Jan

Nick Leivermann (4)

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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.

He wasn’t in many games, but put up points in any efforts he was a part of, but decides to leave for an option in the SHL with Farjestad BK that should work out well.

20Jan

John Gilmour (7)

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After two seasons suiting up for CSKA Moskva, 7th year defenseman John Gilmour(7) signs with rivals Dinamo Minsk for 2022/2023.

Originally a Calgary Flames‘ 7th round pick in the 2013 (#198 overall), he was never signed and picked up as a free agent and signed to an NHL entry level deal by New York Rangers upon graduating Providence College Friars.

He was an important part of the team, when they won the 2015 NCAA Division 1 Championship.

The 6′ 192 lbs. blue liner spent 3 years in the system, skating 33 big league games, pocketing 2 goals and 3 assists.

He would next sign with Buffalo Sabres on a one-way contract before leaving for the KHL.

At 29-years old, he likely still has a long way to go.

He scores basically the same exact totals for his new team as he did for his old and has decided to move on for something new, signing for 2023/2024 with Adler Mannheim.

We expect him to do very well in Germany’s top league, DEL.

After 3 years of consistent scoring, he is re-up for another 1 year to stay in Adler Mannheim through 2026/2027

15Jan

Carter Amico (15)

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USNTDP‘s 2nd year defenseman Carter Amico(15) is a Boston University Terriers‘ 2025/2026 commit.

He stands at 6’5″ 205 lbs. from Westbrook, ME.

In 4 USHL games this season, he has 2 assists.

He had 13 last year.

At 17-years old, he is eligible for the 2025 draft.

He is drafted by Philadelphia Flyers in the 2nd round of the 2025 draft (#38 overall) despite having a nagging knee injury last season.

After 18 games with no points and a -7 rating, he decides to head back to junior hockey for the rest of the season, joining Muskegon Lumberjacks, where he hopes to bring his game level back up, but may look for another school.

04Jan

Kyle Rau (42)

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8th year center Kyle Rau(42) signed his 1st minor league deal to play for Abbotsford Canucks in 2022/2023.

He was coming off his 4th season in Minnesota Wild system, where he played NHL games in each frame, equally 28 appearances with 4 assists to his credit.

The 5’8″ 173 lbs. forward has 369 AHL games to his credit and rolls a fairly decent 119 goals and 142 assists with a bit of a woeful -24, but has 3 times struck for 20+ goals and 4 times 20+ assists in the league.

From Eden Prairie, MN, the Florida Panthers‘ 3rd round pick in the 2011 draft (#91 overall) attended nearby University Of Minnesota Golden Gophers, always good for point-per-game or better numbers.

In 7 games this season he has 2 goals and 2 assists with a +2 rating, so is right on track at 30-years old.

For what we thought was a fairly solid frame for the Eden Prairie High captain, takes a little time as he enters into his 9th season to sign with San Jose Barracuda, who can likely use hims

After a pretty good season, scoring 23 assists, he somewhat late signs with Kunlun RedStar for 2024/2025.

He actually has a pretty good session with 6 goals and 5 assists in 20 games, but decides to head off to Switzerland’s NL and signs HC-Fribourg-Gotteron for 2025/2026.

04Jan

Dominic James (17)

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University Of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs‘ senior center Dominic James(17) was a Chicago Blackhawks‘ 6th round pick in the 2022 draft (#173 overall), but did not sign.

Instead he became an unrestricted free agent and agreed to a 2-year NHL entry level deal with Tampa Bay Lightning.

The 6′ 190 lbs. forward has skated 23 games with 3 goals, 5 assists and a +1 rating.

He has been reassigned to affiliate Syracuse Crunch and popped with 3 goals and 2 assists in 4 AHL games with a +3 rating.

From Plymouth, MI, the 23-year old is doing nicely for himself.

31Dec

Alex Gagne (45)

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University Of New Hampshire Wildcats‘ senior captain, defenseman Alex Gagne(45) is in his rookie year with Colorado Eagles for 2025/2026.

In 27 AHL games, he has 1 goal and 7 assists with a +6 rating.

The 6’5″ 227 lbs. had a college best 4 goals, 13 assists and 17 points in his final year.

From Bedford, NH, the 23-year old is a Tampa Bay Lightning 6th round pick in the 2021 draft (#192 overall), but didn’t elect to sign and Colorado Avalanche, stepped in and signed the now unrestricted free agent to a 2-year NHL entry level contract.

28Dec

Mats Lindgren (23)

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1st year pro Mats Lindgren(23) was scheduled to report to Bakersfield Condors on a 1-year AHL deal, but skated no games and has informed the team of his intentions to head to Colorado College Tigers for the remainder of 2025/2026.

The 6′ 186 lbs. good puck-moving defenseman twice had 30+ assists, 40+ points in the WHL with 2-year Red Deer Rebels.

He last season was under contract to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, but mostly reassigned to ECHL affiliate Wheeling Nailers.

In 56 ECHL games, he had 7 goals and 14 assists with a +4 rating.

From North Vancouver, BC, the 21-year old, former Buffalo Sabres‘ 4th round pick in the 2022 draft (#106 overall) will have something new to work towards.