Kyle Turris (Wisconsin)
-The 3rd overall pick in the 2007 draft, many expected Turris' stop on Wisconsin's campus to be a short one. It turned out to be just that as the 18 year old center signed with the Coyotes just days after the Badgers season ended. Turris is a dynamic offensive talent and led Wisconsin in points this year, scoring 11 goals to go with 24 assists. He was part of a phenomenal
freshman class for the Badgers that carried much of the offense for them. Turris' exit is a blow to a team that has had problems scoring goals for several years and he is a talent that is not easily replaced.
Jon Kalinski (Minnesota State)
-The Flyers became hellbent on signing their NCAA prospects this March/April, and former 6th round pick Kalinski was one of those brought into the fold. A lightning fast forward, Kalinski played in all situations and had become a huge part of the Mavericks resurgence in 2008. His penalty-killing had become something of legend as he was responsible for numerous short-handed chances and was near the top of the WCHA in shorties the past two years. His loss will be felt throughout the Mavs lineup.
Jason Garrison (Minnesota-Duluth)
-Garrison quietly emerged as one of the league's better defenseman as a junior and was a stalwart on a defensively stingy Bulldogs squad. His physical presence and rocket of a slap shot prompted the Florida Panthers to lure him out of school and his departure leaves the Bulldogs short on offensive talent along the blue-line. Garrison was an undrafted free agent, leaving him able to sign with whomever he pleased.
Michael Lee-Teslak (Michigan Tech)
-Teslak emerged from relative obscurity to become a star for Michigan Tech. An undrafted goaltender from the BCHL, Teslak carried the Huskies to back to back respectable seasons despite their dearth of offense. His play intrigued the Flyers enough for them to offer him a sizeable enough deal to entice him to leave Tech. The loss of Teslak is a huge blow to the Huskies as he was the glue to their squad in back to back years, often carrying them to major upsets.
Andreas Nodl (St. Cloud State)
-A 2nd round pick of the Flyers in 2006, Nodl has been an offensive force ever since he arrived on campus, posting 90 points in his first two seasons. Nodl was often criticized for lackadaisical defensive play, but nobody can deny his offensive prowess. He was a handful for WCHA defenseman and a force on the power play. The Austrian native left his mark on the Huskies program and his production is going to be tough to duplicate as he moves on to the Flyers organization.
Jeff Frazee (Minnesota)
-Frazee entered the Minnesota program as a much ballyhooed freshman who had already experienced great success in international play and set several records for the NTDP program in Ann Arbor. Three years later, he departs after an inconsistent and frustrating career, signing with the New Jersey Devils. Jeff was finally benched after a sluggish junior season in favor of Alex Kangas. To his credit, he handled the situation with a lot of grace and aplomb and leaves without many hard feelings from Gopher fans.
Turris has already gotten a taste of the NHL life, appearing in the Coyotes final 3 games of the season. But the rest of this group likely has at least a year in the minor leagues before they move onto the NHL, if they ever make it there at all. That should not stop any others from signing, and every team in the league still faces the possibility of losing one of its stars.
Alaska-Anchorage
-The Seawolves are rarely hit with early departures, but last off-season did see them lose starting goaltender Nathan Lawson, although there were other factors behind his departure. UAA will likely retain all its underclassmen, as the back to back cellar dwellars lack the kind of top-end talent that attracts NHL attention. There is still a chance that Sophomores Josh Lunden or Paul Crowder bolt, but the chances are slim that the Seawolves lose anyone early.
Colorado College
-The McNaughton Cup champions could get hit fairly hard this year. Junior Chad Rau led the WCHA in goals and juniors coming off fantastic seasons are generally good bets to sign. Rau's rights are owned by the Maple Leafs, a team looking to rebuild, and signing Rau may be part of that plan. Sensational freshmen Richard Bachman was a 4th round pick by the Dallas Stars in 2006 and there are rumors floating around that the Stars would like to get him in their system. Dallas is a bit short on goaltending talent and could use a long-term option behind starter Marty Turco. Sophomore Billy Sweatt is a 2nd-round pick of the Chicago Blawhawks and Chicago is in the midst of a youth movement. Sweatt has NHL speed and improved his offensive game from his freshman to his sophomore season. He is likely to spend another year in Colorado Springs to develop his game, but you never know what NHL teams are thinking. Those appear to be the only three serious threats for CC, but those guys, along with senior Jack Hillen were major pieces in their run to a WCHA regular season title.
