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Previewing The 2023 College Free Agent Market: Forwards

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With the NCAA playoffs in full force and the Frozen Four coming soon, there should be some activity on the college free agent front in the coming weeks.  At this time of year, college free agents are rarely coming in as impact prospects with high NHL ceilings (and this year is no exception) 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 forwards that should 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 while quite a few others not on this list will sign NHL or AHL deals in the coming weeks.

C Parker Ford, Providence

An undersized middleman at 5’9, Ford nevertheless plays with an edge and can play in all situations.  Offensively, his numbers have been pretty steady throughout his four-year college career, ranging from 19 to 27 points.  Ford is presently the leading scorer on a Friars team that has nine NHL draft picks on it as well.  The 22-year-old might not be in high demand because of his size but he’s still a good bet to land an entry-level deal.

RW Riese Gaber, North Dakota

It’s believed that Gaber had some NHL interest last year but opted to return to the Fighting Hawks for his junior campaign.  A small but speedy winger, the 23-year-old has hovered around the point-per-game mark for the last two seasons and had a pair of years of at least 50 points at the USHL level as well.  With Gaber’s production not really improving too much this year, there would be a bit more risk of him potentially plateauing if he opted to forego signing an NHL deal this time around.

RW Collin Graf, Quinnipiac

It was a bit of a surprise when Graf entered the transfer portal following what was a solid freshman campaign with Union College but it’s safe to say the decision worked out.  The 20-year-old saw his numbers improve across the board to the tune of 19 goals and 33 assists in 35 games, good for first on the Bobcats and second in the NCAA overall beyond only Adam Fantilli.  On the one hand, a year like this is an ideal platform to try to land an NHL contract but he could be better served going back for one more year to fill out and work on his skating a bit more.

C T.J. Hughes, Michigan

Hughes is the Wolverines’ second-line pivot behind Fantilli and is having a nice freshman year, hovering around the point-per-game mark.  In 2021-22, the 21-year-old averaged more than a goal and an assist per game with Brooks of the AJHL.  There’s a strong case to be made for him to stay at Michigan next season where he’ll likely move onto the top line assuming Fantilli turns pro but if he wants to start his pro career now, there should be strong interest.

LW Ryan McAllister, Western Michigan

McAllister burst onto the scene after lighting it up early and often this season, battling Fantilli for the NCAA scoring lead for a good chunk of the year.  While his output has tapered off a bit, he’s still in the top ten in points, quite a freshman campaign on the heels of a 139-point AJHL season in 2021-22.  At 21, he still has a long college career ahead of him if he wants it but it wouldn’t be surprising to see him capitalize on what’s sure to be good interest in the coming weeks and turn pro now.  He attended Toronto’s development camp last summer.

C Hunter McKown, Colorado College

At 20, McKown is one of the youngest players eligible for college free agency but a 20-goal campaign with the Tigers should have him on the NHL radar.  Teams also would have gotten a good look at McKown in last summer’s World Juniors when he saw time on Team USA’s power play in the event; more than half of his goals this year have come on the man advantage.  Already in his junior year, it’s possible that McKown could stick around for one more year and then turn pro when he’d only be eligible for a two-year entry-level deal compared to a three-year agreement if he signed now.

C Jaxon Nelson, Minnesota

Teams are always looking for size down the middle and at 6’4, Nelson checks that box.  The 22-year-old hasn’t been the most prolific of scorers throughout his four-year college career (his seven tallies this season are a career-high) but he has a strong defensive pedigree that gives him a possible fourth-line profile in the pros.  The raw upside isn’t as high as others on this list but Nelson is pretty much a lock to land a contract somewhere.

RW Jason Polin, Western Michigan

The 23-year-old has been part of arguably the most dominant line in college hockey this season and the end result is Polin leading the NCAA with 29 goals.  For context, his previous high in points was 26.  While there will be some question marks as to whether his output was linemate-driven or if it was a legitimate improvement that can carry over to the pros, he’ll be an intriguing free agent addition with a bit of upside once his senior year comes to an end.

C Max Sasson, Western Michigan

Another part of that dominant top line for the Broncos as he’s averaging over a point per game, Sasson’s skating is a strong element that helps him stand out among this group of players.  The 21-year-old sophomore is an all-situations player which gives him a chance to carve out a lower role in the lineup which is where he likely profiles in the pros.  Sasson is young enough that it makes some sense for him to stay in college for another year but if his linemates turn pro, he might decide to follow suit.

C Austen Swankler, Bowling Green

It’s very rare that a player who played a full OHL season is able to play in college but it happened with Swankler.  The 21-year-old sophomore has been in the top ten in NCAA scoring for most of the season and made considerable strides compared to his freshman year, becoming a strong all-around offensive player.  Skating is an element that still needs to improve and will go a long way toward determining what type of success he has in the pros.  He has two years of eligibility remaining but some NHL teams would likely prefer to get him into their system now.

