Several top freshmen could play key roles for various teams around ECAC Hockey this winter.
While no rookie finished inside of the top 10 in scoring a year ago, Quinnipiac’s Odeen Tufto and Clarkson’s Jack Jacome did so during the 2017-18 season. There are several candidates to climb the scoring charts in ECAC Hockey this season.
This year’s crop of newcomers in ECAC Hockey are a diverse group with some true freshmen, NHL draft picks, and a couple of older players who could have more of an immediate impact.
On paper, Cornell and Harvard have the top freshman classes in ECAC Hockey. Both programs have brought in multiple NHL draft picks, including players who should contribute right away.
Quinnipiac doesn’t have the NHL picks they have had in the past, but it’s a deep group and the staff did a good job of plucking a couple of players late following de-commits. Clarkson brings in two NHL draft picks while Princeton has a solid class, including a NHL pick.
Two programs that did a good job of elevating their talent were Colgate and RPI. The Raiders bring in one of the more underrated top prospects in ECAC Hockey while. Former assistant Dan Jewell, now in Hockey East with Merrimack, did a very good job getting some players to come to Troy from the USHL.
ECAC Hockey: Top five freshman classes
1. Harvard
2. Cornell
3. Quinnipiac
4. Clarkson
5. Princeton
ECAC Hockey: Top freshman forwards
1. Nick Abruzzese
#16 Harvard, 6/4/99, C/LW, left shot, 5-9/160
Toronto Maple Leafs (2019, 4th round, 124th overall)
Abruzzese is the true definition of a late bloomer. After putting up a very respectable 40 points in his first USHL season, the Slate Hill, N.Y., native racked up 94 last season en route to hearing his name called at the NHL Draft as a third year eligible. The North Jersey Avalanche product won’t wow you with his size, but he’s a dynamic playmaker based on his hockey sense and compete level. He’s quick, if not fast, and has good hands. He’ll have to continue to bulk up to keep his production going from junior hockey.
2. John Farinacci
#17 Harvard, 2/14/01, C, right shot, 5-11/158
Arizona Coyotes (2019, 3rd round, 76th overall)
Farinacci was taken in the third round, despite a senior season at Dexter that was shortened due to injury. The Red Bank, N.J., native sees the ice well and has good hands. He can finish, but he also has a knack for threading the needle and setting up his teammates. Farinacci, who is the nephew of Harvard coach Ted Donato, has played up a couple of games with USA Hockey, the NTDP and Muskegon, but he’ll have to adjust to the dramatic increase in pace from prep to college. He’ll also need to play harder away from the puck to be counted on in all situations.
3. Anthony Romano
#29 Clarkson, 10/7/00, C, right shot, 5-11/183
Arizona Coyotes (2019, 6th round, 176th overall)
It’s not often Clarkson brings in a true freshman, but such is the case with Romano, who comes to Potsdam after winning a USHL Clark Cup championship with Sioux Falls. From Richmond Hill, Ontario, Romano is a strong skater with good hockey sense. He had 26 goals and 21 assists in 60 regular season games for the Stampede in 2018-19.
4. Matthew Stienburg
#20 Cornell, 10/7/00, RW, right shot, 6-2/188
Colorado Avalanche (2019, 3rd round, 63rd overall)
Stienburg is a big, power forward who can be heavy on pucks. He wins a lot of battles below the dots and along the walls before getting it to open teammates. He had a big senior season with Saint Andrew’s College before the Avalanche took him in the third round. The Halifax, Nova Scotia, native should be able to mesh well into the Big Red’s system.
5. Austin Wong
#27 Harvard, 8/26/00, C, right shot, 5-11/190
Winnipeg Jets (2018, 7th round, 215th overall)
Wong doesn’t fit the typical mold of a skilled forward. The Calgary, Alberta, native was the most penalized player in the AJHL with 261 penalty minutes during the 2017-18 season. He had 35 goals and 39 assists in 60 games last season, his third with Okotoks.
