2024 College/CHL/Euro Free Agents

[LGR4GM]

Quote

Projected Middle of the Lineup Player

1. Collin Graf, RW, Quinnipiac-ECAC

Graf was a major part of Quinnipiac’s NCAA title run last spring and has been a top player in the country again this season. He has a ton of offensive talent and has the potential to score in the NHL. He is a very skilled puckhandler who skates well and can create on the move like a pro. He sees the ice well, can run a power play with quick decisions, and has a good shot as well. His game can lack physicality at times and stick too much to the perimeter, which is my only concern about him, but I wouldn’t call him soft or a low-compete type. He is a player a lot of NHL teams will have interest in, and he could be a legit middle-six wing in the league. Last spring, the Red Wings were rumored to have gotten close to signing Graf before he decided to go back to school.

Projected to play NHL games

2. Maxim Tsyplakov, RW, Spartak-KHL

Tsyplakov is the main European free agent out there this season. The 25-year-old winger has been one of the better forwards in the KHL this season. He’s a big, powerful wing who plays a highly physical brand of hockey. He also has strong puck skills, offensive hockey sense and shooting ability. Inside the offensive zone, he is quite dangerous and can challenge goaltenders in several ways. Tsyplakov’s main issue comes down to his skating. He has a heavy stride that lacks NHL footspeed so the question will be: Is he just like a ton of other successful KHL players whose games can’t translate to the NHL, or does he have that something extra in him? I think because of how big and physical he is, he has a good chance to be an NHL player as a bottom-six wing.

3. Oscar Eklind, LW, Lulea-SHL

Eklind has developed well this season, becoming a top scorer for Lulea. He has an athletic toolkit of an NHL forward. He’s a 6-foot-4 winger who skates quite well for his size. He has a powerful frame, plays physically, and can bully his way to the net due to his strength and speed. Eklind has good hands and can finish plays. I don’t think he sees the ice at a super high level though. He has the makings of a potential bottom-six wing in the NHL.

4. Jacob Quillan, C, Quinnipiac-ECAC

Quillan was the MVP of the NCAA tournament last spring and has been a big part of a top Quinnipiac team again this year. He’s a strong skating center with good puck skills who can create offense with pace. His hockey sense is fine, good enough, to go with a strong compete level and ability to play both ways. At 6-0 without dynamic enough puck play, whether there’s enough to his game to be a real player is debatable, but he could be a very useful depth piece for an NHL organization.

5. Cooper Black, G, Dartmouth-ECAC

Black is a 6-foot-9 goalie, so his lower half is understandably sluggish getting around the net, but when you have a 6-foot-9 goalie who has some ability it’s still very intriguing. He reads the play quite well and is efficient moving around the net. He has the potential to be a legit backup goalie in the NHL if he can keep up with the pace of the higher levels.

Ostman, a 6-foot-4, 205-pound goalie from the University of Maine, will generate a lot of NHL interest. (Richard T Gagnon / Getty Images)

6. Victor Ostman, G, Maine-Hockey East

Ostman wasn’t as impressive this season as he was as a junior. He’s still a decent-sized goalie who is quite athletic and can make a lot of difficult stops. I felt his puck tracking and decisions weren’t great this year though, and he was a bit too chaotic in his crease. He has a lot of pro traits that could translate to success and there will be significant NHL interest despite a disappointing year.

Has a chance to play games

7. Samuel Mayer, LHD, Ottawa-OHL

Mayer has played well between Peterborough and the 67’s this season. He’s an athletic defenseman who may not have the strongest first few steps but has NHL footspeed in a 6-foot-3 frame. He plays hard and projects to be able to make stops and retrieve pucks versus men. The debate on Mayer will he his puck play. He doesn’t see the ice at a high level and whether the junior offense he’s shown translates is questionable, although I do think he has a pro-level point shot.

