How important is the quest to find top undrafted free agents in college hockey? Many NHL organizations have scouts devoted solely to finding such players.
Former New Hampton and Kimball Union head coach and Brown assistant Mike Levine (Sandwich, Mass.) scouts college free agents for the Vegas Golden Knights. UNH alumnus and former Bentley and Brown assistant Mark White (Woburn, Mass.) does the same for the Winnipeg Jets. The Boston Bruins employ Scott Fitzgerald (Billerica, Mass.) to scout the college ranks.
Some of the region’s top undrafted free agents in recent years have included Union center Mike Vecchione (Saugus, Mass.), Northeastern left wing Zach-Aston Reese, and UMass Lowell defenseman Christian Folin. Vecchione is in the Philadelphia Flyers’ system with the organization’s AHL affiliate in Lehigh Valley. Folin is with the Flyers and Aston-Reese is now skating for the Pittsburgh Penguins.
This season, the top undrafted free agents in college hockey reside in the NCHC and WCHA. Headlining the group of coveted undrafted free agents in college hockey is St. Cloud State senior defenseman Jimmy Schuldt, who spurned several offers last spring to return to school.
Schuldt, hailing from Minnetonka, Minn., has long been on the radar of NHL scouts. He was a NCHC All-Rookie Team performer during his freshman season and has followed that up with three more stellar seasons.
This season he has seven goals and 13 assists in 24 games for the top-ranked Huskies. He has a booming shot and can make solid breakout passes leading to offense.
Schuldt, 23, played two seasons of junior hockey with the USHL’s Omaha Lancers before embarking on his collegiate career. He’s a three-time captain of SCSU and he exudes confidence and leadership characteristics.
St. Cloud played a pair of games in the Boston area earlier this season. The St. Louis Blues had three of the organization’s top brass in to watch his team’s game against Northeastern. They aren’t the only team who has been hot on his trail. Expect Schuldt to be scooped up immediately following the conclusion of St. Cloud’s season.
For a second consecutive season, there’s a defenseman on Minnesota State who NCAA scouts are keeping close tabs on. Last season it was Daniel Brickley, who is now in the Los Angeles Kings’ organization. Now, it’s Connor Mackey, 22, who attended the Buffalo Sabres Development Camp last summer.
The sophomore is a big left-shot defenseman who has quickly ascended the development ladder. He was still playing 18U hockey in 2014-15 before spending the next two seasons with the Green Bay Gamblers.
The Mavericks played a two-game series at Boston University last October, but did not come out this way this season. Mackey has three goals and 13 assists in 28 games for WCHA-leading Minnesota State.
A lesser known name that NHL scouts have been paying closer attention to is Bowling Green left wing Lukas Craggs. The 23-year-old sophomore has 13 goals on the season, making it two consecutive years where he has reached double-digit goal totals.
However, what really grabs your attention is his physical play. The Elmhurst, Ill., native has amassed 169 penalty minutes in 63 collegiate games with the Falcons.
Other free agents that are being scouted out west include Bemidji State senior defenseman Justin Baudry, Michigan State junior center Patrick Khodorenko, Michigan junior left wing Jake Slaker, Denver junior defenseman Michael Davies, Ohio State senior center Mason Jobst and teammate Gustaf Westlund, a freshman left wing who played prep hockey at Gunnery, and Miami senior defenseman Grant Hutton. Not all of these players will receive two-way NHL entry level contracts, but some could be signed to AHL deals.
There are two Atlantic Hockey players that could similarly be scooped up by NHL organizations following the season. Canisius senior center Dylan McLaughlin, a Hobey Baker Award finalist in 2017-18, will likely get an AHL deal. After putting up 48 points as a junior, the Lancaster, N.Y., native has 14 goals and 14 assists in 25 games this season for the Golden Griffins.
More of a wild card is Mercyhurst junior defenseman Joseph Duszak, who is reportedly being wooed by some major college programs as a potential graduate transfer for the 2019-20 season. He’s on the smaller side for a pro defenseman, but has 14 goals and 23 assists in 27 games this season. The Franklin Square, N.Y., native currently leads the NCAA in goals, assists and points scored by a defenseman.
Focusing back in on players in ECAC Hockey, there are a handful of players that could potentially sign a NHL or AHL deal in the next year or two.
