Snapshots: Fiala, Norringer, Bertucci, Hemming, Terness
Kings winger Kevin Fiala’s season hasn’t come to an end just yet. After originally being unable to play at the Worlds due to some travel issues, the Swiss Ice Hockey Federation announced that Fiala will indeed be able to join the squad, filling their final spot. The 28-year-old was the tournament MVP last year, notching seven goals and six assists in just eight games. This season, Fiala had a career-high 35 goals in 81 games for Los Angeles while recording seven points in six games in their first-round exit at the hands of Edmonton.
Elsewhere around the hockey world:
- Predators prospect Viktor Norringer has decided where he’ll play college hockey as he announced on his Instagram page that he has made a verbal commitment to Boston University. The 18-year-old was a fourth-round pick last year, going 127th overall. Norringer had a dominant showing in Frolunda’s junior system this season, tallying 24 goals and 33 assists in just 39 games. It’s expected that Norringer will debut at BU in 2026-27 so for next season, he could remain at home or look to play in the USHL.
- Two of Dallas’ top prospects have seen their seasons extended. Per the AHL’s transactions log, defenseman Tristan Bertucci and forward Emil Hemming have been assigned to AHL Texas. Bertucci was a second-round pick in 2023, going 63rd overall, and spent the season with OHL Barrie, notching 37 points in 52 regular season games while adding 18 more in 16 playoff contests. Hemming, meanwhile, was a first-round pick (29th overall) by the Stars last June. The 18-year-old had 48 points in 60 games with Barrie during the regular season but also improved his output in the playoffs, collecting 15 more points in those 16 playoff outings.
- Still with the Stars’ farm team, they’ve added some goalie depth for their playoff run. Per an announcement from Ohio State (Twitter link), Texas has signed Logan Terness to an ATO agreement. The 22-year-old split his college career between UConn and Ohio State and saved his best performance for last, putting up a 2.46 GAA and a .917 SV% in 25 outings this season. Terness will use this stint to try to earn himself a pro deal for 2025-26.
David Carle Set To Stay At University Of Denver
Perhaps no name in the coaching candidate circle is more coveted than University of Denver head coach David Carle. At just 35 years old, Carle has earned a reputation in the hockey world for crafting winning teams, both at the NCAA level and on the international stage. He’s led Team USA to back-to-back gold medals at the World Junior Championship, further solidifying his coaching credentials. However, according to Joe Smith of The Athletic, Carle doesn’t believe now is the right time to make the jump to the NHL—if that time ever comes at all.
While Carle noted he has strongly considered making a move to the NHL, he said: “But at the end of the day, I think everything I’ve said held true. The situation didn’t perfectly align and meet the things we were looking for to leave a wonderful place to raise our family and continue to work. We feel very blessed and grateful to stay here. We love Denver. It’s our home, and I think going through the (NHL talks) probably solidified that even more for us.”
Carle kept it simple when asked why he won’t pull the trigger on an NHL offer this year, especially considering a third of the league is looking for head coaches. As Carle put it, the right opportunity just hasn’t presented itself. He also discussed that the “right opportunity” includes what is best for not just his professional future, but also what is best for his family. Carle said it would take a “life-changing” opportunity for he and his family to leave Denver.
He went on to say that his conversations with NHL teams this hiring cycle reaffirmed his commitment to the University of Denver, and that he has no desire to leave his current role any time soon. Last offseason, Carle was known to be in conversation with the St. Louis Blues, and this offseason he held discussions with the Chicago Blackhawks before withdrawing his name from consideration. He also held discussions with the Anaheim Ducks, who eventually went with veteran Joel Quenneville.
Job stability was another factor Carle discussed. He has previously stated that “NHL coaches aren’t treated in a way that’s conducive to long-term success,” and with national championships in 2022 and 2024, a recent contract extension, and a highly secure position with the Pioneers, he has little reason to leave a situation that’s working.
Central Notes: Cooley, Kaprizov, Mayich
Utah will be eligible to sign center Logan Cooley to a contract extension as of July 1st as he’ll be entering the final year of his entry-level contract at that time. Belle Fraser of The Salt Lake Tribune posits that the five-year, $42MM contract extension Dallas gave to Wyatt Johnston could be a comparable used in negotiations while the team might point to the eight-year, $57.14MM deal they gave Dylan Guenther as a starting point. After recording 44 points in his rookie year, Cooley put up 25 goals and 40 assists in 75 games this season in a little under 18 minutes a night of playing time. It’s likely both sides feel he has another level offensively to get to as well which would be factored into any new deal. Between his draft status (third overall in 2022), the fact that he plays a premium position, and the big jumps coming to the salary cap, it wouldn’t be shocking to see an extension for Cooley push past the $9MM mark this summer.
