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Bruins Sign Dans Locmelis To Entry-Level Contract

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The Bruins announced they’ve signed forward prospect Dans Locmelis to his entry-level deal. PuckPedia reports the three-year agreement, which starts next season, will pay him a $775K NHL salary, an $85K signing bonus, and an $82.5K minors salary each year for a cap hit of $860K.

Locmelis, 21, turns pro after Boston selected him in the fourth round of the 2022 draft. The 6’1″ center has spent the last two seasons in the area at UMass, where he totaled 15-32–47 in 70 games with a +23 rating. Twenty-five of those assists and 33 of those points came this season, ranking second on the team in the former category.

The Latvia native has had success for his country on the international stage, captaining their 2024 World Juniors team and posting five points in five games. He’s also suited up with the senior national team at the 2023 and 2024 World Championships, combining for 2-1–3 in 14 games and helped the country win its first bronze medal in Worlds history two years ago.

That résumé suggests more upside than what some public scouts have said to expect out of him. Scott Wheeler of The Athletic had Locmelis outside of his top 15 prospects in Boston’s nearly league-worst pool in January, although he did check in at No. 13 in the system in McKeen’s Hockey’s preseason rankings. His offensive breakout at UMass this year was a necessary step toward keeping his development on track toward having NHL upside, something Boston’s decided to reward with a contract and presumably a full-time role with AHL Providence next year. He’ll finish this year with Providence on a tryout.

Locmelis will be a restricted free agent in the summer of 2028. The B’s now have 23 contracts signed for next season.

Blackhawks Sign Taige Harding To Entry-Level Deal

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The Blackhawks announced they’ve agreed to terms with defenseman Taige Harding on a two-year entry-level contract for the 2025-26 and 2026-27 seasons. His contract carries a cap hit of $880K and breaks down as follows, per PuckPedia:

2025-26: $775K NHL salary, $92.5K signing bonus, $57.5K games played bonus, $80K minors salary
2026-27: $800K NHL salary, $92.5K signing bonus, $32.5K games played bonus, $80K minors salary

While Harding won’t be eligible to make his NHL debut until the fall, he’ll get his first taste of professional hockey down the stretch on a tryout with AHL Rockford, the team confirmed. The Scotland native and Canadian national lands a deal after four seasons with Providence College, which also saw 2024 first-round pick Trevor Connelly sign his entry-level contract with the Golden Knights today.

Harding was a third-round pick by Chicago in 2021 from the Fort McMurray Oil Barons of the Alberta Junior Hockey League. The monster 6’6″, 235-lb lefty jumped to the Friars midway through the following season. While his ability to box out opponents, given his size, is the foremost aspect of his upside, he’s a good outlet passer and has had his point totals reflect that in college. He totaled a respectable 8-32–40 scoring line through 123 games at Providence, boasting a +20 rating. This year, Harding recorded a career-high 46 PIMs and posted 2-12–14 in 37 games with a plus-nine mark.

The 23-year-old isn’t among the top 15 prospects in an exceedingly deep Blackhawks prospect pool, and Scott Wheeler of The Athletic wrote in February that he most likely tops out as AHL depth. Nonetheless, he’s got the tools to peak as a bottom-pairing presence for Chicago someday after a quietly stable run of play in college. He’ll be an RFA in 2027; he also becomes the 31st player under contract for the Hawks next year.

Senators Holding Out Brady Tkachuk With Upper-Body Injury

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The Senators are scratching captain Brady Tkachuk tonight against the Sabres due to an upper-body injury, per Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia. He’s been dealing with a nagging lower-body issue since the 4 Nations Face-Off that’s threatened his availability but sustained a new injury when he was hit away from the play by Penguins defenseman Ryan Graves late in the second period of Sunday’s game, head coach Travis Green confirmed to Claire Hanna of TSN. Winger Angus Crookshank has been brought back up from AHL Belleville under emergency conditions and will replace Tkachuk in the lineup, the team announced.

Tkachuk did return to the game after the collision with Graves, who was assessed an interference penalty on the play. His ice time remained somewhat conservative, though, skating 15:41 in an overtime loss. While Tkachuk’s averaged north of 18 minutes per game on the season, he’s hit that mark just once in his last 11 games.

