Anchorage, AK native, right wing Max Helgeson(32) spent the last pair of seasons skating for the nearby home team Kenai River Brown Bears, putting up spectacular numbers.
The fairly big 6’1″ 185 lbs. power forward scored a junior career high 19 goals but really came even further to life in the playoffs with 5 goals and 3 assists in 9 NAHL games with a +4 rating in what ended in the division finals.
He had to wait until the end of his 2nd campaign but he commits to Lindenwood University D2 for next year but D1 starting 2022/2023.
The 20-year old who came up through youth hockey at home, then also had an amazing run with Iowa Wild 18U AAA dropping 19 goals and 13 assists in 35 T1EHL 18U contests will easily turn heads once he arrives at school.
He spends only 1 year there and transfers to head back home for the University Of Alaska-Anchorage Seawolves for 3 seasons, averaging 10+ goals and assists.
For 2025/2026, he has decided to do a year of eligibility and heads to Miami University (Ohio) Redhawks.
Ottawa Senators step in to sign 5th round pick in the 2018 draft (#126 overall) left wing Angus Crookshank(9) to a three-year entry deal, leaving one year of school at University Of New Hampshire on the table, after scoring 9 goals and 9 assists in 20 games in a completely broken NCAA season.
The 21-year old from North Vancouver, BC has always been a fairly consistent scorer netting more than a point per game in his 2nd year with Langley Rivermen of the BCHL before committing to college and getting on the radar fully to be selected.
He has finally arrived to make his debut with affiliate Belleville Senators and notched an assist in his debut, a resounding 7-2 win.
With the season continuing and the parent club being out of the playoff hunt, he could garner a look.
He is running totals with their affiliate Belleville Senators and has 10 goals and 11 assists in 24 games this season to earn a 1st NHL recall.
In his debut, he skates 16 shifts for 10:11 ice time with 3 hits in a 6-3 loss to one of the best teams in the league.
He is basically a point-per-game player for the affiliate and gets 2 goals and 1 assist in 13 games in the big league to earn himself a 1-year extension.
Amassing 8 games in the big league, he notches an assist, but in the minors he pops for another 20+ goal campaign.
An unrestricted free agent for a 1st time, he signs a 2-year deal with New Jersey Devils, that may have him see some playing time with Utica Comets, but definitely offers him a window to earn his way up.
University Of Alaska-Fairbanks Nanooks‘ senior center, captain Harrison Israels(24) enters the transfer portal on a year of eligibility and will play for University Of Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks for a graduate frame, 2024/2025.
He scored a college best 20 goals, 26 points with a +10 rating in 33 games last season.
The 6’2″ 205 lbs. Mississauga, ON native did 2 seasons OJHL with Oakville Blades, scoring big then bigger before school.
Upon finishing up tournament play, he signs with Florida Everblades and scores a 1st ECHL goal and 2 assists in 7 games, but doesn’t appear in the playoffs.
For his rookie season 2025/2026, he signs up with Rockford Icehogs, who obviously had him on their radar.
Los Angeles Kings‘ rookie signing Tyler Madden(18) returns from an injury that kept him out for a couple of months, just in time for the mini-playoffs the AHL is allowing for Pacific Division.
The 5’11” 180 lbs. forward has a first pro goal and 3 assists in 13 games for affiliate Ontario Reign, including one small stretch of assists in two straight.
Originally a Vancouver Canucks‘ 3rd round pick in the 2018 draft (#68 overall), he was traded as he was torching the scoresheet in his 2nd year at Northeastern University Huskies (19-18-37 in 27 games) before any playoffs got pulled due to the COVID outbreak.
He was wooed to leave school and sign his three year entry level deal.
The thought has to be the Deerfield Beach, FL native is going to step it up.
4 years of scoring very decently with the affiliate gets him a new 1-year NHL deal to continue for his 5th in a Reign jersey.
He is traded sort of late season to Minnesota Wild and reassigned Iowa Wild, where he scored 2 goals and 8 assists in 20 games with a +2 rating.
For 2025/2026, he will head off to a new journey, signing in DEL with Straubing Tigers, where we look for him to do really well.
MCLA Trailblazers‘ Swiss-born sophomore goaltender Nick Imhof(38) leaves the program after just a single appearance with his 1st year team that maybe didn’t go the way anyone wanted.
The 6′ 176 lbs. net minder played a smattering games in SwissDiv2 before coming over.
Returning home, he signs with Kussnacht am Rigi SC in SwissDiv1 for 2025/2026.