Others To Watch For

LW Matt Brown, Providence
C Justin Hryckowian, Northeastern
C Ondrej Pavel, Minnesota State
C Nick Poisson, Providence
LW Ondrej Psenicka, Cornell

Aidan McDonough Expected To Sign With Canucks After NCAA Season

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With his college career set to come to an end over the next few weeks, Canucks prospect Aidan McDonough would soon be facing a choice.  He could sign with the team that drafted him or wait a few months and hit unrestricted free agency in mid-August.  It appears he’ll be choosing the former as CHEK’s Rick Dhaliwal reports (audio link) that McDonough will be signing with Vancouver once his college campaign comes to an end.  McDonough’s advisor Glen Giovanucci confirmed the report to Postmedia’s Patrick Johnston.

The 23-year-old was a seventh-round pick by the Canucks back in 2019 (195th overall) but has certainly outperformed his draft stock, quickly becoming a key producer at Northeastern.  McDonough reached the 20-goal mark and surpassed the point-per-game plateau for the second year in a row with his 20 goals and 18 assists in 33 games leading the Huskies in scoring.  Over his four-year college career, he’s averaging just over a point per game with 124 in 123 appearances.

At his age, McDonough is only eligible for a two-year, entry-level contract.  Dhaliwal notes that if McDonough’s season ends early enough, the first of those campaigns will be burned in 2022-23, allowing him to join Vancouver for the final few games this season to begin his pro career while setting him up to hit restricted free agency in 2024.

Tony Granato Fired As Wisconsin Badgers Head Coach

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The Wisconsin Badgers announced via a press release this afternoon that head coach Tony Granato has been relieved of his duties. After taking over as head coach of the Big 10 team during the 2016-17 season, Granato will finish his tenure as head coach with a cumulative 103-129-16 record. The 2021-22 season was by far the most successful of them all, as the team finished first in their division, ultimately losing to Bemidji State in the regional semifinals.

Aside from coaching, Granato is well known for being a part of the Los Angeles Kings during their run to the Stanley Cup Final in 1993. In the best statistical season of his career, the 5’10” forward scored a career-high 37 goals and 45 assists. Unfortunately, the next season, Granato’s career was permanently altered after receiving a hard hit to the head in a game against the Hartford Whalers. There was bleeding in his brain detected, and Granato went out for a time due to surgery as many wondered if he would ever play again. Defeating the odds, Granato returned to the NHL, playing for the San Jose Sharks to finish his career.

Before coaching at Wisconsin, Granato previously coached in the NHL. His most recent coaching position was as an assistant for the Detroit Red Wings from 2014-16. Before that Granato held the same role for the Pittsburgh Penguins between 2009-2014, helping the team win their first Stanley Cup since 1992. The only head coaching position he’s ever had in the NHL was with the Colorado Avalanche from 2002-2004; 2008-2009, finishing with a 104-78-17-16 record.

As with any upcoming offseason, there will be head coaching changes made in the NHL. Although he has not coached at that level since the 2008-09 season, Granato could be of interest to teams looking to make a change behind the bench. Since the news of his dismissal is recent, Granato has not yet commented on his future. Whether he continues in the NCAA, or if he moves back into professional hockey, Granato should be a popular name heading into the offseason.

Ducks Prospect Henry Thrun To Test Free Agency

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The Ducks will soon be losing a promising prospect as GM Pat Verbeek confirmed to Lisa Dillman of the Orange County Register that defenseman Henry Thrun will not sign with the team and instead intends to go to free agency this summer.

The 21-year-old was a fourth-round pick by Anaheim back in 2019 (101st overall) and has vastly outperformed his draft stock since then.  He’s averaging a point per game so far this season with Harvard and has 77 points in 90 games in his three years at the NCAA level, numbers that are well above average for a defender.

Anaheim has a very strong defensive pipeline with youngster Jamie Drysdale already in the NHL along with 2021 second-round pick Olen Zellweger, Pavel Mintyukov, who went 10th overall last summer, Drew Helleson, acquired from Colorado in the Josh Manson trade last season, and Jackson LaCombe, who recently indicated that he will sign once his college season ends.  Accordingly, it appears Thrun feels his best path to try to earn a spot in the NHL will be somewhere else.

He’s not the first Harvard player that has gone this route or at least threatened to do so.  Jimmy Vesey and Alex Kerfoot ultimately tested the market while Adam Fox and John Marino were eventually traded and signed with their new team (although it took two trades for Fox to do so).  It’s possible that Verbeek, now knowing he won’t be able to sign Thrun, will look to trade his rights elsewhere in the hopes of at least salvaging some sort of return while the acquiring team would hope to convince Thrun to sign, allowing them to add a quality prospect for a below-market return.

