Category: College Hockey Player

30Sep

Blake Bennett (48)

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Rapid City Rush rookie signing, 4 year American International College Yellowjackets‘ left wing Blake Bennett(48) is off to a nice start as a pro, scoring his 1st ECHL goal in his 5th game and adding 3 assists in 6 total sightings.

The small 5’9″ but stocky 195 lbs. forward had a college career best 22 goals and 35 points in 38 games as a senior, his 2nd season with 20+ goals, 10+ assists and 30+ points.

He was a point-per-game player in his only NAHL session for Corpus Christi Ice Rays after playing himself up from a couple of seasons in lower levels and half a one in a Canadian based league before heading to college.

We predict the 24-year old from Grand Island, NY settles in nicely with his new club.

He finishes up from his ato with 1 goal and 4 assists in 15 games with a 0 rating.

This is good enough for the Rush to want to see a full rookie season by him in one of their jerseys.

In a full slate of 72 games, he absolutely blows up scoring with 35 goals and 28 assists, but decides to look elsewhere for his next contract and will head to Metal Ligaen to skate for Odense Bulldogs in 2024/2025.

He skates only 9 games, but scores 6 goals and 3 assists with a +1 rating.

Next, he will head to DEL2 and signs with EV Landshut for 2024/2025.

He does ok with 3 goals and 1 assists in 16 games, but maybe thinks he should be doing better, so eyes a return back to his one team, the Rush for the remainder of the frame.

After scoring a 2nd high numbered frame in the league, worth 50+ points, he signs a 2-way deal with parent club Calgary Wranglers for 2025/2026.

30Sep

Nick Capone (14)

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University Of Connecticut Huskies‘ senior right wing Nick Capone(14) signs a 1st pro contract with Lehigh Valley Phantoms for 2024/2025.

The 6’2″ 216 lbs. forward had his best scoring season as a junior with 9 goals and 9 assists in 35 games with a +2 rating.

From East Haven, CT, the just 22-year old mostly kept it close to home for youth hockey, but did branch out to Tri-City Storm for his only USHL junior campaign before college.

He was originally a Tampa Bay Lightning 6th round pick in the 2020 draft (#157 overall), but not signed.

Reassigned for the entire year to affiliate Reading Royals, he scored 7 assists in 49 games with a +1 rating and re-signs with the Phantoms to stay in the system for 2025/2026.

30Sep

Jacob Fowler (1)

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Boston College Eagles‘ sophomore goaltender Jacob Fowler(1) left school after a hot 2nd frame with a 25-7-2 record, 1.63 GAA and .940 SV% to sign a 3-year entry level deal with draft club Montreal Canadiens.

He initially stepped on the ice with affiliate Laval Rocket after tournament play was up and ran a 2-1 record before appearing in 8 Calder Cup matchups.

The 6’2″ 214 lbs. net minder 20-year old from Melbourne, FL will likely play himself up to the top level as a starter.

29Sep

Todd Skirving (17)

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Newfoundland Growlers‘ 3rd year fan favorite, hard-nosed center Todd Skirving(17) re-ups after taking last season off, as did the team, and heading up north, where he’s from for a coaching opportunity that took up a good chunk of his time away from playing.

Well, he’s back, serving as the club’s assistant captain and already has a first goal and 4 assists in 10 ECHL games.

It wouldn’t be surprising to see the 6’2″ 190 lbs. forward from Thunder Bay, ON earn a first loan up to the AHL in 2022.

The former 4-year RIT Tigers‘ has only managed 2 real breakout scoring sessions, both in his time with Sioux Falls Stampede, where he struck for a combined 40 goals and 30 assists in 114 USHL games.

Could be the 29-year old is arriving a bit late.

In 2021/2022, he blew away his career high totals with 21 goals and 20 assists in 60 games and a +10 rating to be offered a 4th straight contract to return.

More new career bests continue to follow the bearded one for new highs with 31 goals and 27 assists, 58 points and he is easily going to be wearing that Growlers‘ jersey for a 5th frame.

His longtime Canadian team goes belly-up for the final part of the current frame and he is forced to find a new team or close down the season a bit early.

