With the NCAA tournament in full force, we’ve seen an influx of collegiate signings in recent days which is likely to continue over the next couple of weeks. Generally speaking, 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.
We’re changing things up a bit in our annual preview this time around. Earlier this week, Gabriel Foley took a closer look at the most prominent players from this year’s class. Meanwhile, we’ll break down the rest of the class in two separate columns, one for forwards and one for goaltenders and defensemen. We’ll start with the forwards.
As always, 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.
Dalton Bancroft (Cornell)
A player who was on this list last year, Bancroft’s stock has dipped a bit this season after a much-improved sophomore season. Even so, he finished second on the Big Red in scoring while setting a new career-best in goals with 15. Bancroft’s size and skill set profile him as a physical fourth liner and with him having some power play success in the past, he should have some interest from teams looking to add some extra depth.
Josh Eernisse (Michigan)
It’s believed Eernisse had some NHL interest last year but he opted to return to the Wolverines with the hope that he could land a bigger role and have a better season. That didn’t happen as he wound up scoring just once in 36 games. Nonetheless, his size, physicality, and speed will make him appealing to teams looking to add a fourth-line energy player. That said, coming off a down year, he might be better off going back for his senior season and trying to boost his stock.
Christian Fitzgerald (Wisconsin)
Like Eernisse, Fitzgerald transferred to a more prominent program after his freshman year and has seen his production decline since then. Nonetheless, a 16-goal showing two years ago should have him on the radar for some teams but at this point, an AHL deal might be all he could land, making him a realistic candidate to return to the Badgers next season.
T.J. Hughes (Michigan)
Hughes has been a prominent scorer over his three years with the Wolverines, averaging more than a point per game over that stretch. Even with a bit of a quieter effort this season, he still led Michigan in scoring with 38 points in 36 games. Hughes is a top-six player but can he be that in the NHL? There might be some hesitance on that one but even if he’s viewed as a possible impactful AHL piece, that should generate some strong interest.
Carter King (Denver)
The Flames are among the teams known to be interested in King who is one of the top-scoring players in this year’s free agent class. He played a prominent role last season en route to the NCAA championship and he’s playing a bigger one this season. King is a bit undersized and is already 23 but as a two-way forward – he’s a nominee for NCHC Defensive Player of the Year – he can fit in enough roles that he should have strong interest.
Joey Larson (Michigan State)
It was a bit of a quieter year for Larson compared to last season where his performance landed him a bit of NHL interest and a spot on this list. Still, he often played with new Flyers prospect Karsen Dorwart which means he has been seen by plenty of scouts. Larson has been at NHL development camps for the last three seasons and should be at a fourth but this time as a full-fledged NHL prospect.
Josh Nadeau (Maine)
Not surprisingly, the departure of his brother Bradly to Carolina hurt Nadeau’s production this season after being a high-scoring freshman in 2023-24. Still, the 21-year-old finished second on the team in assists and third in points which will have him on the radar. It wouldn’t be surprising to see him return for his junior year to see if he can boost his stock but there should be some teams kicking the tires at least.
Rhett Pitlick (Minnesota State Mankato)
The former Canadiens prospect became a free agent last summer when he briefly entered free agency before turning to the transfer portal. He set new personal bests in assists (27) and points (40) this season, eclipsing the point-per-game mark for the first time. Will that be enough to earn an NHL deal or will he have to settle for an AHL pact? That’s what we’ll find out in the coming weeks.
Ondrej Psenicka (Cornell)
Psenicka drew some NHL interest after a strong 21-point freshman season in 2021-22. However, his output never improved much over the past three seasons with his best year being this season, a 22-point showing. But at 6’6, he can be a grinding winger on the boards and could fit on a fourth line down the road, even with limited upside. Now that his eligibility is exhausted, he’ll be signing somewhere but will it be an NHL or an AHL deal?
Harrison Scott (Maine)
While Nadeau saw his numbers drop following the departure of his brother, his teammate in Scott saw his improve in his senior year, leading the Black Bears in scoring with 35 points in 38 games. Already 24, there may not be a ton of developmental runway left but he fits the profile of a bottom-six energy forward who has shown a bit of scoring touch in his two seasons at Maine.
Jack Stockfish (Holy Cross)
He’s 6’4 and a right-shot center, both attributes that will catch the attention of scouts. On top of that, Stockfish has had two solid college seasons so far, including a 15-goal, 27-point effort this year. At 22, he’s one of the younger players on this list and while he has two years of eligibility left, this might be the right time to make the jump if some NHL entry-level offers present themselves.
Riley Thompson (Ohio State)
Thompson is one of the more intriguing players out of this group. He transferred from Alaska-Anchorage for this season, a move that worked out well as he finished second on the Buckeyes in scoring with 17 goals and 16 assists. He’s also a 6’4 center which will intrigue several teams. It appears that there’s enough interest for him to land an NHL deal now but would he be better suited going back for another year to hone his game and then look to turn pro with an even stronger market?
Zach Urdahl (Nebraska-Omaha)
After two quiet years at Wisconsin, Urdahl reached the double-digit goal mark in each of the last two seasons while finishing fourth on the team in scoring. His speed will help attract some attention, making him another player who profiles as a bottom-six piece if all goes well. With his eligibility now exhausted, someone will be signing him in the coming weeks.
Penn State has few forwards that teams should be taking a look at.
Jack Stockfish? Is he a great chess player?