Adrian College Bulldogs‘ 2023/2024 commit, 2nd year Johnstown Tomahawks‘ center captain Ryan Vellucci(10) had an NAHL junior career year scoring 11 goals and 17 assist in 50 games last season.
The 6′ 181 lbs. 20-year old forward will likely be tested in the ACHA Division.
8th year center Joel Lowry(17) has switched leagues each of the three seasons he’s been away.
He started scoring well in DEL, then moved over to Austria’s top league IceHL to sign with Vienna Capitals before returning for 2022/2023 to Germany, but going down a rung to DEL2, joining EC Kassel Huskies, where he’s basically a point-per-game player.
The big 6’2″ forward played 208 AHL games with good marks, including a +11 rating.
A former 4-year Cornell University Big Red graduate, it will be interesting to see how and where the 31-year old, son of NHL great Dave Lowry from Calgary, AB will go.
In the 2nd tier German league, he puts up almost point-per-game numbers, then adds more in the playoffs with a combined +30 rating to rightly earn himself another season to stay with the Huskies, but he could also be in line for a promotion is what we are seeing.
Charlotte Rush defenseman, Zach Gmerek(9) takes a 2nd year USPHL Premier best 2 goals and 19 assist to a Nichols College Bison commit for 2023/2024.
The 5’10” 175 lbs. blue liner from Pittsford, NY played a couple years of high school hockey at home, but eventually did his final 2 at Willistin Northampton School USHS-Prep.
He will have to play hard to fit into the tough D3 CCC Division.
University Of Maine Black Bears‘ Swedish-born senior right wing Didrik Henbrant(6) announces his commitment to a pro contract and signs with Nottingham Panthers for 2023/2024.
The 5’10” 181 lbs. forward spent his 1st 3 years at University Of Alaska-Fairbanks Nanooks, recording his best frame as a junior with 11 goals and 9 assists.
He had one successful season in NAHL with Minot Minotauros before college, but did most of his junior hockey back home and even got into a couple SHL games before heading over.
The 25-year old may find some space in the EIHL to score a bit more.
Air Force Academy Falcons‘ senior defenseman Brandon Koch(20) extends a year through the transfer portal to arrive at Minnesota State University (Mankato) Mavericks for a graduate season 2023/2024.
Last season, he scored a college career tying best 6 goals, but was 1 point shy of his best total as a junior, 25.
At 6′ 185 lbs., the Hastings, MN native twice amassed 30+ assists in junior hockey, first NAHL, next BCHL before school.
The 24-year old will definitely be more pressed by the level of play in the CCHA, but we’re thinking will be ready.
University Of New England Nor’easters‘ 2023/2024 commit, 2022/2023 EHL league scorer, Seacoast Spartans‘ center Drew Olivieri(8) will definitely be looking to make waves as an incoming freshman.
The 6’2″ 182 lbs. forward potted 34 goals and 39 assists for 73 points.
He played his 1st year in the tier 3 junior league for Worcester Jr. Railers with a super-respectable 13 goals and 26 assists in 45 games.
A Swampscott, MA native, the 21-year old played his high school hockey there.
He’ll need to take it up a notch for CCC tough D3 play.
16th year veteran left wing Derek Nesbitt(17) will have his career culminate with his 1000th pro game played for 9th ECHL season club, Atlanta Gladiators, 5th as captain.
He has skated games in 4 different leagues, including 7 playoff matchups for Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs of the CHL (Central Hockey League) and one season overseas for HC Bolzano in EBEL.
The 6′ 195 lbs. forward has 372 AHL games to his credit, appearing in 4 full frames in the league, but also a pair of years, where he was playing more games closer to the NHL than not.
He has played for 5 teams that don’t exist anymore and the native of Egmondville, ON won a 2007 Kelly Cup in his one season with Idaho Steelheads.
The 39-year old, former graduate, almost point-per-game player at Ferris State University Bulldogs has to have a little smile on his face for the achievement, but also taking in as much of the game as he’s been able to in his time on ice.
At the conclusion of 2021/2022, he closes the door on 615 games played, 538 points scored in the E, 372, 225 points in the A and 154 games, 142 points NCAA.
His no. 17 is retired to the rafters and he assumes duties as the team’s assistant coach.
1 year later and he is named the 6th Head Coach in the team’s history and everyone in Gladiatortown is completely happy.
UMass-Dartmouth Corsairs are getting a heck of a 2023/2024 commit in 3rd year USPHL Premier Florida Eels center Collin Patterson(29).
In his final frame, the 20-year old recorded a junior hockey best 38 assists and 70 points, but was one off his 2nd year 33 goal high.
The 6’1″ 185 lbs. forward is from Melbourne, FL, so will be leaving the nest so to speak for college.
Assumption University Greyhounds‘ 2023/2024 commit, left wing Jonathan Surrette(9) will easily be one to watch as a D3 freshman in the NE-10 conference.
The 5’10” 209 lbs. forward lit up his only USPHL/NCDC frame for Boston Junior Bruins with 22 goals and 20 assists in 49 games after earlier igniting Philips Academy Andover.
A Woburn, MA native, the 19-year old looks ready to make an impact.
14th year right wing Ryan Lasch(19) will return to Liiga, a league he spent the COVID 2020/2021 with, signing to Pelicans for 2023/2024.
He has spent 7 of his seasons skating for Frolunda HC.
The 5’7″ 157 lbs. forward was a 2-time 20+ goal scorer and 4-time assists at St. Cloud State University Huskies, then immediately headed overseas to start his pro career.
He only returned for his third season, but didn’t fully stay.
The 36-year old Lake Forest, CA native is likely happy to still be playing some pretty great hockey
