Category: NHL Draft Pick

07Jul

Artyom Levshunov (5)

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Michigan State University Spartans‘ Belarus-born freshman defenseman Artyom Levshunov(5) grabs the 2nd spot in the 2024 NHL draft by Chicago Blackhawks, making him the highest chosen player from his country ever selected, beating out a mark that stood for almost 30 years.

The 6’2″ 210 lbs. blue liner looks to be a complete product and one they look to pin their hopes on to rebuild their defense.

Just 18-years old, he came over for a single USHL season with Green Bay Gamblers and then got right to work last season, scoring 9 goals and 26 assists in 38 games with a +27 rating.

He does look to be the full picture they are looking for.

Now, will he report back to his school team?

We didn’t really hear much about him in development camp, but maybe we also didn’t need to, as he was making an impression and signs a 3-year NHL entry level deal for 2024/2025.

06Jul

A.J. Greer (10)

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7th year left wing A.J. Greer(10) hits the jackpot, signing his 1st 2-year 1-way NHL contract through 2023/2024 after posting a career high 22 goals and 30 assists in 53 AHL games with a +10 rating for Utica Comets, while signed to New Jersey Devils.

He played 9 games in the big league last season, striking for a goal and an assist.

The Joliette, QC native came down and looked to go the college route, attending USHS-Prep, but after a year and a half at Boston University Terriers, left to join Rouyn-Noranda Huskies, wracking up points en route to the 2016 QMJHL Championship.

Almost oddly, he was a Colorado Avalanche 4th round pick in the 2015 draft, chosen after his 1st year of college hockey, where he scored 3 goals and 4 assists in 37 games that they must’ve seen something there.

He played 37 games in the big league with the team, getting a goal and 5 assists.

Still super-young at 25-years old, he is maybe starting to just arrive.

He’s become like the new 4th line bandit, playing 61 games with Boston Bruins, then 59 for Calgary Flames, who claimed him off waivers, and he finally receives a 2-year deal to prove his game as he next heads to 2024 Stanley Cup Champions, Florida Panthers.

In 2024, he also became a BU graduate student.

05Jul

Elliott Groenewold (7)

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Boston Bruins‘ 4th round pick in the 2024 draft (#110 overall), defenseman Elliott Groenewold(7) stood out amongst the picks and invites at Development Camp, Warrior Ice Arena this past week.

The 6’2″ 201 lbs. blue liner stood out as he was unafraid to engage, had very good quickness and release of his shot.

He wasn’t as much of a point scorer in his 1 USHL season with Cedar Rapids Roughriders, as he was at Bishop’s College School Prep.

From Bellows Falls, VT, the 18-year old commits to Quinnipiac University Bobcats for 2024/2025.

02Jul

Quinn Olson (51)

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University Of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs‘ graduate center Quinn Olson(51) signs with Ontario Reign upon graduation and plays 1 AHL with no real results to move down and agree with Greenville Swamp Rabbits, where in 6 playoff games, he scored 2 goals and 2 assists.

The 5’11” 170 lbs. forward was a Boston Bruins‘ 3rd round pick in 2019 (#92 overall), but went unsigned.

A Calgary, AB native, he scored 17 assists twice before leaving school and 19 once as a sophomore.

He scored big points in 2 AJHL seasons with Okotoks Oilers before college.

The 22-year old will need a new contract and gets a 1-year deal with the team he signed with out of college to start as a rookie.

01Jul

Sam Lafferty (18)

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4th year center Sam Lafferty(18) gets a new start, as he is traded to Chicago Blackhawks from draft club, Pittsburgh Penguins (4th round, 2014, #113 overall) after appearing in only 10 NHL games with two assists and a 0 rating.

The former Brown University Bears‘ forward will likely find more room to continue to develop his game.

He has 94 games to his credit, scoring 6 goals and 15 assists.

The 26-year old is fairly prolific in the minors with 17 goals and 38 assists through 85 AHL games.

