Yale University Bulldogs‘ senior defenseman Brandon Tabakin(7) will head to Arizona State University Sun Devils to start a graduate program.
The 5’10” 170 lbs. blue liner didn’t play any games as a sophomore, instead deciding to return to his USHL junior team Sioux Falls Stampede for half a season.
He actually leaves his 4-year college team with a college hockey best 2 goals and 4 assists in 29 games on a team that struggled out of the gate last year.
The 22-year old from Woodbury, NY should find a little more room to skate with the schedule of his new college club.
He finishes up an extra frame with a college tying 2 goals, best 8 assists and 10 points to a 1st pro deal with Newfoundland Growlers, where he got an assist in his 2nd ECHL game.
Unfortunately, they end up closing down and parent club, Toronto Marlies step in to offer an amateur tryout offer.
He plays no games at the end of last season and for 2024/2025, his rookie frame signs a 1-year ECHL deal with the new Tahoe Knight Monsters.
LIU Sharks‘ graduate center, captain Billy Jerry(27) is definitely putting himself on NHL scouts’ radar with his play for his new club this season after transferring from 4-years at RPI Engineers.
The 6’4″ 190 lbs. forward has a college career high 11 goals and 14 assists with a +3 rating.
His numbers this season put all of his previous school years to shame.
He was a pretty prolific scorer at St. Thomas Academy and did ok in one year of USHL juniors with Madison Capitals before committing to further education.
The 24-year old is definitely playing hockey like he is one to watch.
In maybe a bit of a surprising move, the Rivers Falls, WI native signs his first pro deal with Adirondack Thunder, and in his 2nd ECHL game connects for a 1st goal, then adds an assist the next night, appearing in 6 games.
He got 4 goals and 2 assists in 15 games and will return to Glens Falls, NY for his rookie season in 2022/2023.
Well, he was traded to Florida Everblades, but doesn’t sign with them, instead opting for a deal with Fayettesville Marksmen, where he hopes his scoring fortunes in the SPHL will look pretty good.
He would actually mostly end up with Macon Mayhem and scored well for them, but eyes a new opportunity in Germany3, where he signs with EV Fussen for 2024/2025.
Merrimack College Crusaders‘ senior left wing Mick Messner(25) is having a breakout campaign in his 2nd year with the team since being a portal transfer from 2 seasons at University Of Wisconsin Badgers.
In just 7 NCAA Division 1 games, he has a goal and 4 assists with a +4 rating.
The 5’11” 194 lbs. forward had mostly always connected for points through close to home high school in Madison, WI and 2 and a half USHL seasons for the Capitals.
At still just 22-years old looks poised to post Hockey East college career highs in 2021/2022, making him a nice unrestricted rookie pick up, if he decides to turn pro.
He spends a graduate season at the school and posts 5 goals and 4 assists in 35 games with a +6 rating on the way to a Hockey East Finals bout.
It takes him little time to agree to a pro deal, signing with Utah Grizzlies, where he has no points through 6 games with a +1 rating.
His efforts earn him an ECHL contract for 2023/2024 to wear that Grizzlies‘ jersey as a rookie.
He had a nice full frame, scoring 15 goals and 23 assists in a full slate of 72 games, gets him wanted back to continue wearing that Utah shirt.
St. Lawrence University Saints‘ large 6’3″ 201 lbs. graduate center, captain Josh Boyer(28) doesn’t really contribute big points, but gets some, 2 goals and 3 assists in 27 games and is fairly accountable on a team with a losing record.
He transferred from little use as a sophomore at University Of Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks and has always played full slates at his ECAC school.
From Wasilla, AK, he did most of his 1st NAHL junior year with Fairbanks Ice Dogs and 1 more before moving onto a frame with 2 USHL teams prior to heading to school.
The 24-year old could turn pro and score a boatload of goals.
He takes a college tying 3 goals, best 6 assists and 9 points to an ECHL deal with Atlanta Gladiators to get his pro game started and has 1 goal and 1 assist in 7 games.
They like what they see and invite him to spend his rookie season in a Gladiators‘ uniform, 2024/2025.
Wheeling Nailers‘ rookie left wing Matt Quercia(13) arrived from almost finishing up college hockey as a senior at Michigan Tech University Huskies.
The 6’3″ 203 lbs. forward left after playing 14 NCAA Division 1 games, scoring 2 goals and 2 assists.
He was a portal transfer from three seasons at Boston University Terriers.
His best campaign was as a sophomore, scoring 6 goals and 7 assists.
The 24-year old, Andover, MA native has skated 4 ECHL games with no points yet, but that seems imminent to happen.
After suffering an injury during training camp that knocked him out of the upcoming frame, he gets a new deal to stay in West Virginia for what will actually be his rookie season and show everyone what they know he can do in this league.
