Category: NHL Draft Pick

05Sep

Zeev Buium (24)

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University Of Denver Pioneers‘ sophomore defenseman Zeev Buium(24) stays only 2 years before the Minnesota Wild 1st round pick in the 2024 NHL draft (#12 overall) signs a 3-year entry level deal.

The 6′ 185 lbs. blue liner had point-per-game numbers through 2 seasons with 10+ goals and 30+ assists each frame.

In 18 games this season, he has 3 goals and 5 assist with a -10 rating he needs to work on.

From Laguna Niguel, CA, the 19-year old did 2 years of USNTDP, but really popped scoring, when he arrived at school.

In maybe the explosive 2025/2026 trade, he moves to help build the future of Vancouver Canucks.

Heading into 2026/2027, he signs a massive 8-year deal worth $9.38M AAV to stay a Canucks.

04Sep

Bobby Cowan (19)

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 Western Michigan University Broncos‘ sophomore right wing Bobby Cowan(19) had 2 huge sessions of USHS-MN hockey, then 1 breakthrough USHL season to his 2025/2026 college commit.

This caught the eye of New York Islanders, who 7th round drafted him in the 2026 session (#205 overall).

From Edina, MN, the 20-year will return for a 2nd year after scoring 5 goals and 19 assists in 39 games with a +3 rating in his freshman frame.

02Sep

Declan McDonnell (26)

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Niagara University Purple Eagles‘ assistant captain, junior right wing Declan McDonnell(26) had 12 goals and 14 assists in 37 games last season.

He came over from 2 USports‘ seasons at Saint Mary’s University Huskies, where he also scored well.

The 5’10” 185 lbs. forward has had a wild little run already, doing 4 years OHL, but going pro in the AHL the COVID campaign 2020/2021 with Syracuse Crunch.

Originally a Tampa Bay Lightning 7th round pick in the NHL draft (#217 overall) made sense for him to play with the affiliate.

From Buffalo, NY, the 24-year old played his youth hockey in the Jr. Sabres‘ system.

He foregoes a senior year and signs a pro deal with Worcester Railers.

In 9 games, he has a 1st ECHL goal and 2 assists.

He ends up with 1 goal and 4 assists in 11 games and is an easy invite for his rookie season to return as a Railers for 2026/2027.

01Sep

Wade Murphy (6)

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6th year right wing Wade Murphy(6) returns to sign with Idaho Steelheads for 2022/2023 after spending the last 3 seasons of pandemic madness away in Norway, Austria and Slovenia, where he managed to capture that country’s 2022 league championship.

The 6′ 194 lbs. forward has 120 games of ECHL experience with decent scoring, but definitely could flatten that +/-.

Originally a Nashville Predators’ 7th round pick in the 2013 draft (#185 overall), he was never signed after an outstanding junior season based on his early college numbers.

He graduated after a 2 season transfer to Arizona State University Sun Devils from University Of North Dakota Fighting Hawks with a college career best 9 goals and 11 assists.

The 28-year old from Victoria, BC is a big frame that should be able to score goals almost at will we the right team in this league.

He takes a career high by a mile frame, scoring 21 goals and 22 assists in 54 games with a +38 rating to 20 playoff match ups and another 20 point total.

It’s an absolute no brainer that he receives a new contract to continue wearing a Steelheads‘ jersey for 2023/2024.

He is taking career scoring bests goals, assists, points with him for another foray to test his skills overseas in the tough to play Slovak Extraliga and signs with HC Slovan Bratislava for 2024/2025 and we think does very well here.

Limited to only 10 games last season, he scored 6 goals and 2 assists with a +5 rating and will next skate in the same league for HK Poprad in 2024/2025.

He is seemingly doing ok over there for a couple different teams, but has decided to return to strap on an Idaho jersey yet again.

01Sep

Liam Gorman (20)

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University Of Massachusetts Minutemen graduate center Liam Gorman(20) may only have 2 assists in 10 games, but you feel the 6’2″ 187 lbs. power forward will strike for some Hockey East points sooner than later.

He had a college career best 12 goals and 10 assists as a senior with Princeton University Tigers.

The 23-year old from Boston, MA is a Pittsburgh Penguins‘ 6th round pick in the 2018 draft (#177 overall), but was traded to Chicago Blackhawks and will need an NHL entry level deal after this frame.

