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NCAA Free Agents NHL Teams Should be Looking to Sign
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With the NCAA Men’s Ice Hockey regular season coming to a close, it’s time for struggling or rebuilding teams to try and land a potential NHL-ready prospect who previously went undrafted but has since proved his worth in college.
Now, some may say these types of players never pan out, and if they were any good, they would have been drafted years ago, but I would argue that some guys are just late bloomers. And, if they are excelling in the NCAA now, where most teams highly touted draft picks go to continue their development anyway, then why wouldn’t you think that these guys could turn pro?
So, with us keeping that in mind, let me give you one undrafted collegiate player in each position who I think could leave college today and turn pro, whether it be in the NHL or AHL.
Center- TJ Hughes- University of Michigan
TJ, who stands at 5’11 and 185 pounds, is now a junior at the Univ. of Michigan. But it was hard for me to believe that this player was not drafted before joining the Wolverines, considering before ever stepping on campus, Hughes had a season in which he and his teammates not only won the AJHL Championship but the Centennial Cup as well for the Brooks Bandits. Where during the regular season, TJ posted an astounding 66 goals and 61 assists, which resulted in 121 points in 60 games played. If you do the math, that averages out to be a 2.11 points-per-game average (P.P.G.). He continued with that success in the playoffs that same year, netting 12 goals and 11 assists for 23 points in 11 games played, which still equates to him amassing over two points per game. Then, in the Centennial Cup, he led his team to victory over some stiff competition, scoring six goals and six assists for 12 points in only six games played.
I guess teams thought he was just another undersized center and that he wouldn’t be able to produce in an actual league, right? WRONG!
Throughout the last three seasons playing for the Wolverines, Hughes has been able to compile 47 goals and 75 assists for 122 points in 116 games played and has managed to maintain a faceoff win percentage of 58%.
For this reason, it was believed that this proven point producer would have signed a deal with an NHL club after last season, but he did not, nor did he after attending the Tampa Bay Lightning Developmental Camp last summer.
I don’t know what this guy has to do to prove himself any more than he already has, but I am sure whoever smartens up and signs this offensive dynamo will not regret it.
Wing-Quinn Hutson-Boston University
You may have heard of Quinn’s younger brothers, 21-year-old Lane Hutson, who was taken in the 2nd round of the 2022 Draft by the Montreal Canadiens, and 18-year-old Cole Hutson, who was selected by the Washington Capitals in the 2nd round of last years draft, but I’m here to tell you Ouinn is no slouch.
In fact, he currently holds the highest point-per-game (P.P.G.) average this season of anybody in the NCAA, with him netting 1.44 P.P.G.
I know what you’re thinking. “Man, his production probably just spiked this season because Cole arrived on campus this year to play with him.” And you would be wrong because, over the last three years, Quinn has managed to rifle in 53 goals and 57 assists for 110 points in 111 games played. And, while that’s most undoubtedly impressive, the fact that he has managed to play night in and night out against some of the best teams in the nation and still be a plus player every year is even more notable, seeing that he has been able to maintain a +49 for the entirety of his colligate career.
Now, I’ll give you the fact that Quinn (who is 23) may not have been gifted with the type of elite talents his younger brothers have, but I can’t deny the fact that he has a high hockey IQ and exerts himself on every shift. And a lot of times, that’s all a coach wants because you can teach a guy a lot of things on the ice, but you can’t teach them hustle and determination.
Defense-C.J. Foley-Dartmouth College
C.J. is a 21-year-old right-hand shooting defenseman who stands at 5’11 and 174 pounds. He is a puck-moving, offensive defenseman who, if I had to give you a comparison, I would say he is a poor man’s (or, in this case, team’s) Seamus Casey.
I say this because, like Casey, Foley is a phenomenal stick handler who has been known to break a few guys’ ankles when bringing the puck all the way up the ice.
This season, Foley has managed to amass 11 goals and 18 assists for 29 points in 30 games played, as well as maintaining a +16 average on the season. But if teams want him, they better sign him quickly because he did attend the Florida Panthers developmental camp this past summer and impressed while he was there.
