Boston Bruins‘ undrafted 2nd year goaltender Brandon Bussi(35) needed a new contract as a restricted free agent and picks up a 1-year 2-way NHL deal to continue his progress.
The big 6’4″ 227 lbs. net minder went 22-5-4 as a rookie with a 2.40 GAA and .925 SV% and despite losing 3 games posted similar totals in 4 playoff match ups.
From Sound Beach, NY, he did 3 years at Western Michigan University Broncos after bouncing around juniors his 1st two campaigns, then posted a very strong USHL frame with Muskegon Lumberjacks before heading to school.
The 25-year old is off to a pretty strong start on a good team for him and posted a shutout in a 2023 preseason game.
He has been a rock in net for affiliate Providence Bruins and the unrestricted free agent picks up a new 1-year, 2-way deal to continue.
An unrestricted free agent heading into 2025/2026, Florida Panthers sign him on opening day.
Put on waivers for the purpose of reassignment, he is busy moving, as Carolina Hurricanes claim his contract to start the season.
After a couple of almosts with his former club, he gets the nod in net for his 1st big league start and comes away with a 5-1 win on a 1.00 GAA and .941 SV%, nicely impressive NHL debut.
Merrimack College Warriors‘ Swedish-born sophomore defenseman Max Wattvil(9) enters the transfer portal to next skate at Roger Morris University Pioneers, as a junior in 2025/2026.
Coming over, he only skated 1 season of juniors before college, but did skate a few pro games in Hockeyettan, scoring a couple goals before heading over.
The 6’2″ 192 lbs. blue liner will likely skate a bit better in Atlantic Hockey.
Boston University Terriers‘ 2022 Montreal Canadiens‘ 2nd round pick (#62 overall), freshman defenseman Lane Hutson(48) is off to a monster start, scoring 6 goals and 11 assists in 14 NCAA Division 1 games with a +6 rating.
The fairly small 5’9″ 155 lbs. blue liner ran up some hefty scoring totals in his 2nd session with USNTDP, pocketing just 10 goals, but 53 assists in 60 USHL games with an overwhelming +59 rating.
An only 18-year older from Holland, MI, he looks like he won’t be sticking around in school for too long before accepting his NHL entry level deal, now doesn’t he?
He runs up almost identical freshman/sophomore stats (49 points) and an overall +39 rating through 77 games and taking it all the way to the Frozen Four twice, but that’s enough for the now 20-year old, who signs a 3-year entry level deal with his draft club and steps right into action.
Early in his debut, he sets up the opening goal by his team for a 1st NHL assist and point for himself.
He skates 23 shifts for 21:54 ice time with 1 shot on net and left the game a -1 rating, as his team squandered the lead to a desperate for a win club.
For the 2024/2025 season, he is selected as Rookie Of The Year for an outstanding performance for 6 goals and a massive 60 assists in 73 games.
He has 1 assist in 3 games to start 2025/2026, but is rewarded quickly with a new 8-year $70.8M contract, working out to a tidy $8.85AAV to stay a Canadiens long-term.
Rhode Island HC 1st year defenseman Ryan Drust(2) scores 2 goals and 7 assists in 46 EHL games last season and commits to Roger Williams University Hawks for 2025/2026.
The 6′ 174 lbs. blue liner, 21-year old from Wallingford, CT should do ok with the college hockey schedule.
5th year right wing Anthony Angello(17) signs a 1-year NHL deal with St. Louis Blues, as an unrestricted free agent after spending the 1st 4 years of his pro career in Pittsburgh Penguins‘ organization.
The towering 6’5″ 209 lbs. forward twice scored 16 goals with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and has definitely shown a perchance for potential big numbers.
He was originally a 5th round pick in the 2014 draft (#145 overall).
The Albany, NY native did 3 years at Cornell University Big Red before leaving to sign his entry level contract.
At 26-years old, he could be just arriving.
He is acquired late season by Nashville Predators, who send him directly to affiliate Milwaukee Admirals, where he helps their deep 2023 Calder Cup Playoff push.
