As we were all reminded when Cutter Gauthier forced his way out of Philadelphia earlier this month, NCAA players have a pretty significant level of control over their future as professionals.

In most cases, players can simply wait four years (or, occasionally, five years) in college while the clock ticks down on their exclusive signing rights with whichever team drafted them into the NHL.

A first-round pick like Gauthier very seldom stays at school for their entire balance of NCAA eligibility. But for players selected later in the draft, it’s not unusual to wait it out before picking the best spot as a free agent.

It can work the other way, too. Teams don’t always have room for every promising college prospect, especially later-round picks or those who take longer to develop.

In any case, there is almost always a decent crop of NCAA players who end up hitting the open market on August 15 each year. That’s the annual deadline for teams to sign college prospects after their final year at school.

Here’s a look at 10 of the best seniors and fifth-years slated to become unrestricted free agents this summer.

Sam Colangelo (RW, Anaheim Ducks) — Colangelo is a relatively recent second-round pick (2020, No. 36 overall) who is currently plying his trade as a senior at Western Michigan University after transferring from Northeastern last summer. A veteran of the terrific Chicago Steel USHL program (and a member of USA Hockey’s 2021 World Junior squad), the 6’2″ Colangelo has collected 35 goals and 78 points in 92 games over four NCAA seasons with the Broncos and Huskies. And he’s been red-hot of late, posting 12 points in his last seven contests at Western Michigan. If the Ducks can’t come to terms with Colangelo, they should be able to find a suitor for him on the trade market.

Carson Bantle (LW, Arizona Coyotes) — A prototypical “project” draft pick, Bantle has made gradual improvements over the last three seasons since transferring to Wisconsin from Michigan Tech after a tough freshman year. The 6’4″ winger is one goal back of Cruz Lucius, Owen Lindmark, and Simon Tassy for the lead in that category on this year’s resurgent Badgers team. Bantle offers a tantalizing combination of size and speed that should interest teams if he doesn’t get an offer from the Coyotes, who selected him (under a different management regime) with the No. 142 pick in 2020. There could be a third- or fourth-line winger somewhere in that big frame.

Dominic Basse (G, Chicago Blackhawks) — Basse’s .911 save percentage at St. Cloud State this year ranks fourth among NHL-drafted NCAA goaltenders (Jacob Fowler, Trey Augustine, and fellow pending UFA Ethan Haider are ahead of him). He’s a modern-sized netminder (6’6″, 195) who has found his game in a big way over the last two seasons after transferring to St. Cloud from Colorado College. Over his junior and senior years with the Huskies, Basse is 21-11-3 with a .911 save percentage and six shutouts. The 2019 sixth-round pick (No. 167 overall) certainly hasn’t had the strongest supporting cast in front of him, either. But with Adam Gajan, Drew Commesso, Jaxson Stauber, and Arvid Soderblom already in Chicago’s system, Basse might be the odd man out.

Landon Slaggert (LW, Chicago Blackhawks) — Slaggert is a toolsy (and streaky) scoring winger who already has 15 goals in 24 games at Notre Dame this season. In fact, while Slaggert has 15 goals, nobody else on Notre Dame has more than 15 points. Slaggert has had an up-and-down tenure with the Fighting Irish — he only mustered up 13 points in 35 games last year — but, oddly enough, his freshman and senior years stick out as his most productive. He’s also a two-time member of Team USA at the World Juniors, winning gold in 2021 and serving as an alternate captain the following year. Combine that with his pedigree as a recent third-round pick (2020, No. 79 overall) and his late birthday (he won’t turn 22 until June) and it’s pretty clear Slaggert will get a contract from someone.

Luke Tuch (LW, Montreal Canadiens) — On one hand, Tuch had merely a so-so start to his tenure at Boston University. On the other, he’s the younger brother of an NHL star and he still has the pedigree of a second-round pick (2020, No. 47 overall). Tuch is a 6’2″ winger who is chugging along at just below a point-per-game pace as a senior at B.U. this year, a marked improvement from his first three seasons. The Habs’ brass has undoubtedly watched a lot of Terriers games this season — Lane Hutson plays for them, after all — and they should have a good book on Tuch, who, it’s worth noting, is a holdover from the bygone Marc Bergevin/Trevor Timmins management era in Montreal.