8. Christian Fitzgerald, C, Wisconsin-Big Ten

Fitzgerald came over to the Badgers with Mike Hastings from Mankato and had a strong sophomore season. He’s an excellent skater, with the quick twitch feet of an NHL player who will be able to gain the zone with the puck at the highest levels. He competes well and has a good amount of physicality in his play. Fitzgerald shows some skill, but I wouldn’t call him a natural scorer or playmaker, but more one with a direct style of play. His feet give him a chance even if the rest of his game doesn’t overly impress.

9. Drew Bavaro, RHD, Notre Dame-Big Ten

Bavaro has looked quite impressive in the Big Ten in the last two seasons. He’s a good-sized right-shot defenseman who unlike a lot of top free agents with size also skates quite well. He has the athleticism to play versus pros. His offensive touch is also decent. He has a strong point shot, it will just be about whether he can move pucks at higher levels. I think there’s just enough puck-moving skill to have a real shot to play NHL games.

10. Riese Gaber, RW, North Dakota-NCHC

Gaber has been a free-agent candidate for several years and this will be the spring he turns pro. Gaber is an excellent skater who competes hard and has a ton of energy in his game. He attacks with his skill and doesn’t shy away from going to the net. He has an excellent shot as well. He is quite small though and while talented, he doesn’t have the kind of tremendous sense you’d like in a guy that size. The rest of his game is good enough to give him a chance though to make it.

11. Jakub Rychlovsky, LW, Bili Tygri-Czechia

Rychlovsky scored at a high clip in the top Czech league and played games with their senior national team as well. The 22-year-old winger is a strong skater with good hands, offensive hockey sense and can finish from range. There’s a reasonable debate on how dynamic he is skill-wise for a 5-11 forward but he skates well enough to give himself a real chance to play games.

12. Dylan Wendt, RW, Western Michigan-NCHC

Wendt was quite productive for Western this season, scoring a lot of goals. He’s always been a talented player whose game took off this season. He skates well and handles the puck like a pro, and on his best shifts, he looks like an NHL prospect. His hockey sense isn’t the best, but he competes well enough and shows enough skill to be intriguing as a pro prospect.

13. Carter King, C, Denver-NCHC

King has emerged this season as a top player for a top team in Denver. King is a very good skating center who, while he isn’t overly physical, competes hard and is a two-way player. He has good skill and offensive sense and has shown he can make a lot of plays at the collegiate level. Whether he’s dynamic enough for an undersized forward to play in the NHL is a whole other question, but there are pro components in his game.

14. Joshua Eernisse, RW, Michigan-Big Ten

Eernisse’s pure numbers won’t get you overly excited, and this is not a forward who gets power play time at Michigan. But he is a big, fast, and highly competitive winger. He is very physical and brings it every night. Eernisse uses his feet and good enough skill to take pucks to the net and creates enough offense in a highly translatable way to the pro game.

15. John Prokop, LHD, Union-ECAC

Prokop has led Union in scoring as a sophomore. He was always seen as a talented player in junior, but his defense was awful and he was inconsistent. His defending has improved enough to be a potential sign candidate with a chance to be a solid pro. He’s a tall defender who skates well and has enough skill to be interesting at higher levels.

16. Daniil Gutik, RW, Admiral-KHL

Gutik is a bit of a blast from the past. I rated him as a potential first-rounder in the summer of his first draft season five years ago, and then he promptly went undrafted following major skating and compete concerns. Those still exist in his game, but he’s a big winger with a very high skill level who has found some success in the KHL. There is stuff about his game that will cause you headaches but he’s probably the most purely talented player on this list.