Denver
-The Pioneers also have to be worried about some of their top talent leaving campus. Junior defenseman Chris Butler has developed into one the league's top defenseman, and his rights are owned by a Sabres organization that is looking to compensate for the loss of All-Star defenseman Brian Campbell. Sophomore forwards Rhett Rakshani and Tyler Ruegsegger both are flight risks as 4th and 6th round picks respectively. The Islanders showed their willingness to grab guys from the NCAA when they took Kyle Okposo out of Minnesota during the middle of the year, and after losing draft picks in the Ryan Smith trade in 2007, the Isles desperately need depth in their system. Undrafted Tyler Bozak had a fantastic freshman season, leading the Pioneers in scoring and earning all-freshman WCHA honors. As a 21-year old free agent, he may look to get his career started while his stock is high. If all or some of these players return to Denver next year they will stand as one of the league's preseason favorites.
Michigan Tech
-Teslak should be the only loss for the Huskies. None of their returning players have been drafted and none of them have really shown enough for an NHL to lure them out of school. Tech appears safe and should return a lineup heavy on veterans for the 2008-2009 season.
Minnesota
-The Gophers are no strangers to early departures, having seen a littany of elite talent leave before their eligibility was up during the Lucia era. This off-season promises to be easier on the Gophers but there are still a few candidates. Former 5th overall pick Blake Wheeler just finished his junior season and is set to graduate this spring. The Coyotes are loaded with young talent at forward, which could either signal they would like to add Wheeler as another or that they are not in need of Wheeler's services at the moment. All indications are that Phoenix would like to sign Blake but that he has yet to decide if he wants to sign or return for his senior season. Junior Ryan Stoa lost most of this season to a torn knee ligament and many had this earmarked as his final season at Minnesota. But the injury changes thing, and the former 2nd round pick of the Avalanche is likely going to be patient and return for his senior year. Undrafted freshman Stu Bickel was a pleasant surprise on the blue-line and at 6'3, 215 he has NHL-size. At 21 years old, he is on the older side for college freshman and his combination of size and maturity may be attractive to NHL scouts. He is a wild-card and may be tempted to take his chances in the professional ranks.
Minnesota-Duluth
-Other than Garrison, two names stick out for the Bulldogs. Junior forward Michael Gergen is a 2nd round pick of the Pittsburgh Penguins and the speedy forward has the most offensive skill on an offensively challenged team. Already loaded at forward, Pittsburgh may elect to wait on Gergen and give him another year in Duluth. Goaltender Alex Stalock is property of the San Jose Sharks, an organization that has had a knack for pumping out elite goaltenders. Stalock would likely toil away in the minors for a few years, but with the Sharks ability to develop netminders, he may be tempted to sign.
Minnesota State
-The Mavericks appear safe from further departures as they feature a cast of solid if unspectacular players. Goaltender Mike Zacharias had a huge junior year but his size limits his NHL potential.
North Dakota
-The Sioux are likely to get pounded by early exits. Former first rounders Joe Finley and T.J. Oshie are virtual locks to leave, as both have proved all they can at the college level and have the ability to step into an NHL lineup as soon as next year. Ryan Duncan flirted with leaving last year, and as a free agent he should have leverage to leave after this year. Taylor Chorney is a 2nd round selection of the Oilers and they could use blue-line help, meaning he is as good as gone. That would likely be it for UND, but those four juniors all were key in getting them to three consecutive Frozen Fours.
St. Cloud State
-Like Minnesota State, SCSU is looking at losing only Nodl, although Ryan Lasch is a possibility. He has been a scoring-machine in two years at St. Cloud and as a free agent all it takes is for one team to be interested.
Wisconsin
-The Badgers brought in an elite recruiting class this season but that always can backfire when players leave early. Defenseman Ryan McDonagh and Brendan Smith were both 1st round selections, 12th and 29th respectively, and both showed their promise during the year. Smith is likely to stay, but McDonagh is an interesting case. The Canadiens were one of the NHL's best teams this year but McDonagh was solid all year and could add some punch to their blue-line. Jamie McBain, Carolina Hurricanes property, is the likeliest of the three to leave as he had an outstanding year as has ascended to the top of the WCHA defenseman.
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