MCLA Trailblazers‘ Latvian-born, freshman defenseman Krisjanis Graholskis(6) come over for 1 year of USHS-WI before starting junior hockey.
He cycled a couple of teams, but played well NA3HL before returning to Connecticut Nor’easter to finish up in the EHL.
The 6’4″ 192 lbs. blue liner has played 10 games with no points this season on a team that struggles some to win games.
Norfolk Admirals‘ 3rd year defenseman Lordanthony Grissom(3) won the 2022 SPHL Championship with Peoria Rivermen after completing 4 years, twice as captain at Aurora University Spartans.
He actually scored points in that league, raising his profile to score ECHL contracts moving forward.
The very large 6’4″ 229 lbs. blue liner had a league career best 3 goals and 7 assists last season for Greenville Swamp Rabbits.
From Detroit, MI, the 28-year old has 1 assist in 3 games in the current frame and could find his way to scoring more points when out there.
In 16 games, he only posts 1 assists, but is a +2 rating.
He is released and claimed off waivers by Jacksonville Icemen, who hope to do something with his great size.
Not really with a lot of luck last season, split between a couple of teams, Iowa Heartlanders see something they think they can turn into more of a scoring factor and bring him in for 2025/2026.
Released after 22 games with 3 assists, he is picked back up by Greenville Swamp Rabbits, where he scored his best numbers.
Princeton University Tigers‘ senior defenseman Nick Carabin(7) takes on a year of eligibility and will play Hockey East for University Of Connecticut Huskies in 2024/2025 for a graduate session.
The 5’10” 195 lbs. blue liner takes a new college best 5 goals and 12 assists last season to his new school and likely couldn’t be more welcome.
From Mahwah, NJ, he did all of his youth hockey at home before heading off to BCHL for a good season before school.
The 24-year old will do well.
He signs a 1st deal with Reading Royals and records an assist, which is a good look to invite him back for his rookie season, 2025/2026.
And just like that he gets traded ahead of the season opener to Cincinnati Cyclones.
He plays 13 games with his new team, producing 2 assists with a -5 rating, but is once again traded to Tahoe Knight Monsters to play out the season.
Union College Dutchmen senior right wing Caden Villegas(17) had a college best 22 assists in his final season.
The 5’8″ 174 lbs. forward from Plano, TX moved through the ranks of youth hockey before heading to juniors, where he moved up before college.
He signed a 1st pro deal with Adirondack Thunder and in 12 ECHL games, recorded 1 goal and 2 assists.
For his rookie run, he will need a contract.
He finally does come around to sign a 1-year deal to remain a Thunder for 2025/2026, but actually changes things up to become a free agent and signs for a 1st year with Maine Mariners instead.
Through 21 games with 1 goal and 5 assists, he leaves for Swindon Wildcats of the NIHL, maybe to prove something for his game going for the next step forward.
Wentworth Institute Of Technology Leopards‘ freshman left wing Xavier Vaillancourt(15) has 6 goals and 1 assists in 11 games this season.
The 6’2″ 185 lbs. forward did scored pretty big in 2 years of his time in the USPHL/NCDC and helped win a 2024 Dineen Cup with South Shore Kings.
From Pointe-Claire, QC, the 21-year old came down for a couple years USHS-Prep before juniors.
Long Island University Lakers‘ graduate goaltender Vinnie Purpura(33) signs a 1st contract upon completing his 5th year with Adirondack Thunder and gets pressed into play his 1st ECHL game right away.
In his 2nd game, the 6’6″ 194 lbs. backstop pulls off a 1st 6-2 win after losing his debut effort in overtime.
He originally committed to Boston University Terriers , where he was used sparingly in 2 seasons, after a solid 2nd USHL frame with Omaha Lancers.
The 24-year from Lemont, IL may just find his game completely as he’s turned pro.
He would post a 2-0 record in 4 appearances, but he couldn’t have been happy with his numbers, so he signs to return for another look in a Thunder jersey for 2023/2024.
Through 25 starts, he posts a 15-4-4 record, but doesn’t have a new deal, so his rights are claimed by Reading Royals for 2024/2025.
