Being a local kid and the son of two former Eagle athlete, was Boston College always the dream school for you?
“It was a place that I always wanted to go, and I thought it presented the best opportunity when I was deciding where to go to school. I’ve never regretted my decision to come to BC. I’ve had bumps in the road, injuries and it hasn’t always gone the way I would have liked it to go, but my experience here has been great. I’m really looking forward to one more great season here with my teammates.”
What is it like to play for Jerry York, the winningest coach in the history of college hockey?
“It’s obviously very special to have a coach of his caliber leading your team. He’s been so successful over so many years and has changed the game of college hockey. I think it’s just been awesome to be a part of his legacy ... [to] see exactly how he pushes our team. It was always my dream to play for Coach York, growing up as a Boston kid who watched so many successful BC teams. I’ve always wanted to play here, win a Beanpot and things like that, so hopefully we’ll be able to get that done this year.”
What do you remember most about watching BC as a kid? Four national championships, of course, but does anything else stand out?
“The biggest thing is how fast they played, and I think that’s the trait we’re trying for in our team this year. All the really successful BC teams through the years played at an unbelievable pace that no other team was able to keep up with, so that’s something we try to emulate in ourselves and work on every day. That’s always been kind of an identity. BC hasn’t ever been that big, tough team; they’ve always been the smaller, skilled team that will beat you with speed.”
Your father, Marty, played for longer than a decade in the NHL and currently serves as an assistant coach on Coach York’s staff. How special is that dynamic?
“It’s nice having him there. During practice I’ll always ask him for advice because he knows a lot. He’s a great lifeline, and I know a lot of the guys on our team also like to go to him because he’s a voluntary coach who just kind of fits in with the rest of the coaches. Guys will go to him to talk about different things, so I think it’s a great resource for our team. Having him on the bench is, obviously, very special and something I never thought would have been possible.”
Five NHL draft picks are among your team’s eight freshmen, including three first-rounders from June. What has impressed you most about that group and the team as a whole so far?
“I think this group is a really special one. A lot of the freshmen came in, put their foot right in the door and weren’t afraid to compete right away. Alex Newhook, Matt Boldy [Millis, Mass.], Drew Helleson and I could name them all, they’ve all come in and played very hard. I’ve actually grown up for a long time with Boldy because he’s best friends with my brother [Chase, who is committed to Northeastern]. They played together growing up, so it’s cool having him here and watching how good he has become.
“I think our team is really special, especially with Knighter [Spencer Knight of Darien, Conn.] back in the net. Everything’s aligned for something special this year as long as we stay along the right path and play the right way.”
Key facts
Teams: Boston College; Youngstown Phantoms (USHL); Dexter School; Hingham High School
Hometown: Hingham, Mass.
Pos.: D
Year: Sr.
Major: Applied psychology and communications
Noteworthy: Skated in 100th collegiate game and scored a goal in Oct. 13 win at Colgate ... Played in 35 of the Eagles’ 39 games as a junior, ranking third on the team with 35 blocked shots ... Assisted on game-winning goal in last season’s Beanpot semifinals ... Career-high 10 points as a freshman, including three goals ... Named to USHL All-Rookie second team in 2015-16 ... Father, Marty, played hockey at Boston College before a 12-year NHL career, and mother, Missy, was a lacrosse player at The Heights.
Favorites
Pregame meal: Chicken parm
Favorite opposing rink: “The best environment we’ve played in was Madison Square Garden my freshman year against North Dakota. In Hockey East, BU is a fun one because of the rivalry.”
Vacation spot: “I like fishing a lot, so probably Florida.”
Musician: Papa Roach
Song: “Red Light Green Light” by Duke Dumont
Actor: Leonardo DiCaprio
TV show: “Peaky Blinders”
Video game: NHL
Sport other than hockey: Football
Sports team: New England Patriots
NHL player: Duncan Keith
Non-hockey athlete: Julian Edelman
Equipment
Stick: Bauer
Helmet: Bauer
Gloves: Bauer
Skates: Bauer
