The New England hockey season has been so busy that it's been a while since we checked in on the latest college hockey recruiting takeaways.
Now feels like a great time.
The last time we checked in was Oct. 16. Without question, there is a lot to catch up on.
A handful of prep players had such strong starts to their seasons that they got commitments. For others, it was the culmination of junior hockey success.
Let's dive in.
Tommy Wilkinson commits to Northeastern
Right before Christmas, Thayer forward Tommy Wilkinson announced his commitment to Northeastern.
The 6-foot-1, 172-pound winger broke out last winter for Thayer, notching 12 goals and 25 points in 29 games. He parlayed that into making USA Hockey's Select 17 Camp, where he had three points. After a strong fall with the East Coast Militia's 18U squad, Wilkinson has eight points in 10 games as a junior for Thayer.
Wilkinson has elevated himself into one of the top '08s in Massachusetts only in the last 15 months, making his stock intriguing. He has overpowering speed at the prep level, can drive play and stickhandles through defenses with ease.
His father, Geoff, played at Northeastern from 1995-98 as a forward.
Northeastern also got a commitment from Newfoundland Regiment (QMJHL) defenseman Noah Laberge, an '06 and a 2025 fifth-round pick of the Buffalo Sabres, on Jan. 1.
Will Schlechtweg commits to Maine
Schlechtweg exploded for eight goals and 21 points in 10 games for Kent to start the season. Maine was quick to pounce, as the 6-foot-1, 190-pound forward committed to the Black Bears on Dec. 22.
Schlechtweg has been a constant producer. He was massive in the fall for the Yale Junior Bulldogs 18U team, scoring 22 times and posting 51 points. Over the last three summers at Select 15, 16 and 17 Camp, he finished with a combined 10 goals and 18 points in 15 games.
His best asset is undoubtedly his shot. It's a pro release with extreme precision.
During Christmas break, Schlechtweg left for the USHL's Muskegon Lumberjacks.
Schlechtweg's commitment was bookended by Woodbridge Wolfpack 18U goalie Leyton Rinehart and Dubuque Fighting Saints forward Masun Fleece.
READ MORE:Â Latest boys prep rankings
Justin Graf commits to Harvard
Graf has been a revelation for the USHL's Cedar Rapids RoughRiders, leading the team in goals (15) and points (33) in his first season. The '07 was dominant in prep, posting 55 points last year and 35 in 2023-24 for Rivers. He played for Team USA at the World Junior A Challenge in December, notching an assist.
He was previously committed to Merrimack, but decommitted this past fall.
Graf, who is the younger brother of San Jose Sharks forward Collin, is a fantastic playmaker and has no issue going to high-danger areas. Graf's strong adjustment to the USHL has put him into play for the NHL Draft.
He's slated to begin at Harvard in the fall of this year.
Cody Costello and Caine Bickel commit to UNH
UNH has been very busy since early December. Its most recent commitment was Woodbridge Wolfpack 16U defenseman Cody Costello on Thursday.
The 6-foot-2, 179-pound defender was a standout for Mount St. Charles the last two seasons at the 14U and 15O levels, winning a national title. He's known for being a stout, shutdown defenseman.
Seacoast Performance Academy forward Caine Bickel also committed to UNH. He made the move to the region last year with SPA, tallying 56 points in 55 games at the 15O level. He's popped as a 16U, scoring 67 goals and 116 points in 48 games so far. The 5-foot-10, 161-pound forward is an '09 from Philadelphia.
Tri-City Americans (WHL) forward Cash Koch committed to the Catamounts in late December. Through 32 games this season, the '07 has six goals and 14 points.
Head coach Mike Souza and his staff got two commitments on Dec. 1 from Parker Von Richter and Mason Zebeski. Von Richter is an '06 defenseman playing for the OHL's Brampton Steelheads, while Zebeski is an '05 forward also playing in Brampton. He has 13 goals and 25 points in 38 games.
Sam Caulfield commits to Colgate
Caulfield committed to Colgate while he was with the USHL's Chicago Steel, where he finished with a 3.13 GAA and a .899 save percentage in 11 games. He moved to the QMJHL's Baie-Comeau Drakkar shortly after. In Baie-Comeau, he has a 2.44 GAA and a .928 save percentage in nine games.
Caulfield was outstanding in two seasons at Milton from 2022-24, most notably posting a 1.94 GAA and a .948 save percentage as a sophomore. That year, he led Milton to the Flood-Marr Tournament title and the No. 3 seed in the Elite 8. The '06 is from Needham, Mass.
