Category: NHL Draft Pick

07Aug

Aidan McDonough (25)

Posted in College Hockey Player, Juniors, Minor League Deal, NHL Draft Pick | Leave a comment

Vancouver Canucks‘ 7th round pick in the 2019 draft (#195 overall), senior left wing Aidan McDonough(25) signs his 2-year entry level deal after finishing up 4 years at Northeastern University Huskies, including his last as team captain, scoring 1 point off his junior career high with a college best 18 assists, 39 points (25 goals, 14 assists).

He could join the parent club immediately.

The 6’3″ 190 lbs. is big on his skates and plays an effective power forward style.

In the only year of USHL junior hockey he skated, he scored 21 goals and 21 assists for Cedar Rapids Roughriders.

The 23-year old from Milton, MA has a bright future ahead of him and we bet he’ll be playing for it.

He does join the big league immediately with 6 games and gets a 1st NHL goal, but is reassigned for his entire rookie frame to affiliate Abbotsford Canucks, scoring 11 goals and 8 assists with a +2 rating.

Almost oddly maybe, he isn’t given a qualifying offer and signs an AHL deal for 2024/2025 with Charlotte Checkers that should heed great results.

He is a point-per-game player with his new club, but is a free agent and signs for 1-year with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, where we think he will play under the parent’s club radar.

07Aug

Sean Farrell (57)

Posted in College Hockey Player, Juniors, NHL Draft Pick | Leave a comment

Montreal Canadiens‘ 4th round pick in the 2020 draft (#142 overall), Harvard University Crimson sophomore center Sean Farrell(57) leaves 2 years of school on the shelf to sign a 3-year NHL entry level deal.

The 5’9″ 185 lbs. forward is set to join the team on their upcoming road trip.

Last season he put in a college career best 20 goals and 33 assists with a phenomenal +21 rating in 34 games.

He spent an extend run in junior hockey, starting with 2 sessions for USNTDP, followed by 2 runs with Chicago Steel, where in his 2nd stint with the team won the 2018 USHL Clark Cup and he donned most assists (72), most points (101) and was voted Player Of The Year in the league.

The 21-year old from Hopkinton, MA is set to play big time hockey.

A restricted free agent, he signs up for 1-year to stay a Rocket in the system after 20 goals and 24 assists with a +8 rating, then another 10 in 13 playoff games.

05Aug

Sam Colangelo (64)

Posted in College Hockey Player, Free Agent Signing, Juniors, Minor League Deal, NHL Draft Pick, Transfers | Leave a comment

Northeastern University Huskies‘ sophomore right wing Sam Colangelo(64) picks up his 1st NCAA Division 1 goal in the 2021/2022 home opener.

He had 8 Hockey East shots at it as a freshman, but managed only 3 assists.

The 6’2″ 207 lbs. Anaheim Ducks‘ 2nd round pick in the 2020 draft (#36 overall) was selected by his school as an entering junior, then took off to for one round of junior action with Chicago Steel.

In 44 USHL games, he detonated the scoresheet with 28 goals and 30 assists with a +32 rating.

It would be zero surprise to see the 19-year old finish up all four years of college before turning pro.

The Stoneham, MA native will head to Western Michigan University Broncos for his senior year, then we feel will likely be given his NHL contract.

After playing a college career high 39 games, scoring a new double best 24 goals, 3-time 10+ assists (19) and 43 points with +19 rating, he signs a pto to affiliate San Diego Gulls to play out the remainder of the season and scores a 1st AHL goal and adds 3 assists in 4 games.

And just like that, the Ducks step in and ink him to a 2-year entry level deal, starting this season to play out the final games of 2023/2024.

He’s a point-per-game player in the minors and pops in 10 goals in the big league to earn himself a nice new 2-year deal that will be a 1-way contract for 2026/2027 to remain a Ducks.

 

04Aug

Colin Blackwell (43)

Posted in College Hockey Player, Free Agent Signing, Juniors, Minor League Deal, NHL Draft Pick | Leave a comment

6th year right wing, Colin Blackwell(43) was left unprotected by New York Rangers, where he scored a career high 12 goals and 10 assists in 47 NHL games with a +2 rating on a non-playoff team.

The small-ish 5’9″ but solid 190 lbs. forward was maybe a little surprisingly scooped by Seattle Kracken in the player draft, so the final year of his contract becomes absorbed by his new club.

He was originally drafted by San Jose Sharks in the 7th round of 2011 after an outstanding season at St. John’s Prep, where as the team captain he bounced in 33 goals with 33 assists in 25 USHS-Prep games.

The Lawrence, MA native never signed an entry level deal, but instead inked an AHL agreement with affiliate San Jose Barracuda to stay in the system.

Instead of staying, he branched out for another minor league deal, but instead moved east with Rochester Americans.

This season saw him connect, bagging 17 goals and 28 assists in 57 games with a +15 rating, then adding another 3 points in three playoff contests.

The five year Harvard University Crimson senior standout (6-13-19 in 28) would find his first big league suitor, Nashville Predators signed him to a 2-year contract.

He split for another pair of years with the 2nd being one-way, so finally went for the cash and found himself making the opening night roster for 2020/2021 and sticking with his always hard style play.

The 28-year old will do amazing things for his new club and become a fan favorite, no doubt.

A near end of season trade sent him to Toronto Maple Leafs for the last 19 games of 2021/2022.

