2019 College UFAs

[Brawndo]

It’s getting close to the time when College UFAs begin to sign with NHL Teams 

Here is a list of the Top Ten per SBN 

https://www.sbncollegehockey.com/2019/3/7/18194739/2019-top-ncaa-nhl-free-agents

 

 

 

[inkman]

4 hours ago, Brawndo said:

It’s getting close to the time when College UFAs begin to sign with NHL Teams 

Here is a list of the Top Ten per SBN 

https://www.sbncollegehockey.com/2019/3/7/18194739/2019-top-ncaa-nhl-free-agents

 

 

 

Wouldn't be surprised if the Penn State kid gets a shot with the Sabres. Nepotism *****. 

[inkman]

11 minutes ago, Let's Go B-Lo said:

Limoges doesn't really do anything for me. I have seen him in person 7 or 8 times.  Meh.  Mason Jobst on the other hand...

I've seen Verroneau as well and liked him.

They ain't signing the Penn State kid cuz he's good at hockey

[Broken Ankles]

I’ll take any of them, as they are all clearly superior to Gilbert, Rick, Danny et al.  ?

[GASabresIUFAN]

Can any of them score?

[MakeSabresGrr8Again]

1 hour ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Can any of them score?

Pretty sure I saw one of them scoring at a bar in State College PA.

[Tondas]

5 hours ago, Broken Ankles said:

I’ll take any of them, as they are all clearly superior to Gilbert, Rick, Danny et al.  ?

Well played, Sir.

[PerreaultForever]

Sign the goalies. We need more goalie prospects in the system. I have zero faith in Ullmark becoming a good #1 and we only have the young Finnish kid as a solid future prospect. They might need time, but goalies are weird and sometimes have odd development timelines.

[thewookie1]

2 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

Sign the goalies. We need more goalie prospects in the system. I have zero faith in Ullmark becoming a good #1 and we only have the young Finnish kid as a solid future prospect. They might need time, but goalies are weird and sometimes have odd development timelines.

I'd sign a goalie and a winger to add reinforcements to both Rochester and potentially Buffalo. 

[Weave]

6 hours ago, MakeSabresGrr8Again said:

Pretty sure I saw one of them scoring at a bar in State College PA.

Hey Ohhh!

[GASabresIUFAN]

Finally looked over the list.  A goalie wouldn’t surprise me.  I like the descriptions of Sturm and Kuffner.  We need good two way forwards (Sturm) and finish (Kuffner).  Kuffner would be my priority.

[Weave]

Is that Marco Sturm’s kid?

Gawd, I’m old.

[Rasmus_]

1 hour ago, Weave said:

Is that Marco Sturm’s kid?

Gawd, I’m old.

No relation to Marco Sturm, sadly.  That would only increase my interest!   I don't see Cale Morris on here, has he been a disappointment this year?  Veronneau, and Schuldt would be interesting to anyone's system. 

[OhMyDahlin]

Where is Johnny Walker from ASU? Kid is a natural goal-scorer. I'd love to pick him up. He's 2nd in the NCAA in goals, right behind Diego Cuglietta.

Josh Teves, the defenseman from Princeton, is another one.

And Erik Brown from RIT would be good depth for Rochester in the playoffs if they could get him to sign an AHL deal. (46 goals in his last 70 games.)

The Sabres should try to get a goal-scorer and a goalie, at the very least.

[rakish]

9 hours ago, Weave said:

Is that Marco Sturm’s kid?

Gawd, I’m old.

Eliteprospects.com is pretty good at family relations. There is none mentioned between Marco and Nico. Marco would have been less than 17 at Nico's birth.

[Huckleberry]

https://www.nhl.com/news/ncaa-hockey-free-agents-scouting-reports/c-305599162

[LGR4GM]

I like Kuffner and would love to add him. We need a shooter like him on the wing. 

Without knowing much about Schuldt, I would add him if possible. 3 year captain, solid defender, has some scoring ability. 

Nico also interests me as a possible upgrade on Larsson or even potentially someone who could slot into that 3rd line center spot that Sobotka keeps getting stuffed in.

I like the Quinnipiac goalie. 

[LGR4GM]

We have 46 pro contracts so we could add 4. If we get 2, I would be ecstatic. 

[shrader]

14 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

We have 46 pro contracts so we could add 4. If we get 2, I would be ecstatic. 

