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NHL Teams should look to add depth by signing any of these NCAA Undrafted Free Agents
(Rob Rasmussen/Quinnipiac Athletics)
As the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s (NCAA) season begins to draw to a close, NHL teams should look to add depth to their organization by signing some of these promising scholars. How can they do that? Well, the NCAA is a place where undrafted free agents tend to go sometimes as nothing more than Walk On’s to prove themselves after not being drafted. Once on campus, these late bloomers are given an opportunity to attend classes and gain an education by day; by night, they are given the shot to show the NHL clubs that passed them by that they made a mistake. They do so by going head-to-head against some of the top prospects in the game today. Some of those players this season included Arizona’s 2022 3rd overall pick Logan Cooley who plays for Minnesota; the Devils’ 2021 4th overall pick Luke Hughes of Michigan; and the Flyers’ 2022 5th overall selection Cutter Gauthier who plays for Boston College. By being afforded this chance to prove themselves on sometimes a nationally televised stage, these prospects that have been once overlooked get a second attempt at making their dream of becoming a professional athlete come true.
That said, here is a list of players I think have proven themselves deserving of such a chance this season.
Jason Polin- Western Michigan
To start this list, I could think of no one better than the NCAA’s leading goal scorer, 23-year-old Jason Polin of Western Michigan University. Standing at 6’0 and 198 pounds, this senior was named captain of the Broncos this year, to which he has worn that C with pride. As all true leaders do, Jason took his game to the next level; this season by just about matching his combined goal and point totals from his previous three seasons. In 38 games played this year, Polin has scored a league-leading 29 goals and 17 assists for 46 points (1.21 points per game) while maintaining a +27 average. Now, why should prospecting NHL teams sign this 23-year-old who is still playing in the collegiate ranks you may be asking? With his strong play and incredibly hard shot, Polin has shown that he can be entrusted to be a finisher of sorts. And what team doesn’t need a player who can put the puck in the back of the net?
Hunter McKown- Colorado College
Next up on our list is a true late bloomer named Hunter McKown, who currently plays for Colorado College. McKown is a 20-year-old forward who left the United States National Development team a few years back with much left to be desired. Once in Colorado Springs, though, that all seemed to change. No longer buried by the sure talent that suited up for the Red, White, and Blue on any given night, McKown was finally able to grow his game as a Tiger—scoring 21 goals and seven assists for 28 points this season. Thank goodness Hunter did, as he has managed to be not only Colorado’s leading goal and point-getter this year (by a long shot) but has played well enough to be tied for 7th in goals in the entire NCAA. So, what’s so special about McKown that teams should be willing to sign him to a contract at the end of the season? Besides Hunter’s NHL size at 6’1, 205 pounds, he has exhibited that he is a true power play specialist scoring 12 of his 19 goals this season on the PP. While most of the others came by way of the shoot-out, another formidable tool that struggling NHL clubs should be looking to add to win a couple of extra games next season.
Collin Graf- Quinnipiac
Continuing with our current streak of impressive forwards, we add to it the 6’0 181 pound versatile playmaker Collin Graf of Quinnipiac University. After a sub-par season playing for Union College last year, Graf thought it was time for a change of scenery. So off to Connecticut, he went. But I bet he did not know just how good of a decision that would prove to be, as he is now playing in just his sophomore season for the Bobcats; Graf has been heating up as of late. Scoring six goals and 12 assists for 18 points in just his last ten games. With that latest stretch of games, Collin finds his point totals only trailing that of this summer’s potential top-three pick Adam Fantilli of Michigan. Graf’s deceptive ability to get in behind his opposition defense and impressive shot have been the critical factors to him averaging near a point and a half a game this year! Putting it all together 20 goals, an NCAA-leading 35 assists, a sum of 55 points on the season, and him being able to do all that while maintaining a +28 average you can start to see why NHL clubs would be wise to sign this young responsible player sooner rather than later.
Ryan McAllister- Western Michigan
While this next player may be a newcomer to the NCAA, this freshman forward has been on this writer’s radar for years. Ryan McAllister, the former Brooks Bandit alum who torched the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) for 57 goals and 82 assists for 139 points last season; came to Western Michigan already with a championship mentality, seeing that he had just finished a year in which he won the AJHL’s Inter Pipeline Cup and won the Ernie Love Trophy (for leading the league in points). He was named both the league’s regular season MVP and the playoff MVP, then went on to win Canada’s National Junior Championship, the Centennial Cup, along with being named that tournament’s MVP. So, it came as no surprise to this writer when McAllister was able to get off to a blazing hot start this year by leading all of college hockey in points for most of the season; before teams began to see him as a genuine threat and keep multiple men in his vicinity at all times. Now, I was lucky enough to have Ryan join me on my podcast “Prospect Watch” earlier in the year (which you can view below), and I have to tell you somebody better sign this 21-year-old before he spends the next 10-15 years playing in their division in the NHL and making them regret it. Because even if he commits to playing for WMU again next year, best believe his totals of 13 goals and 35 assists for 48 points will only multiply.
