Category: College Hockey Player

07Nov

Dalton Skelly (72)

Posted in College Hockey Player, Juniors, Minor League Deal | Leave a comment

SPHL rookie defenseman Dalton Skelly(72) had himself a bit of a career season in his 1st outing scoring a new overall best 3 goals and tying his Holy Cross Crusaders‘ senior year high 13 points.

The 5’10” 175 lbs. d-man skated for a couple of different clubs, starting the split time for Knoxville Ice Bears before eventually finishing up with Huntsville Havoc with 10 assists overall and a tidy overall +9 rating.

He played for three different teams through two campaigns in the NAHL pushing a little offense with good assist numbers, but arriving at Lone Star Brahmas must have been the right fit as he elevated for 7 goals, 20 assists and 27 points with a +11 and 3 more helpers in 4 playoff games.

It’s basically an open shot where the 25-year old goes next.

He would start his 2nd season with Huntsville Havoc and put up 5 assists in 6 games to score a loan to Wichita Thunder that turned into him staying for his ECHL rookie season of 51 games with 3 goals and 8 assists.

Allen Americans see something they want to use on their blue line for 2022/2023 and sign him up to a 1-year deal.

The Keller, TX native scores 11 assists in 54 games last season, then adds another 4 helpers in 6 playoff matchups.

His performance merits a sophomore season in an Americans‘ sweater.

He would do ok, but returned on contract for 2024/2025 with Knoxville that got him a loan up to Rapid City Rush.

For 2025/2026, he signs with the new squad, Greensboro Gargoyles and has 1 assist in 6 games.

07Nov

Jack Ricketts (28)

Posted in College Hockey Player, Juniors, Minor League Deal, Transfers | Leave a comment

Quinnipiac University Bobcats‘ graduate center Jack Ricketts(28) takes some college highs scoring 20 goals to a 1st pro contract with Utah Grizzlies for his rookie season, 2025/2026.

In his 1st 9 ECHL games, he has 4 goals and 1 assist with a 0 rating.

The 6’1″ 194 lbs. forward came over from top scoring at Holy Cross College Crusaders, where he had 35 points in 39 games with a +18 rating.

From Oakville, ON, the 26-year old is off to a great start and looks good for a loan up.

07Nov

Cole McKinney (11)

Posted in College Hockey Player, Juniors, NHL Draft Pick | Leave a comment

University Of Michigan Wolverines‘ freshman center Cole McKinney(11) already has 3 goals and 4 assists in 10 games this season.

The 6′ 201 lbs. forward was more than a point-per-game scorer through his 2nd USNTDP season and did the same coming up with the Chicago Mission program.

From Chicago, IL, the 18-year old found himself to be a San Jose Sharks‘ 2nd round pick in the 2025 NHL draft (#53 overall).

06Nov

Josh Lopina (18)

Posted in College Hockey Player, Juniors, NHL Draft Pick | Leave a comment

Anaheim Ducks‘ 4th round pick in the 2021 draft (#98 overall), center Josh Lopina(18) picked up his 3-year NHL entry level deal upon deciding to leave UMass Minutemen after a college career sophomore season, scoring 12 goals and 15 assists in 27 games with a +21 rating.

He had equally stellar numbers as a freshmen, when they went on to win the 2021 NCAA Division 1 National Championship.

The 6’2″ 194 lbs. forward twice put up 12 goals with Lincoln Stars in a pair of USHL sessions.

He managed to grab an assist in his AHL debut with affiliate San Diego Gulls and be credited with 2 shots on net and a +1 rating.

The 21-year old looks ready to step into his new lifestyle.

After 3 years in the same place, he moves on to sign with Savannah Ghost Pirates for 2025/2026.

He has 1 goal and 1 assist in 4 ECHL games, where we think he notches points really well.

06Nov

Zachary Borgiel (1)

Posted in College Hockey Player, Juniors, Minor League Deal, Transfers | Leave a comment

Merrimack College Warriors‘ senior goaltender Zachary Borgiel(29) will do a year of eligibility at rival Providence College Friars to start a graduate program, 2024/2025.

The 6’2″ 205 lbs. net minder initially started youth hockey through the Honeybaked system before doing a split junior frame and heading north, where his game came together nicely in the BCHL, starting 44 games for Cowichan Valley Capitals.

After 12 Hockey East games with some college best marks, including 2 shutouts he signs a 1st pro contract with Tahoe Knight Monsters for 2025/2026, but we do feel he gets dealt due to the glut in that net.

