Boston College received a commitment from U.S. NTDP U-18 center Andre Gasseau, the player announced over the weekend.
Gasseau, from Garden Grove, Calif., is off to a hot start in his first season with the NTDP. In nine games, he has six goals and four assists. Gasseau played in three games with the NTDP U-17 team last season as a call-up but was permanently added to USA Hockey’s program in May.
Gasseau grew up playing youth hockey for the Los Angeles Junior Kings before heading to Shattuck-St. Mary’s for his 16-U season in 2019-20. With the Faribault, Minn., prep school, he posted 33 goals and 29 assists in 45 games.
NHL Central Scouting listed Gasseau as a ‘C’-rated skater in its Preliminary Players to Watch List. The ’03 is in his first year of draft eligibility. Gasseau projects as a middle-six center who can score goals, protect pucks and make plays with his vision, poise and length.
With Gasseau off the market, only three NTDP U-18 players — defenseman Ty Murchison and goaltenders Gibson Homer and Kaidan Mbereko — are uncommitted.
For BC, Gasseau’s commitment is a welcome addition given that the Eagles lost a couple of highly regarded ’03s over the past several months. Former commits Peter Reynolds and Cam MacDonald both opted to play in the QMJHL over the college route.
Gasseau joins NTDP teammate Aidan Hreschuk, who committed to the Eagles in April 2018, as part of the 2021-22 freshman class at BC. The other three ’03s committed to Boston College are St. Sebastian’s center Tim Delay, Avon Old Farms left wing Paul Davey and Junior Bruins center Billy Norcross.
UMass adds power forward
On Sunday, UMass received a commitment from North Jersey Avalanche 16-U right wing Nathan Lewis. The Northville, Mich., native is in his first season with the Hackensack, N.J.-based program.
Lewis is a big power forward who can make plays down low with his length and vision. He’s hard to knock off pucks and promotes possession on the cycle. Prior to joining the North Jersey Avalanche, Lewis played for Honeybaked and Oakland Junior Grizzlies back in his home state.
During the 2019-20 season, Lewis racked up 38 goals and 66 assists for 104 points in 67 games with the Oakland Junior Grizzlies 15 Pure team. He was selected in the fourth round by the Madison Capitols in the 2020 USHL Phase I draft.
Lewis is the third ’04 to commit to the Minutemen, joining Seacoast Performance Academy 16-U defenseman Shaun McEwen and Shattuck-St. Mary’s 16-U defenseman Patrick Czarnecki.
Under head coach Greg Carvel, the UMass staff has done a good job recruiting the state of Michigan. There are five players from the Wolverine State on the 2020-21 UMass roster: St. Louis Blues draft pick Matthew Kessell and forwards Ryan Sullivan, Oliver MacDonald, Cal Kiefiuk and Reed Lebster. Recent Minutemen alum from Michigan includes Mitchell Chaffee, who signed with the Minnesota Wild after last season, and Jacob Pritchard.