There’s no timeline for his return, and there will be understandable anxiety in Ottawa until the team gives their next update on Tkachuk’s status. The team’s leader in goals (29 in 71 GP) is a must-have in the lineup ahead of the Senators’ overwhelming likely return to the postseason before even considering his off-ice importance and intangibles as one of the league’s most antagonizing power forwards. Since he was able to return to the Pittsburgh contest over the weekend, there’s likely hope for a day-to-day timeline compared to anything threatening his playoff availability with just two weeks left on the regular season schedule.

The absence should provide a brief reset for Tkachuk, who’d gone without a point in his last three games but has 8-3–11 in 15 appearances since returning from the 4 Nations break. He only has 55 points (29 G, 26 A) in 71 games overall on the season, though, his worst points-per-game rate since the abbreviated 2021 season. Historically a mediocre finisher, he’s shooting right around his career average of 9.7%. He continues to generate loads of shot attempts, leading the team with 500 with a 96-attempt lead over second-place Thomas Chabot.

Crookshank will slot in for his second appearance of the season and first since Feb. 26. The 25-year-old winger was on hand for the loss to the Pens but was scratched and returned to the B-Sens yesterday before being summoned again today. He has 2-1–3 in 14 career NHL games, all with Ottawa over the last two seasons. The 2018 fifth-rounder also has 22-18–40 in 60 AHL games this season, down from last year’s pace but still leading the team in goals.

Golden Knights Sign Trevor Connelly To Entry-Level Contract

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The Golden Knights announced they’ve signed top prospect Trevor Connelly to a three-year, entry-level contract. While Vegas didn’t announce it as such, PuckPedia confirms his deal doesn’t begin until the 2025-26 season, so he won’t be making his NHL debut down the stretch. The deal carries a cap hit of $975K and will pay him an annual salary of $877.5K if he’s in the NHL, along with a $97.5K signing bonus each season. He’s eligible for up to $750K in Schedule ’A’ performance bonuses in 2027-28, the final year of the contract.

Connelly, 19, was selected with the 19th overall pick in last year’s draft from the Tri-City Storm of the United States Hockey League. During his two years in the league, Connelly was among the best left-wingers in junior hockey, earning All-Rookie honors in 2022-23 and a Second All-Star Team nod in 2023-24. The 6’1″, 165-lb lefty led the USHL with 1.50 points per game last season (31-47–78 in 52 games).

Connelly committed to Providence College in 2023 and jumped to NCAA play after being drafted by Vegas. He dealt with a few injuries during his lone collegiate season, capping his availability for the Friars at 23 games. He was promising but far from dominant when he was in the lineup. He put up a scoring line of 4-9–13 with a -13 rating as Denver eliminated Providence in the regional semifinals of the national tournament last week. He was able to suit up for the United States at the midseason World Junior Championship, scoring 1-3–4 in seven games en route to a gold medal.

He’s still the clear-cut top prospect in a weak Vegas pool, especially after they traded 2020 first-rounder Brendan Brisson to the Rangers in the Reilly Smith deal last month. Scott Wheeler of The Athletic ranked him as the No. 37 prospect in the league in his midseason rankings, fifth-highest among left-wingers.

A playmaker first and foremost, Connelly has top-six potential and will likely factor in on a team’s top power-play unit someday. Whether that’s in Vegas remains to be seen. The franchise has traded all of its first-round picks since its inception in 2017, aside from Connelly. He’ll need to add some muscle before getting an NHL look, but he could get a trial with AHL Henderson to finish the season before reporting to Vegas’ training camp in the fall.

Capitals Re-Sign Spencer Smallman To Two-Year Deal

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The Capitals announced they’re keeping depth winger Spencer Smallman around for the next two seasons on a two-way deal. The contract will pay him an NHL salary of $775K and an AHL salary of $380K each season, signifying a slight raise over his current $350K minors salary.

Smallman, 28, has never played an NHL game, yet this will mark his sixth NHL contract. A fifth-round pick by the Hurricanes back in 2015, he signed his entry-level contract with Carolina two years later. He signed consecutive two-way deals after that to extend his stay in the Carolina organization to five years. However, he became a Group VI unrestricted free agent in 2022 and moved to the Avalanche on a two-year, two-way deal that offseason. After failing to land an NHL call-up again, he signed a two-way contract with Washington last summer.

