Providence College Friars‘ freshman center Hudson Malinoski(9) was a Toronto Maple Leafs‘ 5th round pick in the 2023 draft (#153 overall).
The 6’1″ 189 lbs. forward was selected after putting up 53 assists in 44 AJHL games for Brooks Bandits.
He has 5 goals and 4 assists in 19 games with a +3 rating.
The 19-year old from Saskatoon, SK seems to be right on track.
He takes 2 seasons of 11 goals and new college high games at 35 for the junior assistant captain, but he is looking for a next come his senior year and choses University Of North Dakota Fighting Hawks for his senior frame, 2026/2027.
We look for him to take his game up another level with this club.
Western Michigan University Broncos‘ sophomore goaltender Hampton Slukynsky(30) is a Los Angeles Kings‘ 4th round pick in the 2023 draft (#118 overall).
The 6’1″ 190 lbs. net minder from Warroad, MN has been spectacular in the cage since USHS-MN.
In his only USHL year of junior with Fargo Force he backstopped them to a 2024 Clark Cup Championship.
He committed to his 1st year of college from that frame and helped them win the 2025 NCAA Division 1 Championship with a 19-5-1 record, 1.90 GAA and .922 SV%, 1 shutout.
No championship in his 2nd season, but he did have 4 shutouts.
The draft team wants him and signs him to a 3-year NHL entry level deal that starts 2026/2027.
He reports to their affiliate Ontario Reign on a pto and is 2-0 with a 1.00 GAA and .957 SV%.
Definitely just looking forward here.
12th year center Robbie Czarnik(77) signs on for a 3rd tour with Ravensburg Towerstars after posting exactly 30 assists for a 2nd time and adding 15 goals with a +13 rating, then popped in another 10 points in 13 playoff games.
His 241 games in DEL2 mark the most in any league he’s played.
The 6′ 190 lbs. former Los Angeles Kings‘ 3rd round pick in the 2008 draft (#63 overall) has scored 120 goals and 145 assists with a +54 rating and a 2019 Championship in his 1st run with current club.
He was pretty much a similar sniper in the ECHL through 183 games.
The 32-year old from Detroit, MI, who played his college hockey for just two years at University Of Michigan Wolverines has to have a little smile on his face, seeing how smoothly things go.
He signs on for a 6th season in a Towerstars‘ jersey 2024/2025, where he recorded his 3rd straight 40+ point session.
Another 29 goals and 29 assists in 50 games and it’s another no-brainer to have him return as a 36-year old in a Towerstars‘ uniform.
Boston College Eagles‘ junior defenseman Aram Minnetian(15) takes his +46 rating over three years and signs his 3-year NHL entry level deal with draft team, Dallas Stars (4th round, 2023, #125 overall).
The 6′ 209 lbs. blue liner reports to affiliate Texas Stars on an ato and has 2 assists in 6 AHL games.
After USHS-Prep, he did 2 years USNTDP before school.
From Woodcliff Lake, NJ, the 21-year old will likely settle well.
New York Rangers‘ 3rd round pick in the 2019 draft (#63 overall), defenseman Zac Jones(6) signs his 3-year entry level contract after his college team UMass Minutemen for the past two years wins the NCAA Division 1 Frozen Finals in spectacular fashion.
The 5’10” 185 lbs. blue liner has put up some decent numbers since he was at school, leaving behind 61 games played, scoring 12 goals and 35 assists with a super good +29 rating.
He was selected by the Blueshirts after a breakout season for Tri-City Storm, where he picked up 7 goals and 45 assists in 52 USHL games with a mammoth +38.
The still young 21-year old should be heading straight to the big club to play games and the Virginia-born (?) player has a super future ahead of him.
He played 4 years in the system before signing a 1-year NHL deal with Buffalo Sabres that saw him grab 52 assists in 60 AHL games.
For 2026/2027, he picks up a 2-year contract with Utah Mammoth.
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.
After 6 goals and 11 assists in 62 games last season, he is traded to Maine Mariners, who look to add him.
He gets 4 goals and 2 assists in 34 games with a 0 rating and is released to Kansas City Mavericks, where his scoring is almost assured to increase.
Michigan State University Spartans‘ freshman goaltender Trey Augustine(1) is a Detroit Red Wings‘ 2nd round pick in the 2023 draft (#41 overall).
The 6’1″ 179 lbs. net minder had a stellar 29-1-2 in 33 games mark last season with the USNTDP 18U team.
His early college numbers show him to be struggling some, but this is a solid backstop, who easily could lead a national champion is how we see it.
From South Lyon, MI, he’s basically just staying home all around for his hockey, we see a pretty bright future for the 18-year old.
He plays 34 games in his junior frame, posting a 24-9-1 record and his draft club wants him and offers him a 3-year NHL entry level deal that he will report to affiliate Grand Rapids Griffins on an ato.
Boston University Terriers‘ junior captain defenseman Gavin McCarthy(2) signs his 3-year NHL entry level contract with draft club, Buffalo Sabres (2023 3rd round, #86).
The 6’2″ 194 lbs. blue liner heads to affiliate Rochester Americans on an ato to start.
He had a college best 4 goals and 17 assists in 36 games with a +12 rating last season.
From Clarence Center, NY, he spent his youth hockey in the Jr. Sabres‘ system before heading to USHL seasons with Muskegon Lumberjacks.
We look for the 20-year old to do spectacularly well.
Boston University Terriers‘ senior center Owen McLaughlin(27) maybe didn’t have as easy of a time scoring against Hockey East opponents, as he did previously at University Of North Dakota Fighting Hawks.
The 6′ 178 lbs. forward exploded USHL scoring in 1 full session of juniors.
From Phoenixville, PA, the 23-year old was very successful USHS-Prep.
A Philadelphia Flyers‘ 7th round pick in the 2021 draft (#206 overall), he gets signed to an AHL contract and loaned to affiliate Reading Royals to start.
In 7 ECHL games, he has 1 goal and 3 assists with a +1 rating.
Boston College Eagles‘ sophomore center James Hagens(44) has blown out 1st year goals with a new best 16 this season and his 16 assists is 10 off the mark from the previous year, but points may improve with his overall game and leadership qualities out there.
A Boston Bruins‘ 1st round draft pick in 2025 (#7 overall), he was uncertain to return, but gladly did for more.
The 5’11” 194 lbs. forward did 2 explosive USHL seasons with USNTDP before school.
From Hauppauge, NY, the 19-year old is just getting started really.
He finishes up with 23 goals and 24 assists in 34 games with a +10 rating and signs an ato to join Providence Bruins, which is just the 1st tick to his full-on NHL entry level deal that will need to follow soon we think.