Does this include the two exempt guys currently in juniors?  I guess I've never actually considered what happens to the roster size if they're given a shot in the AHL at the end of the season.  I'd assume they'd give them ATOs so that they stay off of the 50 man roster.

[Crusader1969]

Kielly was at the Sabres Prospect Camp last year:

Jake Kielly, G, Clarkson

The 6-foot-2, 201-pound junior leads the NCAA with 22 wins in 34 games (22-10-2) and has a 1.92 goals-against average, five shutouts and .928 save percentage. He earned ECAC Hockey goaltender of the week honors three times this season. 

The 22-year-old is a candidate for the Hobey Baker Award and is on the watchlist for the Mike Richter Award, given to the top NCAA goalie.

 

[Brawndo]

From Pronman and the Athletic. Here are his Top 35 from College, CHL and European UFAs 

For me, the top three prospects have the best chance to be full-time NHL players and are my top tier. One already signed.

1. Tye Felhaber, LW, Ottawa-OHL

Aug. 5, 1998 | six-foot | 190 pounds

When Felhaber initially started lighting up scoresheets like nobody else in the CHL this season, I was skeptical. I always saw him as a highly skilled, yet small forward without a ton of speed.

However, Felhaber added a step to his skating this season, leading to him becoming one of the top scorers in major junior. He’s not the most technically smooth in that area, but he has speed to skate with pros. Despite his incredible goal totals this season, I wouldn’t call him a pure sniper, but he has a good shot to go along with great hands and intelligence, and he competes. Felhaber signed with Dallas.

2. Nico Sturm, C, Clarkson-ECAC

May 3, 1995 | 6-foot-3 | 207 pounds

Sturm is a player who could project to the NHL as a fourth-line center due to the fact he’s 6-foot-3, skates well for a big man and has decent offensive tools. He’s by no means a playmaker, but he moves the puck well and has decent hands in tight.

Sturm competes hard, gets to the net consistently and can kill penalties. He’s been one of the best players in the ECAC this season and I could see a quick transition in how he plays to the pro level.

3. Oula Palve, C, TPS-Liiga

Feb. 19, 1992 | six-foot | 176 pounds

I watched a lot of TPS this season due to that being Kaapo Kakko’s club team, so I had a lot of opportunity to see what Palve can do as one of the top players in Liiga. He’s a high-end playmaker who will be able to move pucks and make plays at the NHL level. He’s an average skater who is fine but not great off the puck, so the question for NHL teams is will Palve be a player you slot lower in your lineup. He’s 27, so I enter his NHL projection with skepticism, but I do see tools that can translate to the top level.

4. Andrew Shortridge, G, Quinnipiac-ECAC

April 26, 1995 | 6-foot-4 | 185 pounds

Shortridge was dominant in the ECAC this season. He immediately makes an argument that he projects to the pro level because of his big frame and high-end athleticism. He can make the tough saves to steal a game:

His decision making and positional play give me cause for concern at time, and there may be an adjustment period when he hits the pros and mistakes are exploited more often, but I like his upside.

5. Peter Abbandonato, C, Rouyn-Noranda-QMJHL

March 25, 1998 | 5-foot-11 | 192 pounds

Abbandonato was an important part of one of the best teams in the CHL. He’s a very smart puck-mover who can run a power play with his vision and skill. He skates fine, but for a smaller guy Abbandonato lacks a real dangerous gear. He’s probably an AHLer, but with his hockey sense I wouldn’t write him off from playing games at some point.

6. Oliwer Kaski, D, Pelicans-Liiga

Sept. 4, 1998 | 6-foot-3 | 187 pounds

Kaski is a 6-foot-3 defenseman who skates and moves the puck well for a big guy, and has a hard shot. He has value on the power play. He’s been one of the best defensemen in Liiga this season. I don’t think his skill is high-end, nor do I think he’s that good a defender or all that physical, which may limit his value if he goes to a tougher level.

7. Mat Robson, G, Univ. of Minnesota-Big 10

March 26, 1996 | 6-foot-3 | 196 pounds

Robson was excellent for the Gophers for the past two seasons. He’s listed at 6-foot-3 but arguably looks bigger in net with how well he plays his angles. He’s not that athletic, but he moves fine and doesn’t have much extra movement in his game. He’s subtle and squares up a lot of pucks due to his very good hockey sense. He has pro attributes that should translate right away.