Despite his name, the Prince Edward Island native is of good size, 6’1″ and 200 lbs. He can play both center and right-wing, and while his point totals have never really taken off in the minors, he has solidified himself as a solid top-nine presence after a few years of ECHL assignments to begin his career. His production has taken off somewhat in 2024-25, recording a career-high 9-24–33 scoring line in 55 games with AHL Hershey. He’d put up three straight 10-goal seasons entering this year but has yet to cross the 30-point mark in his professional career.

Smallman won a Calder Cup with the Chicago Wolves in 2022 and has 47-81–128 in 299 career AHL games. The chances of him making his NHL debut seem slimmer than ever – he’ll be 30 by the end of this deal – but he’s shown enough in the Capitals’ farm system this season for them to view him as a valuable depth piece to complement their younger prospects.

Red Wings’ Trey Augustine Remaining With Michigan State For 2025-26

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The Red Wings will need to wait to see goaltending prospect Trey Augustine suit up for them in the professional ranks. The 2023 second-round pick informed the team he intends to return to Michigan State for his junior season of college play, per Mike McMahon of College Hockey News.

Augustine, 20, would be many teams’ top goalie in their system. He’s not in Detroit, which also has 2021 first-rounder Sebastian Cossa on the way. The latter is the No. 5 prospect in the Wings’ pool, while Augustine ranks sixth, per Scott Wheeler of The Athletic. The Wings aren’t at risk of losing his signing rights until August 2027, so today’s news should be viewed more as Augustine’s desired development path rather than kicking the can down the road to free agency.

The 6’1″, 194-lb netminder has become a household name in the junior hockey world. He’s backstopped the United States in the last three World Junior Championships, winning a bronze and a pair of golds along the way. In their 2024 win, he led the tournament in GAA (1.75) and SV% (.936).

Mixed with a sparkling collegiate resume, it’s easy to see why optimism abounds about Augustine’s chances of being an NHL starter in a few years. As a freshman with the Spartans in 2023-24, he logged a 2.96 GAA, .915 SV%, three shutouts, and a 23-9-2 record in 35 games en route to winning both the Big Ten regular-season title and tournament championship while being named MVP of the latter. He also took home conference All-Rookie and Second All-Star Team honors.

Here in 2024-25, Augustine’s put up a repeat performance with even better stats. He led Michigan State back to a tournament championship and tied for the regular-season crown, putting up an improved 2.08 GAA and .924 SV% along the way. He made 30 appearances with a 19-7-4 record, although his Spartans were upset by Cornell in the regional semifinals of the national tournament.

Augustine remaining in school isn’t a huge concern for the Red Wings’ plans between the pipes in 2025-26. They have Petr Mrázek and Cam Talbot signed through next season to form their NHL tandem, with Cossa waiting in the wings as a high-end No. 3 option in case one of the veterans falters. 23-year-old Carter Gylander is their fourth goalie already signed for 2025-26. He’s having a good rookie season in the ECHL with Toledo and could be in line to serve as Cossa’s full-time backup in AHL Grand Rapids next season. They’ll likely be on the hunt for a cheap veteran name on the free agent market to stash in the minors, but there isn’t a gaping hole in the depth chart that Augustine would fill if he signed now.

Poll: Which College Signing Will Make The Biggest Impact In 2024-25?

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A contract signing frenzy has broken out across the NHL as the NCAA season draws to a close. Teams are in a mad dash to lock up their star prospects, or sign impactful free agents who slipped through the cracks of the draft. The range of outcomes for these fresh pro recruits will stretch across the hockey world. Some will finish their seasons on amateur try-out contracts in the minor leagues, while others have earned a proud AHL shot, and even more find themselves suddenly thrust into the NHL lineup. The group of signees is headlined by prospects with years of anticipation behind them, joining teams with important games left on the docket. Those big additions lead to the natural next question – which college signing will make the biggest impact through the remainder of the year?

University of Minnesota star Jimmy Snuggerud may be an easy top guess. The 20-year-old right-wing has joined a St. Louis Blues team in the midst of a nine-game win-streak that’s propelled them into a confident playoff spot. St. Louis’ success has come in no small part thanks to rookie Zachary Bolduc, who has 16 goals and 31 points in 65 games this season. He’s been backed by other thriving young forwards, like Dylan Holloway and Jake Neighbours. The Blues have leaned into their youth movement by promoting top AHL scorer Dalibor Dvorsky to the top flight, after he potted 20 goals and 43 points in 57 minor league games. Now, St. Louis also adds the snappy shot of Snuggerud after he managed a dazzling 24 goals and 51 points in 40 games of his junior season. Snuggerud doesn’t shy away from physicality and plays a cool, calm, and collected game that should blend well with a Blues offense that’s firing on all cylinders since the calendar turned over.

