The Top 100 NCAA Players To Watch In 2024-25

Our prospect expert unveils his annual ranking of NHL hopefuls from across the NCAA landscape - and a number of them are from Boston College.

It's about that time, folks. Another NCAA season is upon us, and I've taken on the mantle of listing the 100 men's hockey players I'm most excited to see. 

Every year, this exercise gets more difficult as the talent pool seems to increase for college hockey, and getting the list down to 100 means a lot of solid names unfortunately did not make the cut.

Right off the hop, I'm going to point out that I have not included any potential NHL free agents on the list - that's something that comes to the fore in the spring and inevitably becomes its own blog, so let's set those guys aside. And, as always, I am not claiming these are the best 100 players in college hockey, but instead the most intriguing from a prospect perspective - which is why they are all either drafted talents or those who will be drafted by an NHL team in 2025. 

I do not try to make this 'fair' for all programs, so some teams are going to have a bunch of players on the list, and others will have none. Having said that, I do like to get as many teams on as possible. Also, I tend to favor freshmen and sophomores because there's more intrigue in terms of their potential.

I know some of y'all will get mad at my selections - heck, I'm even a little mad at myself - but feast your eyes on this behemoth nonetheless. It's always a fun one to put together (and shout-out to Minnesota-Duluth's Will Francis).

1. James Hagens, C, Boston College (2025): Heading into the season as the No. 1 prospect in the draft, Hagens has the skill and smarts to put up big numbers.

2. Ryan Leonard, RW, Boston College (WSH): He could have turned pro, but Leonard wants that national title and his combination of talent and competitiveness should not be underestimated.

3. Gabe Perreault, RW, Boston College (NYR): Wicked-smart winger will likely once again put up big points and join Leonard (and now Hagens) on Team USA's world junior squad.

4. Jimmy Snuggerud, LW, Minnesota (STL): Another player who could have turned pro, Snuggerud instead returns to the Gophers, where they'll enjoy his awesome shooting prowess.

5. Zeev Buium, D, Denver (MIN): The Wild got a gift when he fell to No. 12 in the draft. Buium has already won a national title and world junior gold thanks to his puck-moving and all-around skill.

6. Logan Hensler, D, Wisconsin (2025): A big, smooth-skating blueliner joins the Badgers for his draft season, and based on what Hensler has shown so far, he could be a top-10 pick.

7. Cole Eiserman, LW, Boston Univ. (NYI): With the NTDP goal-scoring record sewn up, Eiserman moves on to the Terriers, where he can flesh out his all-around game while still producing.

8. E.J. Emery, D, North Dakota (NYR): Development is elite at North Dakota, and Emery has the tools to be a force. As a freshman, he can use his size and skating to shut down the enemy.

9. Adam Gajan, G, Minnesota-Duluth (CHI): One of the best goaltending prospects in the world, Gajan joins a Bulldogs squad that could do some real damage with him in the crease.

10. Michael Hage, C, Michigan (MTL): Monster second half in the USHL bodes well for the talented center. Hage has the chops to make an immediate impact in Ann Arbor.

11. Hampton Slukynsky, G, Western Michigan (LA): The USHL champ brings his talents to Kalamazoo, where his poised game will aid the Broncos. Looked great this summer.

12. Trevor Connelly, RW, Providence College (VEG): If you're looking for scoring, Connelly is your guy. The incoming freshman brings some pizzazz to the Friars.

13. Shane Vansaghi, RW, Michigan State (2025): Burgeoning power forward comes in from the NTDP. He'll be a true freshman for the Spartans and a potential first-rounder in the draft.

14. Dean Letourneau, C, Boston College (BOS): Towering center who can move and produce steps straight into Hockey East from St. Andrew's prep school; it's going to be a fun challenge.

15. Trevor Hoskin, RW, Niagara (CGY): Late-bloomer dominated the OJHL last season and joins the Purple Eagles with his old Cobourg linemate. As an older frosh, Hoskin could rack up points.

16. Matthew Wood, C, Minnesota (NSH): Coming over from UConn, Wood has the chance to pile up points on a Gophers squad laden with talent. He's got size and skill.

17. Cullen Potter, C, Arizona State (2025): Dynamic youngster skipped his second NTDP year in favor of the Sun Devils, where he wants to contribute right away. Potential first-rounder.

18. Sascha Boumedienne, D, Boston Univ. (2025): Another potential first-rounder jumping straight into the college game, Boumedienne has the size and skating to fit in right away.

19. Noah Laba, C, Colorado College (NYR): The Tigers have been on the rise during Laba's tenure, and they could take another step with the big, talented scorer leading the way.

