Category: NHL Draft Pick

09Jul

Nate Clurman (5)

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Colorado Avalanche signed Boulder native and 6th round pick in the 2016 draft (#161 overall), former Notre Dame Fighting Irish captain, Nate Clurman(5) after the tumultuous 2020/2021 pandemic season rollercoaster.

He  arrives for his pro debut close to home in Loveland with affiliate Colorado Eagles, so the whole family & friends can hopefully come see him play. phew.

The 6’2″ 200 lbs. blue liner has never really put up big points, although did have a career high 4 goals last year and did use to connect at Culver Military Academy Prep in Indiana, so it’s possible he was maybe a bit dormant through juniors and college.

No doubt the 22-year old will be a solid addition to the lineup and may even spark some notice above.

He had been reassigned to the ECHL to start his pro career with farm club, Utah Grizzlies and managed to connect for a goal and 6 assists with a +9 rating to earn a recall.

The very decently sized d-man got a first AHL goal in his 6th appearance.

After 3 seasons with his 1st club, he moved along to Pittsburgh Penguins, where he appeared in his 1st NHL game.

The unrestricted free agent was next signed by Montreal Canadiens, but sent to affiliate Laval Rocket, where his numbers were good.

He is looking for a new start in 6th year of pro hockey and signs with Rogle BK, where he should play well in the SHL.

09Jul

Taylor Makar (6)

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University Of Massachusetts Minutemen sophomore, left wing Taylor Makar(6) is starting to pop scoring with 7 goals and 2 assists in 19 games.

The fairly sizable 6’4″ 209 lbs. forward was a Colorado Avalanche 7th round pick in the 2021 draft (#220 overall), which could very well put him on the same team as his Stanley Cup winning, NHL Best Defenseman brother, Cale Makar.

He has yet to prove he has the same depth, but did take his scoring up in his 3rd season with AJHL junior team, Brooks Bandits before getting selected.

The Calgary, AB native is big and looks to be starting to use his size to his advantage, which will definitely create room for him to score.

For his senior year, he decides to head off to Hockey East rival, University Of Maine Black Bears for 2024/2025 and he’s off to a huge start with 4 goals and 3 assists in 4 games.

There’s little doubt he will post some college hockey bests, but 18 goals and 12 assists in 38 games with a +24 rating and he is ready to sign and does on a 1-year NHL deal.

He reports to affiliate Colorado Eagles on an ato to get things started.

Starting the season in the AHL, he skates 10 games, scoring 1 goal and 3 assists with a +4 rating to score a 1st appearance in the big league.

He skates just 8 shifts for 6:07 ice time in a 3-2 overtime loss.

After helping push the affiliate in the playoffs, he scores a 2-year deal to continue with the Avalanche through 2027/2028.

09Jul

Chase Yoder (48)

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Providence College Friars‘ senior center Chase Yoder(48) scored what turned out to be the game-winner for the 2023 Mayor’s Cup, Battle of Providence vs. Brown University Bears, 3-0.

The 5’10” 176 lbs. forward is easily threatening college bests with 6 goals and 6 assists in 17 games.

A Pittsburg Penguins‘ 6th round pick in the 2020 draft (#170 overall), the Fairview, TX native did 2 years in the USNTDP system before school.

We think this is the season to see an uptick in the 21 year old’s game, getting him ready to sign an NHL entry level deal.

He goes unsigned by his draft club, but somehow picks up the radar of Winnipeg Jets, who get him signed to an AHL contract with affiliate Manitoba Moose for 2025/2026.

Splitting time with affiliate Norfolk Admirals, where he was close to a point-per-game player and even got 2 goals and 2 assists in 23 games up, he gets another look in a Moose jersey for 2026/2027.

09Jul

Eamon Powell (11)

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Boston College Eagles‘ senior captain defenseman Eamon Powell(11) maybe a little quietly this season amassed a college best 26 assists to go with his 5 goals that match those junior totals in 34 games with a +19 rating.

The 6′ 177 lbs. blue liner had a team high 2 assists in the Hockey East quarterfinals’ win over the weekend to advance to the next round.

A Marcellus, NY native, the young 21-year old is a Tampa Bay Lightning 4th round pick in the 2020 draft (#116 overall) and will be a watch to sign an NHL entry level deal.

The rights to ink are left to expire, so he becomes an unrestricted free agent.

He signs a 1-year AHL deal with Charlotte Checkers to start 2025/2026, but will jump in for the playoffs on an ato, and already has a 1st goal and assist in 5 games.

In 23 games, he scores 1 goal and 5 assists, but is an unrestricted free agent and signs with Utica Comets for 2026/2027.

07Jul

Max McCormick (17)

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8th year left wing Max McCormick(17) scores a new 1-year NHL deal with Seattle Kracken maybe a little late into unrestricted free agency, yet it did arrive to get him on a good club going forward.

