As the NCAA Tournament and the 2025-26 men's college hockey season winds down, there is an opportunity for the Los Angeles Kings' front office to start targeting possible undrafted free agent signings for top players who are done playing college hockey this year. This is a big opportunity for the Kings to start scouting out NCAA talent for key players who can add valuable depth and make an impact on the AHL level for the Ontario Reign this regular season this upcoming spring.
Which top college hockey free agents could the Los Angeles Kings' front office target to sign this upcoming spring this regular season?
There is even one Kings' prospect in the minor league and developmental system, Caeden Herrington, who had their season end in college hockey for the University of Vermont this campaign in 2025-26 in this past couple of weeks on the ice.
This is the time of year when NHL teams in the league this regular season who have been more frequently targeting college players to sign as prospective undrafted free agent deals on the open market could take that more common route this upcoming spring this year.
In this past decade in the league in the NHL, the Kings front office has made good use of signing and developing undrafted free agents from NCAA college hockey, including defenseman Sean Walker and Alex Iafallo.
It's noteworthy that any college players who don't have current contracts signed with teams in the league in the NHL this regular season, including with the Kings in the West, can sign with pro teams as undrafted free agents this year.
Here are three college player prospects who the Kings could sign this upcoming spring and this regular season in the West from the NCAA.
Josh Eernisse, W (Michigan)
In the past few years in college, Michigan Wolverines senior right winger Josh Eernisse has caught the attention and aptitude of pro scouts in the league in the NHL in the mid-2020s decade in the NCAA. At 6-foot-2 and 215-pounds, Eernisse is a versatile and proven penalty killer on special teams on the top key unit for Michigan and a valuable two-way player at the forward position offensively in the zone.
The 24-year-old winger is very likely going to be one of the top college players in the free agent pool of prospects from the NCAA this upcoming spring in the league in the NHL this regular season on the open market. He was coached up this year this campaign at Michigan by former NHL longtime forward Max Pacioretty.
T.J. Hughes, C (Michigan)
I can almost guarantee that one of the first players to sign a contract deal on the dotted line this upcoming spring in the league in the NHL this regular season will be Michigan center T.J. Hughes. He's been on the radar of top scouts in the league in the NHL this past few years, since he registered three-dozen points as a true freshman in college hockey for the Wolverines in the Big Ten in the early 2020s decade.
The 6-foot and 190-pound center, Hughes led the Wolverines in total points and was one of Michigan's top goal scorers offensively this regular season in college hockey in the 2025-26 campaign in the NCAA. Hughes is a top playmaking center who can produce points offensively at a high level and has proven his ability to put the puck in the net at the collegiate level.
Boston Buckberger, D (Denver)
There are past connections that are relevant between Denver Pioneers upperclassman defenseman Boston Buckberger with the Kings in the league in the NHL this regular season in the West. He's teammates in college at Denver with Kings' prospects Kristian Epperson and forward Brendan McMorrow.
Buckberger is a polished defenseman and a good natural skater who can move the puck effectively and shows a high hockey IQ on the ice on the blue line. Once Denver's season ends, I'm sure that Buckberger will be quick to sign a contract in the league in the NHL this regular season.