With the NHL’s second season on the horizon, playoff-bound teams will look to augment their rosters through trades before the deadline. Another avenue these teams also will explore are college hockey & European free agents. Numerous names will be discussed in the coming weeks, several of whom already have become favored targets.
The player near the top of the heap is St. Cloud State University forward Tyson Gross. The 6’3,” 195 pound pivot has 41 points (18G 23A) in 34 games, and is a Hobey Baker Award nominee. Also, he is praised by coaches and teammates for his maturity both on and off the ice. At 23 years of age, he represents an attractive option for teams searching for a physically developed forward who can both score and defend.
Other high-end free agents on the NHL radar this spring are high-scoring wingers Vitaly Pinchuk (Dinamo Minsk in the KHL, 61 points in 58 games) and Bennett Schimek (Arizona State University, 43 points in 35 games); hulking right-winger Joshua Eernisse (University of Michigan, 6’3″ & 216 pounds) & do-it-all center Jack Stockfish (College of the Holy Cross, 31 points in 34 games).
More players certainly will be added to this list, so stay tuned.