NCAA hockey tournament features plenty of NHL prospects

NHL prospects will dot the rosters when the NCAA Division I men's hockey tournament begins Friday, with 16 teams divided into four regional brackets.

There will also be a number of free agents who could provide a boost to a team looking for one prior to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Here are 15 players to watch when the tournament opens with regional games in Fargo, North Dakota; Manchester, New Hampshire; Providence, Rhode Island; and Allentown, Pennsylvania.
Jack Drury, C, Harvard (Carolina Hurricanes)
The nephew of former NHL forward Chris Drury ranked fourth on Harvard with 24 points (nine goals, 15 assists) and second with six power-play goals as a freshman. The 6-foot, 179-pound center, selected by the Hurricanes in the second round (No. 42) of the 2018 NHL Draft, won a silver medal with the United States at the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship.
Adam Fox, D, Harvard (Carolina Hurricanes)
The junior leads Harvard with 48 points (nine goals, 39 assists) and 116 shots on goal in 32 games. The 5-11, 181-pound right-hand shot was named the ECAC Hockey Player of the Year and is a top-10 finalist for the Hobey Baker Award, given to the top player in NCAA Division I men's hockey. A third-round pick (No. 66) by the Calgary Flames in the 2016 NHL Draft, Fox was acquired by the Hurricanes, along with defenseman Dougie Hamilton and forward Michael Ferland, in a trade with the Flames for defenseman Noah Hanifin and forward Elias Lindholm on June 23.

Jake Kielly, G, Clarkson (No affiliation)
The 6-foot-2, 201-pound junior leads the NCAA with 26 wins in 38 games (26-10 with two ties) and has a 1.89 goals-against average, .929 save percentage and five shutouts. He's a candidate for the Hobey Baker Award and a finalist for the Mike Richter Award, given to the top NCAA goalie.
Cale Makar, D, Massachusetts (Colorado Avalanche)
The 5-11, 187-pound sophomore is the highest-drafted player in the tournament, taken by the Avalanche with the No. 4 pick in the 2018 NHL Draft. He has 46 points (15 goals, 31 assists) and 37 blocked shots in 37 games for UMass and is second in the nation in points per game by a defenseman (1.28) and tied for second among defensemen in plus/minus (plus-30). Makar was the 2019 Hockey East Player of the Year and is one of 10 finalists for the Hobey Baker Award.
Ian Mitchell, D, Denver (Chicago Blackhawks)
The 5-11, 175-pound sophomore ranked fourth in scoring with 27 points (six goals, 21 assists) in 36 games for Denver, which holds the longest active NCAA tournament appearance streak (12). Chosen by the Blackhawks in the second round (No. 57) of the 2017 NHL Draft, Mitchell leads Denver with 61 blocked shots, ranks second with three game-winning goals, and is third with four power-play goals.
Cam Morrison, F, Notre Dame (Colorado Avalanche)
The 6-2, 201-pound junior is tied for fifth on Notre Dame with 20 points (10 goals, 10 assists) and is fourth with 77 shots on goal in 30 games. Selected by the Avalanche in the second round (No. 40) of the 2016 NHL Draft, Morrison has 67 points (30 goals, 37 assists) in 110 NCAA games.

Jay O'Brien, C, Providence (Philadelphia Flyers)
In his first NCAA season, the 6-foot, 176-pound right-hand shot has five points (two goals, three assists) in 25 games for Providence, which has the most NHL-drafted players (nine) of any team in the tournament. The No. 19 pick in the 2018 NHL Draft won a silver medal with the United States at the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship in January.
Andrew Peeke, D, Notre Dame (Columbus Blue Jackets)
The 6-3, 198-pound junior ranks third on his team with 23 points (three goals, 20 assists) in 38 games for Notre Dame, which won the Big Ten tournament a second straight season and is making a fourth straight NCAA tournament appearance. The right-hand shot, selected by the Blue Jackets in the second round (No. 34) of the 2016 NHL Draft, ranks second on Notre Dame with 85 blocked shots.
Scott Perunovich, D, Minnesota Duluth (St. Louis Blues)
The 5-foot-9, 172-pound sophomore is tied for first on Minnesota Duluth with 28 points (three goals, 25 assists) and had 31 blocked shots. Selected by the Blues in the second round (No. 45) of the 2018 NHL Draft, he was named the National Collegiate Hockey Conference best offensive defensive Player and was a NCHC First Team All-Star.
Cayden Primeau, G, Northeastern (Montreal Canadiens)
The 6-3, 198-pound goalie played a vital role in leading Northeastern to its third Hockey East tournament championship and seventh appearance in the NCAA tournament, following its best regular-season finish in school history (27-10-1). He finished 25-9-1 with a 2.00 goals-against average, .936 save percentage and four shutouts. Selected in the seventh round (No. 199) by the Canadiens in the 2017 NHL Draft, Primeau helped the United States to a silver medal at the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship and is a finalist for the Mike Richter Award.

Ryan Poehling, C, St. Cloud State (Montreal Canadiens)
The 6-foot-2, 185-pound center has 31 points (eight goals, 23 assists) for St. Cloud State, which has been ranked No. 1 in the nation most of the season. Selected with the No. 25 pick in the 2017 NHL Draft, Poehling won a bronze medal with the United States at the 2018 WJC and a silver medal at the 2019 WJC, when he was named the tournament's most valuable player after scoring eight points (five goals, three assists) in seven games.
Dylan Samberg, D, Minnesota Duluth (Winnipeg Jets)
The 6-4, 223-pound sophomore has 17 points (six goals, 11 assists), a plus-16 rating and 50 blocked shots in 35 games for Minnesota Duluth. Selected by the Jets in the second round (No. 43) of the 2017 NHL Draft, Samberg won a silver medal with the United States at the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship.
Jimmy Schuldt, D, St. Cloud State (No affiliation)
The 6-1, 205-pound senior leads St. Cloud State defensemen with 34 points (10 goals, 24 assists), and is plus-24 in 38 games. The left-handed shot, who hasn't missed a game in his collegiate career (154 straight games), is the all-time leader among St. Cloud State defensemen with 117 points (38 goals, 79 assists) and is in his third season as captain. He's also a candidate for the Hobey Baker Award.
Nico Sturm, C, Clarkson (No affiliation)
The 6-3, 207-pound junior, a Clarkson co-captain, is considered by some scouts to be the best defensive forward in the NCAA. He's tied for eighth among college players with 45 points (14 goals, 31 assists) in 38 games, and has won 58.5 percent of his face-offs. A native of Augsburg, Germany, Sturm is a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award.

Riley Tufte, F, Minnesota Duluth (Dallas Stars)
The 6-6, 209-pound junior, selected by the Stars with the No. 25 pick in the 2016 NHL Draft, has 18 points (nine goals, nine assists) and a team-leading seven power-play goals in 38 games for Minnesota Duluth, which hopes to become the tournament's first repeat champion since Denver (2004-05). Tufte was the recipient of the 2015-16 Mr. Hockey Award, given to the outstanding senior boys' high school hockey player in the state of Minnesota after scoring 78 points (47 goals, 31 assists) in 25 games for Blaine High School.