Chicago Blackhawks picked up the playing rights of Pittsburgh Penguins‘ 6th round pick in the 2018 draft (#177 overall), Princeton University Tigers‘ senior center Liam Gorman(14) is having a college career year with 11 goals and 6 assists.
The 6’2″ 187 lbs. forward was selected as a senior captain for his high school, St. Sebastian’s School team, putting up 16 goals and 22 assists in 24 USHS-Prep games.
He didn’t really play any junior games before heading to college.
The 22-year from Boston, MA is a young graduate, but will be an easy look for an NHL entry level.
He ultimately ended up with a college career best 12 goals and 12 assists and still has a season of eligibility, so will head to UMass Minutemen for 2023/2024 before hopefully netting an entry level deal.
11th year defenseman John Ramage(2) keeps his pattern of switching up DEL hockey teams every couple of years and just completed a 2nd decently successful campaign for Schwenninger Wild Wings, but will skate for rivals Grizzlys Wolfsburg in 2023/2024.
The 6′ 190 lbs. blue liner won a league championship in his 2nd season playing for Eisbären Berlin.
Originally a Calgary Flames‘ 4th round pick in 2010 (#103 overall), the twice University Of Wisconsin Badgers‘ captain has alway had NHL contracts before heading overseas.
The 32-year old from Mississauga, ON credited for being on Alaska Aces‘ Kelly Cup Champion ECHL team and Lake Erie Monsters for the AHL Calder Cup.
13th year defenseman Justin Braun(61) decides 842 NHL games is plenty enough and announces his retirement after 4 seasons mostly with Philadelphia Flyers.
Originally a San Jose Sharks‘ 7th round pick in 2007 (#201 overall), he was with them for 9 years.
At 36-years old, the former UMass Minutemen senior captain, who was always good for 10+ assists, then 20+ in his final year, has climbed the mountain and found everything he needs.
10th year defenseman Dennis Robertson(20) re-signs to stay EC Red Bull Salzburg after helping them win the 2023 ICEHL Championship.
He did very well with numbers as well, scoring 2 goals and 19 assists with a +25 rating, then adding another 8 points in 11 games in the playoffs.
The 6’1″ 208 lbs. was originally drafted by Toronto Maple Leafs in the 6th round of 2011 (#173 overall), although he was 1st signed by Chicago Blackhawks to a 2-year NHL entry level deal, but played almost his 5 years with Charlotte Checkers, while under contract to Carolina Hurricanes.
He has 276 AHL games to his credit with a +42 rating before he left.
From Fort St. John, BC, the former Brown University Bears‘ 2-time captain spent most of his overseas playing time in Austria.
The 31-year old is likely still doing ok for himself and having fun.
Boston University Terriers‘ senior center Ethan Phillips(28) will head closer to draft team, Detroit Red Wings (4th round, 2019, #97 overall) to start a graduate program at Western Michigan University Broncos for 2023/2024.
His best season was as a junior, scoring 6 goals and 11 assists in 28 games.
The 5’9″ 165 lbs. forward played only one junior session with Sioux Falls Stampede, where they pushed their luck to win the 2019 USHL Clark Cup Championship and he had a tidy 43 points in 50 games through the regular frame, then added 5 point in 6 in the playoffs.
From Dartmouth South, NS, we think the 21-year old needs an NHL entry level deal soon.
6th year, 3 time 10+ goal scorer (15,16,15) and senior captain for University Of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs gets a new 2-year 2-way deal to stay with Winnipeg Jets, a team he’s been with since 2020/2021.
He is coming off a career year AHL season, scoring a new best 19 goals and 16 assists in 50 games, only a year removed from skating an almost entire NHL frame in 2021/2022, getting 7 goals and 7 assists with a +1 rating.
The 6’2″ 201 lbs. forward was originally a Toronto Maple Leafs‘ 5th round pick in 2012 (#126 overall), but never signed with the team.
From Duluth, MN, the 29-year old has to have a little smile on his face.
Tampa Bay Lightning 1st round pick in the 2022 draft (#31 overall), left wing Isaac Howard(3) has been a scoring machine in his 2 years in the USNTDP program.
In 55 USHL games, he has 27 goals and 43 assists and popped it even further in the USDP leg of it with 65 goals and 90 assists in 111 games.
He selected University Of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs as his college commit and through 4 games, has his 1st NCAA Division 1 goal.
Just 18 years old, the Hudson, WI native will be a bit of a wonder if he connect with the scoresheet in NCHC play as he always has.
He gets 6 goals and 11 assists through 35 games, but is antsy and will take up his sophomore season 2023/2024 at Michigan State University Spartans and play some Big Ten hockey going forward.
Boston Bruins‘ 2nd round pick in the 2020 draft (#58 overall), defenseman Mason Lohrei(6) is having himself a nice 2nd season at Ohio State University Buckeyes.
He has yet to eclipse his marks set as a freshman, but still has 1 goals and 19 assists on 26 games with a +3 rating this year.
The big 6’4″ 210 lbs. blue liner from Madison, WI played 2 campaigns for Green Bay Gamblers and ran 19 goals and 40 assists in his 2nd USHL session.
At 22-years old, he may just stay and complete his college learnings before turning pro.
After posting a new college best 28 assists, he decides to sign an ato with Providence Bruins, taking the next step to gaining an entry level deal from the parent club soon.
Nashville Predators‘ 5th round pick in the 2018 draft (#131 overall) defenseman Spencer Stastney(24) signs his 2-year NHL entry level deal as his team of the last 4 years University Of Notre Dame Fighting Irish are eliminated from NCAA Division 1 playoffs.
The 5’10” 179 lbs. blue liner had a college career senior season, serving as assistant captain, scoring new bests 7 goals, 2o assists for 27 points with a +18 rating.
He had 2 solid seasons skating for USNTDP exploding for 40 assists between the two teams in his 2nd year.
The 22-year old may not need a lot of seasoning in the minors to be big league ready.
His is holding his own as a rookie on the blue line for affiliate Milwaukee Admirals, getting 5 goals and 8 assists in 56 AHL games on a team Calder Cup Playoff bound.
He is rewarded with a 1st call up, skating 13:16 minutes with 3 shots on net in a big win for his debut and has gone on to record 2 assists in 4 games with a +3 rating.
Detroit Red Wings‘ 3rd round pick in the 2021 draft (#70 overall), University Of Denver Pioneers‘ sophomore left wing Carter Mazur(54) is off to the start in his 2nd frame you would expect from him, scoring 4 goals and an assist in 4 games to get things started.
2021 NCAA Division 1 Champions and selected NCHC Rookie Of The Year, the 6′ 172 lbs. forward had 14 goals and 24 assists with a +23 rating as a rookie.
He’s always seemed to find the back of the net, except maybe his 1st USHL season with Tri-City Storm.
If the 20-year old has another breakout frame, it will be tough to see him stay in school.
After hitting up the net 20 times for goals as a sophomore, he decides to leave school and sign his 3-year NHL entry level deal, but will get his pro feet wet on an ato to join affiliate Grand Rapids Griffins to start.