06Nov

Nick Theodos (3)

Posted in College Hockey Player, D3, Juniors | Leave a comment

New England Wolves 1st year defenseman Nick Theodos(3) commits Saint Anselm College Hawks for 2024/2025.

The 6′ 185 lbs. blue liner has 6 goals and 14 assists in 27 EHL games in the current session.

He played his high school hockey at Hebron Academy.

We think the 20-year old from Tewksbury, MA will have to work for it, but can fit in nicely from the start with this college club.

He plays in only 6 NE10 games and decides to move on into the transfer portal to next skate for Western New England University Golden Bears as a sophomore in 2025/2026.

05Nov

Max Willman (10)

Posted in College Hockey Player, Europe, Free Agent Signing, Minor League Deal, Transfers | Leave a comment

Undrafted 3rd year center Max Willman(10) has quite the unlikely, surprise hockey story to tell.

Upon finishing up his one year in a graduate program at Boston University Terriers after a transfer from Brown University Bears, he signed an ECHL contract to join Reading Royals.

The 6′ 183 lbs. forward was loaned up to Lehigh Valley Phantoms a couple of months into his rookie run and earned an spc, mostly staying in the AHL, earning 3 goals and 6 assists in 24 games before the season exploded with no playoffs.

He re-signed to stay and in a weirdo season with like 3 constant opponents, he ascended to a career high 9 goals, 7 assists and 16 points with a +7 in just 30 games.

His efforts have earned him an NHL 2-year, 2-way deal with Philadelphia Flyers that starts in the upcoming frame.

The 26-year old is likely all smiles heading into 2021/2022.

And the story continues to take the strangest turns, as the Barnstable, MA native has made the opening night roster of the Broad Street Bullies and skated 13 shifts for 9:30 of total ice with one shot on net, one hit, 2 minutes in the sin bin and left the 5-4 shootout loss a -1 rating.

An unrestricted free agent, he signs a 1-year 2-way deal with New Jersey Devils for 2023/2024.

In 18 games with the big club, he scores 3 goals and 1 assist with a +1 rating and he scores himself another year, another look in a Devils‘ jersey.

After 69 games on reassignment with Utica Comets, scoring 10 goals and 20 assist, he is off for his next venture, signing with Barys Astana of the KHL for 2025/2026.

05Nov

Nick Seitz (13)

Posted in College Hockey Player, Europe, Juniors | Leave a comment

Princeton University Tigers‘ sophomore center Nick Seitz(13) 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.

04Nov

Taylor Makar (6)

Posted in College Hockey Player, Juniors, NHL Draft Pick, Transfers | Leave a comment

University Of Massachusetts Minutemen sophomore, left wing Taylor Makar(6) is starting to pop scoring with 7 goals and 2 assists in 19 games.

The fairly sizable 6’4″ 209 lbs. forward was a Colorado Avalanche 7th round pick in the 2021 draft (#220 overall), which could very well put him on the same team as his Stanley Cup winning, NHL Best Defenseman brother, Cale Makar.

He has yet to prove he has the same depth, but did take his scoring up in his 3rd season with AJHL junior team, Brooks Bandits before getting selected.

The Calgary, AB native is big and looks to be starting to use his size to his advantage, which will definitely create room for him to score.

For his senior year, he decides to head off to Hockey East rival, University Of Maine Black Bears for 2024/2025 and he’s off to a huge start with 4 goals and 3 assists in 4 games.

There’s little doubt he will post some college hockey bests, but 18 goals and 12 assists in 38 games with a +24 rating and he is ready to sign and does on a 1-year NHL deal.

He reports to affiliate Colorado Eagles on an ato to get things started.

Starting the season in the AHL, he skates 10 games, scoring 1 goal and 3 assists with a +4 rating to score a 1st appearance in the big league.

He skates just 8 shifts for 6:07 ice time in a 3-2 overtime loss.

04Nov

Ray Fust (23)

Posted in College Hockey Player, Juniors, Transfers | Leave a comment

Clarkson University Golden Knights‘ Swiss-born, junior left wing Ray Just(23) enters the transfer portal a 2nd time to do his senior frame at Sacred Heart University Pioneers, 2025/2026.

He twice had 9 points at his 1st commit, University Of Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks.

The pretty big, 6’4″ 209 lbs. forward bounced around juniors for a couple seasons, but did pretty well and blew up scoring as a 1-year senior in high school.

In 6 games, he has 1 goal, but definitely looks like he is ready to affect the scoresheet in Atlantic Hockey play.