Jake Livingstone- Minnesota State
Moving to defense, we focus on Jake Livingstone of Minnesota State University. Jake is a 6’3 205, pound defender who has had NHL clubs drooling for years now, and for good reason. Through a combined 110 career games played for the Mankato, Livingstone has shown that he can both bring the offense by scoring a total of 80 points as well as proving he is, in fact, defensible responsible by maintaining a career +54 average. So as these videos will further prove my point Livingstone, I believe will be able to offer any professional team that signs him the best of both worlds.
Yaniv Perets- Quinnipiac
Regarding goaltending, other writers and scouts maybe head over heels for a guy like Maine’s 6’4, 205-pound goalie Victor Ostman. But this guardian of the blue paint turned writer is here to tell you there’s more to goaltending than size alone. Ostman is in his third season playing in the NCAA, and his combined goals-against-average during that time is a very uninspiring 3.03, and still worse is the fact that he has only managed to win 33% of the games he’s played in. Yaniv Perets of Quinnipiac, on the other hand, has led all starting goaltenders the past two seasons in goals against with a 1.17 G.A.A. average last year and a 1.52 G.A.A. this year. On top of that, over the last two seasons, while playing for the Bobcats, Perets has won an astonishing 76% of the games he’s played in! Still not impressed? Well, maybe you will be after I tell you 20 of his 52 NCAA victories have come by way of a shutout! After attending the Philadelphia Flyers Development Camp earlier in the year, I was able to catch up with Yaniv, and he did not disappoint. If signed, this 23-year-old goaltender could immediately step into the NHL this season and not only win games but take over a team’s net for the next 10-15 seasons, making them a true contender.
While some NHL organizations may be too distracted with them being in the midst of their latest perennial playoff runs, struggling teams who just sold off all of their assets at the trade deadline to try to start a rebuild would be wise to get a kick start their overhaul by signing one of these ready to go undrafted free agents who could potentially step into their NHL lineup the day after their collegiate season is over. Thus, negating the need to wait two or three years before someone’s game, they are drafting this summer matures.
Prospect Watch: Top Five Defensemen available in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft
Welcome back to our continuation of the top five players available at every position in the upcoming draft. Previously we have covered centers, wings, and goaltenders.
So, the only position left to talk about is the blueliners, better known as defensemen. Now, what attributes teams consider in determining whether one defenseman is better than another has all become relative to the type of defender they are looking for. Some NHL executives may be looking for more of an old school defensively responsible defenseman like the great Larry Robinson, whose career +722 average helped him hoist the Stanley Cup on six separate occasions. Others may prefer one more offensive-minded, like the legendary Ray Bourque, who netted 410 goals in his career. Not saying that one type is better than the other it just depends on what type a general manager may need or want to add to his club at the present time. I’m an old goaltender, so I like my defensemen to take care of things in their own end before they go jumping up into the play in the offensive zone. Remember, a player can score 50 goals a year, but if he’s on the ice when his opponent scores 60, is he really being that effective?
Keeping that philosophy in mind, I constructed this list of the following players.
5. Luca Cagnoni
The first player on my list comes from the Western Hockey League’s (WHL’s) Portland Winterhawks, and his name is Luca Cagnoni. Luca is an 18-year-old left-hand shot defender who stands at just 5’10 and weighs 172 pounds. With this season being Cagnoni’s third in the WHL, he has more than proven that he can excel at both ends of the ice. For example, offensively, Luca is scoring at a rate of 1.00 points per game (P.P.G.), totaling 15 goals and 45 assists for 60 points in 60 games played. What may be more impressive, though, is what he has been able to do defensively, considering the talent he faces on a nightly basis in the WHL. Through 133 total regular season games played with the Winterhawks, Cagnoni has averaged a career +45. Because of these traits mentioned, Luca is projected by many to hear his name called in the second round. So, if this two-way defender can hit the gym and get a little stronger in the future, he has the chance to be a top-four defender in the NHL.