It’s little doubt he is signed quickly to a 2-year 2-way deal though 2024/2025.
A trade sent him to Tampa Bay Lightning organization, he was reassigned to close by home Syracuse Crunch and scored well in 19 games.
With no deal going forward, he decides to leave hockey after 339 AHL games and 31 NHL games to his credit and could actually head back for his senior year somewhere is a possibility we see.
Long Island University Sharks‘ commit for 2021/2022 right wing Isaiah Fox(8) gives us the peace nod that his club Maine Nordiques clinched their berth into the upcoming playoffs.
The 5’11” 165 lbs. blue liner has posted similar numbers in his pair of NAHL seasons scoring a pretty phenomenal 16 goals and new best 23 assists and 39 points in 49 games and should be ready for a good showing as a rookie.
After 4 years, with his best scoring season as a junior, 14 goals and 20 assists in a college high 37 games, he is ready to move on and turns pro, signing a standard player contract with Adirondack Thunder.
We think he does well in the ECHL to start.
In his 1st 17 games, he scores 3 goals and 7 assists with a +1 rating to easily grab a new contract for his rookie season, 2025/2026 as a Thunder.
Well, he can’t even get his 1st campaign going and in a bit of a shocker is traded to Iowa Heartlanders, who likely really need him to fill in their blue line.
Salem State University Vikings‘ English-born senior left wing Rais Francis(74) signs a 1st pro contract back home for his rookie season with Manchester Storm, 2025/2026.
In 4 EIHL games, he has yet to register a point.
The very big 6’6″ 220 lbs. forward had a college best 6 goals and tied his junior 11 points as a senior.
He initially committed to Lebanon Valley College Dutchmen after 2 years of cycling through 3 junior leagues and would stay there for 2 years before doing his junior frame at Western New England University Golden Bears.
We look for the 24-year old to settle in an catch on scoring.
Northern Cyclones‘ 1st year left wing Nick Blanchette(21) takes 5 goals and 5 assists in 36 USPHL Premier games to a 2025/2026 commit at Franklin Pierce University Ravens.
The 5’9″ 154 lbs. forward, 20-year old from Kingston, NH may find better footing scoring in college hockey.
Rochester Jr. Americans‘ 3rd year left wing Adam Gionta(12) selects close-ish to home Niagara University Purple Eagles for his commit 2026/2027.
The 5’8″ 170 lbs. forward scored better than point-per-game numbers last season and is likely to repeat similar stats in the current frame.
From Clarence Center, NY, the 19-year is the son of NHL great Brian Gionta , who is the Director Of Player Development at his future college and he did all his youth hockey in the Buffalo Jr. Sabres‘ system.
11th year, Columbus Blue Jackets‘ 6th round pick in the 2008 draft (#157 overall) right wing Cam Atkinson(89) gets traded from the nest of the only team he’s ever known for his 10 year pro career that maybe wasn’t considered likely seeing his stealthy 5’8″ 176 lbs. frame.
He heads to Philadelphia Flyers to ride out the final 4 years of his big money 7-year deal he signed in 2018/2019.
The Riverside, CT native has skated an almost eye-popping 627 NHL games, scoring 213 goals and 189 assists with an overall +17 rating.
He signed his entry level deal after twice scoring big for Boston College Eagles and would report to affiliate Springfield Falcons at the end of his third year, only to pop in a 1st 3 goals and 2 assists in 5 AHL games.
At 32-years old, it’s definitely a bit of a scary signing, but he has averaged 20+ goals and once hit 29, 35 and 41 in a session.
He doesn’t quite hit his previous marks with 10+ numbers in 2 seasons for his new club, including 1 completely scrapped due to injury and is bought out of his final year of his deal.
For 2024/2025, he hooks up with only his 3rd team ever in 14 seasons of play, Tampa Bay Lightning think they can lift the now 35-year old’s scoring level.
After 809 NHL games, scoring very well, he decides at 36-years old and will likely land somewhere nicely on staff, as he is set to sign a 1-day contract with 10-year team Columbus Blue Jackets to retire officially.
