Boston University Terriers‘ freshman right wing Devin Kaplan(12) got a pair in a weeknight 6-2 home win over UMass Minutemen to earn 1st star honors.
The big 6’3″ 206 lbs. forward has 6 goals and 9 assists in 20 games with a +9 rating.
He was selected by Philadelphia Flyers in the 3rd round of 2022 (#69 overall) after he lit up his 2nd season at USNTDP with 8 goals and 10 assists in 22 USHL with a +18 and even better numbers for USDP.
It will be interesting to see how long the 19-year old from Bridgewater, NJ sticks with his college career.
After a junior year, serving as assistant captain, scoring fairly decently, he will leave a year on the table to sign a 3-year NHL entry level deal.
He makes his debut on the last night of regular season, skates 16 shifts for 12:12 ice time with 1 hit and left a 5-4 loss with a -1 rating.
Still nice to get on the big ice.
Atlanta Gladiators‘ 8th year right wing Eric Neiley(59) looks set to eclipse his best ECHL goals marks in the current frame with already 14 in 23 games.
He’ll need to surpass 27 posted in his 2nd season with the team, but regardless will hit the 20+ goal mark for a fourth time.
The prolific former assistant captain as a senior at Dartmouth College Big Green, he struck for 10+ goals and assists in his last pair of sessions.
He also skated to EIHL frames, but almost oddly didn’t score as well as he does at home.
The 5’11” 185 lbs is originally from Warminster Township, Pa.
Already 30-years old, it seems like he’s still just getting started.
1 more season of running up the point totals, 25 goals, just shy of his best and 19 assists for 44 points with a +10 rating in 50 games and that’s gonna be plenty enough hockey for the now 31-year old.
For 2023/2024, he will take up as Assistant Coach with this same Gladiators‘ club.
And for 2024/2025, he comes back off the bench to sign a 1-year deal to play with the home team, Gladiators once again.
After another good season, helping his team score points with 13 goals and 21 assists in 45 games, he announced his retirement x2, but will likely find himself riding a Glads‘ bench is what we are thinking.
Schwenninger Wild Wings‘ 3rd year defenseman Will Weber(78) will hang around for a 4th frame, as he signs a 1-year extension through 2024/2025.
The big 6’4″ 227 lbs. blue liner doesn’t necessarily put up a lot of points, but is a fairly accountable, very large presence out there.
Originally a Columbus Blue Jackets‘ 2nd round pick in the 2007 draft (#57 overall), he only twice had 10+ assists.
The first time was his sophomore season at Miami University (Ohio) Redhawks and the 2nd was his 1st session of DEL for Fischtown Pinguins.
At 35-years old, he has to be glad he’s still pulling down good contracts to play pro hockey.
Add another season, as he will skate for a 6th frame in a Wild Wings‘ jersey that he is looking mighty comfortable in lately.
UMASS Minutemen Russian-born, freshman left wing Aydar Suniev(89) is off and running in his 1st crack at college hockey with 11 goals and 10 assists in 27 games, including a +4 rating.
The 6’2″ 192 lbs. forward came over pretty quickly to play his youth hockey, some high school, then with Penticton Vees, lighting up the scoring with 45 goals and 45 assists, followed by 23 points en route to a 2023 BCHL Championship.
A Calgary Flames‘ 3rd round pick in the 2023 draft (#40 overall), the 19-year old. has a lot of upside to watch.
After a sophomore season of new college bests 20 goals and 18 assists with a +12 rating to a 3-year NHL entry level deal with the team that selected him.
On the final night of the regular season, he receives a debut, skating 18 shifts for 14:48 of ice with 1 shot, 1 giveaway and was a +2 in a 6-1 win.
Lebanon Valley College Dutchmen graduate left wing Darion Benchich(13) signs a 1st pro contract with Binghamton Black Bears.
The 5’8″ 174 lbs. forward has skated 4 FPHL games, recording an assist.
He only played just over a half of a season in USPHL Premier junior, blowing up scoring before he was wooed to come to college.
The 24-year old should do well as a pro.
Northeastern University Huskies‘ junior right wing Jack Williams(29) leaves a year on the table to sign a 2-year entry level contract unrestricted free agent contract with Columbus Blue Jackets.
