Category: NHL Draft Pick

24Nov

Jeremy Bracco (97)

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5th year right wing Jeremy Bracco(97) is off to a hot start with his new club overseas, Krefeld Pinguine. scoring 6 goals and 11 assists in 15 DEL games.

He had 17 points (2-15) last season with KalPa in just 24 Liiga games.

The 5’11” 194 lbs. forward was originally a Toronto Maple Leafs‘ 2nd round pick in 2015 (#61 overall) and spent his 1st 3 pro years in their system, playing for affiliate Toronto Marlies. but somehow amassing 145 points in 169 AHL games isn’t good enough to score a qualifying offer.

He was signed to play with Carolina Hurricanes last season, but when he was to be sent to the minors, entertained and accepted a more lucrative offer and was released on unconditional waivers to Finland.

It seems likely that if the still young 24-year old, former 5-game Boston College Eagle (3 assists), who quickly left for a pair of very solid OHL campaigns before turning pro will get pick up by an NHL team for a one-way contract if he keeps scoring big.

He may not be making his way to the big league in North America quite yet, but does take it up another level overseas, joining Bary Nur-Sultan of the KHL after putting up a career 2nd best 40 assists in Germany’s top hockey.

We do think the Freeport, NY native and 2018 Calder Cup Champion will return.

He starts his 2nd year with the team after 14 goals and 26 assists last season, but records only 1 goal in 6 games and maybe they get nervous and deal him to HC Sochi.

We do believe he will do just fine.

In 33 games, he scores 8 goals and 7 assists that he will take with him to his new league, Slovak Extraliga, where he signs with HKM Zvolen for 2024/2025.

He almost oddball takes 7 assists in 6 games to a new deal with HC Innsbruck and will head over to IceHL for his next hockey.

Scoring pretty well in Austria, he wants to head back to the tougher Slovakia and signs with HK Poprad.

Once again, putting up points is not a problem and he notches 8 assists in 5 games, then 3 goals and 1 helper through 6 in the playoffs, so he’s an easy re-sign to return with Poprad.

After 9 games with 1 goal and 4 assists, he decides to head for DEL2 and signs with Eisbaren Regensburg, where we know he will score well.

22Nov

Derek Forbort (24)

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Unrestricted 9th year free agent Derek Forbort(24) signs a three-year NHL deal with Boston Bruins through 2023/2024 for $3M AAV.

The big 6’4″ 219 lbs. blue liner skated for Winnipeg Jets, who signed him to a simple deal for a season.

A veteran of 331 games, the 29-year old has 8 goals and 57 assists with a +8 rating and blocks a tremendous amount of shots.

The former three year University Of North Dakota Fighting Hawks‘ d-man and Los Angeles Kings‘  1st round, 2010, #15 overall pick is going to be a perfect fit with his new club.

He would have finished up 3 good years with the team from the East, but last year suffered some injuries that sidelined him for time, limiting his play to 35 games.

A free agent, he accepts a new 1-year deal with Vancouver Canucks for 2024/2025.

He appears in 54 games and scores 2 goals and 9 assists to re-sign to stay a Canucks for 2025/2026.

20Nov

Johnny Beecher (19)

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University Of Michigan Wolverines‘ junior center Johnny Beecher(19) decides to forego his senior year and signs an ato with Providence Bruins to play out the remainder of 2021/2022 with the AHL team.

This is done under the guidance of 1st round 2019 draft club (#30 overall) Boston Bruins, who will eventually sign him to a 2 or 3-year entry level deal.

The 6’3″ 209 lbs. forward didn’t make an impact in college hockey as he did in a pair of 40+ point seasons for the USNTDP.

At just 21-years old, the parent club coaching staff believes the Elmira, NY native is ready to bring some game.

Recently re-slotted from the affiliate back up to the show, where he’s skated 52 games with 7 goals and 3 assists in his sophomore season, he plays a 1st playoff game and just like that he gets his 1st NHL goal, the opening tally of a game 1 4-1 win.

In 2024/2025, he plays a full slate of games in the big league at 78, scoring a new best 3 goals and 8 assists with a -9 rating, he will look to bring up with a better squad, but still enough confidence is there to extend him for 1-year, back in a Bruins‘ jersey.

With 1 goal in 6 games in 2025/2026, maybe the team was expecting more in his 4th year with the team and he was waived to be claimed by Calgary Flames, who look to use him immediately to center their 4th line.

19Nov

Nate Benoit (22)

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Quinnipiac University Bobcats‘ sophomore defenseman Nate Benoit(22) enters the transfer portal to skate at his 3rd college, Long Island University Sharks for 2025/2026.

The 6’2″ 187 lbs. blue liner was selected by Minnesota Wild in the 6th round of 2021 (#182 overall) after 2 particularly strong showings at high school.

From Bow, NH, the did 2 sessions of USHL before heading to University Of North Dakota Fighting Hawks.

The 22-year has 2 assists in 11 games with a +1 rating on a team that could be better for him to sign an NHL entry level deal off of.

19Nov

Jack Murtagh (18)

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USNTDP‘s 2nd year center Jack Murtagh(18) committed to Boston University Terriers for 2025/2026 after scoring virtual point-per-game numbers last seaeson in juniors.

