Edmonton Oilers‘ 6th round pick in the 2019 draft (#188 overall), Quinnipiac University Bobcats‘ senior center Skyler Brind’Amour(76) has a new college career best 12 goals and 24 points, but still needs 5 more helpers to equal the 17 assists he got as a junior.
The 6’2″ 174 lbs. forward played 2 seasons with Chilliwack Chiefs after dipping his toe in with the USNTDP program, running up 44 points (13 goals, 31 assists) in 52 BCHL games in his 2nd frame with the team.
A 23-year old, born in Raleigh, NC, when his dad Rod Brind’Amour(17) was playing for Carolina Hurricanes should produce well once he turns pro, as he’s pretty big and uses that to gain space out there.
He has a season they like in the AHL, a good preseason invite to training camp and looks as though he joins his dad under a 2-way NHL contract from the club he coaches for 2024/2025.
Scoring an easy best 16 goals and 7 assists gets him a 1st look to see what he can do.
In his debut he plays 20 shifts for 15:28 ice time with 1 block, 1 hit and 2 giveaway with a -2 rating in a 4-2 loss, but still gets praise for his play out there.
For his 2nd game, he scores himself a 1st NHL goal, as he was close to the net to stuff one in.
Coming in was one of the best things for his game, as he goes on to score 16 goals and 8 assists through 68 games, which leads to a 1-years extension to stay a Canes for 2025/2026.
6th year net minder Eamon McAdam(37) finds a good deal to split for Metal Ligaen, joining Esbjerg Energy in 2021/2022.
Originally a New York Islanders‘ 3rd round pick in the 2013 draft (#70 overall), he signed a three-year entry level deal after completing his 3rd year at Penn State University Nittany Lions and mostly languished through equal time between affiliates Bridgeport Sound Tigers and their ECHL partner putting together ok numbers.
He was traded to Toronto Maple Leafs in the final campaign of his contract and once again did equal time in the pair of minor leagues.
The sturdy 6’3″ 198 lbs. goalie was left unqualified and signed an AHL deal with Binghamton Devils, but was sent for the duration of the session to Adirondack Thunder, starting a career high 40 games.
He almost seemed to come to life more last season with Jacksonville Icemen, going 4-2-2 with a best 2.53 GAA and .915 SV%.
The 27-year old should find more new life in Denmark’s top hockey.
He takes some conservatively good numbers to his next opportunity, signing for 2022/2023 with Guilford Flames of the EIHL.
After 3 seasons with one team in the league, he branches out to join rivals Sheffield Steelers for 2025/2026.
Boston Bruins‘ 2nd round pick in the 2020 draft (#58 overall), defenseman Mason Lohrei(6) left a couple of years on the table in his college life at University Of Ohio Buckeyes, but looking at him on day 1 of 2023 Development Camp he will compete for a position with the big club more than just reporting to affiliate Providence Bruins to start things, like he did on an ato last season.
In his 3rd game up after putting up 4 assists in 7 games in the AHL, he gets himself a 1st NHL goal to go along with the helper he tallied in his debut.
After a full slate of 77 games with the big team, he scores bests 5 goals and by a mile 28 assists to earn himself a 2-year deal to stay a Bruins at $3.2M AAV as a restricted free agent.
Mason Lohrei (6)
Anaheim Ducks quickly sign 3rd year Boston College Eagles‘ defenseman Drew Helleson(43) to a 3-year entry level deal after picking him up on a huge trade that maybe sent their best blue liner to a rival.
He takes a junior year tying 4 goals in new bests 32 NCAA Division 1 games, 21 assists and 25 points to his new job.
The sizably solid 6’3″ 204 lbs. d-man spent a pair of seasons in the USNTDP system before arriving at school.
At just 20-years old, he is likely to have an immediate impact.
He has played his rookie season with affiliate San Diego Gulls, putting up 5 goals and 13 assists, after coming in last year on an ato, skating 17 games, including 2 in the playoffs that got him a pair of assists.
His play earns the Farmington, MN native a look in the show and in his debut is on the ice for 18 shifts, 13:30 with 2 shots on net, leaving a 5-4 overtime loss with a -1, then in his 2nd appearance scores a 1st NHL goal for himself despite skating less minutes than his first game.
After 56 games, scoring 4 goals and 9 assists with a +6 rating on a non-playoff team, he earns himself a nice 2-year extension as a 1st time restricted free agent worth $1.1M AAV to stay a Ducks.
Los Angeles Kings‘ rookie signing Tyler Madden(18) returns from an injury that kept him out for a couple of months, just in time for the mini-playoffs the AHL is allowing for Pacific Division.
The 5’11” 180 lbs. forward has a first pro goal and 3 assists in 13 games for affiliate Ontario Reign, including one small stretch of assists in two straight.
