The men's college hockey transfer portal has been the main story of late. From April 13-27, a whole bunch of players entered the portal. It was a crazy 15 days.
During that time, several locals committed to Division 1 programs.
It's not a huge shock. Most junior teams are done, prep and high school squads are done, and college hockey is over, giving coaches time to digest what prospects did this season. Many schools wanted to pounce.
Some food for thought: One thing to track for the summer, as the rest of the '09s and some '10s become eligible to commit to programs, will be how active D1 programs are in recruiting younger players.
Let's dive in.
BEHIND THE NUMBERS:Â How many players drafted out of prep make the NHL, AHL?Â
Brody Berard commits to Northeastern
On April 14, Berard announced his commitment to Northeastern. The Cumberland, R.I., native left Mount St. Charles after his 15O season to play with the USHL's Youngstown Phantoms this winter. In 45 games, he had a goal and seven points, but offense isn't a huge part of his game. At 6 feet and 194 pounds, Berard is a hard-nosed, mean defenseman who thrives with physicality and getting under opponents' skin.
He's a winner, having taken home two national championships at the 14U and 15O levels at Mount St. Charles. He was our No. 9-ranked '09 in our Top 50 on April 2.
Nico Ciardiello commits to Brown
Ciardiello parlayed a phenomenal Elite 8 showing into a commitment to Brown on April 7. The Guilford, Conn., native notched seven points across three games to lead Avon Old Farms to the Elite 8 title. He put up 17 goals and 33 points in 28 games this winter, showing himself as a complete player. He has a heavy shot and is a powerful skater who protects pucks well. His offensive instincts are high-end, too. I'd expect him to be picked rather high in next week's USHL Phase 2 Draft. Among our top 50 '08 rankings earlier this month, Ciardiello ranked at No. 9. Brown got a really good one.
Marco Senerchia switches commitment to Brown
Senerchia was previously committed to Providence College but switched to Brown on April 23. The former St. George's standout went to the USHL's Chicago Steel after graduation. In 56 games, he scored four goals and posted 22 points. The 5-foot-10, 161-pound defenseman is a phenomenal puck-mover with shifty, elusive skating. Since he was a 14U, Senerchia has filled his "Teams to play for" Bingo card, skating for Mount St. Charles, the Neponset Valley River Rats, New Hampton, Mid Fairfield and St. George's.
He will be going right into Brown next season.
READ MORE: Tracking the portal – every move from the last two weeks
Andrew O'Sullivan switches commitment to Dartmouth
On April 14, O'Sullivan changed his commitment from Colgate to Dartmouth. The Boston native had a massive season for the USHL's Green Bay Gamblers, scoring seven times and finishing with 46 points in 62 games. It was his second season with Green Bay after posting 18 points in 2024-25. The 5-foot-11, 168-pound defenseman is a dynamic offensive threat who generates speed quickly and has phenomenal vision. An '06, he was a standout for Kumball Union from 2022-24 and won an Elite 8 title in 2024.
Kolin Sisson switches commitment to UMass Lowell
Speaking of '06s switching their commitment, Sisson changed from Providence College to UMass Lowell. After a strong season with Mount St. Charles' 16U squad in 2022-23 and an absurd USA Hockey Select 17 Camp in 2023 (six goals and nine points in six games), Sisson challenged himself by going to the USHL's Chicago Steel. He put up 23 points in his first season and 27 in his second. This winter, he scored 14 goals and tallied 33 points in 38 games for Chicago before being traded to the Fargo Force, where he recorded 24 points in 21 games. At 5-foot-10 and 179 pounds, he's a fantastic skater with a strong offensive ceiling.
Boston College gets active
Boston College hasn't snagged any locals of late, but the Eagles have been active, getting commitments from defensemen Quinn Beauchesne and Matthew Grimes, and goalie Leonardo Henriquez over the last month.
Beauchesne was a fifth-round pick by the Pittsburgh Penguins in last summer's NHL Draft and had seven goals and 35 points in 56 games for the OHL's Guelph Storm this season, which is where he's been since 2023. The '07 is 6 feet and 185 pounds. He actually has played in one AHL game for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins this season.
Grimes is coming off a nice 35-point season for the USHL's Sioux Falls Stampede. The Locust Valley, N.Y., native is used to the region since he played for Mount St. Charles from 2021-23. The '07 is a 6-foot-1, 185-pound defenseman. He made the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup team in 2024. He was initially committed to Minnesota.
Henriquez had a strong season for Green Bay with a 2.22 goals-against average and a .921 save percentage, and is on NHL Central Scouting's ranking for goalies. The 6-foot-2 netminder is from Bratislava, Slovakia, and has spent the last two seasons in North America.
READ MORE: 10 biggest takeaways from men's college hockey transfer portal
Other commitments...
- UMass got a commitment from forward Egor Barabanov, who was previously committed to Penn State. The '06 had a huge year for the OHL's Saginaw Spirit with 28 goals and 91 points in 68 games. He ranked high on NHL Central Scouting's final rankings, slotting in at No. 43 among North American skaters.
- Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL) forward Carter Klippenstein committed to Providence College on April 16. He had 11 goals and 28 points in 38 games this season. He was taken in the fourth round by the Minnesota Wild in the 2025 NHL Draft. The '06 is a 6-foot-3, 185-pound forward.
- On March 31, UNH got a commitment from defenseman Wyatt Kennedy, a '05. The 6-foot-5, 212-pound defenseman had three goals and 26 points in 66 games for the OHL's Windsor Spitfires this season.
