UFA College Forwards

Who are the best forwards available for signing coming out of the NCAA this year?

 

UGH! You need to read what's over on the NCAA boards, we've been discussing this at length.

But since its here, I'll answer it.

My choices for top available forwards (in particular order). Unless otherwise noted, these players are all graduating seniors. Asterick (*) means that his team is in the Frozen Four Tournament and will not be able to sign a pro contract until his team's season has officially ended.

* Junior Lessard, Minnesota-Duluth
* Barret Ehgoetz, Niagara (junior)
* Steve Saviano, New Hamsphire
* Tony Voce, Boston College
* Paul Camponigri, Ohio State
* Derek Edwardson, Miami-Ohio
* Mike Kompon, Miami-Ohio
* Tim Pettit, Harvard
* Aaron Gill, Notre Dame
* Evan Schwabe, Minnesota-Duluth (junior)
* Rene Bourque, Wisconsin
Ryan Vesce, Cornell
Chris Chaput, Providence (junior)
Rich Peverley, St. Lawrence
D'Arcy McConvey, Bowling Green
Dana Lattery, Western Michigan
Adam Mitchell, Colgate (junior)
Chris Conner, Michigan Tech (sophomore)

 

Lessard should be at the top, he's got some good skills (although he looked asleep against UMinn the other day)

Did Voce get a concussion?

Bourque would be interesting as he's big and is a hard worker, drives to the net decent on face-offs.

Vesce has a lot of skills offensively but his size has to be a concern. Some team should give him a shot I hope.

Perverley has some good offensive skills as well.

Another guy not on OC's list is Hornby from Cornell, who plays a good physical game, hits a lot, looks like a blowing ball out there, running into everything and crashing the net. Not the most skilled offensively but could be an effective 3rd-4th liner in the AHL next year, imo.

 

From Colgate, in addition to Adam Mitchell I would mention Jon Smyth if he is eligible to be signed. He really broke out this year and more than made up for the loss of Scooter Smith to graduation. From what I have seen of Smyth, he is not gifted with great speed, but he always seems to be making plays

 

Chick, have you seen Brendan Cooke play much?

I saw him last week and I love his style. Speedy little bugger.

 

I've watched a few Niagara games this year and Barret Ehgoetz seems like a hell of a player. I believe he holds pretty much every career offensive record for the University doesn't he?

 

I doubt Ehgoetz will skip his senior year, but you never know. My bet out of Niagara is forward Joe Tallari. He's Ehgoetz's linemate, had a tough, injury-filled senior year after finishing as a finalist for the Hobey Baker his junior year. I'd love Buffalo to take a flyer on a guy like him out of college.

 

Habs got a pretty good one in Brent Robinson. He led a very defense oriented team in scoring the past 3 seasons at Brown. Has averaged almost a point a game on a team that has averged less than 2.5 goals per game over his career. His scoring overall is more impressive than Lessard, he is bigger and a year younger.

 

If Ben Eaves was a UFA, how much attention would he garner?

 

Not an UFA, he was drafted by Pittsburgh and I am pretty sure they will sign him sometime after the frozen four

 

He knows. He was asking that "IF" Eaves were a UFA, how much interest would he garner.

I'm willing to bet that if that were in fact the case, he'd be at the top of the list, but since, as you mentioned, he was drafted by Pitt, it's a moot point.

 

How do any of these guys compare to Peter Sejna, last years big catch?

 

Robinson is by no means better than Lessard.

Robinson I believe was not signed to a contract but rather an amateur deal with Hamilton.

Robinson is also best friends with Yann Danis so I'm sure Yann had some input on that.