How nice would it have been to have had McCann as our 2LW this whole time. What an absolute terrible move.

I was expecting somewhere in the realm of 60-70 points from EK. As Mick said above... He probably would be giving you close to that had he played with Petts the whole year. The Pens had 39 goals and 30 against when EK and Petts were on the ice for 750 minutes.

EK and Graves had 7 goals and 12 against in 380 minutes. Graves sank every pairing he was on. Had they not tried to force Graves who was completely mis-evaluated by management into the top 4, EK would likely be providing around 10M IMO but it's tough when you're dragging around an anchor like Graves.

It's like having Jack Johnson all over again lol
- j.boyd919

True Graves puts them in a tough spot. Still not sure I'm completely satisfied because the PP is at least partially on him, but it's affected EK and Letang both playing with Graves.

Perhaps another top D helps, but can they afford to do that. And then it blocks off the left D when that's a prime spot to put a young, cheap contract like POJ or in the future Pickering.

Is POJ that guy? He's improving IMO, but he's not there yet. I'm a believer it takes 240-300 games for a defenseman to round into form usually and POJ won't hit that until 25-26 season. Ideally he's your 3 LD and gets his shot with injuries to play more.

True Graves puts them in a tough spot. Still not sure I'm completely satisfied because the PP is at least partially on him, but it's affected EK and Letang both playing with Graves.

Perhaps another top D helps, but can they afford to do that. And then it blocks off the left D when that's a prime spot to put a young, cheap contract like POJ or in the future Pickering.

Is POJ that guy? He's improving IMO, but he's not there yet. I'm a believer it takes 240-300 games for a defenseman to round into form usually and POJ won't hit that until 25-26 season. Ideally he's your 3 LD and gets his shot with injuries to play more.
- Tojo.

You can have TJ Brodie in the off season. A Dubas favourite

Kind of an interesting text from my buddy that’s a scout as well… “Just got told Graf made his decision and is signing today.”
He knows it isn’t our 2 teams that are signing him and maybe he’s just throwing info at me and he doesn’t know which team it is but usually he would do this if it involves the pens or who I work for… the team I work for is 100% out on him now so guess we will see.

How nice would it have been to have had McCann as our 2LW this whole time. What an absolute terrible move.
- 10inchTerror

Hey man couldn’t expose Malkin due feelings.

Interesting. I think the fit has been fine. He's a +5 at 5v5, which isn't far off from most 1D's unless your Boston. He's got the highest xGF on the D corp, has allowed Letang to focus more on D and less on driving offense. Sure there are PP issues but I don't really think he's a huge part of that problem. I think it's a lack of left wall threat + change in PP system. Players are a little responsible but there's 5 of them on the ice and I don't really see EK as the main issue on the PP.
- j.boyd919

I guess you just decided EK was great and nothing, not even him being really bad at important aspects of the game and PP can change that.

I guess you just decided EK was great and nothing, not even him being really bad at important aspects of the game and PP can change that.
- Grinder47

No.

True Graves puts them in a tough spot. Still not sure I'm completely satisfied because the PP is at least partially on him, but it's affected EK and Letang both playing with Graves.

Perhaps another top D helps, but can they afford to do that. And then it blocks off the left D when that's a prime spot to put a young, cheap contract like POJ or in the future Pickering.

Is POJ that guy? He's improving IMO, but he's not there yet. I'm a believer it takes 240-300 games for a defenseman to round into form usually and POJ won't hit that until 25-26 season. Ideally he's your 3 LD and gets his shot with injuries to play more.
- Tojo.

I’d definitely agree that the PP is partially on him; as well as Sid, Geno, Letang, etc. although I do think the PP still looks better when EK is on it vs Letang. It’d be nice if POJ can solidify that 2LD. I just feel like they’ll try to force Graves there again if he’s still on the roster next year. Pretty sure they’re stuck with graves unless they somehow dump him to like an Arizona who’s got like 3 people signed for next year lol

Pretty sure they’re stuck with graves unless they somehow dump him to like an Arizona who’s got like 3 people signed for next year lol
- j.boyd919

Holy crap, I just looked at the have exactly 0 NHL defenseman signed for next year (although 4 are RFAs) unless you count Shea Weber. Although I can't see why any NHL UFA would want to play for that team aside from the off-ice life.

Holy crap, I just looked at the have exactly 0 NHL defenseman signed for next year (although 4 are RFAs) unless you count Shea Weber. Although I can't see why any NHL UFA would want to play for that team aside from the off-ice life.
- jmatchett383

They also need a load of cap hit to get to the floor.....so, this is why they're my only hope for Graves being unloaded. He has a fair bit of term left and sizable hit to help get him to the floor.