Elsewhere in the Central:
- The Wild will be eligible to sign star winger Kirill Kaprizov to an extension as of July 1st and owner Craig Leipold has previously said they’ll pay whatever is necessary to keep him. But as John Shipley of the Pioneer Press notes, that alone might not be enough. Kaprizov is in line for what will be a record-setting contract handed out to a winger and he can get that from Minnesota and likely several other teams if he was to get to unrestricted free agency. Given that the Wild have yet to have much playoff success – they’ve lost in eight straight first rounds in ten years, the first team of the four major North American sports leagues to have that happen to them – it’s possible that Kaprizov might want to see what other opportunities await him and if there’s a better chance to play for a contending squad. On the other hand, the Wild have much more cap flexibility to play with this summer and will surely be looking to try to make their roster look more like a contender.
- Blues prospect Matthew Mayich will play at Clarkson University next season, the school announced (Twitter link). The 20-year-old was a sixth-round pick back in 2023, going 170th overall. Mayich spent his four-year OHL career with Ottawa and saved his best performance for last, tallying 42 points in 66 games this season. Louis originally was supposed to have his rights only through June 1st but with the change to allow CHL players to have NCAA eligibility, it remains unclear if that will affect signing timelines for players in that situation.
David Carle Withdraws From Consideration For Blackhawks Head Coaching Position
The Blackhawks are one of a handful of teams looking to find their next head coach. Among their perceived top candidates was Denver University bench boss David Carle. However, they’ll have to turn their sights elsewhere as Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports (Twitter link) that Carle has withdrawn from consideration for the position, adding that Chicago made an aggressive pursuit for his services.
The 35-year-old has been a mainstay at Denver since his playing days unexpectedly came to an end when he was diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy just before his draft year. The school honored his scholarship offer and he worked with the team as a graduate assistant coach for four years before he moved to the USHL, joining Green Bay as an assistant coach.
That only lasted parts of two seasons before Carle rejoined Denver in 2014 where he has been ever since. He was an assistant with them until the 2018-19 when he took over as their head coach and his stock has been on the rise since then.
During his time with the Pioneers, Carle has three NCHC titles along with a pair of NCAA championships. Internationally, he led Team USA to gold medals in each of the last two years. With nothing left to prove at the collegiate level, Carle has been a speculative candidate for pretty much every coaching search thus far.
It’s unclear as to why Carle pulled his name out of the mix with the Blackhawks who would have been an intriguing fit for him as a young team that’s still developing but has plenty of young players including seven who played for him either in college or at the World Juniors, including top youngsters Frank Nazar, Oliver Moore, and Sam Rinzel.
It’s possible that another team has emerged as a front-runner for Carle, resulting in the withdrawal as he focuses on finalizing a contract. Alternatively, Carle could have withdrawn after not liking Chicago’s offer or wanting to go through what’s likely to be a couple more years of a rebuild. It’s also possible that Carle decides to stay at Denver which has become a top program and is likely to add more quality prospects for next season.
In the meantime, Blackhawks GM Kyle Davidson will have to turn his focus elsewhere in terms of finding his next head coach. At the moment, there aren’t any candidates who are known to have interviewed with Chicago while interim bench boss Anders Sorensen remains in consideration for the full-time position.
Eastern Conference Notes: Martin, Puljujarvi, Lukashevich
The New York Rangers have opted to sign general manager Chris Drury to a multi-year extension even after a convoluted and disappointing campaign. That decision could leave assistant general manager Ryan Martin open to finding a promotion elsewhere this summer, and maybe even a move to the New York Islanders, per ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski.
Martin has served as the general manager of the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack for the last four seasons, in addition to his assistant role with the Rangers. He’s an experienced professional in the hockey world, set to reach his 20th season in an NHL front office next season. The bulk of that time was spent in the Detroit Red Wings organization, where Martin began his career as the Director of Hockey Administration in 2005. He served in that role for five seasons before a promotion to assistant general manager in 2010.
The Red Wings added AHL general manager to his title two years later. Martin led the Grand Rapids Griffins to an AHL championship in his first year at the helm in 2012-13, then won again with a new head coach in 2016-17. The Griffins made the postseason in seven out of eight years under Martin, and missed back-to-back playoffs after he left in 2020-21.
Martin continued his strong streak in Hartford. After only making the playoffs once in the prior seven years, the Wolf Pack have made two of a possible four postseason appearances under Martin’s reign – missing in his first season with the club (2021-22) and this season. That’s a dazzling record for a seasoned executive, and could be exactly what some NHL teams consistently on the fringe of the postseason – like the Islanders – are looking for in their next managerial hire.