4. Lukas Dragicevic
Is a 17-year-old right-hand-shot defenseman who currently is playing in the WHL for the Tri-City Americans. He is 6’2 and 181 pounds and is on this list purely because of his offensive abilities. Throughout 61 games played this season, Lukas has scored 15 goals and an incredible 53 assists to achieve 68 points. Folks, that’s a defenseman who is scoring at a rate of 1.11 points per game right now! From his long outlet passes, he puts right on the tape of a teammate in full stride. To his ability to cycle the puck in the offensive zone, I guarantee you Dragicevic’s skill set has more than one NHL executive dreaming of what he could do on his franchise’s power play unit right now. The only problem is Lukas has to learn when to go and when to stay at home, seeing that he, unlike others on this list, is a minus player. And once again, I reiterate it doesn’t matter how many points you score if you’re out on the ice when the other team scores more.
3. Etienne Morin
In the third slot, I have possibly my favorite defender in this draft, 18-year-old Etienne Morin. Morin, who is also expected to go in the second round this summer, plays for the Moncton Wildcats of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). He is another responsible left-hand shot two-way defender who excels at both ends of the ice, but where his game differs from Cagnoni’s is that Etienne can bring the physical aspect. You wouldn’t know that from looking at him, seeing that he’s only 6’0 and 183 pounds, but I bet if you asked the opposition’s winger who is having trouble skating back to the bench after colliding with him at the blue line, they would swear to you it felt as though they were just hit by their team bus. But, as impressive as Etienne’s open-ice hip checks in the defensive zone are, he has shown that he can also get it done in the offensive zone by filling up the stat sheet. Morin has recorded 17 goals, and 40 assists for 57 points in 60 games played this season. All while averaging a +21. With all these intangibles at his disposal, it’s no surprise that Morin’s name has been shooting up teams’ draft boards this season.
2. David Reinbacher
Next up on my list is the 18-year-old Austrian-born David Reinbacher. Standing at 6’2 and 187 pounds, this coveted right-hand-shot defender has been impressive this year playing for the EHC Kloton in Switzerland’s National League (top pro league). A kid who is holding his own playing against men, Reinbacher has demonstrated that he is not afraid to use his size to his advantage. Whether it be to knock his opponents off the puck, matching his forward’s stride for stride as he joins them on the rush, or unloading an accurate shot on net that the goaltender will still feel after the game, David has proven he belongs at the pro level, and thus will likely get selected somewhere in the later part of the first round of the NHL Draft this summer.
1. Axel Sandin Pellikka
Finally, we’ve arrived at who I think is the top consensus defenseman available in the draft, Axel Sandin Pellikka. Pellikka is an 18-year-old right-hand-shot blueliner in Sweden’s top professional league, the SHL. He is 5’11 and 181 pounds and is signed to play for the Skelleftea AIK until the end of the 24/25 season. Now, while Axel’s SHL’s stats of two goals and three assists for five points in 22 games played may not look that impressive compared to others on this list. His point totals from him playing in the J20 (the top junior league in Sweden) do. Before moving up to play in the SHL, this season, Pellikka was dominating the J20 by scoring 15 goals and 18 assists for 33 points in just 28 games. Paired with that 1.17 points per game pace in juniors, he maintained a +16 average. You may be asking what traits Axel has over the other talented young players on this list. He has the hands and accuracy that very few skilled forwards in the NHL have right now. So much so that if he was implemented into an NHL team’s roster today, I assure you he would be taking a veteran’s place in the shootout if the game went to overtime.
Again, this list was constructed based on my own preferences and biases. Each one of these players has distinct characteristics that certain clubs are looking for. Feel free to let me know which player from this list is your favorite. I’m sure, despite the order I choose to rank them in, it will not matter soon enough, as I can almost guarantee they all will make excellent pros in the years to come.
The Flyers need to get rid of the Old Guard
With management serving up yet another trade deadline folly, the fans of the Philadelphia Flyers have had enough! With teams around the league making significant moves for the better part of two weeks before the deadline Chuck Fletcher (the Flyers’ General Manager) set idle. He did so while playoff contenders acquired player after player they felt would improve their team’s chances at hoisting the Stanley Cup this season. For example, the New York Rangers went for broke, giving up all kinds of assets to add aging superstars like Patrick Kane from the Blackhawks and Vladimir Tarasenko from the Blues.