Alex Campbell (LW, Nashville Predators) — Campbell is the second-oldest player on this list, having been selected in the third round (No. 65 overall) of the 2019 NHL Draft. And while he’s almost 23 and a little undersized (5’10”, 176), Campbell is a pretty safe bet to get an NHL deal upon the conclusion of his senior year. The Chateauguay, Quebec-born Campbell transferred to Northeastern last summer after three strong years at Clarkson and has picked up where he left off, ranking first in goals (11) and second in points (21) through his first 20 games with the Huskies. He’s been productive pretty much everywhere, from the NCAA to the USHL (and the BCHL and Stanstead College before that). Campbell might be a victim of the numbers game in Nashville but he’s a legit prospect.

Artem Shlaine (C, New Jersey Devils) — Shlaine is a dual citizen of Russia and the USA who rose through the ranks in and around Moscow before heading stateside as a teenager. The 6’1″ center played for Team USA at the 2019 Hlinka/Gretzky Cup and began attending the University of Connecticut shortly after being made a fifth-round pick by New Jersey (2020, No. 130 overall). But Shlaine never really found his footing with the Huskies and transferred to Northern Michigan after his sophomore year. That move has proven to be a wise one. Shlaine tied for second on the Wildcats with 32 points in 2022–23 and has 16 points in 18 games as a senior this year. He’s slick, and he won’t turn 22 until March.

Alex Jefferies (LW, New York Islanders) — Given how barren the Islanders’ prospect pool has become, it’s actually kind of surprising they haven’t signed Jefferies. He’s developed into a formidable scorer over his tenure at Merrimack College, collecting 40 goals and 93 points in 99 games over the course of his four seasons with the Warriors. He’s the leading goal-scorer on this iteration of the team, with 12 in 16 games. The Islanders haven’t made a full slate of seven draft picks since 2018, so they can use every young player they can get — especially with Anders Lee and Kyle Palmieri, among others, showing signs of decline. The Islanders originally selected Jefferies in the fourth round (No. 121 overall) of the 2020 NHL Draft.

Bryce Brodzinski (RW, Philadelphia Flyers) — The younger brother of journeyman NHLer Jonny Brodzinski has carved out a solid career for himself on a terrific Minnesota Golden Gophers team over the last five years. That’s right: Unlike most other NCAA-to-NHL prospects, Bryce Brodzinski has taken full advantage of the fifth year of eligibility most other players forego to sign pro deals. Brodzinski ranked fifth in scoring on last year’s Minnesota team that reached the National Championship game, collecting 19 goals and 31 points in 40 games to finish behind Logan Cooley, Jimmy Snuggerud, Matthew Knies, and Jackson LaCombe. That’s pretty good company for the 2019 seventh-round pick (No. 196 overall).

Jacob Truscott (LHD, Vancouver Canucks) — It’s taken a lot of work for Truscott to get to the spot he’s currently at in his development. The 6’1″ defender began his career at the University of Michigan as a pure shutdown type but has added more offense to his game in recent seasons, collecting 27 points in 43 games over his junior and senior years. Truscott played for Team USA at the 2022 World Juniors and was named team captain at Michigan ahead of the 2023–24 season after serving as an alternate in 2022–23. The Canucks originally drafted Truscott with the No. 144 pick in 2022, and although he might not be the most productive pro, he projects to be a potential bottom- or middle-pairing NHL guy down the line.

_____

Discover Betano.ca – a premium Sports Betting and Online Casino experience. Offering numerous unique and dynamic betting options along with diverse digital and live casino games, Betano is where The Game Starts Now. 19+. Please play responsibly.

_____

Recently by Mike Gould

• Jack McBain is an impact player in the making for the Arizona Coyotes
• Sean Couturier is turning back the clock for the resurgent Philadelphia Flyers
• Grading the Cutter Gauthier trade: Flyers lose a top prospect, Ducks take advantage
• The biggest snubs and surprise picks for the 2024 NHL All-Star Game
• Three bold predictions for the NHL in 2024
• Five former NHL players to watch at the 2023 Spengler Cup
• Arizona Coyotes winger Matias Maccelli proving his rookie season was no fluke
• One top prospect to watch for every NHL team at the 2024 World Juniors
• Logan Stankoven and three other top AHL prospects vying for NHL recalls
• Ranking all 23 third jerseys currently worn in the NHL
• The Sell-O-Meter: Which NHL bubble teams should consider pulling the plug?
• The Patrick Kane signing is a very risky bet for the Detroit Red Wings
• Assessing the most glaring needs for six top 2024 Stanley Cup contenders
• Four teams in need of shakeup trades early on in the 2023–24 season
• Free Agent Stock Watch: Elias Pettersson angling for huge payday with great start
• Three young defensemen set to take off with increased responsibility in 2023–24