Category: College Hockey Player

Michigan State University Spartans‘ senior right wing Tanner Kelly(78) signed a pro contract with Toledo Walleye for his rookie season, 2025/2026.

The 5’10” 174 lbs. had 10+ points in 3 college seasons.

In 10 ECHL games, he has 2 goals and 2 assists.

From San Diego, CA, the 24-year old did 2 years USHL juniors before school.

After a very strong rookie run, scoring 25 goals and 25 assists in 66 games with a +13 rating, he is dealt to Jacksonville Icemen for 2026/2027 to complete a future transactions deal.

6th year defenseman Rob Hamilton(65) trades in the remainder of his 2-year AHL deal with Colorado Eagles to sign a similar pact to Traktor Chelyabinsk through 2024.

The solid 6′ 194 lbs. blue liner played his way up from originally agreeing to ECHL deals, almost literally the same way he is entering his new deal in the KHL.

A former 4-year University Of Vermont Catamounts, he came alive scoring as a senior with 10 goals and 11 assists in 38 games.

The 28-year old from Calgary, AB may just get comfortable in his new hockey environs.

Through 9 games in 2023/2024, he records only 1 assist and is a -4, which must have made his club antsy, as he gets dealt to Dinamo Minsk.

His game curves much the way it did when he 1st arrived, but even better with 4 goals and 19 assists with a +15 rating in 54 games, then another 3 assists in 3 playoff games and he gets re-upped to Minsk for another 2 seasons through 2025/2026.

In his 3rd year with the same club, he scores a league best for himself 5 goals and 20 assists, but is moving on to sign with rivals CSKA Moskva for 2026/2027.

Toronto Maple Leafs‘ 3rd round pick in the 2016 draft (#62 overall) goaltender Joseph Woll(53) maybe wasn’t quite as effective as he wanted to be in the crazy 2021 AHL season, going 7-7 with one shutout and a not great 3.54 GAA and .892 SV%.

The very sizable 6’3″ 205 lbs. goalie posted similar stats as a rookie on affiliate Toronto Marlies with their equally inconsistent .500 game record.

Although last campaign wasn’t pulled until the playoffs, he may have been just getting familiar with the pro side of the game in 2019/2020 after leaving a frame at Boston College Eagles on the shelf to sign his 3-year entry level deal.

He had a pair of decent showings for the USNTDP squad but mostly seemed to shine when he was involved in international play of the WJC tournaments.

The still young 22-year old from Dardenne Prairie, MO only has another season left on his contract, so we’ll look for him to step it up a level as he’s set to become a restricted free agent.

For 2021/2022, he opened the season as back-up in the minors, as part of a trio of able net minders in the system.

He played 3 games with a 2-1 record but his GAA and SV% were still nothing to brag about.

Maybe a little on the unlikely side, but he found himself to be the goalie on recall in November and started his first NHL game, and got a gattling-gun scoring 5-4 win.

He continued up on backup until a bit more than a week later was called for a 2nd start, which happened to be a 20-save shutout shrinking his GAA to 2.00 and .915 SV% on a 2-0 record.

This is a nice opportunity on a fairly smoking hot 2021/2022 club.

He has found himself pressed into action and has rolled a 3-1 record with 2.76 GAA and .911 SV% to earn a 2-year extension to keep working on his game in the system.

After 25 games in net last season, posting 12-11-1 record with good numbers, then goes 2-0 in the playoffs with a .86 GAA and .964 SV%, he earns himself a very nice 3-year extension to stay in a Leafs jersey.

Playing the majority of games for the parent club with good results, he is eyed for a trade with 2 years left on his current deal and gets shipped to Philadelphia Flyers, where he should fit in nicely.

Clarkson University Golden Knights‘ senior defenseman Tristan Sarsland(61) scored 8 goals and 15 assists in 39 games with a +14 rating as a junior and did slightly less in his final frame, but still good and grabs an AHL deal with San Jose Barracuda for 2026/2027.

The 6’1″ 203 lbs. blue liner from Wayzata, MN blew up scoring at USHS-MN and only did NAHL juniors after graduating high school and scored there through the playoffs before college.

He reported to his new team on an ato, playing 4 games with no points, but that should change quickly as he really gets started.

Sacred Heart University Pioneers‘ graduate right wing John Jaworski(18) takes a college best scoring 13 goals and 18 assists in 39 games with a +8 rating to a 1st pro contract 2025/2026 with Cincinnati Cyclones.

The 5’11” 185 lbs. forward did 2 years of juniors before school.

From Grinnell, IA, the 25-year old will likely score well in the ECHL.

After a good scoring season with 15 goals and 20 assists in 55 games with a +3 rating, he decides to take his game elswhere and signs HK 32 Liptovsky Mikulas of Tipsport Extraliga for 2026/2027.

Philadelphia Rebels‘ 3rd NAHL year defenseman Billy Sheridan(2) was looking to step right into his college hockey game, but decided to wait after making an initial decision.

In 46 games last season, he came away with 33 points (10-23).

The 5’11” 172 lbs. blue liner from Sewell, NJ did a lot of his youth hockey in the New Jersey Rockets‘ system.

For 2026/2027, he commits to Neumann University Knights.

Four year and consecutive NCAA Champion defenseman with University Of Minnesota-Duluth BulldogsJarod Hilderman(3) knew before the 2019/2020 season came to a crashing halt during the playoffs that he would be heading to Birmingham Bulls for 2020/2021 and spend his rookie season in the SPHL.

Well, a pandemic didn’t sideline those plans, as he reported and played basically a full slate of 36/42 game schedule, unable to grab a goal but he did produce 6 assists.

The 6’1″ 210 lbs. Calgary, AB native started his junior hockey closer to home with 2 seasons for Penticton Vees, where he won his first title, a 2015 BCHL Championship, which is when he committed to college, but then moved south to do a season with Fargo Force of the USHL before reporting to school.

At 24-years old and the leagues opening up to full service, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him elevate his game to the next level.https://www.sandiegogulls.com/players/detail/hilderman

He would spend his 2020/2021 under contract to Tulsa Oilers and ended a 48 ECHL game “rookie” season with a goal and 15 assists, then added 3 assists in 6 playoff matchups.

For 2022/2023, he will return, but we also feel may earn a 1st AHL loan to San Diego Gulls, who have him on their radar.

He puts up some decent enough numbers with a pair of visits up, but needs better on ice accountability.

Despite the parts of his game to work on he gets an invite to return for a 2nd chance in an Oilers‘ jersey.

He has a solid 3rd frame, scoring 35 assists to seemingly rebound hard and will take his game over to Ligue Magnus, signing with Les Bruleurs De Loups for 2024/2025.

He took off 2025/2026 to play for Nottingham Panthers and did decently in the EIHL, but will head back to France and signs with Boxers de Bordeaux for 2026/2027.