6. Matt Verboon
#13 Colgate, 2/23/00, C, left shot, 6-1/195
Verboon has extensive international experience with his native Switzerland, including an appearance in last winter’s World Junior Championship. He had 28 goals and 28 assists in 50 games for the BCHL’s Salmon Arm Silverbacks in 2018-19. His compete level is what opponents and fans will notice first. He hunts pucks, is a natural goal scorer, and has above average hockey sense.
Outside of Verboon, the Raiders staff did a good job of bringing in some under the radar talent to Hamilton. Forward Ethan Manderville is a player who could blossom into a nice college player and a few older freshmen come in with plenty of junior experience.
7. Ethan Leyh
#14 Quinnipiac, 6/7/01, LW, left shot, 6-0/185
Leyh, from Anmore, British Columbia, is a true freshman for the Bobcats. A playmaker, he had 15 goals and 27 assists in 51 regular season games for the Langley Rivermen in the BCHL. He turned it up a notch in the playoffs, registering two goals and six assists in seven games. Leyh also had a strong showing for Canada West at the 2018 World Junior A Challenge.
8. Jack Malone
#13 Cornell, 10/13/00, RW/C, right shot, 6-1/192
Vancouver Canucks (2019, 6th round, 180th overall)
Malone, a former star high school player at Delbarton, comes to Cornell after two seasons with the Youngstown Phantoms in the USHL. A power forward, his 59 points in 2018-19 were 45 more than he had in his first season of junior hockey.
9. Aleksi Peltonen
#13 St. Lawrence, 6/8/98, LW, left shot, 5-10/179
Peltonen has a lot of skill. The Helsinki, Finland, native scored 12 goals and 21 assists in 43 games with the USHL’s Omaha Lancers in 2018-19. A Northwood School alum, his twin brother is at Wisconsin.
10. Spencer Kersten
#15 Princeton, 5/16/00, RW, right shot, 5-10/185
Kersten arrives after being the OJHL Playoff MVP as his team, the Oakville Blades, won the league playoffs. Hailing from Waterloo, Ontario, Kersten had 32 goals and 52 assists for 84 points in 68 games. A former eighth round pick of Owen Sound in the OHL Draft, Kersten is a nice get out of Ontario for college hockey.
11. Cole Quisenberry
#29 Brown, 3/12/99, C, right shot, 5-11/174
Quisenberry had the game-winning goal in the NAHL’s Robertson Cup in 2017-18 before moving on to the USHL’s Chicago Steel for his final season of junior hockey. While the Cherry Hills Village, Colo., native might not put up big numbers, his ability to be a 200-foot center, kill penalties, and be versatile will be a huge asset for the Bears.
12. Liam Gorman
#14 Princeton, 5/8/00, C, left shot, 6-3/196
Pittsburgh Penguins (2018, 6th round, 177th overall)
Gorman is a big-bodied center out of St. Sebastian’s. He’s a power forward who wins face-offs, goes to the net, and wins battles below the goal line. He has a world of potential and getting out of the prep school environment could help bring his game to the next level.
13. Robert Herrman
#16 RPI, 3/16/99, RW, right shot, 6-0/190
Herrman, from Poway, Calif., played a year of prep school at New Hampton before three seasons in the USHL with Green Bay and Fargo. He had 10 goals and 13 assists in 36 games with the Gamblers before being traded to the Force for the end of last season.
14. Bradley Cocca
#17 Brown, 8/13/99, C, left shot, 5-9/170
Cocca is a playmaker out of Mississauga, Ontario and the Merritt Centennials in the BCHL. During the 2018-19 season, he racked up 25 goals and 45 assists in 63 games. He’s another nice addition to the Brown forward crop.
15. Zach Dubinsky
#14 RPI, 3/14/00, C, left shot, 5-9/181
Dubinsky missed significant time with the Lincoln Stars last season. The Deerfield, Ill., native is likely destined to be an impact bottom six center who can kill penalties and be responsible in his own end. Another year of junior likely would have benefited him, but he should make the adjustment and be a good four year player for the Engineers. His dad, Steve Dubinsky, played in the NHL after playing college hockey at Clarkson.
