It didn’t take long after the Frozen Four ended with Denver University capturing the school’s ninth national title for a large group of college players to turn pro. Two of the biggest names out there, Matt Beniers (Hingham, Mass.) and Ben Meyers, wasted no time in making their presence felt on their new NHL teams.
Beniers played a lot of minutes and registered an assist in his first NHL contest against the Calgary Flames on April 12. He followed up four nights later with his first NHL goal and more than 18 minutes of ice time in the Seattle Kraken’s 4-3 shootout win. The Hingham native led the Michigan Wolverines in scoring as a sophomore after being the second overall selection in 2021, and also participated in the 2022 World Jr. Championship (canceled after just one game played by Team USA) and the Winter Olympics. Watch for him to make it an IIHF hat trick to play for the David Quinn-coached U.S. Men’s World Championship team next month, with Seattle being out of the playoffs.
The hottest undrafted free agent on the open market, Meyers had his pick of myriad NHL suitors, and chose to sign with the powerhouse Colorado Avalanche. He scored in his first NHL game against the Carolina Hurricanes.
Here we'll track some of the other recent signings, plus look at some big NCAA names who will return to school but are expected to turn pro in 2023.
High expectations
Michigan's Owen Power went first overall last July to the Buffalo Sabres before Beniers followed him as the first draft pick in Seattle franchise history.
There was some speculation at the time that Power and Beniers might be enticed to sign and join their respective NHL clubs right away, but both returned to school for one more shot at the national championship after Michigan had been disqualified in 2021 due to a COVID outbreak before the NCAA tournament. Once Michigan went down in overtime in the Frozen Four semifinal this month against the eventual champion Pioneers, it didn’t take long for both to come to terms with the teams that took them 1-2 in the last draft.
Beniers signed a three-year entry-level contract (ELC) with a $897,500 annual cap hit on April 10. The 6-foot-2, 175-pound centerman has made the flashier splash in the early going, showing off some elusive skill with the puck and exciting Kraken fans in the process. He hasn’t disappointed, and you can see right away that he can be a core piece of that franchise. He scored his second goal of the year in his third NHL game, a 4-2 win over Ottawa Monday night. Although the numbers may not be up at the top of the NHL scoring ledger from season to season, his all-around game, intelligence and high work ethic mean that he’ll earn every opportunity to succeed and be a key building block in Seattle. With 25 total draft picks in 2022 and 2023, GM Ron Francis has built an impressive war chest, and the cavalry is coming, eventually.
Power was the first of the Michigan players to sign, agreeing to a three-year ELC on April 8, which accounts for $916,667 per year on the Sabres’ cap. The 6-foot-6, 214-pounder has one assist in his first four NHL games, and lives up to his last name. He is such a fluid, powerful skater for his size and has the makings of a two-way stalwart for more than a decade as Buffalo tries to rebuild its organization in the wake of the Jack Eichel trade earlier this season.
The rich get richer as Avalanche come away with top free agent
Meyers was a total package of skill, effort and a winning pedigree, making him a top NHL target after Minnesota fell to in-state rival Minnesota State on April 7.
Colorado won the bidding, inking him to a two-year ELC (by virtue of his 23-year-old signing age) with a $912,500 cap hit. That first year tolled on the deal once he skated in his first game against Carolina, meaning he will be a restricted free agent in summer 2023. Meyers, by virtue of signing after the NHL’s March 21 trade deadline, is not eligible to play for the Avalanche after the regular season ends, but will be a key depth cog in the machine in 2022-23.
The Avalanche are built to win now and in the foreseeable future, and with just one third-round pick in the first four rounds of the 2022 draft, are no doubt banking on Meyers to give them the infusion of youthful talent they need to stay on or near the top of the Western Conference.
Meyers attended Boston Bruins development camp, and a source said the B's were one of several teams in on him before he opted for the Rocky Mountains.
https://twitter.com/Avalanche/status/1515513518392549385?s=20&t=seZOXFVD967H-WNzVstRYg
AHL contracts that could become NHL deals next year
Several undrafted, productive NCAA players signed pro deals on AHL tryouts, which typically allows NHL teams to hold off on allocating a contract right away.
Western Michigan and Minnesota State forwards Ethen Frank and Julian Napravnik signed with the Hershey Bears and have made their pro debuts. Frank, a native of Nebraska, led the NCAA with 26 goals. He’s got average size and isn’t an explosive skater, but has a natural nose for the net with a rapid release. He has one goal in three AHL games, and should hook on with the Capitals at some point given his intriguing potential.
German forward Napravnik finished fourth in NCAA scoring (tied with Bobby Trivigno of UMass with 49 points), and has a big body with a pro-style game.
The Providence Bruins got into the act, getting Nebraska-Omaha forward Joey Abate and Ohio State defenseman Grant Gabriele to AHL agreements. Abate is an intriguing player who made a splash with the Mavericks two years ago as a freshman, generating some NHL attention. However, his ice time and production tailed off and he might be the kind of prospect whose hard, heavy style could lead to an eventual contract offer from the Big Bruins along the lines of what Connor Clifton was able to do in 2018.
2023 NCAA signings watch
High-end NHL prospects Luke Hughes (New Jersey Devils) and Matthew Knies (Toronto Maple Leafs) opted to return to Michigan and Minnesota, respectively. News also came out of Ohio last week that Boston Bruins prospect and 2020 second-round defenseman Mason Lohrei will play another year at Ohio State. Watch for all three to be in the immediate wave of signings next spring whenever their respective seasons end.
Lohrei, 21, is a big and mobile left-shot defender whose offensive game and upside is far ahead of his defensive acumen right now, but looks like a prescient selection by the Bruins who went well off the board to grab him at No. 58 in his second year of eligibility. Though the pick generated some controversy at the time, Lohrei went on to win USHL Defenseman of the Year honors in 2021, and was a member of the Big Ten's All-Freshman team after 29 points in 31 games this year.
The Bruins were impressed enough with the Wisconsin native that they convinced his Russian teammate and leading scorer Georgii Merkulov to sign a three-year ELC. Had Merkulov gone back to school for another year, he might have been on the level of Meyers in terms of NHL interest after his 20-goal freshman season, as he was one of just 15 players in the nation to hit that benchmark in 2021-22. Merkulov will likely spend most of next season in the AHL with the Providence Bruins, but don’t be surprised if he earns some NHL games at some point with his pure skill and shooting mindset.
One undrafted defenseman who had NHL signing interest but opted to return to Cornell for his senior season is Michigan native Travis Mitchell. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound left-shooter was another attendee at Bruins development camp, and is rangy skater with a tall, lean frame. He still needs to get stronger and keep adding muscle mass, but has the potential to be an effective middle-of-the-roster two-way defenseman in time. He won’t likely run an NHL power play, but could log a lot of minutes, chip in offensively and kill penalties. He tallied three goals and 16 points in 32 games as a junior with the Big Red.
Forward Owen Sillinger transferred from Bemidji State for Arizona State after a 17-goal, 38-point season for the Beavers. The older brother of Columbus Blue Jackets forward Cole Sillinger should make a potent Sun Devils offense even more dangerous, and he’ll be another undrafted free agent to keep an eye on a year from now.