They also need a load of cap hit to get to the floor.....so, this is why they're my only hope for Graves being unloaded. He has a fair bit of term left and sizable hit to help get him to the floor.
- MattStrat

That may be the only avenue they could explore that wouldn't cost them big-ticket assets or require an albatross coming back.

The biggest issue is that his deal, while somewhat front-loaded, carries a $2M signing bonus every year. That's not nothing for a budget team.

Kind of an interesting text from my buddy that’s a scout as well… “Just got told Graf made his decision and is signing today.”
He knows it isn’t our 2 teams that are signing him and maybe he’s just throwing info at me and he doesn’t know which team it is but usually he would do this if it involves the pens or who I work for… the team I work for is 100% out on him now so guess we will see.
- pens4life-66

What's the scoop with him? I don't follow college hockey at all.

That may be the only avenue they could explore that wouldn't cost them big-ticket assets or require an albatross coming back.

The biggest issue is that his deal, while somewhat front-loaded, carries a $2M signing bonus every year. That's not nothing for a budget team.
- jmatchett383

I did not know this. Thanks for crushing my hopes and dreams, Matchett

That may be the only avenue they could explore that wouldn't cost them big-ticket assets or require an albatross coming back.

The biggest issue is that his deal, while somewhat front-loaded, carries a $2M signing bonus every year. That's not nothing for a budget team.
- jmatchett383

If we traded Graves after paying the signing bonus this year, then whoever obtained him would only have to pay him $19.25M over 5 years, which is an average of $3.85M/year in real money with a cap hit of $4.5M. So, still the kind of contract ARI tends to like.

That said, Graves has a 12-team NTC and certainly ARI is on that list.

Kind of an interesting text from my buddy that’s a scout as well… “Just got told Graf made his decision and is signing today.”
He knows it isn’t our 2 teams that are signing him and maybe he’s just throwing info at me and he doesn’t know which team it is but usually he would do this if it involves the pens or who I work for… the team I work for is 100% out on him now so guess we will see.
- pens4life-66

I heard that the Pens were in on him -- and that almost every team in the league was also in. Perhaps Dubas convinced him to look at our lineup and see how he could easily earn a spot? (We can hope.)

Holy crap, I just looked at the have exactly 0 NHL defenseman signed for next year (although 4 are RFAs) unless you count Shea Weber. Although I can't see why any NHL UFA would want to play for that team aside from the off-ice life.
- jmatchett383

Exactly lol if there's anywhere to dump him, it's Arizona but it'll probably cost them heavily.

Kind of an interesting text from my buddy that’s a scout as well… “Just got told Graf made his decision and is signing today.”
He knows it isn’t our 2 teams that are signing him and maybe he’s just throwing info at me and he doesn’t know which team it is but usually he would do this if it involves the pens or who I work for… the team I work for is 100% out on him now so guess we will see.
- pens4life-66

We definitely need a college free agent signing or 2. I would be stoked if we signed Graf!

Graf would be huge. College free agents are free lottery tickets.

It comes down to what he wants. Rumor is that he wants to stay in the northeast region and the "frontrunners" based on the always reliable internet are the Penguins, Rangers, and Bruins. If he wants to win now, he'd obviously go to the Rangers/Bruins. But if he wants to compete for a spot now and have an easier path into the lineup, he'd come here.

His calculus could be maybe try to play with Sid and then cash in. I never get my hopes up until it happens.

What's the scoop with him? I don't follow college hockey at all.
- BeefCoon

I dont do any work with the college teams so I cant say I know anything about him or whats going on there. In our teams scouting of him it says hes NHL ready now and has lower end top 6 potential. Looks like he can play wing or C. Definitely the top college free agent by a lot. Looks like he can sign a 3 year deal being 21 and can burn a year this year if he plays. Cant play in playoffs for any team of course this season.

That may be the only avenue they could explore that wouldn't cost them big-ticket assets or require an albatross coming back.

The biggest issue is that his deal, while somewhat front-loaded, carries a $2M signing bonus every year. That's not nothing for a budget team.
- jmatchett383

They did take Michalek back in the day

Top Undrafted Free Agents In College Hockey:

Collin Graf, C/W, Quinnipiac
The top prize on the college free agent market, Graf is going to be pursued by plenty of NHL clubs as soon as his season is over. No player in NCAA hockey has scored more than Collin Graf over the last two seasons. He has 102 points over 68 games in his last two collegiate seasons, both with Quinnipiac after transferring from Union. A bit of a late bloomer physically and in his play, Graf is now a 21-year-old, 6-foot-1, 190-plus pound forward with high-level hockey sense, high-end vision and a proven ability to score.

