Category: College Hockey Player

24Dec

Quinn Ryan (53)

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Worcester Railers‘ 3rd year right wing Quinn Ryan(53) returns  for 2023/2024 after a successful 2nd year run, grabbing 15 goals and 25 assists in 49 ECHL games with a +4 rating.

He spent most of his rookie season with Utah Grizzlies, scoring 12 goals and 12 assists.

The 5’10” 170 lbs. spent 5 years at Liberty University Flames putting up 30+ assists twice, 43 as a senior and twice 20+ goals.

From Branchville, NJ, the 27-year old has to thinking about moving up overseas, if he continues to burst this league scoring .

Things are not quite zooming on the scoresheet the way they were in his first campaign with 2 goals and 3 assists in 14 games, so he decides to move on, signing with Rungsted Seier Capital for the remainder of the frame in Metal Ligaen.

His totals in Denmark are really good at 5 goals and 3 assists in 6 games with a +10 rating and he will maybe a bit oddly take those totals to Germany3, signing with Tilburg Trappers for 2024/2025.

Looks like he decided not to play in this session, but returns for 2025/2026 with a contract to Norfolk Admirals.

In 4 games, he scores a 1st goal, but is a -4 and is scratched from some appearances, so decides to head back overseas and signs with Dundee Stars, where we think his game elevates in the EIHL.

23Dec

Michael Kapla (3)

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7th year defenseman Michael Kapla(3) signs on for a 2nd season with Rogle BK and is off to a nice start with 2 goals and 9 assists in 12 SHL games.

He scored 7 goals and 21 assists with a +12 rating in 44 games last season.

After his junior and senior year as captain of UMass-Lowell Riverhawks, he signed as an unrestricted free agent with New Jersey Devils.

He played 5 NHL games upon signing.

The 6′ 201 lbs. blue liner from Eau Claire, WI is 29-years old and has to be pretty happy about his hockey career has worked out.

After 3 seasons in Sweden, he switches things up to head to Switzerland next, signing with HC Fribourg-Gotteron of the NL.

In 35 games, he has 9 goals and 14 assists with a +5 rating, which gets him re-upped to stay another 2 season in Friboug-Gotteron.

22Dec

Matt Stief (27)

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Macon Mayem rookie defenseman Matt Stief(27) has maybe slightly conservative numbers with a goal and 6 assists with a +6 rating in 34 SPHL games for the number one team in the league.

He took a top scoring senior year, as assistant captain at Canisius College, grabbing new bests 3 goals, 23 assists and 26 points to his new gig.

The 5’10” 180 lbs. blue liner took an interesting route from his oddball hometown of Boca Raton, FL to a pair of campaigns up north in the BCHL before committing to college.

Originally signed to play for Idaho Steelheads in 2020/2021, until they decided they couldn’t go in a pandemic, the 25-year old still may have a good chance to play there next season.

It didn’t take too long for the Steelheads to step back in and re-up to have him enter into the fold for his rookie season.

In his 1st year, he gets no goals but 18 assists in 54 games to score an invite to return for a 2nd ECHL season.

He signs with Adirondack Thunder for 2022/2023 and does even better with 4 goals and 22 assists in 66 games.

Makes sense to have him back to see if he can add some to those numbers.

He was going to take his new best 31 assists and 35 points to a new deal for 2024/2025 with Orlando Solar Bears., but has maybe come away with a better deal to head over to the EIHL and sign with Glasgow Clan.

Coming back for 16 games on a deal with Worcester Railers, he maybe gets a big edgy to return overseas and signs with CSM Corona Brasov of Erste Liga, where we think he does really well for himself.

19Dec

Patrick Watling (14)

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6th year center Patrick Watling(14) decides to head off and try something new, signing for 2022/2023 with HC Kosice of Slovak Extraliga.

He exploded on the ECHL scoring sheet in 2021/2022 for Wheeling Nailers, scoring new bests 31 goals and 46 assists for 77 points 55 games with a +13 rating.

The 6′ 174 lbs. forward also scored a pair of loans up and managed another AHL goal and 2 assists in 5 appearances.

Undrafted, he signed his first deal after 3 OHL seasons with Toronto Marlies and split time with affiliate Orlando Solar Bears, where he pumped in point-per-game stats.

He skated his next pair of campaigns in Florida before being dished very late to Tulsa Oilers.

In the next frame, he took a break before heading to 2 years at University Of New Brunswick Reds before returning.

The 28-year old from Sault Ste. Marie, ON will definitely put up some big numbers in the new league he’s headed to.

In 11 games, he manages 1 goal and 8 assists, but somehow ends up traded or heading to rivals HC Banska Bystrica for the remainder of ’22/23.

Maybe a little oddly, he takes some very decent play after the trade to a new experience, signing for 2023/2024 with Sheffield Steelers of the EIHL.

After a season, scoring like he did in the minors with 22 goals and 36 assists, then helping his team win the 2024 league title, grabbing 3 assists in 3 games.

He will happily be back in a Steelers‘ sweater for 2024/2025.

After yet another strong scoring season, he waits just a minute to see if he will return to be a Steelers at 32-years old in 2025/2026 and the answer is yes.

18Dec

Patrick Grasso (21)

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Undrafted center Patrick Grasso(21) signs his first pro contract with Utica Comets for 2021/2022 after 5 seasons at University Of New Hampshire Wildcats.

Almost oddly his best scoring year was as a freshman, when he struck for 20 goals and 13 assists, which followed up a particularly good 3rd/4th USHL campaign for close-to-home Des Moines Buccaneers.

The small 5’7″ 170 lbs. 25-year old quick pivot will likely do well in the AHL.

