College hockey recruiting is a main topic of discussion in the spring, summer and fall. The spring features USA Hockey nationals, as well as festivals in districts to send players to USA Hockey's Select Camps.
In the summer, the best of the best go to those select camps, as well as play in summer leagues around the region. The fall features players on club teams across the 14U-18U age groups.
All of those seasons give colleges a front-row seat to player development. Lots of players gain college commitments out of performances at all of those events.
But then there's the winter. Most local players take the ice for prep or high school teams, while others continue with powerhouses like Mount St. Charles, Seacoast Performance Academy or the Long Island Gulls. At the same time, colleges are in season. It doesn't make for easy recruitment viewing.
Still, over the last few months, colleges have been actively recruiting players and gaining commitments.
Here's a look at how the local schools have fared. Many of the players recruited have been local.
Let's dive in.
Arizona State
Since when did Arizona State move to New England? Well, it didn't. But after head coach Greg Powers hired former BU bench boss Albie O'Connell as associate coach and recruiting coordinator, ASU became a player for top New England talent. O'Connell has been at various showcases throughout the region, and it's paid off.
Most recently, Arizona State picked up a commitment in December from Cushing defenseman Ryland Randle, who has been one of the most dynamic defenders in prep, posting five goals and 19 points in his first 18 games. Earlier in the fall, Cushing goalie Marko Bilic and Mount St. Charles forward Dylan Krayer (Concord, Mass.) both announced their commitment to ASU.
Brown
Brown is usually a big player for prep school talent, but since November, head coach Brendan Whittet and his staff have secured commitments from four outside-the-region players: forwards Ivan Zadvernyuk, Andrew King and Brian Nicholas, as well as defenseman Tristan Zarsky.
Zadvernyuk, an '04 who hails from Moscow, plays for the Lone Star Brahmas in the NAHL, sporting 11 goals and 37 points in 40 games. Nicholas (Sioux Falls), an '05, and King (Dubuque), an '03, both play in the USHL. Zarsky is an '03 with the Austin Bruins in the NAHL.
Boston College
The Eagles' biggest splash came in late November when they snagged Dean Letourneau after he decommitted from Northeastern. The 6-foot-7, 209-pound center has been tearing up the competition at St. Andrew's College, scoring 45 goals and totaling 88 points in his first 39 games. Letourneau is a candidate to be selected towards the end of the first round in June's NHL Draft.
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BC also got commitments from forward Graham Jones and defender Will Skahan. Jones, an '07 from Winnipeg, plays for Shattuck St. Mary's 16U team, with 22 goals and 53 points in 41 games. Skahan, an '06 from Orange, Calif., is with the U.S. National Team Development Program. The 6-foot-4, 212-pound defender is a potential second-round candidate for June's NHL draft.
Boston University
Speaking of big defensemen from the NTDP who have high upside, the Terriers secured the commitment of Carter Amico (Westbrook, Maine) in December. The 6-foot-5, 205-pounder played at Seacoast Performance Academy and Mount St. Charles before playing with the NTDP's U17 team. He's eligible for the 2025 NHL Draft.
Head coach Jay Pandolfo's staff also committed defenseman Sascha Boumedienne. The '07 just turned 17 years old and has found success in the USHL with the Youngstown Phantoms, posting two goals and 18 points in his first 27 games.
Connecticut
While schools like BU and BC are typically most active in the summer, UConn has committed seven players since October. Head coach Mike Cavanaugh's staff started with defensemen Brendan Dunphy, Trey Scott and Anthony Allain-Samake in October. Dunphy, an '06, plays in the BCHL with Langley, while Scott, an '04, plays in the USHL with Omaha. Allain-Samake is a late '07 playing with the New Jersey Rockets in the NCDC.
In November, the Huskies secured commitments from goalie Callum Tung, forward Ethan Whitcomb and defenseman Kai Janviriya. Tung, an '03, is a 6-foot-3 goalie playing with Alberni Valley in the USHL. Whitcomb, an '04, (Muskegon) and Janviriya (Lincoln), an '05, are both in the USHL. Previously, Janviriya was with the NTDP for two seasons.
UConn is also slated to bring in Shayne Gould (Princeton, Mass.). The small, '07 defenseman is known as a smooth skater who is highly offensive. He's playing with BK Selects' 16U team this winter, where he has six goals and 39 points in 40 games.
