Category: NHL Draft Pick

18Aug

Zane McIntyre (70)

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9th year net minder Zane McIntyre(70) signs for a 3rd straight season 2023/2024 in Minnesota Wild system after 34 AHL games with a 16-12-5 record, 2.87 GAA and .899 SV% last season.

He was in the cage for 37 the year before that with even better numbers.

Originally a Boston Bruins‘ 6th round pick in the 2010 draft (#165 overall), he left a year at University of North Dakota Fighting Hawks on the table before turning pro.

Although he hasn’t played an NHL game since his 2nd season, he’s always been under a contract to a big league club.

At 30-years old from Grand Forks, ND, he has to be smiling how things have worked out.

Dispatched almost exclusively to affiliate Iowa Wild, he struggles on a not so good team.

He is going to head back overseas, but looks for far more success, signing a 1-year deal with Straubing Tigers of DEL for 2024/2025.

18Aug

Michael Callahan (23)

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Boston Bruins have just traded a 7th round pick to obtain the NHL rights for Providence College Friars‘ senior defenseman, 3-time captain Michael Callahan(23).

The Franklin, MA native is essentially coming home if he signs his entry level contract.

He was an Arizona Coyotes‘ 5th round pick in 2018, #142 overall after finishing up his only USHL junior season split between a couple of teams with solid playoff run with Youngstown Phantoms.

The 6’2″ 196 lbs., 22-year old blue liner is a solid prospect, grinding his game the right way in Hockey East before turning pro.

Fresh out of his 4th year at school, he picks up a 2-year NHL entry level deal and will likely report to affiliate Providence Bruins to start, which is basically right next to where he played his college game.

After a decent rookie frame, he finds himself back at Bruins‘ rookie camp and is looking like he will compete for whatever open spot on defense may exist for him to fill is how good he was out there.

He records new league highs for himself with 4 goals and 13 assists and is offered a 1-year deal to continue in a Bruins‘ jersey.

17Aug

Nikita Nesterenko (62)

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Anaheim Ducks recently acquired Minnesota Wild 6th round pick in the 2019 draft (#172 overall), Boston College Eagles‘ junior center Nikita Nesterenko(62) gets a 2-year NHL entry level deal to leave school a year early to come skate pro.

The 6’2″ 183 lbs. forward had a college career best 13 goals and 21 assists in 36 games that last through the 2nd round of Hockey East tournament.

He gets to skate a first big league game, going 17 shifts for 13:06 of ice time with 4 shots on net and left a 4-1 loss with a -1 rating.

Only 21-years old from Brooklyn, NY there is time for him to develop, but he may be ready to play at the highest level.

He reports to affiliate San Diego Gulls and helps them win games with 16 goals and 21 assists in 70 games and a +6 rating.

Little thought to invite him back to see what more he has to accomplish.

14Aug

Josiah Didier (44)

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9th year defenseman Josiah Didier(44) was an unrestricted free agent after signing a 2-year AHL deal with 4 season team Providence Bruins, where he served as team captain in his last two.

For 2023/2024, he steps off on a new route and signs a 1-year deal with Grand Rapids Griffins to help them shore up their back end.

The rather big 6’3″ 223 lbs. blue liner played 4 years at University Of Denver Pioneers, leaving the program with a +20 rating before turning pro with the final frame of Hamilton Bulldogs‘ storied career in Burlington, ON.

The former Montreal Canadiens‘ 4th round pick in the 2011 draft (#97 overall) would start his pro career with 2 years skating for St. John’s Ice Caps before trading that in for 2 campaigns including a 2019 Calder Cup Championship with Charlotte Checkers, which definitely brought him some attention.

From Littleton, CO, the 30-year old has worked hard for every inch he’s earned.

In 61 games, he scores 4 goals and 4 assists with a +6 rating serving as the team captain and will return in a Griffins‘ jersey for 2024/2025.

13Aug

Steven Fogarty (29)

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Minnesota Wild 7th year center Steven Fogarty(29) signed a 2-year deal to come “home” as he is a native of right up the road, Edina, MN.

He has managed to skate NHL games in the last 6 seasons, but only scored 1 goal and 2 assists with Buffalo Sabres.

The 6’3″ 205 lbs. former New York Rangers‘ 3rd round pick in the 2011 draft (#72 overall), he off to a nice start with affiliate Iowa Wild, scoring 5 goals and 9 assists in 20 AHL games with a +7 rating.

A 2-year captain at University Of Notre Dame Fighting Irish, the 29-year old always looks to be a leader in the locker room.

After his 8th pro season, 464 AHL games, 31 NHL and the all important 1st goal and 150 NCAA, he decides that’s enough and call it quits.

We could see him starting to coach somewhere this season.