Honorable Mention
Tristan Ashbrook
#9 RPI, 7/16/99, RW, right shot, 5-10/176
Ashbrook, from Manistique, Mich., had 13 goals and 10 assists in 50 games for Lincoln last season. The Omaha AAA product played a year with Lincoln and a year with Bismarck in the NAHL prior to that. He’s quick and should give the Engineers some goal scoring touch.
Skyler Brind’amour
#22 Quinnipiac, 7/27/99, C, left shot, 6-2/176
The Selects Academy at South Kent product spent the last two seasons playing in the BCHL with the Chilliwack Chiefs. Once committed to Michigan State, Brind’amour is the son of longtime NHL star and current Carolina Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’amour.
Tyler Campbell
#16 Dartmouth, 10/1/99, C, left shot, 5-9/170
From Winnipeg, Campbell was a three-year standout at Milton Academy before playing an injury-shortened season with the AJHL’s Brooks Bandits in 2018-19. A skilled center, he could be a nice piece for Dartmouth if he stays healthy.
Colin Schmidt
#3 Union, 1/6/00, C, right shot, 6-4/225
A big power forward out of Wayzata High School in Minnesota, Schmidt made national camp all three years. He’s yet to reach his full potential, but he could turn into a solid player for Rick Bennett’s Dutchmen. He had eight goals and 19 assists in 41 regular season games for the Jamestown Rebels in the NAHL. He also has limited USHL experience with Waterloo.
Gabriel Seger
#18 Union, 11/15/99, LW, left shot, 6-4/216
Seger tied for the second most assists and tied for sixth in points among players in the NAHL last season as he skated for the Amarillo Bulls. From Upsalla, Sweden, it was his first season playing in North America.
Chaz Smedsrud
#23 Union, 6/4/98, LW, left shot, 6-4/192
Smedsrud played high school hockey in Minnesota for Luverne, a smaller and lesser known program. After that, he took his game to the SJHL with the Notre Dame Hounds for two years before returning to the U.S. with the Madison Capitals in the USHL.
ECAC Hockey: Top freshman defensemen
1. Henry Thrun
#77 Harvard, 3/12/01, D, left shot, 6-1/183
Anaheim Ducks (2019, 4th round, 101st overall)
Thrun played two seasons with USA Hockey’s NTDP after a couple of solid seasons at St. Mark’s under Carl Corazzini. Thrun skates well, has good gaps, and can push the pace in transition. He’s still learning to defend at a high level, but the Soutborough, Mass., native should have an immediate opportunity to contribute at Harvard.
2. Jayden Lee
#15 Quinnipiac, 1/10/01, D, right shot, 5-8/143
Lee, from North Vancouver, British Columbia, is on the smaller side, but he has a very good ability to move pucks up ice and jump into the rush. His mobility and vision are both exemplary and he should get ice time right away for Rand Pecknold’s Bobcats.
3. Dustyn McFaul
#27 Clarkson, 8/4/00, D, left shot, 6-2/185
Boston Bruins (2018, 6th round, 181st overall)
McFaul is a big, stay-at-home defenseman who played two seasons with Pickering in the OJHL. A Bruins pick in 2018, the Waterdown, Ontario, native should be a steadying presence on the blue line for the Golden Knights.
4. Travis Mitchell
#10 Cornell, 11/25/99, D, left shot, 6-3/205
Mitchell is a big defender, but he can skate. He loves to rush the puck up ice and his skating is very good, especially for a big guy. The Big Red coaching staff might have to reel him in some, but he’s a defenseman with a flare for the dramatic. He had three goals and 26 assists in 58 games for Omaha in the USHL last season. He also can be an intimidating force for opposing forwards.
5. Sebastian Dirven
#5 Cornell, 6/22/99, D, left shot, 6-4/187
Like Mitchell, Dirven is a big defenseman who can provide some offense and play with a physical element. In his second season with Central Illinois in the USHL, Dirven registered six goals and 17 assists in 61 games during the 2018-19 campaign.