But the buyers weren’t the only ones improving their team’s outlook. Many sellers (teams considered out of the running for the postseason) were able to unload their impending free agents or unwanted contracts to gain draft capital and/or other teams up and coming prospects to get a head start on their potential rebuilds. One of the teams that were able to plunder away the best treasures at the deadline was the Chicago Blackhawks. Who over the subsequent three drafts has the possibility (with all the conditional picks they acquired) to select seven first-round talents. Make eight second-round selections, and have a total of five third-rounders. Folks, I don’t know about you, but with all those draft picks at their disposal, they are bound to build back another dynasty team sooner rather than later.
When you compare that to what the Flyers were able to do by trading Patrick Brown to Ottawa for a 6th-round pick. Giving away fan favorite Zac MacEwen to the Kings for Brendan Lemieux and a ’24 5th-round pick and sending Isaac Ratcliffe to the Predators for future considerations, you can begin to see why Philadelphia has been stuck in mediocrity for so long now.
But their troubles go well beyond Chuck’s inability to unload an impending free agent like James van Riemsdyk, who has scored 20+ goals seven times in his career (with one of those times being last year when he finished the season with a team-high 24 lamp lighters). Their problems are so deeply rooted that they date back to the beginning of their existence. Since their induction into the league, the Flyers have been known as a team that takes care of their players. This includes even after they hang up the skates for the last time, which on its face sounds amazing right? Not necessarily. Like no other team in the NHL, the Philadelphia Flyers have shown no shame in their corrupt practices of nepotism. Time and time again, the powers at be for the Flyers have seen to it that their friends and former teammates are gifted a job opportunity over a more qualified candidate from outside the organization. Now, I know what you’re thinking both head coach John Tortorella and GM Chuck Fletcher are from outside the organization, right? Sure, they are, but just like in politics, sometimes the people who appear to be in some of the most powerful positions, are but figureheads or puppets. In the Flyers case, the puppeteers or real shot callers are none other than former Flyers greats Bob Clarke (who is currently an executive and/or senior advisor to the Flyers), Paul Holmgren (who is a senior advisor to Dave Scott), and Bill Barber (who is a senior advisor and scouting consultant for the Flyers). These three men (all of which) who haven’t even played professional hockey in close to 40 years are the real powers that be. The ones who have been around the organization SO LONG that they have become consiglieres of sorts. But my question is, why do they still hold this mafia-type control over the team when the league as a whole has changed so much from when the Bullies ruled the ice?
In their day, teams filled their rosters with knuckle draggers who would beat their opponents into submission. Now, teams are built on the premise of skill using new in-depth hockey analytics that helps competent executives find affordable role players to fill their salary cap-restricted rosters. Something that the Flyers’ old guard knows nothing about. Hence the reason why Philadelphia has been so unsuccessful since the league’s implementation of said salary cap back in the 2005-2006 season.
This fear of the unknown has resulted in the team’s blind hiring of people in key positions for their franchise. People like 64-year-old Kjell Samuelsson, a former Flyers player who, since the moment he retired some 24 years ago, has been gifted jobs within the organization anywhere from an assistant coach with the Phantoms to his current role of being the Director of Player Development.
Or how about Dave Brown, a former Flyers tough guy who, over parts of 22 seasons, has held at one time or another the position of Assistant Coach, Director of Player Personnel, and or Director of Professional Scouting. As Coaches and GM’s came and went for the team, who could fathom that these two men would be allowed to hold onto these titles for that long despite Philadelphia being viewed among the league’s worst in scouting and player development? The old guard, that’s who. A bunch of old men who would rather see the team they claim to love so much falter year after year so that their old linemates are not without a job.
Now, as much as I would like to say that is where the systemic nepotism ends within the Flyers organization, I would be lying. It is SO deep-rooted that Danny Briere had his current job of Special Assistant to the GM made up for him. Both former Flyers Ian Laperriere and Jason Smith find themselves coaching the Phantoms. And there’s a laundry list of nostalgic players of old now inked to be player development coaches: Sami Kapanen, Sam Morin, Nick Schultz, and Chris Stewart, to name a few. Something has to change! While it is a nice gesture, it has not been conducive to the team winning championships. Operating with the same stagnant thought processes that they had since the late 60’s, and early 70’s is precisely why the Flyers haven’t been able to hoist Lord Stanley’s Cup in the last 48 years. So, until ownership realizes they need to drain the swamp by cutting ties with their good old boys. Get used to the mediocrity, as the Flyers will continue to leave you wanting something more when they make future “massive moves” like trading for Brendan Lemieux at the deadline.