College hockey’s 2025-26 season is not only quickly winding down, it’s actually already ended for many players — including one Kings prospect, who saw his freshman year come to an end on Wednesday night.
At this time each year, not only do we begin talking about the upcoming NCAA playoffs, there’s also plenty of chatter about a fairly robust-sized pool that more and more pro teams have been fishing out of over the past decade: college hockey free agents. While not all players are lucky enough to be selected at the NHL Draft and advance to becoming bona fide prospects, that doesn’t mean they aren’t talented enough to play hockey at the highest level. In fact, many have made the jump with relative ease.
For clarity, these are college players whose rights don’t belong to an NHL team; thus, they are unrestricted free agents and can be signed by anybody. Typically, this begins to happen around a player’s sophomore or junior season, and even sometimes extends until they complete their senior year. After all, not all players develop on the same timeline.
Generally speaking, this is an area where the Kings have found a few diamonds in the rough, including their recruiting and signing of guys like Alex Iafallo, Blake Lizotte, and Sean Walker, just to name a few. While not every signing is a success story, it’s still a viable way to add players to an organization without utilizing the more common methods of drafting and trading.
Another point worth noting is about the NHL-readiness of many players from this group. While it’s not always a straight line from college to the NHL, the path is often much shorter than for players who are drafted out of the junior hockey ranks. Think of players like Mikey Anderson, Alex Laferriere, and even Jared Wright, for a more recent example. All of these guys (even though they were drafted) spent little to no time in the AHL. They were nearly finished products when they came out of college.
Thus, part of the attraction with a college free agent is they are often guys who bring a physical maturity compared to their junior hockey counterparts. It also speaks to development going on at many of the top universities; this is a feather in their cap and shouldn’t go unmentioned.
To borrow from a Mayor’s Manor article written right about this time several years ago…
Like most spring periods, the Kings are believed to have eyes on a small batch of college UFAs right now. That doesn’t guarantee they’ll be able to sign anybody, as some of the players featured in this article will also be highly sought after from other teams. However, we’ve attempted to do our usual level of due diligence to pull together a list of reasonable names that are likely up for consideration among LA scouts and management.
One of the things somewhat unique to this year’s crop of college UFAs is size. There’s size, size, and more size. Did we mention size? There also seems to be more skill than usual packaged with those bigger players. College free agency can often be filled with 5-foot-9 or -10 offensive guys, along with some larger, checking forwards. It’s one of things that made a guy like Iafallo, at 6-foot, stand out. He was somewhat a rarity. This year’s class is actually quite different.
We believe there are fewer than 10 potential candidates the Kings are most likely looking into — with maybe two contracts to give out, one on each side of the puck. Of course, this is on top of the deal we expect them to sign with Grant Slukynsky of Western Michigan once his season is over. More here.
DEFENSEMEN
listed in alphabetical order
Boston Buckberger – Denver
5-foot-11, 172 lbs, LHD
2025-26 Stats: 38 GP, 9 G, 18 A, 27 Pts, 18 PIM, Plus-27
It would be way too easy to simply think the Kings know this player well because he’s currently teammates with Kings prospects James Reeder, Kristian Epperson, and Brendan McMorrow on the Pios. Or because Buckberger skated with Kings prospect Jack Sparkes back in the USHL (Lincoln Stars). While all of that is true, there’s far more to the story here.
This Saskatchewan native skates well, has good sense, and can move the puck. He’s also a plus-minus KING. Buckberger’s career rating over three years of college hockey is plus-90, the highest among all active players and he is tied for third in the NCAA during the past 20 years. Fun note: he just surpassed Brian Dumoulin (plus-87) this week.
He leads DU in power-play points (13) this season and is tied for the lead in power-play goals (4). He was an ironman for the school in 2024, as the only player on their championship team to play in all 44 games, as a freshman.
Buckberger is a left shot, so that may see him sign with another NHL team, especially considering LA’s depth at that position right now. He’s almost surely signing an NHL contract in the next month, though. Denver first needs to complete their season; they’ll play in the NCHC semifinals next weekend after beating Hampton Slukynsky and Western Michigan this weekend (Buckberger scored for DU in that 2-1 OT victory, as well). Regardless of the outcome in their conference tournament, DU will then advance as one 16 teams in the NCAA tournament.
