Category: NHL Draft Pick

17Aug

David Gucciardi (48)

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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.

15Aug

Jakov Novak (86)

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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.

14Aug

Rocco Grimaldi (28)

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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.

14Aug

Jack Hughes (27)

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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.

12Aug

Jake Schmaltz (9)

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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.

10Aug

Colin White (36)

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Montreal Canadiens stepped up and claimed former Ottawa Senators‘ 1st round pick in the 2015 draft (#21 overall), center Colin White(36) from Pittsburgh Penguins, who put him on waivers after spending most of the current frame in the minors with affiliate Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.

The 6’1″ 194 lbs. 7th year forward was a huge scorer in 2 campaigns of USNTDP and then 2 at Boston College Eagles.

He can score, as he did in his best season, his 2nd, where he struck for 14 goals and 27 assists in 71 NHL games.

The 27-year old can definitely still contribute, if he is placed in the right situation.

He scores nothing in the big league and signs with San Jose Barracuda for 2024/2025 and scores 5 goals and 5 assists in 20 games to gain notice and get signed by parent club, San Jose Sharks to a 1-year, 2-way deal for the remainder of 2024/2025.

With 25 points in 48 games and 3 games on recall and under a new contract, he is fully on the radar and no time is wasted to get a new 1-year deal to stay in a Sharks‘ uniform.

10Aug

Isaac Howard (22)

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Michigan State University Spartans‘ sophomore left wing Isaac Howard(22) is taking up where he left off with his USNTDP team, scoring 5 goals and 15 assists in 18 games with the #7 USCHO NCAA Division 1 team in the country.

After a junior season of exploding scoring with 26 goals and 26 assists in 37 games with a +19 rating to win the 2025 Hobey Baker Award, he leaves a year on the table at school to sign a 3-year NHL entry level deal with Edmonton Oilers.

Isaac Howard (3)

09Aug

Sam Jardine (21)

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7th year defenseman Sam Jardine(21) leaves for overseas hockey a 2nd time, this time signing with Bratislava Capitals of IceHL for 2021/2022.

Originally a 6th round pick by Chicago Blackhawks in 2011 (#169 overall), he initially signed a one-year minor league deal with affiliate Rockford IceHogs to stay in the system but was sent further down for most of his rookie campaign.

The almost deceptively built 6’2″ 209 lbs. d-man has played 228 ECHL games and won a pair of Kelly Cups: 2017 and most notably 2019 in a great run with Newfoundland Growlers.

He’s also had 4 AHL contracts and played 71 games.

The Lacombe, AB native spent 2019/2020 overseas with Cardiff Devils of the EIHL, not scoring a load of points (15) but was a nice +24 rating for on-ice accountability.

He decided to spend 2020/2021 a little closer to home after confirming a return to England, and, inked with Greenville Swamp Rabbits, where he exploded for a personal best 41 assists and 44 points in 67 games.

The 29-year old, former 3-year, 10+ assist man at Ohio State University Buckeyes will likely do well in Austria’s 6 nation league.

As said, he excelled pretty well with a pair of goals and 4 assists in 14 games with a +2 rating to gain a look from HIFK of Liiga, so will head to Finland.

For 2022/2023, he went to skate in England’s top league for another spell with Cardiff Devils and although he may have not scored a ton of points, was an accountable +7.

He decides to return to the states for 2023/2024 and will come back to the Swamp Rabbits, where he recorded his greatest assist total.

Spending a bit more time on loan to Calgary Wranglers, he finishes up the year and has decided to return to Austria to sign with Fehervar AV19 for 2024/2025.

He actually has a change of attitude and signs in the Senior AAA Alberta league with Lacombe Generals, probably to just play some hockey somewhere to keep in shape.

For 2025/2026, he’s making a big return and signs with Idaho Steelheads.

08Aug

Jaycob Megna (24)

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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.

Finishing up with a tied for 2nd most games in the big league at 44, and unrestricted free agent, the Plantation, FL native next signs with hometown team, Florida Panthers, where he figures into 8 games en route to a 2025 Stanley Cup trophy.

He signs a 2-year deal with Vegas Golden Knights that looks to be on a one-way value.

05Aug

Sam Colangelo (64)

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Northeastern University Huskies‘ sophomore right wing Sam Colangelo(64) picks up his 1st NCAA Division 1 goal in the 2021/2022 home opener.

He had 8 Hockey East shots at it as a freshman, but managed only 3 assists.

The 6’2″ 207 lbs. Anaheim Ducks‘ 2nd round pick in the 2020 draft (#36 overall) was selected by his school as an entering junior, then took off to for one round of junior action with Chicago Steel.

In 44 USHL games, he detonated the scoresheet with 28 goals and 30 assists with a +32 rating.

It would be zero surprise to see the 19-year old finish up all four years of college before turning pro.

The Stoneham, MA native will head to Western Michigan University Broncos for his senior year, then we feel will likely be given his NHL contract.

After playing a college career high 39 games, scoring a new double best 24 goals, 3-time 10+ assists (19) and 43 points with +19 rating, he signs a pto to affiliate San Diego Gulls to play out the remainder of the season and scores a 1st AHL goal and adds 3 assists in 4 games.

And just like that, the Ducks step in and ink him to a 2-year entry level deal, starting this season to play out the final games of 2023/2024.

He’s a point-per-game player in the minors and pops in 10 goals in the big league to earn himself a nice new 2-year deal that will be a 1-way contract for 2026/2027 to remain a Ducks.