He will likely do pretty well and push himself to higher levels.
Undrafted, Czech Republic-born left wing Michal Stinil(22) decides after just one game in his 2nd season with American International College Yellowjackets to turn pro, signing for the remainder of 2021/2022 with Wichita Thunder.
The 5’11” 192 lbs. forward has been a very decent scorer on his way up through junior hockey, twice performing for more than point-per-game play and twice coming up just short of the mark.
He played all his youth hockey close to home with Pirati Chomutov U16-18 before coming over.
The 22-year old, former Springfield Jr. Pics of the USPHL Premiere League will be an interesting watch.
He would absolutely blow up scoring to the tune of 2-30+ goals and this has earned him an AHL contract for 2024/2025 with San Jose Barracuda, but is sent to affiliate Wichita Thunder to start the new campaign.
After a 4th monstrous scoring campaign for even higher points in the league, 25 goals and 52 assists in 63 ECHL games with a +13 rating, he will be back for a 5th year in Thunder attire.
Boston Bruins‘ sign unrestricted free agent center John Farinacci(32) to a 2-year NHL entry level deal after finishing up his 4th year at Harvard University Crimson as senior captain.
He was originally an Arizona Coyotes‘ 3rd round pick in the 2019 draft (#76 overall), but went oddly unsigned.
The 6’ 190 lbs. forward from Red Bank, NJ came north for his high school hockey, but played little junior hockey before committing to school.
He is the Crimson coach Ted Donato‘s nephew.
In his 2nd season in the minors, he scores 9 goals and a new best 28 assists to earn himself a 1st recall.
He skates 16 shifts for 10:58 ice time with 1 shot that equaled a 1st NHL goal and 3 hits for his debut, a 5-4 overtime loss.
In his 2nd season in the minors, he matches his 1st year totals with 38 points with a +9 rating and plays a 1st game in the big league to score himself a new deal with the Bruins for 2025/2026, as a restricted free agent.
Providence College Friars‘ graduate right wing Ryan O’Reilly(22) is looking to set new college bests scoring, if he can figure into enough games on a particularly deep, very good Hockey East team.
The 6’3″ 220 lbs. forward has 6 goals and 3 assists in 18 games with a +9 rating after coming over from 4 years at Arizona State University Sun Devils.
A 2018 Detroit Red Wings‘ 4th round pick in the draft (#98 overall), he had a blowout scoring debut USHL season.
From Southlake, TX, the 24-year old looks like he’d be an easy sign to see to an NHL entry level deal to see what he can do.
He goes unsigned, but inks a 1st deal with Orlando Solar Bears, where he should be a scoring force in the ECHL.
For his rookie season, he signs a contract with Greenville Swamp Rabbits in 2025/2026.
Providence Capitals‘ 2nd year right wing Deagan Kelly(22) takes an EHL best scoring 30 goals and 38 assists in 43 games, then another 11 points in 7 playoff matchups to a 2025/2026 commit at UMass Boston Beacons for 2025/2026.
He will definitely add some scoring punch to the NEHC crew.
The 6’1″ 190 lbs. forward from Franklinville, NJ did most of his youth hockey and 1st run of juniors in the Philadelphia HC system.
He is 20-years old and will likely continue to light the lamp.
Long Island University Lakers‘ graduate portal transfer from 4 years at Bowling Green State University Falcons, defenseman Carson Musser(4) took a college best scoring 4 goals and 11 points in 31 NCAA games to a 1st contract with Norfolk Admirals.
In 7 ECHL games, he had an assist and left with no playoffs a +2 rating.
The 6’1″ 192 lbs. blue liner has never really scored many goals, but did manage 10 assists in his 2nd USHL year with Fargo Force.
From Grand Rapids, MI, it’s seems likely the 25-year old could score a new contract for 2022/2023 in the league, if he wants.
As considered, the d-man decides to go for a full session in Virginia to see what’s possible.
He is able to connect for 4 goals and 9 assists, but needs to clean up a -19 rating and hopefully the team posts a better record, as he re-signs to stay.
Increasing his numbers as he goes is easily the way to keep attention, so he scores a new best 8 goals and 18 assists, while bringing up that horrible +/- to a +13 rating in 57 games, then in 11 playoff matchups adds another 7 points, +5.
He is easy to continue to bring back in an Admirals‘ jersey.
For a 4th straight season, he will return to Norfolk after scoring a new high 23 assists and 29 points.
