Category: NHL Draft Pick

15Nov

Jake Wise (28)

Posted in College Hockey Player, Juniors, Minor League Deal, NHL Draft Pick, Transfers | Leave a comment

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.

01Nov

Danny Kristo (79)

Posted in College Hockey Player, Europe, Free Agent Signing, Juniors, Minor League Deal, NHL Draft Pick | Leave a comment

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.

31Oct

Matt Benning (5)

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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.

23Oct

Joshua Nodler (20)

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UMass Minutemen senior center Joshua Nodler(20) will take on a 3rd school, heading to Bowling Green State University Falcons for 2023/2024.

The 5’11” 194 lbs. forward started his college career with 3 seasons at close by Michigan State University Spartans, where he scored his best 7 goals and 8 assists as a junior.

From Oak Park, MI, the Calgary Flames‘ 5th round pick in the 2019 draft (#150 overall) first played the Honeybaked system before ultimately doing 1 USHL season at Fargo Force.

The 22-year old will likely doing ok for his graduate year in the CCHA.

He plays a college tying best 36 games, scoring 5 goals and 10 assists and unsigned by the team that selected him.

An unrestricted free agent, he signs a nice 1-year deal with Toledo Walleye to get started as a rookie, 2024/2025.

21Oct

Landon Slaggert (84)

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University Of Notre Dame Fighting Irish senior left wing Landon Slaggert(84) is exited from college playoffs and signs his 2-year NHL entry level deal with draft team (3rd round, 2020, #79 overall), Chicago Blackhawks.

The 6′ 190 lbs. forward takes a new college best 20 goals and 31 points to his new gig.

He did 2 years USNTDP after youth hockey with Chicago Mission.

The South Bend, IN, 21-year old gets right into big league games to start.

He played 21 games last season with 1 goal and 3 assists and a +1 rating on a non-playoff team.

After what must have been an impressive camp, he gets a new 2-year deal to continue and already has 1 assist in 2 AHL games with affiliate Rockford Icehogs.

12Oct

Will Smith (6)

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Boston College Eagles‘ center Will Smith(6) is taking zero time to adjust to college play after 2 seasons of USNTDP.

In 6 games, he has 4 goals and 4 assists with a +2 rating to go along with those 51 goals and 76 assists he had last year and 42 points (15-27) in 20 USHL games.

The 6′ 181 lbs. forward was a San Jose Sharks‘ 1st round pick in the 2023 draft (#4 overall), so the 18-year old from Lexington, MA has lots to look forward to.

After just 1 season of lighting up the college ranks to the tune of 25 goals and 46 assists with a +25 rating through 41 games and the waiting is over, as the 19-year old signs a 3-year NHL entry level deal, starting 2024/2025.

He debuts with his new NHL team right away, playing 16 shifts for 13:41 ice, 2 shots on net and like his former Hockey East friend needs improving in the face-off dot.

07Oct

Jeremy Swayman (1)

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Boston Bruins‘ 4th round pick in the 2017 draft, goaltender Jeremy Swayman(1) signed a three-year entry deal just as COVID was shutting down the world and left three seasons at University Of Maine behind for a chance to play pro.

It almost seemed when the 22-year old signed that he would be assuming starting duties with affiliate Providence Bruins, when 2021 finally gotten moving, and there he was on opening night, in net.

The big 6’3 201 lbs. Hobey Baker Award finalist last season for his outstanding 18-5 mark won his debut 4-1 leaving with a 1.00 GAA and .963 SV% and has gone 7-1 in 8 starts with a 1.88 GAA and .932 SV%.

He only lost his first game recently.

This is easily only the beginning for the Anchorage, AK native, who has consistently put up jaw dropping stats.

A restricted free agent, heading into his 4th season with the team and his contract time is up, so elects to go to arbitration for a 1-year deal 2023/2024 for 3.475M AAV, which is a nice pay bump for the Bruins‘ net minder, who owns a 2.24 GAA and .920 SV% in 88 appearances.

After a bit of a holdout, which could cost him the season opener for 2024/2025, he signs a new 8-year, $8.25M AAV NHL deal to stay where he’s at.

06Oct

Michael Mersch (28)

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8th year center Michael Mersch(28) accepts a two-year AHL contract from Rochester Americans to stay with the club he skated for last season.

The 6’2″ 215 lbs. power forward has almost oddly only played 17 NHL games with draft club Los Angeles Kings (4th round 2010, #111 overall), scoring a goal and 2 assists with a +1 rating.

As a rookie, he was a huge part of then affiliate Manchester Monarchs almost fantasy-like run that ended capturing the 2015 Calder Cup trophy and him getting the nod for most playoff points (22).

The former 4-year University Of Wisconsin Badgers‘ had three 30 point campaigns in college and currently holds 4-40+ marks as a pro.

His only other big league contract was with Dallas Stars, leaving initial team as a UFA to sign the 2-year, one-way deal.

It would be easy to see the 28-year old leave North American hockey for his next venture before he decides to retire.

Even before the 2nd year of his contract has started, he gets himself extended for yet another year through 2023/2024 to not go anywhere and stay on as captain for the Amerks.

Not quite sure why he never got more than a handful of games in the highest league of hockey, but 597 games in the lower league later, at 31-years old he’s hanging up those skates and has yet to name where he lands next to offer someone a great experience.

05Oct

Christian Krygier (8)

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Worcester Railers‘ rookie defenseman Christian Krygier(8) gets on the scoreboard in his opening ECHL game after scoring 4 total goals in 5 years of Michigan State University Spartans and only 2 in a pair of USHL seasons with Lincoln Stars.

He also added a 1st assist.

The 6’2″ 192 lbs. blue liner is a New York Islanders‘ 7th round pick in the 2018 draft (#196 overall) and signed a minor league deal for 2023/2024.

After finishing up school, he reported to affiliate Bridgeport Islanders for 2 AHL games, no points.

From Orlando, FL, the 23-year old will likely see his number loaned up to the higher league.

He would play the entire frame with the affiliate, scoring 2 goals and 9 assists in 31 games with a +3 rating on a non-playoff team and is wanted to return for another season to hopefully play more as a mini Islanders.