With the NCAA Division 1 field now down to the teams headed to the Frozen Four in Boston April 7-9, NHL teams are opening up the checkbooks to sign drafted prospects and undrafted free agents.
Harvard center Nick Abruzzese, for example, opted out of his final years of college eligibility to sign with the Leafs, who took him in the fourth round in 2019.
There are also a multitude of graduating players and even a few with NCAA eligibility left who are expected to sign in the coming days, or in the case of Denver, Michigan, Minnesota and Minnesota State-Mankato, when their seasons end after next weekend. We’ll take a quick look at who has gone pro, and who might be close behind them/where they could be going.