Other notes from out East:
- The Florida Panthers have recalled forward Jesse Puljujarvi but plan to soon send him back down, per Colby Guy of The Palm Beach Post. Guy shares that Puljujarvi will serve his two-game suspension for an illegal check to the head of Tampa Bay Lightning forward Mitchell Chafee, before returning to the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers for their Calder Cup Playoff run. Puljujarvi received the suspension after Florida’s final game of the regular season. He only played in five games on the Panthers roster this year, with one goal and 15 penalty minutes to show for it. Puljujarvi has been far better in the minors, with 13 points in 22 games with Charlotte and a combined 16 points in 26 games on the full season. Puljujarvi began the season in the Pittsburgh Penguins organization.
- Sticking in Florida, 2021 fourth-round pick Vladislav Lukashevich has entered the NCAA Transfer Portal per NHL.com’s Mark Divver. Lukashevich is expected to transfer to Miami University per Divver and sources available to Pro Hockey Rumors. In Miami, Ohio – Lukashevich will reunite with former USHL head coach Anthony Noreen. Lukashevich scored seven points in 29 games with Michigan State University this season, while serving in a bottom-pair role. A move to a smaller school should offer a path to more opportunity and, hopefully, more scoring.
Blackhawks Notes: James, Bedard, Sörensen, Brossoit
It seems unlikely that the Chicago Blackhawks will sign one of their collegiate prospects to an entry-level deal. Relayed by Scott Powers of The Athletic, Blackhawks General Manager Kyle Davidson shared in the team’s end-of-season press availability that prospect Dominic James will likely pursue other options for his professional career and become an unrestricted free agent on August 15th.
Normally, a former sixth-round draft pick becoming a collegiate free agent wouldn’t be newsworthy. However, James has established himself as a particularly capable two-way winger in the NCAA, possessing a defensive and offensive maturity that NHL teams would be interested in.
Although last year was mired by injury, James scored 30 goals and 77 points in 111 contests for the University of Minnesota-Duluth over the past four campaigns. He’s unlikely to earn a full-time role in the NHL out of training camp next year, but cleaner paths toward the NHL should emerge for him this offseason.
Other notes from Chicago:
- Although he’s ineligible for unrestricted free agency for some time, the Blackhawks can sign Connor Bedard to a long-term extension on July 1st. It doesn’t sound like he’ll have any issues if that came to pass, as Ben Pope of The Chicago Sun-Times quoted Bedard saying, “I love it here, and I have a great relationship with Kyle and everyone… I know that I want to be here for a long time.” It wouldn’t be surprising, especially considering the past several years, to see a former first-overall selection sign an extension relatively quickly with the club that drafted him.
- After another disappointing campaign, it’s understandable that Chicago would want to explore different coaching options this summer. Still, that doesn’t mean interim head coach Anders Sörensen wants to leave the organization. Pope reported that Sörensen is open to taking another role within the organization. Before being named the team’s interim head coach on December 5th, he served as head coach for the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs since 2022-23.
- Despite being signed to a two-year, $6.6MM contract last summer, netminder Laurent Brossoit didn’t appear in a game for the Blackhawks this season due to injury. Still lacking clarity regarding the seriousness of his injury, Pope shared that Chicago was hopeful Brossoit “may” be healthy for next season, and could battle for a roster spot out of training camp. Regardless of Brossoit’s status, the Blackhawks already have their tandem for next year in Spencer Knight and Arvid Söderblom.
Blackhawks Sign Aidan Thompson
The Blackhawks have signed another one of their promising prospects. A couple of weeks after inking Oliver Moore and Sam Rinzel, they announced that they’ve signed forward Aidan Thompson to a two-year, entry-level contract. The deal begins next season and will carry a cap hit of $895K.
The 23-year-old was a third-round pick by Chicago back in 2022, going 90th overall after an impressive showing with USHL Lincoln where he had 82 points in 57 games, putting him fourth in league scoring. Thompson then made the jump to the University of Denver for the 2022-23 campaign and did well in his freshman year, notching 32 points in as many games with them.
Things didn’t go as well for Thompson from an individual standpoint last year. While Denver won the NCAA title, his output dipped slightly to 11 goals and 19 assists in 44 games, raising some question marks heading into this season. Those were certainly answered and then some, however, as Thompson finished the year with 21 goals and 34 assists in 44 games, good for not just second on the Pioneers in scoring but second in Division I overall. That performance was clearly enough for Chicago to get him to put pen to paper on his first professional contract.
