Prospects watch: Which sophomores will be getting contacted on New Year’s Day?

Pope Francis ’05 forward Ryan Leonard is expected to join UMass in a few years. (Wendy Harrington/Pope Francis Athletics)

New Year’s Day, Jan. 1, marks the first day college hockey coaches legally can contact sophomores. That means a few ’04s and ’05s from New England will be receiving calls and text messages on Friday morning.

In May 2019, the NCAA passed legislation to prohibit the recruitment of younger players. The new rules mean prospective student-athletes cannot be contacted until Jan. 1 of their sophomore year. Players cannot verbally commit to a college program until Aug. 1 heading into their junior year of high school.

No sophomore in New England will be as targeted as Dexter Southfield ’05 center Will Vote. The Arlington, Mass., native is a shoo-in for USA Hockey’s NTDP. The Junior Eagles product has elite hockey sense and compete level to go along with a good stick.