And, no, he isn’t the son of former Kings forward Kelly Buchberger (the names are even spelled differently). They do share the same nickname, though… Bucky.
Want to see a small sample of this puck-moving, two-way, do-it-all defenseman?
Viking Gustafsson-Nyberg – Connecticut
6-foot-6, 225 lbs, LHD
2025-26 Stats: 35 GP, 0 G, 10 A, 10 Pts, 24 PIM, Plus-17
With size and reach for days, he’s just “always in the way” of the opposition, as one scout put it to us. This is a player who gives you lean, not mean; meaning he pressures you. The skill and sense are there for Gustafsson-Nyberg.
He’s currently the alternate captain at Univ. of Connecticut. This is his third season of college hockey, after playing his freshman year at Northern Michigan. With the size that gets you noticed by NHL teams, he previously attended Detroit and Seattle’s development camps.
Teammate and fifth-year senior Hudson Schandor gave up his scholarship so Gustafsson-Nyberg could join them at UConn. Schandor now plays for the Kings ECHL team, the Greenville Swamp Rabbits.
His playing style involves being a shutdown defenseman who isn’t afraid to use his size to block shots:
UConn coach Mike Cavanaugh on Gustafsson-Nyberg: “He’s an elite penalty killer…his reach is something you can’t teach. To beat him one on one, it’s really hard… Viking is really materializing into an elite college defender. It’s not going to surprise me to see him playing in the NHL someday.”
Over his three collegiate seasons, Gustafsson-Nyberg has recorded 44, 62, and 47 blocked shots, respectively. He also lists fellow 6-foot-6 Swede Victor Hedman as his role model.
UConn defeated Boston University in the Hockey East tournament on Saturday. They’ve now advanced to play Boston College in the semis next weekend. That’s a huge game to keep their season alive. As a bubble team, a loss to BC could spell the end for UConn this year. Meanwhile a win, regardless of what happens in the Hockey East final, would likely lock down their hopes of an at-large bid to the final field of 16 teams. All of this matters because college free agents won’t sign with an NHL team until their season is officially over.
Hayden Hennen – Augustana
6-foot-3, 181 lbs, RHD
2025-26 Stats: 37 GP, 3 G, 12 A, 15 Pts, 36 PIM, Plus-13
A junior at Augustana Univ., Hennen’s season may already be over; he’s just waiting to see how things play out over the next week. The Vikings might still be alive for the big dance, but their loss to St. Thomas in the CCHA semifinals might be too tough to overcome in the rankings. They’re currently outside the top-16, but a little help could see them sneak back in.
Either way, things are trending up for Augustana. After debuting in 2023-24, this is only the third year of the school’s hockey program. Hennen has been there since Day 1. The Vikings went 20-10-4 in 2025-26 — their first-ever 20-win season — and are ranked 13th nationally.
Now, as for the player, this is somebody the Kings obviously like and have shown a previous interest in. He even attended Dev Camp in LA last summer. “He’s kind of peaked into some doors of what his future could be,” said Augustana coach Garrett Raboin.
After almost quitting hockey entirely after his senior year of high school to pursue college golf, he’s now a finalist for CCHA Defenseman of the Year this season.
Hayden Hennen has been named a finalist for #CCHA Defensive Defenseman of the Year#WeHoldThePen
#CCHAHonors pic.twitter.com/Ay1mtE75jB
— Augustana Men's Hockey (@AugieMHockey) March 6, 2026
His playing style is a mobile defenseman who thinks defense first, but can pick his spots offensively:
Bardown POWER PLAY goal from Hayden Hennen!
AU 1, LU 0 | 1st 6:52#WeHoldThePen#BuildingChampions pic.twitter.com/cMxFT3N1cD
— Augustana Men's Hockey (@AugieMHockey) January 18, 2025
As a sophomore, he had a team-leading 23:13 average TOI in 2024-25. We’re hearing he may not leave school just yet. A good puck mover and somebody with excellent skating, Hennen is as athletic as anybody on our list. He has a sneaky good shot, and as Raboin noted, he really has an “ability to skate pucks up the rink for a guy his size.”
Teammate Will Svenddal added, “He’s just so poised with the puck. He has so much patience where he makes it look so easy. He just finds ways to contribute to the team, whether it’s finding shooting lanes or making nice plays for guys to finish them off.”
