Category: NHL Draft Pick

Clarkson University Golden Knights‘ graduate right wing Anthony Romano(29) leaves scoring 9 goals for a 3rd time and has now a twice best 13 assists.

The 5’11” 185 lbs. Arizona Coyotes‘ 6th round pick in the 2019 draft (#176 overall) won the USHL Clark Cup Championship with Sioux Falls Stampede the year he was selected.

From Richmond Hill, ON, the 23-year old seems like an easy NHL entry level sign.

He actually signs with Texas Stars for his 1st pro contract, a pto, but could get reassigned as well.

Through 8 games, he scores no points, but is wanted to return for his rookie AHL year, 2024/2025 in a Stars‘ jersey.

Edmonton Oilers‘ 6th round pick in the 2016 draft (#149 overall) left wing Graham McPhee(27) signed a minor league contract with affiliate Bakersfield Condors to start his rookie season.

He originally left to start overseas with Vienna Capitals of the ICEHL, where he played 21 games scoring 2 goals and 3 assists with a +1 rating.

The seems bigger than 6′ 189 lbs. forward started as the AHL 2021 began but was only able to break what was a tough lineup to crack in hunt of a playoff berth for 3 games (no points).

Although he has never been the biggest scorer through two years of juniors with the USNTDP and four years at Boston College Eagles, where his best effort was as a sophomore tallying 12 goals and 12 helpers in 36 NCAA Hockey East games.

It seems like the still super young 22-year old, kid of Vegas Golden Knights’ President Of Hockey Operations, George McPhee, is looking for a breakout moment that seems to be right on the edge of happening.

The recently turned 23-year old re-signs to stay in Southern California and in the system of the team he was selected by.

In a new best 5 games, he doesn’t have any points, but it really seems like once he can strike, he will continue to, but needs that breakthrough.

He would finish 2021/2022 with 5 goals and 6 assists in 33 games with a +5 rating to earn an invite to return to the CA team.

As we near the almost end point and trade deadline for 2023, he seem to just be floundering where he was, so gets dealt to Belleville Senators, where he will need a new deal at the end of the year, but looks to be wanted.

After 14 games, recording only 1 assist, the Senators think he can contribute, so bring him back for the full 2023/2024 session.

He isn’t exactly putting up points in the league, but when was assigned to the ECHL for 3 games, had 3 assists.

For 2024/2025, he signs with Savannah Ghost Pirates to see he can activate his game.

University Of New Hampshire Wildcats‘ Russian-born, sophomore center Stiven Sardarian(7) enters the transfer portal and will take his game to Michigan Tech University Wildcats for his junior frame, 2024/2025.

The 6’1″ 160 lbs. forward scored a college best 7 goals and 7 assists in 32 games last season.

He came over after 1 season of junior hockey back home to play 1 USHL year before commiting to school.

The 21-year old Buffalo Sabres‘ 3rd round pick in the 2021 draft (#88 overall) may show an uptick in his game at his new home for hockey.

12th year defenseman Matt Donovan(46) will for a 3rd time take his game overseas, but this time signs for 2022/2023 with Adler Mannheim of DEL.

He twice played for SHL teams, Frölunda HC and HV71.

The former 2-year University Of Denver Pioneers‘ d-man was a New York Islanders‘ 4th round pick in the 2008 draft (#96 overall) and was in that system to start his pro career for 4 seasons.

At 6’1″ 205 lbs., he has skated 69 NHL games.

The 32-year old from of all places, Edmond, OK is likely happy to be still playing at a good level.

He actually does fairly well in German’s top league, scoring 8 goals and 15 assists with a +7 rating in 47 games, then added another 8 helpers in 12 playoff matchups.

For 2023/2024, he decides to come on and sign an AHL deal with Chicago Wolves, which makes a lot of sense.

He records 39 assists in 69 games and that will do it: 69 games in the big league, 524 in the lower league with 232 assists to his credit, 13 years of pro hockey and very quickly Nashville Predators sign him up to be an assistant coach with a team he spent 3 years with, affiliate Milwaukee Admirals.

Smart move.

University Of Denver Pioneers‘ Swedish-born, senior goaltender Magnus Chrona(30) signs a 2-year entry level deal with San Jose Sharks after being picked up in a trade with draft team Tampa Bay Lightning, where he was selected in the 5th round of 2018 (#152 overall).

The absolutely massive 6’6″ 216 lbs. net minder has always done well at school, winning the 2022 NCAA Division 1 Championship in what was his best season as a junior with a 28-8-1 with a 2.11 GAA and .911 SV%.

He would likely be best to sign an ato with affiliate San Jose Barracuda, as they fight to make the last playoff spot.

In his rookie year, he plays the full gambit of pro hockey leagues from the ECHL, AHL and NHL, but definitely looks to be working out the some kinks for consistency.

A big offseason trade sends him to Nashville Predators to continue and he’ll likely get the nod in net for affiliate Milwaukee Admirals to start. .

