Men's Ice Hockey

97 From CCHA Have Signed Pro Contracts

The Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) has seen 97 former student-athletes sign professional contracts since the league’s return in 2021-22, including nine NHL entry-level deals. All nine member institutions have had at least four players make professional debuts across the United States and Europe. 
 
To date, 22 players have signed this season, including Bemidji State’s Lleyton Roed and Minnesota State’s Sam Morton, who each inked NHL entry-level contracts with the Seattle Kraken and Calgary Flames, respectively. Both players reported to their respective club’s American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, with their contracts beginning next season. 
 
"I just want to say how grateful I am for the coaching staff and my teammates," said Roed. "Tom and the staff gave me an opportunity and helped me get to this point. I also want to thank my teammates for pushing me and supporting me every single day. It obviously is a dream come true to sign an NHL contract and especially with such a great organization. And finally, I want to thank my family for being there for me. I am proud to say I am a Beaver for life!" 
 
In just two seasons with the Beavers, Roed amassed 61 career points off 27 goals and 34 assists and was the first Beaver to post back-to-back 30-or-more point seasons since Jordan George in 2009-12. In 74 games with the green and white, he compiled the sixth-best point per game average (0.82) among Beavers during BSU's DI era. A Hobey Baker Memorial Award nominee in 2024, Roed was a CCHA Forward of the Year finalist and All-CCHA First Team selection. 
 
"We are excited to have Lleyton join our organization," said Seattle Kraken General Manager Ron Francis. "He impressed us at our development camp this past summer and continued to grow as a player this year at Bemidji State." 
 
Morton's time in Mankato included 102 games played, 44 goals, 32 assists, 76 points, 292 shots, 17 power-play goals, and six game-winning goals. He logged 32 games for Union College before coming to Minnesota State in 2020-21.  
 
“It’s a lot of credit to my teammates and I got a lot of shooting opportunities, because I was playing with special players,” said Morton. “This is the best place on earth, I swear,” he added. “Best decision of my life coming here [to Mankato], it’s a lot of pride putting that jersey on. It means something more than you. You’re part of a big community that’s super supportive.”  
 
A First Team All-CCHA selection and the CCHA Forward of the Year, Morton became the fourth Maverick to win WCHA/CCHA conference player of the year after CJ Suess (2017-18), Marc Michaelis (2019-20) and Dryden McKay (2020-21, 2021-22). 
 
"Morty is deserving of the opportunity to take the next step of his career," said Minnesota State head coach Luke Strand. "We couldn't be more excited for this moment. He is a true pro as a human and as a player. Calgary just made their organization better." 
  
Other standouts include Northern Michigan’s Hank Crone ‘22, who earned ECHL Most Valuable Player honors following a 2022-23 season in which he recorded 105 points (49 goals, 56 assists) in just 69 games, and Michigan Tech’s Tristan Ashbrook ‘23, who was recently named the Adirondack Thunder’s Team Rookie of the Year for 2023-24, putting up 57 points (32 goals, 25 assists) in 69 contests. 
 
Bowling Green saw five players sign after the 2022-23 season, including three 100-point scorers, while Lake Superior State had six reach the pro ranks a season ago. Ferris State’s Bradley Marek is one of four Bulldogs to sign, joining the AHL’s San Jose Barracudas at the start of the 2023-24 campaign. Division I newcomers Augustana and St. Thomas have combined for 10 ECHL contracts over the last three years, with the Tommies also seeing an alum sign in France. 
 
Below are the nine players that have signed NHL contracts (in alphabetical order): 
 
Brian Halonen (Michigan Tech) 
Akito Hirose (Minnesota State) 
Jake Livingstone (Minnesota State) 
Anton Malmstrom (Bowling Green) 
Sam Morton (Minnesota State) 
Lleyton Roed (Bemidji State) 
Nathan Smith (Minnesota State) 
Colin Swoyer (Michigan Tech) 
Will Zmolek (Bemidji State)

 
For more information, contact: 
 
Perry Laskaris 
Director of Strategic Communications & Brand Advancement 
Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) 
Laskaris@ccha.com 
(651) 308-1065