Merrimack College Warriors‘ junior left wing Devlin O’Brien(15) chooses to head to Stonehill College Skyhawks for his senior year, 2024/2025 after playing a college best 30 games, scoring 3 goals and 5 assists.
The 5’11” 185 lbs. forward had failed to score through just 13 games in his 1st 2 years.
He barely played 1 session of juniors during the COVID crisis before heading to school, but did come off 2 really good seasons of St. Andrews College.
From Toronto, ON, the 22-year old will continue to work hard to earn points.
Canisius College Golden Griffins‘ senior defenseman Jack Lyons(77) signs a 1-year deal in the AlpsHL with HDD Jesenice for 2024/2025.
The fairly big 6’1″ 205 lbs. blue liner isn’t a big point scorer, but looks to hold his zone effectively.
From Mississauga, ON, he did 4 years of OJHL junior hockey before college.
We think the 25-year old does better as a pro.
Undrafted, left wing Zach Dubinsky(32) takes a fairly solid season for RPI Engineers, scoring 10 goals and 10 assists in 44 NCAA Division 1 games to a new adventure through the transfer portal for his junior year with Michigan State University Spartans.
The 5’8″ 185 lbs. forward agreed to head to his 1st school after a decent USHL campaign with Lincoln Stars was evolving, but decided to head back to juniors despite a decent campaign.
He definitely took scoring to another level, grabbing a point-per-game 14 goals and 20 assists in 32 games.
The 22-year old from Deerfield, IL will likely do very well at his new hockey home.
His dad Steve Dubinsky(18) played NHL hockey for 375 games, 9 years.
He finishes up a senior year at a 3rd school, University Of Vermont Catamounts, where as assistant captain, he has a decent enough frame.
For his rookie year, he signs a 1st pro contract with Iowa Heartanders, not too far from home.
Tulsa Oilers just grabbed 5th year left wing scorer Alec Butcher(11) from 2nd year team Reading Royals after tallying 4 goals and 3 assists in 15 ECHL games.
The 5’10” 181 lbs. forward has been putting up pretty great numbers in the league, so that will very likely continue with his new team.
He was a pretty good scorer at Sacred Heart University Pioneers, but seemed to come to life as a senior with University Of Alaska-Anchorage Seawolves.
The Anchorage, AK native did 2 years of NAHL juniors with “local” Kenai River Brown Bears.
As a 29-year old pro, he’s probably just looking for a consistently good team to play for.
He scores 18 goals and 16 assists in 56 games last season to earn another 1-year deal to return to the Oilers for 2024/2025.
Robert Morris University Colonials‘ graduate goaltender Francis Boisvert(31) signs a rookie tryout agreement with Fort Wayne Komets.
The 6’2″ 170 lbs. net minder did 4 years at St. Lawrence University Saints, but was used little after his freshman year.
From Blainville, QC, he played 2 years of CCHL before college.
The 25-year old may be just waiting for this ECHL opportunity to shine.
11th year center Chad Nehring(16) decided to head off for something new to start 2022/2023, signing with Grenoble of Ligue Magnus, but after popping 4 goals and 5 assists in just 6 games with a +8, heads back for his 5th DEL season, instead with fourth club Loewen Franfort.
A solid scorer, performer in the AHL, as a +10 player, he earned himself his only NHL contract with Ottawa Senators after scoring a career high 22 goals and 26 assists in the previous frame.
The 5’11” 201 lbs. former 4-year Lake Superior State University Lakers‘ forward left after that season.
At 35-years old, he’s still playing some excellent hockey and may not be eyeing an exit quite yet.
He grabs 12 goals and 10 assists back in Germany, which is good enough by their standards to keep him around and re-up him for another run.
You may think he should just transition straight into coaching where he is, but he has decided to wrap it up at age 37-years old, leaving behind 232 DEL games, 179 AHL, 130 ECHL and 147 NCAA, a really nice total and for his next role becomes a pro scout for Pittsburgh Penguins, starting 2024/2025. Smooth move.
Mercyhurst University Lakers‘ senior captain, center Marko Reinfenberger(24) signs his rookie season contract with Norfolk Admirals for 2024/2025 after originally suiting up for South Carolina Stingrays in 14 games, getting 3 goals and 1 assist with a +2 rating.
The 6′ 198 lbs. forward scored best as a junior with 6 goals and 8 assists.
He also played 4 years of junior hockey, concluded with 1 very good frame in the NAHL before college.
The Hastings, MN 25-year old will probably do decently as a rookie in the ECHL.
New Hampshire Avalanche 1st season right wing Kade Maddock(24) commits to Franklin Pierce University Ravens for 2024/2025.
Through 30 EHL games last season, he scored 3 goals and 4 assists.
The 6′ 165 lbs. forward did better in the previous USPHL Premier frame with 19 goals and 11 assists in 40 games.
From Indianapolis, IN, we think the 21-year takes scoring back up, when he hits college hockey play.
Toronto Maple Leafs‘ undrafted Finnish-born goaltender Kasimir Kaskisuo(31) signs on for two more years in the prospect system despite being loaned to Chicago Wolves for most of last season due to a logjam in affiliate Toronto Marlies‘ crease.
In 28 AHL games he posted a 13-13 record with 2 shutouts, a 2.38 GAA and .914 SV%.
The big 6’3″ 195 lbs. net minder played only 7 games in the league as a rookie and was 5-1 with a 1.84 GAA and .935 SV% but spent most of the season in the ECHL backstopping for Orlando Solar Bears.
He played most of his junior hockey in his home country and decided to come across in 2013/2014 to join Minnesota Wilderness, where he earned the NAHL best GAA (1.48) and best SV% (.944) in 32 games, then was equal to the task in the playoffs.
His next move took him to University Of Minnesota-Duluth and his numbers continued to be outstanding.
The 24-year old may have to continue to wait for his chance at a shot to tend the cage in the NHL but it would seem like he should get his opportunity sooner than later.
He started 13 games last season with Laval Rocket, posting a 7-4 record with 2.09 GAA and .909 SV% to earn the 8th year net minder a look for Boston Bruins‘ crease, as he earns a tryout in training camp.
3rd year Reading Royals‘ right wing Shane Sellars(16) will come back after two 30 point seasons.
He is scoring better as an ECHL pro than he did at Dartmouth University Big Green and RPI Engineers.
The fairly big 6’3″ 201 lbs., 27-year old forward from Carlisle, PA must feel right at home.