17. Ben Kraws, G, St. Lawrence-ECAC

Kraws is on his third college team in St. Lawrence after stops in Miami and Arizona State and has found success being one of the better goalies in the country this season. Kraws is a tall, athletic goaltender. He can make a lot of difficult saves. He’s aggressive and takes away a lot of net from shooters. I question his hockey sense a bit at times and find him out of position too much.

https://theathletic.com/5286868/2024/02/27/college-hockey-european-chl-free-agents/

 

[WhenWillItEnd66]

10 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

https://theathletic.com/5286868/2024/02/27/college-hockey-european-chl-free-agents/

 

Ty!! Just asked this in another thread

[msw2112]

Here's one I liked that could be a good fit for the Sabres' organization:

 

14. Joshua Eernisse, RW, Michigan-Big Ten

Eernisse’s pure numbers won’t get you overly excited, and this is not a forward who gets power play time at Michigan. But he is a big, fast, and highly competitive winger. He is very physical and brings it every night. Eernisse uses his feet and good enough skill to take pucks to the net and creates enough offense in a highly translatable way to the pro game.

 

I'm biased because I'm a Michigan fan, but I have watched their last 3 games and this guy stands out.  All of the things I bolded above are things that the Sabres need from their forwards.  And yes, I know that the Sabres have other big forwards (Thompson, Tuch, Cozens, etc.) but the Sabres' big players don't play big (while some of their smaller players like Clifton and Benson do).

Edited April 2 by msw2112

[WhenWillItEnd66]

This guy too....2. Maxim Tsyplakov, RW, Spartak-KHL

[WhenWillItEnd66]

Jacob Quillan, C, Quinnipiac-ECAC signed with the Leafs

[PerreaultForever]

Just the physical guys. No more small speedy playmakers, we have a cupboard full of them already. Maybe the big goalie. He could be an interesting project. 

[TheAud]

6'9" goalie named Cooper Black? That's a comic book character if I ever heard of one.

Never seen him play but I don't care...get 'er dun Adams.

[GoPuckYourself]

Any of the top 3 seem like decent adds, all are over 6', the Russian is a pretty physical player from what I'm reading (Tsyplikov) and I think we need more of that.

[LGR4GM]

If I were the Sabres, I would give Jax Dubois a look this summer. Physical 6'4" center that is AHL eligible and has the defensive game to become a 4th line center down the road. Would give the prospect pool another physical guy with size who could slot right into Rochester next year. Would be a bit of a project but all the guys are in this realm. 

[LGR4GM]

 

[mjd1001]

These guys are NHL prospects, but the undrafted free agent guys, I'm not as excited about as I used to be. 

Maybe some of them turned into star players that I do not remember, but in the past, the buildup of Jimmy Vesey, Will Butcher, and guys that fans were all over thinking they would be major difference makers....it just seems to me SOME of these guys might help around the fringe, but very few end up being difference makers as much as they are built up to be.

[LGR4GM]

8 minutes ago, mjd1001 said:

These guys are NHL prospects, but the undrafted free agent guys, I'm not as excited about as I used to be. 

Maybe some of them turned into star players that I do not remember, but in the past, the buildup of Jimmy Vesey, Will Butcher, and guys that fans were all over thinking they would be major difference makers....it just seems to me SOME of these guys might help around the fringe, but very few end up being difference makers as much as they are built up to be.

These guys are all basically to be viewed as at best, late 2nd round picks. Most of them should be considered in the value range of 3-5th round picks, meaning they won't make it for the most part. Just another talent pool and lottery ticket. 

[mjd1001]

8 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

These guys are all basically to be viewed as at best, late 2nd round picks. Most of them should be considered in the value range of 3-5th round picks, meaning they won't make it for the most part. Just another talent pool and lottery ticket. 

I don't even know if these things are done, and I'm sure this idea would have to be 'collectivly bargained with the union'...and of course the players wouldn't like it because these guys out of college want to sign with the team of their choice but....

for fans, a 'supplemental' draft would be fun. When the college season is over (or junior season, or both)...anyone who is a free agent, who is no longer draft eligible, is entered into a supplement draft. Teams pick in order like they do in the regular draft.  If you pick one of them with your first round pick, then you LOSE your first round pick in the upcoming draft. If you skip the first round (and everyone else does) and you think a guy is worthy of a 2nd round pick when it is your turn you can pick them in the 2nd round of the supplmental draft, but then you lose your 2nd round pick in the upcoming regular draft...and 3rd round, 4th round..etc.

