The NCAA tournament has been set and those who aren\u2019t participating have seen their seasons come to an end.\u00a0 With that in mind, it\u2019s time to take a look at some of the free agents that could be drawing attention from NHL teams in the coming weeks.<\/p>\n
As always, note that not all of these players will sign entry-level contracts as some will ultimately elect to return to college for another season (or more) while quite a few others not on this list will be signing NHL or AHL deals in the coming weeks.<\/p>\n
Forwards<\/p>\n
Hank Cleaves<\/a> (Dartmouth) \u2013 Two years ago, Cleaves wasn\u2019t generating much attention in the BCHL.\u00a0 However, big centers tend to stand out and big centers who average well over a point per game in their sophomore year really catch the attention of the scouts.\u00a0 Given that he\u2019s still a sophomore, there\u2019s a legitimate chance that he stays for one more year.\u00a0 However, he should get considerable NHL interest and that might be enough to get him to make the jump.<\/p>\n Matthew DiMarsico<\/a> (Penn State) \u2013 Generally speaking, a lot of the players who sign in college free agency are likely to be role players and not necessarily core producers.\u00a0 Some will look for size, some for skill, and others will prioritize smarts.\u00a0 DiMarsico certainly checks the latter category and as a player in the top 20 in NCAA scoring this season as a junior, the skill is there as well.\u00a0 There\u2019s a high floor to work with which should appeal to some teams.<\/p>\n Josh Eernisse<\/a> (Western Michigan) \u2013 After being limited to just one goal in his junior year, Eernisse has hovered closer to the half-point-per-game mark.\u00a0 That\u2019s not why he\u2019s on this list, however.\u00a0 He\u2019s a big, physical winger with a responsible defensive game.\u00a0 That profile is one that would fit on some NHL fourth lines down the road.<\/p>\n T.J. Hughes<\/a> (Michigan) \u2013 A player who has been on this list before, there is no option for Hughes to stay in college any longer.\u00a0 He has been one of the more skilled players in the NCAA level in recent years and it has resulted in him averaging well over a point per game for two of the last three seasons.\u00a0 There\u2019s a question as to whether he can play an offensive role in the NHL but even if not, a productive AHL player would still be a worthwhile addition in free agency.<\/p>\n Aleksi Kivioja<\/a> (Providence) \u2013 This is more of a projectable signing than some of the others on this list.\u00a0 Kivioja hasn\u2019t been a top offensive producer even going back to his junior days in Finland.\u00a0 However, he has shown some strides this season with the Friars in that regard.\u00a0 He\u2019s also a physical six-foot-five center.\u00a0 His ceiling might not be too high but there should be teams that see his frame and style and think there\u2019s some fourth-line potential.\u00a0 Staying one more year and honing his offensive game is a viable option, however.<\/p>\n Jack Musa<\/a> (UMass) \u2013 Viewed as a strong playmaker, Musa has also shown some scoring potential over the last couple of seasons.\u00a0\u00a0 While he\u2019s on the smaller side, he\u2019s a strong enough skater and does well in transition which are elements that scouts will appreciate.\u00a0 He still has one more year of eligibility but after boosting his stock this season, making the jump now would make sense.\u00a0 Mark Divver of the New England Hockey Journal recently reported (Twitter link<\/a>) that Musa will decide very soon about turning pro or not.<\/p>\n Nathan Pilling<\/a> (St. Thomas) \u2013 More of a speculative add on this list, the ability to go from the CHL to the NCAA has worked well for Pilling.\u00a0 As a 21-year-old freshman, he put up 15 goals and 14 assists in 38 games this season, suggesting that his breakout final season with WHL Seattle wasn\u2019t a one-off.\u00a0 Given that he\u2019s a six-foot-four center who won over 53% of his draws this year, he should be on some radars now.\u00a0 Players don\u2019t often turn pro after one year of college but Pilling is a candidate to do so.<\/p>\n Ellis Rickwood<\/a> (North Dakota) \u2013 While his offensive production hasn\u2019t been quite as high compared to his final season at Clarkson, Rickwood has been a top performer on a team loaded with NHL prospects.\u00a0 He has a pro frame already with a reasonable two-way game and has won over 60% of his faceoffs this season.\u00a0 Rickwood isn\u2019t known as a strong skater, however, which could scare off some suitors but there\u2019s a fourth-line NHL profile if a team thinks they can improve that facet of his game.<\/p>\n Hayden Stavroff<\/a> (Dartmouth) \u2013 One of the youngest players in this group (he\u2019s only 21), Stavroff showed some offensive upside in the BCHL and had a decent freshman year.\u00a0 This season, all he did was lead all of Division I in goals with 29 in just 34 games, a number higher than his point total (22) a year ago.\u00a0 Some teams might want to wait to see if this type of performance is repeatable but it wouldn\u2019t be shocking if enough believe in his scoring ability to sign him now.<\/p>\n Jack Stockfish<\/a> (Holy Cross) \u2013 One of a few players on this list who also appeared on last year\u2019s version<\/a>, Stockfish ultimately decided to stay in school over turning pro last season.\u00a0 He didn\u2019t really boost or hurt his stock but the same elements that made him appealing a year ago are still there \u2013 he\u2019s big, a center, and has shown enough offensive upside to make him intriguing.<\/p>\n