Category: NHL Draft Pick

Edmonton Oilers‘ 6th round pick in the 2019 draft (#162 overall), St. Lawrence University Saints‘ sophomore transfer, Czechia-born Tomas Mazura(10) is putting up college career best 3 goals and 6 assists in 20 games after only skating 8 as a freshman at Providence College Friars.

The big frame 6’4″ 205 lbs. forward is a power force out there, only played 4 USHL games after a monster senior year at Kimball Union Academy, serving as captain, recording an eye-popping 60 assists in 35 USHS-Prep games.

It looks as though the 22-year old will play out his college term and continue to escalate and grow his game.

He posts a new college best 6 goals and 13 assists for 19 points as a junior and scores the only goal his team needs to head to the ECAC Finals.

After 17 games with good output, 1 goal and 13 assists, he decides to head back home and signs with BK Mlada Boleslav of Tipsport Extraliga.

Evan-Cowley

2nd year net minder Evan Cowley(31) signed at the beginning of 2018/2019 with Wheeling Nailers but after one uneven start on a bit of a struggling squad was released.

Originally a Florida Panthers‘ 4th round pick in the 2013 draft (#92 overall), he never agreed to terms with the team but did eventually get a contract with affiliate Springfield Thunderbirds, where he split time with Manchester Monarchs of the ECHL as a rookie.

The former University Of Denver backstop put up stellar numbers in college and went on to win the 2017 NCAA Championship.

At 23-years old, it didn’t take him long to secure a new deal after he was let go, grabbing a contract with MH Automatyka Gdansk of Polska Hokej Liga, where he will likely excel and move up the European hockey ladder as he goes.

He spent the last 3 seasons in Ligue Magnus with Ducs D’Angers and put up league best GAA (2.02) and SV% (.935), but is ready to explore again and signs to Asiago and will play in the IceHL for 2024/2025.

Through 20 games, he has struggled some, so makes a decision to head to HockeyAllsvenskan and signs with IK Oskarshamn.

Clarkson University Golden Knights‘ 6’8″ 243 lbs. freshman defenseman Jack Sparkes(55) is a Los Angeles Kings‘ 6th round pick in 2022 (#180 overall) and may not score a lot of points, but we’re thinking isn’t really looked for that aspect of his game.

In 17 games, he has a 1st collegiate goal and 1 assist with a 0 rating.

From Ottawa, ON, he started with 1 USHL junior season after the draft, but switched out in the 2nd for the BCHL, where he had better luck.

He did have one 16 assist frame in high school.

The 21-year old is probably just thrilled to be having the ride.

13th year left wing Jerry D’Amigo(74) stays in DEL for a 2nd straight season, but leaves an alright frame with Düsseldorfer EG to sign with rivals Loewen Frankfort for 2022/2023.

He briefly returned home for a season, signing with Orlando Solar Bears after his 1st pair of years in Germany’s top league, which followed a some ok frames in Liiga, where he split time with a couple teams.

The 5’11” 201 lbs., originally a 2009 Toronto Maple Leafs‘ 6th round NHL draft pick (#158 overall) is bit streaky scoring, but did manage 10+ goals 4 times in the AHL and once hit 20 with 6 seasons of 10+ assists to go along with.

At 31-years old, the Binghamton, NY native, who only did 1 year at RPI Engineers, lightly up Atlantic Hockey, is likely pretty happy to still be signing good contracts.

After 4 seasons in Germany and 2 in Finland, it’s time to come back and sign with a team that has some sunny weather going for it year round, agreeing to terms with Jacksonville Icemen for the rest of 2023/2024.

He has a decent season, leading in the ECHL, but is ready for more adventures overseas and signs with a 3rd new league, the tough to play Slovak Extraliga, signing with HK 32 Liptovsky Mikulas.

 

12th year net minder Joe Cannata(35) switches up 4 seasons in Sweden, 3 with IK Oskarshamn of the SHL, loading some decent enough stats, but will go for something new and tend net in 2023/2024 for Lowen Frankfort of DEL.

Originally a Vancouver Canucks‘ 6th round pick in the 2009 draft (#173 overall), the 6’1″ 201 lbs. goalie was in the system for 4 years.

He would next bounce to Washington Capitals, then eventually Colorado Avalanche, where he would play shutdown for affiliate Colorado Eagles, going 21-5-2 with a 2.22 GAA and .931 SV% in the regular season, then backstopping a 2018 Kelly Cup Championship.

In his 1st year overseas, he basically won all the league awards in HockeyAllsvenskan.

The 33-year old, former Merrimack College Warriors from nearby Wakefield, MA probably has a little smile on his face how his hockey is still going.

He does ok for himself in a German net, but has decided to return to playing hockey much closer to home, signing a 1-year ECHL deal with Norfolk Admirals.

After 5 games in net and things maybe not going quite as well as he may have wanted, he decides he is heading back overseas and signs with Villacher SV in IceHL.

New York Rangers‘ 5th round pick in the 2020 draft (#134 overall), Providence College sophomore center Brett Berard(65) is striking the scoresheet like he may not want to spend 4 years at school before signing an entry level contract.

He agreed to head to the college of his choice from youth hockey, then was sent to the USNTDP program for the next couple seasons, impressing on the scoresheet despite his only 5’9″ 165 lbs. frame.

