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.
Clarkson University Golden Knights‘ senior defenseman Noah Beck(18) takes 2 years of 17 assists to a graduate season at Arizona State University Sun Devils for 2024/2025.
The Richmond Hill, ON native did 1 season juniors OJHL before coming down to the USHL upon the encouragement of new college team and then getting drafted by St. Louis Blues in the 7th round of 2020 (#194 overall).
He scored well with 4 goals and 23 assists in 44 games.
The 6’3″ 183 lbs. blue liner will likely do well playing his new club’s independent schedule.
He explodes scoring 5 goals and 28 assists in 37 games with a +12 rating to become an unrestricted free agent and get signed by San Jose Sharks, as he wasn’t picked up by the team that selected him.
To start his pro career, he reports to affiliate San Jose Barracuda on an ato.
UMass Minutemen junior Cole O’Hara(19) leaves a year on the table to sign a 2-year NHL entry level deal with draft club (4th round of 2022, #114 overall) Nashville Predators.
The 6′ 183 lbs. forward is allegedly to be reassigned to join affiliate Milwaukee Admirals, as they ready for the postseason.
He blew up scoring last season with 22 goals and 29 assists in 40 games with a +21 rating.
From Richmond Hill, ON, the 21-year old put up huge numbers in his 2nd USHL season for Tri-City Storm.
Colorado College Tigers‘ graduate defenseman, Ty Gallagher(24) looks set to attain new college scoring highs this season with 3 goals and 8 assists in 14 games with a +6 rating.
The 6′ 187 lbs. Boston Bruins‘ 7th round pick in the 2021 draft (#217 overall) had 5 goals as a freshman at Boston University Terriers and 18 assists in his sophomore frame.
He has appeared in as many as 40 games in a campaign.
From Clarkston, MI, the 21-year old did 2 years of USNTDP before school.
He does look very singable to an NHL entry level deal.
Upon conclusion of his NCAA tournament play and year of eligibility, scoring a new best 9 goals and 26 assists, he signs a 2-year AHL deal with Providence Bruins, which keeps him squarely under the eye of the team that selected him.
In 8 games already, he has a 1st goal and 4 assists with a +2 rating on a playoff bound team.
UMASS Minutemen junior center Lucas Mercuri(11) is definitely on track for next college career bests scoring with 5 goals and 9 assists in 18 games with a +4 rating, putting him just a point or two of his marks.
The 6’3″ 192 lbs. forward is a Carolina Hurricanes‘ 6th round pick in the 2020 draft (#159 overall).
He came down from Montreal, QC for school and scored big to secure his finding, then went onto 1 USHL frame with Des Moines Buccaneers before heading to school.
The 21-year old is likely just hoping he’s doing everything right to earn his NHL entry level deal and we think he’s heading in the right direction more than ever now.
Finishing up his final season with new college bests 10 goals and 21 assists with a +14 rating, he is traded to Tampa Bay Lightning, signed to a 2-year entry level deal and sent to start his pro career with affiliate Syracuse Crunch.