8. Justin Brazeau, RW, North Bay-OHL

Feb. 2, 1998 | 6-foot-6 | 225 pounds

Brazeau is a 6-foot-6 winger with a good skill level and very good offensive IQ. At the junior level he showed the ability to create offense and to get to the hard areas. And he was so tough to contain once he was in the offensive zone. What will keep him from the NHL is his skatingm which is very far removed from being NHL caliber. With his size and skill he doesn’t need to get it to NHL average, but he does need to get to at least AHL average.

9. Jimmy Huntington, C, Rimouski-QMJHL

Nov. 18, 1998 | 6-foot-1 | 194 pounds

Huntington played well with Alexis Lafreniere this season but created offense without the help of the elite prospect. Huntington’s got very good hockey sense, he makes plays and he skates fine. He was pretty good around the net and scored a lot of goals in the tough areas. He signed with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

10. Connor Mackey, D, Minnesota State-WCHA

Sept. 12, 1996 | 6-foot-2 | 183 pounds

Mackey is a solid two-way defenseman. He’s a 6-foot-2 defenseman who moves the puck and is mobile. Mackey jumps up into plays quite often, creating offense with his feet. His skill level is just OK. I don’t see him producing that much offense as a pro, but he’s a big, hard defender who can transition the puck at the pro level.

11. Joakim Nygard, LW, Farjestad-SHL

Jan. 8, 1993 | six-foot | 193 pounds

Nygard is an older player at age 26, but he’s got good skill and speed, and competes well. There are some scouts who don’t see him as a real prospect, but some teams gave him attention, and folks in Sweden think he has the right skill set to produce offense in North America.

12. Taro Hirose, LW, Michigan State University-Big 10

June 30, 1996 | 5-foot-10 | 161 pounds

Hirose is the top scorer in college hockey this season. He’s a skilled forward with great hockey sense who moves the puck creatively and can run a power play. He’s not that big, though, and his skating is very average, which might limit him at the next level.

13. Max Veronneau, RW, Princeton-ECAC

Dec. 12, 1995 | six-foot | 181 pounds

Veronneau opened eyes last season with his play in the ECAC. This season wasn’t as productive, but NHL teams are still very interested. What stands out about Veronneau is his skating; he can lead a rush at the NHL level with his speed. My concern is, outside his speed, there isn’t much that screams NHL caliber. He can kill penalties, but he’s slight and not physical. His skill is average, but he does see the ice well. The Kings are believed to be the favorite to sign Veronneau.

14. Ilya Mikheyev, RW, Omsk-KHL

Oct. 10, 1994 | 6-foot-2 | 194 pounds

Mikheyev is intriguing because he’s a 6-foot-2, strong winger who can get to the net and score goals. He skates fine and has some skill, but I don’t love his puck game or vision as plus attributes. He’ll compete, score a few for you and had a great season in the KHL with an expiring contract; but for the NHL he’s a bottom of the lineup type, if that.

15. Ryan Kuffner, LW, Princeton-ECAC

June 12, 1996 | 6-foot-1 | 194 pounds

Kuffner, like Veronneau, saw his counting numbers take a step back this season. He’s a goal-scorer who can snipe from a distance and has good hockey sense. For me his talent level isn’t all that amazing. He has some skill and speed, but his pace isn’t always the best. I see some offense translating but I don’t see him as a driver at the pro level.

16. Vasili Demchenko, G, Traktor-KHL

March 16, 1994 | 6-foot-2 | 165 pounds

Demchenko put up great numbers in the KHL the past few seasons. He has some qualities that could translate to the NHL. He’s 6-foot-2, he moves well, he has good hockey sense, he reads shooters effectively and he plays aggressively. Nothing about his game wows me. He can have a little extra movement in his crease, but his technical base is fine.

17. Otto Leskinen, D, KalPa-Liiga

Feb. 6, 1997 | 5-foot-11 | 187 pounds

I like the way Leskinen plays the game. He’s quick and skilled, able to push the pace and lead a rush. He can run a power play with his skill and vision. He’s not dynamic but he has traits that could translate to North America. My concerns with him are his size and he’s not all that strong of a defender.