It’s also worth mentioning, his brother Chris is a senior at the Air Force Academy after also attending Kings Dev Camp last summer. The elder is a 6-foot LHD who is second in the nation in points-per-game from the blueline. It wouldn’t be that surprising to see him in AHL Ontario, especially if the younger Hennen signs with the Kings.
Isaiah Norlin – Colgate
6-foot-3, 181 lbs, RHD
2025-26 Stats: 37 GP, 8 G, 20 A, 28 Pts, 18 PIM, Minus-9
He’s one of the few players on our list who has already completed his season. In a series we’ll talk more about down below, Dartmouth eliminated Colgate from the ECAC tournament this weekend, essentially ending Norlin’s sophomore year.
For teams looking to find some offense on the blueline, look no further. Ranked 12th in all of college hockey with .757 points-per-game by defenseman, Norlin knows who he is and excels in the role.
Norlin is also one of several players helping raise the BCHL’s profile, a growing alternative for many players before they move on to high-end U.S. college programs or venture over to the CHL. He was named the BCHL Defenseman of the Year in 2023-24 season, then spent one year at Nebraska-Omaha before moving on to Colgate.
The Blues liked him enough to invite him to their development camp in 2024.
He’s an offensive-minded defenseman with size:
TAKE A BOW ISAIAH NORLIN#GoGate pic.twitter.com/5aSrTPKuGt
— Colgate Men's Hockey (@ColgateMIH) February 8, 2026
This season, he’s tied for first in points among Colgate’s defensemen (28) and sits third among all ECAC blueliners. Norlin is also tied for the second-most power-play goals by a defenseman (5). In October 2025, he was named ECAC Defender of the month after putting up seven points in seven games (2 PPG, 5 A).
FORWARDS
listed in alphabetical order
Hank Cleaves – Dartmouth
6-foot-5, 200 lbs, Center
2025-26 Stats: 32 GP, 17 G, 21 A, 38 Pts, 37 PIM, Plus-19
This weekend has put an even bigger spotlight on one of the best overall players on this list. A smooth skating, physical center, Cleaves is above average in everything scouts look for in a guy to scoop up. Checking in right around 200 lbs, he’s lean, although highly athletic.
Friday night, Cleaves scored a pair of goals (including the game-winner), helping Dartmouth earn an important victory over Colgate. He followed that up Saturday with a power play goal, part of a 4-1 win that sent his team to next weekend’s ECAC semifinals.
Hailing from the Northeastern part of the U.S., Cleaves went west to polish his game early. Cutting his teeth in the BCHL, where he was fifth in the league for points per game (1.24) in 2023-24.
Now a sophomore at Dartmouth, there has been a lot of talk about Cleaves going back to school for one more year. He went to the Rangers development camp last summer. This season, he has the second most points on his team.
Cleaves is a two-way, playmaking center:
His 23.3% shooting percentage ranks him inside the top-25 among all NCAA players who have played double-digit games this season. He’s also more than tripled the goal production from his freshman year (5) to sophomore season (17).
TJ Hughes – Michigan
6-foot-0, 185 lbs, Forward
2025-26 Stats: 35 GP, 18 G, 30 A, 48 Pts, 20 PIM, Plus-10
Plenty of accolades surround any conversation about Hughes. He had multiple accomplishments at the AJHL level; most points in 2021, most goals, named top forward, and won a championship in 2022. Hughes currently serves as captain at the University of Michigan (senior) and was recently alternate captain of the inaugural U.S. Collegiate Select Team at the 2025 Spengler Cup.
In his NCAA career, Hughes is well over a point-per-game, racking up 172 points in 152 games. He’s already participated in development camps with Tampa Bay and the New York Rangers.
At his best, he might be the most talented in this bunch. At the very least, he’s a smart playmaking center:
Michigan coach Brandon Naurato says: “His biggest strength is that he’s got a nose for the net. He’s got the physical skills to bury pucks, but he’s just really good at getting open and timing when to get in certain spots depending on how the play develops.”
Teammate Nick Moldenhauer said: “(Hughes) has always been really good at slowing the game down. He’s just really patient with the puck to give him that extra couple seconds he needs to make the play happen.”
Want more stats? Hughes has won 57% of his faceoffs this year. He sits sixth in the nation for points-per-game (1.37) and has anchored college hockey’s best power play (30.2%).
