The EP Rinkside 2023 NCAA Free Agency Guide

The college hockey regular season will soon be at an end, and with that end will come the start of NCAA free agency.

This one is pretty straightforward: Once a player ages out of draft eligibility, they become an unrestricted free agent. They can sign an entry-level contract with the team of their choosing whenever they feel so inclined.

For prospective NHL buyers, it's the ultimate low-risk, some-reward play. You get to add a player to your system right as they're entering or in the midst of their prime, and you get to do it for naught but the cost of the contract.

Most of the time, you're getting organizational depth, if that. Players who can fill out your AHL depth chart and act as call-ups should injuries arise at the NHL level.

Then again, sometimes you hit it out of the park and land a c