6. CJ McGee
#5 Quinnipiac, 3/12/99, D, left shot, 6-0/181
The Pearl River, N.Y., native was one of the best offensive defensemen in the NAHL a season ago. McGee had 10 goals and 33 assists in 56 regular season games for the Shreveport Mudbugs. His mobility and vision are both very good.
7. Jace Foskey
#14 Harvard, 6/1/00, D, right shot, 6-1/190
Foskey, from Southlake, Texas, comes to Harvard with three years of USHL experience. Injuries cut the past two seasons short, but he’s a good-sized defender who can hold opposing forwards at bay. He reads plays and uses his reach to close on opposing forwards. If his skating can come along a little, he should be a good four year player for the Crimson.
8. Brandon Tabakin
#7 Yale, 5/21/00, D, left shot, 5-9/160
Tabakin is a mobile defenseman who should help Yale tremendously when it comes to breaking pucks out of the team’s own end. The Woodbury, N.Y., native is on the smaller side, but he has the wheels to sidestep oncoming forecheckers as well as push the pace. He doesn’t have a ton of offensive upside, but he comes to the Bulldogs with two years of USHL experience with the Sioux Falls Stampede. He helped the team win a Clark Cup championship in 2018-19.
9. Simon Kjellberg
#2 RPI, 2/17/00, D, left shot, 6-2/190
New York Rangers (2018, 6th round, 163rd overall)
In his first season in North America, the big shutdown defenseman had two goals and three assists in 64 USHL games for the Dubuque Fighting Saints. He’s not overly physical, but he defends well by closing time and space. He has some international experience for his native Sweden.
10. Ryan Siedem
#22 Harvard, 2/25/01, D, right shot, 6-2/195Â
Siedem, from Madison, N.J., had four goals and 32 assists in his first season with Central Illinois in the USHL last season. He spent the prior year with the NTDP, but left for more ice time and an increased role. Once a highly regarded prospect, Siedem should be a strong two-way presence for Harvard. He played a season with Delbarton and a season with Avon Old Farms before moving to the NTDP.
11. Peter Muzkya
#2 Cornell, 5/14/00, D, left shot, 6-3/198
Muzyka has three years of junior experience between North York in the OJHL and Penticton in the BCHL. A big, stay-at-home defenseman, the Toronto, Ontario, native should mesh well with Cornell’s game plan to slow opposing teams down.
12. Luke Krys
#2 Brown, 9/27/00, D, right shot, 6-2/180
Krys, from Ridgefield, Conn., is a tall, lanky defender who retrieves pucks well and makes a good first pass. He keeps things relatively simple and can defend with his stick. He doesn’t have great offensive instincts or skill like his brother, Chad, a former star at BU, who is now with the Chicago Blackhawks’ organization. However, he’s probably a better defender. A couple NHL scouts have him on their radar as a player to watch in his second year of eligibility.
Krys will be joined at Brown by several other former prep players including forwards Matty Holmes (Salisbury) and Connor Marshall (South Kent), and defenseman Luke Albert (New Hampton).
13. Pito Walton
#21 Princeton, 3/17/00, D, right shot, 6-2/192
Walton, hailing from Peapack, N.J., played for the New Jersey Titans, Lawrenceville and North Jersey Avalanche before heading north of the border to skate with Coquitlam in the BCHL. Walton’s game has come a long way over the last year or so, thanks in large part due to his improved skating ability. A big defender, Walton had eight goals and 28 assists in 58 regular season games with the BCHL’s Express.
14. Wyatt Head
#25 Quinnipiac, 3/28/99, D, left shot, 6-1/170
Head spent the past two years with West Kelowna in the BCHL. The Kelowna, British Columbia, native had six goals and 36 assists in 2018-19, which was double his offensive output from the previous year. He added six assists in seven playoff games.
15. Liam Watson-Brawn
#26 Colgate, 4/6/99, D, right shot, 6-0/157
Watson-Brawn won the BCHL championship with Prince George last season. In his third season in Canada’s top Junior A league, the Vancouver, British Columbia, native had six goals and 14 assists in 54 regular season games before adding two goals and three helpers in 14 playoff games.