18. Tristan Langan, C, Moose Jaw-WHL

Oct. 15, 1998 | six-foot | 205 pounds

Langan was a part of one of the best lines in the WHL this season. He’s got good skill and hockey sense, but I wouldn’t call him a pure skill guy. Rather Langan plays the hard minutes. He scores a lot of goals around the net and can kill penalties. I don’t think he’s slow but for a smaller forward his skating doesn’t stand out.

19. Kevin Hancock, LW, London-OHL

March 2, 1998 | 5-foot-11 | 181 pounds

Hancock was good for Owen Sound and London this season. He’s smart and skilled with the puck. He flashes top-end skill, but not consistently. I like his shot and compete level, as well. He’s not the biggest guy, and while not slow, his speed is only average.

20. Alex Limoges, C, Penn State-Big 10

Sept. 16, 1997 | 6-foot-1 | 201 pounds

Limoges had a huge season on one of the best lines in the NCAA. He’s a very smart offensive player who can make plays, is creative with his distributions and gets to the net. With his size and puck game, Limoges looks like a player with a chance, however he has a wonky skating stride that may limit his potential and doesn’t have a ton of pace in his game.

21. Alexander Yelesin, D, Yaroslav-KHL

Feb. 7, 1996 | 5-foot-11 | 192 pounds

Yelesin is a solid two-way defenseman. He’s not dynamic but he skates well, can move the puck well and has some value on the power play. He’s not the biggest guy but he plays hard and doesn’t mind engaging in the physical aspects of the game.

22. Grant Hutton, D, Univ. of Miami (Ohio)-NCHC

July 25, 1995 | 6-foot-3 | 205 pounds

Hutton is an interesting prospect because he’s a 6-foot-3 defenseman who skates well for a big man and has a cannon of a shot. He can help a pro power play with his trigger man abilities. His puck game is so-so. His hands and vision are not his selling point, but his feet allow him to bring pucks up the ice and dish it off to someone off an entry.

23. Joseph Cecconi, D, Univ. of Michigan-Big 10 (Dallas draft pick)

May 23, 1997 | 6-foot-2 | 209 pounds

Cecconi shouldered the load for Michigan the past two seasons alongside top prospect Quinn Hughes. He moves well for a 6-foot-2 defenseman and has good vision with the puck. He can project to make stops versus men, but scouts question if he will have any offense at the higher levels.

24. Arttu Ruotsalainen, LW, Ilves-Liiga

Oct. 29, 1997 | 5-foot-8 | 181 pounds

Ruotsalainen is one of the better forwards in Finland as a 21-year-old and fared fine at the international men’s level, which is intriguing. He has talent, and he’s quick, skilled and smart. The question for me for the NHL is whether his skill level is dynamic enough. He has flashes but is not consistent for me, and I don’t see him breaking a game open, which is tough to make an NHL bet at for a 5-foot-8 forward.

25. Chase Priskie, D, Quinnipiac-ECAC (Washington draft pick)

March 19, 1996 | six-foot | 192 pounds

Priskie was one of the top defensemen in the ECAC this past season. He’s a skilled defender who moves the puck well and could man a power play at the pro level. Priskie joins attacks a lot and plays like a fifth forward at times. I do have questions about how his average pace and defensive play will translate to the higher levels.

26. Lukas Bengtsson, D, Linkoping-SHL

April 14, 1994 | 5-foot-10 | 172 pounds

In talking to some scouts Bengtsson’s name was thrown around as a potential return to North America. He previously was with the Penguins organization. I see some merit. He’s a skilled puck-mover with a decent shot who can help a power play, and his defense showed some improvements. However, I have my doubts. He’s looked a little slower from when I watched him earlier, he’s not that big and he’s had a rough history with his health.

27. Jakob Lilja, LW, Djurgarden-SHL

July 23, 1993 | six-foot | 194 pounds

Lilja is a smart forward who competes well and has decent speed. He makes plays in hard areas, but overall I don’t see much skill in his game nor any real projectable offense to the NHL level.

28. Jimmy Schuldt, D, St. Cloud State-NCHC

May 11, 1995 | 6-foot-1 | 205 pounds

Schuldt was the top defenseman on the top team in the nation. I like his hockey sense and he has some two-way value. While he has some speed and skill, his game is a bit vanilla for the NHL, though

29. Anton Wedin, LW, Timra-SHL

March 1, 1993 | 5-foot-11 | 194 pounds

I talked to some Swedish scouts who pumped Wedin’s tires. I’m somewhat skeptical of a now breaking out 26-year-old who is small with average feet. But I do appreciate his skill and hockey sense.