Originally a Vancouver Canucks‘ 3rd round pick in the 2018 draft (#68 overall), he was traded as he was torching the scoresheet in his 2nd year at Northeastern University Huskies (19-18-37 in 27 games) before any playoffs got pulled due to the COVID outbreak.
He was wooed to leave school and sign his three year entry level deal.
The thought has to be the Deerfield Beach, FL native is going to step it up.
4 years of scoring very decently with the affiliate gets him a new 1-year NHL deal to continue for his 5th in a Reign jersey.
He is traded sort of late season to Minnesota Wild and reassigned Iowa Wild, where he scored 2 goals and 8 assists in 20 games with a +2 rating.
For 2025/2026, he will head off to a new journey, signing in DEL with Straubing Tigers, where we look for him to do really well.
Boston Bruins‘ sign unrestricted free agent center John Farinacci(32) to a 2-year NHL entry level deal after finishing up his 4th year at Harvard University Crimson as senior captain.
He was originally an Arizona Coyotes‘ 3rd round pick in the 2019 draft (#76 overall), but went oddly unsigned.
The 6’ 190 lbs. forward from Red Bank, NJ came north for his high school hockey, but played little junior hockey before committing to school.
He is the Crimson coach Ted Donato‘s nephew.
In his 2nd season in the minors, he scores 9 goals and a new best 28 assists to earn himself a 1st recall.
He skates 16 shifts for 10:58 ice time with 1 shot that equaled a 1st NHL goal and 3 hits for his debut, a 5-4 overtime loss.
In his 2nd season in the minors, he matches his 1st year totals with 38 points with a +9 rating and plays a 1st game in the big league to score himself a new deal with the Bruins for 2025/2026, as a restricted free agent.
Providence College Friars‘ graduate right wing Ryan O’Reilly(22) is looking to set new college bests scoring, if he can figure into enough games on a particularly deep, very good Hockey East team.
The 6’3″ 220 lbs. forward has 6 goals and 3 assists in 18 games with a +9 rating after coming over from 4 years at Arizona State University Sun Devils.
A 2018 Detroit Red Wings‘ 4th round pick in the draft (#98 overall), he had a blowout scoring debut USHL season.
From Southlake, TX, the 24-year old looks like he’d be an easy sign to see to an NHL entry level deal to see what he can do.
He goes unsigned, but inks a 1st deal with Orlando Solar Bears, where he should be a scoring force in the ECHL.
For his rookie season, he signs a contract with Greenville Swamp Rabbits in 2025/2026.
9th year defenseman Josh Manson(42) signs a new 4-year NHL deal worth $4.5M AAV with Colorado Avalanche after helping them claim the 2022 Stanley Cup in not even his 1st year with the team.
He was originally an Anaheim Ducks‘ 6th round pick in the 2011 draft (#160 overall) and stayed with them for 8+ years.
The 30-year old, Hinsdale, IL native played 3 seasons, including junior captain at Northeastern University Huskies before signing an entry level contract.
Continuing to do well despite being limited to 48 games due to injury, he signs a 2-year deal to continue in an Avalanche jersey.
Michigan State University Spartans‘ freshman right wing Shane Vansaghi(23) just became Philadelphia Flyers‘ 2nd round pick in the 2025 draft (#48 overall).
The 18-year old from St. Louis, MO finished up youth hockey in St. Louis Blues‘ system, then went on young to the USNTDP, where he was able to do decently enough for himself.
At 6’3″ 210 lbs., he is a big frame and saw an ability to score in college with 6 goals and 10 assists in 37 games with a +10 rating.
12th year center Chris Wagner(14) signs a 1-year deal to return to Colorado Avalanche, which almost certainly has the 32-year old seeing most of his playing time with their affiliate Colorado Eagles.
In his last couple of seasons under contract with Boston Bruins, he spent most of his playing time in the AHL with Providence Bruins.
He was originally an Anaheim Ducks‘ 5th round pick in the 2010 draft (#122 overall) and mostly stayed with them for 6 years.
The 6’ 195 lbs. forward from Walpole, MA left after 2 years at Colgate University Raiders to turn pro and likely made a pretty good decision.
He of 363 appearances in the minors and 360 NHL games would be an amazing coach going forward.
17 games in the minors with 4 goals and 4 assists and a +3 rating and 10 up in the show for another 1 goal and 1 assist with another +3 rating and he is happily invited to wear an Avalanche jersey for another season.
He spends 28 games with the contract team and 44 on reassignment, where he equals perfectly his best scoring with 12 goals and 19 assists.
Going forward, he almost smartly signs a 2-year minor league deal with Springfield Thunderbirds that will likely just equal good things for his future, especially considering he is still contributing big.