Through 28 games, he only scores 1 goal and 3 assists with a +2 rating, but is not signed, so the free agent agrees to terms with Allen Americans for his ECHL rookie season, 2024/2025.

After 6 goals and 11 assists in 62 games last season, he is traded to Maine Mariners, who look to add him.

He gets 4 goals and 2 assists in 34 games with a 0 rating and is released to Kansas City Mavericks, where his scoring is almost assured to increase.

In only 4 games, he comes away with no points and for 2026/2027 signs with Savannah Ghost Pirates to hopefully help his scoring fortunes.

29Aug

Robbie Stucker (4)

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Columbus Blue Jackets‘ 7th round pick in the 2017 draft (#210 overall), University Of Vermont Catamounts‘ graduate defenseman Robbie Stucker(4) transferred in from 3 years at University Of Minnesota Golden Gophers and has adjusted to Hockey East play nicely.

He had a college career best 4 goals and 10 assists last season in 34 games and this season is on his way again, getting 3 goals and 7 assists in 24 contests.

The 6’3″ 179 lbs. blue liner played only 1 season of juniors, but ended up claiming the 2018 USHL Championship with Fargo Force, scoring 2 goals and 8 assists in 14 playoff games to help the team get there.

From St. Paul, MN, the 24-year old will be an interesting watch to get his NHL entry level deal, but thinks he plays hard and should get a look.

Upon getting knocked from Hockey East tournament play, he signs a 1st pro deal with South Carolina Stingrays to get things started.

After 10 games, scoring 1 goal and 6 assists with a +9 rating, he is going to branch out and signs a 1-year ECHL deal with somewhat rivals Iowa Heartlanders for 2023/2024.

Utah Grizzlies make a trade to grab the big d-man in hopes he helps their blue line for a playoff push.

He goes from split time last session to signing for 2024/2025 with Orlando Solar Bears, which should be a really good stop for him.

Before he’s barely even started with his new team, Reading Royals are looking to bolster their blue line and offer up future considerations to score him.

With 1 goal and a new high 16 assists, he signs to stay a Royals for 2025/2026.

After 1 goal and 4 assists in 17 game with a +2 rating, he heads back to Utah Grizzlies.

He gets into 20 games, scores 4 goals and 7 assists, but for 2026/2027, he steps out to try something new and signs with Sheffield Steelers of the EIHL.

28Aug

Jacob Bryson (18)

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Buffalo Sabres‘ 4th round pick in the 2017 draft (#99 overall) defenseman Jacob Bryson(18) is making himself at home in his career high 48th NHL game, scoring an exact from his rookie campaign, one goal and 8 assists.

The small 5’9″ 179 lbs. blue liner is set to become a restricted free agent and should likely settle on a multi-year deal to stay.

He put up solid numbers as a rookie with affiliate Rochester Americans, scoring 4 goals and 23 assists in 61 AHL games with a +8 rating.

The former 3-year Providence College Friars was twice a 20+ assist guy.

From London, ON, he is listed as having done one year in the USHS-Prep before heading to a season of USHL.

There’s little doubt the 24-year old has a lot to smile about.

After a trade sends him to a new team for a 1st time, the unrestricted free agent signs for 2026/2027 with Detroit Red Wings.

22Aug

John Farinacci (26)

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Boston Bruins‘ sign unrestricted free agent center John Farinacci(26) 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.

The restricted free agent going into 2026/2027 isn’t re-upped, so signs a 1-year AHL deal with Milwaukee Admirals that we know is under the radar of the parent club.

19Aug

Ross Colton (79)

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Former 2-year University Of Vermont Catamounts‘ rookie center Ross Colton(79) pocketed the only goal, the game-winner in game 5, to help Tampa Bay Lightning win their 2nd straight Stanley Cup Championship.

The 6′ 191 lbs. forward had 4 goals and 2 assists through 23 NHL Playoff contests with a +4 rating, while playing only an average of just over 10 minutes per appearance.

He also had 4 tallies to win games throughout the 2020/2021 season.

The 24-year old is set to become a restricted free agent for the first time in his pro career and will likely expect a nice, healthy increased pay day for his next likely long-term contract.

As his contract is set to expire, off a season where he scored 16 goals and 16 assists, he gets dished to Colorado Avalanche, as he’s set to make too much money for his original club to be able to afford and grabs a nifty 4 year $4M AAV deal to step it up with his new club.

After 3 years productive in the system, he gets traded to Nashville Predators f0r 2026/2027.