Category: Transfers

Northeastern University Huskies‘ junior center Matt Choupani(9) enters the transfer portal to try a new region of the country for his senior year 2024/2025 at Miami University (Ohio) Redhawks.

Undrafted, the 5’11” 185 lbs. forward didn’t quite have the season he had as a sophomore (10-9-19) and played a 3-year low games at 28, but stayed fairly on ice accountable in the tough to play Hockey East.

From Montreal, QC, he scored very well in youth hockey before being USHL drafted to play 2 scoring seasons for Des Moines Buccaneers before school.

The 22-year old is likely looking forward to what hockey style awaits him next.

Rookie left wing Austin Albrecht(11) did make a quick appearance last year for 1 ECHL game with Wichita Thunder, but everything was pretty much up in the air, especially for newer players in 2020/2021.

For 2021/2022, he branches out entirely, heading to Germany3 on a try-out that easily turned into a 1-year deal with Hochstadter EC, where he’s connected for 3 goals and 6 assists in just 6 games.

The 6′ 196 lbs. forward committed to his first school UMass Minutemen after a 2nd season of point-per-game production numbers for Wichita Wildcats of the NAHL.

He would then be drafted to the USHL by Sioux Falls Stampede and he maybe didn’t have the year he did previous but 10 goals and 35 assists in 57 games was definitely ok.

The Flemington, NJ native had a decent rookie run in Western Mass, but decided he would continue school down the road at American International College Yellow Jackets, where he did slightly better in Atlantic Hockey play.

It would be interesting to see where the 25-year old is able to land next, if he continues to put up big numbers in Germany’s tier 3 pro league.

After 8 games, he is wooed to join Manchester Storm of the EIHL and accepts.

He would return and work his way up from the SPHL to loans up to Maine Mariners, where he connected and was re-signed for a full campaign.

Doing well with a career best 16 assists and 21 points, he finds himself dealt to Tulsa Oilers.

He wouldn’t come away with any points in 7 games, but spies an opportunity and no stranger to hockey overseas, heads off to Australia for part of the summer to play in the AIHL for Melbourne Ice, where he should see his numbers climb.

Brown Universitys 2nd year Finnish-born defenseman Samuli Niinisaari(7) leaves college for hockey season to head back home and play in tier 3 league Suomi-sarja for Kotkan Titaanit and already has a nice 3 goals and 10 assists in 17 regular season games and has added another pair of helpers in the playoffs.

The 6’1″ 194 lbs. blue liner took spent most of his early game in his home country but did stretch out for one campaign of juniors in Saskatoon and then agreed to a year with Lincoln Stars of the USHL before making the college commitment.

It would be surprising to not see the 22-year old return to school as soon as the coast is clear.

He does return for the 2021/2022, recording a new best 11 assists and 12 points, then appeared in 30 games last season with 8 helpers to his credit.

For his senior year, he has decided to go for some new frozen waters, enters the transfer portal and comes out a member of the 2023/2024 UMass Minutemen.

He ups his challenge to take on Hockey East.

Through 27 games, he takes up his scoring to 3 goals and 9 assists with a +2 rating for possibly his best college frame.

He takes it back home to sign a 1+ year deal with Saipa and will skate his games in Liiga for 2024/2025.

Cornell University Big Red center Zachary Tupker(51) will head to Quinnipiac University Bobcats for a graduate season 2023/2024.

The 3-time CCHL Carleton Place Canadians‘ 6’1″ 197 lbs. forward scored pretty big in his 2nd and 3rd frames for the team.

From Collingwood, ON, the 23-year old stays in the ECAC.

He finishes with another 6 goals and new best 15 assists and +20 rating to sign a 1st pro contract with Greenville Swamp Rabbits.

In 3 ECHL games, he has 1 goal and 1 assist with a +4 rating, but will need a new deal for 2024/2025.

Northeastern University Huskies‘ senior right wing, assistant captain Riley Hughes(19) will take his game into the transfer portal for one more year at Ohio State University Buckeyes before hopefully signing an NHL entry level contract with draft team (7th round, 2018, #216 overall), New York Rangers.

The 6’1″ 172 lbs. forward’s numbers at Hockey East don’t match up with what he was able to do in high school, then one BCHL season with Victoria Grizzlies, notching more than point-per-game numbers in the regular campaign, then playoffs.