No Decision Made On Cutter Gauthier’s Pro Future

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For teams out of the playoffs, there’s still some excitement to come down the stretch. As the NCAA schedule comes to a close, top prospects can turn pro and get their feet wet in the NHL before setting in for an offseason of training and development.

That is, if they decide to leave the college ranks.

One of the names to watch is Philadelphia Flyers prospect Cutter Gauthier, picked fifth overall in the 2022 draft. The big, speedy forward played mostly wing during his junior days but has transitioned to the middle of the ice (with some bumps along the way) for Boston College, and is now leading the club in goals and points.

That’s despite a leave to suit up at the World Juniors, where he had ten points in seven games for Team USA. Gauthier is a shining star in the Flyers prospect pool, and it’s hard to not get excited thinking about his NHL debut this spring.

Not so fast, says Philadelphia assistant general manager Brent Flahr, who spoke with Charlie O’Connor of The Athletic. When asked if Gauthier could be a one-and-done player at BC, Flahr wouldn’t commit, explaining that while players often want to go that route, it isn’t always best for their development.

The decision won’t come until after the college season ends, and they have a full examination of where Gauthier’s game stands. There is still more than a month left in the Eagles’ schedule, plus the potential of a playoff run if they can get things moving in the right direction. Plenty of time, anyway, for Gauthier to impress the Flyers front office enough to earn an entry-level contract at the end of the year.

To be clear, there is no risk of losing Gauthier’s rights if he decides to go back to school. Philadelphia holds them until the summer of 2026, and there’s virtually no chance of the big forward waiting that long before turning pro.

Central Notes: Avalanche, Leddy, Commesso

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With Colorado not really going out and replacing Nazem Kadri who left in free agency last summer, there has been an expectation that the Avalanche would add an impact center at the trade deadline.  While there are several rentals that are expected to be available, Bennett Durando of The Denver Post posits that there could be a different direction they could go.  If they’re comfortable with Evan Rodrigues and J.T. Compher as their middle-six middlemen, they could look to upgrade on the wing instead.  Durando suggests Panthers winger Anthony Duclair as a plausible target; Florida will have cap issues once he and Patric Hornqvist are able to return so there could be an opportunity to buy low.  At a $3MM AAV both this season and next, Duclair could be an intriguing option for Colorado, especially since his speed would fit in well with their style of play.

Elsewhere in the Central:

  • The Blues could have defenseman Nick Leddy back in the lineup tonight against Tampa Bay, notes Joe Lyons of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The 31-year-old has missed the last four games due to an upper-body injury.  Leddy has 11 assists in 39 games so far this season and with Torey Krug out for a while, he’ll likely be called upon to play a bigger role offensively for St. Louis which is something he has been able to do with success in the past.
  • While he has another year of NCAA eligibility remaining, goalie Drew Commesso is likely to turn pro for next season, suggests Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times. The 20-year-old was the 46th pick in 2020 by the Blackhawks and has had a bit of an up-and-down third season with Boston University.  His GAA (2.58) and SV% (.910) are actually a little worse than last season although a pair of rough starts out of his 14 appearances skew that somewhat.  Commesso has also dealt with a hamstring injury which has limited his playing time thus far.

Brian Gionta Joins Niagara University

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The next stage of Brian Gionta’s hockey career is about to get underway, as Niagara University has announced him as their new director of player development. This move follows a few years of coaching in the Buffalo Jr. Sabres program and could suggest a front office future for the former NHL forward.

Jason Lammers, the head coach of Niagara, released the following:

Brian’s commitment to developing players and helping them reach their full potential is his priority. Brian’s strong leadership skills and passion for the game are Uncommon and will bring a new level of development for our student-athletes both on and off the ice to the program.

Gionta, 43, retired in 2018 after captaining the U.S. at the Olympics, the second time he had suited up for his country at the Games. A veteran of over 1,000 NHL games, he served as captain for the Montreal Canadiens and Buffalo Sabres, while racking up 291 goals and 595 points. His college career was outstanding, finishing as a Hobey Baker finalist three times while winning the NCAA championship in his senior year at Boston College. He won the Stanley Cup in 2003 with the New Jersey Devils, and was inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame in 2020.