After a decent season stopping pucks, he will returns a Royals for 2025/2026.
And yikes, he goes 3-0 to start with a .099 GAA and .967 SV%, but maybe playing time is a tiny bit of an issue here and he gets moved to Savannah Ghost Pirates, who can use them to bolster their claims.
He continues with his good game, posting a 4-2 record, 1.92 GAA and .939 SV% to score himself a 1-way AHL deal with Charlotte Checkers for the 2nd half of the 2026 season.
Northeastern University Huskies‘ junior center captain Justin Hryckowian(49) takes a college best 30 assists and 43 points in 32 games with a +24 rating to a 2-year entry level deal with Dallas Stars.
Undrafted, the 5’10” 194 lbs. forward from L’lle Bizard, QC came down for a senior year at high school before heading off to 2 USHL years of junior hockey.
The 23-year old will likely report to affiliate Texas Stars to get started, but could warrant a look up in the show.
And he does.
Recalled due to injury and his scoring streak in the minors, he waits, but eventually makes his big league debut before the end of the new year.
He skates 9 shifts for 5:50 ice time in his NHL debut, has 1 hit and 1 giveaway in a 5-1 win. Nice start.
In 43 games this season, he has 6 goals and 7 assists, which is good enough to earn him a nice 2-year extension to stay a Stars.
Western New England University Golden Bears‘ 6’5″ 225 lbs. left wing Nolan Dawson(9) was at Curry College Colonels, playing a rough average of 20 games per frame, but just as he did after his freshman year at Saint Mary’s University Cardinals, he decides to switch things up and arrives for his senior session.
He has 2 goals and 2 assists in 11 games, which could see him turn new college best numbers, assuredly in tallies.
From Airdrie, AB, he played mostly 4 years of junior hockey in 3 different northern leagues, but only twice made it work for extended stays.
We don’t think it out of the question for him to add a year of eligibility, where he is.
As a graduate, he scores a college tying best 6 goals and adds a new high 9 assists and 15 points.
He takes these totals to a 1st pro deal and signs with Evansville Thunderbolts, where his size could help him score as a pro in the SPHL.
Officially signing for his rookie season in the FPHL, he is scoring well, but decides to head for Finland’s tier 3 league, Suomi-sarja signing with Muik Hockey for the rest of 2025/2026.
7th year defenseman Nolan Zajac(44) leaves a pair of seasons in the SHL for a new European adventure in 2022/2023, joining DEL‘s Grizzlys Wolfsburg.
He spent only a pair of seasons mostly in the ECHL scoring pretty big after graduating University Of Denver twice ascending to 20+ assists before deciding to head overseas.
The 5’10” 185 lbs. blue liner maybe started a little low in Sweden’s tier 2 Allsvenskan, where he detonated the scoresheet for most assists and most points by a d-man for IK Oskarshamn.
With his new German team, he manages 8 goals and 25 assists in 48 games with a +14 rating, then adds another 7 assists in a playoff run to earn himself another year to stay put.
After 2 good frames with the same team, he looks elsewhere to rivals Augsburger Panthers f0r 2024/2025.
He continues to move along for 2025/2026, signing with HK Spisska Nova Ves, but maybe with only 3 assists in 17 games, he looks for a little more and leaves for Bruleurs De Loups of Ligue Magnus.
Merrimack College Warriors‘ graduate, new captain Antonio Venuto(37) transfer from 4 years at Ferris State University Bulldogs posted a college best 12 goals and 14 assists last season before coming over.
The 6’3″ 201 lbs. forward looks very much like he is ready to put this club on his back and ride.
From Whitmore Lake, MI, he came up through the Compuware system before doing 1 year NAHL, 1 USHL prior to school.
The 24-year old really looks very ready to shoulder the load.
He scores 8 goals and 6 assists in 35 games and very much looks the part of team leader out there, which is an easy score to a 1st pro deal with Kalamazoo Wings.
After 6 ECHL games, scoring 2 assists with a 0 rating, he is easily asked to return for 2025/2026 for his rookie season to stay a Wings.
He is scoring nicely, but Maine Mariners come calling to pick him up as a future consideration from an earlier deal they made.
