Area colleges and players from New England continue to make news in the NCAA transfer portal.
In the past week, three Northeastern players announced their intention to transfer to another Division 1 school. Forwards Neil Shea and TJ Walsh and goaltender Connor Murphy are on the move from Matthews Arena.
Shea, from Marshfield, Mass., never found the offensive success he was accustomed to during his two seasons as a Husky. In 49 games, he scored two goals and four assists. Shea, who played high school and prep hockey at Marshfield and Lawrence, enjoyed a 43-point campaign in 2018-19 while with the USHL’s Chicago Steel. Shea will transfer to Sacred Heart, where he’ll have three years of eligibility remaining.
Walsh, an ’00 from Shrewsbury, Mass., once was regarded as one of the better players in his birth year. Originally committed to Boston College, Walsh decommitted in favor of the Huskies. In 35 games over two seasons, he recorded two goals and six assists. Walsh will transfer to RPI, where he’ll have three years of eligibility left. The Engineers’ coaching staff is surely hoping he’ll regain some of his offensive acumen that made him successful with the USHL’s Des Moines Buccaneers and in his youth hockey days prior to that.
After two seasons at Northeastern, Murphy is transferring to Union. The ’98 from Hudson Falls, N.Y., played sparingly in his freshman season but was forced into action this past winter as a sophomore. In 21 games, Murphy went 9-9-3 with a .910 save percentage. The CP Dynamo and Carleton Place Canadians product exceeded expectations in the absence of star freshman Devon Levi, who missed the season with an injury following the World Junior Championship. With Levi likely to take the full-time starter role in 2021-22, Murphy was looking for another college program to call home.
Malden Catholic alum on the move again
Jack Adams will be playing for his third college when the 2021-22 season begins. The Boxford, Mass., native is transferring from Providence to Notre Dame, where he’ll pursue a graduate degree. Adams transferred to the Friars this past winter after Union announced it wouldn’t play the 2020-21 season. Adams has struggled with lower-body injuries over the past few seasons, which has hampered his development. He appeared in just six games for the Friars, going scoreless. In 66 games for the Dutchmen, he had 14 goals and 21 assists. Adams, a Malden Catholic alum, was drafted by the Detroit Red Wings in the sixth round of the 2017 NHL draft out of Fargo in the USHL.
Five UMass Lowell players find new homes
UMass Lowell has lost numerous transfers this offseason, including forward Matt Brown, who chose to head to conference rival Boston University. Five more River Hawks have made their futures destinations clear over recent days.
The most notable is defenseman Chase Blackmun, who is off to Notre Dame. Blackmun, a ’99 from Hudson, Wis., played in 85 games with UMass Lowell, recording 16 goals and 26 assists. Prior to Lowell, he played for the USHL’s Cedar Rapids RoughRiders and his hometown Hudson High School.
Goaltender Logan Neaton, a ’99 from Brighton, Mich., never could earn the minutes he desired at UMass Lowell. As a result, the Winnipeg Jets’ fifth-round pick is transferring to Miami. The former BCHL All-Star went 0-3-0 with an .862 save percentage in six appearances for UML.
Also making future plans known from UMass Lowell are defensemen Anthony Baxter (RPI), Nolan Sawchuk (St. Thomas) and Dominick Procopio (Alabama-Huntsville).
UNH lands two transfers
New Hampshire has struggled with its goaltending position over the past few seasons. The Wildcats hope to alleviate some of those issues with the addition of David Fessenden. The ’98 goaltender comes to Durham after spending two seasons at Alabama-Huntsville. As a sophomore in 2020-21, Fessenden went 3-11-1 with a .910 save percentage. The Parker, Colo., native isn’t a stranger to New England, as he played three seasons of junior hockey in the NAHL with the Northeast Generals.
Harrison Blaisdell also will transfer to the Wildcats after spending two seasons with NCHC power house North Dakota. The ’01 from Sheffield, Great Britain, once was a highly regarded recruit out of the BCHL. In 51 games at UND, Blaisdell scored just two goals and 14 assists. The UNH staff certainly hopes an increased role will allow him to flourish as a Wildcat.
Other local player movement news
2001-born forward Ryan Tattle has committed to UConn for the 2022-23 season. The Port Moody, British Columbia, native has eight goals and seven assists in 14 games with the BCHL’s Coquitlam Express this season.
Bentley has received a commitment from Steve Castagna, an ’01 who is in his third season with the BCHL’s Alberni Valley Bulldogs. This season, he has 13 goals and 11 assists in 15 games. The undersized forward from North Vancouver played for the Burnaby Winter Club prior to joining the BCHL club.
Defenseman Jack Agnew is leaving Boston College after just one season. The ’01 who played for St. Andrew’s College and the Chilliwack Chiefs will transfer to RPI. From Oakville, Ontario, Agnew was scoreless in six games for the Eagles. He was committed to St. Lawrence before choosing the Eagles the first time around.
