By William Kyle Mitchell –
With the conclusion of the NCAA season comes the latest batch of Michigan natives and connections moving on to the pro ranks. Here is a look at all the Michigan players heading off to the next stage of their hockey careers:
Ferris State
Scott Czarnowczan signed with the Idaho Steelheads of the ECHL on April 9. The 5-foot-10 defenseman was +19 this season with Ferris State.
Cory Kane signed a contract with the Providence Bruins of the AHL. The Bulldogs forward tallied 32 points in 38 games, including 14 goals.
Garret Thompson, a 6-foot-2 forward, signed with the Ottawa Senators on April 1. He led Ferris State with 16 goals in 43 games.
Lake Superior State
Matt Bruneteau signed a contract with Fort Wayne of the ECHL on March 13. Bruneteau served as the captain of LSSU and plays a stay-at-home defenseman role.
Colin Campbell was signed by the Detroit Red Wings on March 17. Campbell, a forward, recorded 29 points in 36 games with the Lakers.
Kevin Czuczman signed with the New York Islanders on March 11. Czuczman, a 6-foot-2 defenseman, put up 21 points in 36 games, including 10 goals.
Kevin Kapalka signed with the Idaho Steelheads of the ECHL on March 14. Kapalka, a goaltender for the Lakers, managed a 9-9-1 record with a .927 save percentage this season.
Andrew Perrault signed with the Idaho Steelheads, as well. Perrault played defense on the Lakers, and notched 8 points in 36 games this season.
Dan Radke signed as a forward with the Gwinnett Gladiators of the ECHL on March 23. Radke had 26 points, including 20 assists, in 32 games with the Lakers.
Michigan
Mac Bennett signed with the Montreal Canadiens on March 26. Bennett, a defenseman, finished this season +12 with 14 points in 31 games.
Phil Di Giuseppe signed with the Carolina Hurricanes on March 26. Di Giuseppe, a 6-foot-3 forward, tallied 13 goals and 24 points in 35 games for Michigan.
Alex Guptill was signed by the Dallas Stars on March 26. Guptill notched 25 points in 31 games for Michigan this season, including 12 goals.
Luke Moffatt was signed by the Lake Erie Monsters of the AHL on March 24. Moffat recorded 13 goals and 25 points in 34 games.
Michigan State
Dean Chelios, the oldest son of Chris Chelios, was signed by the Toledo Walleye of the ECHL on March 23. A forward, Chelios scored twice and notched 12 assists for 14 points in 34 games this season.
Jake Chelios, the younger brother of Dean Chelios, was signed to the Chicago Wolves of the AHL on April 4. Jake, a defenseman, put up 21 points in 36 games with Michigan State this season.
Greg Wolfe signed with the Reading Royals of the ECHL on March 29. Wolfe ended the season with 31 points in 36 games, including 13 goals.
Michigan Tech
Pheonix Copley of Michigan Tech signed with the Washington Capitals on March 19. Copley, a goaltender, finished the season with a record of 10-13-6.
Western Michigan
Shane Berschbach signed a contract with the Kalamazoo Wings of the ECHL on March 28. The 5-foot-10, 165-pound forward finished the season with 38 points in 40 games, including 16 goals.
Dennis Brown signed with the Ontario Reign of the ECHL on April 2. Brown, a defenseman for the Broncos, finished the season with 13 points.
Jordan Oesterle signed to the Edmonton Oilers on March 31. Oesterle recorded 17 points in 34 games played this season.
Outside the Mitten
Patrick Brown, a Bloomfield Hills native and senior with Boston College, signed with the Carolina Hurricanes on April 14. The Eagles’ captain recorded 15 goals and 15 assists in his senior season with BC.
Bryan Rust, a Novi native and senior forward with Notre Dame, signed with the Pittsburgh Penguins on April 1. He recorded 17 goals and 16 assists for the Fighting Irish this season.
Connor Hellebuyck, a Commerce native and goaltender for UMass-Lowell, signed with the Winnipeg Jets of the NHL on April 5. He recorded a .941 save percentage and 1.79 goals-against average, along with a 18-9-2 record, in his sophomore season.
Kevin Gravel, a Kingsford native and senior defenseman with St. Cloud State, signed with the Manchester Monarchs of the AHL on April 4. Gravel recorded 10 goals and 13 assists in 38 games this season.