Category: NHL Draft Pick

10th year left wing Justin Florek(9) scored a career high 22 goals and 25 assists for 47 points in 2021/2022 for South Carolina Stingrays.

He was also a 3-time 30+ point guy in the AHL.

The big 6’4″ 205 lbs. forward played 3 seasons overseas and always notched 20+ points.

He also topped the 30+ mark as a sophomore and senior at Northern Michigan University Wildcats.

A former Boston Bruins‘ 5th round pick in the 2010 draft (#135 overall), the 31-year old from Marquette, MI is still at the top of his game.

He will return for a 3rd straight season in South Carolina.

A 3rd 40+ points ECHL season has him maybe put a small pause on the start of his 12th frame and he agrees to head back to Germany, signing with Dresdner Eislowen of DEL2, which should be a buzz for him.

 

Boston College Eagles‘ 2022/2023 commit, Swedish-born center Cutter Gauthier(19) had a 2nd USNTDP season that went completely off-the-hook scoring.

The 6’2″ 201 lbs. Philadelphia Flyers‘ 2022 1st round pick, #5 overall in the NHL draft scored 34 goals and 31 assists in 54 USDP U18 games with a +33 rating and another 19 goals and 9 assists in 22 USHL games with a +14.

At just 18-years old, he’s been in the US for a long while acclimating his game and should be a force as a rookie next season.

His playing rights for the big league have been traded to Anaheim Ducks, which is a no-brainer for him to sign, when he’s ready, as he allegedly didn’t want to skate for his draft team.

Quinnipiac University Bobcats‘ sophomore center Sam Lipkin(28) has 9 goals and 11 assists in 17 games with a +11 rating, which has him closing in on the 14 tallies he had last season, but ascending to that 29 helpers’ mark will be a feat.

The 6’2″ 190 lbs. forward is an Arizona Coyotes‘ 7th round pick in the 2021 draft (#223 overall).

He had 2 successful runs through the USHL and was named captain of Chicago Steel in his 2nd frame, scoring 36 goals and 35 assists in 59 games with a +21 rating.

From Philadelphia, PA, the 20-year old is still setting himself up nicely.

8th year center Kyle Rau(91) signed his 1st minor league deal to play for Abbotsford Canucks in 2022/2023.

He was coming off his 4th season in Minnesota Wild system, where he played NHL games in each frame, equally 28 appearances with 4 assists to his credit.

The 5’8″ 173 lbs. forward has 369 AHL games to his credit and rolls a fairly decent 119 goals and 142 assists with a bit of a woeful -24, but has 3 times struck for 20+ goals and 4 times 20+ assists in the league.

From Eden Prairie, MN, the Florida Panthers‘ 3rd round pick in the 2011 draft (#91 overall) attended nearby University Of Minnesota Golden Gophers, always good for point-per-game or better numbers.

In 7 games this season he has 2 goals and 2 assists with a +2 rating, so is right on track at 30-years old.

For what we thought was a fairly solid frame for the Eden Prairie High captain, takes a little time as he enters into his 9th season to sign with San Jose Barracuda, who can likely use hims

After a pretty good season, scoring 23 assists, he somewhat late signs with Kunlun RedStar for 2024/2025.

11th year center Chris Brown(11) takes 4 seasons with Nurnberg Tigers and trades it in to return to Iserlohn Roosters, the team he started with overseas, for 2022/2023.

The 6’3″ 214 lbs. forward was originally a Phoenix Coyotes‘ 2nd round pick in the 2009 draft (#36 overall) and was in their system for only about a year and a half before being traded to Washington Capitals. , where he arguably had his best success, but still only played 23 NHL games with 2 goals, 1 assist and a +1 rating.

He’s a 3-time 10+ goal scorer and 20+ assist guy in DEL.

The 31-year old former 3-year University Of Michigan Wolverines from Flower Mound, TX keeps on ticking very nicely.

For 2023/2024, he will start a new adventure at now 32-years old and head to Slovak Extraliga to suit up for HC Slovan Bratislava.

He scores kind of big in Austria with 14 goals in 24 games and decides to head back to Germany and signs with Schwenninger Wild Wings.

University Of North Dakota Fighting Hawks‘ sophomore center Ben Strinden(21) is definitely challenging last year’s total for goals tying last year’s mark of 3 after 13 games with just 1 assist, so still has a little ways to go in that scoring category.

A Nashville Predators‘ 7th round pick in the 2022 draft (#210 overall), the 6’1″ 201 lbs. forward was selected after a 2nd, best run with Muskegon Lumberjacks, scoring 25 goals and 31 assists in 61 USHL games.

From Fargo, ND, the 21-year old is likely looking for a little consistency to his game.

Boston University Terriers‘ graduate captain, defenseman Case McCarthy(8) maybe wasn’t quite ready to step into the pro pool and extended a year on his college program, where he may not exceed earlier college career bests (5 goals, 12 assists), but will definitely be steady in his zone with a +15 rating.

The 6’1″ 198 lbs. blue liner is a New Jersey Devils‘ 4th round pick in the 2019 draft (#119 overall), selected after his 2nd solid 24 assist run through the USNTDP program.

He may never exceed these points, but that’s hardly what we think the still quite young 22-year old from Troy, NY will be relied upon once he gets up there.

Maybe a little oddly, he doesn’t sign with the team that selected him and instead inks to join Hartford Wolf Pack in their AHL playoff run first, then through 2025/2026.

University Of Massachusetts’ Minutemen senior goaltender Cole Brady(34) stepped in to put the fire out, stopping 7-7 shots faced for his team to mount a comeback with him in net for a 6-5 win.

The 6’5″ listed at 181 lbs. tower has appeared in 5 games this season with a 3-1 record.

He transferred from 2 years at Arizona State University Sun Devils.

The Pickering, ON native bounced around 3 junior leagues with mostly good success before committing.

A New Jersey Devils‘ 5th round pick in 2019 (#127 overall), at 22-years old he seems to be a simple sign for a 2-year NHL entry level deal.

Harvard University Crimson freshman center Ben MacDonald(19) is off to a nice start with 1 goal and 3 assists in 5 games.

The 6′ 181 lbs. forward is a Seattle Kracken 3rd round pick in the 2022 draft (#91 overall) after a top scoring senior year at Noble & Greenough.

He did 1 year of BCHL junior hockey with West Kelowna Warriors, running up 50 points (23-27) in 52 games before college.

From Weston, MA, the 19-year old seems to be settling.

Michigan State University Spartans‘ Slovakian-born, freshman defenseman Maxim Strbak(8) is off to a nice start with 1 goal and 2 assists in 9 games.

The 6’2″ 205 lbs. blue liner was selected by Buffalo Sabres in the 2nd round of the 2023 draft (#46 overall) after just 1 USHL season with Sioux Falls Stampede.

He did all his previous junior and youth hockey back home.

The 18-year old plays a big d-man style game, but doesn’t seem afraid to jump up in the play.