Category: NHL Draft Pick

University Of Michigan Wolverines‘ 2022/2023 commit, center Frank Nazar(91) hasn’t put up the USHL numbers he did in his 1st USNTDP season, but has skated only half the games and is still a point-per-game player.

His numbers are very similar in U.S. National U18 Team season.

The 5’10” 174 lbs. forward from Mt. Clemens, MI emerged out of a couple Honeybaked campaigns, exploding the scoresheet as a 15U AAA with 49 goals and 78 assists in 55 games.

That came after he agreed to his college after 14U AAA.

The 18-year old was selected in the 1st round of the 2022 draft, #13 overall by Chicago Blackhawks.

He blows up scoring in his 2nd year to the tune of point-per-game numbers with 41 (17-24) in 41 games to get to the NCAA Division 1 Frozen Four matchups.

His team is eliminated and on the next day, he has a contract from draft club in hand to leave 2 years at school on the table and turn pro.

In his debut, he scores the opening strike of the night, a 1st NHL goal and is welcomed to the show, but his team suffers another loss in the process with only a couple games left to skate.

After point-per-game numbers with the affiliate Rockford Icehogs and 12 goals and 14 assists in 53 games with the parent club gets him a huge increase to stay on with a 7-year, $46.13M contract, worth $6.59M AAV to stay a Blackhawks.

Providence College Friars‘ junior defenseman Guillaume Richard(4) has 1 goal and 8 assists in 17 games, looking to eclipse earlier marks set as a freshman that saw him net 3 goals and 11 assists.

A Columbus Blue Jackets‘ 4th round pick in the 2021 (#101 overall), he did only 1 full USHL season of juniors with Tri-City Storm before committing to school.

The 6’2″ 179 lbs. blue liner from Quebec, QC easily plays his size.

Upon finishing up tournament play, he signs a 2-year deal to join the team who selected him a few years ago and reports to affiliate Cleveland Monsters on an ato, scoring 2 goals and 2 assists in 8 games, then 1 goal and 1 assist in 6 playoff matchups with a +4 rating.

He will be an easy look to pull up.

9th year defenseman Josh Jacobs(41) helps Chicago Wolves win the 2022 AHL Calder Cup, while under contract to Carolina Hurricanes and moves along to sign a new deal for 2022/2023 with 2022 Stanley Cup Champions, Colorado Avalanche, but will likely skate for affiliate Colorado Eagles.

The fairly sizable 6’2″ 220 lbs. blue liner had an interesting climb from 2 USHL seasons for Indiana Ice, including a 2014 Clark Cup Championship, followed by a year at home state Michigan State University Spartans, but traded that to skate a campaign further up north in the OHL with Sarnia Sting.

An unrestricted free agent, he signed a 3-year NHL entry level deal with New Jersey Devils to start his pro career and stayed in that system for 5 years.

He is very successful with his new club, hitting for 4 goals and 6 assists in 43 AHL games with a +10 ratings, then put up another 4 points in 7 matchups through the playoffs.

For 2023/2024, he scores himself a 1-year 2-way contract with St. Louis Blues that could heed some playing time, but mostly will skate the line for affiliate Springfield Thunderbirds.

He wasn’t able to add to his 341 games in the league due to an injury that sidelined him for the entire frame.

For 2024/2025, Laval Rocket takes a chance and signs him to a 1-year deal.

He only appears in 24 games, but scores 1 goal and 4 assists with a +3 rating and gets another 1-year deal to stay a Rocket for 2025/2026.

 

University Of Michigan sophomore center William Whitelaw(8) takes a new college best 11 goals and 18 points to a new NHL entry level contract with draft team Columbus Blue Jackets.

The 5’9″ 174 lbs. forward scored crazy point-per-game numbers in his only full USHL year before school.

From Rosemount, MN, the 20-year old, freshman at University Of Wisconsin Badgers seems ready to go pro.

Cornell University Big Red senior defenseman Hank Kempf(26) is a New York Rangers‘ 7th round pick in the 2021 draft (#208 overall) and could use a contract once the season concludes.

The 6’2″ 201 lbs. blue liner plays with explosive power, consistently breaking up plays down low.

From Wilmette, IL, the 22-year old has come up nicely through the Chicago Mission youth hockey system.

He goes unsigned, but agrees to an ato once tournament play is up with Colorado Eagles that yields a pair of assists in regular season and playoff games to earn him a 1-year AHL deal to skate his rookie season, 2025/2026, which we think will keep eyes of the parent club on him as well.

Michigan State University Spartans‘ junior defenseman David Gucciardi(48) may not catch his points’ high with 1 goal and 4 assists, but with a best +8 rating, may really be looking at a best college season yet with his top ranked college team.

