Men's college hockey recruiting has changed quite a bit over the last couple of years, with teams often opting for older, junior-experienced players.
We've seen fewer rising juniors in high school commit to schools on or around Aug. 1 over the last two summers.
Still, it's a hot time for recruiting, with schools often having their pick of uncommitted junior players. And, of course, some high-end '09s and '10s are off the board, too.
The last time we checked in on recruiting takeaways was in mid-August. So this story will cover all recruiting developments since Aug. 13.
Let's dive in.
Cam Minella commits to Northeastern
Minella was one of the top rising juniors in high school, and he picked Northeastern on Aug. 27. The Darien, Conn., native is fresh off playing for Team USA at the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup in early August.
At 5-foot-11 and 170 pounds, Minella is a phenomenal puck-moving, offensive defenseman who is extremely elusive and a terrific skater. He challenged himself last year, leaving Brunswick early for the QMJHL's Halifax Mooseheads. At 16, he posted three goals and nine points in 64 games.
Minella projects as a future power play quarterback for Northeastern.
Yale stays busy
Has there been a busier team than Yale since Aug. 1? New head coach Jeff Hamilton and his staff have been eager to get their name in the news.
Their two big local commits since Aug. 13 have been Avon Old Farms star Ethan Gingeleskie (West Hartford, Conn.) and incoming Phillips Andover defenseman Luca De Pastena. Gingeleskie is a high-octane offensive producer, putting up 18 points in 14 games for Avon last winter, and has been dominating for Northern Conn. Nor'Easter this fall. De Pastena has been at Kuper Academy in Canada the last few years. He's 6-foot-2 and 201 pounds. He profiles as a shutdown defenseman.
The Bulldogs also got commitments from '09 defenseman Henri Giroux and '10 forward Nathan Slack. Giroux has been a longtime standout for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights, while Slack has been with the Don Mills Flyers organization in Canada for the last few years.
How about Holy Cross?
I like what Holy Cross is doing. The Crusaders got a commitment from Williston Northampton standout forward Brayden White (Cumberland, R.I.) on Aug. 3. On Sept. 1, Cushing forward Chase Warsofsky (Northboro, Mass.) committed to them.
Warsofsky has been a longtime standout among the '09s in New England. While he's not the biggest guy on the ice (5-foot-9, 160 pounds), he's speedy, can drive play down the middle and has a high level of skill. He should be due for a huge senior year at Cushing.
Both White and Warsofsky are great examples of smart investments for Holy Cross. Two very good, local players who should develop into nice Holy Cross players down the road.
The Collins brothers pick Cornell
Word around the rinks this fall is that Avon Old Farms is stacked — and that's true. But what some may not realize is that, along with returning most of last year's Elite 8-winning roster, head coach Mark Naclerio reinforced the offense with forwards Ben and Peyton Collins.
Both are right-shot forwards. Peyton, at 6-foot-1, had 74 points in 56 games for the 16U Nashville Junior Predators last season. Ben, at 6 feet, had 58 points in 49 games. Both are highly skilled and dangerous around the net.
Peyton had six points in six games at USA Hockey's Select 17 Camp, while Ben had four in six.
Anthony Bongo has a new commitment: Union
Bongo committed to Union on Aug. 21. The Ridgefield, Conn., native was initially committed to Michigan. Last year was his second full season for the USHL's Sioux Falls Stampede, where he notched 30 points in 62 games.
He was one of the top '07 defensemen in New England growing up, proving himself with Mid Fairfield before making the move to Shattuck-St. Mary's for his 16U season. At 5-foot-10 and 165 pounds, Bongo is a puck-mover through and through.
Charlie MacLeod commits to Princeton
MacLeod picked Princeton on Aug. 19 after a strong junior year at Kimball Union last winter. The 6-foot left-shot defenseman was dynamic on the KUA blue line, posting nine goals and 22 points in 35 games. From Sydney, Nova Scotia, the '09 is slated to return to KUA this winter.
EASTERN ALLIANCE KICKOFF: 15 standout 15O forwards | 9 standout 15O defenders
BU nabs a slew of talent
The Terriers have three new commitments since mid-August. One is a name very familiar to local hockey fans: Liam Lefebvre.
Lefebvre was dominant in his last two seasons for Trinity-Pawling and then popped off in the QMJHL last season between the Rimouski Oceanic and Chicoutimi Sagueneens with 59 points in 59 games. At 6-foot-3 and 203 pounds, he's a powerful forward and was taken in the second round (46th overall) by the Los Angeles Kings earlier this year.
POV : the Liam Lefebvre goal, from the @SagueneensLHJMQ bench! 😍 #MemorialCup pic.twitter.com/xMcqtsyrHH
— QMJHL (@QMJHL) May 25, 2026
Head coach Jay Pandolfo and his staff also got commitments from Kaden Aucoin and Deverin Warner. Aucoin, a 6-foot-2 defenseman, played for the OHL's Sarnia Sting last season and is the son of former NHLer Adrian Aucoin. Warner was a standout with the Woodbridge Wolfpack last season, eventually making the U.S. National Team Development Program's U17 squad for this season.
BC lands a big fish
The Eagles haven't been super busy this summer, but they did get a big commitment from center Benjamin Vietch. The late '09 is 6-foot-3 and played for the QMJHL's Newfoundland Regiment last season, scoring 11 goals and notching 21 points in 58 games. He's from St. John's, Newfoundland.
What Maine has been up to
The Black Bears have become notorious for being active in August and September, but this year they've been a bit quieter.
That doesn't mean they haven't added commitments.
On Aug. 24, Gentry (Minn.) Academy forward Jaxon Cook committed to Maine. The 5-foot-10 forward from South Dakota had 33 goals and 60 points in 30 games for Gentry last season. Windsor Spitfires '08 forward Beksultan Makysh committed to Maine on Tuesday after posting 14 goals and 39 points in 68 games last season. Local hockey fans may remember Makysh from his time dominating for Boston Hockey Academy at the 15O and 16U levels from 2023-25.
Top local uncommitteds
In terms of uncommitted players who should be high on Division 1 radars, former Mount St. Charles standouts Thomas Boisvert, Wilson Boumedienne and Zaac Charbonneau are still without a college next to their name.
On defense, Christian Semetsis is the big name. The former Mount star who is now with the NTDP is an effortless skater. I'm surprised he hasn't committed yet. I'm also surprised no school has locked down Avon Old Farms defenseman Marshall Paul yet.
READ MORE: Something big is happening in men's college hockey recruiting
Other moves...
- Quinnipiac got commitments from OHL forward Sawyer Schmidt, a late '09, and WHL forward Julien Maze, a late '07.
- After getting a commitment from NTDP forward Hudson Salvador earlier in August, Lawrenceville forward Ayden Heron committed to Harvard on Aug. 24. He's a 6-foot '07 who had 25 points in 29 games for Lawrenceville last season.
- Sioux Falls Stampede (USHL) forward Joey Macrina committed to Brown on Aug. 20. At 5-foot-8, the '06 scored 19 goals and posted 41 points in 59 games for Sioux Falls last season. He's slated to be back at Sioux Falls.
- Merrimack got a commitment from Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL) defenseman Adam Fortier-Gendron. The '06 defenseman had 38 points in 64 games last season.
- UMass Lowell picked up commitments from two '06s and an '08 over the last month. The lone '08 was forward Parker Vaughan, who notched 33 points in 68 games for the OHL's North Bay Battalion. The two '06s were Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL) defenseman Owen Phillips and Peterborough Petes (OHL) forward Braydon McCallum.
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WATCH: Moncton GM Taylor MacDougall on the changing world of the QMJHL