30. Dakota Joshua, LW, Ohio State University-Big 10 (Toronto draft pick)

May 15, 1996 | 6-foot-2 | 198 pounds

Joshua is a 6-foot-3 forward with skill, which made him interesting for years. He hasn’t produced much in college, though, with scouts citing concerns over his sense and compete level.

31. Josh Teves, D, Princeton-ECAC

Feb. 18, 1995 | six-foot | 170 pounds

Teves is a mobile defenseman with good hockey sense and vision, but for an average sized defender, nothing about his skill set really stands out and I have questions about how much offense he’ll produce as a pro.

32. Samuel Asselin, C, Halifax-QMJHL

July 1, 1998 | 5-foot-10 | 185 pounds

Asselin has good hockey sense, skates fine and competes hard, but is small and his skill level is very average.

33. Reese Johnson, RW, Red Deer-WHL

July 10, 1998 | 6-foot-1 | 198 pounds

Johnson didn’t kill it in the WHL for an overage player, but he’s got more skill than his stat line would suggest. He’s got slippery puck skills, good instincts and skates OK with a good compete level and shot. I don’t see any aspect of his game that truly jumps out at you. Johnson signed with Chicago.

34. Colton Poolman, D, Univ. of North Dakota-NCHC

Dec. 18, 1995 | 6-foot-1 | 194 pounds

Poolman, the younger brother of Jets defenseman Tucker Poolman, has good hockey sense and moves rather well, but I don’t see him making many plays with the puck at the pro level.

35. Lukas Craggs, C, Bowling Green State University-WCHA

May 16, 1996 | six-foot | 196 pounds

Craggs plays a hard style of game with a lot of energy. He makes some plays but his speed and skill are just OK. I don’t see him producing much offense at the pro level.

(Top photo of Nico Sturm: Kevin Abele/Icon Sportswire via Getty

[LGR4GM]

3 hours ago, shrader said:

Does this include the two exempt guys currently in juniors?  I guess I've never actually considered what happens to the roster size if they're given a shot in the AHL at the end of the season.  I'd assume they'd give them ATOs so that they stay off of the 50 man roster.

Usually they get a standard ELC that burns year 1 of their deal immediately, gives them an incentive to leave college. Not sure about the exempt guys and the #of pro contracts. 

[LGR4GM]

3 hours ago, Crusader1969 said:

Kielly was at the Sabres Prospect Camp last year:

Jake Kielly, G, Clarkson

The 6-foot-2, 201-pound junior leads the NCAA with 22 wins in 34 games (22-10-2) and has a 1.92 goals-against average, five shutouts and .928 save percentage. He earned ECAC Hockey goaltender of the week honors three times this season. 

The 22-year-old is a candidate for the Hobey Baker Award and is on the watchlist for the Mike Richter Award, given to the top NCAA goalie.

 

I think we need to add someone to really compete with Lukkonen next year. 

[shrader]

5 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Usually they get a standard ELC that burns year 1 of their deal immediately, gives them an incentive to leave college. Not sure about the exempt guys and the #of pro contracts. 

Burning a year off the contract is typically more for the underclassmen.  These college UFAs, most of the time, are already old enough where burning off a year doesn't actually change anything.

My ATO question was specific to the currently exempt guys.  I'd imagine that if guys like that are called up to the AHL, they do it on ATOs so that the team can retain their roster flexibility.  A roster of 46 vs. 48 really can change your immediate plans significantly.

[Scottysabres]

On 3/8/2019 at 8:27 PM, Let's Go B-Lo said:

Limoges doesn't really do anything for me. I have seen him in person 7 or 8 times.  Meh.  Mason Jobst on the other hand...

I've seen Verroneau as well and liked him.

 

On 3/9/2019 at 10:51 AM, GASabresIUFAN said:

Finally looked over the list.  A goalie wouldn’t surprise me.  I like the descriptions of Sturm and Kuffner.  We need good two way forwards (Sturm) and finish (Kuffner).  Kuffner would be my priority.

The 2 bolded are linemates no?

If so, stick Casey at center.

Edited March 11, 2019 by Scottysabres