Holy Cross College Crusaders‘ senior defenseman Jake Higgins(4) had a game-high 2 assists in the Atlantic Hockey semi-finals game 1 vs. American International College Yellowjackets 5-2 victory for the 1-0 series lead.
The 6’2″ 201 lbs. blue liner had a college best 5 goals and 4 assists with a 2nd straight +4 rating last season.
From Hingham, MA, the young 22-year old played no junior hockey before heading to school.
He decides to head into a year of eligibility, enters the transfer portal and will skate Hockey East for Northeastern University Huskies next.
American International College Yellowjackets‘ Swedish-born, freshman goalie Nils Wallstrom(34) put on a show, stopping 44 of 45 shots on net in the Atlantic Hockey semi-finals vs. Holy Cross College Crusaders, who took a 1-0 series lead before dropping 2 in a row to let the more western mass team move on to the Finals.
The 6’3″ 185 lbs. backstop did all his youth hockey back home before coming over for 1 year of NAHL juniors with Kenai River Brown Bears, putting up some stellar numbers.
He enters the transfer portal and will tend net in Hockey East next for Merrimack College Warriors, as a sophomore.
Northeast Generals‘ 3rd NAHL year captain, defenseman Matt DeSpirt(5) choses SUNY-Cortland Red Dragons for his 2024/2025 commit.
He takes a 5 goal best and 20 point tie from his 1st season to SUNYAC play.
The 5’11” 174 lbs. blue liner was a +8 through 148 games.
From Buffalo, NY, the 20-year old is probably just excited to get started now.
Ohio State University Buckeyes‘ junior center Cam Thiesing(15) signs a 2-year 2-way NHL contract with NY Islanders and an undrafted, unrestricted free agent, leaving a year of school on the table.
He had 15 goals as a sophomore and 17 assists in his freshman year, but also scored well with 9 goals and 7 assists in 31 games last season.
The 6′ 183 lbs. forward did 3 years junior hockey and in his 2nd USHL with Green Bay Gamblers was very close to a point-per-game scorer.
From Franklin, TN, they obviously see something in the 23-year olds game they want now.
New Hampshire Mountain Kings‘ 1st year NAHL defenseman Matt Hanscom(15) is a 2025/2026 commit to RPI Engineers.
He chose the school upon completion of his 1st year at Westminster USHS-Prep.
The 6’1″ 185 lbs. blue liner from Hadley, MA started this season in the AJHL, but decided to come skate a little closer to home before college.
Still pretty young, the 19-year old will play another season of junior hockey, then look to steady their ECAC blue line.
New York Applecore Belarus-born center Maxim Maziarchuk(8) came over from blowing up scoring in the USPHL Premier after 2 earlier point-per-game efforts in the league to doing similar things for his EHL team.
The 5’11” 183 lbs. 20-year old forward will take his game to Morrisville University Mustangs for a 2024/2025 commit.
He will definitely help his new college club score goals and hopefully win some more games
Clarkson University Golden Knights‘ freshman center Daimon Gardner(16) was easily off his scoring game with only 1 goal and 5 assists in 29 games last season and will head to St. Cloud State University Huskies for 2024/2025.
The 6’5″ 205 lbs. forward from Eagle Lake, ON is a Vancouver Canucks‘ 4th round pick in the 2022 draft (#112 overall).
Selected after a huge 45 goal, 38 assists in 30 USHS-MN games for Warroad High with a +67 rating, he next went onto play juniors in the USHL, mostly for Tri-City Storm, running up a 30 assist frame before college.
We fully expect the 20-year old’s ECAC game to start clicking.
Skidmore College Thoroughbreds‘ senior center Everett Wardle(10) will play his 1st pro hockey on an amateur tryout for the team up the street from his college, Adirondack Thunder.
In his ECHL debut, he records an assist in a 6-2 losing effort.
The small-is 5’9″ 165 lbs. forward has 20+ points in each of the 3 seasons his school team played.
He was close to a point-per-game player last season with a +8 rating.
Boston University Terriers‘ graduate 6’7″ 216 lbs. assistant captain, defenseman Cade Webber(8) has 3 assists in 14 games, dangerously close to the 5 he had through 40 games last season, so does look poised for college career best stats.
A Carolina Hurricanes‘ 4th round pick in the 2019 draft (#99 overall), he was just coming out of his senior year at The Rivers School USHS-Prep.
He did 1 BCHL junior season with Penticton Vees before heading to college.
The 23-year old will likely get a deal, but will almost for certain start with their affiliate.
His signing rights were recently traded to Toronto Maple Leafs and they move right in upon finishing up Frozen Four play to him to a 2-year NHL entry level contract.
He could get slotted right in for the playoffs with his enormous size, but we watch.
Edmonton Oilers‘ 12th year center Brad Malone(17) gets re-upped on a new 2-year deal worth some tidy sums regardless of where he plays.
He has served as captain of affiliate Bakersfield Condors for the past couple seasons and looks to return for that role in 2022/2023.
The 6’2″ 217 lbs. forward was actually playing under an AHL deal last season, when he was signed initially to come aboard.
He almost quietly has 207 NHL games to his credit, even appearing in 8 games last season with a goal and an assist, and 462 in the minors.
At 33-years old, the former University Of North Dakota Fighting Hawks‘ graduate, Miramichi, NB native must have a huge smile on his face.
After a 4th season of being team captain, he decides his ice time is up and announces his retirement, but you can bet he won’t be traveling too far away from the game.
