Arizona State University Sun Devils‘ junior defenseman Anthony Dowd(9) had 2-13 point seasons to start his college hockey career, but fare less well last season, so enters the transfer portal to next go play at UMASS-Lowell Riverhawks, as a senior in 2026/2027.
The small 5’7″ 156 lbs. blue liner did 3 years USHL with Chicago Steel before college.
He had 34 assists in his last season.
From Point Pleasant Beach, NJ, the 23-year old will likely do ok playing Hockey East.
Providence College Friars‘ graduate Kale McCallum(20) signed a 1st deal after tournament play concluded with Trois Rivieres Lions and scored a 1st ECHL goal and 5 assists in 8 games.
This performance caught the attention of Laval Rocket, who sign him to an AHL deal for 2026/2027.
From Fredericton, NB, the 24-year old did 4 seasons of QMJHL with 1-50 assist season and then went onto 3 years at University Of New Brunswick Reds before he went onto Hockey East.
Northeastern University Huskies‘ sophomore defenseman Jack Henry(5) skates a college best 35 games last season, scoring new high 1 goal and 5 assists.
Some isn’t adding up though, as the 6′ 186 lbs. blue liner enters the transfer portal to next go play his college hockey at Union College Dutchmen.
From Skaneateles, NY, the 22-year old did 2 sessions of juniors prior to committing to his 1st school.
University Of Connecticut Huskies‘ graduate portal transfer from 4 years at Yale University Bulldogs‘ right wing Kevin O’Neil(17) has definitely chosen right to continue his year of eligibility, scoring a goal and 3 assists in 7 games, but the 5’11” 181 lbs. power forward could step up those totals at any point.
The Latham, NY native only played one year of juniors, splitting time between Madison Capitals and Fargo Force after detonating three years at Albany Academy.
It’s possible this is the type of player that could get them an invite to an NHL camp and be discovered.
The 24-year old finishes up his year of eligibility with totals very much in line with his bests, hovering in the land of 16 and his team presses Hockey East as far as they have ever to fulfill an unreal season.
Deciding to turn pro, he signs a 1st deal with South Carolina Stingrays to hopefully get them pointed in a better scoring direction and has a pair of goals and an assist in 3 ECHL games with a +3 rating.
Nice start.
He finishes up his tryout deal scoring 6 goals and 4 assists in 10 games to be a cinch to stay a Stingray for 2022/2023.
After 2 games loan to Hershey Bears, scoring a 1st AHL goal and a prolific frame for the lower league team, potting 24 goals and 26 assists, he scores a 1-year deal in the upper league for 2023/2024.
He would mostly play in the lower league and blows up scoring to the tune of 16 goals and 47 assists in 63 games with only 4 games up for the contract club.
Utica Comets step right in and offer the close by NYer a 1-year deal for 2024/2025.
He is mostly reassigned to affiliate Adirondack Thunder, where he scores a big 19 goals and 30 assists.
Set to head overseas for his next find, he decides to re-sign with the Thunder for the 2nd half of the 2025/2026 season.
In his short stint, he would run some pretty good numbers that he next is taking to Metal Ligaen and signing with Herning Blue Fox for 2026/2027.
Colgate University Raiders‘ senior right wing Ross Mitton(47) will take on a year of eligibility in Hockey East, when he suits up for University Of Maine Black Bears for a graduate session, 2024/2025.
The 5’10” 190 lbs. forward was the school’s top scorer last season with his new college best 11 goals and 19 assists in 34 games.
From Manhasset, NY, he went from the Portledge School, scoring to Fargo Force and Lincoln Stars, but didn’t find USHL success until hooking up with Omaha Lancers.
The undrafted 23-year old will be an interesting watch.
In 32 games, he scores 4 goals and 7 assists, while raising his on-ice to a +10 rating.
He finishes up tournament play and signs with Bridgeport Islanders, where he will hopefully get himself into at least a couple AHL games to get his pro game started.
In 1 game, he scores a 1st goal in the league.
It’s an easy bet he is invited to return for his official rookie frame as an Islanders, 2025/2026.
He is reassigned to affiliate Worcester Railers for the balance of the season, scoring 7 goals and 8 assists, which catches the eye of Toronto Marlies, who sign him for 2026/2027.
UMASS Minutemen graduate right wing Lucas Vanroboys(67) must be glad he extended for a season of Hockey East, as he has a tidy 3 goals and 2 assists in 13 games with a +2 rating.
The big 6’2″ 190 lbs. forward came over from 4 years at Bentley University Falcons, where he had 16 assists and 20 points as a senior.
