University Of Maine Black Bears‘ junior right wing Nicholas Niemi(24) will head to his 3rd school, Niagara University Purple Eagles for his senior frame in 2025/2026.
The 5’10” 181 lbs. forward scored best as a freshman at Bentley University Falcons with 8 goals and 14 assists in 32 games with a +7 rating.
From Middlebury, VT, the 24-year old did 2 years of NAHL juniors before college.
We think he will score well in Atlantic Hockey once again.
New York Islanders‘ 1st round pick in the 2018 draft (#11 overall), 5th year right wing Oliver Wahlstrom(26) signs a conservative 1-year 1-way deal to stick for 2023/2024, as a restricted free agent.
The fairly stocky 6’2″ 205 lbs. forward has twice scored 10+ goals.
He only spent 1 year at Boston College Eagles after exploding his 2nd frame with USNTDP.
The 23-year old from Portland, ME definitely needs to step up his game.
He re-signs to spend a 6th year in the Isles‘ system, 2024/2025.
In 27 games, he has 2 goals and 2 assists and is put on waivers, knowing he will get picked up and skate for another team for the 1st time in his pro career.
A somewhat struggling Boston Bruins reaches out to welcome him back to where he attend on year of post-school.
He’s not a big scorer with 1 goal and 1 assist in 16 games and is basically a point-per-game guy in the AHL, which gains him a new minor league deal for 2025/2026 with San Jose Barracuda.
Merrimack College Warriors‘ senior defenseman Christian Felton(2) is looking like he is ready to set up a collegiate career best season, already 1 goal and 1 assist in 11 games.
He had 2 goals and 4 assists as highs last season.
The 6’1″ 195 lbs. blue liner from Medina, OH is maybe leaning in a little looking for scoring opportunities.
Transferring after 1 year at Bentley University Falcons, the 23-year old seems to have found his style in Hockey East play.
In his senior year, he would score new college bests 3 goals, 4 assists for 7 points, which he takes to a 1st pro contract, a 1-year NHL entry level deal with Vancouver Canucks.
He appears in only 13 games with affiliate Abbotsford Canucks and 7 in the ECHL before the injury bug takes him off his game.
For 2025/2026, he signs with Utah Grizzlies and should do really well.
Niagara University Purple Eagles‘ senior left wing Shane Ott(27) ran up a college high 25 goals and 34 points.
The 6’1″ 181 lbs. forward did 3 years of junior hockey with his last in the NAHL.
From Centennial, CO, the 25-year old signed with Bloomington Bison and scored 12 assists in 14 ECHL games, but needs a new contract to return.
It’s an absolute no-brainer for him to return for his rookie slate in a Bison jersey.
New Hampshire Mountain Kings‘ 1st year left wing Frank D’Ancona(15) scored 6 goals and 2 assists in 31 NAHL games with a +2 rating after a trade sent him over.
The 5’10” 170 lbs. forward did 4 years of junior hockey, cycling through a few leagues.
From St. James, NY, the 21-year old commits to Norwich University Cadets for 2025/2026.
American International College Yellowjackets‘ graduate center, assistant captain Chris Dodero(26) heads off for his 1st pro contract in IceHL with HK Olympija Ljubljana for 2022/2023.
The 5’9″ 175 lbs. forward scored his college best last season, getting 13 goals and 16 assists in 36 NCAA Division 1 games.
He spent 5 campaigns in junior hockey, initially in the USHL, but switching to the BCHL for a year, then NAHL for the session before heading to school.
The 26-year old, West Chicago, IL native will definitely do well in Austria’s top league.
After a decent frame, scoring 10 goals and 20 assist in 39 games, he signs for 2023/2024 with a rival, Grazz99ers.
He maybe couldn’t get it started with 2 assists in 8 games and a woeful -8 rating, so pulls up the stakes and signs for the remainder of 2023/2024 with Starbulls Rosenheim of DEL2 for a new German start.
After some good seasons to start pro hockey away, he decides to return “home” and signs with Tahoe Knight Monsters for 2024/2025.
He gains 3 goals and 3 assists in 15 games, but gets dished to the struggling Cincinnati Cyclones, who need some scoring.
With an ECHL high 6 goals and 12 assists through 39 games with a +1 rating, he is once again dealt, this time heading to Idaho Steelheads for 2025/2026.
Merrimack College Warriors‘ graduate center Ryan Leibold(16) signs a 1st pro deal with South Carolina Stingrays.
He transferred from 4 solid seasons at Holy Cross College Crusaders, where he had a college career high as a senior, 10 goals and 16 assists in 35 games with a +3 rating in Atlantic Hockey play.
The looks smaller 5’10” 194 lbs. forward is a spark plug on the ice and despite maybe not always getting points is right in the play at all times.
From Ashburn, VA, the 24-year old with 5 years of extra school under his belt should be able to assimilate himself nicely into the pro ranks.
He even got himself a pair of assists in a crushing 11-0 win against another top ranked ECHL team.
In 9 games, he scores a 1st league goal and adds 3 assists to earn himself a full look for his rookie season 2023/2024.
After a successful 1st pro frame, scoring 14 goals and 16 assists in 65 games with a +1 rating, he re-signs to stay with the Stingrays for 2024/2025.
He plays 5 games into his 2nd season scoring 2 assists and gets traded to Reading Royals, where he has 1 helper in 2 games.
Through 62 games, he had 12 goals and 8 assists, but Jacksonville Icemen see more of a use for him, so trade to get him.
UMASS Minutemen senior, assistant captain right wing Ryan Lautenback(43) takes a college best 15 assists to a 1st pro contract with San Diego Gulls for his rookie season, 2025/2026.
The 5’11” 190 lbs forward did 3 years of junior hockey, 2 with Omaha Lancers of the USHL.
He put up a high 39 assists in his final year before school.
From Dearborn, MI, the 24-year old signed after tourney play and is liked enough to retain.
American International College Yellowjackets‘ junior right wing Noah Serdachny(91) scored a college best 4 goals and 12 assists last season, but the team he transferred to from 2 years at Colorado College Tigers is heading to a new division in 2025/2026, so heads to yet another new school, Long Island University Sharks.
The 6’1″ 190 lbs. forward did 2 years BCHL juniors, running up points, even in a shortened frame.
From Edmonton, AB, we think the 21-year old ignites at his 3rd school.
Vermont Lumberjacks‘ 2nd year right wing Jordan Blais(14) commits to school relatively close to home in Enfield, CT at the new D3 program for Western Connecticut State University Wolves, 2025/2026.
The 5’9″ 170 lbs. forward scored a junior high 9 goals and 17 points last season.
We look for the 21-year old to contribute for his new school team.
