College hockey free agents set to garner attention

College hockey is in the postseason portion of its schedule with conference tournaments underway and, soon thereafter, the 2015 NCAA Tournament. That also means teams are seeing their seasons come to an end and, for those players who are not draft-eligible and still free agents, it's a chance to sign professional contracts.

Every season, a number of undrafted college free agents draw the attention of NHL teams, and some end up getting contracts. Here are a few names to watch:

Matt O'Connor, Boston University (goalie) -- When the Terriers were struggling mightily last season, O'Connor was still putting up pretty strong numbers, with a .920 save percentage in 22 games. This season, with an influx of young talent, O'Connor has seen his record improve, currently at 20-3-4, with a .928 save percentage. At 6-foot-6, he's got the frame of an NHL goaltender, and a pretty calm on- and off-ice demeanor.

Evan Rodrigues, Boston University (forward) -- Rodrigues would probably be the first to admit he's been a major beneficiary of playing on the top line in college hockey. The senior forward has played next to 2012 NHL Draft pick Danny O'Regan (fifth round, San Jose Sharks), and soon-to-be top two pick in the 2015 draft and super-prospect Jack Eichel.

Rodrigues' numbers have spiked this season. He's set career-highs in goals (18), assists (36) and points (54). The only player in the country with more points than Rodrigues is his linemate, Eichel. Rodrigues' numbers alone will earn him some attention, but he is a good skater and a skilled forward with good hands and a quick release.

Grayson Downing, University of New Hampshire (forward) -- A talented offensive player, Downing can play at each end of the ice. He's been a consistent performer for the Wildcats, scoring at least 10 goals in each of his four seasons. This year he's up to 21, including an overtime-winner Friday in Game 1 of New Hampshire's Hockey East Quarterfinal series against Providence. He knows how to finish around the goal and has an NHL-caliber shot.

Austin Czarnik, Miami (forward) -- Playing on one of the best teams in the nation this season, Czarnik hasn't put the puck in the net as much (seven goals) as past seasons, but his 32 assists are sixth in the country. Czarnik is another player who has produced four effective years: He had at least 37 points in each of his first three seasons, and is currently at 40, with the potential for as many as five more games. Czarnik is on the small side at 5-foot-8 but is incredibly quick and a playmaker who sees the ice well. He fits the mold of the new smaller, quicker NHL forward.

Tom Parisi, Providence (defenseman) -- A strong skater who plays against plenty of top-end forwards in Hockey East, Parisi has made strides in his junior season, when many college hockey players take the next step. He has set career-highs in assists (13) and points (16) this season, showing some offensive growth. He's not a flashy defenseman but always seems to make the right first-pass exiting the zone and rarely makes the big mistake.

Kenney Morrison, Western Michigan (defenseman) -- Possibly the most-coveted free-agent defenseman, Morrison came back for his junior season despite getting some NHL attention after his sophomore year. He plays a ton of minutes and has pretty good quickness to go along with a bigger frame. He's been a weapon on the power play with one of the heaviest shots in college hockey. His season is over, so he'll receive a lot of attention from NHL teams.

Others to watch: Casey Bailey, Penn State (forward); Hampus Gustafsson, Merrimack (forward); Clay Witt, Northeastern (goalie); Daniel Ciampini, Union (forward); Matt Garbowsky, Rochester (forward)

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