Goalie-Albin Boija-Maine
Last but not least, we look at a Swedish prospect who plays perhaps the most challenging position to gauge a player’s future worth, and that’s goaltending. Very few teams can honestly say that they have found their franchise goaltender and been able to keep him for the better part of a decade. It’s just facts. Goaltenders are like running backs or cornerbacks in the NFL. Once you find one, you better start looking for the next one! Because, a good one is rare, and teams tend to overplay them, which leads to injuries. Or if they can stay healthy, teams will just end up losing them in free agency to another desperate team that is willing to throw an insane amount of money their way.
So, my recommendation would be for any prospecting team in need of a netminder to take a good long look at Albin Boija, a 21-year-old goalie who plays for the Maine Black Bears. Because this season, this 6’1, 181-pound guardian of the blue paint has managed to post a minuscule 1.77 goals-against-average and a .929 save percentage with four shutouts and 20 wins on the season to boot.
Some may have thought a goalie having this type of season to be a fluke, but this came after his freshman year, where in 18 games, he was able to post a 2.01 G.A.A. and a .919SV%. So, he’s only gaining more confidence and experience playing the North American-style game.
Guys, this kid is young, and he is good. Therefore, it would only benefit an NHL team to stake claim to him by signing him to an entry-level contract so that they can just sit back and watch him continue to progress.
So, there you have it: one NCAA undrafted free agent from every position who should have NHL executives actively filling their voicemail boxes as soon as the final game horn sounds on their seasons.
Flyers Fans It’s Time to “Embrace the Suck”
Photo Credit: (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
So, we all know Danny Briere inherited a muddled-up mess when he took on the full-time role as the Flyers General Manager back on May 11th, 2023. Ever since that time, Danny has been tasked with ridding the team of disenchanted players who failed to live up to their expectations. He did so with the hopes of acquiring as many future draft picks and or budding already-drafted prospects as he could to help rebuild this once-illustrious franchise.
So, acting with that in mind, Danny has managed to ship out guys via trade like Scott Laughton, Erik Johnson, Morgan Frost, Joel Farabee, Cutter Gauthier, Sean Walker, Ivan Provorov, Kevin Hayes, and Wade Allison.
And the guys he couldn’t convince other teams to take off his hands, Briere has had to buy out. Those players were Cam Atkinson and Tony DeAngelo, which cost the team $4,025,000 in salary cap space this season.
Unfortunately, to make sure this mass exudes of players happened, Danny also had to take on some bad contracts along the way, like Cal Petersen and Ryan Johansen.
Furthermore, let’s not forget that Briere also had to retain a portion of some of his former players’ salaries to ensure that they no longer would have to play for the Flyers, as he did for Kevin Hayes, Andrei Kuzmenko, and Scott Laughton. These moves will cost the team over five million dollars in salary cap space next season.
So, needless to say it has not been easy.
However, while I believe the much-needed deconstruction of this franchise is now complete. I feel I must urge this prideful fan base to borrow the mantra of the United States Navy Seals and motivational speaker David Goggins and “Embrace the Suck”!
What I mean by that is if you really want the Orange and Black to attain a future star to play alongside Matvei Michkov, then you must be ok with them continuing to lose out the rest of the season in order to increase their chances of making their pick fall somewhere within the first five selections of this draft.
Sure, with all the wheeling and dealing that I mentioned Danny doing above, he has managed to obtain multiple draft picks this off-season. But let’s face it, most of those obtained picks are going to be coming from playoff-caliber teams, which means they are only going to garner the organization more Scott Laughton and Morgan Frost-type guys. You know, players who will likely make serviceable NHL options but not turn out to be the kind of impact players that will be able to change the fate of your franchise.
And, even if you package those picks up and try to move up in the draft, there’s not a GM in the league (at least one that wants to keep his job) that will be holding a top-five selection that will be crazy enough to give that up for a bunch of late 1st or 2nd round picks.
