Vancouver Canucks‘ 4th round pick in the 2017 draft (#95 overall) rookie defenseman Jack Rathbone(51) makes his NHL debut after being recalled from affiliate Utica Comets to the taxi squad a half month ago.
He’d scored two goals and 7 assists in 8 AHL games before getting recalled.
In the 5’10” 177 lbs. d-man’s debut he skated 14 shifts for 12:04 total ice time with a shot on net and a 0 rating in a 4-1 loss.
The former Harvard University Crimson blue liner spent two years there, leaving with a tied career high 7 goals and new best 24 assists and 31 points in a COVID cut season of 28 NCAA Division 1 Hockey East games with no playoffs, then no season to play in 2021/2022 for the school, which had to make his decision to turn pro unfortunately easy.
The almost 22-year old has plenty to look forward to.
He works his way into an average of 10 games per frame, but gets himself moved in his 4th season with the team that sends him to Pittsburgh Penguins for 2023/2024, although he already has 1 goal in the minors and that’s likely where he headed first.
An unrestricted free agent, he signs a 1-year, 2-way deal with Buffalo Sabres that could see him mostly reassigned to affiliate Rochester Americans, but also could see him as being given an opportunity with his new team.
In 63 games, he scores 6 goals and 17 assists with a +9 rating, then adds another 3 points in the playoffs, which earns a 2-year contract to continue under the look of Buffalo.
University Of Wisconsin Badgers‘ freshman defenseman Logan Hensler(6) committed after 2 USNTDP seasons of good scoring play.
The 6’3″ 198 lbs. blue liner scored 2 goals and 10 assists in 32 games last season.
From Woodbury, MN, the 19-year old is selected by Ottawa Senators in the 2nd round of the 2025 draft (#23 overall).
After 11 years with the team that initially signed him in a trade following the completion of 3 years at Boston College Eagles, Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Brian Dumoulin(8) steps away for a 1st time, agreeing to 2 years with Seattle Kracken at a nice $3.15M AAV.
He was initially drafted by Carolina Hurricanes in the 2nd round of 2009 (#51 overall).
The 6’4″ 207 lbs. rock of a blue liner has a combined +98 rating, 2 Stanley Cups and 2 NCAA Division 1 titles.
He played a career high 82 game slate last season, scoring a new best 24 assists and 25 points.
The 31-year old, originally from Biddeford, ME is only smiling, playing hockey.
He scores a career high 6 goals in his 1st season away from home, but isn’t retained and traded to Anaheim Ducks for 2024/2025.
The continued upward movement is on in New Jersey Devils, who trade to pick him up the soon to be unrestricted agent and insure their upward movement.
He continues to be a strong performer and is picked up by Los Angeles Kings on a 3-year deal worth $4M AAV.
USNTDP 2nd year center Conrad Fondrk(16) didn’t seem to skate quite as full a clip as he did his 1st season, but was still quite adept at scoring.
The 6′ 203 lbs. forward is a 2025/2026 commit to Boston University Terriers.
He also happened to be about a month ago New Jersey Devils‘ 2nd round pick in the 2025 draft (#50 overall).
From St. Paul, MN, the still young 18-year old has a lot to look forward to.
New York Rangers‘ 7th year defenseman, Ryan Lindgren(55) gets a late season trade to a playoff team, Colorado Avalanche.
For 6 years, the 6′ 194 lbs. blue liner has recorded 10+ assists.
He had 3 assists with a +5 rating in 7 playoff games before bowing out.
Originally a Boston Bruins‘ 2nd round pick in the 2016 draft (#49 overall), he was traded before ever suiting up for them officially.
He did 2 years of USNTDP before heading to University Of Minnesota Golden Gophers, where he left after his sophomore frame.
An unrestricted free agent, he signs quickly for 4 years at $4.5M AAV with Seattle Kracken.
UMASS Minutemen junior defenseman Scott Morrow(23) is looking to put up more career high college stats this season with 5 goals and 15 assists in just 16 games with a +7, looking to best 13 and 22, but looking good.
The 6’2″ 192 lbs. blue liner played exactly 2 USHL games of junior hockey with Youngstown Phantoms, grabbing an assist after finishing up at Shattuck St. Mary’s USHS-Prep.
From Darien, CT, the 21-year old is a Carolina Hurricanes‘ 2nd round pick in the 2021 draft (#40 overall).
He looks like an easy 2-year entry level contract, but that just means they will have to work with him through restricted free agent contracts.
After recording a college best 24 assists and a 3rd 30+ point season, he leaves a year on the table to sign a 3-year NHL entry level deal.
He is traded to New York Rangers, who hopefully becomes part of their new d corp.
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.