The 6’1″ 198 lbs. forward from East Greenbush, NY became Philadelphia Flyers‘ 2nd round pick in the 2025 draft (#40 overall).

He’s only 18-years old and already has 12 college games with 3 goals and 3 assists under his belt.

16Nov

Luke Witkowski (4)

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10th year defenseman Luke Witkowski(4) returns to Springfield Thunderbirds, where he played 16 regular season games, then 17 in the playoffs after a trade from Detroit Red Wings sent him to St. Louis Blues‘ system.

The sizable 6’2″ 209 lbs. blue liner doesn’t exactly score a lot of points in his 324 AHL games, but does have a nice +38 rating for accountability.

In 132 NHL games, the former Tampa Bay Lightning 6th round pick in the 2008 draft (#160 overall) has 2 goals and 11 assists.

He was a senior captain at Western Michigan University Broncos and 3-time lead guy for Syracuse Crunch.

The 32-year old from Holland, MI is likely smiling with each big contracts he still gets.

For 2023/2024, he has made the decision to try something completely new and heads to Finland to join Tappara and will play his games in Liiga.

Switzerland was good enough fun for the now 34-year old, but will elevate his game a little by signing in the SHL with Skelleftea AIK for 2024/2025.

He waits a minute after skating 25 regular season, then 11 in the playoffs to sign with rivals, Brynas IF for 2025/2026.

13Nov

Josiah Didier (44)

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9th year defenseman Josiah Didier(44) was an unrestricted free agent after signing a 2-year AHL deal with 4 season team Providence Bruins, where he served as team captain in his last two.

For 2023/2024, he steps off on a new route and signs a 1-year deal with Grand Rapids Griffins to help them shore up their back end.

The rather big 6’3″ 223 lbs. blue liner played 4 years at University Of Denver Pioneers, leaving the program with a +20 rating before turning pro with the final frame of Hamilton Bulldogs‘ storied career in Burlington, ON.

The former Montreal Canadiens‘ 4th round pick in the 2011 draft (#97 overall) would start his pro career with 2 years skating for St. John’s Ice Caps before trading that in for 2 campaigns including a 2019 Calder Cup Championship with Charlotte Checkers, which definitely brought him some attention.

From Littleton, CO, the 30-year old has worked hard for every inch he’s earned.

In 61 games, he scores 4 goals and 4 assists with a +6 rating serving as the team captain and will return in a Griffins‘ jersey for 2024/2025.

He scores 2 goals and 6 assists in 58 games with a +10 rating, but is an unrestricted free agent, so signs with Laval Rocket for 2025/2026.

In 6 games, he already has 2 assists with a +2 rating.

13Nov

Brett Stapley (7)

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Montreal Canadiens‘ 7th round pick in the 2018 draft (#190 overall), 2022 NCAA Division 1 University Of Denver Pioneers’ Champion center Brett Stapley(7) signs a 1-year AHL deal with affiliate Laval Rocket for 2022/2023.

The 5’10” 172 lbs. forward scored a college best 18 goals and tying 25 assists in 41 games with a +22 rating.

He was also a solid scorer in his 2nd and 3rd BCHL seasons with Vernon Vipers.

The 23-year old from Campbell River, BC may be an immediate impact player.

For his rookie season, he was shipped down to Trois-Rivieres Lions and has a tidy 9 goals and 36 assists in 49 ECHL games, playing a real energy role on the team.

He ends with 41 helpers, which gains the notice of Colorado Eagles, who sign him to bring him “home” to an AHL deal for 2023/2024.

For the entire season, he is sent to play for affiliate Utah Grizzlies and blows up scoring as a 2nd year league player with 24 goals and a monster 47 assists in 67 games.

He’s stretching and signs with HK Ducla Trencin of Slovak Extraliga to try his hand at a higher rung of hockey, just overseas.

In maybe a bit of a surprise decision, he decides to head to HockeyAllsvenskan and signs with Sodertalje SK for 2025/2026 after recording very close to point-per-game numbers last season.

After 13 games with 1 goal and 5 assists, he is wooed by Pelicans of Liiga to come skate maybe a little more aggressively.

11Nov

Joel Maata (21)

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University Of Vermont Catamounts‘ senior, Finnish-born captain, center Joel Maata(21) took a college best 9 goals and 18 assists in 37 games with a +5 rating to a 1st pro contract back home in Liiga with TPS.

He has become their assistant captain.

The 6’2″ 205 lbs. forward did 2 years of USHL before college.

In 19 games with his new team, he has 5 goals and 4 assists.

He was an Edmonton Oilers‘ 7th round pick in the 2022 draft (#222 overall), but was left unsigned.

10Nov

Charlie Tretheway (91)

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USNTDP‘s 2nd year defenseman Charlie Tretheway(91) commits to Boston University Terriers for 2025/2026.

The 6’2″ 201 lbs. blue liner had just 2 goals and 7 assists in 24 USHL games with a +16 rating.

From Ellicott City, MD, the 18-year old found himself to be a Pittsburgh Penguins‘ 3rd round pick in the 2025 draft (#73 overall).

In 11 games, he has 1 assist with a -1 rating, but all that will improve.