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.

Montreal Canadiens‘ 3rd round pick in the 2018 draft (#71 overall), Northeastern University Huskies‘ senior captain Jordan Harris(22) signs his 2-year entry level deal upon finishing up the Hockey East season.

Tying a career high 39 NCAA Division 1 games played, the 5’11” 179 lbs. blue liner had a new best 5 goals and 15 assists for 20 points with a +11 rating as a senior captain.

The Haverhill, MA, former Kimball Union Academy defensive stud played only 5 USHL junior games before committing to school.

At just 21-years old, with the 4 seasons of hockey he just came from, maybe has readied him for the big time.

In his 10th game, he picks up his 1st NHL tally and ends the 2021/2022 with a +3 rating.

A forthcoming restricted free agent with 3 goals and 12 assists in his rookie frame in the offseason, he was fairly quickly inked to stay on another two seasons for $1.4AAV per, which is a nice fee to get him started.

After 2 seasons of doing well on their blue line, he is traded in a big 2024/2025 deal to Columbus Blue Jackets, who will definitely welcome him into a full-time top 6 role.

6th year German-born center Daniel O’Regan(21) gets a new 1-year, 2-way deal from Anaheim Ducks for 2021/2022.

The unrestricted free agent signed a 1-year deal with Vegas Golden Knights last season and put up point-per-game numbers for affiliate Henderson Silver Knights.

Originally a San Jose Sharks‘ 5th round pick in the 2012 draft (#138 overall), he’s been a prolific scorer since he arrived to ultimate graduate St. Sebastian’s School before committing to 4 years at Boston University Terriers, where he scored 154 points (66-88) in 154 Hockey East games.

His dad Tom O’Regan took a similar path through school.

The 27-year old will likely be pivotal to affiliate San Diego Gulls‘ success.

Mid-season he is moved to Grand Rapids Griffins and his scoring takes flight with 14 goals and 17 assists in 39 games.

For 2023/2024, he will take his 1 NHL goal to a new adventure, signing with MoDo Hockey and we think he finds comfort in scoring in the SHL.

He scores just 4 goals and 8 assists in 34 games with a -9 rating, but Kunlun Red Star see something and sign him to a 1-year KHL deal for 2024/2025.

Washington Capitals‘ 4th year center Shane Gersich(10) grabs another one-year, two-way deal to stick around in the prospect system.

The University Of North Dakota Fighting Hawks‘ 3-year forward has consistently put up respectable numbers for affiliate Hershey Bears.

He started his pro career with 3 NHL games fresh off his junior year at school, grabbed an assist and even skated a pair of playoff appearances en route to the 2018 Stanley Cup Championship.

The 24-year old has to be fairly happy with the way things are turning out for this 5th round pick in the 2014 draft (#134 overall).

For 2022/2023, he re-signs on a minor league deal to stay where he is after recording a career high 14 goals and 20 assists with a +4 rating.

After a 5th season where he’s been and a brand new 2023 Calder Cup Trophy to bear, he decides to look on and signs a 1-year deal with Vasteras IK of HockeyAllsvenskan, where he should do very well.

We pretty much thought what has occurred would, he takes a good frame in Sweden’s tier 2 league, scoring 19 goals and 13 assists in 48 games to a higher level of hockey next, signing with Iserlohn Roosters of DEL for 2024/2025.

Carolina Hurricanes‘ 6th round pick in the 2016 draft (#169 overall) center David Cotton(13) is blowing up the AHL scoring in his rookie season with 6 goals and 4 assists with a +8 rating in 12 games for Chicago Wolves.

He would easily be getting a look from the NHL level if his parent club wasn’t so good, but may just stay in the minors and look to make the big league out of training camp next season.

The 6’2″ 200 lbs. power forward has always been a good scorer in 4 years at Boston College, putting up his best numbers overall totals last campaign scoring 15 goals and new bests 24 assists and 39 points as team captain.

This is an overall player/skater that easily went in later rounds as he was seemingly just getting going in his one year of juniors with Waterloo Blackhawks of the USHL.

His progress should be easy to follow and he’s even signed alongside brother Jason in his pro contract.

He wasn’t given a qualifying offer as a restricted free agent to stay, so for 2022/2023, he signs a minor league deal to join the brand new Coachella Valley Firebirds.

After appearing in only 2 games with a good team, he gets himself traded to San Diego Gulls for a necessary new start.

In 34 games with his new team, he scores 4 goals and 5 assists with a -13 rating on a non-playoff contender.

For 2023/2024, he makes a smart move, signing with Florida Everblades, where his scoring talents should finally emerge as a pro.

After 7 games with 2 assists, he receives a trade to a team that seems to really want him, Kansas City Mavericks, another good landing spot, then scores a goal in his 1st game.

He would excel with his new team, scoring 14 goals and 24 assists in 41 games with a +25 rating, then connecting solidly in the playoffs, so he will re-sign to stay in KC for 2024/2025.