12Aug

David Farrance (9)

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Nashville Predators sign their 2017, 3rd round pick (#92 overall) Boston University graduate, defenseman David Farrance(9) to a 2-year entry level contract as he finishes up his 4 session at school scoring another more than point per game performance (5-11 in 11 games).

He had his best season as a junior in ’19/20, when he rocked 14 goals from the “point” to go along with 29 helpers through 34 games.

After a pair of campaigns with USNTDP, in the 2nd he amassed 30 assists to likely get him fully on the NHL club’s radar as well as his future college.

The 6′ 190 lbs. blue liner may report first to affiliate Milwaukee Admirals, but you can beat he will be fighting for a roster spot with the big club as soon as he arrives.

He would play 50 AHL games as a rookie, scoring 1 goal and 13 assists, but would not be given a qualifying offer to stay.

For 2022/2023, he signs a 1-year minor league contract with last year’s champs, Chicago Wolves.

After 14 games, scoring a goal and 4 assists, the d-man finds himself on the move, as Colorado Eagles see something they can use in his game and trade for him.

2 goals and 17 assists in 31 games and he is on the move, signing a 1-year deal with Toronto Marlies for 2023/2024.

He has mostly been loaned to affiliate Newfoundland Growlers, scoring 2 assists, but searching for something better finds it, signing with ERC Ingolstadt of DEL for the remainder of the session.

Coming away with 2 assists in 7 playoff games, he moves on to sign with KooKoo of Liiga for 2024/2025.

12Aug

Jack Dougherty (5)

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6th year defenseman Jack Dougherty(5) heads back to Belleville Senators after only 1 AHL game with Providence Bruins.

He has signed with that team twice previous with decent enough results to stick.

The 6’1″ 211 lbs. blue liner was originally a Nashville Predators‘ 2nd round pick in the 2014 draft (#51 overall) selected after a solid USNTDP showing, then only one year at University Of Wisconsin Badgers before bolting to put up 41 assists with Portland Winterhawks.

He spent two years in the system before getting dished to Buffalo Sabres to play out his entry level deal.

It wouldn’t be entirely out of the possibility that soon the 25-year old from St. Paul, MN looks overseas for something a little more lucrative.

He has a pair of tough seasons through the COVID shuffle, but decides to stick around and signs his 1st ECHL deal with Orlando Solar Bears for 2022/2023.

This will likely be a very good decision for the now 26-year old.

He actually leaves for DEL near the end of this session, then signs with Nurnberg Ice Tigers for 2023/2024.

Doing just ok wasn’t good enough, so he takes his game to IceHL for 2024/2025, signing with Vienna Capitals, which should equal a lot of fun for him.

09Aug

Brian Dumoulin (8)

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After 11 years with the team that initially signed him in a trade following the completion of 3 years at Boston College Eagles, Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Brian Dumoulin(8) steps away for a 1st time, agreeing to 2 years with Seattle Kracken at a nice $3.15M AAV.

He was initially drafted by Carolina Hurricanes in the 2nd round of 2009 (#51 overall).

The 6’4″ 207 lbs. rock of a blue liner has a combined +98 rating, 2 Stanley Cups and 2 NCAA Division 1 titles.

He played a career high 82 game slate last season, scoring a new best 24 assists and 25 points.

The 31-year old, originally from Biddeford, ME is only smiling, playing hockey.

He scores a career high 6 goals in his 1st season away from home, but isn’t retained and traded to Anaheim Ducks for 2024/2025.

07Aug

Kenny Agostino (11)

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Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod‘s 2nd year center Kenny Agostino(11) is already off to a good start for 2022/2023 with 2 goals and 3 assists in 7 KHL games with a +3 rating.

Last season he scored 20 goals and 20 assists in 46 games with a +8, his 1st season overseas.

The former 4-year 10+ goal scorer and 2 time 20+ assist guy at Yale University Bulldogs was originally a Pittsburgh Penguins‘ 5th round pick in the 2010 draft (#140 overall).

He was traded to Calgary Flames and signed an entry level deal before his skates ever hit the ice.

The Morristown, NJ native bounced around on 1-year deals mostly before getting signed to a 2-year, 1-way contract late with Toronto Maple Leafs, yet he only appeared in 1 NHL game with them.

At 30-years old, he’s done ok enough, but is still likely earning his way in Russia and playing some elite puck.

For 2023/2024, he is trading in a couple of seasons where he is for new surroundings in the SHL and will join Skelleftea AIK.

He actually switches things up and heads to Germany instead, signing with Dusseldorfer EG of DEL and scores himself point-per-game numbers in 48 (14-34), but will ink with rivals, ERC Ingolstadt for 2024/2025 and likely do just as well.