READ MORE: Top boys prep performers from New Year’s tournaments and games
Alex Pelletier commits to Boston College
The Granby, Conn., native was previously committed to Cornell but switched to Boston College in November.
The 5-foot-11, 185-pound forward has 28 goals and 44 points in 28 games for the USHL's Lincoln Stars this season. It's his second season with Lincoln after posting 37 points in 60 games last winter.
Local hockey fans will remember Pelletier from his time at Avon Old Farms. He notched nine goals and 21 points in 28 games en route to an Elite 8 title in 2022-23, before posting 40 points in 27 games as a senior the following season.
Justin BriseBois commits to Yale
BriseBois committed to Yale in late November. Through 13 games with the Sherbrooke Phoenix (QMJHL), he has a 4.05 goals-against average and an .862 save percentage.
The 6-foot-3, 181-pound goalie made waves in prep last season for St. Mark's, leading the Lions to the No. 2 seed in the Elite 8. He won the New England Hockey Journal Goalie of the Year award, posting an incredible 1.83 GAA and a .935 save percentage.
His father is Tampa Bay Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois.
Yale also snagged commitments from Barrie Colts (OHL) forward Alexander Assadourian and Omaha Lancers defenseman Henryk Lasky. Both are '05s.
Jesse Allecia commits to Dartmouth
Allecia switched his commitment from UNH to Dartmouth last fall. The 6-foot-1, 192-pound power forward has 14 goals and 35 points in 37 games for the Drummondville Voltigeurs in the QMJHL this season. It's his second season in the Q.
He was in New England prep from 2020-24, spending the first two years with Deerfield before going to Salisbury from 2022-24. His biggest season came in 2023-24 when he scored 17 goals and posted 25 points in 26 games. He was a longtime Yale Junior Bulldog.
In November and early December, the Big Green also received commitments from forward Ben Trebicky and defenseman Ryan Harvey. Trebicky is a 5-foot-10 '09 playing with the OJHL's Burlington Cougars. He has seven goals and 25 points in 38 games so far. Harvey is an '05 defenseman with the BCHL's Cowichan Valley Capitals. He has 20 points in 33 games this season.
READ MORE: St. John's Shrewsbury's huge week shakes up latest boys MIAA rankings
Other takeaways...
- UConn was very busy in October. The Huskies got commitments from Monticello High School (Minn.) defenseman Nicklas Nelson, Brampton Steelheads defenseman Carter Hicks and Windsor Spitfires (OHL) forward Cole Davis. Nelson is a 6-foot-1, 170-pound defenseman who has seven goals and 18 points in 13 Minnesota high school games so far. He's an '08. At 6-foot-1 and 183 pounds, Hicks has three goals and four points in 36 games this season in the OHL. Davis, an '06, has 14 goals and 25 points in 34 OHL games this winter. Carter Sproule, a Watertown Shamrocks (NAHL) forward, has 10 goals and 30 points in 19 games this season. He's an '05 and is 6-foot-3.
- Boston Bruins draft pick Vashek Blanár committed to UMass. The 6-foot-5, 192-pound defenseman is an intriguing project playing with HV71 in Sweden's U20 Nationell this winter. The Minutemen also recently got two commitments from the QMJHL in Blaineville-Boisbriand Armada forward Torkel Jennersjö and Halifax Mooseheads forward Oleg Kulebyakin. Jennersjö has 12 points in 25 games, while Kulebyakin has 19 goals and 38 points in 36 games.
- Brown got two commitments from Green Bay Gamblers (USHL) defenseman Brady O'Malley and Dubuque Fighting Saints (USHL) defenseman Luke Brierley. O'Malley is a '05, while Brierley is a '07.
- Brantford Bulldogs (OHL) forward Gabriel Frasca and Madison Capitols (USHL) goalie Cash Cruitt both committed to Quinnipiac. Frasca is a 6-foot-1, 181-pound '06, while Cruitt is a 6-foot-5, 179-pound '08.
- Boston University got a commitment from Russian goalie Andrei Nikolayev. The '09 is 6-foot-4 and 168 pounds, and has a 2.53 GAA and a .914 save percentage for the NAHL's New Jersey Junior Titans this season.
- Vermont snagged a commitment out of the QMJHL in forward Felix Lacerte. The 5-foot-10, 176-pound '06 has 56 points in 36 games for the Shawinigan Cataractes this season. He spent the previous three seasons with Shawiningan.