He does just that, coming away with 11 goals and 22 assists in 64 games with +13 rating, then another 6 points including a huge goal in 7 playoff matchups.
Parent club, WBS Penguins also ask him to loan up for 6 AHL games.
It’s the biggest no brainer that he will be back in a Nailers‘ jersey for 2024/2025.
Niagara University Purple Eagles‘ senior right wing Casey Carreau(32) signs a 1st pro deal upon getting force out of the Atlantic Hockey playoffs with Kansas City Mavericks.
The 5’9″ 185 lbs. forward scored a goal and an assist for a 5-2 win in his ECHL debut, then went on to grab assists in his next 4 games.
He’s played in 9 contests.
The Acushnet, MA native transferred after 3 what we view as decent campaigns at Boston College Eagles, leaving with a best 6 goals and 6 assist in 36 games.
In a college most games played 40, he had a new high 10 goals and 21 assists with a +2 rating.
A massive scorer through high school, the 24-year old may have found his footing once again, spurred on by a successful last year in school.
In his 2nd season, he scores a new best 3 goals and 14 assists with a +1 rating to earn another season skating for the Mavericks.
Bowling Green State University Falcons‘ graduate right wing Spencer Kersten(41) signs with Orlando Solar Bears upon finishing up and scores 2 goals and 4 assists in 10 ECHL games with a +5 rating, then another 6, 3 in 11 with a +4 in the playoffs to easily get him wanted to return for his rookie frame in 2024/2025.
The 5’10” 185 lbs. forward came over from 4 years of always playing 31 games as senior captain for Princeton University Tigers and scoring decently.
From Waterloo, ON, the 24-year old looks to have found more space to connect for points as a pro.
University Of Denver Pioneers‘ graduate portal transfer, left wing Cameron Wright(16) comes in from 4 strong years at Bowling Green State University Falcons and pulls off a rare college hockey feat, scoring a hat trick in a recent blowout.
The 6’1″ 190 lbs. forward currently has 10 goals and 6 assists, which is basically in line how he’s scored the previous four campaigns.
He’s once had 20 goals and twice 16 assists.
The Richmond Hill, ON native rattled off big numbers in his 2nd and 3rd sessions with St. Michael’s Buzzers amassing 130 points in 136 OJHL games.
At 23-years old, he will definitely be an interesting undrafted watch heading into unrestricted free agency upon finishing up 2021/2022.
He would score a new college best 23 goals and 34 points last season with the team that won the 2022 NCAA Division 1 Championship.
For 2022/2023, he signs a 1st pro AHL deal he stays close by with Colorado Eagles and will likely blow up scoring as a rookie to potentially get someone’s attention.
Mostly just skating for Utah Grizzlies, he scored a mammoth 29 goals and 34 assists in 64 games, then added another 7 points in 6 playoff matchups.
For 2023/2024, he’s looking for more playing time up, so signs with Bakersfield Condors to help give them more scoring punch.
After 48 games, scoring a rookie team best 12 goals and 9 assists with a +9 rating, he is a no brainer to bring back to try to help this struggling Condors‘ team move further.
Worcester Railers signed Long Island University Sharks‘ graduate left wing Adam Goodsir(18) after he finished up his only season there at the independent school, scoring by miles a new college best 15 goals and 19 assists in 35 games.
The 6′ 194 lbs. forward is off to a good ECHL start scoring 4 assists in 3 games.
He committed to his first school, Michigan State University Spartans after his 2nd USHL season as captain for Tri-City Storm.
His decent size makes the 24-year old from Okemos, MI one to watch.
After posting 5 assists and generally just looking like he belongs out there, he signs with the Railers for his rookie year in 2023/2024.
He actually gets moved in a future considerations deal with Iowa Heartlanders and they will be the team he skates for this season.
Through 53 games, he scores 4 goals and 9 assists with a not so great plus/minus, but he’s a got fit and asked to return for 2024/2025 and wear the Heartlanders‘ colors.
Rookie left wing Jack Olmstead(9) blew up scoring in Finland’s Division 2 for Amals SK to the tune of 28 goals and 29 assists in 27 games played and wants to return close to home late season, signing with Kalamazoo Wings for their playoff run.
The 5’10” 181 lbs. forward played 3 years at Miami University (Ohio) Redhawks, but wasn’t really a big scorer and that came after 2 years of little use with University Of Michigan Wolverines.
From Troy, MI, the 25-year old only did 1 NAHL season, popping the scoring for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights for 23 goals and 30 assists.
We are interested to see if his scoring can extend into the ECHL, but we suspect he’ll connect.
He doesn’t much connect in his time back and looks to an opportunity in Germany3 with EC Bad Tolz for 2024/2025.