20. Sacha Boisvert, C, North Dakota (CHI): Chicago's second first-round pick in 2024 is a two-way center who gives you a bit of everything. He'll have nice weapons to play with.

21. Trey Augustine, G, Michigan State (DET): Top-end goaltender ran with the starter's job as a freshman and won WJC gold with Team USA. Look for more elite play in his sophomore year.

22. Jacob Fowler, G, Boston College (MTL): Another elite goaltending prospect, Fowler has the chops to get the Eagles back to the national championship - and potentially win it this time.

23. Colin Ralph, D, St. Cloud State (STL): Big, nasty blueliner looked to be ahead of the curve at the World Junior Summer Showcase as he jumps up from Shattuck St. Mary's prep school.

24. Danny Nelson, C, Notre Dame (NYI): Powerful two-way center is coming off a solid frosh campaign with the Fighting Irish. Nelson is the team's top returning scorer.

25. Oliver Moore, C, Minnesota (CHI): Speed is the name of the game with Moore and he'll have the chance to put up big numbers again with the Gophers after a stellar freshman season.

26. Tom Willander, D, Boston Univ. (VAN): Excellent tools allow Willander to defend and contribute on the offensive side of the puck; look for him to play for Sweden at world juniors again.

27. Aiden Fink, RW, Penn State (NSH): Small in stature but big when it comes to production, Fink was one of the most impressive freshmen in the nation last season.

28. Jayson Shaugabay, LW, Minnesota-Duluth (TB): Super-smart playmaker brings some high-end skill to the Dogs - and he'll have some talent to play with.

29. Michael Hrabal, G, UMass (UTA): Skyscraper netminder had a very solid freshman season with the Minutemen, and there's still a lot of potential to wring out as he progresses.

30. Jack Devine, RW, Denver (FLA): Piled up points for the eventual national champions, and with the Pios looking strong again, there's no reason to expect any change there.

31. Joona Vaisanen, D, Western Michigan (PIT): Excellent skater was a nice dark-horse pick by the Penguins, and the Broncos will benefit from his prowess on the back end.

32. Charlie Stramel, C, Michigan State (MIN): Wisconsin didn't work out, so Stramel heads to the rival Spartans in hopes of a reset. He's got the size, snarl and hands to be a force.

33. Jonathan Castagna, C, Cornell (UTA): The Big Red are never fun to play against, and it's because they keep getting guys like sophomore Castagna, who blends talent and grit.

34. John Mustard, C, Providence College (CHI): There's some wicked talent in Mustard, who is coming off a solid USHL season in Waterloo. He gives the Friars another weapon up front.

35. Brodie Ziemer, LW, Minnesota (BUF): The former NTDPer has dazzled on a number of stages, where he always gives maximum effort and often gets great results.

36. Cruz Lucius, RW, Arizona State (PIT): Another Wisconsin transfer, Lucius is coming off two straight 34-point seasons with the Badgers, giving the Sun Devils a potent weapon up front.

37. Andrew Strathmann, D, North Dakota (CLB): Puck-mover with a serious edge arrives in Grand Forks after a very productive USHL career that included a title in Youngstown.

38. Arsenii Sergeev, G, Penn State (CGY): Former UConn stopper takes his talents to Happy Valley after two solid seasons with the Huskies. He's got the size to be a pro.

39. Adam Kleber, D, Minnesota-Duluth (BUF): Long-limbed defender with mobility has great shutdown potential, and if you're a young D-man, Duluth is the place to be.

40. William Whitelaw, RW, Michigan (CLB): Irascible winger blends grit and skill to get under his opponents' skin. Transferring from Wisconsin to the Wolverines adds another layer of animosity.

41. Chase Cheslock, D, St. Thomas (NJ): Big two-way defenseman did half a season with the Tommies and got his feet wet; now we get a full dose of him as a sophomore.

42. Alex Bump, LW, Western Michigan (PHI): Sturdy, skilled winger was nearly a point-per-gamer as a freshman, so it's fair to say expectations will be high as he enters his second year.

43. Paul Fischer, D, Notre Dame (EDM): More attention will be focused on the strong, stay-at-home defender since he was kinda part of the Broberg/Holloway offer sheet deal.

44. Sam Rinzel, D, Minnesota (CHI): Versatile and mobile, Rinzel finished his freshman campaign with the Gophers with a very impressive 28 points from the blueline.

45. Cameron Whitehead, G, Northeastern (VEG): Big netminder stepped in as the starter during his frosh campaign and put up solid numbers for the Huskies. Look for continued growth.

46. Hagen Burrows, C, Denver (TB): Minnesota high school star brings vision, hockey IQ and a good stick to the Pios, who are running real deep in search of yet another title.