While we don’t expect the 22-year old Westwood, MA native to be a scoring machine once he arrives at Big Ten hockey, we do think he’ll connect with better frequency, and continue to play as he always does with a spark plug of energy out there.

He knew as he was entering the new season that he would not be signed, but still goes on after graduating to get a 1st pro deal with Iowa Heartlanders, where we feel once he reaches the ECHL will find the scoresheet with more frequency and came away with 3 goals and 1 assist in 12 games.

Charlotte Checkers are watching and sign him up for a 2-way AHL contract in 2024/2025.

Stonehill College Skyhawks‘ sophomore big 6’4″ 205 lbs. defenseman Greg Japchen(2) commits to his 3rd college through the transfer portal and will next lace up for University Of Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks as a junior 2024/2025.

He played in a college high 30 games last season, scoring 3 goals and 11 assists.

From Doylestown, PA, he played his youth hockey with Philadelphia Jr. Flyers before eventually doing well in 2 NAHL frames before first heading to Union College.

We’ll see how the 22-year old responds to the new schedule.

Niagara University Purple Eagles‘ Czech-born, senior defenseman Josef Mysak(24) will do a year of eligibility with Merrimack College Warriors in 2024/2025.

The 6’3″ 216 lbs. blue liner, who twice recorded 10+ assists will definitely help shore up the Hockey East zone for his new college club.

After youth hockey back home, he came over for 3 NAHL seasons with Austin Bruins, always increasing his game.

The 24-year old’s brother Jan Mysak plays for San Diego Gulls.

2nd year defenseman Max Balinson(8) up and leaves for DEL2 to skate for Eispiraten Crimmitschau in 2023/2024 after bouncing around with 3 ECHL teams as a rookie, but ultimately landing at least decently successfully with Orlando Solar Bears, scoring 4 goals and 11 assists in 24 games.

The 6’1″ 198 lbs. blue liner from Ancaster, ON played 3 seasons of GOJHL junior hockey with hometown team, Ancaster Avalanche before committing to 1st school, Arizona State University Sun Devils.

He transferred after not playing during his junior campaign to Long Island University Sharks and served as assistant captain during his graduate session.

We think the 26-year old of split Canadian/German descent will do well in Germany tier 2 league.

He must have felt right at home, as he connected for 21 goals and 23 assists through 51 games with a +15 rating, then added another 3 points in the playoffs.

For his efforts, he has been elevated to DEL and signs with Dusseldorfer EG for 2024/2025.

Undrafted, Finnish-born left wing Ottoville Leppanen(7) will complete his senior year at Merrimack College Warriors after entering the transfer portal following 3 seasons with RPI Engineers.

The 5’10” 185 lbs. forward blew the lid off his scoring in a new best 42 NCAA Division 1 games, he scored new highs 9 goals and 21 assists for 30 points with a +1 rating.

He came to school after an impressive U20 SM-liiga campaign, where he scored 53 points in 53 games.

The 23-year old will do well in Hockey East competition.

Upon finishing up the tournament at the Finals before bowing out and having a pretty, nice graduate season run, he signs his 1st pro deal with Orlando Solar Bears, who may only have a couple games left to get his feet wet.

He plays 4 ECHL games, then for his rookie frame looks home to sign with Jukurit, where in 41 Liiga games he scored 7 goals and 8 assists with a +6 rating, then got another goal in the playoffs.

Loaned out for 2 Mestis games, he signs with rivals Kiekkoo-Espoo for his 2nd session in the league, 2024/2025.

Minnesota Wild 6th round pick in the 2019 draft (#166 overall), transfer, defenseman captain Marshall Warren(77) will head to University Of Michigan Wolverines for a graduate year after completing 4 at Boston College Eagles.

His best season scoring was as a junior, grabbing 6 goals and 15 assists, but getting 11 points and +22 rating in the COVID cut 2019/2020 season that should have been that team hoisting an NCAA D1 Championship was maybe the best of his 1st college team’s runs.

The 5’11” 181 lbs. blue liner spent 2 solid runs with USNTDP before committing to college.

From Laurel Hollow, NY, the 22-year old could definitely use an entry level contract soon.

He plays a college high 41 games in his year of eligibility, but remains unsigned by the team that selected him and get picked up on a 2-year NHL entry level deal by his hometown New York Islanders.