By: Neil Simmons | Follow me on Twitter / X: @NSimmz
Conference tournament season in college hockey is a hectic time of year. Between the upsets, cinderella runs, and awards race, NHL teams are waiting in the wings to make their last additions to a Stanley Cup run. Many college players, like Chris Kreider or Cale Makar, turn pro right after their season ends to sign with the NHL teams that drafted them and immediately become key contributors. But teams aren’t restricted to just signing their draft picks, and there’s a deep pool of undrafted players who also garner pro interest and make the jump.
For some college players, March and April are their time to be the belle of the ball as undrafted free agents. As soon as the final horn sounds on their college careers, they field dozens of calls and contract offers, having the liberty to pick where they sign.
Other guys already have some connection in the NHL, whether they attended a development camp somewhere or have a friend or coach on a specific team that may draw their interest. Then, there’s the diamonds in the rough. Guys who aren’t the most prominent names on their team, don’t play at big schools, or don’t play a flashy game but still have plenty to offer and shouldn’t be overlooked.
There are dozens of these guys turning pro every year, and many names get thrown around or lost in the shuffle. With that in mind, here’s a list of ten current or upcoming college hockey free agents, broken up into three categories, that the Bruins should target this spring:
Everyone Will Want Them:
T. J. Hughes (C) – Michigan – Hughes will be one of the most, if not the most, coveted college free agents this spring. He hasn’t received much attention until now due to the volume of first-round NHL talent in Michigan over the past few seasons, taking top-line minutes and overshadowing his production, but he has taken full advantage of the #1 Center role this season. The junior center has a team-leading 15-23-38 stat line in 36 games for the Wolverines this season and 47-75-122 in 116 career games, including a pair of appearances in the Frozen Four.
Hughes excels in driving offense with speed and punishing teams off the rush, an area where the Bruins sorely lack on their roster, even with the deadline additions injecting extra pace into the lineup. He previously attended the Tampa Bay Lightning Development Camp, and the presence of former Michigan teammate Dylan Duke in their organization could sway Hughes’ decision. However, that shouldn’t prevent the Boston front office from throwing their hat in the ring to compete for his signature.
Quinn Hutson (RW) – Boston University – The hockey world is already well acquainted with Hutson’s brothers Lane and Cole, especially after their breakouts with the Montreal Canadiens and the US World Junior team, respectively, but middle-brother Quinn is making a name for himself as well. Quinn is having a breakout year with the Terriers, posting a 20-26-46 stat line on the top line of one of the nation’s most prolific scoring teams.
Hutson has been a dominant force in the offensive zone, both in creating chances and finishing them, and he doesn’t cheat on defense to do so. Quinn is the only Hutson brother who was not selected in the NHL Draft and attended the Toronto Maple Leafs Development Camp last summer, and it should be in the Bruins’ best interest to make sure he doesn’t stray too far from Comm Ave once he turns pro.
Albin Boija (G) – Maine – Boija spent his freshman season as the backup goaltender for Maine as the Black Bears burst back onto the national scene and made the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2012. This year, he has seized full ownership of the net, and Maine has been a top-ranked team because of him. Maine’s 7-1 Hockey East Quarterfinal win over UMass-Lowell raised Boija’s record to 21-7-6, with a .930 Save % and a 1.75 Goals Against Average (GAA) in 34 starts, all among the top figures in the nation.
Boija was previously named a Richter Award semifinalist as the top goaltender in college hockey and is expected to be a finalist. The most impressive part about Boija’s production is that he does so behind a much less heralded defense and less goal support than his peers like Jacob Fowler or Trey Augustine. Should Boston anticipate organizational turnover at the goaltending position this summer, Boija should be high on the list of prospects to add to the pipeline, especially when he can make saves like this:
Already Linked To The B’s:
Jake Schmaltz (C) – North Dakota – Including Schmaltz on this list is admittedly cheating a little, as he is an active Bruins draft pick and not technically a free agent. However, as a graduating senior, Boston’s draft rights will expire should they not sign Schmaltz within 30 days after he leaves school. Schmaltz possesses limited offensive upside, with a career total of 20-43-63 in 146 games with North Dakota. His value comes as a bottom-six defensive specialist and a faceoff ace. Schmaltz has won at least 52% of draws in three of his four seasons in Grand Forks.
