It’s mid-March, and that means most college hockey seasons are coming to an end. This means that many players are now free to speak and potentially sign with NHL teams. Plenty are without a home altogether, having gone undrafted in the NHL and aging out/graduating. Lots will still have years of eligibility remaining, but could be enticed to turn pro early with the right situation. The Calgary Flames have done relatively well signing college free agents from a historical standpoint; legendary Flames players such as Jamie Macoun and Joel Otto went undrafted, were snagged by the team, and went on to have very respectable careers. Otherwise, Flames greats like Joe Mullen and Curtis Glencross had similar stories, albeit getting their original shot with other teams.
Related: Calgary Flames’ Best Undrafted Players of All-Time
The Flames are finding themselves thin on prospects after moving some youngsters up to the big club, or losing them on waivers. Rookie general manager Craig Conroy has done well restocking the cupboard with upcoming draft selections via trade, but free agency is what many fans and media believe separates good management from bad. Conroy has already dipped into this pool of prospects; recently signing forward Sam Morton to a one-year, two-way contract. Morton immediately suited up for their American Hockey League affiliate, the Calgary Wranglers, and has recorded one goal and one assist in his first two pro games. There are lots of other very talented college players currently available. Here are four that we think the Flames should take a closer look at.
Collin Graf, Right-Wing/Centre, Quinnipiac University
First on the list is the consensus top college free agent available, Qunnipiac’s Collin Graf. The 21-year-old still has two seasons left of eligibility, but will likely be getting a lot of calls whenever his season ends and may turn pro shortly. The Bobcats are currently playing in the ECAC championship and are ranked seventh in the nation. Much of their success can be attributed to the phenomenal play of Graf, who was recently named to the Hobey Baker Top 10 list for the second consecutive season. He has put up 22 goals and 48 points in just 32 games this season, leading his team in both categories. His points total has him at 10th in the NCAA and the only undrafted player with more points is the probable number-one pick in the upcoming 2024 NHL Entry Draft, Boston University’s Macklin Celebrini.
Graf is not having a breakout year, either. He totalled 21 goals and 59 points in 41 games last season as his team won the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history. Standing 6-foot-1 and weighing in at 194 pounds, he is not only touted for his offensive instincts, either. He is lauded for his defensive responsibility and has the numbers to back it up; he has a plus/minus of plus-24, and has impressively committed just one minor penalty this entire season. For the Flames, he is a versatile forward who arguably could be converted to a full-time centreman as that is where their prospect pool is the thinnest. He drives play whenever he is on the ice, but creates impacts at both ends. He would immediately be the Flames’ best forward prospect and could realistically make waves in the NHL faster than most other college prospects.
Liam McLinskey, Forward, College of the Holy Cross
Another outstanding forward that will be available is Liam McLinskey of the College of the Holy Cross Crusaders. Ironically, he was also originally a part of the Quinnipiac program; he joined them for the 2021-22 season, but only suited up for two games. He transferred to Holy Cross for the following season, and hasn’t looked back since. That season, he scored 21 goals and 25 points in 40 games as the Crusaders fell one win short of going to the national tournament.
McLinskey has taken it up a notch further in 2023-24, with 19 goals and 47 points through 39 contests. No one else on his team has eclipsed the 40-point mark, and he also boasts a very impressive plus-23 rating that leads the Crusaders. At 6-foot-3 and just 165 pounds, he is wiry with good reach but may need to bulk up for the NHL. Regardless, he is another impact centre who looks league-bound.
Jacob Quillan, Centre, Quinnipiac
Next is Graf’s teammate on the Bobcats, centreman Jacob Quillan. The 22-year-old native of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia has quietly put together a tremendous season of his own despite sometimes being in Graf’s shadow. He has 15 goals and 44 points in 37 games thus far, primarily playing as the team’s number-one centre. Just like Graf, this season isn’t a one-off: He was fourth on the Bobcats in 2022-23 with 38 points in 41 matches as well. He too is a strong two-way forward that can adapt to systems and is decent in the face-off dot to boot. He also displays strong leadership on the Bobcats as an alternate captain, guiding the team both on and off-ice. He would be an excellent addition to the Flames system and is more than worthy of a closer look.
T.J. Hughes, Forward, University of Michigan
Finally, we have to give due attention to University of Michigan Wolverines forward T.J. Hughes. Hailing from Hamilton, Ontario, he plied his trade in junior with the nearby Brooks Bandits of the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) before committing to Michigan. There, he put up a ridiculous 66 goals and 127 points in 60 games, which rank as the first and second-best season totals, respectively, in the club’s history. Nowadays, the 5-foot-11, 185-pounder is tearing up the NCAA. After scoring 13 times and putting up 36 points in 39 games as a freshman last season, he has upped his production to the tune of 18 goals and 44 points in 37 games in 2023-24. He is a pure goal scorer that has great hands in tight and a wicked shot, but is also a tenacious forechecker with a fantastic motor. The Flames would be wise to bring him back to Alberta and see if his game translates to the big leagues.
To conclude, the Flames simply shouldn’t be finished exploring the college free agent ranks. There is just too much talent available to be ignored, and the organization currently has too bleak of a prospect cupboard. College players often tend to convert to pro quicker than junior due to their advanced age, physical features, and playing experiences. Of course, not all of them pan out. All of the aforementioned players have high potential and should be strongly considered to be the next to don the Flaming ‘C’.