Undrafted, Quinnipiac University Bobcats‘ Netherlands-born senior, left wing Guus van Nes(26) signs his 1st pro deal with Iowa Heartlanders.
The 6’3″ 205 lbs. forward scored a college career high 6 goals and 17 points with a +13 rating in 37 NCAA Division 1 games last season.
He started his junior hockey back home but came over pretty quickly, signing with Boston Jr. Bruins, where he ascended in his 3rd year to their NCDC team and exploded the stat sheet with 16 goals and 40 assists in 41 games.
The 25-year old could very well find some space to score goals in the ECHL.
Instead on continuing his hockey in the U.S., he has a bit late in the game, decided to head overseas to start his pro career, sighing for 2022/2023 with Pioneers Vorarlberg.
In 34 IceHL games he gets 11 goals and 13 assists, good enough for him to get re-upped for 2023/2024.
He once again scores phenomenally with 19 goals and 33 assists in 48 games with a +6 rating, but will take that to a contract with rivals Villacher SV for 2024/2025.
In his 2nd season with the same club, he does well, but for 2026/2027, he decides to head back to Pioneers, where he had great results.
Princeton University Tigers‘ sophomore center Nick Seitz(52) worked out a deal to take 2020/2021 away from school after skating as a freshman to play another full season of juniors with close by New Jersey Titans, as the college team was put on pause due to the pandemic.
The rugged 6’1″ 190 lbs. forward scored a new junior hockey best 19 goals and 28 assists for 43 points with a +11 rating in 49 NAHL games.
He has already bettered his totals from his 1st campaign to a pair of goals and 2 assists in 13 NCAA Division 1 games.
The New York, NY native definitely knows how to win, as he was part of back-to-back youth hockey championships for North Jersey Avalanche 16U AAA.
At 21-years old, it seems like this undrafted player is just getting started with an eye towards what might go next.
He finishes off with a 23 point college best and signs for his rookie year with Coventry Blaze of the EIHL and we think he will do exceedingly well there.
With plenty good enough scoring 30 goals and 29 assists in 54 games last season, he is highly sought after and signs with rivals Sheffield Steelers for 2025/2026.
After just 2 games, he is dealt to Guilford Flames, who could definitely use his point scoring in their lineup.
He takes maybe a less significant 2nd frame to a new adventure, heading to the AIHL for the summer, signing with Sydney Bears.
Junior defenseman Elliot McDermott(58) cashes in a pair of seasons at Colgate University Raiders for a new adventure through the transfer portal, arriving at UMass Minutemen for 2022/2023.
The 5’11” 193 lbs. blue liner will has geared up nicely for the transition, scoring a college career tying 2 goals and new best 9 assists, 11 points with a +9 rating last year.
A Kingston, ON native, he played his high school and junior hockey relatively close to home.
The 23-year old will likely step nicely into Hockey East style.
While maybe not scoring a lot of points, he was still a + player after 2 seasons.
He would in fact, pull a graduate frame and scurried off to RPI Engineers, where ECAC style must have gelled with his, because he made off with a college best 3 goals, 15 assists in 35 games and a 0 rating.
Upon tournament elimination, he quickly signs with Adirondack Thunder and works himself into 5 ECHL games before the season is over.
He recorded an assist.
In a full season for Iowa Heartlanders, playing 59 games he scored 1 goal and 8 assists, but gets traded in the off season to Fort Wayne Komets.
Maine Nordiques 2020/2021 center Aidan Connolly(23) made a pretty good first and one season impression, scoring 16 goals, 11 assists with 5 game-winners in 53 NAHL games.
He was to head for Sacred Heart University Pioneers 2021/2022 after posting a USHS-Prep best 15 goals and 26 assists in just 22 games as Dexter Southfield School team captain.
The 5’10” 180 lbs. Marshfield, MA native is going to give it another year of juniors before trying to crack what could be a tough lineup.
He actually seemed to reconsidered things and after a 2nd successful junior frame decides to go to Salve Regina University Seahawks.
In his senior year, he scored point-per-game numbers.
Deciding to turn pro he signs Germany4 for his rookie run with EG Diez-Limburg Rockets for 2026/2027.
University Of Maine Black Bears‘ freshman right wing Miguel Marques(43) scores 10 goals and 13 assists in 33 games with a +12 rating, but maybe wants a bit of a more challenge, transferring to Hockey East rivals Northeastern University Huskies for his sophomore season, 2026/2027.
The 5’11” 190 lbs. forward is a Nashville Predators‘ 3rd round pick in the 2024 draft (#87 overall).
He did 3 years of WHL with Lethbridge Hurricanes, scoring big points.
From Prince George, BC, the 20-year old maybe find his new team to be more of a scoring treat for him.
Rookie left wing Max Neill(6) signs on for a full frame with Utah Grizzlies after joining the team upon finishing up at University Of Waterloo Warriors, where he scored pretty well.
The 6’1″ 190 lbs. forward from Portage la Prairie, MB did a couple of sessions of juniors close to home before heading to 2 years in the NAHL, where he had 20+ goals and 20+ assists in his 2nd frame before college.
He committed to Lindenwood University Lions, but left after an unsuccessful freshman year.
We think the 23-year old gets settled with his team will start finding ways to produce points.
He actually doesn’t report and signs with Bloomington Bison for his rookie frame.
In 32 games, he scored 5 goals, but gets traded to Atlanta Gladiators for 2026/2027 in a future considerations swap.
Stonehill College Skyhawks‘ sophomore transfer, center Brady Hunter(9) from a freshman year with 11 games (2 assists) skated for Merrimack College Warriors, he gets a 1st college goal and adds an assist in the opening NCAA Division 1 game of the 2024/2025 season against his former team.
Not a terrible new year start for the small-ish 5’8″ 174 lbs. forward.
From Enfield, NS, he only broke out junior scoring, when he arrived at the BCHL for 3 frames with Trail Smoke Eaters.
The 22-year old could be just getting started.
For his senior year, he decides to head north, closer to home to Acadia University Axemen for 2026/2027.
Providence College Friars‘ sophomore defenseman Alexander Bales(6) isn’t likely seeing the success he may be a little used to, so enters the transfer portal to play for Hockey East rivals, University Of Maine Black Bears, as a junior in 2026/2027.
The 5’10” 181 lbs. did only 1 USHL season before committing.
From East Amherst, NY, the 19-year old should find more luck with his new club.
University Of Denver Pioneers‘ freshman center Massimo Rizzo(13) is tied for 3rd in NCAA Division 1 scoring at 24 points (10 goals, 14 assists).
He is a Carolina Hurricanes‘ 7th round pick in the 2019 draft (#216 overall) and looking to prove them right with the deep pick.
The 5’10” 174 lbs. forward was a solid performer through 3 years of BCHL with a couple of teams (43 goals and 80 assists in 132 games) and won a 2017 championship with Penticton Vees, the year he arrived from youth hockey.
This is definitely the style player from Burnaby, BC that can break through and find space in the NHL.
After another 40+ points frame, the now junior decides to leave a year on the table and signs a 2-year NHL entry level deal with Philadelphia Flyers, who picked up his playing rights in a trade.
He would finish his 2nd season with 13 AHL games for Milwaukee Admirals, scoring 2 goals and 3 assists, but then New York Rangers come sniffing in the off season and pick him up for 2026/2027.
