Category: College Hockey Player

19Dec

Matt Anderson (9)

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South Carolina Stingrays bring back solid 6″ 194 lbs. defenseman Matt Anderson(9) for his official rookie season 2022/2023 after signing him to an ato after he finished up 5 years at University Of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs, twice winning the NCAA Division 1 Championship.

The 6′ 194 lbs. blue liner has never been the biggest point guy from the point, but did pop 2 goals and a college career tying best 7 points in his final frame.

He had a goal and an assist in 11 games to start.

The 23-year old Shakopee, MN native did score pretty well in high school and we think is going to start connecting as a rookie in the ECHL.

He would get it going for 6 goals and 22 assists with a +13 rating in 57 games to earn himself an invite to return to the Stingrays for 2023/2024.

Traded to Toledo Walleye before the start of the session, he settles there pretty nicely, playing a new high 68 games, scoring a new best 13 goals and 34 points with a +26 rating.

His plays earns him a contract from Toronto Marlies for 2024/2025.

He was possibly released, but signs to return to the Walleye for another run.

After a nicely successful run in 27 games with a +14 rating and 2 loans up to the AHL, he gets himself traded and heading to Idaho Steelheads for 2025/2026.

He plays 22 games with 10 assists for his new team, but something is tugging him and he leaves for Allsvenskan, signing with MoDo Hockey, where he should get plenty of opportunities to shine.

19Dec

Patrick Watling (14)

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6th year center Patrick Watling(14) decides to head off and try something new, signing for 2022/2023 with HC Kosice of Slovak Extraliga.

He exploded on the ECHL scoring sheet in 2021/2022 for Wheeling Nailers, scoring new bests 31 goals and 46 assists for 77 points 55 games with a +13 rating.

The 6′ 174 lbs. forward also scored a pair of loans up and managed another AHL goal and 2 assists in 5 appearances.

Undrafted, he signed his first deal after 3 OHL seasons with Toronto Marlies and split time with affiliate Orlando Solar Bears, where he pumped in point-per-game stats.

He skated his next pair of campaigns in Florida before being dished very late to Tulsa Oilers.

In the next frame, he took a break before heading to 2 years at University Of New Brunswick Reds before returning.

The 28-year old from Sault Ste. Marie, ON will definitely put up some big numbers in the new league he’s headed to.

In 11 games, he manages 1 goal and 8 assists, but somehow ends up traded or heading to rivals HC Banska Bystrica for the remainder of ’22/23.

Maybe a little oddly, he takes some very decent play after the trade to a new experience, signing for 2023/2024 with Sheffield Steelers of the EIHL.

After a season, scoring like he did in the minors with 22 goals and 36 assists, then helping his team win the 2024 league title, grabbing 3 assists in 3 games.

He will happily be back in a Steelers‘ sweater for 2024/2025.

After yet another strong scoring season, he waits just a minute to see if he will return to be a Steelers at 32-years old in 2025/2026 and the answer is yes.

18Dec

Patrick Grasso (21)

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Undrafted center Patrick Grasso(21) signs his first pro contract with Utica Comets for 2021/2022 after 5 seasons at University Of New Hampshire Wildcats.

Almost oddly his best scoring year was as a freshman, when he struck for 20 goals and 13 assists, which followed up a particularly good 3rd/4th USHL campaign for close-to-home Des Moines Buccaneers.

The small 5’7″ 170 lbs. 25-year old quick pivot will likely do well in the AHL.

He actually had a goal and 3 assists in 9 games, but was mostly sent down to skate with affiliate Adirondack Thunder, where he was stellar scoring 26 goals and 24 assists in 68 ECHL games.

For 2022/2023, he goes a bit of the easy route, signs to stay in Glens Falls, NY and will potentially score some loans up to the higher league.

He comes up with a new league and team best 37 goals and 59 assists in 64 games and is loaned up to 2 teams for 9 games, gaining 2 assists.

The Des Moines, IA native is back for a 3rd run with his favorite team.

He’s taking some good 3rd year stats with him to a new adventure, signing for 2024/2025 with HC Innsbruck Sharks of the IceHL and should do very well in Austria’s top hockey.

In 45 games, he strikes for 21 goals and 14 assists, but is a horrible -25 rating, so looks to explore other pro hockey and signs with Vasteras IK of HockeyAllsvenskan.

For 2025/2026, he starts with Belfast Giants, but after scoring quite decently in 16 EIHL games, decides to head back to where he has scored the most, Adirondack Thunder for the rest of 2025/2026 and will add to their stat sheet.

17Dec

Griffin Ness (77)

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University Of North Dakota Fighting Hawks‘ senior right wing Griffin Ness(77) recorded his 3rd straight college hockey season of 6 points and signs a 1st pro deal with Maine Mariners.

In 2 ECHL, he doesn’t have any points with a -3 rating and didn’t appear in the playoffs.

The 6′ 184 lbs. forward was a big scorer at Wayzata USHS-MN high school, then put up similar stats as 2-time captain for Waterloo Black Hawks before college.

We will see if the 24-year old gets retained for a full pro season look.

He’s actually signed for 2024/2025, but gets traded just before the start of the new year to Toledo Walleye, which is going to be blessing to his point production.

With 11 goals and 11 assists in 59 games, he’s proving he can connect with the net, but gets himself swapped in a player deal to Utah Grizzlies, who may need him a little more.

He scores 3 goals and 7 assists in 14 games with his new team and they are liking what they see to re-sign him to return in Utah for 2025/2026.

