UMASS Minutemen Russian-born, freshman left wing Aydar Suniev(16) 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.
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 NHL entry level contract sign.
11th year defenseman Ben Blood(89) is enjoying a 7th season playing at the highest level possible in Finland, once again with the 1st team he laced them up for after coming over, Pelicans of Liiga.
In 5 games this season he has an assist, but is a +3 rating.
The very big 6’4″ 227 lbs. blue liner isn’t really known for putting up the points, only three times doing decent, once for half a session in Norway, one where he is and last year, he had a fairly good showing in IceHL for Graz99ers.
From Plymouth, MN, the University Of North Dakota Fighting Hawks‘ graduate was originally an Ottawa Senators‘ 4th round pick in the 2007 draft (#120 overall).
The 33-year old is still playing a decent game of hockey, so if he doesn’t have anything nagging will likely continue for awhile.
After 7 years of playing Finnish hockey, he decides to jump for a season in DEL with Lowen Frankfurt, which should prove to be a very good fit.
Looks like he misses Finland and re-signs with the 1st team he suited up for overseas and 1 he skated for just last seasons, Pelicans.
Cornell University Big Red freshman defenseman Hoyt Stanley(5) is an Ottawa Senators‘ 4th round pick in the 2023 draft (#108 overall).
He is a big, pounding presence at 6’3″ 201 lbs.
The 18-year old played most of 2 BCHL seasons with Victoria Grizzlies.
He’s definitely one to watch.
Cornell University Big Red freshman center Jonathan Castagna(38) is an Arizona Coyotes‘ 3rd round pick in the 2023 draft (#70 overall).
The 6’2″ 194 lbs. forward at still only 18-years old is a solid, power forward style player.
Through 18 games this season, he has 5 goals and 7 assists with a +11 rating on the #13 team in the country.
From Etobicoke, ON, he did 2 years at St. Andrew’s College and he looks like he’s getting ready.
9th year defenseman Kevin Gravel(5) has got to be feeling the same way he did when he was a rookie with Manchester Monarchs making an unlikely AHL run to capture the 2015 Calder Cup trophy.
The now 31-year old is locked in with his team, Milwaukee Admirals in a Western Conference battle to head to the Finals.
He has contributed 1 goal and 2 assists in 9 games with a +4 rating.
The 6’4″ 203 lbs. blue liner is signed on a 2-year 2-way deal to Nashville Predators and skated 23 games with them this past season.
He has played 132 NHL games and 332 in the lower league.
Originally a Los Angeles Kings‘ 5th round pick in 2010 (#148 overall), he initially was on a minor league contract, when helping his team to the title, but quickly upped on a 2-year entry level deal heading into the next frame.
The St. Cloud State University Huskies‘ 4-year d-man exploded in his senior year with 10 goals, seemingly out of nowhere.
He’s got another year left on his current deal, so he should settle in nicely.
Playing super well as team captain for the affiliate, Admirals with great plus numbers, despite maybe not scoring huge points earns him 2 more seasons at nice little pay bump to stay.
3rd year center Nolan Vesey(11) is off to his best start with a pair of goals and an assist in 5 ECHL games with new contract club, Worcester Railers.
The North Reading, MA native sort came home to a degree, signing with the close to home team for 2021/2022.
A one-time Toronto Maple Leafs‘ 6th round pick in the 2014 draft (#158 overall), he was chosen after an exceptional one year of junior hockey for South Shore Kings USPHL Premiere team, and then went on to attend University Of Maine Black Bears for 4 seasons, but never signed.
He was three times a 10+ goals and 10+ assists player in Hockey East.
The 6′ 185 lbs., 26-year old forward seems to be a bit of an underachiever, considering his brother Jimmy is a full-time NHL skater.
After throwing in a career high by a long shot 12 goals and 28 assists with a +13 rating in 62 games as assistant captain last season and a 3-game loan up to Springfield Thunderbirds, he decides to stick around in central MA for a 2nd run.
He posts a career best 13 goals last season in the lower league, but his eyes are open for opportunities leading in his next stage and he maybe a tiny bit oddly late signs with DVTK Jegesmedvek of Erste Liga for the remainder of the frame.
Providence College Friars‘ freshman center Hudson Malinoski(9) was a Toronto Maple Leafs‘ 5th round pick in the 2023 draft (#153 overall).
The 6’1″ 189 lbs. forward was selected after putting up 53 assists in 44 AJHL games for Brooks Bandits.
He has 5 goals and 4 assists in 19 games with a +3 rating.
The 19-year old from Saskatoon, SK seems to be right on track.
UMASS Minutemen sophomore center Kenny Connors(17) is flirting with marks that will best his freshman numbers, 9 goals and 17 assists with 5 goals and 8 assists in 21 games.
He had an outstanding 2nd USHL session with Dubuque Fighting Saints.
The 6’1″ 190 lbs. forward is a Los Angeles Kings‘ 4th round pick in the 2022 draft (#103 overall).
From Glen Mills, PA, the 20-year old should continue at college unless he can further breakout as a junior.
8th year, big, very big 6’6″ 220 lbs. defenseman Jaycob Megna(24) gets rewarded by parent club San Jose Sharks for signing a minor league deal with their affiliate San Jose Barracuda for the weirdo run that was 2020/2021 with a new 1-year NHL 2-way contract for 2021/2022.
He has played 346 AHL games and 43 in the big league all with draft club Anaheim Ducks, who selected him in the 7th round 2012 (#210 overall).
The 3-year University Of Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks‘ d-man was picked after his rookie season, but did also have a nice lead in with Muskegon Lumberjacks, dishing 17 assists in 55 USHL games.
It looks as though the 28-year old is set to resume his duties as team captain of the farm club, but we’re thinking he may get a look or two up in the show.
Playing his 1st full set of games in the big league, he has skated a new best 48 appearances for 2022/2023, scoring a goal and new best 11 assists with a +6 rating and finds himself traded to a rival, Seattle Kracken to help round out their blue line for a playoff pump.
He plays only 6 games up and is put on waivers to be claimed by Chicago Blackhawks, who throw the big man straight into the lineup and he records an assist in his debut.
