2026 NHL Free Agency: Top 10 NCAA UFAs to watch

Mar 12, 2026, 14:00 EDTUpdated: Mar 12, 2026, 14:09 EDT

2026 NHL Free Agency: Top 10 NCAA UFAs to watch

Credit: Steven Ellis/Daily Faceoff

It’s that time of year again.

As NCAA teams start to get knocked out ahead of the national title playoff season, you’ll begin to see older prospects sign pro contracts as undrafted free-agent signings. College players can’t sign NHL deals while still in school. But once the season ends, that’s where things get interesting.

For the most part, we’re talking about depth players at best. Most free-agent signings are 22-24 years old, with most of their key development already complete. In theory, they’re more NHL-ready, although it’s more common to find long-term depth pieces than actual hidden gems.

That being said, there’s always value to be found. Colin Graf has been fantastic for the San Jose Sharks after signing with them out of Quinnipiac back in 2024. Sam Malinski just got a nice four-year extension after rising to prominence with the Colorado Avalanche. The Toronto Maple Leafs signed Bobby McMann a few years back, watched him rise up the ranks from an ECHLer to a top-six NHLer, and then traded him to Seattle for a pair of draft picks last week.

Will a team find the next Graf, Malinski or McMann this year? Here are 10 of the top potential college free agents this spring:

Hank Cleaves, C, 22 (Dartmouth College)

Scouts really like Cleaves. He was a solid BCHL player, but he really found his groove once he moved to Dartmouth College. He’s currently sitting at 35 points in 30 games, including 21 assists to make him one of the more effective passers in college. At 6-foot-4, he’s got the size teams like, and he moves well, too. If Cleaves can find another gear, there’s real bottom-six NHL potential here. Many scouts think the 22-year-old could easily make the jump to the AHL and be effective next year – we’ll see if he elects to leave college early.

Josh Eernisse, RW, 24 (University of Michigan)

Scouts first fell in love with Eernisse’s game two years ago after his first season at Michigan. Now, on the verge of completing his final year of school, Eernisse is almost definitely going to get an NHL contract in the coming weeks. He plays like every shift could be his last, and that type of work ethic goes a long way. Eernisse isn’t going to produce in the NHL, but teams looking for size and energy can do much worse than signing the 6-foot-3, 216-pound forward. Don’t be surprised to see him in an NHL lineup quite early next season: teams really love his power-forward play style, especially in a potential fourth-line role.

Tyson Gross, C, 23 (St. Cloud State University)

UPDATE (March 12, 11:43 AM ET): Signed by Calgary Flames

Gross is considered by many to be the top free agent on the board this year. He had 45 points in his first two college campaigns combined and nearly matched that this season alone. He’s an excellent skater who consistently creates plays at a high pace. Gross generates high-quality chances often and spends a lot of time around the net looking to bag home some rebounds. Gross is physical, smart and always involved, with and without the puck. Many teams have been linked to Gross, but many expect the Calgary Flames, who brought Gross to development camp in the past, to be the frontrunner for the 6-foot-3 forward.

Dylan Hryckowian, RW, 21 (Northeastern University)

Hryckowian is very intriguing. At 5-foot-10, he lacks the size teams are chasing after. But the same goes for his brother, Justin, who could finish the year with 30 points as a useful rookie in Dallas. Could an NHL team take a chance on Dylan, hoping for the same? He often plays more than 20 minutes a night for Northeastern and has tallied 34, 36 and 36 points over the past three seasons. He has been incredibly productive at every level, and he plays with so much pace. NHL teams shouldn’t be worried about Hryckowian’s lack of size – it hasn’t seemed to slow him or his brother down one bit.