But St. Louis’ Central Division rivals have a pair of new faces who could find their way to a big splash. The Chicago Blackhawks may be well outside of postseason contention, but they’ve received their own injection of young potential by signing Snuggerud’s UMN teammates, centerman Oliver Moore and defenseman Sam Rinzel. Both players filled top-end roles for the Gophers this season, to dazzling results. Rinzel took home the Big Ten’s ’Defenseman of the Year’ honors this year, after recording 10 goals and 32 points in 40 games of his sophomore season. Moore just narrowly outscored him, potting 12 goals and 33 points in 38 games of his own. The pair have already made their NHL debuts – and while neither scored, they were both instantly noticeable amid a Blackhawks offense that’s slowed down as of late. Chicago is looking towards the future as the season draws to a close, and strong performances out of Moore or Rinzel could go a long way towards cementing their top-of-the-lineup role through next season. It seems Rinzel’s spot may already be locked up – after he recorded over 20 minutes of ice time and four shots on net in his debut.

There’s even more to watch from Gopher alums in the Central Division – with Matthew Wood inking a deal with the Nashville Predators after completing his junior year at UMN. Wood ranked second on the Gophers in scoring behind Snuggerud, with 17 goals and 39 points in 39 games this season. It was an impressive performance for the fresh-transfer – but perhaps even more impressive, it was Wood’s first time not leading his team in scoring since he made his junior hockey debut in the 2020-21 season. He’s a fierce shooter, with the heft and skating to push his way into space, even against top competition. He could quickly find a role on a Predators team that lost Mark Jankowski at the Trade Deadline – and one that’s in desperate need of a booming top prospect to spark hopes.

While the Gophers look to take control of the Central Division, the Metropolitan Division could soon be controlled by Eagles. Boston College stars Ryan Leonard and Gabe Perreault have inked their first pro deals, signing with the Washington Capitals and New York Rangers respectively. The duo are absolute top prospects who have spent the vast majority of the last four seasons playing on the same line. Leonard is a beefy sniper capable of driving down the boards with speed and getting the puck on net quick. Perreault is a bit more nimble – and uses a strong drive to overwhelm opponents on the forecheck and quick hands to beat them in his paths to the net. Both have done nothing but sparkle with their individual efforts, and seem fully capable of translating at least some of their upside to the NHL right away. Leonard will join the best team in the league, while Perreault will join a squad currently in tight contention for the Eastern Conference’s second Wild Card. Both roles should lead to major roles that could lead the top names to quick scoring.

Plenty of other signings across the hockey world could pay off sooner rather than later. Even if they don’t, the chance to watch top prospects finally donning their NHL jerseys is hard no to be excited over. Who do you think will make the biggest impact? Vote below:

For mobile users, click here to vote.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports.

Rangers Sign Callum Tung

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4/1: The New York Rangers have officially signed Tung to a three-year, entry-level contract. Tung will turn pro after just one season in college. Tung will report to the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack for the remainder of the season, per Peter Baugh of The Athletic.

3/31: Earlier today, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported that the Flames were interested in undrafted goaltender Callum Tung.  It turns out they weren’t the only team seeking his services as Friedman reports (Twitter links) that the Rangers are closing in on signing the netminder with an official announcement expected on Tuesday.

The 21-year-old took over as the starting goalie at UConn down the stretch, playing in their first ever tournament games in school history in recent days where he beat Quinnipiac and lost to Penn State.  On the season, he only suited up in 15 games, posting a 2.01 GAA and a .933 SV%.  That earned him a spot on the Hockey East All-Rookie Team.

That’s Tung’s only NCAA experience as he spent last season with Alberni Valley of the BCHL where he put up a 2.80 GAA and a .917 SV% in 38 regular season games while recording a 2.11 GAA and a .940 SV% in 18 postseason contests.  He seemed to be positioned to apprentice behind Florida prospect Tyler Muszelic for a year or two and then take over as the starter but Tung played his way into that role quicker than expected.