Heading into the year, a lot of attention was paid to three seniors on Princeton, the defending ECAC Hockey Tournament champion. It’s been a disappointing season for the Tigers, a team that has fallen short of expectations with a 6-11-2 overall record.
Left wing Ryan Kuffner is probably the most intriguing pro prospect of the three. The Ottawa, Ontario, native leads the team with 13 goals and 13 assists in 26 games. While his skating isn’t quite as good as his linemate, right wing Max Veronneau, he plays a heavier game and can get to the dirty areas more effectively. Veronneau, also hailing from Ottawa, Ontario, was a Hobey Baker Award finalist as a junior. This season he has seven goals and 17 assists.
Josh Teves is an offensive defenseman who puts up gaudy numbers, but his game doesn’t translate to the NHL level. Expect him to receive an AHL deal at the conclusion of the Princeton season.
Quinnipiac, the highest rated ECAC Hockey team in the all-important Pairwise Rankings, has a few free agent prospects. The group is headlined by junior defenseman Brogan Rafferty, who fielded a few offers after last season. The Dundee, Ill., native is a mobile, two-way defenseman who skates well and can move pucks up ice.
Senior Brandon Fortunato, who played his first two seasons at Boston University, is an undersized defenseman who can quarterback a power play, join the rush, and move pucks up ice to create possession. However, with his lack of size, he will likely be limited to an AHL deal.
It’s still probably a few years away, but keep an eye on undersized center Odeen Tufto, a Chaska, Minn., native, who is in the midst of his sophomore campaign. He has 11 goals and 18 assists in 24 games, meaning he’ll likely finish over a point per game for a second straight season.
Clarkson junior center Nico Sturm is another potential target out of ECAC Hockey. His skating isn't necessarily bad, but he doesn't have that extra gear nor the skill to truly make it at the pro level. The native of Germany leads the Golden Knights in scoring with 12 goals and 17 assists in 24 games.
Finally, turning the attention to Hockey East, there are several players that NHL scouts are watching. Not surprisingly, given the success of the program this season, a few of those players reside in Amherst at the University of Massachusetts.
Sophomore right wing Mitchell Chaffee is tied for third nationally in goal scoring with 15. A rugged power forward who blossomed into a Division I player while with the Bloomington Thunder in the USHL, Chaffee’s game is continuing to evolve.
A lot of his goals are scored between the circles and around the net. He has a hard shot, but more importantly, he’ll go to the greasy areas where he uses his size and strength to fight for positioning and win battles. A native of Rockford, Mich., he can play in all situations and he’s heavy on pucks. A ’98, he’s in his first year of free agent eligibility after being discussed as a potential draft pick heading into last year’s draft.
While Cale Makar rightfully earns most of the individual praise, the team’s leading scorer is left wing Jacob Pritchard, a graduate transfer from St. Lawrence. Including his time at SLU, he’s scored 39 collegiate goals, 12 of them coming this season. He’s a big winger who uses his size to win battles along the wall and he’s hungry around the net. He has a hard shot and likes to shoot from anywhere.
Providence leading scorer, junior center Josh Wilkins is a player who has been on the radar for a few seasons now. He has nine goals and 19 assists in 24 games. From Raleigh, N.C., Wilkins skates well, hunts pucks, and can rip it.
Another Friar whose name continues to emerge when discussing college free agents is junior defenseman Spenser Young, a Brentwood, N.H., native. He’s on the smaller side for a pro defenseman, but he plays incredibly tough and he’s a competitor. After attending New York Islanders Development Camp last summer, his game has taken off. He has six goals and 10 assists in 26 games. He can skate pucks out of trouble and is a threat to move pucks in transition.
UMass Lowell junior defenseman Mattias Goransson is a big, two-way defenseman who had a terrific freshman campaign. He had somewhat of a sophomore slump while the entire River Hawks team struggled. He’s back to form this season and could garner some interest.
Lastly, Maine sophomore defenseman Brady Keeper is a player some scouts like. He does a tremendous job of getting shots through from the point and he’s a weapon on the power play. However, his defensive game isn’t anywhere near solid enough to play in the NHL, even as a roving defenseman, unless he becomes more dynamic.
