Category: NHL Draft Pick

25Jul

Riley Duran (11)

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Boston Bruins‘ 6th round pick in the 2020 draft (#182 overall), Providence College Friars‘ junior center Riley Duran(11) 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.

He skates 72 games for the affiliate last season, putting up new best 14 assists and 19 points with a +19 rating to earn another 1-year with the big club, Bruins for 2026/2027.

25Jul

Johnny Beecher (19)

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University Of Michigan Wolverines‘ junior center Johnny Beecher(19) decides to forego his senior year and signs an ato with Providence Bruins to play out the remainder of 2021/2022 with the AHL team.

This is done under the guidance of 1st round 2019 draft club (#30 overall) Boston Bruins, who will eventually sign him to a 2 or 3-year entry level deal.

The 6’3″ 209 lbs. forward didn’t make an impact in college hockey as he did in a pair of 40+ point seasons for the USNTDP.

At just 21-years old, the parent club coaching staff believes the Elmira, NY native is ready to bring some game.

Recently re-slotted from the affiliate back up to the show, where he’s skated 52 games with 7 goals and 3 assists in his sophomore season, he plays a 1st playoff game and just like that he gets his 1st NHL goal, the opening tally of a game 1 4-1 win.

In 2024/2025, he plays a full slate of games in the big league at 78, scoring a new best 3 goals and 8 assists with a -9 rating, he will look to bring up with a better squad, but still enough confidence is there to extend him for 1-year, back in a Bruins‘ jersey.

With 1 goal in 6 games in 2025/2026, maybe the team was expecting more in his 4th year with the team and he was waived to be claimed by Calgary Flames, who look to use him immediately to center their 4th line.

In 29 games, he scores 2 goals and 4 assists.

For 2026/2027, he is an unrestricted free agent and signs a 1-year 2-way deal with Florida Panthers.

25Jul

Devon Levi (27)

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Despite his 3-3 record, Northeastern University Huskies‘ sophomore goalie Devon Levi(27) gives his team a chance to win each game with 2.01 GAA and .934 SV%.

Brought on board to his school as he was posting a monster junior season with Carleton Place Canadiens, earning a 1.47 GAA and .941 SV% on a 34-2-1 record in 37 CCHL games and basically earning every awarded allotted him.

The 6′ 189 lbs. net minder was spotted by Florida Panthers, who selected him in the 7th round of 2020 (#212 overall), but shipped him to Buffalo Sabres in a recent trade.

At this point, it’s just up to the 19-year old to keep stopping pucks until it feels right to sign an entry level deal, which looks to loom in his future.

After 2 seasons of effectively stopping pucks at college hockey (with 1 COVID season scratched), he decides it’s time to sign a 3-year NHL entry level deal and start doing what he does in the pros now.

With back-to-back excellent frames with the affiliate Rochester Americans and plenty of work as a rookie in the show, he is ready to return on a 2-year deal worth $812.5K AAV to stay a Sabres and continue growth.

2 years of good AHL numbers and Edmonton Oilers have him on radar to trade for in 2026/2027.

24Jul

Artem Shlaine (38)

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Undrafted, Russian-born center Artem Shlaine(38) takes a pair of good seasons at University Of Connecticut Huskies to a new adventure through the transfer portal for his junior season with Northern Michigan University Wildcats.

The 6’1″ 174 lbs. forward scored a college career high 7 goals and 10 assists for 17 points in 36 NCAA Division 1 games, sending his team all the way to the Hockey East Finals before being eliminated in overtime.

Despite being from fairly far away, the New Jersey Devils’ 5th round pick in the 2020 draft (#130 overall) has already spent a good amount of time here through youth hockey and a couple of extraordinary years at Shattuck St. Marys USHS-Prep.

The 20-year old will likely do well in his new hockey home.

After putting up 10+ goals and assists (21 as a junior) in each of his 2 seasons in the midwest, he leaves for a graduate program start at Arizona State University Sun Devils.

He finishes with a new college high 17 goals, ties his 21 assist high and 38 points, but doesn’t sign with draft team, then does ink with Texas Stars.

In 6 AHL games, he records an assist and is a +1 rating.

For his rookie season, he signs a 1-year contract to return.

As a 1st year skate he scores 19 goals and 19 assists in 63 games to net a new deal for 2026/2027 to stay a Stars.

24Jul

Zakary Karpa (59)

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Harvard University Crimson senior, 2nd year captain, center Zakary Karpa(59) is a New York Rangers‘ 6th round pick in the 2022 draft (#191 overall).

The 6’2″ 190 lbs. forward has yet to really score, despite how he plays mostly using his fairly large frame.

He did 1 year USNTDP before playing for a pair of USHL teams before heading to school.

From Greenwich, CT, the 22-year old might not be automatic to score an entry level contract, but we think produces as a pro.

