Merrimack Hockey: Players Moving on to the Pros

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It was a disappointing season for the Merrimack College hockey team. Injuries played a key role along with some other issues that pop up during the season. Since then, members of this team have been signed to pro hockey contracts in hopes of continuing their careers.

Senior defenseman Christian Felton has signed an entry-level deal with the Vancouver Canucks of the NHL. In 25 games this season, Felton tallied three goals and seven assists. For his career, Felton played in 98 total games amassing 17 total points. He also blocked 158 shots in his career and has led his team in that category over the last two years. This season for the Warriors, he was an alternate captain. He also spent last summer with the Canucks in their summer development camp.

Netminder Hugo Ollas has signed a two-year entry-level deal with the New York Rangers of the NHL. The Rangers selected him in the seventh round of the 2020 NHL entry-level draft. In three seasons with the Warriors, Ollas appeared in 62 games, making 55 starts. His career record was 27-26-0 with a GAA of 2.47, and a save percentage of .914. The goals against was the fourth lowest in school history. Ollas also recorded six career shutouts. Five of those came this past year.

Forward Mac Welsher signed a deal with the Adirondack Thunder of the East Coast Hockey League. He was a graduate student who played all five years with Merrimack. He scored four goals and had nine assists for 13 points in 30 games this season. For his career, he played 138 games for the Warriors scoring 25 times with 22 assists for 47 career points. Welsher was hoping to make his debut with the Thunder at the end of March.

Alex Jefferies signed an amateur tryout deal with the Bridgeport Islanders. The senior forward was drafted by the Islanders in the fourth round of the 2020 entry-level draft. This year, he led the team in goals scored with 13 and had 10 assists for 23 points. Jefferies played 105 games for Merrimack scoring 41 goals with 56 assists for 97 total points. The Lunenburg, Massachusetts native is the first player since Stephane DeCosta to have 40+ points in a Warriors uniform.

Filip Forsmark has signed a deal with the Allen Americans. Forsmark played four seasons in North Andover totaling 35 games. This season he had five goals and 13 assists for 18 points. For his career at Merrimack, Forsmark was in 123 games scoring 26 goals with 48 assists for 74 points. He led the team in scoring during the 2020-21 season with 13 points in 18 games.

Graduate defenseman Liam Dennison signed a deal with the Utah Grizzlies of the ECHL. They are an affiliate of the Colorado Avalanche of the NHL. He was an assistant captain of the Warriors, Dennison had two goals and seven assists for nine points. He blocked 49 shots this year, which was second most on the team. Dennison played 130 games for Merrimack, earning 19 points in that time. He was also a four-year member of the Hockey East All-Academic team. Liam was hoping to make his debut with the team in late March.

Graduate forward Mark Gallant signed an amateur tryout deal with the Jacksonville Icemen of the ECHL. They are affiliated with the Buffalo Sabres. Gallant played only one season with the Warriors scoring five points in 35 games. Before his one year in North Andover, Gallant played four seasons at Dartmouth where he played in 75 games, with 17 goals and 12 assists for 29 points.

Captain Ben Brar has signed a deal with the Florida Everblades, an ECHL affiliate of the Florida Panthers of the NHL. He played five seasons for Merrimack and was the captain of the team for the last two. He totaled 155 games for the Warriors and had 39 goals and 44 assists for his career. He passed Marc Biega for most games played in school history.

Good luck to all of these players as they continue their hockey careers.