From Thamesville, ON, he did 2 campaigns in the BCHL for juniors before school.
The 24-year old is looking for his breakout session and he may have just hooked up with the right team to pull it off.
He may have not scored exactly the way he wanted to with 3 goals and 5 assists in 29 games, but his +4 show offense effect.
San Jose Barracuda are out of the playoff picture, but step in to offer him an ato.
In his rookie season, he scores 11 goals and 5 assists in 69 AHL games with a +6 rating.
He is offered a new contract to return for a 2nd frame as a Barracuda.
Splits a little time with the lower league, but still plays the majority of the time up.
For 2026/2027, he’s a free agent and signs a 1-year deal with Hartford Wolf Pack.
Brown University Bears‘ senior goaltender Tyler Shea(35) has played a college best 15 games in the current frame and despite maybe not the best record, he holds a 2.97 GAA and .919 SV% to keep it close.
He transferred as a sophomore from zero starts at University Of Michigan Wolverines.
The 6′ 180 lbs. net minder from Stevenson Ranch, CA was very strong in Anaheim Jr. Ducks‘ youth hockey.
At 24-years old, he is looking good.
He may have not posted the best record, but he worked harder than no other net minder in college hockey last season.
For 2026/2027, he decides on a graduate frame and once again enters the transfer portal to next go tend net for University Of Alaska-Fairbanks Nanooks.
Undrafted, Russian-born center Artem Shlaine(38) takes a pair of good seasons at University Of Connecticut Huskies to a new adventure through the transfer portal for his junior season with Northern Michigan University Wildcats.
The 6’1″ 174 lbs. forward scored a college career high 7 goals and 10 assists for 17 points in 36 NCAA Division 1 games, sending his team all the way to the Hockey East Finals before being eliminated in overtime.
Despite being from fairly far away, the New Jersey Devils’ 5th round pick in the 2020 draft (#130 overall) has already spent a good amount of time here through youth hockey and a couple of extraordinary years at Shattuck St. Marys USHS-Prep.
The 20-year old will likely do well in his new hockey home.
After putting up 10+ goals and assists (21 as a junior) in each of his 2 seasons in the midwest, he leaves for a graduate program start at Arizona State University Sun Devils.
He finishes with a new college high 17 goals, ties his 21 assist high and 38 points, but doesn’t sign with draft team, then does ink with Texas Stars.
In 6 AHL games, he records an assist and is a +1 rating.
For his rookie season, he signs a 1-year contract to return.
As a 1st year skate he scores 19 goals and 19 assists in 63 games to net a new deal for 2026/2027 to stay a Stars.
2nd year Bentley University Falcons‘ goaltender Nicholas Grabko(33) is definitely garnering some attention.
He has put up an impressive pair of victories vs. ranked clubs, but even in losses has performed with gymnastic-like theatrics, stopping pucks.
The almost unassuming 5’11” 181 lbs. net minder was a late add to the college after a 2nd season on good junior hockey stats for Green Bay Gamblers of the USHL, even though he was basically an upcoming star in the Chicago Mission 13U – 16U AAA.
For a 2nd time in 3 weeks, the 21-year old has been named Atlantic Hockey Goalie Of The Week.
He has decided to take on a graduate season at University Of Alaska-Fairbanks Nanooks for 2024/2025 and we should watch him help his new college team win games.
In 20 games, he goes 5-11-4 with a 2.74 GAA and .899 SV%, which he takes to a 1st pro contract with Idaho Steelheads.
After 1 unsuccessful start, he finds himself on the move, signed by Toledo Walleye, where he notches a 1st ECHL win.
For 2025/2026, he leaves to sign with Yetis du Mont-Blanc of France2, which is likely to give himself a completely new start.
He returns to sign with Fresno Falcons of the FPHL, where we think he will loan up higher.
Bentley University Falcons‘ senior Ethan Leyh(18) scored a new college best (by a long shot) 13 goals and 16 assists in 35 games last season with a +11 rating.
The 6′ 195 lbs. forward played 3 full slates at Quinnipiac University Bobcats‘ scoring exactly 10 points in each of the sessions.
From Anmore, BC, he did 2 years of BCHL with Langley Rivermen before heading to school.
Having not played in the 2022/2023 campaign, it will be interesting to see what the 22-year old decides next.
As graduate captain a 2nd season, he scores a new college best 17 goals and 25 assists in 37 games to sign a 1st pro deal with the new Greensboro Gargoyles for his rookie frame, 2025/2026.
He got loaned up to Chicago Wolves for 2 games and for 2026/2027, he gets signed to an AHL deal with them.