Graf also has championship pedigree as a core piece of last year’s national championship team for the Bobcats. He was a Hobey Baker finalist and All-American and likely will earn both designations again this season.

On top of his on-ice prowess, Graf is still just 21 years old. There’s some developmental runway that teams are going to enjoy working with. Coming from the NCDC ranks right into college, he never really was in the mix to be drafted, but it’s impossible to ignore what Graf has accomplished over the last two years. Of the college free agents, he appears to have the best chance to become an NHL regular and could even grow into an impactful forward that provides scoring at the NHL level.

Jacob Quillan, C, Quinnipiac
A heart-and-soul player who can score, Quillan was the hero of last year’s national championship game, scoring the goal that gave Quinnipiac its first ever title. Quillan is an aggressive, quick player who fights for his offense, but also has the skill to finish. Quillan’s goal total is down this year, but his points are up with 38 points in 32 games. The Nova Scotia native just turned 22 and really seems to be elevating his game after his star turn last season.

Victor Ostman, G, Maine
Ostman had a lot of interest last season and opted to return to Maine. The Black Bears have been resurgent this season, but it seems to be in spite of sub-par goaltending. Ostman’s numbers have tanked a bit this season. Still, he’s a 6-foot-4 goaltender with good mechanics and 85 games of NCAA experience over the last four years. I’m not as concerned with Ostman’s dip in terms of teams still wanting to get him under NHL contract and work with him. He’s 23 and could benefit from time in either the ECHL and AHL to get himself back on track.

Riese Gaber, C, North Dakota
Gaber has a pristine reputation in hockey circles because of his work ethic, his approach and the fact that he can flat out play. Despite a 5-foot-8 frame, Gaber’s motor is always churning which makes him harder to play against. He’s noticeable in every game with his sparkplug style. On top of that, he has three straight seasons of 30 or more points at the collegiate level and two seasons of 50-point production in the USHL. There’s a track record there. At 24, he may find his options a little more limited than they may have been after his breakout sophomore season, but North Dakota’s captain had some unfinished business to take care of first and the Fighting Hawks are very much in the mix for the NCAA title.

Luke Krys, D, Providence
NHL teams were pursuing Krys last season after three strong years at Brown University. Krys opted to transfer to Providence in the offseason and get another year of high-level college hockey under his belt in Hockey East. He’s a 6-foot-2, right-shot blueliner who has good two-way capabilities. The 23-year-old should have at least a few teams at the ready with an NHL contract for him when Providence wraps their season.

Christian Fitzgerald, C, Wisconsin
I really liked Fitzgerald at Minnesota State last season. His offensive output has dipped significantly at Wisconsin, which leads me to believe he has at least another year in school in him before making the jump. That said, he plays a hard-nosed style and has that mix of compete and skill that can get him a contract and endear himself to his organization quickly. He’s just 21 and I think the market will strengthen for him with one more year and increased production in the NCAA. But I could also see an NHL team taking a look at his overall body of work and still wanting to get him under contract this spring.


Josh Eernisse, RW, Michigan
The numbers don’t jump out at you, but as a 6-foot-3, 200-plus pound forward with some jump, NHL teams can see a role and fit for Eernisse. It’s why some teams started approaching him about signing last year when he was at St. Thomas. The role he plays at Michigan could be the kind of fit at the next level as he’s probably more down-the-lineup muscle and more for matchups. Players that can fit a role have a lot of value and interest on the free agent market, especially when their frame matches that of “Big Ern.”

Jaxon Nelson, C, Minnesota
Teams had been on Nelson since his sophomore season at Minnesota. Now in his fifth year as a Gopher the market may have thinned a bit on Nelson. He’s a 6-foot-4 right-shot center, so I have a hard time seeing him not getting an NHL deal, but the offensive game hasn’t necessarily progressed for him in a way that suggests NHL upside. He has good enough defensive instincts, physicality and strength to be a disruptive player.