47. Chase Clark, G, American International (WSH): At 6-foot-6, he covers a lot of crease and brings two years of experience to the Yellow Jackets after stops in Quinnipiac and Sacred Heart.

48. Ryan Healey, D, Harvard (MIN): Offensive defenseman nearly tripled his production year over year. As a junior, the task will be cutting down on the goals against.

49. Joaquim Lemay, D, Northeastern (WSH): Puck-mover with power-play QB attributes comes over to Huskies after two solid campaigns with Nebraska-Omaha.

50. Tanner Ludtke, C, Nebraska-Omaha (UTA): Speaking of the Mavericks, they return their leading scorer from last year in Ludtke, who enters his sophomore season on the rise.

51. Christopher Pelosi, C, Quinnipiac (BOS): All-around talent brings compete level and playmaking to the Bobcats; he also killed penalties at the World Junior Summer Showcase.

52. Isaac Howard, LW, Michigan State (TB): His first year with the Spartans was an unbridled success, doubling the production he had as a frosh with Minnesota-Duluth.

53. Teddy Stiga, LW, Boston College (NSH): He's not the biggest, but you're not going to outwork Stiga, who buzzes around the ice and can really bury the puck thanks to his slick hands.

54. Aku Koskenvuo, G, Harvard (VAN): Finnish national with great size had an excellent sophomore season and has the chance to build on it as a junior with the Crimson.

55. Cole Hutson, D, Boston Univ. (WSH): Puck-mover broke the NTDP points record for a defenseman, and with brother Lane off to the pros, Cole takes up the mantle at BU.

56. Rieger Lorenz, RW, Denver (MIN): Coming off a stellar championship game performance last year, Lorenz will continue to ascend thanks to his all-around game and size.

57. Max Plante, LW, Minnesota-Duluth (DET): If your last name is Plante, you're gonna play for Duluth. Max brings a nice offensive toolkit to the team after a successful NTDP career.

58. Hoyt Stanley, D, Cornell (OTT): Great defender known for his edgework may still be a project, but the early returns he put up as a freshman mean he's not far away, either.

59. Elliott Groenwold, D, Quinnipiac (BOS): Hard-nosed defender brings a stocky build and a little bit of offense to Quinnipiac, but his job will mainly be keeping the puck away from the net.

60. Mac Swanson, RW, North Dakota (PIT): Diminutive dynamo is coming off a USHL championship, and his ability to produce points cannot be overstated.

61. Rhett Pitlick, LW, Minnesota State (MTL): A surprise addition to the Mavericks, Pitlick eschewed the pro ranks for one more year of gritty, no-nonsense hockey.

62. Austin Burnevik, RW, St. Cloud State (ANA): An extra year of junior was just what the doctor ordered for the power forward, who now comes to college with a lot of positive momentum.

63. Cam Lund, RW, Northeastern (SJ): Already established as a power forward in college, Lund bumped up his production as a sophomore and will look to do so again as a junior.

64. Ryan Chesley, D, Minnesota (WSH): Shutdown defenseman isn't likely to bring a lot of offense to the table, but the Gophers have guys for that. Chesley knows his role.

65. Guillaume Richard, D, Providence College (CLB): Two-way defenseman rebounded in a big way after tough sophomore campaign. Now a senior, he'll once again be crucial for Friars.

66. Luke Ashton, D, Minnesota State (CLB): At 6-foot-6 and 231 pounds, Ashton is going to be a problem for opposing forwards. The incoming freshman has some offense, too.

67. Kevin Reidler, G, Nebraska-Omaha (OTT): Big goalies never go out of style, and this Swede comes in at 6-foot-6, 200 pounds. Cut his teeth with USHL Dubuque.

68. Nick Moldenhauer, C, Michigan (TOR): Talented forward had a nice freshman season with the Wolverines, but with a very different lineup, he has the chance to really break through.

69. Owen McLaughlin, C, North Dakota (PHI): His freshman season was an adjustment for the former USHL star, but McLaughlin broke out as a sophomore. Can he up his point total again?

70. Brady Cleveland, D, Colorado College (DET): Coming over from Wisconsin, Cleveland brings size and physicality to the Tigers, who are really rounding into form.

71. Will Skahan, D, Boston College (UTA): Physical shutdown defenseman will give the Eagles a nice dimension - we know they'll be able to score, but Skahan can help protect their own end.

72. Philip Svedeback, G, Providence College (BOS): Veteran goaltender will be crucial to the Friars, a well-coached team that has enough talent to keep Hockey East honest.

73. Aydar Suniev, LW, UMass (CGY): Intelligent offensive weapon had an excellent frosh campaign with the Minutemen, making the step up from the BCHL look easy.

74. Garrett Brown, D, Denver (WPG): His freshman season was ruined by injury, limiting the shutdown defenseman to just eight games. Let's hope we see the full slate this time.