He actually had a goal and 3 assists in 9 games, but was mostly sent down to skate with affiliate Adirondack Thunder, where he was stellar scoring 26 goals and 24 assists in 68 ECHL games.

For 2022/2023, he goes a bit of the easy route, signs to stay in Glens Falls, NY and will potentially score some loans up to the higher league.

He comes up with a new league and team best 37 goals and 59 assists in 64 games and is loaned up to 2 teams for 9 games, gaining 2 assists.

The Des Moines, IA native is back for a 3rd run with his favorite team.

He’s taking some good 3rd year stats with him to a new adventure, signing for 2024/2025 with HC Innsbruck Sharks of the IceHL and should do very well in Austria’s top hockey.

In 45 games, he strikes for 21 goals and 14 assists, but is a horrible -25 rating, so looks to explore other pro hockey and signs with Vasteras IK of HockeyAllsvenskan.

For 2025/2026, he starts with Belfast Giants, but after scoring quite decently in 16 EIHL games, decides to head back to where he has scored the most, Adirondack Thunder for the rest of 2025/2026 and will add to their stat sheet.

17Dec

Max Crozier (24)

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Tampa Bay Lightning 4th round pick in the 2019 draft (#140 overall), senior defenseman, captain Max Crozier(24) signs a 2-year NHL entry level deal as he completes 4 years at Providence College Friars, where they advanced to the 2nd round of the Hockey East tournament before getting ousted.

The 6’2″ 185 lbs. blue liner scored a college career high 21 assists and 24 points in 37 games with a +10 rating.

A North Vancouver, BC native, he has always managed to put up a lot in the assist department.

At only 22-years old, having fully completed college, he is we think ready.

25 games into his rookie season with affiliate Syracuse Crunch, doing pretty well for himself with a +6 rating, earns him a 1st NHL recall in a 5-1, skating 17 shifts for 13 minutes of ice time.

He has played himself into the lineup 2025/2026 and scores himself a 1st NHL goal for himself 15 games in to go along with 4 assists and a +3 rating.

15Dec

Ty Amonte (11)

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Undrafted right wing Ty Amonte(11) enters the transfer portal for a year of eligibility after finishing up at Boston University Terriers and will arrive at University Of Connecticut Huskies to begin a graduate degree and extends his college hockey career.

He hasn’t been as much of an effective scorer as he displayed early on at Thayer Academy, where he left after his senior year with 17 goals an 53 assists in 30 USHS-Prep games.

The 5’11” 174 lbs. forward went up north for his only campaign in juniors, skating for Penticton Vees and winning the 2017 BCHL Championship before entering college.

He is the 20-year son of NHL defensive great of 1174 games played, Tony Amonte(33) and 10+ year coach at his son’s former prep school.

Way too many shoulder injuries and it’s maybe time for him to enter a period in his career spent behind the bench, coaching the younger players to more greatness.

 

15Dec

Hunter Johannes (18)

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University Of North Dakota Fighting Hawks‘ graduate left wing Hunter Johannes(18) had a fairly solid year of eligibility scoring 12 goals and 7 assists in 31 games with a +10 rating.

The big 6’3″ 209 lbs. forward oddly did best scoring as a senior at Lindenwood University Lions with point-per-game numbers, 13 goals and 16 assists in 28 games.

From Eden Prairie, MN, he did his high school hockey right there, finding his edge as a senior.

He seemed to bounce around junior hockey a bit, never quite sticking in one place too long before eventually heading to his 1st school of 3 years, American International College Yellowjackets.

Upon graduating, he signed a 1-year AHL with Grand Rapids Griffins for 2024/2025, but joins them on an ato.

He’s without points in 6 games, but we feel it’s just a matter of time.

An unrestricted free agent, he signs a pto with Florida Panthers that should turn into a 1-year deal, as he reports to affiliate Charlotte Checkers.

After 17 ECHL games on reassignment to Savannah Ghost Pirates, scoring 1 goal and 7 assists, he finds himself traded to Lehigh Valley Phantoms, but reports with affiliate Reading Royals.

In his debut with this club, he scores himself a hat trick to say hello.

15Dec

Zeev Buium (24)

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University Of Denver Pioneers‘ sophomore defenseman Zeev Buium(24) stays only 2 years before the Minnesota Wild 1st round pick in the 2024 NHL draft (#12 overall) signs a 3-year entry level deal.

The 6′ 185 lbs. blue liner had point-per-game numbers through 2 seasons with 10+ goals and 30+ assists each frame.

In 18 games this season, he has 3 goals and 5 assist with a -10 rating he needs to work on.

From Laguna Niguel, CA, the 19-year old did 2 years of USNTDP, but really popped scoring, when he arrived at school.

In maybe the explosive 2025/2026 trade, he moves to help build the future of Vancouver Canucks.

14Dec

Grant Hutton (7)

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New York Islanders‘ undrafted, 3rd year defenseman Grant Hutton(7) is getting first looks at the NHL, appearing in his debut games.

He skated 19/20 shifts for 13/14 minutes of ice with a few shots on net.

The 6’3″ 209 lbs. blue liner spent four years at Miami University (Ohio) Redhawks, getting 14 assists as a junior and senior and serving as captain in his final year.

He has 98 AHL games, all with affiliate Bridgeport Islanders.

The 26-year old is set to become a restricted free agent for the last time in his pro career at the end of the current frame.

Due to injuries with the parent club he could be receiving a bit longer of a look than what was originally thought.

After 6 years with the same organization, recording 1st NHL goal along the way and 2 assists in 13 games last season with a +1 rating and 29 games in the minors, he has decided at 30-years old to stop playing pro hockey.

He has yet to announce anything, but you have to wonder, considering where he has played for so long.