Dylan Wendt, RW, Western Michigan
A 23-year-old junior that is enjoying his best NCAA season, Wendt is garnering interest thanks in large part to his significant uptick in goals. The 6-foot-1 winger has 21 goals so far this season after posting 22 total points as a sophomore last season. Western Michigan has been a fairly reliable producer of NHL free agent talent over the last few years. In all likelihood, Wendt is a bit of a longer-shot prospect with a chance to provide scoring depth at the NHL level, but it's hard not to look at the explosive offense he's shown this year and not want to see what the next step he can take is.

Carter Wilkie, RW, RIT
A 6-foot-2, right-shot winger, Wilkie has been a most reliable source of offense for the Tigers over the last three seasons. The BCHL product has put up 30 or more points in each of his three NCAA seasons with RIT. The 23-year-old still has eligibility left and may yet finish things out, but if NHL teams are going to pounce, which is no guarantee at this point, this could be the year to make a move.

Liam McLinskey, C/W, Holy Cross
After a breakout run during the 2023 Atlantic Hockey playoffs, McLinskey turned heads with his size and offensive touch. A 6-foot-3 forward with some strength and soft hands for a bigger guy, McLinskey's breakout has continued into his junior campaign. A transfer from Quinnipiac, McLinskey has 40 points in 34 games with Holy Cross this season. He has points in each of his last 10 games, including goals in six of those games.

Ryan Bischel, G, Notre Dame
A reliable goaltender who has been the full-time starter for the Irish over each of the last two seasons amid a five-year NCAA career. Bischel may be more likely to find AHL contracts than an NHL deal, but the 24-year-old has displayed a level of consistency in a high-scoring Big Ten conference that is hard to find.

Jacob Bengtsson, D, Boston College
Despite a modest market for his services last year, Bengtsson opted to transfer from Lake Superior State to Boston College. His numbers have dipped, but he has played a solid two-way role for BC. He’s a 6-foot-3 blueliner that can defend and make the odd play. I think there may be more teams coming his way with AHL contracts at this point, but there’s some upside to explore there.

Top Undrafted Free Agents In College Hockey:

Collin Graf, C/W, Quinnipiac
The top prize on the college free agent market, Graf is going to be pursued by plenty of NHL clubs as soon as his season is over. No player in NCAA hockey has scored more than Collin Graf over the last two seasons. He has 102 points over 68 games in his last two collegiate seasons, both with Quinnipiac after transferring from Union. A bit of a late bloomer physically and in his play, Graf is now a 21-year-old, 6-foot-1, 190-plus pound forward with high-level hockey sense, high-end vision and a proven ability to score.

Graf also has championship pedigree as a core piece of last year’s national championship team for the Bobcats. He was a Hobey Baker finalist and All-American and likely will earn both designations again this season.

On top of his on-ice prowess, Graf is still just 21 years old. There’s some developmental runway that teams are going to enjoy working with. Coming from the NCDC ranks right into college, he never really was in the mix to be drafted, but it’s impossible to ignore what Graf has accomplished over the last two years. Of the college free agents, he appears to have the best chance to become an NHL regular and could even grow into an impactful forward that provides scoring at the NHL level.

Jacob Quillan, C, Quinnipiac
A heart-and-soul player who can score, Quillan was the hero of last year’s national championship game, scoring the goal that gave Quinnipiac its first ever title. Quillan is an aggressive, quick player who fights for his offense, but also has the skill to finish. Quillan’s goal total is down this year, but his points are up with 38 points in 32 games. The Nova Scotia native just turned 22 and really seems to be elevating his game after his star turn last season.

Victor Ostman, G, Maine
Ostman had a lot of interest last season and opted to return to Maine. The Black Bears have been resurgent this season, but it seems to be in spite of sub-par goaltending. Ostman’s numbers have tanked a bit this season. Still, he’s a 6-foot-4 goaltender with good mechanics and 85 games of NCAA experience over the last four years. I’m not as concerned with Ostman’s dip in terms of teams still wanting to get him under NHL contract and work with him. He’s 23 and could benefit from time in either the ECHL and AHL to get himself back on track.

Riese Gaber, C, North Dakota
Gaber has a pristine reputation in hockey circles because of his work ethic, his approach and the fact that he can flat out play. Despite a 5-foot-8 frame, Gaber’s motor is always churning which makes him harder to play against. He’s noticeable in every game with his sparkplug style. On top of that, he has three straight seasons of 30 or more points at the collegiate level and two seasons of 50-point production in the USHL. There’s a track record there. At 24, he may find his options a little more limited than they may have been after his breakout sophomore season, but North Dakota’s captain had some unfinished business to take care of first and the Fighting Hawks are very much in the mix for the NCAA title.