If he can catch on with his new team, there’s little doubt he’ll earn a new contract, but if that doesn’t happen, we expect him to pick up and leave for overseas.

After a solid 2021/2022 season, scoring 5 goals and 6 assists in 46 games, he picks himself up a healthy 2-year extension to continue.

He actually takes a trade travel path from scoring a best 10 goals and 11 assists in 53 games to being dealt to Toronto Maple Leafs near the end of that campaign, where he did ok in just 19 games, then 9 in the playoffs.

In the offseason, the unrestricted free agent signs with Vancouver Canucks and this turns out to be pretty successful with a new best 13 goals and 24 points in 79 games with a +4 rating.

He will need a new contract, but he returns to the Blackhawks in yet another transaction for the Hollidaysburg, PA native.

Buffalo Sabres step in and offer him 2 years for $2M AAV and he accepts.

He was maybe a bit off step with only 4 goals and 3 assists on a pretty horrible team and Chicago Blackhawks trade for him to hopefully spark a reignite in their fortunes.

26Jun

Ben Smith (12)

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EHC Red Bull München‘ 4th year center Ben Smith(12) re-ups after a 3rd 15+ assist season with a monster +61 rating.

It’s the 5’11” 203 lbs. forward’s 15th pro year.

A former Boston College Eagles‘ assistant captain, he twice had 20+ assists in college hockey, yet played no junior hockey after Westminster Prep USHS-Prep.

He was a Chicago Blackhawks‘ 6th round pick in the 2008 draft (#169 overall).

The Winston-Salem, NC native has 237 NHL games experience.

At 35-years old, he seems well happy playing his game in Germany.

22Jun

Jonny Tychonick (81)

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Newfoundland Growlers‘ rookie defenseman Jonny Tychonick(81) was actually AHL signed by affiliate Toronto Marlies and returned when the ECHL went belly up right at the end of 2023/2024.

He almost oddly had 1 goal and 1 assist in 3 games, when reassigned down, then added another assist in his reappearance.

From Calgary, AB, he did 2 BCHL seasons with Penticton Vees before heading 1st to University Of North Dakota Fighting Hawks, then 3 years at University Of Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks, where he posted a college best 8 goals and 18 assists in his graduate frame.

Ottawa Senators drafted him in the 2nd round of 2018 (#48 overall), but another bit of a head scratcher did not sign him.

The 6′ 172 lbs. blue liner heads off to sign with Djurgardens IF of HockeyAllsvenskan for 2024/2025 and should bang Sweden’s tier 2 league.

21Jun

Collin Adams (18)

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3rd year left wing Collin Adams(18) heads home to skate next for Kalamazoo Wings in 2023/2024.

Last season, he managed point-per-game numbers: 14 goals, 18 assists in 30 ECHL games for Worcester Railers and 3 goals and 4 assists in 20 AHL games with Bridgeport Islanders, while under a 2-year NHL entry level deal from draft team (6th round, 2016, #170 overall) New York Islanders.

The 5’9″ 194 lbs. forward graduated University Of North Dakota Fighting Hawks as a solid junior and senior scorer.

He also lit up 2 USHL frames for Muskegon Lumberjacks.

The 25-year old from Brighton, MI should do as well as he’s done, if not better next season.

He played a career best 64 games ,scoring new high 22 goals and 21 assists and will head over to Tipos Extraliga for 2024/2025, signing with HC Banska Bystrica.

17Jun

Samu Salminen (13)

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University Of Connecticut Huskies‘ Finnish-born, sophomore center Samu Salminen(13) is a New Jersey Devils‘ 3rd round pick in the 2021 draft (#68 overall) enters the transfer portal to go play some different college hockey with the current NCAA Division 1 champs, University Of Denver Pioneers.

The 6’2″ 185 lbs. forward played all of his junior and youth hockey back home.

He had 17 points in each of his 1st two frames and we look for that total to expand.