We knew the 31-year old wouldn’t be on the blocks long, as Florida Everblades move in to offer him some ice time and he returns the favor with 1 assist and a +1 rating in his debut.

He would only play 4 games in the regular frame with 2 assists, but then in 22 playoff matchups had 2 goals and 2 assists, helping them to a 2nd straight Kelly Cup Championship.

For his 7th season, he will lace them up for Reading Royals in 2024/2025.

He would become team captain with his new club and takes another good season of play to another deal with Kalamazoo Wings for 2025/2026.

29Sep

Eelis Laaksonen (18)

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Curry College Colonels‘ Finnish-born, sophomore left wing Eelis Laaksonen(18) had a pair of tallies and an assist to help his team to a 5-1 semi-finals win to advance to the NCAA Division 3 CCC Finals.

The 6′ 185 lbs. forward has a college career tying 9 goals and best 15 assists for 24 points in 25 games this season.

At 22-years old, he should just continue to excel where he is playing hockey.

He finished up his senior year with a college best 14 goals and +19 rating, which he takes to possibly a slightly conservative deal with Evansville Thunderbirds, where he should score well in the FPHL to move up.

28Sep

Spencer Kersten (41)

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Bowling Green State University Falcons‘ graduate right wing Spencer Kersten(41) signs with Orlando Solar Bears upon finishing up and scores 2 goals and 4 assists in 10 ECHL games with a +5 rating, then another 6, 3 in 11 with a +4 in the playoffs to easily get him wanted to return for his rookie frame in 2024/2025.

The 5’10” 185 lbs. forward came over from 4 years of always playing 31 games as senior captain for Princeton University Tigers and scoring decently.

From Waterloo, ON, the 24-year old looks to have found more space to connect for points as a pro.

He explodes scoring with 24 goals and 28 assists in 53 games with a +20 rating to get himself a loan up to Belleville Senators, where we feel he will do well, once he starts to gel.

Also, loaned to Syracuse Crunch, where he scores a 1st AHL goal, he is signed for 2025/2026.

27Sep

T.J. Walsh (13)

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RPI Engineers‘ junior portal transfer from Northeastern University, left wing T.J. Walsh(13) has easily made the best hockey decision to switch up schools and join the ECAC.

The 5’9″ 165 lbs. forward has already blown the lid off his previous scoring, tying his college career high 2 goals and new best by lots 8 assists with a +2 rating in 15 games.

He only managed to light up scoring in his final year of juniors at Des Moines Buccaneers, getting 17 goals and 32 assists in 53 USHL games before hitting school.

The Shrewsbury, MA native did have one almost earth shattering session for Shattuck St. Mary’s 14U AAA, grabbing more than goal per game totals, 71 goals and 65 assists in 66 games.

Now that the switch is made and the season is off and running with the results he’s seeing, you got to think there’s a little smile on his face for 2021/2022.

In his senior year, he scored a new college best 7 goals, but his 15 assists as a 3rd year player stood as that category high.

For a graduate session, the undrafted 23-year old is heading to Sacred Heart University Pioneers and will compete some Atlantic Hockey for 2023/2024.

He scores a college best 13 goals and 13 assists for 26 points in his final frame and takes it to a 1st pro deal with Orlando Solar Bears, which should heed him good points in the ECHL.

In 2 games he has an assist.

For his rookie season, 2024/2025 he ultimately decides to sign with Iowa Heartlanders.

After a solid 43 point season in 66 games, he gets himself traded to his hometown team, Worcester Railers for 2025/2026.

27Sep

Travis Mitchell (10)

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Cornell University Big Red senior captain, defenseman Travis Mitchell(10) signs a 2-year NHL entry level deal with New York Islanders as an undrafted, unrestricted free agent.

He’s big at 6’3″ 201 lbs and can put up assists in a decent manner, getting 13 assists in his last two frames and 6 goals last season for a college career best 19 points.

The South Lyon, MI native skated 3 USHL campaigns, most of 2 for Omaha Lancers amassing 26 assists in his last session.

He played a 2nd season with affiliate Bridgeport Islanders and had a best 4 goals and 9 assists to earn another 1-year deal to stay in Islanders‘ system.