The 19-year old from East Greenwich, CT will be a good watch.

He may have not had the junior year he was looking for after putting in 18 goals and 20 assists as a sophomore, but still maintained a solid 10 goals and 14 assists in 36 games including moving past the 1st round of Hockey East tournament.

A 3-year entry level deal has been put on the table and he signs his NHL contract to see some ice time on an ato with affiliate Hartford Wolf Pack and maybe even a look from the parent club as the playoffs lurch.

He is scoring pretty big with 7 goals and 6 assists in 16 AHL games to earn himself a 1st recall.

In his debut he picks up a 1st assist in the big league and skates 19 shifts for 11:13 ice time with 2 shots, 1 hit, 1 takeaway and left a 5-2 loss with a -1, but was 100% in the face-off dot.

Defenseman Matt Irwin(52) will skate his 14th season for Vancouver Canucks.

He is signed to a 2-way deal, so potentially could be sent to play for affiliate Abbotsford Canucks, which could be ok at this point in his career.

In the last 7 years, he has skated 4 AHL games with the rest in the NHL.

The 35-year old has skated a handy 461 games in the big league, so this season could reach a milestone.

At the very least, for the 1st time, the former 2-year UMass Minutemen d-man, is skating closer to his Victoria, BC home this upcoming frame.

After a full season in the minors, doing very well with the farm club, he has yet to announce a new move in addition to his retirement from playing.

He had quite the successful run and was in the dressing room, when I got married at center ice of a Worcester Sharks‘ 2011 game.

Chicago Blackhawks‘ 3rd round pick in the 2018 draft (#69 overall) senior, center Jake Wise(28) maybe somewhat surprisingly decides to branch out from 3 years at Boston University Terriers, and finish school at Ohio State University Buckeyes.

The 5’11” 190 lbs. often injured forward was selected after a strong second showing for US National U18 Team USDP, but quickly succumbed to the sidelines 12 games into his freshman year.

He was able to play all 33 Hockey East games as a sophomore, scoring 2 goals and 11 assists, although unfortunately mostly out of the lineup in the COVID stop and go 2020/2021.

He did get a goal and an assist in just 5 games.

The 21-year old, Reading, MA native has definitely shown he can score big goals, and will hope to stay healthy for a full schedule at his new school.

He finishes up his 2nd season in the midwest with a college career best 12 goals and 27 assists and signs with the playoff bound Charlotte Checkers on a pto.

In 1 AHL game, he grabs 2 assists, then in a playoff match off, scores a 1st goal.

For 2023/2024, he gets signed to a minor league deal and returns to North Carolina, but we expect him to get some looks.

After 38 games, he gets traded to Chicago Wolves in a minor league move at the trade deadline.

For 2024/2025, he signs with Colorado Eagles, on a pto and picks up a 1-year deal after potting 2 goals and 3 assists in 6 games.

9th year right wing Danny Kristo(79) has not really lasted long with many teams after his 76 NL games spent with SC Rapperswill-Jona Lakers, scoring 46 points.

He’s definitely managed to score pretty well, whether he was in the KHL, DEL or SHL, but maybe has found a niche with Rytiri Kladno, where he has 3 goals and 7 assists in 34 Tipsport Extraliga games.

The 6′ 194 lbs. Montreal Canadiens‘ 2008 2nd round draft pick (#56 overall) forward is a three time 20+ goal scorer in the AHL.

You have to think the former two-time 26 assist, senior assistant captain at University Of North Dakota Fighting Hawks, 32-year is happy to still be playing for decent enough money.

He will head to his 7th country for pro hockey in 2022/2023, signing a 1-year deal with HK Dukla Michelovce, which should be some very decent games to jump into after finishing up in Sweden’s tier 2 last frame.

After starting the frame with 6 games in Slovakia, he decides to move on, signing with Sheffield Steelers for the remainder of the season.

He will strike well in the EIHL.

And he did, through 47 games, he posted 12 goals and 18 assists with a +7 rating, then came alive more in 4 playoff matchups, striking for 2 goals and 3 assists.

For 2023/2024, he pulls the traitor move and takes his numbers to a rival, Coventry Blaze.

He would have a similar scoring season and considers 11 years to be a good term, so decides it’s time to leave the ice to a yet named next step, but could easily transition into coaching in a second.

271 AHL games and 157 at NCAA Divison 1 were mosts.

8th year defenseman Matt Benning(5) skates his 400th NHL game for new club San Jose Sharks, where he seems to have found his footing for assists and is dangerously close to surpassing his career high of 15 as a sophomore skater.

He currently has 13 helpers in 35 appearances.

The 6’1″ 203 lbs. blue liner was originally a Boston Bruins‘ 6th round pick in the 2012 draft (#175 overall), but was dished to Edmonton Oilers before so much as getting out of his debut training camp.

Born in St. Albert, AB, he comes from a hockey family and studied 3 years at Northeastern University Huskies before deciding to turn pro.

The 28-year old signed a 4-year $1.25M AAV deal that runs through 2026, but he may have landed at a nice team for him to be and continue with.

7 games into the new season with 3rd year team, he is traded to Toronto Maple Leafs.

If he can remain healthy and rebound his game, he should adjust well to the style of his new team and contribute.