In 24 games, he picks up 6 goals and 9 assists, but Kalamazoo Wings eye and want him for future considerations.

17Dec

Max Crozier (24)

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Tampa Bay Lightning 4th round pick in the 2019 draft (#140 overall), senior defenseman, captain Max Crozier(24) signs a 2-year NHL entry level deal as he completes 4 years at Providence College Friars, where they advanced to the 2nd round of the Hockey East tournament before getting ousted.

The 6’2″ 185 lbs. blue liner scored a college career high 21 assists and 24 points in 37 games with a +10 rating.

A North Vancouver, BC native, he has always managed to put up a lot in the assist department.

At only 22-years old, having fully completed college, he is we think ready.

25 games into his rookie season with affiliate Syracuse Crunch, doing pretty well for himself with a +6 rating, earns him a 1st NHL recall in a 5-1, skating 17 shifts for 13 minutes of ice time.

He has played himself into the lineup 2025/2026 and scores himself a 1st NHL goal for himself 15 games in to go along with 4 assists and a +3 rating.

15Dec

Ty Amonte (11)

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Undrafted right wing Ty Amonte(11) enters the transfer portal for a year of eligibility after finishing up at Boston University Terriers and will arrive at University Of Connecticut Huskies to begin a graduate degree and extends his college hockey career.

He hasn’t been as much of an effective scorer as he displayed early on at Thayer Academy, where he left after his senior year with 17 goals an 53 assists in 30 USHS-Prep games.

The 5’11” 174 lbs. forward went up north for his only campaign in juniors, skating for Penticton Vees and winning the 2017 BCHL Championship before entering college.

He is the 20-year son of NHL defensive great of 1174 games played, Tony Amonte(33) and 10+ year coach at his son’s former prep school.

Way too many shoulder injuries and it’s maybe time for him to enter a period in his career spent behind the bench, coaching the younger players to more greatness.

 

15Dec

Hunter Johannes (18)

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University Of North Dakota Fighting Hawks‘ graduate left wing Hunter Johannes(18) had a fairly solid year of eligibility scoring 12 goals and 7 assists in 31 games with a +10 rating.

The big 6’3″ 209 lbs. forward oddly did best scoring as a senior at Lindenwood University Lions with point-per-game numbers, 13 goals and 16 assists in 28 games.

From Eden Prairie, MN, he did his high school hockey right there, finding his edge as a senior.

He seemed to bounce around junior hockey a bit, never quite sticking in one place too long before eventually heading to his 1st school of 3 years, American International College Yellowjackets.

Upon graduating, he signed a 1-year AHL with Grand Rapids Griffins for 2024/2025, but joins them on an ato.

He’s without points in 6 games, but we feel it’s just a matter of time.

An unrestricted free agent, he signs a pto with Florida Panthers that should turn into a 1-year deal, as he reports to affiliate Charlotte Checkers.

After 17 ECHL games on reassignment to Savannah Ghost Pirates, scoring 1 goal and 7 assists, he finds himself traded to Lehigh Valley Phantoms, but reports with affiliate Reading Royals.

In his debut with this club, he scores himself a hat trick to say hello.

15Dec

Zeev Buium (24)

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University Of Denver Pioneers‘ sophomore defenseman Zeev Buium(24) stays only 2 years before the Minnesota Wild 1st round pick in the 2024 NHL draft (#12 overall) signs a 3-year entry level deal.

The 6′ 185 lbs. blue liner had point-per-game numbers through 2 seasons with 10+ goals and 30+ assists each frame.

In 18 games this season, he has 3 goals and 5 assist with a -10 rating he needs to work on.

From Laguna Niguel, CA, the 19-year old did 2 years of USNTDP, but really popped scoring, when he arrived at school.

In maybe the explosive 2025/2026 trade, he moves to help build the future of Vancouver Canucks.

14Dec

Grant Hutton (7)

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New York Islanders‘ undrafted, 3rd year defenseman Grant Hutton(7) is getting first looks at the NHL, appearing in his debut games.

He skated 19/20 shifts for 13/14 minutes of ice with a few shots on net.

The 6’3″ 209 lbs. blue liner spent four years at Miami University (Ohio) Redhawks, getting 14 assists as a junior and senior and serving as captain in his final year.

He has 98 AHL games, all with affiliate Bridgeport Islanders.

The 26-year old is set to become a restricted free agent for the last time in his pro career at the end of the current frame.

Due to injuries with the parent club he could be receiving a bit longer of a look than what was originally thought.

After 6 years with the same organization, recording 1st NHL goal along the way and 2 assists in 13 games last season with a +1 rating and 29 games in the minors, he has decided at 30-years old to stop playing pro hockey.

He has yet to announce anything, but you have to wonder, considering where he has played for so long.

13Dec

Jacob Fowler (1)

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Boston College Eagles‘ sophomore goaltender Jacob Fowler(1) left school after a hot 2nd frame with a 25-7-2 record, 1.63 GAA and .940 SV% to sign a 3-year entry level deal with draft club Montreal Canadiens.

He initially stepped on the ice with affiliate Laval Rocket after tournament play was up and ran a 2-1 record before appearing in 8 Calder Cup matchups.

The 6’2″ 214 lbs. net minder 20-year old from Melbourne, FL will likely play himself up to the top level as a starter.

He is an easy spot to get a 1st start and wins 4-2 NHL for a victory, stopping 26 shots for a .947 SV%.