It’s rare for a goalie to make the jump after one college campaign, particularly one who played in fewer than half the games in that lone season.  Knowing that, there’s a bit more risk-reward at play for New York.  If this was just a late-season hot streak, New York will be committing three years largely based on that short stretch of games.  On the other hand, if Tung is a later bloomer, they could have an intriguing prospect on their hands.

While Igor Shesterkin is entrenched as the starter for the long haul after signing an eight-year extension earlier this season, New York’s future second-string option is more up for grabs.  Dylan Garand is the current favorite for that spot should the Rangers eventually promote from within once Jonathan Quick calls it a career.  They also have Hugo Ollas and Talyn Boyko under contract but they’re more long shots to contend for an NHL spot.  That should give Tung a chance to work his way up their depth chart over the next few seasons although that was the plan at the college level and he wound up beating that timeline well in advance.

Blackhawks Prospect Sacha Boisvert Enters Transfer Portal

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It has been a busy few days for some of Chicago’s first-round picks.  Over the weekend, the Blackhawks signed defenseman Sam Rinzel (a 2022 first-round pick) center Oliver Moore (a 2023 first-rounder) to entry-level contracts and gave them their NHL debuts on Sunday.  One of their first-round picks from 2024 will have a new team as well, just not at the professional level.

Scott Powers of The Athletic reports (Twitter link) that center Sacha Boisvert has entered the NCAA transfer portal.  After spending his freshman year at the University of North Dakota, he’ll be on the lookout for a new school to play for next season.

Boisvert was the 18th-overall selection last June following a solid second year with USHL Muskegon.  The 19-year-old recorded 36 goals and 32 assists in 61 games with the Lumberjacks last season which had him ranked in the 20s by most scouting services.  Clearly, Chicago felt a little stronger about his upside, selecting him with one of the top post-lottery picks.

On the surface, Boisvert’s decision to play elsewhere is a bit surprising.  He had a solid freshman year for the Fighting Hawks, tallying 18 goals and 14 assists in 37 games.  His 32 points led the team which is particularly notable among a group of skaters that featured 14 NHL draft picks.  Already getting a prominent role, he’ll look to find a better fit somewhere else in the coming weeks.

When he was drafted, Boisvert was viewed as a bit of a project selection who would need several years of college hockey before being ready to turn pro.  This news doesn’t accelerate that timeline, instead likely cementing it.  But after a strong first season of college, Boisvert seems to be on the right track development-wise, even if he’s setting out to chart a new path.

Minor Transactions: 3/31/25

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It has been quite a busy day on the transaction front, with plenty of college players signing their entry-level contracts.  Meanwhile, there have been some other moves involving NHL players and prospects.  We’ll quickly run through those here.

  • The Jets announced (Twitter link) that they’ve recalled center Jaret Anderson-Dolan and goaltender Chris Driedger from AHL Manitoba. Anderson-Dolan is up after Rasmus Kupari suffered a setback in his recovery from a concussion, while Driedger will cover for Eric Comrie, whose wife went into labor over the weekend.  This is Anderson-Dolan’s second recall of the season but he didn’t play in the first one.  He has 19 points in 51 games with the Moose this season.  Meanwhile, Driedger was acquired from Florida near the trade deadline, combining to make 25 appearances between their farm team and Manitoba, playing to a 3.03 GAA and a .877 SV%.
  • The Golden Knights have recalled goaltender Akira Schmid from AHL Henderson, relays Danny Webster of the Las Vegas Review-Journal (Twitter link). He’ll be covering for Ilya Samsonov for the time being who is day-to-day with an upper-body injury.  Schmid is in his first season with Vegas after being acquired at the draft but has played almost exclusively with the Silver Knights, posting a 3.58 GAA and a .886 SV% in 30 outings.
  • The Predators announced that they’ve reassigned wingers Hiroki Gojsic and Kalan Lind to AHL Milwaukee. Gojsic was a late third-round pick in June and has already signed his entry-level deal.  The 18-year-old had 20 goals and 17 assists in 61 games this season with WHL Kelowna but with the Rockets missing the playoffs, he’s eligible to be sent to the minors.  As for Lind, he wrapped up his major junior career with WHL Red Deer, tallying 12 goals and 15 assists in 37 games with the Rebels.  A 2023 second-round selection, Lind has also already signed his entry-level deal and since he’s 20, he’ll be turning pro full-time next season, an option that won’t be available to Gojsic.

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