At 24 years of age, he’s pretty much a finished product. However, he’s improved every year at Michigan. In the NHL, he likely projects as a third line skill guy who plays on the power play.
Edmonton is believed to be one of the teams pushing hard to sign him.
Aleksi Kivioja – Providence
6-foot-5, 220 lbs, Forward
2025-26 Stats: 34 GP, 8 G, 10 A, 18 Pts, 34 PIM, Plus-15
He’s worn letters in several places the past few years, including serving as alternate captain for the Kiekko-Espoo U20 team, the USHL’s Omaha Lancers, and now at Providence.
This is another player who is keenly on the radar of other NHL teams, having skated with Florida at one of their summer development camps.
After winning 54.3% of his faceoffs as a freshman, Kivioja has emerged into a tenacious, checking forward who produces points at a good level. His skating is good enough that he’ll get an NHL contract. The challenge will then be for Kivioja to earn more than fourth line minutes at the next level.
Providence coach Nate Leaman described Kivioja’s fourth line as “our identity line.”
It’s going to be a bit before he turns pro, as his current team will make the field of 16 teams competing in the NCAA playoffs.
Christian Fitzgerald – Wisconsin
6-foot-0, 174 lbs, Forward
2025-26 Stats: 35 GP, 15 G, 14 A, 29 Pts, 26 PIM, Minus-6
Solidly in the field of 16, Wisconsin is another team that will have to wait until next Sunday’s selection process to find out who they’ll play next. This senior is nearing the end of his collegiate career.
He previously attended Dev Camp with the Stars and prior to that he burst onto the scene in 2021 by winning the Brett Hull Trophy (highest scorer) in the BCHL. He also recorded the most assists that season. Thus, it’s no real surprise that he’s currently tied for Wisconsin’s goal lead and is second in overall points.
A tremendous skater, Fitzgerald is a two-way forward with strong playmaking skills. This is a good player, he’s just slightly on the older side of what some NHL teams are looking for. As one scout put it to us, “He’s good enough, yet is he creative enough?”
What a beauty
Christian Fitzgerald gets the scoring started for @BadgerMHockeypic.twitter.com/Hw4MOb2ql5
— Big Ten Hockey (@B1GHockey) January 25, 2026
Christian Fitzgerald gets @BadgerMHockey started
: @BigTenNetwork pic.twitter.com/XwZY6DZfgf
— Big Ten Hockey (@B1GHockey) January 25, 2026
He had two hat tricks in 26 days this year. The last Badger to have two in one season was Cole Caufield in 2020-21, the same year he won the Hobey Baker Award as college hockey’s best player. Oddly enough, Fitzgerald will likely end up as a winger in the NHL.
Nathan Pilling – St. Thomas
6-foot-4, 209 lbs, Forward
2025-26 Stats: 36 GP, 15 G, 14 A, 29 Pts, 48 PIM, Plus-9
Pilling is well-traveled, having first played for three WHL teams in four seasons (Moose Jaw, Edmonton, Seattle) before landing as a freshman at the Univ. of St. Thomas this season.
Although he didn’t play against any Kings prospects, Pilling did suit up for the Sharks as a camp invitee at the 2024 Rookie Faceoff.
After ending their regular season on a 2-4-2 streak over the final eight games, St. Thomas now finds themselves on the bubble for inclusion in the upcoming NCAA 16-team tournament. Thus, the timing to potentially sign Pilling is in flux.
His three shorthanded goals have him tied for second in college hockey. He’s also the only NCAA freshman to have that many.
Pilling also has the most shots on goal on his team this season, 12th most in the nation (131). He’s averaged 3.6 SOG per game. Overall, he’s a two-way forward with a strong shooting mentality:
Nathan Pilling has @TommieMHockey in front with another shorthanded goal!
Their nation-leading 10th of the year.
: https://t.co/FwkzD2GuCc #CCHAHockey | #RollToms pic.twitter.com/WBLocwHlJb
— CCHA (@CCHAHockey) January 18, 2026
From his WHL days, Oil Kings GM Kirt Hill described Pilling as, “A big forward who moves well and can play in all situations. He has great touch around the net and plays a solid 200-foot game with strong hockey sense…He can play both center and wing which makes him very adaptable at where you can use him in your lineup.”
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Lead photo of Norlin by Oliva Hokanson
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