Again, no-one would probably want that system except for the fans, but it WOULD get the fans excited to follow these guys and that draft...and certainly give fans something else to talk about.

[WhenWillItEnd66]

1 hour ago, LGR4GM said:

 

He had a lot of teams chasing him... interesting choice.  I think it is the play now....

[LGR4GM]

39 minutes ago, mjd1001 said:

I don't even know if these things are done, and I'm sure this idea would have to be 'collectivly bargained with the union'...and of course the players wouldn't like it because these guys out of college want to sign with the team of their choice but....

for fans, a 'supplemental' draft would be fun. When the college season is over (or junior season, or both)...anyone who is a free agent, who is no longer draft eligible, is entered into a supplement draft. Teams pick in order like they do in the regular draft.  If you pick one of them with your first round pick, then you LOSE your first round pick in the upcoming draft. If you skip the first round (and everyone else does) and you think a guy is worthy of a 2nd round pick when it is your turn you can pick them in the 2nd round of the supplmental draft, but then you lose your 2nd round pick in the upcoming regular draft...and 3rd round, 4th round..etc.

Again, no-one would probably want that system except for the fans, but it WOULD get the fans excited to follow these guys and that draft...and certainly give fans something else to talk about.

TBH, as a fan I absolutely hate this. Why should I lose my draft picks to sign a guy that wasn't worthy of a draft picks 3 years ago? 

[SwampD]

On 4/4/2024 at 2:02 PM, LGR4GM said:

TBH, as a fan I absolutely hate this. Why should I lose my draft picks to sign a guy that wasn't worthy of a draft picks 3 years ago? 

It would be a very short draft special on TSN. No team is competing with another team to try and acquire these guys. Vesey turned out to be a serviceable NHLer, but that is hardly high praise, and there are plenty of those guys out there.

[JohnC]

Just curious, what college free agent player became a really good player? 

[LabattBlue]

Just now, JohnC said:

Just curious, what college free agent player became a really good player? 

Adam Oates. 

[Flashsabre]

10 minutes ago, JohnC said:

Just curious, what college free agent player became a really good player? 

Marty St Louis. It’s like signing Euro free agents. Once in a blue moon you hit a grand slam like Panarin but for the most point you are hoping to get organizational depth, a player that can either be a solid AHL player or someone that can take a shift in the NHL. Anything above that is considered a really good signing.

A guy like Vesey that was super hyped has bounced around the league. He never became the star some thought but he has found a spot with the Rangers.

[TheAud]

15 minutes ago, JohnC said:

Just curious, what college free agent player became a really good player? 

Blake Wheeler, Dan Boyle

[tom webster]

22 minutes ago, TheAud said:

Blake Wheeler, Dan Boyle

Blake Wheeler was not the same as these guys. He was a first round draft choice who never signed.

[TheAud]

18 minutes ago, tom webster said:

Blake Wheeler was not the same as these guys. He was a first round draft choice who never signed.

Gotcha! Did not realize that. 

[tom webster]

1 hour ago, TheAud said:

Gotcha! Did not realize that. 

For that matter, Vesey was drafted as well. Guys who are drafted but don’t sign by their deadline, become free agents in August. These are just guys who were never drafted.

[Flashsabre]

4 minutes ago, tom webster said:

For that matter, Vesey was drafted as well. Guys who are drafted but don’t sign by their deadline, become free agents in August. These are just guys who were never drafted.

Yes good point. Adam Fox falls into the Vesey, Wheeler category as well.

 

Here is a list for those interested. I heard that Gretzky guy carved out a decent career😛. Some great names on the list. Some from overseas, some from college, some from juniors, some went to the WHA instead.

https://thehockeywriters.com/the-best-undrafted-players-in-nhl-history/

Edited April 6 by Flashsabre

[MISabresFan]

Sabers wont sign anyone and put anyone on the roster.  They think they are in the playoffs.