Boston College sophomore Mike Hardman will forgo his final two years of collegiate eligibility to sign a two-year NHL entry-level contract with the Chicago Blackhawks. Hardman was an undrafted free agent, attracting attention from numerous NHL clubs. He narrowed down his decision in part by weighing which organizations would let him play with the parent team right away.
Hardman, from Hanover, Mass., scored 10 goals and nine assists in 24 games with the Eagles this past season. That followed a 12-goal, 13-assist performance in 34 games as a freshman in 2019-20.
The ’99 left wing is a big power forward whose hard work helped him exceed expectations as a prospect. Hardman played high school hockey at Xaverian and prep school at Winchendon. He originally committed to Union in 2017 while at Winchendon.
He spent the 2017-18 season with the Des Moines Buccaneers in the USHL before spending his final season of junior hockey in 2018-19 with the West Kelowna Warriors in the BCHL. It was in January while with West Kelowna that he committed to the Eagles.
There was never any doubting Hardman’s size and compete. He’s always been heavy on pucks, but his skating has come a long way, especially over the past 18 months. Hardman will burn a year off his entry-level contract by joining the Blackhawks immediately.
Hardman’s signing likely is not the last this offseason for Jerry York’s program. Sophomores Alex Newhook, Matt Boldy, Spencer Knight and Drew Helleson are all threats to leave early. Junior captain Marc McLaughlin, slated to attend the Bruins development camp this summer, also could sign as a free agent.
There are a lot of questions surrounding Knight’s future. He has some leverage with Florida and could return to school. There is some thought that the Panthers, the organization that drafted him 13th overall in the 2019 draft, could trade him at the deadline. If that happens, expect the Darien, Conn., native to bolt.
Newhook and Helleson are both Colorado Avalanche prospects. The Avs have a lot of organizational depth on the blue line, making Helleson’s signing less likely. It’s assumed that both the Avalanche and Newhook will want to ink a deal.
Regarding Boldy, he probably could still afford to spend another season in college hockey to bulk up further. However, his hockey sense is elite and pro ready. The Hobey Baker Award finalist likely will leave school early as well.
Hardman isn’t the only Hockey East player to sign an NHL contract over the past couple of days. Boston University senior defenseman David Farrance and Quinnipiac junior defenseman Peter Diliberatore joined Hardman on the list of New England college hockey players to sign pro deals following the season.
Farrance, a Hobey Baker Award finalist, signed a two-year, entry-level contract with the Nashville Predators, the organization that drafted him in the third round of the 2017 NHL draft. A ’99 from Victor, N.Y., Farrance had a mediocre first two seasons with the Terriers before busting out as a junior.
In 2019-20, Farrance recorded 14 goals and 29 assists for 43 points in 34 games. It marked a 23-point increase in his production compared to the previous season. As a senior in 2020-21, Farrance posted five goals and 11 assists for 16 points in 11 games.
At the pro level, Farrance projects as a power-play specialist who likely will be a sixth defenseman. He’s a high-risk, high-reward offensive defenseman.
Diliberatore, an ’00 from Halifax, Nova Scotia, had three great seasons at Quinnipiac. He signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Vegas Golden Knights. He had been pegged by Vegas in the sixth round of the 2018 draft out of Salisbury School.
Diliberatore scored six goals and 14 assists in 29 games. For his college career, he finished with 15 goals and 45 assists for 60 points in 101 games. Diliberatore is a smooth-skating, poised puck mover.
Outside of Hockey East and ECAC Hockey, Notre Dame forward Alex Steeves, a player with local roots, signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Steeves, a ’99 from Bedford, N.H., played youth hockey for the New Hampshire Junior Monarchs before heading to Iowa for junior hockey, where he played for the USHL’s Dubuque Fighting Saints.
Steeves showed steady progress in his three seasons with the Fighting Irish. After scoring seven goals and two assists as a freshman, he posted 11 and 15 tallies as a sophomore and junior, respectively. This season, he added 17 assists to finish with 32 points in 29 games. It was the first time during his college career that he surpassed a point per game.
