Category: College Hockey Player

06Jul

Scott Perunovich (48)

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St. Louis Blues‘ 2nd round pick in the 2018 draft (#45 overall), rookie defenseman Scott Perunovich(48) gets a first NHL recall after putting up a dandy 2 goals and 18 assists in 12 AHL games for affiliate Springfield Thunderbirds.

In his debut he skated an almost unreal 24 shifts for 18:26 ice time with 1 shot on net in a 3-2 loss.

They must figure the unlikely 5’10” 175 lbs. blue liner is accountable and may come to life head-manning the puck.

In his first and second years at University Of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs managed to capture a pair of back-to-back NCAA Division 1 Championships. and left winning Player Of The Year award and the Hobey Baker Award as a junior.

He played three campaigns recording 85 assists with an overall +49 rating.

The 23-year old, Hibbing, MN native is just getting started.

He would stay up in the big league for 19 games and record 6 assists with a +2 rating, then added another 4 assists in 7 playoff contests.

For his efforts, he gets rewarded with a 1-year, 1-way contract at the league minimum to show them some more.

He was just about a point-per-game player in the minors, playing limited games due to a season ending injury, but returned to appear only in the big guns lineup and scores 17 assists in 54 games with a +1 rating.

His efforts are rewarded to return in a Blues‘ jersey for 2024/2025.

NY Islanders are suffering injuries in their zone and inquire, pick him up in a trade and will employ his services for the remainder of the year.

He has 2 goals and 4 assists with a +1 rating.

As a free agent, he signs a new 1-year 2-way deal with Utah Mammoth that will hopefully bring his assist strength back.

06Jul

Jacob Kvasnicka (7)

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USNTDP 2nd year right wing Jacob Kvasnicka(7) will take his 5 goals and 9 assists in 29 USHL games with a +5 rating, first to another year of juniors in the BCHL for Penticton Vees before he heads to a 2026/2027 commit at University Of Minnesota Golden Gophers.

The 5’11” 172 lbs. blue liner was just selected by New York Islanders in the 7th round of the 2025 NHL Draft (#202 overall).

From Burnsville, MN, the 17-year old scored well through youth hockey and in high school before embarking on the road he is on now.

05Jul

Kristian Kostadinski (4)

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Boston Bruins‘ 7th round pick in the 2023 draft (#220 overall), Swedish-born defenseman, 6’6″ 220 lbs. tower, Kristian Kostadinski(4) is a Boston College Eagles‘ commit for 2025/2026.

He did his youth hockey and juniors, as captain back home before coming over last season for a USHL run with Dubuque Fighting Saints for a monster +25 rating.

The 20-year is huge and Hockey East style will help focus his game.

05Jul

Trent Frederic (21)

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Boston Bruins‘ 6th year left wing Trent Frederic(21) signs on for another 2 seasons at a healthy pay raise of $2.3M AAV through 2024/2025.

The 6’3″ 214 lbs. forward is a former 2016 1st round draft pick (#29 overall).

He stayed only 2 years at University Of Wisconsin Badgers before turning pro and did 2 years of USNTDP previous to school.

It would be little surprise to see the 25-year old from St. Louis, MO stay with 1 team for a long while.

At the end of his 7th season with the team, pitching maybe less than previous results on a terrible club, as he is coming to the end of his current 2-year deal, he finds himself traded to Edmonton Oilers to continue.

He plays just 1 regular season game, but then in 22 playoff matchups, scoring 1 goal and 2 assists with a +1 rating to earn himself a new 8-year deal worth $30.8M ($3.5 AAV), as he has arrived in his new NHL home.

05Jul

Michael Kesselring (7)

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Northeastern University Huskies‘ sophomore defenseman Michael Kesselring(7) fires the puck basically exactly where I’m standing (thank you, glass) looking to clear the puck from the zone.

The Edmonton Oilers‘ 6th round pick in the 2018 draft (#164 overall) scored his first goal of the season in a 5-4 win over University Of New Hampshire Wildcats (2/13).

After only one season on juniors in the USHL with Des Moines Buccaneers then Fargo Force, the large than life 6’4″ 215 lbs. blue liner from New Hampton, NH has decided it’s time to turn pro, signing a three-year entry level contract starting immediately.

We knew it. Too big not to play with the big boys already.

As he heads into the final season on his initial deal, he finds himself traded to Arizona Coyotes, who we believe super like the 13 goals and 9 assists he’s posted in the minors with Bakersfield Condors with that super large frame of his and give him his NHL debut, skating 24 shifts for 16:04 of ice time in a 6-1 loss with a 0 rating.

Through 65 games, he scores 5 goals and 16 assists with a +11 rating on a non-playoff team to earn himself a 2-year deal worth $1.4M AAV.

He’s turned out to be a solid contributor at the blue line, scoring a new high 7 goals and 22 assists in a full slate of 82 games last season and was a bit of a fan favorite, but finds himself dished to Buffalo Sabres, who could certainly use him in the 2nd year of his contract.

04Jul

Connor Clifton (75)

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7th year defenseman Connor Clifton(75) found himself flipped from the only team he’s known, Boston Bruins to Buffalo Sabres before becoming an unrestricted free agent and signs himself a very handsome 3-year $10M deal to help his new team’s blue line execute their end.

The 5’11” 194 lbs. blue liner was originally a Phoenix Coyotes‘ 5th round pick in the 2013 draft (#133 overall), but failed to sign, so entered into an AHL agreement with Providence Bruins to start his pro career before signing a 2-year NHL entry level deal with the big club.

He did 4 years at Quinnipiac University Bobcats, including his last as senior captain.

A Long Branch, NJ native, he played his way up through junior hockey finally arriving at a pretty excellent USNTDP frame before heading to school.

The 28-year old may be only first arriving at his 1st big deal.

He has 2 seasons of almost equal decent enough stats to get himself traded to Pittsburgh Penguins with a year remaining on his current deal.

 

03Jul

Mathieu Gosselin (63)

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Clarkson University Golden Knights‘ graduate right wing Mathieu Gosselin(63) was a 3 time 10+ goals and twice 10+ assists and once more than 20 in a frame scorer and will next take his game to the ECHL, joining Newfoundland Growlers for the rest of the season.

The 5’10” 170 lbs. forward on 4 occasions played 30+ games.

From Quebec, QC, he did 2 BCHL sessions with Merritt Centennials, scoring more than point per game numbers in his 2nd year.

The 24-year old will likely find room to score in the league and does with 2 goals and 3 assists, but now has to find himself a new team to play for, as his ceased operations.

Parent club Toronto Marlies step right in and offer him an amateur tryout to see what he might do in the AHL, which turns into a full deal for 2024/2025.

He spends most of his time, running up numbers for affiliate Cincinnati Cyclones that he decides to take across the way to a deal with Guilford Flames, 2025/2026, where we think he will do very well for himself in the EIHL.