The 6’1″ 190 lbs. blue liner from Toronto, ON did 3 years of junior hockey, but his 1st in the OJHL was maybe his best as it was the one least interrupted.

It seems the 21-year old has known where he was going to school for awhile, but wasn’t selected by Washington Capitals until the 7th round of the 2022 NHL draft after his freshman year.

After finishing up tournament play, the senior, who scored a best 6 goals and 10 assists in a high 37 games with a +21 rating, signs an ato to join Hershey Bears and comes away with a 1st AHL goal and a +4 rating in 2 games played.

He is also agreed to a 2-year entry level contract by the Capitals to begin 2025/2026.

Bentley University Falcons‘ senior and #1 goal scorer for the past two seasons (tied ’19/20), Jakov Novak(86) entered the college transfer portal to head somewhere new for his final season before he will likely be signed to an entry level deal by draft club (round 7, 2018, #177 overall) Ottawa Senators after a breakout campaign in USHL juniors with Janesville Jets.

His new college team is set to become right down the road Northeastern University Huskies for 2021/2022 and his 6’3″ 216 lbs. frame will be very welcome up front to what was sometimes a bit of a struggling club to score in the last frame.

The 22-year old Canadian hothead on ice will be missed in Waltham, but will fit in perfectly the Boston area playing Hockey East style.

He finished up a graduate year with a tied 8 goals in his 2 campaigns at the new school and 4 assists as assistant captain with a +4 rating.

To turn pro, he signs an ato with Allen Americans, who are the new ECHL affiliate of his draft team and has been turning it up with 7 goals and 5 assists in 14 games, heading into the postseason to hopefully continue to fall under their radar for a contract.

For 2023/2024, he signs a minor league deal with Laval Rocket to officially get started as a rookie.

He spends the majority of 2 seasons with affiliate Trois-Riveries Lions and won the 2025 Kelly Cup last season, as pretty much a point-per-game performer.

Coachella Valley Firebirds have him on their radar and sign him up for 2025/2026.

9th year right wing Rocco Grimaldi(28) was unable to chase down an NHL deal for 2022/2023, so has decided to sign a 1-year AHL deal with San Diego Gulls to keep his game going.

The small 5’6″ 160 lbs. forward surpasses the 300 games played mark in the league this season and is already on top of scoring with 6 goals and 11 assists in 15 games.

He once scored 30+ goals, once 20+ and 3 times 10+ and also struck for 10 goals in 2 seasons in the upper league and also had 21 assists in his best showing for Nashville Predators, where he spent 4 campaigns.

The 29-year old, 3-year University Of North Dakota Fighting Hawks may not be done, but we’re a little surprised the Anaheim, CA native hasn’t left for some overseas action in say Sweden, instead of playing kind of close to home.

After putting up point-per-game numbers for his current out of playoff contention team, he gets a trade to Rockford Icehogs, who are in a battle for the last spot in their division.

For his 10th season 2023/2024, he signs a 1-year contract with Chicago Wolves, which should be a lot of fun for him.

Despite running up point-per-game numbers with 73 of them, he signs only a pto with Cleveland Monsters for 2024/2025.

Well, after 6 goals and 17 assists in 15 games, as the team leading scorer, they grace the 31-year old with a 1-year contract.

In 66 games, he records a career high 41 assists, but will take his game elsewhere for a 1st time in his pro career, signing a 1-year deal with SKA St. Petersburg for 2025/2026.

Los Angeles Kings‘ 2nd round pick in the 2022 draft (#51 overall), center Jack Hughes(27) is just starting his 2nd season at Northeastern University Huskies, where in 4 games this season already has 2 assists.

He scored decently as a freshman.

The 5’11” 170 lbs. forward played two solid frames with the USNTDP after playing high school at St. Sebastian’s Prep, scoring well enough at both levels.

It’s maybe a bit of a wonder as to why he went so high, but he does play like he always shows tremendous upside and is dad is the General Manager of Montreal Canadiens, Kent Hughes.

For his junior year, he has decided to switch up Hockey East affiliations and will head to Boston University Terriers, starting 2023/2024.

After a third 7 goal outing, to go along with 18 assists and a +9 rating, he signs a 1-year AHL deal with affiliate Ontario Reign for 2025/2026.

University Of North Dakota Fighting Hawks‘ senior assistant captain, center Jake Schmaltz(9) finished up with 6 goals and 10 assists in 38 games with a +2 rating that he took to a 1st contract with Providence Bruins after tournament play concluded.

A Boston Bruins‘ 7th round pick in the 2019 draft (#192 overall), he signed a 1-year 2025/2026 AHL deal with the affiliate for his rookie season, 2025/2026.

He scored a 1st pro goal in his 2nd appearance.

From McFarland, WI, the 6’2″ 185 lbs. forward, 24-year old should catch on.