The 5’11” 170 lbs. forward skated 14 shifts for 11:09 of ice time with 1 hit, 1 shot block, 1 giveaway and left a 6-1 victory with a +1 rating.
In his final college season, he scored a best 25 assists and 41 points.
From Biddeford, ME, the 23-year old had a very successful 2nd USHL junior season before school, so we do think he will get to scoring once set into a lineup.
Boston University Terriers‘ 2023/2024 commit, left wing Shane Lachance(18) was going to head to 1 season with Youngstown Phantoms before reporting to school, but plans changed.
In 14 USHL games he has a goal and an assist.
The very big 6’4″ 190 lbs. Andover, MA native forward was coming off a solid season with local Junior Bruins, scoring 6 goals and 9 assists in 25 USPHL/NCDC games.
He’s an Edmonton Oilers‘ 6th round pick in the 2021 draft (#186 overall) and the 18-year old son of Scott Lachance, who played 819 NHL games.
In maybe a little bit of a last minute decision, he stayed on for a 2nd season of junior hockey and throws up 33 goals and 21 assists in 62 games with a +13 rating and is ready for Hockey East matchups.
Through 8 games, the xl up-front guy has 2 goals and 3 assists and is looking like he belongs out there.
In his 2nd season, as captain he has another 10+ goals and new best 15 assists and maybe a little off the radar, his playing rights are traded to New Jersey Devils, where he will join a team, looking to remake a giant.
He is named team captain as a sophomore and scores a college best 18 assists and 30 points last season in a run that went all the way to the final game.
No one is surprised he signs, maybe a little conservative 2-year NHL entry level deal and will get started.
University Of Maine Black Bears‘ freshman center, Bradly Nadeau(29) is picking up where he left off after 2 years with Penticton Vees, including consecutive BCHL Championships, most goals, most assists, MVP twice over and now has 7 goals and 5 assists with a +7 rating in 10 games.
Carolina Hurricanes swooped right in selected him in the 1st round of the 2023 draft (#30 overall).
The 5’10” 170 lbs. forward plays like he is constantly being shot from a cannon out there.
From St. Francois-de-Madaswaska, NB, the 18-year old might be a tough sell to stick with school.
He takes a 1st year scoring 19 goals and 27 assists in 37 games with a +20 rating and signs a 3-year entry level contract with the team that chose him for pros.
It wouldn’t be surprising to see him in a Canes‘ jersey immediately.
In the minors, he scores a jaw-dropping 30 goals and 26 assists in 63 AHL games as a rookie, but will have to raise that -20 rating, despite it earns a 1st NHL look.
He skates 16 shifts for 13:01 of ice time with 1 assist, 1 point, 6 shots on net, 1 hit and left a 4-2 loss with a -1 rating.
Not bad at all.
At the start of his 2nd season as assistant captain with Lac-St. Louis Lions of the QMAAA, defenseman Dylan Finlay(26) would commit to University Of Vermont for 2021/2022 after scoring a previous session tying 26 assists,
The 6’1″ 170 lbs. blue liner was definitely showing off his abilities to head man the puck for scoring chances.
He would next leave for the BCHL to join Powell River Kings, where he wouldn’t get a goal, but was good for 18 helpers.
The Quebec native decided to head to America for 2020/2021 amid a pandemic that was going to make the campaign tough anyway you put it, but the 19-year old was able to play himself a decent run for Maryland Black Bears, getting a pair of goals and 9 assists with a +1 in 33 NAHL games.
He was even better in the playoffs striking for 2 goals and 2 assists in 8 contests and should be ready for some Hockey East play.
Switching things up, he’s heads to University Of Alaska-Anchorage Seawolves, which last him the last 3 seasons.
For 2025/2026, his senior year, he will head to Northeastern University Huskies, where he will finally face some Hockey East action.
Boston Jr. Rangers‘ 1st year, South Korean-born left wing Jaeseok Lee(85) commits to New England College Pilgrims for 2025/2026.
The 5’11” 170 lbs. forward scored 5 goals and 13 assists in 53 USPHL/NCDC games last season.
He played some of his youth hockey in Russia before leaving to Quebec for high school.
