Category: College Hockey Player

Undrafted center Kyle Betts(61) signs a 1st pro deal with Utah Grizzlies after 5 years at Cornell University Big Red, where he took advantage of the year of eligibility to put up new bests 6 goals and 12 assists in 32 NCAA Division 1 games with a +6 rating.

In his ECHL debut, he pots a 1st goal.

The Flesherton, ON native spent two years in the BCHL, scoring 20+ goals and assists for Powell River Kings.

At 6’1″ 181 lbs., the 24-year old is definitely well-suited to do well in this league.

And just like that, he gets loaned up to the parent club, Colorado Eagles.

He signs for 2022/2023, but after 2 games is called by Belleville Senators and stays for 40 AHL games, scoring 1 goal and 2 assists with a +1 rating before heading back to Maverick Center, where he hammers 6 assists in 5 games, then another 6 points (3-3) in 6 playoff match ups.

It’s a little surprising he signs for a 2nd season in Utah, but we think the same result will occur.

He maybe wakes up one morning with a bit of a surprise, as he’s traded for 2024/2025 to Florida Everblades, which should actually yield good results.

University Of Notre Dame Fighting Irish senior left wing Landon Slaggert(84) is exited from college playoffs and signs his 2-year NHL entry level deal with draft team (3rd round, 2020, #79 overall), Chicago Blackhawks.

The 6′ 190 lbs. forward takes a new college best 20 goals and 31 points to his new gig.

He did 2 years USNTDP after youth hockey with Chicago Mission.

The South Bend, IN, 21-year old gets right into big league games to start.

He played 21 games last season with 1 goal and 3 assists and a +1 rating on a non-playoff team.

After what must have been an impressive camp, he gets a new 2-year deal to continue and already has 1 assist in 2 AHL games with affiliate Rockford Icehogs.

6th year center Cameron Brown(9) steps away from a pair of seasons with SonderjyskE and a very solid 10 goals and 21 assists in 31 Metal Ligaen games last year with a +23 rating to a new adventure in Ligue Magnus, signing for 2022/2023 to Les Ducs d’Angers.

The small 5’7″ 157 lbs. forward has definitely found ways to score, leaving three ECHL campaigns averaging 10+ goals and 20+ assists.

He dished 35 assists in 34 NCAA Division 1 games as senior captain at University Of Maine Black Bears.

The 29-year old, Natick, MA native may be able to play his way up a bit from a good session in France.

17 games into his season abroad, he has 1 goal and 7 assists, and decides to make a move over to Metal Ligaen, joining Esbjerg Energy for the remainder of the frame.

He grabs 17 points (6 goals, 11 assists) in 22 games with a +9 rating, which is pretty good, so he signs with league rivals, Herning Blue Fox for 2023/2024 and we expect him to do better.

For his 3 season, he will stay in Denmark, but returns to his original team in the country, SonderjyskE for 2024/2025.

7th year center Darik Angeli(18) re-signs with Kansas City Mavericks after putting up ECHL career highs 33 assists and 51 points.

He has played an almost eye-popping 357 games in the league.

The solid 6’3″ 203 lbs. forward has skated for 9 teams in the E, three times with Norfolk Admirals.

He has only agreed to terms in one season with an AHL team, Tuscon Roadrunners 2018/2019, but only stayed with them four games with an assist before being reassigned.

It would be little surprise to see the 30-year old, former Ohio State University Buckeyes to split for overseas for his next contract.

After a huge career year that saw him getting traded late to Florida Everblades and help them win the 2022 Kelly Cup Championship, where he scored 29 goals and 41 assists and another 3 goals and 3 assists with a +3 rating in the playoffs, he will take these fortunes overseas to another title winner, Belfast Giants in 2022/2023.

Almost oddly, following 24 games played, scoring 6 goals and 6 assists with a +9 rating with little word on why, he leaves to sign with Vienna Capitals for the balance of 2023 and should continue to score like a champ in IceHL.

He gets 3 goals and 2 assists in 11 games with a horrendous -9, but gets to the playoffs and adds 5 helpers in another 11 matchups.

For the remainder of 2024, the now 33-year old re-ups with Orlando Solar Bears, where he played some 5 or so years ago with good results.

He scores 31 points in 35 games, then 11 in 11 in the playoffs and is definitely wanted to return in a Solar Bears’ jersey, where he has to be a fan favorite.

UMASS-Lowell Riverhawks‘ graduate goaltender Henry Welsch(33) posted a 4-1 win (almost shutout) against University Of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs in the 2nd game on the new NCAA Division 1 2024/2025 season.

The 6’2″ 201 lbs. net minder from Lakeville, MN was a standout in NAHL junior hockey before arriving at school.

He started a college season high 22 games last year and despite a not winning record was still an impressive 2.45 GAA and .908 SV%.

Maybe not a lot of offensive in his opening game, but the 23-year old looks set for his additional frame.

Boston College Eagles‘ center Will Smith(6) is taking zero time to adjust to college play after 2 seasons of USNTDP.

In 6 games, he has 4 goals and 4 assists with a +2 rating to go along with those 51 goals and 76 assists he had last year and 42 points (15-27) in 20 USHL games.

The 6′ 181 lbs. forward was a San Jose Sharks‘ 1st round pick in the 2023 draft (#4 overall), so the 18-year old from Lexington, MA has lots to look forward to.

After just 1 season of lighting up the college ranks to the tune of 25 goals and 46 assists with a +25 rating through 41 games and the waiting is over, as the 19-year old signs a 3-year NHL entry level deal, starting 2024/2025.

He debuts with his new NHL team right away, playing 16 shifts for 13:41 ice, 2 shots on net and like his former Hockey East friend needs improving in the face-off dot.

Undrafted 4th year right wing Josh Kestner(62) takes a fantastic first season overseas at TPS, scoring 24 goals and 25 assists in 59 Liiga games with a +6 rating to a new contract with Admiral Vladivostok of the KHL for 2021/2022.

The 6’1″ 185 lbs. forward had a very similar session for Newfoundland Growlers, grabbing another 49 points (22-27) in 61 ECHL games with a +8, then potted another 9 goals and 7 assists in 21 playoff contests en route to the 2019 Kelly Cup Championship.

He would next sign an AHL deal with Grand Rapids Griffins but was exclusively dished to Toledo Walleye, where he received accolades for Most Goals (33), Most Points (73) and League MVP.

The 27-year old Huntsville, AL native and graduate of University Of Alabama-Huntsville Chargers seems to be just getting started.

He would take a decent frame in Russia back to a less successful year in Switzerland and then branch out for Czechia Extraliga and will next arrive at the tough to play Slovakia Extraliga, signing with HK Spisska Nova Ves for 2024/2025.

Mercyhurst University Lakers‘ graduate defenseman Owen Norton(26) signs with Maine Mariners as soon as his team is knocked out of Atlantic Hockey tournament play.

The 5’10” 181 lbs. blue liner has skated 4 ECHL games with no points, but is always fully involved in the action.

While not exactly the biggest point-getter, he did do well in his 2nd GOJHL frame and only BCHL campaign.

From Ancaster, ON, the 24-year looks to establish himself well once he gets some more game under his belt.

They seen something in there to develop and sign him to stay in a Mariners‘ uniform for 2023/2024.

He is actually released from his deal and signs fairly quickly with Norfolk Admirals, which should be a pretty good landing spot for him.

Finds little traction with this club, only scoring 2 assists in 14 games, so is waived and picked up by Newfoundland Growlers to give a kick at the wares.

He’d only record 1 assist in 12 games before the team disintegrated.

For 2024/2025, he signs with Wheeling Nailers, which should continue to help his game.