Category: College Hockey Player

07Jul

Marc Johnstone (26)

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Undrafted rookie right wing Marc Johnstone(26) signs a 1-year ECHL deal with Newfoundland Growlers for 2021/2022.

He only managed to get in 6 games with South Carolina Stingrays, recording 2 assists for 2020/2021’s completely weirdo hockey season before being released.

This came after the former two-time captain of Sacred Heart University Pioneers‘ forward graduated, having potted point-per-game numbers (6-10-16) in 16 Atlantic Hockey games as a senior.

He was always a good scorer at school, coming in after a decent 2nd showing with Chicago Steel that exploded in playoff run for 3 goals and 12 assists in 14 USHL games en route to the 2017 Clark Cup Championship.

The Cranford, NJ native was also captain of this club.

At 25-years old and having seen him play, we feel he may just be getting started for some attention.

Through 46 games as a rookie, he has scored 7 and assisted on 13 for 20 points to earn notice and a recall from parent club, Toronto Marlies.

For 2022/2023, he doesn’t need to look far, as he’s given a new AHL deal to continue.

He scores 9 goals and 13 assists in 69 games and catches the attention of Pittsburgh Penguins, who sign him to a 2-year, 2-way NHL deal through 2024/2025.

In 21 games with the affiliate Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, he has 2 goals and 3 assists, but mostly we feel it’s his style of play earns him a 1st game in the big league for Christmas 2023.

He skated 10 shifts for 7:19 ice time, dished 2 hits and took 1 face-off successfully in a 3-1 loss.

Reassigned, he scores 3 goals and 6 assists, but is an unrestricted free agent and signs a 2-year minor league deal with Toronto Marlies.

06Jul

Mike Reilly (6)

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9th year defenseman Mike Reilly(6) signs a 1-year deal with Florida Panthers for 2023/2024 after spending most of the last 2 seasons with Boston Bruins, although he was dished to their affiliate Providence Bruins for most of last season and his contract was eventually bought out and he was waived.

He’s 3 times reached 10+ assists and 4 times 10+ points in a frame.

The 6’1″ 195 lbs. blue liner was originally a Columbus Blue Jackets‘ 4th round pick in the 2011 (#98 overall) draft, but 1st signed his 2-year NHL entry level deal as an unrestricted free agent with Minnesota Wild, then re-upped with them on a 1-way deal for another 2.

A former University Of Minnesota Golden Gophers, he is a veteran of 339 games in the big league and the 30-year old could hang up his skates happy if he wanted to at this point.

He was ready to be reassigned to their AHL affiliate, but in steps New York Islanders to claim him off waivers, as they look to have a need for him to help cover their blue line.

Through a 2nd best 59 games, he scores a new high 6 goals and 24 points to earn himself another 1-year deal to stay on the Isle for 2024/2025.

He misses a chunk of last season due to concussion, which limits his availability to 18 games.

For 2025/2026, he signs a simple 1-year $1.1M AAV deal with Carolina Hurricanes, a team that can use his veteran leadership.

06Jul

Sean Kuraly (52)

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6th year center Sean Kuraly(52) was seeing less playing room in the system he’d spent his first five development years with, Boston Bruins, so makes the smart, even best move of unrestricted free agency and signs a nice 4-year deal with close to home Columbus Blue Jackets.

He was born in Dublin, OH, skated his T1EHL 16U & 18U for Ohio Blue Jackets, played 4 years and was senior captain with hometown Miami University (Ohio) Redhawks, so gets to return big.

The 6’2″ 218 lbs. forward is going to be a perfect fit in his new club’s system, so may have also hit nice pay dirt.

4 years passes pretty quickly and he becomes 3-time assistant captain in his new team’s system, always brings his game despite maybe not scoring quite as many points as he once did when he first came over and put up a new best 30 points.

In an oh, my god move, he returns to Boston Bruins on a 2-year $1.85M AAV NHL contract that will see him back to lead a newer, younger club.

06Jul

Jacob Kvasnicka (7)

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USNTDP 2nd year right wing Jacob Kvasnicka(7) will take his 5 goals and 9 assists in 29 USHL games with a +5 rating, first to another year of juniors in the BCHL for Penticton Vees before he heads to a 2026/2027 commit at University Of Minnesota Golden Gophers.

The 5’11” 172 lbs. blue liner was just selected by New York Islanders in the 7th round of the 2025 NHL Draft (#202 overall).

From Burnsville, MN, the 17-year old scored well through youth hockey and in high school before embarking on the road he is on now.

05Jul

Kristian Kostadinski (4)

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Boston Bruins‘ 7th round pick in the 2023 draft (#220 overall), Swedish-born defenseman, 6’6″ 220 lbs. tower, Kristian Kostadinski(4) is a Boston College Eagles‘ commit for 2025/2026.

He did his youth hockey and juniors, as captain back home before coming over last season for a USHL run with Dubuque Fighting Saints for a monster +25 rating.

The 20-year is huge and Hockey East style will help focus his game.

05Jul

Trent Frederic (21)

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Boston Bruins‘ 6th year left wing Trent Frederic(21) signs on for another 2 seasons at a healthy pay raise of $2.3M AAV through 2024/2025.

The 6’3″ 214 lbs. forward is a former 2016 1st round draft pick (#29 overall).

He stayed only 2 years at University Of Wisconsin Badgers before turning pro and did 2 years of USNTDP previous to school.

It would be little surprise to see the 25-year old from St. Louis, MO stay with 1 team for a long while.

At the end of his 7th season with the team, pitching maybe less than previous results on a terrible club, as he is coming to the end of his current 2-year deal, he finds himself traded to Edmonton Oilers to continue.

He plays just 1 regular season game, but then in 22 playoff matchups, scoring 1 goal and 2 assists with a +1 rating to earn himself a new 8-year deal worth $30.8M ($3.5 AAV), as he has arrived in his new NHL home.

03Jul

Mathieu Gosselin (63)

Posted in College Hockey Player, Europe, Juniors, Minor League Deal | Leave a comment

Clarkson University Golden Knights‘ graduate right wing Mathieu Gosselin(63) was a 3 time 10+ goals and twice 10+ assists and once more than 20 in a frame scorer and will next take his game to the ECHL, joining Newfoundland Growlers for the rest of the season.

The 5’10” 170 lbs. forward on 4 occasions played 30+ games.

From Quebec, QC, he did 2 BCHL sessions with Merritt Centennials, scoring more than point per game numbers in his 2nd year.

The 24-year old will likely find room to score in the league and does with 2 goals and 3 assists, but now has to find himself a new team to play for, as his ceased operations.

Parent club Toronto Marlies step right in and offer him an amateur tryout to see what he might do in the AHL, which turns into a full deal for 2024/2025.

He spends most of his time, running up numbers for affiliate Cincinnati Cyclones that he decides to take across the way to a deal with Guilford Flames, 2025/2026, where we think he will do very well for himself in the EIHL.