In his last season, he scores just 1 goal and 6 assists in 31 games, but stays on the team who selected him’s radar and he signs for 2025/2026 with their affiliate Hartford Wolf Pack to an AHL deal.

He gets 1 goal and 3 assists in 24 games to earn another 1-year deal with the Wolf Pack.

In 34 games with their affiliate Bloomington Bison, he had 7 goals and 10 assists.

23Jul

Anthony Romano (29)

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Clarkson University Golden Knights‘ graduate right wing Anthony Romano(29) leaves scoring 9 goals for a 3rd time and has now a twice best 13 assists.

The 5’11” 185 lbs. Arizona Coyotes‘ 6th round pick in the 2019 draft (#176 overall) won the USHL Clark Cup Championship with Sioux Falls Stampede the year he was selected.

From Richmond Hill, ON, the 23-year old seems like an easy NHL entry level sign.

He actually signs with Texas Stars for his 1st pro contract, a pto, but could get reassigned as well.

Through 8 games, he scores no points, but is wanted to return for his rookie AHL year, 2024/2025 in a Stars‘ jersey.

In his 2nd season on reassignment to Florida Everblades he puts up some pretty amazing points, including 17 in the playoffs to win a 2026 Kelly Cup.

For 2026/2027, he sees a good opportunity to sign in DEL with Lowen Frankfurt.

23Jul

Connor Clifton (75)

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7th year defenseman Connor Clifton(75) found himself flipped from the only team he’s known, Boston Bruins to Buffalo Sabres before becoming an unrestricted free agent and signs himself a very handsome 3-year $10M deal to help his new team’s blue line execute their end.

The 5’11” 194 lbs. blue liner was originally a Phoenix Coyotes‘ 5th round pick in the 2013 draft (#133 overall), but failed to sign, so entered into an AHL agreement with Providence Bruins to start his pro career before signing a 2-year NHL entry level deal with the big club.

He did 4 years at Quinnipiac University Bobcats, including his last as senior captain.

A Long Branch, NJ native, he played his way up through junior hockey finally arriving at a pretty excellent USNTDP frame before heading to school.

The 28-year old may be only first arriving at his 1st big deal.

He has 2 seasons of almost equal decent enough stats to get himself traded to Pittsburgh Penguins with a year remaining on his current deal.

An unrestricted free agent, he signs to return to Boston on a 2-year, $2.25M AAV deal that should work out to be a good, important contract.

23Jul

Reilly Walsh (8)

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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.

He would get 26 assists with affiliate Ontario Reign, but spots something more for 2025/2026 and signs with Barys Astana.

In 68 games, he posts 30 assists and gets an invite to another big league contract from Montreal Canadiens.

22Jul

Drew Commesso (33)

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Chicago Blackhawks‘ 2nd round pick in the 2020 draft (#46 overall) goalie Drew Commesso(33) finished up his junior session at Boston University Terriers with a 24-8 record with a 2.46 GAA and .913 SV%, 2 shutouts in 34 appearances, including a trip to the Frozen Four.

The 6’2″ 181 lbs. net minder decides to forego his senior year to sign a 3-year NHL entry level contract.

He spent 2 seasons with the USNTDP team, starting just a crapload of games.

The 20-year old from Norwell, MA signed an ato with affiliate Rockford Icehogs, but is mostly just practice with them, as they are fairly set in the crease for their playoff run.

He is pulled up for a couple of starts in his rookie run, but comes away on the losing end.

Given another opening, as he is doing well in the AHL to get in some more games, he loses his 1st 5-1, but gets the nod for the next outing and turns in a 1st NHL win, a 3-o shutout.

He maybe doesn’t have a winning record in his 2nd frame, but is posting numbers like he’s holding his own and receives a 2-year deal to continue an Icehogs at the very least.

21Jul

Ian McCoshen (3)

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7th year defenseman Ian McCoshen(3) is off trying something new this season, playing on a 1-year deal in Finland’s top league, Liiga for Assat.

In 23 games, the 6’3″ 215 lbs. blue liner has 3 goals and 11 assists with a +4 rating.

He was always decent with scoring in the AHL, where he played some 242 games, but was a more accountable +15 rating.

The oddball Anaheim, CA native also has 60 games NHL experience, all with draft club Florida Panthers, round 2, 2013 (#31 overall).

A former 3-year Boston College Eagles, he left a year on the table, to sign his entry level deal.

At just 27-years old, he’s likely just getting started over there.

He takes a very decent frame in Finnish hockey to another stop overseas and skate Czechia Tipsport Extraliga with Bili Tygri Liberec doing well enough to be wanted back for another season and he’s still not yet 30.

Just like that he gets a better deal from a KHL club to play with Kunlun Redstar for 2024/2025 instead.

He takes some ok scoring, but a terrible +/- to a new contract for 2025/2026 with rivals, Barys Astana.

After 66 games with 3 goals and 5 assists, he fairly quickly signs a 1-year extension to stay Barys Astana for 2026/2027.