His numbers were maybe a little lower than expected, but he is masterful in that role as an on ice pest.

Unsurprisingly, he signs a 2-year, $1.2M AAV deal going forward with Chicago Blackhawks, a team that could use an infusion of energy.

After 2 years with one team, an unrestricted free agent once again, he signs with Dallas Stars, scoring 6 goals and 11 assists in 63 games with a +4 rating, is well-liked to earn a 2-year deal to stay for 2026/2027.

04Aug

Devon Levi (27)

Posted in College Hockey Player, Free Agent Signing, Juniors, NHL Draft Pick | Leave a comment

Despite his 3-3 record, Northeastern University Huskies‘ sophomore goalie Devon Levi(27) gives his team a chance to win each game with 2.01 GAA and .934 SV%.

Brought on board to his school as he was posting a monster junior season with Carleton Place Canadiens, earning a 1.47 GAA and .941 SV% on a 34-2-1 record in 37 CCHL games and basically earning every awarded allotted him.

The 6′ 189 lbs. net minder was spotted by Florida Panthers, who selected him in the 7th round of 2020 (#212 overall), but shipped him to Buffalo Sabres in a recent trade.

At this point, it’s just up to the 19-year old to keep stopping pucks until it feels right to sign an entry level deal, which looks to loom in his future.

After 2 seasons of effectively stopping pucks at college hockey (with 1 COVID season scratched), he decides it’s time to sign a 3-year NHL entry level deal and start doing what he does in the pros now.

With back-to-back excellent frames with the affiliate Rochester Americans and plenty of work as a rookie in the show, he is ready to return on a 2-year deal worth $812.5K AAV to stay a Sabres and continue growth.

03Aug

Alex Laferriere (14)

Posted in College Hockey Player, Free Agent Signing, Juniors, NHL Draft Pick | Leave a comment

Los Angeles Kings‘ 3rd round pick in the 2020 draft (#83 overall), right wing Alex Laferriere(14) signs a 3-year NHL entry level deal after completing a hugely successful sophomore season with Harvard University Crimson, scoring a new best 21 goals and 21 assists with a +13 rating in 34 games.

To start his pro career he signs a ato with affiliate Ontario Reign, scoring a 1st AHL goal in 4 games before exiting.

Look for the 6′ 172 lbs. to maybe add some weight over the summer and compete for a roster spot at 1st official camp.

After two seasons up, scoring a new career best 19 goals and 23 assists with a +22 rating last season, the restricted free agent signs a new 3-year deal to stay a Kings‘ scorer for $4.1M AAV.

01Aug

Keith Petruzzelli (80)

Posted in College Hockey Player, Juniors, Minor League Deal, NHL Draft Pick | Leave a comment

Goaltender Keith Petruzzelli(80) receives a 2-year AHL contract from Toronto Marlies.

The absolutely huge 6’5″ 185 lbs. backstop put up quite the impressive numbers for the last three seasons at Quinnipiac University Bobcats.

He graduated with 94 ECAC games played, posting a 51-27-8 record and a 2.17 GAA, .915 SV%, but it was really 2020/2021 stats that catch your attention at 1.98 GAA and .926 SV%, a 17-8-4 record with 4 shutouts and a bigger wonder how Detroit Red Wings, who selected him in the 3rd round of the 2017 draft (#88 overall), allowed his rights to expire.

The Wilbraham, MA native arrived at college sporting some amazing stats and even through his fullest schedule of 35 USHL games did well with Muskegon Lumberjacks, hoisting a 22-10-1 mark, 2.40 GAA and .918 SV%.

It’s likely the 22-year old will be up for the challenge to grab the starter’s role.

After a 3rd season with the same club and he was ascending, he signs with Lehigh Valley Phantoms for his 1st time away.

He splits time with affiliate Reading Royals, where he plays 34 ECHL games.

They are liking what they see and he is signed up to stay a Phantoms for 2025/2026.

31Jul

David Cotton (13)

Posted in College Hockey Player, Juniors, Minor League Deal, NHL Draft Pick | Leave a comment

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.

As the new captain, he records a best 22 goals and 25 assists in 54 games, then added another 10 in 13 playoff matchups.

For 2025/2026, it’s a easy match for his return 2025/2026 to the Mavericks.

30Jul

Colby Ambrosio (77)

Posted in College Hockey Player, Juniors, Minor League Deal, NHL Draft Pick, Transfers | Leave a comment

Boston College Eagles‘ senior center Colby Ambrosio(77) will do a year of eligibility at Miami University (Ohio) Redhawks 2024/2025 graduate season.

The Colorado Avalanche 4th round pick in the 2020 draft (#118 overall) didn’t score quite as much as he is used to, playing a college best 40 games, but likely accepted a different, more checking oriented role on a very strong team.

From Welland, ON, the 24-year old did 2 USHL frames with Tri-City Storm before heading to school.

He finishes up his extra year tying the 13 assists he had as a sophomore to sign a 1st pro deal with Toledo Walleye that begins even before his college life concludes.

In his ECHL, he records a multi-point game with a 1st goal and an assist and has 3 tallies and 2 helpers with a +2 in 7 games so far for a more than solid start.

Through his early time as a pro, he skates 12 games, claiming 3 goals and 5 assists, then added another 11 points in 18 playoff games to easily earn himself a deal for his rookie season to be a Walleye, 2025/2026.