Ty Gallagher (D) – Colorado College – Gallagher is another Bruins draft pick at risk of expiring shortly, and it would be in their best interest to re-sign. The senior blueliner transferred to Colorado College after three years at Boston University and is having a major bounce-back season in Colorado Springs. Gallagher has been the top defenseman for the Tigers all season long, routinely playing the most minutes of any skater on the team, and his 9-17-26 stat line represents career highs in both goals and points after recording just five points and failing to find the back of the net for BU in ‘23-’24.
The Bruins organization has a strong track record of developing defensemen, especially those who arrive from college hockey. Bringing in another college veteran (148 games) with strong play-driving, possession, and defensive analytics fresh off a career year just makes sense.
Gleb Veremyev (LW) – Colorado College – Veremyev is a name that has previously been linked to the Bruins multiple times and could be an interesting candidate to bring into the fold. The New Jersey native, with a career line of 26-25-51 in 86 games with CC, is a former Bruins Development Camp attendee with plenty of NHL attention.
His popularity was noted before Colorado College’s weekend series in Providence last December, during which John Buccigross proclaimed on Twitter that Veremyev would be a Boston Bruin. This followed a report that several teams had sent scouts to that series to evaluate Veremyev and other prospects. Bringing Gallagher into the fold could only help the Bruins’ odds of signing Veremyev as a package deal once the Tigers’ season ends.
Dalton Bancroft (RW) – Cornell – Bancroft is another Bruins Development Camp alum whose career season could soon see him in Black & Gold. At 6’3”, 207lbs, Bancroft is a big-bodied winger who loves to fire the puck on net. His 96 shots on goal and career-high 15 goals lead the Big Red, with Bruins draft pick Ryan Walsh right behind him in both categories and tied for the team lead in points. Boston could look to sweep up both forwards this summer, if not the next.
They’ve Earned A Shot:
Liam McLinskey (RW) – Holy Cross – Production at any level shouldn’t be overlooked. A three-point Saturday night for McLinskey upped his line to 23-28-51 on the season and propelled Holy Cross to a game away from the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2006. McLinskey has been a hidden gem for the Crusaders since transferring from Quinnipiac after his freshman year. He has 63-60-123 in 118 games at Holy Cross, and the Crusaders have made at least the tournament semifinal in each season, a feat they last accomplished in 2011.
The analytics back up McLinskey’s counting stats as a play-driving force. He won’t make the Hobey Baker conversation due to his conference, but his impact in elevating a program like Holy Cross to the doorstep of NCAA tournament qualification is more than deserving of a look at the next level.
Hudson Schandor (C) – UConn – Hudson Schandor fits the Don Sweeney college profile as if he was built in a lab: A five-year player at a Hockey East school, two-time team captain, and slightly undersized but plays with a ton of heart. Schandor is having a career-best season with 10-30-40 and was named the Hockey East Best Defensive Forward, leading the Huskies to their second Hockey East Semifinal and first NCAA Tournament berth in program history.
Schandor showed his grit and toughness in the quarterfinal win against Providence last Friday night. He missed significant game time due to a leg injury but returned to score the game-tying goal that sparked the Huskies’ eventual 3-1 win. Undersized players are routinely overlooked or undervalued by NHL scouting, but any forward who is recognized for their defensive play in a conference as loaded with NHL talent as Hockey East has earned an opportunity to compete for an AHL/NHL contract.
Harrison Scott (C) – Maine – Scott is an interesting case of a player who transferred from a small school to a power conference and drastically improved his production. Scott started his first two seasons with Bentley in Atlantic Hockey, recording 12-14-26 across 65 games before transferring to Maine. His first season as a Black Bear eclipsed his total production at Bentley, with 15-12-27. He’s only improved this year after being named an alternate captain: 17-15-32 and 56% on faceoffs. His track record of consistent improvement and growth should have several teams looking his way, and the Bruins should take their place in line to give him a call.
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