T.J. Hughes, C, 24 (University of Michigan)

It wouldn’t be a free agent crop without talking about Hughes. He first drew attention after a 36-point freshman season and then upped the ante with a 48-point campaign a year later. He’s on track for north of 50 as Michigan looks to go deep into the college season this year. Hughes is an interesting prospect because he started his junior career playing Jr. B, and then went as long as possible in the AJHL (registering 66 goals and 127 points in 2021-22) before kicking off his college tenure. As he’s an older prospect, expectations are high for Hughes, and he often delivers. He’s intense, quick and always looking to get in the way to steal pucks. His play away from the puck has continued to improve over the past two seasons, as well.

Jake Livanavage, LHD, 21 (University of North Dakota)

I’ll also throw in Ellis Rickwood here – the former BCHLer has nearly 70 points over the past two seasons, and I know a few teams have definitely kept a close eye on him. Like Hughes, Livanavage has received some love the past few years. He has 82 points in 113 games over three college seasons and also had an impressive run at the Spengler Cup in December. Scouts have kept a close eye on him the past few years due to his productive nature and a willingness to get in the dirty areas to win puck battles. Don’t give him space on the power play, either. Livanavage is undersized at 5-foot-10, and his skating isn’t good enough to offset that right now. But the numbers are impressive – an NHL team would be wise to take a chance on him and see what happens.

Max Lundgren, G, 23 (Merrimack College)

Teams always like taking a chance on big goaltenders – especially those who earned serious draft consideration in the past. I was surprised Lundgren wasn’t selected out of the USHL in 2023, but he has followed that up with two solid seasons at Merrimack. At 6-foot-5, he has the size teams crave. He’s also routinely busy – he has faced 30 or more shots in 23 of his 34 starts this season. Teams like goaltenders who can handle volume, and he often is one of the best players in Merrimack’s lineup any given night. The Swedish-born goaltender (with Finnish national team experience) could serve himself well by shedding a bit of weight to get quicker, but he’s definitely intriguing in a free agent crop lacking a difference-making netminder.

Jack Stockfish, C, 23 (College of the Holy Cross)

Stockfish has never been a high-end point-producer. But given he’s 6-foot-4, 216 pounds and with enough strength to take on the Hulk, teams are definitely intrigued. Stockfish projects as a bottom-line forward who can win faceoffs, smother opponents with his frame and make quality passes up the ice. Stockfish can also kill penalties and skate well, too. There’s nothing flashy about his game. But he’s excellent around the net and can be an absolute menace when taking space away from a goaltender. Stockfish still has a long way to go to become a full-time NHLer, but he’s the type of depth add teams like to get this time of year.

J.J. Wiebusch, RW, 22 (Penn State Universiy)

The influx of high-quality talent at Penn State this year allowed for guys like Wiebusch to earn more love. He had 33 points as a freshman last year and already has 34 this season with the playoffs still to go. Sometimes, you’ll fall in love with his puck play and how often he gets the puck into high-quality scoring chances. Other times, you’ll be more impressed with the smaller details in his game, like his ability to chip pucks out of danger and support his team on the rush. Wiebusch loves to play with boatloads of energy, and I could see him contributing as a fourth-line forward capable of scoring about 10 goals a year if everything works out.

Lawton Zacher, G, 22 (Northeastern University)

Zacher turned two strong seasons at Brown University into a big opportunity at Northeastern this year. Zacher has five shutouts in 14 victories, facing at least 32 shots in all but one of them. He was particularly impressive against Boston College back in October, stopping 72 of the 73 shots sent his way. Zacher moves very quickly in the crease, and he has unbelievable hands, too. Having watched Zacher a bit in the past, he typically struggles with dealing with shots from in tight. But overall, I don’t think it’ll take much work from an NHL goalie coach to help him fix the flaws in his game. I can see him becoming a potential backup one day. The results are good, the technicals are impressive, and teams seem to just generally like his game.

Also considered: Vinny Borgesi, D, 22 (Northeastern University); Aleksi Kivioja, C, 22 (Providence College); Bret Link, RW, 23 (Colorado College); Owen Michaels, C, 23 (Western Michigan University); Nathan Pilling, C, 21 (University of St. Thomas)

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