While Thompson’s deal doesn’t start until next season, he should have a chance to make his pro debut in the coming days as he has inked a tryout agreement with AHL Rockford. The IceHogs have five games left in their regular season and are getting close to clinching the final playoff spot in the Central Division so Thompson should be able to get into the lineup with them in the near future.
Lightning Prospect Isaac Howard Wins Hobey Baker Award
Tampa Bay Lightning prospect and Michigan State University forward Isaac Howard has won the Hobey Baker Award as the top player in college hockey. He beat out University of Denver defenseman Zeev Buium (Minnesota Wild) and Boston College winger Ryan Leonard (Washington Capitals) for the award.
Howard was the motor behind a strong Spartans lineup this season. He led Michigan State in all scoring categories, with 52 points split evenly. His 26 goals were two times more than anyone else on the roster. Howard’s scoring also averaged out to 1.41 points-per-game, the most in the NCAA – though he ranks fifth in total scoring. It was a breakout performance for the 21-year-old junior. His offense boomed after he found his footing in Adam Nightingale’s offense with a transfer from the University of Minnnesota-Duluth last season. Howard scored 36 points in 36 games in his first season with the Spartans, more than double the 17 points in 35 games he scored in his freshman season with the Bulldogs. Howard’s dazzling scoring came on the back of tireless hockey. He seemed to dominate all open space north of his own blue-line with fleet-footed skating and a strong drive through opponents. He filled a utility-tool role for the Spartans – making gritty plays behind the net, strong passes from the perimeter, and took hard shots in the slot.
Michigan State had their season ended by Cornell University in the first round of the Men’s Ice Hockey Championship. It was another early end for the Spartans after they lost to rival University of Michigan in the quarterfinals last year. It seems Howard isn’t satisfied with the pair of missed chances at the NCAA’s Frozen Four. He’s announced he’ll return to college for his senior season after not coming to terms with the Lightning on an entry-level contract in the recent weeks. There seems to be a growing divide between the Lightning and Howard’s camp, with Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman even suggesting Howard could be traded before signing his first pro deal. The rift is believed to be in part because Howard’s NIL earnings exceed what he would make on a minor-league deal.
It’d be hard to envision Howard’s role in Michigan State changing at all next season. Instead it will be the Spartans’ focus to build around their engine, which will be helped along by the commitments of multiple top prospects. Defensemen Tyson Jugnauth (Seattle Kraken), Colin Ralph (St. Louis Blues), and Matthew Lahey (Toronto Maple Leafs) are all headed to East Lansing next season, as well as forwards Austin Baker (Detroit Red Wings) and Ryker Lee, a 2025 NHL Draft prospect. That influx in talent will inspire Michigan State’s push for their first Frozen Four appearance since their 2007 championship win.
Howard beats out fantastic competition in Leonard and Buium. Leonard has already played in five NHL games and scored his first professional goal. He was a force to be reckoned with at Boston College, serving as the power-checker and goal-scorer on a star-studded Eagles top-line. He scored 30 goals and 49 points in 37 games of his sophomore season, good for most on Boston College and 10th-most in all of college hockey.
Buium was arguably an even bigger impact to his team, as he unquestionably filled the role of star defender for the University of Denver. He amassed 48 points in 41 games this season, most among all collegiate defensemen. It was his second year earning that title, after he managed 50 points in 42 games as a freshman last year. Buium is expected by many to sign his NHL entry-level contract in the coming days, after Denver’s season was ended by Western Michigan University in the semifinals.
2025 College Free Agency Preview: Goaltenders And Defensemen
As is always the case at this time of year, we’ve seen an influx of collegiate signings in recent weeks which is likely to continue over the next little while. 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. Last month, Gabriel Foley took a closer look at the most prominent players from this year’s class. Meanwhile, we’re breaking down the rest of the class in two separate columns, one for forwards and one for the rest of the unsigned goaltenders and defensemen, the focus of this last piece.
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 have already signed or will sign NHL or AHL deals in the coming weeks.
Goalies
Matt Davis (Denver)
He took over as the starting goaltender last season and led the Pioneers to the NCAA title. This year, the 23-year-old put up even better numbers and Denver once again made it to the Frozen Four. While he’s smaller than teams like goalies nowadays (he stands 6’1), the recent track record of success in big games should garner him some interest in free agency.
Cameron Rowe (Western Michigan)
A two-year starter for the Broncos heading into this season, he wound up having to split time this year with Los Angeles prospect Hampton Slukynsky which probably won’t help his value. Still, the 23-year-old played quite well with a 2.00 GAA and a .924 SV% in his 17 outings while his 6’3 stature helps his appeal as well.
