These rising college hockey stars are primed to unleash their untapped potential, surprising opponents.
Certain players have untapped potential coming from junior hockey. Maybe it doesn’t show itself immediately, but the ability is always just below the surface. We dig deep on a few players who are poised for a breakout season.
Brown Bear Zackary Tonelli and Providence Friar Andrew Centrella watch as a puck flies off the ice and out of their reach. © Kris Craig/The Providence Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn ImagesAndrew Centrella:
Andrew Centrella is a hardworking defenseman who can play both sides of the puck. Centrella is hitting his stride throughout his junior season at Providence College. After only putting up three points in 18 games his freshman year, Centrella multiplied his production by a factor of nearly five, notching 14 points throughout his sophomore campaign. He is now on pace to eclipse that total in his junior year. Having seen bits of Centrella’s game throughout juniors and college, he’s on the right track and is a stabilizing force on the Friar blue line.
Michael Emerson:
A Carolina Hurricanes draftee, Michael Emerson, has another level to his game that I can’t wait to see. He excelled in his draft year, earning 64 points in 60 games with the USHL’s Chicago Steel through the 2022-23 season. Emerson came back to the Windy City for his final season of juniors after six games with the University of North Dakota and joined Merrimack College the following season. He has shown flashes of his potential in his freshman year, and I expect him to build upon his progress in his upcoming sophomore season. This could be a true breakout year for Michael Emerson.
Adam Gajan
Some doubted the Chicago Blackhawks when they took Adam Gajan 35th Overall in 2023 ahead of other goalies like Trey Augustine and Jacob Fowler. While Augustine and Fowler succeeded off the jump, it took Gajan a bit more time to find his rhythm. Gajan has excelled in his sophomore season, using his 6’3” 187 pound frame much more effectively. He currently is tied with Jack Ivankovic for the NCAA’s most wins at 11 and has a 4th place goals allowed average in college hockey with 1.75. At an 11-3 start through 14 games, Gajan is already breaking out; it just remains to see how much he will blossom this year.
Apr 10, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, UNITED STATES; Penn State Nittany Lions forward Reese Laubach (29) controls the puck as Boston University Terriers defenseman Sascha Boumedienne (78) defends during the second period of the Frozen Four college ice hockey national semifinals at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Connor Hamilton-Imagn ImagesReese Laubach
I’ve had my eye on Laubach since his 18U days with Northstar Christian Academy. He has been leveling up his play since junior hockey and has shown steady development at the collegiate level. While many players drop off their point production a bit going into the NCAA, the San Jose native and Sharks pick has increased his points from the USHL to Penn State, building upon his numbers every year. With a loaded up Nittany Lion team and recent overtime heroics versus Michigan, get ready for Laubach to light it up!
St. Cloud State hockey freshma Nolan Roed passes the puck during the opening game of the season against St. Thomas on Oct. 4, 2025 at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center. SCSU lost 4-3. © Reid Glenn / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn ImagesNolan Roed:
Nolan Roed can be summed up in two words that are unnerving to any team he faces: Shorthanded Speed. Roed is a 2025 7th Round Pick of the Colorado Avalanche, and he can fly. I watched Roed from the broadcast booth last season as he earned a USHL high 7 shorthanded goals in 2024-25 with the Tri-City Storm. The St. Cloud State freshman’s intuitive ability to read plays before they happen, coupled with his agile speed, is invaluable. He already is 4th on the Huskies with 8 points in 12 games and shows no signs of stopping. As the speed of hockey increases, Roed’s skillset will shine brighter. When Nolan Roed turns on the jets, he leaves a cloud of snow and defenders in his wake.