It potentially means nothing, but a move like this could indicate Gionta’s desire to climb the ladder in hockey development and operations. If he chooses, there will likely be many teams that would be willing to leverage his experience and knowledge. The third-round pick carved out an excellent career and was exceptionally well-respected during his time as a player.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

West Notes: McDonagh, Guenther, Gustavsson

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Amid their up-and-down season on and off the ice thus far, eight points out of a playoff spot coming into today, unable to extend Bo Horvat, and listing only Elias Pettersson as “untouchable,” it appears the Vancouver Canucks need to start setting their eyes on the future. Part of that future is likely with Pettersson, as well as Quinn Hughes, Thatcher Demko, and the recently-extended J.T. Miller, but will also come with their young prospects. One of those prospects, who has yet to sign with the team, is Northeastern University forward Aidan McDonagh.

The 23-year-old is finishing up his fourth season in the NCAA where he has 13 goals and 14 assists in just 20 games and is over a point-per-game during his four years. A 2019 seventh-round pick of the Canucks, Vancouver’s rights with McDonagh expire on August 15th. According to CHEK’s Rick Dhaliwal, Vancouver GM Patrik Allvin was in Boston this weekend to meet with McDonagh. Per Dhaliwal, that meeting went very well, with Allvin laying out his plan for the player should he choose to sign. Despite the positive meeting, there is still no indication of how likely McDonagh is to sign with the team that drafted him.

  • After scoring the golden-goal for Team Canada at this year’s World Juniors, Arizona Coyotes forward Dylan Guenther immediately rejoined his team, flying back to Arizona on Friday, less than 24 hours after the biggest goal of his life to-date. Given the whirlwind few days for Guenther and having been away form his NHL team for a few weeks, many would understand if the winger didn’t play Sunday against the Pittsburgh Penguins. However, that won’t be the case says PHNX Sports’ Craig Morgan, who reports that Guenther will play at home Sunday. Guenther, 19, had been one of a few key difference-makers for Canada at this year’s tournament, and has been off to a nice start to his NHL career too, recording 11 points in 21 games prior to joining Team Canada.
  • Minnesota Wild goaltender Filip Gustavsson, who last played Wednesday and has been out with a non-COVID illness since, is expected to start this evening’s game at home against the St. Louis Blues, says The Athletic’s Joe Smith. Gustavsson’s illness had apparently been enough that he couldn’t simply back-up for Marc-Andre Fleury, but the team had to instead recall netminder Zane McIntyre on an emergency basis Friday morning. The Wild play at home this evening before a two game midweek road trip to New York City and Long Island.

Snapshots: Hague, Pastrnak, Jets

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When Vegas Golden Knights training camp opens tomorrow morning, defenseman Nicolas Hague won’t be there as he awaits a new contract. The Athletic’s Jesse Granger reports that he isn’t expected to be on the ice with his teammates Thursday morning at City National Arena, the team’s practice facility.

Hague is one of the few remaining restricted free agents in the NHL, alongside Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Rasmus Sandin and Dallas Stars forward Jason Robertson as the marquee names. Granger expertly notes that Hague missing camp is more detrimental than in previous seasons, as new head coach Bruce Cassidy will be installing a completely foreign defensive system from what the Knights have been used to in past seasons. Hague, the 34th overall pick in 2017, had 14 points in 52 games last season.

  • Speaking today during preseason media availability, Boston Bruins general manager Don Sweeney says it’s a priority for him to get pending free agent winger David Pastrnak signed as soon as possible. Pastrnak, while he’s expressed a strong desire to stay in Boston, hasn’t shared the same urgency in negotiations in previous reporting. Pastrnak, who’s notched 40 or more goals in his last two full seasons, will be in line for a substantial raise, and it may behoove Sweeney to get a deal done before his value rises even further.
  • The Winnipeg Jets have made three scouting hires, including the first woman scout in team history, Sydney Daniels. Daniels joins the team as an NCAA scout, having previously served as the assistant coach for the women’s team at Harvard. The team also brought on Jari Kekalainen, brother of Columbus Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen, as a European scout, and former Toronto Maple Leafs scout Tony Martino as a USHL scout.

Taylor Heise Named 2022 Women’s World Championship MVP

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Despite losing 2-1 in the gold medal game to Canada today, a breakout member for Team USA has taken home the MVP award for the 2022 IIHF Women’s World Championship. Taylor Heise, a collegiate player from the University of Minnesota, won the award after leading the tournament in scoring with 18 points in seven games.

Heise is returning to Minnesota next season for her fifth and final year in the program. As an alternate captain last season, Heise exploded for 29 goals, 37 assists, and 66 points in just 39 games. Minnesota was the number 2 ranked program in the country at season’s end but lost in the NCAA quarterfinals to state rival Duluth.

Heise also won the Directorate Award for best forward at the tournament. USA goaltender Nicole Hensley and Czech defender Daniela Pejsova won their respective positional awards. Hensley finished the tournament with a 4-1-0 record, .930 save percentage, and 1.08 goals-against average in five games, while Pesjova finished with five goals, four assists, and nine points in six games en route to Czechia earning their first medal at the tournament.

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