Honorable Mention
Dylan Anhorn
#28 Union, 1/21/99, D, left shot, 6-0/193
Anhorn spent the last two years with the Prince George Spruce Kings in the BCHL. From Calgary, Alberta, he potted five goals in each of the last two seasons and added 20 and 22 assists, respectively.
Logan Britt
#24 Quinnipiac, 2/10/99, D, left shot, 6-2/190
The Crystal Lake, Ill., native benefited from a mid-season trade, sending him from Lincoln to Sioux Falls where he helped win a Clark Cup championship. Britt has good size and should be a reliable defender while chipping in offensively from time to time.
Jack Cameron
#7 Dartmouth, 4/18/99, D, left shot, 6-3/185
Cameron, a Halifax, Nova Scotia, native and Lawrence Academy alum, comes to Dartmouth following a season in the BCHL with Coquitlam. He has good size, skates well, and has length to defend.
Two local freshmen, Mark Gallant (Concord, Mass.) and Sean Keohan (Brookline, Mass.) will also be newcomers to Hanover this winter.
Mason Klee
#4 RPI, 10/4/99, D, right shot, 6-2/181
Klee is a big defenseman who won a Clark Cup championship with Sioux Falls last season. From Colorado, his dad, Ken Klee, played nearly 1,000 games in the NHL after a collegiate career at Bowling Green.
Brock Paul
#5 Dartmouth, 11/10/99, D, right shot, 6-3/205
Paul racked up 75 penalty minutes in 58 USHL games with Waterloo last season. Look for the Culver Military Academy alum to be an enforcer on the Big Green blue line.
Anthony Stark
#3 Colgate, 4/9/99, D, right shot, 5-8/165
Stark is on the smaller side, but he’s always been considered a solid prospect, appearing in two USA Hockey national camps. The New York, N.Y., native had six goals and five assists in 56 games for Madison during the 2018-19 season.
ECAC Hockey: Top freshman goaltenders
1. Mitchell Gibson
#44 Harvard, 6/25/99, G, catches left, 6-2/190
Washington Capitals (2018, 4th round, 124th overall)
Gibson heard his name called at the 2018 draft following a stellar season with the Lone Star Brahmas in the NAHL. His numbers weren’t as good in 2018-19 as he played for a Central Illinois team in the USHL that ended up folding at the end of the season. Gibson, from Phoenixville, Pa., has good size and will likely take the reigns between the pipes for the Crimson.
2. Evan Fear
#35 Quinnipiac, 7/5/99, G, catches left, 6-2/188
The Winnetka, Ill., native comes to Quinnipiac with 100 games of junior experience between the NAHL and USHL. He’ll be quietly introduced to the Bobcat crease with Red Wings’ prospect Keith Petruzzelli still in the fold. He had a .925 save percentage with the Waterloo Black Hawks last season.
3. Aidan Porter
#35 Princeton, 5/18/99, G, catches left, 6-2/181
Porter, a Rivers alum, put up respectable numbers last season in the defensively-challenged BCHL with Vernon Vipers. He was a four year stalwart for Shawn McEachern’s Red Wings at the prep school level.
4. Connor Hopkins
#1 Yale, 3/9/00, G, catches left, 6-1/185
After a solid prep career at Belmont Hill and a short stint in the USHL, Hopkins put up solid numbers in the BCHL with West Kelowna. The Malden, Mass., native could push for playing time in back of senior Corbin Kaczperski.
In addition to Hopkins, Yale’s freshmen class includes a couple of other local players: defenseman Michael Young (Medford, Mass./Rivers) and forward Teddy Wooding (Wrentham, Mass./Rivers).
5. Merek Pipes
#33 Union, 11/12/98, G, catches left, 5-11/176
Pipes will be behind projected starter Darion Hanson, a junior. Pipes, from Victoria, B.C., was a junior hockey journeyman, bouncing around between the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League and Manitoba Junior Hockey League. He’ll fight for ice time along with fellow freshman Gavin Nieto, who played for Swan Valley in the MJHL last season.