I mean, think about if we are talking about building a dynasty here, the Penguins had to suck for years in order to be able to draft Marc-André Fleury in ’03, Evgeni Malkin in ’04, and Sidney Crosby in ’05. The Blackhawks had to go through some ROUGH times to be able to select Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane in back-to-back years in ’06 and ’07. And let us not forget the Tampa Lightning and the fact that they did not turn into the juggernaut that they were for so many years until they were able to acquire Steven Stamkos in ’08, Victor Hedman in ’09, Nikita Kucherov in 2011, and Andrei Vasilevskiy in 2012.
Now, in saying that, I would never wish the team that I love to tank the season purposely. Still, it wouldn’t hurt my feelings if they continued to take turns giving their NHL players a night off so that promising prospects like Emil Andre and Olle Lycksell get some experience and playing time up with the big club.
For, if they do, it might just result in the Flyers being able to draft a defenseman like:
Matthew Schaefer –
Or Forwards like:
Michael Misa- Who has 58 goals and 66 assists for 124 points already on the season for the Saginaw Spirt of the OHL.
Porter Martone- Who has scored 30 goals and 59 assists for 89 points this year for the Mississauga Steelheads of the OHL.
James Hagans- Who has scored nine goals and 25 assists for 34 points in 34 games as a true freshman for Boston College this season
Anton Frondell- A Swedish forward who has scored 11 goals and 14 assists for 25 points in 29 games played this year for the Djurgardens IF of the HockeyAllsvenskan League in Sweden.
If Philadelphia can secure one of these elite players who may be able to suit up for the Flyers as early as next season, mind you. Then, and only then, can this team even begin to be considered capable of moving into phase two of this process which is the actual reconstruction of this team. Because I don’t care how good he is, you can’t expect a 20-year-old kid in Michkov who hasn’t even mastered the English language yet, let alone the game of hockey, to carry this team on his own.
As for the multitude of other picks, Briere has managed to obtain during his short reign as the Flyers’ GM. It’s unlikely that he will decide to use all of them so let’s hope that he continues to draft smart so that he can help to rebuild the team’s depleted farm system.
Top Five Goaltenders Available in the 2025 NHL Draft
Photo Credit: https://www.eliteprospects.com/
So, previously, I have written articles on who I think are the Top five forwards and defensemen in this year’s draft class. But, with me being a lifelong goaltender, I have to say I am very excited to bring you the latest installment in this series of articles covering who I think is the Top Five Guardians of the Blue Paint.
Now, if you read any of my other articles, you know that a lot goes into these lists. I have researched and studied hours and hours of film on these netminders, where I looked at their strengths and weaknesses and judged them based on how well I think their games will translate at the pro level. Furthermore, with some of these players, I was even afforded the luxury of sitting down and interviewing them to get a better grip on what kind of person a team would be getting.
So, with that being said, let me not prolong this list any longer.
Joshua Ravensbergen – Prince George Cougars /WHL
By now, I think most draft experts would agree that Josh is the clear-cut favorite to be taken as the number one goalie this summer. And for good reason, because at just 18 years old, Ravensbergen is already 6’5 and 192 pounds. So, before he even steps foot on the ice for them, teams know that he will take up a good portion of the net. And, if his physical size does not cover all the holes, his willingness to come way out of his crease to challenge the shooter will.
Now, while I will admit his stats this season don’t exactly make you jump out of your seat with him averaging a 2.97 goals against average and a .902 save percentage, in 46 games played this year, you have to factor in that a lot of nights the Cougars are not the most defensively minded team. Often leaving him to fend for himself back there.
So, while it may be but a small sampling of his work, I think a more accurate depiction of his abilities when playing with a defense in front of him would be when he played for Team Canada in the Prospect Challenge game against the top prospects from the USA where he only let in one goal.
In saying all this, I would tend to agree with the masses that Joshua will be the first goaltender to be taken in this draft. He is relentless in his efforts to stop the puck simply because he never gives up on the play, even if it would appear he’s beaten.
Petteri Rimpinen- Kiekko-Espoo/Liiga
Having Rimpinen ranked second on my list may surprise some, considering Petteri was passed over in last year’s draft and will soon turn 19 years old. Still, if I’m being honest, I think he is the most NHL-ready of any goaltender available this year.