Dartmouth
Darmouth has been especially active over the last month, getting commitments from Kent forward Stefano Pietrantonio and Windy City U16 defenseman Kevin Perreault — both '07s. Pietrantonio has 17 points in his first 17 games this season for Kent and was a standout for the Yale Jr. Bulldogs' U16 team in the fall. Perreault is an intriguing prospect at 6-foot-3 and 190 pounds. He notched three assists at last summer's Select 16 camp.
Head coach Reid Cashman and his staff also picked up commitments from goalie Tyler Hodges, an '05 with Nanaimo in the BCHL, and defenseman Tim Busconi (Milton, Mass.), an '04 with Victoria in the BCHL. Busconi was originally committed to Boston University and is a Boston Advantage product.
Harvard
The Crimson were the busiest team during the summer, recruiting a number of top prospects. In the last few months, head coach Ted Donato and his staff have secured commitments from '03 goalie Ben Charette and '04 forward Justin Solovey.
Holy Cross
In November, '03 forward Edward Moskowitz, who currently plays with Blackfalds in the AJHL, pledged his commitment to Holy Cross. Head coach Bill Riga and his staff got a big commitment from Salisbury defenseman Anthony Biakabutuka in early January. At 6-foot-3 and 194 pounds, the '06 has been one of the best two-way defensemen in prep.
Maine
The Black Bears have been busy on the recruiting trail, securing four commitments and a whopping nine since Oct. 1. Center Zach Wooten, an '06 who plays for Eastview High School in Minnesota, and Brian Morse, an '03 defenseman playing for Chilliwack in the BCHL, both announced their intent to go to Maine.
Maine has picked up some intriguing local prospects, too, getting Long Island Gulls 16U standout Malachi McKinnon and Holderness forward Aaron VanWie, who was initially committed to Lindenwood. VanWie is averaging well over two points per game in New England prep.
Massachusetts
UMass was active in November, getting commitments from forward Tyler Wood, defenseman Finn Loftus and goalie James Norton. Wood is a center with Lincoln in the USHL and played his 14U season at Mount St. Charles before going to South Kent for 15U. Loftus is an '04 defender playing with Sioux City in the USHL, while Norton, an '03, has jumped between the USHL and NAHL this season.
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An intriguing prospect picked up by the Minutemen was Elias Zimmerman — a 6-foot-6, 209-pound center out of Sweden. Earlier this week, UMass also got word that Vaclav Nestrasil committed. An '07, Nestrasil stands at 6-foot-4 and 172 pounds and is from Czechia.
Merrimack
The Warriors have picked up four commitments since the start of November, snagging defenders Jimmy Dodig and Seamus Powell, as well as forwards Caden Cranston and Parker Lalonde. At 6-foot-5 and 209 pounds, Dodig, an '06, plays for Cretin-Derham Hall in Minnesota high school hockey. Powell will look at Merrimack as a second chance, after the '04 opted to go back to the USHL with Dubuque after one season at Boston College in 2022-23.
Cranston, an '04, is finding success with Surrey in the BCHL this season, potting 21 goals and totaling 48 points in his first 30 games. The Rochester, N.Y., native played with the New Jersey Rockets in the NCDC last season. Lalonde is also an '04, but playing with Brooks in the AJHL.
New Hampshire
Defenseman Jayden Connors and goalie Ryan Grout have been the only two UNH commits since December. Connors is a 5-foot-10 defenseman from the 2007 birth year playing with the St. Michael's Buzzers in the OJHL.
Grout, who is also an '07, committed to the Wildcats on Thursday. The Calgary native has been strong for Salmon Arm in the BCHL, posting a 2.24 goals-against average and a .926 save percentage.
Northeastern
Northeastern has committed three defensemen, a forward and a goalie since November. Garrett Frazer, Jack Henry and Noah Jones were the three defenders. Frazer is an '06 playing in the NAHL with Janesville while Henry, an '04, (Madison) and Jones (Omaha), also an '04, play in the USHL.
The lone forward is Marc Lund, who plays for Fairbanks in the NAHL. The 6-foot-4, 205-pound forward. an '03, had 10 goals and 19 points in his first 38 games. Quentin Sigurdson is an '03 goalie with Odessa in the NAHL. In his first 31 starts this season, Sigurdson had a 2.41 GAA and a .928 save percentage.
