2024 College Free Agency Preview: Wingers

With the college regular season over and the Frozen Four tournament upon us, activity on the college free agent front will pick up in the near future.  At this time of year, college free agents are rarely coming in as impact prospects with high NHL ceilings but it’s an opportunity for teams to add some depth pieces that are further along in their development compared to players coming out of major junior.

Here is an overview of some of the wingers that could be drawing NHL interest in the near future.  Note that not all of these players will sign entry-level contracts as some will ultimately elect to return to college for another season (or more) while quite a few others not on this list will sign NHL or AHL deals in the coming weeks.  Our look at the goaltenders can be found here, the defensemen are here, and the centers are here.

Dalton Bancroft, Cornell

After being a bottom-six player in his freshman year, Bancroft moved up the lineup this season and the numbers have improved as he has been averaging around a point per game.  However, his physicality makes him an ideal fit on a fourth line in the pros.  That said, the 23-year-old has been an effective scorer with the man advantage and a profile of a fourth liner who can play the power play has some value in today’s NHL which should have him on the radar of some teams.

Joshua Eernisse, Michigan

Eernisse decided to transfer from St. Thomas after his freshman year, going from a team where he had a prominent role to one where he’s more of a limited player in the process.  However, it’s his playing style that will get him on the NHL radar.  He has good speed for his size and plays with plenty of physicality and energy.  That will be appealing to teams if the 22-year-old opts to turn pro.  Waiting another year and playing a bigger role offensively for the Wolverines next season might be the better way to go though.

Riese Gaber, North Dakota

A couple of years ago, it looked like Gaber was in a perfect spot to turn pro after putting up more than a point per game in his sophomore year.  Instead, he returned for two more seasons and watched his production plateau.  He’s a strong skater with a well-rounded offensive game but he also stands just 5’8 which will scare some teams off.  An entry-level deal is possible but so is an AHL contract as a result.

Matteo Giampa, Canisius

Giampa just wrapped up a very successful freshman year, coming up just shy of a point per game with Canisius and led the team in scoring by a dozen points.  The year before, he was an impact scorer in the AJHL.  But at 20, his game is still quite raw compared to many players that will test the free agent market.  If a team feels his development is best served playing a bigger schedule in the pros, they’ll be going after Giampa now.  But he might be better off with that refinement coming in college next season.

Collin Graf, Quinnipiac

Viewed as one of the best if not the best player in this free agent class after finishing third in NCAA scoring, Graf had strong interest a year ago before deciding to return for his junior year.  He produced at a similar level on a per-game basis while his defensive game improved.  If he opts to turn pro, he will almost certainly burn the first year of his contract right away and as a player who has middle-six potential instead of projecting as a lower-end piece, many teams will have interest once again.  With Quinnipiac being eliminated earlier today, watch for his market to move quickly.

Joey Larson, Michigan State

Larson was one of the better scorers in the NCAA in the first half of the season before his output fell off when the calendar flipped to 2024.  Still, he’s one of the better pure shooters in this class, a skill that should be intriguing to teams.  That said, with two years of eligibility remaining, the 23-year-old might be better off sticking with the Spartans for another year to refine his all-around game.

Ondrej Psenicka, Cornell

Psenicka attracted some interest a couple of years ago after a strong freshman season and his production has largely stagnated since then.  However, he plays a pro-style game without much flash and he stands 6’6.  The raw upside isn’t as high as some others on this list but he has the chance to stick on a fourth line in the NHL.

Simon Tassy, Wisconsin

Tassy’s decision to leave Minnesota State (Mankato) after his freshman year to follow head coach Mike Hastings to Wisconsin was a good one.  His playing time went up and his production went from five points to 28, a pretty impressive jump that should get him on the pro radar.  One more year to round out his game would make sense but if he has NHL offers now, it might be better for the 23-year-old to make the jump now.  If that happens, he’ll still be a bit of a project.

Gleb Veremyev, Colorado College

After a quiet, injury-riddled freshman year, Veremyev quadrupled his output this season.  However, Veremyev’s not on here for his offense.  He’s a very physical winger, a profile that will appeal to some teams who are looking to add some crash and bang to their lineups with a bit of offensive upside.  Still just 20, it’s quite possible that Veremyev opts to stay in school for another year but with the jump he took this season, there should be NHL teams showing interest now.

Dylan Wendt, Western Michigan

After the Broncos lost several key forwards to the pros, Wendt was one of the players who took on a much bigger role and made the most of it, scoring more goals this year (23) than he had points a year ago (22).  His offensive game is farther along than his defensive one so some AHL time will be needed but the time should be right for the 23-year-old to turn pro.

Carter Wilkie, RIT

Wilkie has been a productive scorer for the Tigers in each of his three seasons with them including two straight years averaging a little over a point per game.  He’s more of a pure playmaker compared to some of the other wingers on this list but he plays with enough jam to potentially fit on a lower line professionally.  The 23-year-old has entered the transfer portal but could also be convinced to turn pro if the right offer comes around.