And that’s because, unlike most other available goalies in this draft class, Petteri is currently playing as a professional in his country’s highest-level league, the Liiga.
This season, while playing 36 games thus far for the Kiekko-Espoo, Rimpinen has managed to post a goals-against-average of 2.46 and a save percentage of .910%. And, if that wasn’t proof enough that “Mr. Showtime” can stand tall against the competition, Petteri, who is the definition of a big game goaltender, was able to take home the honors of being named the World Junior Championships U-20 Top Goaltender.
Where he played in seven games during that tournament and was able to post a 2.34 goals against average and a .933 save percentage that allowed his team to bring home the silver medal.
Now, if I were to describe his game, I would say that Petteri is able to succeed because of his precise movements and sharp angles, which allow him to always be in the correct position. And once in the proper position, Rimpinen covers the bottom of the net amazingly by making use of his telescopic legs and black hole upper half of his body, which somehow allows him to swallow all pucks coming at him in close, eliminating any chance of a rebound.
Elijah Neuenschwander- HC Fribourg-Gottéron U20
For my third pick in this year’s draft, I would suggest teams take a look at my favorite goaltender coming out of this draft, Elijah Neuenschwander.
If you aren’t familiar with his game, that’s not surprising, considering Elijah, who is 6’4 and 193 pounds, hails from the lesser-scouted country of Switzerland.
And it’s in the “Playground of Europe” that this old-school stand-up style netminder has managed to make it to the professional ranks in his native country, playing in the SL (Switzerland’s second highest pro level) for the EHC Chur, where he has gone 6-2-1 over nine games played.
This young netminder will obviously take a little more time to develop, given his need to transition to the North American style game, but boy, when he does, I think he will be something special.
Pyotr Andreyanov- Krasnaya Armiya Moskva / MHL
Andreyanov is rated by most to be the top-rated international goalie available in this year’s draft. And, why I can see why some would put him there with his elite-level glove hand, his astonishing save percentage that is currently hovering around .940%, and his sub-two goals against average.
I can’t help but wince when I notice other aspects of his game. For example, if a player shoots the puck on the ice at his stick or skates, Pyotr, nine times out of ten, will give up the most eye-popping rebound to the opposition’s awaiting power forward. Also, while I’m not one to necessarily care about the height of a goaltender, the fact that Pyotr, who only stands at 6’0 tall, shrinks himself down to see around traffic in front of his net is concerning. As I have noticed in games, even players at the MHL level have begun to take note of this and have started to sail shots right over his shoulders. So, just think what an NHL player will be able to do with that big of a target to shoot at.
However, I think all that could be cleaned up with a bit of help from a good goalie coach. Don’t get me wrong, I think the kid is really talented, but like most his age, he still needs some work.
The question is, would he be worth the trouble? Remember, we have still not seen Andreyanov play in any international tournaments, such as the World Juniors. Now, this, of course, is to no fault of his own with all that is still going on in his country. But it still leaves questions unanswered.
That’s why, if it were me and, I wanted to take a chance to try and land one of the next great Russian netminders. I would head up to London, Ontario, and start scouting…
Alexei Medvedev- London Knights/OHL
This 17-year-old Russian netminder, who stands at 6’3, is one of the youngest players in this draft. And, because he came to North America at an early age, he isn’t held hostage by a multi-year contract like most others who were classically trained and still play back in Mother Russia.
In this, his first season with the Knights, Alexei has seen his stock rise exponentially after delivering game after game of some of the most solid play the OHL has seen this season. And the more I watch Medvedev play, the more impressed I become because I simply can’t find any holes in his game. Alexei plays with the kind of confidence and patience that most would expect to see from a 20-year-old overeager in this league who should have turned pro already.
Now, again, this list is, of course, subjective. But you can trust it because it comes from a goaltender who has been playing this game for over thirty years now and has coached for at least ten of those. Remember, I watched a lot of tape on these guys and have interviewed quite a few of them as well. So, I can honestly say I think all of these guys will make excellent pros one day real soon.