The college hockey off-season is nearly two months old now, but there’s plenty of news to report this week when it comes to coaching moves and players leaving school early or transferring.
Vermont junior defenseman Jake Massie, arguably the top player for the Catamounts, has withdrawn from school and will not be back for his senior season. The Saint-Lazare, Québec, native had four goals and five assists last winter.
A Kimball Union alum who played a season with the USHL’s Omaha Lancers prior to matriculating to Vermont, Massie was originally drafted in the sixth round of the 2015 NHL Draft by the Carolina Hurricanes. His rights have since been traded to the Chicago Blackhawks.
Possible options for Massie’s next move is to sign with Chicago, likely on an AHL deal, or go the free agency route as he is entitled to do within the collective bargaining agreement terms due to being drafted four years ago.
“I want to congratulate Jake on pursuing his dream of playing in the NHL. Jake handled things the right way by meeting with me a few weeks back. There are details that he is working through and more details will follow,” said UVM head coach Kevin Sneddon.
“Jake was an outstanding player to coach, and an even better person to work with. We will miss him a ton, but I am very happy for him. I was pleased to hear his plan to graduate from UVM this year,” Sneddon added.
After two seasons at Northeastern, forward Bobby Hampton will transfer to Penn State. The Middletown, N.J., native posted five goals and two assists in 47 career games with the Huskies. As a ’97, he has no junior eligibility left so his only option is to head to PSU, sit out the 2019-20 season, and have two years of eligibility remaining beginning in 2020-21.
Former Plattsburgh State head coach Robert Emery is Merrimack’s new Director of Hockey Operations. The Somerville, Mass., native and Boston College alum recently retired after 30 seasons as head coach of the Division III powerhouse. Emery replaces the late Lance Brady, who passed away from Cancer this past year.
As reported on the New York Hockey Journal on Tuesday, look for new St. Lawrence head coach Brent Brekke to hire Holy Cross assistant Tommy Hill as one of his new assistant coaches. Brekke and Hill worked together while the former was an associate head coach at Miami. Hill was the Director of Hockey Operations for the Red Hawks during part of Brekke’s tenure in Oxford.
Former Northeastern Director of Hockey Operations Mark Phalon could be candidate for the other assistant position at St. Lawrence. Phalon was formerly a video coach for the Saints. He just finished his first season as an assistant at Alaska-Anchorage following three years as an assistant at Hobart.
Expect former Sacred Heart assistant Joel Beal to be a candidate to replace Brekke as an assistant at Clarkson. The Union College alum was let go, along with the entire staff, after one season as an assistant at Miami. With his Ontario connections and experience in three leagues, Beal would be a terrific hire in Potsdam.
It’s been rumored that RPI head coach Dave Smith had candidates on campus this week to interview for the vacant assistant position on his staff in Troy. Curry head coach T.J. Manastersky would be a solid possibility as he has ties to Smith. Manastersky, an Oakville, Ontario, native, worked under Smith at Canisius College.