Luke Krys, D, Providence
NHL teams were pursuing Krys last season after three strong years at Brown University. Krys opted to transfer to Providence in the offseason and get another year of high-level college hockey under his belt in Hockey East. He’s a 6-foot-2, right-shot blueliner who has good two-way capabilities. The 23-year-old should have at least a few teams at the ready with an NHL contract for him when Providence wraps their season.

Christian Fitzgerald, C, Wisconsin
I really liked Fitzgerald at Minnesota State last season. His offensive output has dipped significantly at Wisconsin, which leads me to believe he has at least another year in school in him before making the jump. That said, he plays a hard-nosed style and has that mix of compete and skill that can get him a contract and endear himself to his organization quickly. He’s just 21 and I think the market will strengthen for him with one more year and increased production in the NCAA. But I could also see an NHL team taking a look at his overall body of work and still wanting to get him under contract this spring.


Josh Eernisse, RW, Michigan
The numbers don’t jump out at you, but as a 6-foot-3, 200-plus pound forward with some jump, NHL teams can see a role and fit for Eernisse. It’s why some teams started approaching him about signing last year when he was at St. Thomas. The role he plays at Michigan could be the kind of fit at the next level as he’s probably more down-the-lineup muscle and more for matchups. Players that can fit a role have a lot of value and interest on the free agent market, especially when their frame matches that of “Big Ern.”

Jaxon Nelson, C, Minnesota
Teams had been on Nelson since his sophomore season at Minnesota. Now in his fifth year as a Gopher the market may have thinned a bit on Nelson. He’s a 6-foot-4 right-shot center, so I have a hard time seeing him not getting an NHL deal, but the offensive game hasn’t necessarily progressed for him in a way that suggests NHL upside. He has good enough defensive instincts, physicality and strength to be a disruptive player.

Dylan Wendt, RW, Western Michigan
A 23-year-old junior that is enjoying his best NCAA season, Wendt is garnering interest thanks in large part to his significant uptick in goals. The 6-foot-1 winger has 21 goals so far this season after posting 22 total points as a sophomore last season. Western Michigan has been a fairly reliable producer of NHL free agent talent over the last few years. In all likelihood, Wendt is a bit of a longer-shot prospect with a chance to provide scoring depth at the NHL level, but it's hard not to look at the explosive offense he's shown this year and not want to see what the next step he can take is.

Carter Wilkie, RW, RIT
A 6-foot-2, right-shot winger, Wilkie has been a most reliable source of offense for the Tigers over the last three seasons. The BCHL product has put up 30 or more points in each of his three NCAA seasons with RIT. The 23-year-old still has eligibility left and may yet finish things out, but if NHL teams are going to pounce, which is no guarantee at this point, this could be the year to make a move.

Liam McLinskey, C/W, Holy Cross
After a breakout run during the 2023 Atlantic Hockey playoffs, McLinskey turned heads with his size and offensive touch. A 6-foot-3 forward with some strength and soft hands for a bigger guy, McLinskey's breakout has continued into his junior campaign. A transfer from Quinnipiac, McLinskey has 40 points in 34 games with Holy Cross this season. He has points in each of his last 10 games, including goals in six of those games.

Ryan Bischel, G, Notre Dame
A reliable goaltender who has been the full-time starter for the Irish over each of the last two seasons amid a five-year NCAA career. Bischel may be more likely to find AHL contracts than an NHL deal, but the 24-year-old has displayed a level of consistency in a high-scoring Big Ten conference that is hard to find.

Jacob Bengtsson, D, Boston College
Despite a modest market for his services last year, Bengtsson opted to transfer from Lake Superior State to Boston College. His numbers have dipped, but he has played a solid two-way role for BC. He’s a 6-foot-3 blueliner that can defend and make the odd play. I think there may be more teams coming his way with AHL contracts at this point, but there’s some upside to explore there.


- Barnaby36

Thanks for the info! I'm hoping we sign a few players.

Top Undrafted Free Agents In College Hockey:




- Barnaby36

Okay Dubas, just sign the two Quinnipiac buddies and call it a day.

EDIT: nevermind...Quillan is already drafted by the Leafs haha

Thanks for the info! I'm hoping we sign a few players.
- 123Kid

So many options. I think Pittsburgh is a desirable place for College players. Our coach is from College so that won't go unnoticed. The youth movement is comming, no doubt. We look much better now.

Jackson Blake named a finalist for the Hobey Baker.

Still can't believe you guys didn't get him OR Scott Morrow.