Photo Courtesy of the Youngstown Phantoms [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/88f0d012-0d90-4314-b231-adffa8918555.webp] Photo Courtesy of the Youngstown Phantoms Now that the collegiate hockey season is winding down, NHL teams have been signing undrafted free agents. The USHL [https://thehockeynews.com/ushl/]saw several of its alums sign over the past week. The Dallas Stars [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/dallas-stars]inked former Youngstown Phantoms defenseman Trey Taylor to a two-year entry-level contract for the 2025-26 season. Taylor appeared in 39 games for the NCAA’s [https://thehockeynews.com/ncaa/]Clarkson Golden Nights, totaling 29 points (9-20-29), leading team defensemen in scoring. The 23-year-old Richmond, B.C. native captured the ECAC’s Best Defensive Defenseman award for the second consecutive season. In three seasons with Clarkson, Taylor recorded 16 goals and 38 assists for 54 points in 110games. A number of former USHL players signed with NHL teams as undrafted free agents over the past week. Taylor spent one season with the Phantoms, where he totaled 43 points (10-33-43) in 53 games. He finished second in team scoring and first among defensemen, earning him a spot on the USHL’s Third All-Star Team. Taylor will join the Stars’ AHL [https://thehockeynews.com/ahl/]affiliate in Texas. Former Muskegon Lumberjacks forward Jack Williams signed a two-year entry-level deal with the Columbus Blue Jackets [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/columbus-blue-jackets]. The 5-foot-11, 185-pound right-shot winger played three seasons at Northeastern. In 106 games with the program, Williams had 94 points (39-55-94), including 16 goals and 25 assists this season. In four seasons with the Lumberjacks, Williams appeared in 165 games and scored 116 points (45-71-116). Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell believes Williams is a highly-skilled player with a strong passion for the game. He excels in creating turnovers with his ability to win pucks. The San Jose Sharks [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/san-jose-sharks]signed Fargo Force alum and defenseman Noah Beck to a two-year entry-level contract to take effect in the 2025-26 season. Beck played this past season with Arizona State. In 37 games, he posted 33 points (5-28-33), finishing fifth in team scoring and first among defensemen. Before joining the Sun Devils, Beck spent four seasons at Clarkson. In five collegiate seasons, Beck collected 89 points (20-69-89) in 161 career games. In his lone season with the Force, Beck scored 27 points (4-23-27) in 42 games. The Richmond Hill, Ont. native was originally selected by the St. Louis Blues [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/st-louis-blues]in the seventh round of the 2020 NHL Draft. He’s the older brother of Jack Beck, who was drafted by the Calgary Flames [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/calgary-flames]and is currently with the Wheeling Nailers of the ECHL [https://thehockeynews.com/echl/]. The Sioux City Musketeers saw one of their former players sign with an NHL team. Defenseman Ethan Edwards landed a two-year entry-level deal with the New Jersey Devils [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-jersey-devils]. His contract will begin in the 2025-26 season. Edwards recorded 21 points (5-16-21) in 36 games with the University of Michigan this season, finishing fourth in team scoring and ranking first among team blueliners. The 5-foot-10, 176-pound Edwards totaled 15 goals and 41 assists for 46 points through 130 career games over four seasons with the Wolverines. During his one season with the Musketeers, he ranked fourth in team scoring and first among defensemen with 27 points in 51 games. Edwards will join the AHL’s Utica Comets for the remainder of the 2024-25 season. Lincoln Stars alum Gleb Veremyev signed a two-year entry-level contract with the New York Islanders [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-islanders], which will start next season. The 21-year-old left-shot center, whose parents immigrated from Russia, played three years of collegiate hockey at Colorado College. He finished this season with 17 points (9-8-17). The 6-foot-4, 205-pound Veremyev appeared in one game for Lincoln and accumulated two penalty minutes.
