Czech-born defenseman Patrik Demel(3) heads home to join HC Litvinov of the Czech League after 4 seasons with AIC Yellowjackets, including a best 19 assists and 21 points as a senior, which could have been even better if it wasn’t derailed by COVID.
The 5’11” 185 lbs. blue liner skated most of his youth and junior hockey with a couple of programs close to home and even played a couple games with a couple of goals in Czech3 as a 19-year old before heading over for a season of juniors in the NAHL with Bismarck Bobcats.
He scored a pretty phenomenal 2 goals and 30 assists with a +9 rating before heading to his college commitment.
We’re pretty sure the 25-year old will be happy where he is and may just try to grow that into something for himself.
His solid play with 4 goals and 14 assists in 55 games earns him a 3rd contract to stay and continue to grow.
After 4 seasons, 208 games with the same club, he signs for 2024/2025 with rivals HC Vitkovice Ridera.
Undrafted, Finnish-born left wing Ottoville Leppanen(7) will complete his senior year at Merrimack College Warriors after entering the transfer portal following 3 seasons with RPI Engineers.
The 5’10” 185 lbs. forward blew the lid off his scoring in a new best 42 NCAA Division 1 games, he scored new highs 9 goals and 21 assists for 30 points with a +1 rating.
He came to school after an impressive U20 SM-liiga campaign, where he scored 53 points in 53 games.
The 23-year old will do well in Hockey East competition.
Upon finishing up the tournament at the Finals before bowing out and having a pretty, nice graduate season run, he signs his 1st pro deal with Orlando Solar Bears, who may only have a couple games left to get his feet wet.
He plays 4 ECHL games, then for his rookie frame looks home to sign with Jukurit, where in 41 Liiga games he scored 7 goals and 8 assists with a +6 rating, then got another goal in the playoffs.
Loaned out for 2 Mestis games, he signs with rivals Kiekkoo-Espoo for his 2nd session in the league, 2024/2025.
Seacoast Spartans‘ 2nd year EHL left wing Mike Boschetto(37) commits to the new D3 hockey program at Keene State College Owls for 2024/2025.
The 5’9″ 165 lbs. forward had better scoring 1 frame prior with Boston Jr. Rangers and won the 2023 Championship, but still came away with 11 goals and 19 assists in 41 games.
From Framingham, MA, the 21-year old has played his way up the junior system, winning an EHLP Championship 1 season prior to grabbing the higher award and we’re sure can’t wait to start college hockey.
New Hampshire Mountain Kings‘ right wing Rylan Yates(16) commits to Endicott College for 2024/2025.
The 6′ 194 lbs. forward did 4 years of junior hockey, starting with the ill-fated 2020/2021, but managed 22 games with Northern Cyclones and playoffs before playing more complete BCHL and NAHL seasons.
From Antioch, CA, the 20-year old will play well in CCC hockey is how we see it.
Minnesota Wild 6th round pick in the 2019 draft (#166 overall), transfer, defenseman captain Marshall Warren(77) will head to University Of Michigan Wolverines for a graduate year after completing 4 at Boston College Eagles.
His best season scoring was as a junior, grabbing 6 goals and 15 assists, but getting 11 points and +22 rating in the COVID cut 2019/2020 season that should have been that team hoisting an NCAA D1 Championship was maybe the best of his 1st college team’s runs.
The 5’11” 181 lbs. blue liner spent 2 solid runs with USNTDP before committing to college.
From Laurel Hollow, NY, the 22-year old could definitely use an entry level contract soon.
He plays a college high 41 games in his year of eligibility, but remains unsigned by the team that selected him and get picked up on a 2-year NHL entry level deal by his hometown New York Islanders.
Quinnipiac University Bobcats‘ sophomore defenseman Charles-Alexis Legault(6) is a Carolina Hurricanes‘ 5th round draft pick in 2023 (#139 overall).
He was selected after winning the 2023 NCAA Division 1 trophy with his underrated college club.
The big looking 6’3″ 214 lbs. blue liner played 2 seasons of juniors, 1st during COVID in the USHL, but went north closer to where his lives in Laval, QC to skate in the BCHL before heading to school.
He still has a ways to go, but some more development camps with the big club probably couldn’t hurt.
putting up 9 goals and 15 assists in 39 games with a monster, league best +36 rating, gets him a serious look and is signed to a 3-year NHL entry level contract by the team that selected him.
Boston University Terriers‘ senior center Dylan Peterson(13) scored a college best 8 goals and 20 points last season and signs his 2-year NHL entry level contract with draft club St. Louis Blues (3rd round, 2020 #86 overall).
The big 6’4″ 203 lbs. forward did 2 years USNTDP juniors racking up decent point totals before heading to school.
From Roseville, CA, look for the 22-year old to be an impact player as soon as he arrives as a rookie.
Brown University Bears‘ 2-time captain, senior right wing Tristan Crozier(16) will extend a year of eligibility and head to Merrimack College Crusaders for 2022/2023.
He scored a college career best 6 goals and 9 assists last season in 26 NCAA Division 1 games played.
The 5’11” 183 lbs. forward from North Vancouver, BC spent 4 years in junior hockey, first a pair of seasons in the AJHL, then 2 super good in the BCHL for Nanaimo Clippers before heading to school.
He will definitely be more challenged where he’s headed, but the 24-year old could be ready.
In 38 games, he gets 2 goals and 9 assists on a ride that ends in the Hockey East Finals.
Upon being eliminated, he signs a 1st pro deal with Tulsa Oilers and in 7 ECHL has 1 goal and 3 assists on a non-playoff club.
For his official rookie season, he is setting off to see something different and play elsewhere, signing a 1-year deal with Les Jokers Cergy-Pontoise of Ligue Magnus 2023/2024.
He actually seems to have a decent amount of success in the regular campaign, then through the playoffs, but has decided he won’t want to seek out another contract and retires.
Clarkson University Golden Knights‘ freshman center Daimon Gardner(16) maybe wants to play his college hockey a little closer to home, enters the transfer portal and will skate for St. Cloud State University Huskies as a sophomore 2024/2025.
The big 6’4″ 201 lbs. Eagle Lake, ON native, Vancouver Canucks‘ 4th round pick in the 2022 draft (#112 overall) forward had an odd little travel through 2 years of USHL with Tri-City Storm split by 1-year of blow-up scoring at Warroad High USHS-MN.
He had 1 goal and 5 assists in ECAC play last season.
We think a happier 20-year old will score more.
9th year center Mark Zengerle(89) wins a pair of DEL Championships with Eisbaren Berlin and leaves for a new opportunity with rival Straubing Tigers.
It will be his 5th season in the league.
The University Of Wisconsin Badgers‘ forward scored 34 assists and 44 points in 37 NCAA Division 1 games as a senior.
He has never had an NHL contract and played 4 AHL seasons with one short stop in Sweden’s SHL before leaving for his half birth nation to continue his game.
The 33-year old from Rochester, NY must have a nice smile on his face playing in Germany.
He’s been with the same club for 2 years and by his previous marks, he needs to sign with a 4th team on that soil and takes a new country best 15 goals and will skate with Augsburger Panther 2024/2025.
