Category: College Hockey Player

10Jan

Justin Hryckowian (49)

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Northeastern University Huskies‘ junior center captain Justin Hryckowian(49) takes a college best 30 assists and 43 points in 32 games with a +24 rating to a 2-year entry level deal with Dallas Stars.

Undrafted, the 5’10” 194 lbs. forward from L’lle Bizard, QC came down for a senior year at high school before heading off to 2 USHL years of junior hockey.

The 23-year old will likely report to affiliate Texas Stars to get started, but could warrant a look up in the show.

And he does.

Recalled due to injury and his scoring streak in the minors, he waits, but eventually makes his big league debut before the end of the new year.

He skates 9 shifts for 5:50 ice time in his NHL debut, has 1 hit and 1 giveaway in a 5-1 win. Nice start.

In 43 games this season, he has 6 goals and 7 assists, which is good enough to earn him a nice 2-year extension to stay a Stars.

10Jan

Nolan Dawson (9)

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Western New England University Golden Bears‘ 6’5″ 225 lbs. left wing Nolan Dawson(9) was at Curry College Colonels, playing a rough average of 20 games per frame, but just as he did after his freshman year at Saint Mary’s University Cardinals, he decides to switch things up and arrives for his senior session.

He has 2 goals and 2 assists in 11 games, which could see him turn new college best numbers, assuredly in tallies.

From Airdrie, AB, he played mostly 4 years of junior hockey in 3 different northern leagues, but only twice made it work for extended stays.

We don’t think it out of the question for him to add a year of eligibility, where he is.

As a graduate, he scores a college tying best 6 goals and adds a new high 9 assists and 15 points.

He takes these totals to a 1st pro deal and signs with Evansville Thunderbolts, where his size could help him score as a pro in the SPHL.

Officially signing for his rookie season in the FPHL, he is scoring well, but decides to head for Finland’s tier 3 league, Suomi-sarja signing with Muik Hockey for the rest of 2025/2026.

09Jan

Nolan Zajac (44)

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7th year defenseman Nolan Zajac(44) leaves a pair of seasons in the SHL for a new European adventure in 2022/2023, joining DEL‘s Grizzlys Wolfsburg.

He spent only a pair of seasons mostly in the ECHL scoring pretty big after graduating University Of Denver twice ascending to 20+ assists before deciding to head overseas.

The 5’10” 185 lbs. blue liner maybe started a little low in Sweden’s tier 2 Allsvenskan, where he detonated the scoresheet for most assists and most points by a d-man for IK Oskarshamn.

With his new German team, he manages 8 goals and 25 assists in 48 games with a +14 rating, then adds another 7 assists in a playoff run to earn himself another year to stay put.

After 2 good frames with the same team, he looks elsewhere to rivals Augsburger Panthers f0r 2024/2025.

He continues to move along for 2025/2026, signing with HK Spisska Nova Ves, but maybe with only 3 assists in 17 games, he looks for a little more and leaves for Bruleurs De Loups of Ligue Magnus.

09Jan

Antonio Venuto (37)

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Merrimack College Warriors‘ graduate, new captain Antonio Venuto(37) transfer from 4 years at Ferris State University Bulldogs posted a college best 12 goals and 14 assists last season before coming over.

The 6’3″ 201 lbs. forward looks very much like he is ready to put this club on his back and ride.

From Whitmore Lake, MI, he came up through the Compuware system before doing 1 year NAHL, 1 USHL prior to school.

The 24-year old really looks very ready to shoulder the load.

He scores 8 goals and 6 assists in 35 games and very much looks the part of team leader out there, which is an easy score to a 1st pro deal with Kalamazoo Wings.

After 6 ECHL games, scoring 2 assists with a 0 rating, he is easily asked to return for 2025/2026 for his rookie season to stay a Wings.

He is scoring nicely, but Maine Mariners come calling to pick him up as a future consideration from an earlier deal they made.

09Jan

John Mantone (12)

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Fitchburg State University Falcons‘ freshman left wing John Mantone(12) has 2 goals and 2 assists in 10 games this season.

The 6′ 190 lbs. forward plays a power style that should equal bigger totals.

He did 2 seasons with Seacoast Spartans, moving up with the team to a higher level and actually did better with 7 goals and 13 assists in 45 USPHL/NCDC games.

From Nashua, NH, the 22-year old is a good skater to watch.

08Jan

Colin Tracy (27)

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Plymouth State University Panthers‘ graduate defenseman Colin Tracy(27) signs a 1st pro contract with Evansville Thunderbolts for his rookie frame, 2025/2026.

The 6’3″ 190 lbs. blue liner scored a new college best 2 goals and 9 assists last season in 21 games with a +8 rating.

From Manchester, NH, the 25-year old should score more in the FPHL.

He actually has shown up on Pee Dee Pride roster; we think on a trade, but are still looking into it.

Turns out, he was with the club for 2 games with 1 assist, but moved on to Indiana Sentinels, where he had 3 assists in 10 games to get loaned up to Knoxville Ice Bears for 3 appearances before being SPHL traded to Birmingham Bulls for the rest of 2025/2026.

08Jan

Matthew Gilbert (19)

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Anna Maria College AMCATS‘ senior right wing Matthew Gilbert(19) leads the maybe surprising 5-3, with wins in their last 4 straight, scoring 5 goals and 1 assist in 7 games.

He’s now surpassed the amount of goals he’s scored through the past 3 years at school.

The 6′ 174 lbs. forward plays like a scorer out there.

After high school locally in Wyandotte, MI, he skated 2 seasons for Toledo Cherokee, being a fairly prolific scorer in the USPHL Premier.

Having surpassed goal scoring, he’s likely just looking to add on at this point.

He does a graduate session and scores a college best 15 goals and 17 assists in 21 games with a +22 rating, which he takes to a 1st pro contract with Penscola Ice Flyers.

In 6 SPHL games, he had 1 assist before they bowed out with no playoff bid.

He actually signs with a different team to start, but with no points in 3 games is picked up by Pee Dee Ice Cats, where we think his fortunes increase.

07Jan

Tanner Edwards (91)

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University Of Alaska-Anchorage Seawolves‘ graduate center Tanner Edwards(91) already has a college best scoring with just 2 goals and 4 assists in 15 games to go along with a +3 rating is doing nicely.

The 6’1″ 170 lbs. returns home to play a year of eligibility and only ever appeared in 21 games through 4 years at Minnesota State University Mavericks.

He is easily being used and is excelling in all game situations.

The 24-year old does look great out there with his new club and has to have a smile on his face every game.

He plays a new high, by a mile 31 games, scoring 3 goals and 5 assists, then signs a 1st pro contract with Florida Everblades for his rookie season, 2025/2026.

Waived close to the calendar year, he is quickly scooped by Toledo Walleye.

He gets into 1 ECHL game with his new team and South Carolina Stingrays come seeking his duties in a trade for future considerations.

Great side story, his dad, Jeff actually played for the team in the late 90’s.

After 8 games with no points, he gets moved to Adirondack Thunder, where in his debut he scores for a very nice start.

07Jan

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.

In 11 games, he has only 2 assists, so Indy Fuel see what’s happening and offer up some future considerations to bring him over.