Canisius College Golden Griffins‘ senior left wing Mitchell Martan(81) leaves for a year of eligibility and will join Bemidji State University Beavers for a graduate season 2022/2023.
The 5’8″ 180 lbs. forward scored a college career best 17 assists and 22 points with a +9 rating.
He blew up scoring as a 2nd year junior for Wellington Dukes and helped them win the 2017 OJHL Championship.
The 24-year old from Whitby, ON will likely help his new CCHA club.
University Of Vermont Catamounts‘ graduate center Philip Lagunov(13), portal transfer from a 2021 NCAA Division 1 Championship as a senior with UMass Minutemen finishes up his year of eligibility with a new Hockey East best 16 points and tied his 8 goal high.
The 6′ 187 lbs. forward was a point per game player in his 2nd campaign of juniors with Burlington Cougars of the OJHL, as he committed to school early in that frame.
At just 23-years old, the Hamilton, ON native is a former 2021 NCAA Division 1 Championship prospect to watch.
He signed an ato out of college to join Tuscon Roadrunners.
In 4 games, he had no points and signs for 2022/2023 with Cincinnati Cyclones and will likely find himself to be a good ECHL scorer in his rookie season.
Undrafted, defenseman Rourke Russell(20) decided to extend his college career by a year and take eligibility to enter the transfer portal and head to a graduate program at Sacred Heart University.
He was coming from having completed four years at Miami University (Ohio) Redhawks.
The 6′ 172 lbs. blue liner has never been the biggest point scorer, 12 assists was his peak college as a sophomore and junior numbers were much north of there.
Well, the time has come and he has stepped in, signing his 1st ECHL deal with Adirondack Thunder for the remainder of 2021/2022.
He only got 1 assist in 9 games, but the d-man re-signs to stay in Glens Falls.
Hartford Wolf Pack undrafted rookie center James Sanchez(12) took the first month of the weirdo 2021 season to decide to sign after a crazy run through a couple of colleges split by a third frame of juniors with Dubuque Fighting Saints of the USHL.
The pretty good size 6’2″ 194 lbs. forward really managed to put up some numbers as a junior at Arizona State University.
He scored 10 goals and 30 assists in 40 NCAA Division 1 games.
That came right after that 3rd visit to junior hockey, where he came alive for the exact 40 points, but as 16 goals and 24 assists.
In just 8 AHL games last seasons, he popped 2 tallies and 3 helpers.
The 23-year old re-ups for a full rookie season run in Connecticut.
He would spend most of his 1st year reassigned to affiliate Jacksonville Icemen, where he got 8 goals and 15 assists in 43 ECHL games, then another 2 tallies in 6 playoff matchups.
For 2022/2023, the Northbrook, IL native signs kind of close to home with Iowa Heartlanders.
Undrafted rookie left wing Brendan van Riemsdyk(26) is the younger brother of two famous hockey players (James & Trevor), but has started his pro career at a much lower level than either sibling.
After finishing up his college career with a year at Northeastern University Huskies, then entering the transfer portal from University of New Hampshire Wildcats for his final year, he initially signed with Reading Royals over the summer, but when they decided not to play the 2020/2021 season, agreed to head to Knoxville Ice Bears of the SPHL.
It’s likely he just wanted to find a place where they were going to try to play as much as possible to continue work on his game and way up.
At 6’4″ 225 lbs. he’s an extra large body, so when he gets his chance at the next rung, should be able to produce numbers just standing in front of the net, pocketing rebounds.
The 25-year old should find a good spot for 2021/2022, and signs on the dotted line with the team he was scheduled to skate for last season.
He shot for 5 goals and 6 assists with a +3 rating for his team of 2020/2021.
We shall see how he sets up in the ECHL.
In all eventuality he ends up skating most of last season for Wichita Thunder, scoring 6 goals and 6 assists in 36 games to earn a look from 2022 Kelly Cup Champions, Florida Everblades for 2022/2023.
American International College Yellowjackets‘ graduate transfer from 4 years at University Of Connecticut Huskies, center Brian Rigali(10) signs a 1st ECHL deal with Worcester Railers for 2022/2023.
The small 5’8″ but stocky 185 lbs. forward had a college career best 12 goals and 14 assists in 32 NCAA Division 1 games.
We think the 25-year old from Green Oaks, Il find his spots to score as a rookie.
Defenseman Ryan Sidorski(10) enters a year of eligibility through the portal transfer to do a graduate season at University Of North Dakota Fighting Hawks after 4 years with Union College Bobcats.
The fairly large 6’2″ 216 lbs. blue liner isn’t much of a point getter, but will likely be zone strong in the NCHC.
From Williamville, NY, the 22-year old will definitely likely his new college hockey home.
University Of Connecticut Huskies‘ stellar transfer portal graduate net minder Darion Hanson(33) took his new club all the way to the Hockey East finals, losing in overtime for the final game.
The 6’3″ 181 lbs. goaltender posted all new college bests with a 20-15 record, 2.24 GAA and .923 SV% in 35 NCAA Division 1 matchups.
He transferred from 3 seasons at Union College Dutchmen.
The East Bethel, MN native signed with Reading Royals and in his ECHL debut posted a 4-1 victory, saving 22 of 23 shots for a 1.00 GAA and .957 SV%, which has earned him a loan up to Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
It’s very likely the former BCHL Top Goaltender will get an AHL look, when 2022/2023 gets going.
In what will be a great 1st move to start his career, he becomes the 1st player to sign a deal with the newly crowned, Savannah Ghost Pirates for 2022/2023.
Undrafted rookie right wing Jack Billings(27) becomes one of the first player signings to the new ECHL team Iowa Heartlanders.
The Oak Lawn, IL native has already experienced an interesting run to ultimately turning pro.
He played his 1st junior season with Janesville Jets, scoring a modest 2 goals and 6 assists in 42 NAHL games as a youngster.
Also, drafted by Green Bay Gamblers, he skated 4 USHL games, grabbing an assist.
He would start the next season back in tier 2 junior hockey, but maybe almost oddly left to join a high performance skating league HPHL 18U for a spell before settling in with Brockville Braves to play out his 2nd frame.
Turns out he like the CCHL and settled in for the next couple years (41-77=118 in 130 games) before committing to Salve Regina University Seahawks DIII.
The 5’9″ 190 lbs. forward would have a decent rookie campaign, but really starting popping as a 2nd year skater for 19 goals and 26 assists in 40 games.
Just as he was readying for a third season at school, Niagara University Purple Eagles swoop in, he sits one season in the transfer portal and finishes up with two seasons on some very decent scoring ground.
The 25-year old is likely ready to transition his game to another level.
He scores 14 goals and 15 assists as a 1st year player and he’s off, signing a 1-year deal with Coventry Blaze of the EIHL for 2022/2023 and on a good team will likely light that league up big.
Undrafted left wing Jackson Jutting(14) trades in a pair of seasons at Colorado College Tigers, scoring a college best 3 goals and 7 assists in 35 NCAA Division 1 games for a junior year, closer to home with Bemidji State University Beavers.
The 5’10” 196 lbs. forward was a solid scorer through 4 years at Prior Lake High, always increasing his point totals through USHS-MN seasons until hitting 42 points in 24 games as a senior captain.
He was selected by his 1st school early in his sophomore session.
The 21-year old will likely find the CCHA a little tougher going, but should be able to find space to add to scoring.