Ohio State
Ah, yes. Ohio State — a New England college hockey powerhouse. Not quite, but the Buckeyes got a recent commitment from former Milton Academy defenseman Chris Romaine (Boston, Mass.). Romaine has settled in with Green Bay in the USHL, scoring four goals and totaling 16 points in 26 games this season. He was initially committed to Providence.
Providence
The Friars committed defenseman Tomas Machu in December. The 6-foot-4, 190-pound defender plays for Youngstown in the USHL and is an '03.
In October, head coach Nate Leaman and his staff recruited forward Cooper Snee out of Avon Old Farms. The Franklin Lakes, N.J., native starred for the North Jersey Avalanche last season before arriving at Avon. Providence also got '06 Ritter Coombs, who is the best player for Northwood. In 43 games this season, the 6-foot-1, physical forward has 45 points.
Quinnipiac
The reigning national champs have been busy on the recruiting trail, committing seven players since November. Four of them were forwards, as Quinnipiac landed commitments from '03 Michael Salandra, '04s Noah Eyre and Aaron Schwartz, '05 Ryan Smith and '07 Lucas Prud'Homme. Salandra is averaging a point per game with West Kelowna in the BCHL. Schwartz is also in the BCHL, totaling 42 points in 30 games with Surrey. Eyre (Sioux Falls) and Smith (Tri-City) both skate in the USHL.
Prud'Homme carries a lot of upside. The 6-foot-1, 190-pound left wing is one of the best forwards for a highly offensive St. Andrew's College team.
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The two defenders are Gabriel Guilbault and Drew Anastacio. Guilbault might be unfamiliar to New England hockey fans, as he's from British Columbia and plays for Langley in the BCHL. Anastasio, however, is a local. The West Simsbury, Conn., native is a standout defender for Loomis Chaffee.
Sacred Heart
Sacred Heart picked up commitments from goalie Ajeetpal Gundarah, an '03 who plays for Surrey in the BCHL and Aiden VanRooyan, an '03 defenseman with Des Moines in the USHL.
The most notable commit, at least locally, was Austin Borggaard (Worcester, Mass.). The St. Mark's forward has been one of the most improved players on the prep circuit over the last 12 months. He already featured a lethal shot, but has become more well-rounded.
UMass Lowell
The RiverHawks picked up three forwards and one defenseman since November. Head coach Norm Bazin and his staff secured pledges from Nicky Romeo, an '05 with Dubuque of the USHL, Lucas Busch, an '05 with Maple Grove on the Minnesota high school circuit, and Chris Delaney (Hopkinton, Mass.), an '04 playing with Madison in the USHL. Before leaving for the USHL in 2021, Delaney was a standout for the Boston Jr. Bruins.
The lone defenseman was Carson Olsen — an '06 who plays for Battlefords in the SJHL.
Vermont
Under interim head coach Steve Wiedler, the Catamounts have committed forward Michael La Starza and defenders Andoni Fimis and Matej Teply (Stamford, Conn.) over the winter.
La Starza, who was initially committed to BU, has been strong for Fargo in the USHL, scoring 13 goals and totaling 27 points in his first 32 games. Fimis is an '06 playing for Stouffville in the OJHL, while Teply is averaging just under a goal per game with New Jersey in the NAHL.
Yale
Yale has been active in recruiting New England prep players. Since the calendar turned to 2024, the Bulldogs received commitments from Deerfield forward Tom Molson and Nobles forward Kyle O'Leary (Medfield, Mass.). Molson has been a force in prep for the last two seasons, while O'Leary is one of the top breakout stars of this winter.
Other players Yale has committed of late are defensemen Finn De St. Hubert (an '07 who plays for Wayzata High in Minnesota) and Jonathan Brown (an '07 at Shattuck St. Mary's). Prior to going to Shattuck, Brown played for Mid Fairfield. On Thursday night, Yale received a commitment from '03 Hughie Hooker — a 5-foot-7 defenseman who plays for Brooks in the AJHL.
Up front, Yale also added Micah Berger, who posted 124 points in 63 games for Mount St. Charles' 18U squad in 2021-22. He currently plays for Sioux Falls in the USHL.
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West Point
The Brunswick to West Point pipeline strengthened over the last couple of months, as current Bruins forward Sean Gibbons (Southport, Conn.) and former goalie Brendan Holahan (New Canaan, Conn.) have both announced they plan on playing college hockey there. Gibbons had 13 goals and 39 points in his first 20 games for Brunswick this season, while Holahan has transitioned nicely to Brooks in the AJHL.