Alex Tracy (Minnesota State Mankato)
The lone goalie to land in the top ten in Hobey Baker voting, Tracy was the CCHA Goalie of the Year following a stellar performance that saw him put up a 1.42 GAA and a .946 SV% along with five shutouts in 38 games; his GAA and SV% led Division I. However, at 6’0, he’s on the smaller side and we’ve seen smaller Hobey Baker contenders have to settle for AHL contracts before. Tracy still has a year of eligibility left but his overall value hasn’t been this high before.
Defense
Boston Buckberger (Denver)
After an impressive freshman year, Buckberger showed that his output was no fluke as he landed in the top ten for scoring by a Division I blueliner. Still just 21, there is still plenty of developmental runway left which should appeal to NHL teams. However, at 5’11, he’s undersized but Buckberger has shown enough offensively while playing big minutes for a top team that he should be getting some inquiries about leaving with two years of eligibility left.
Frank Djurasevic (Maine)
The decision to transfer after his freshman year at Merrimack was a wise one as he went from a depth role there to a key one at Maine. He’s a bit of a later bloomer as he played three USHL seasons before going to college but after showing offensive upside at that level, he was in the top 20 for NCAA Division I defenders this season. A right-shot defender, he could get some interest now but staying in school for one more year might make more sense.
C.J. Foley (Dartmouth)
A lot of what was said about Buckberger could be said here. He’s an undersized but still-young (21) defender who took a step forward offensively this season with 30 points in 33 games. He’s only a year removed from being draft-eligible so it would be a bit surprising if he’s signed this spring but his play should have him on the radar after being a unanimous selection to the ECAC’s First-Team All-Conference.
Brandon Holt (Maine)
Holt was on the radar early in the year when he was averaging over a point per game through the first month of the season. However, he wasn’t able to sustain that over the back half of the season. That likely takes him off the NHL radar for now but with how strong his start was, you never know.
Jake Livanavage (North Dakota)
One of the youngest players on this list, Liavanage doesn’t turn 21 until next month and was draft-eligible last year. He had a very impressive freshman year last season but a 5’10 stature likely didn’t help his case. However, Liavanage flirted with the 30-point mark once again, showing that the strong start wasn’t the outlier. Like Foley, it would be a bit surprising if he signed so soon after being draft eligible but he should be on more radars now if nothing else.
Michael Mastrodomenico (Notre Dame)
If there’s such a thing as an ‘old 20’, Mastrodomenico might qualify. Turning 21 next weekend, he has already played three full college seasons and more than doubled his point total from a year ago. A right-shot defender, the more prudent move for him might be to play his senior season and then test the open market but if nothing else, he’ll be one to keep an eye on next spring.
Ben Robertson (Cornell)
There’s a theme for several players on this list – young and undersized. This is once again the case for Robertson who was passed up last year in the draft following a quality first NCAA season. This season, Robertson – who doesn’t turn 21 until September – played at a similar level. A quality playmaker in the USHL, he’d likely be better off staying in school for at least one more year and hope to take a step forward offensively before looking to sign. To that end, Mark Divver of the New England Hockey Journal suggests (Twitter link) that Notre Dame, Michigan, and Denver are among the schools interested in him.
College Notes: Boisvert, Perron, Conmy
After entering the transfer portal earlier this week, it appears that Blackhawks prospect Sacha Boisvert has found his next team. RDS reports that the 19-year-old will play at Boston University next season. Boisvert was the 18th-overall pick back in June and spent this season at the University of North Dakota where he led the team in scoring with 18 goals and 14 assists in 37 games. Boisvert becomes the second Chicago prospect committed to the Terriers for 2025-26 as Jack Pridham, a third-round pick from last year, will also suit up there next season.
Other college news involving NHL prospects:
- Hurricanes prospect Jayden Perron is expected to transfer to the University of Michigan next season, reports Elite Prospects’ Cam Robinson (Twitter link). The 20-year-old winger entered the portal late last month. A third-round pick back in 2023 (94th overall), Perron spent his first two college years at the University of North Dakota. After putting up 18 points in 38 games in his freshman year, Perron notched ten goals and nine assists in 31 outings this season, finishing seventh in team scoring.
- Kings prospect Ryan Conmy has entered the transfer portal, relays Mark Divver of the New England Hockey Journal (Twitter link). The 20-year-old was a sixth-round pick by Los Angeles in 2023, going 182nd overall. The winger’s first two seasons at the University of New Hampshire were solid, tallying 29 goals and 35 assists in 68 games, leading the team in scoring both seasons. He’ll now look to find a new school to play at and it will be interesting to see if he winds up with a program that can keep him on the top line or if he’ll look to play for a stronger team with more of a limited role.