75. Brandon Svoboda, C, Boston Univ. (SJ): Absolute pain to play against, because he can wear you down physically and chip in some offense. Had nice World Junior Summer Showcase.

76. Adam Zlnka, RW, Bowling Green (UTA): Swift skater and Slovakian national joins the Falcons after cutting his teeth in North America in the USHL.

77. Zam Plante, C, Minnesota-Duluth (PIT): Another member of the Plante clan joins the Bulldogs; in Zam's case, the playmaker is coming off a scintillating USHL championship year.

78. Eric Pohlkamp, D, Denver (SJ): Offensively inclined defenseman put up great numbers as a freshman with Bemidji State. Now, he heads to Denver to help the Pios defend their title.

79. Quinn Finley, LW, Wisconsin (NYI): Sophomore winger is hard to play against, and after a successful freshman campaign, he'll look to keep things rolling on reworked Badgers squad.

80. Sutter Muzzatti, C, RPI (NSH): Titan-sized forward is the Engineers' leading returning scorer. Incremental gains as a sophomore, and expect even more in his junior year.

81. Drew Fortescue, D, Boston College (NYR): Solid defensive defenseman will undoubtedly be on Team USA's world junior squad again while also playing crucial role for Eagles.

82. John Fusco, D, Dartmouth (TOR): Two-way defenseman with a great shooting arsenal. Now in his third year with the Big Green, Fusco has really found his groove in Hanover.

83. Chase Pietila, D, Michigan Tech (PIT): Two-way defender was the Huskies' top-scoring blueliner last season with a very solid 22 points as a freshman.

84. Ryan Greene, C, Boston Univ. (CHI): Solid two-way center was nearly a point per game player as a sophomore, and there's no reason to think he can't increase those totals as a junior.

85. Maxim Strbak, D, Michigan State (BUF): Hard-nosed defender will look to increase his role as a sophomore with the Spartans - especially with Artyom Levshunov off to the pros.

86. Logan Sawyer, LW, Providence College (MTL): Another prolific graduate of the Brooks Bandits, Sawyer is jumping up to the NCAA, where his skill adds to a solid Friars lineup.

87. Joe Miller, C, Harvard (TOR): It's been a slow and steady build for the skilled Miller, now a junior with the Crimson. He led Harvard in scoring by a pretty decent margin last year.

88. Kamil Bednarik, C, Boston Univ. (NYI): Smart, two-way center from the NTDP can play with skill guys - and the Terriers promise to have a number of such players this season.

89. Emmett Croteau, G, Dartmouth (MTL): Big netminder didn't see much ice at Clarkson last year, so the sophomore jumped across the conference to Dartmouth for another chance.

90. Aaron Pionk, D, Minnesota-Duluth (MIN): Project puck-mover had a very respectable 20 points in his first season for the Bulldogs; let's see what the blueliner can do in Year 2.

91. Adam Ingram, C, St. Cloud State (NSH): Steady growth year over year for the playmaking center, who comes back as the Huskies' leading returning scorer for his junior campaign.

92. Luke Mittelstadt, D, Minnesota (MTL): Late-bloomer's production stagnated as a sophomore, but if the Gophers get that 20-point standard again from the blueliner, it'll help the cause.

93. Ryan Conmy, RW, New Hampshire (LA): Talented winger led the Wildcats in goals (14) and points (31) in his freshman campaign, and they'll need more of the same this time around.

94. Brent Johnson, D, Ohio State (WSH): Offensive defenseman went through adversity during two years at North Dakota, then found his footing with the Buckeyes last season.

95. Dominic Basse, G, St. Lawrence (CHI): Intimidating 6-foot-6 netminder comes over from St. Cloud State after previous stop at Colorado College. Basse brings tons of experience.

96. Rasmus Larsson, D, Northern Michigan (NYR): Puck-mover with great size comes to the Wildcats from the USHL after developing with Vasteras back home in Sweden.

97. Eli Barnett, D, Vermont (SJ): Towering blueliner is one of several Catamounts who won't be fun to play against in their own end. The sophomore comes in at 6-foot-6 and 225 pounds.

98. Cam Berg, C, North Dakota (NYI): Veteran producer put up 20 goals in his first season at NoDak after transferring from Omaha. No reason not to expect a point per game as a senior.

99. Shane LaChance, LW, Boston Univ. (EDM): Massive frame makes LaChance a load to deal with in the offensive zone. Sophomore looks to build off solid 27-point frosh campaign.

100. Kenny Connors, LW, UMass (LA): Offensive numbers took a bit of a hit last year, but Connors will never cheat you on effort and a forceful junior campaign wouldn't shock.

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