He spent the last pair of seasons with Carolina Hurricanes, playing 12 games with 2 goals, 1 assist and a +3 rating in  2020/2021, while mostly doing time on their taxi squad.

The 5’11” 185 lbs. played the first year of his deal entirely with affiliate Charlotte Checkers, where he tied his best 19 assists  and 35 points was one shy of his high with a +6, and amassed him a 3rd 30+ point season.

He had a pair of 30 point seasons in his 3 years at Ohio State University Buckeyes.

The 29-year old De Pere, WI native may spend some time in the AHL, but also could play himself into more minutes in the show.

He skates 46 games in the minors, but gets recalled for 10 games with no points and leaves a +1.

His 29 points at +17 has certainly helped that team to a top playoff spot.

Those efforts earn him a new 2-year contract to continue leading the group one league away from the show and contribute whenever called upon.

The twice captain for affiliate Coachella Valley Firebirds, who on 2 straight occasions made it all the way to the Finals before bowing out was quite the leader and is rewarded with a 2-year, 1-way contract to continue.

After being on long-term injury, ruling out any games in 2025/2026, he has decided maybe it’s enough and retires, as three time Firebirds‘ captain, leaving as the team’s all-time leader in goals (67).

06Jul

Jack Malone (13)

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Boston College Eagles‘ senior right wing Jack Malone(13) transferred from 3 successful years at Cornell University Big Red to play a college best 41 games, scoring new highs 12 goals and 13 assists.

He really seemed to use that 6’1″ 190 lbs. frame to his scoring advantage last season.

The Danville, CA native played 3 USHL campaigns for Youngstown Phantoms, including 1 when the ECAC took the year off due to COVID.

He graduates and signs a 1st pro deal with Utica Comets to join the team on an ato, but will be under AHL contract through 2025/2026 and very much the watchful eye of parent club Vancouver Canucks, who selected him in the 6th round of 2019 (#180 overall).

In 45 games through his 2nd season, he scored 1 goal and 8 assists with a 0 rating and is easily wanted back for a 3rd run with the Comets in 2026/2027.

03Jul

Miguel Marques (43)

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University Of Maine Black Bears‘ freshman right wing Miguel Marques(43) scores 10 goals and 13 assists in 33 games with a +12 rating, but maybe wants a bit of a more challenge, transferring to Hockey East rivals Northeastern University Huskies for his sophomore season, 2026/2027.

The 5’11” 190 lbs. forward is a Nashville Predators‘ 3rd round pick in the 2024 draft (#87 overall).

He did 3 years of WHL with Lethbridge Hurricanes, scoring big points.

From Prince George, BC, the 20-year old maybe find his new team to be more of a scoring treat for him.

03Jul

Massimo Rizzo (13)

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University Of Denver Pioneers‘ freshman center Massimo Rizzo(13) is tied for 3rd in NCAA Division 1 scoring at 24 points (10 goals, 14 assists).

He is a Carolina Hurricanes‘ 7th round pick in the 2019 draft (#216 overall) and looking to prove them right with the deep pick.

The 5’10” 174 lbs. forward was a solid performer through 3 years of BCHL with a couple of teams (43 goals and 80 assists in 132 games) and won a 2017 championship with Penticton Vees, the year he arrived from youth hockey.

This is definitely the style player from Burnaby, BC that can break through and find space in the NHL.

After another 40+ points frame, the now junior decides to leave a year on the table and signs a 2-year NHL entry level deal with Philadelphia Flyers, who picked up his playing rights in a trade.

He would finish his 2nd season with 13 AHL games for Milwaukee Admirals, scoring 2 goals and 3 assists, but then New York Rangers come sniffing in the off season and pick him up for 2026/2027.

01Jul

Brett Murray (57)

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Buffalo Sabres‘ 4th round pick in the 2016 draft (#99 overall), 3rd year left wing Brett Murray(57) played his first season under the guide of the parent club on an AHL contract with affiliate Rochester Americans.

The kinda giant 6’5″ 228 lbs., former year and a half Penn State University Nittany Lions‘ forward posted 9 goals in each of his first two seasons and 10+ assists before dropping a goal and 7 assists in 6 games in the current frame to earn a 2nd recall.

In his first re-appearance, he failed to connect in a win, but had an assist the next night and topped it with a two point, first NHL goal and an assist performance in a loss that should have earned him a third star award.

The Bolton, ON native took an interesting path from a first year at juniors, directingly into a first year at college hockey, but only stayed one run before returning to Youngstown Phantoms to absolutely detonate the stat sheet with a league best 41 goals and 35 assists with a +13 rating.

That was basically all the now 23 year old needed to turn pro and now he’s looking at some extended time up.

He manages less games in the big league as he goes, but scores pretty easily in the lower league, so decides to move as unrestricted free agent status approaches, signing for 2025/2026 with Nurnberg Ice Tigers.

Recording very close to point-per-game totals, he takes his game up to the KHL and agrees to terms with Shanghai Dragons for 2026/2027.