College hockey recruiting has become increasingly competitive over the years. Prospects are committing younger and younger as securing elite talent has become the life blood of Division 1 programs.
Hockey East coaches spend countless hours on the road and in rinks far and wide, hoping to bring their respective schools championship-caliber players. The best team to get off the bus doesn’t always win, but it certainly gives a leg up over the course of a 60-minute game.
This year’s crop of freshmen in Hockey East boasts three first-round draft picks from the 2018 NHL Draft. Boston College forward Oliver Wahlstrom (Quincy, Mass.), Boston University forward Joel Farabee (Cicero, N.Y.), and Providence forward Jay O’Brien (Hingham, Mass.) were selected 11th, 14th and 19th, respectively, in Dallas.