On Saturday, 21 graduating college senior prospects -- including the Penguins' Nikita Pavlychev and Ryan Jones -- went unsigned by the 5 p.m. deadline and are now unrestricted free agents, free to sign with any team.
The players either did not receive an offer from the team that owned their rights, or they could be holding out to test the free agent market and see if a better opportunity arises elsewhere. In the case of Pavlychev, the Penguins offered him an AHL-level contract and not an NHL one, so Pavlychev will test the market to see if he can get an NHL contract in another organization.
Are there any notable prospects among the 19 who hit free agency on Saturday? Let's take a look.
CAM MORRISON
Position: Left wing
Team: University of Notre Dame
Drafted: 2016, second round (Colorado)
Age (birthday): 21 (Aug. 27)
Size: 6-2, 201
Shoots: Left
Morrison, a power forward, finished No. 2 in scoring for Notre Dame in his senior season with 13 goals (a career high) and 14 assists in 37 games. His plus-10 rating was the highest on the team. He played on both the power play and penalty kill for Notre Dame, and scored a shorthanded goal for the first time in his senior season in a win over Penn State.
UPDATE: Morrison signed an entry-level deal with the Blackhawks on Monday evening.
MATT FILIPE
Position: Center/left wing
Team: Northeastern University
Drafted: 2016, third round (Carolina)
Age (birthday): 22 (Dec. 31)
Size: 6-2, 205
Shoots: Left
Filipe tied his career high in goals (9) and set a new career high in assists (13) as a senior despite playing only 30 games in the shortened season. He played on the Huskies' power play and penalty kill.
Northeastern coach Jim Madigan said Filipe plays a 200-foot game, and described him as "heavy on pucks, strong, a great skater with great offensive ability."
Assistant coach Jerry Keefe told the Boston Globe that Filipe "might be the top power forward in college hockey."
"He can dominate games from a physical standpoint and with his speed," said Keefe. "He continues to keep getting better and is playing with a lot of confidence.”
UPDATE: Filipe signed an entry-level deal with the Bruins on Sunday evening.
LUKE MARTIN
Position: Defenseman
Team: University of Michigan
Drafted: 2017, second round (Carolina)
Age (birthday): 21 (Sept. 20)
Size: 6-2, 218
Shoots: Right
If the Penguins are looking to add to their prospect pool, the most intriguing option to me is Martin first and foremost because the Penguins' prospect pool is severely lacking in right-handed defensemen. The only two in the system are 2017 seventh-round pick Will Reilly, who will be in Wilkes-Barre next season, and 2019 seventh-round pick Santeri Airola, who is still unsigned and will stay in Finland next season. It's good to have balance in handedness in the pairings, and it would be nice to have some young players coming up through the system who are right-handed.
Martin is more of a stay-at-home defenseman with not much offensive upside. He finished No. 2 in the country in blocked shots in his senior season with 85 in 36 games. He scored one goal and eight assists and was tied for the Wolverines' lead in plus/minus as a plus-10.
RYAN SHEA
Position: Defenseman
Team: Northeastern University
Drafted: 2015, fourth round (Chicago)
Age (birthday): 23 (Feb. 11)
Size: 6-1, 195
Shoots: Left
Shea captained Northeastern this season and finished tied for No. 2 in team scoring with five goals and 26 assists in 34 games. He was a Hockey East Second Team All-Star and NEHWA All-Star in his senior season.
Coach Madigan called Shea "a smart, puck moving defenseman with high-end offensive skills who converted back to defense four years ago. He breaks you out of your zone really well, he’s smart, intelligent, and we’re excited for him to be here."
Despite the offensive production, Shea told The-Rink.com that he doesn't consider himself an offensive defenseman because he's "always been very strict about (his) defensive game" and credits this season's stats to being given more offensive responsibilities.
Rinkside Rhode Island's Mark Divver reported back in April that Shea was electing to not sign with the Blackhawks and instead test free agency.
UPDATE: Shea signed an entry-level deal with the Stars on Wednesday evening.
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