Hunter McCoy has his sights set on playing college hockey. But he doesn’t want just any program. He wants to go to a school where success is commonplace.
“I’m a strong student and I want to go to a strong academic school. I want to play where we’re a national championship contender. I want to have a strong team every year and a coach who believes in winning. I want to be on a team with a winning culture,” McCoy explained.
McCoy’s high expectations come from his confidence in his own playing and academic abilities and having watched his older brother go through the process and knowing his dad went through it before that.
“I watched my brother (Derek) play at UMass Lowell. They went from a five-win season to making the NCAA tournament. My dad (Don) played there as well. It’s been very good for me to learn from them,” said McCoy.
McCoy, a Newburyport, Mass., native, is entering his second season of junior hockey with the Middlesex Islanders in the USPHL NCDC. He’s the leading scorer on his team with eight goals and 11 assists in 18 games played. His stellar play ever since his two seasons at Phillips Exeter has earned him some looks from Hockey East and ECAC Hockey schools.
“Right now I’ve talked to several ECAC and Hockey East schools. I’ve seen a lot of the facilities,” said McCoy.
McCoy left prep school to play junior hockey, a decision he hoped would bolster his ability to someday play college hockey. It’s a decision that has turned out well.
“The Islanders have been very good for my development. Coach (Sean) Tremblay has done an unbelievable job helping me with the little details in my game and the big-picture things like my hockey IQ. I couldn’t ask for a better guy to learn from,” McCoy said.
He was fortunate to step into a veteran-laden team in 2017-18 that ended up winning the Dineen Cup as champion of the USPHL NCDC.
“Last year was definitely a learning experience for me. … It’s helped me this year as I have stepped into my role as one of our veteran leaders who’s playing a lot each and every game,” explained McCoy.
While having a lot of older players was good for the success of the team, it could have additionally been a blessing in disguise for McCoy. He might not have gotten as much ice time as he would have liked, but his transition from prep to junior hockey was eased.
“Last year was great. It was good to step into junior hockey and not have too much pressure to produce. I didn’t have to carry the team. It was a great stepping stone coming from prep school. It’s a big jump to start playing with men,” said McCoy.
“We had a great group of guys who showed me how to handle myself on and off the ice. We had a ton of talent on the ice, but we earned some wins that weren’t as easy as our record might have shown,” McCoy added.
Under Tremblay, the Islanders have been one of the perennial powerhouses in the NCDC. Due to losing so many players from last season, this year’s group has taken some bumps and bruises. However, McCoy thinks the tide is starting to turn.
“We need a little more contribution from everybody. Last year we were fortunate enough to have four lines that could produce on any given night. We have a couple of guys back from injury and we’re definitely turning it around,” McCoy stated.
“We are showing some signs of a championship-caliber team. In the second half we’re going to be a tough team to play against. We have a lot of guys adjusting to the speed and pace of the game.”
McCoy is a solid two-way player in junior hockey but projects more as a heavy, bottom-six forward who can chip in offensively from time to time at the collegiate level. Going back to his prep school days, McCoy always has been tough to knock off pucks and strong on his skates.
“I’m a solid, 200-foot center,” said McCoy when asked to describe his style of play. “I’m very versatile and play a well-rounded game. I have good offensive upside. I’m strong on my feet. I have good vision. I have good hands to finish around the net.”
McCoy has 28 penalty minutes over the first 18 games, which isn’t a lot by any means, but he tries to play the game with a chip on his shoulder.
“I think something I bring to the table that other skill kids don’t is I play with an edge. I’m a big kid and I like to go out and hit, be physical and finish my checks. I try to get under people’s skin,” said McCoy.
As a complete center iceman who has grown up just about an hour north of Boston, it should come as no surprise who McCoy tries to model his game after.
“I try to play like Patrice Bergeron. Guys like Bergeron and Jonathan Toews have that offensive ability and hockey IQ, but they don’t spare anything in the ‘D’ zone. I’m physical in the ‘D’ end and try not to make mistakes back there. I try to focus there before I create offense. I think I do a good job creating offense all over the sheet.”
McCoy will need to continue refining his game and getting better in some aspects as he pursues a college scholarship offer. He’s appreciative of his coaches — past and present — who have helped him become the player he is today.
“I’ve had great coaches in Sean Tremblay and (Phillips Exeter head coach) Dana Barbin who have helped me hone my skills. This past summer, (Islanders assistant) Coach (Chris) Dyment helped me with my skating, especially my first two steps. This year I’m a lot more explosive. My skating helps me log minutes and carry a big weight for our team,” said McCoy.
If the Islanders are to make a second-half charge, McCoy likely will be front and center. It’s an even better bet that he’ll be playing college hockey in the not-too-distant future.
