Last season felt like a golden era for New England Division 1 college hockey rookies.
Boston College had the robust line of Will Smith (Lexington, Mass.), Ryan Leonard (Amherst, Mass.) and Gabe Perreault. The Eagles also boasted Jacob Fowler in net. At the other end of Comm. Ave, Boston University had Macklin Celebrini, who went on to win the Hobey Baker Award. He was picked No. 1 in June’s NHL Draft.
At Maine, there was Bradly and Josh Nadeau, who posted 46 and 45 points, respectively. Quinnipiac’s Mason Marcellus burst on the scene with 36.
Along with Fowler, freshmen netminders including Maine’s Albin Boija, Yale’s Jack Stark, AIC’s Nils Wallstrom, UMass’ Michael Hrabal and Northeastern’s Cameron Whitehead made their mark.
The trend of high-end freshmen has continued into this fall and winter.
For the second straight year, the region hosts a freshman who could be the No. 1 pick in the NHL Draft. He’s not the only top prospect. Here are some high-end freshmen to keep track of this college hockey season.
Kamil Bednarik
Boston University, 5/26/2006, F, left shot, 6-0/185
Drafted 61st by New York Islanders in 2024
Bednarik enters BU after a strong season with the U.S. National Team Development Program’s U-18 team, scoring 26 goals and totaling 65 points in 61 games. Along with the ability to produce, Bednarik can play at both ends of the ice and be relied on in any situation. Prior to the U.S. NTDP, he was with the New Jersey Rockets and Chicago Mission.
Sascha Boumedienne
Boston University, 1/7/2007, D, left shot, 6-2/183
The 2025 NHL Draft isn’t for another 10 months, but scouts already have Boumedienne’s name circled as a potential first-round pick. He had a strong season with the Youngstown Phantoms in the USHL last season, posting three goals and 27 points in 49 games. He has the perfect combination of good size and skating to intrigue NHL teams.
Trevor Connelly
Providence, 2/28/2006, F, left shot, 6-1/161
Drafted 19th overall by Vegas in 2024
Coming up through the ranks in California and then moving to the USHL’s Tri-City Storm, Connelly has become known as an offensive force. He posted 31 goals and 78 points with the Storm last season. The year before, his first in the USHL, he had 47 points in 57 games. He made headlines after a strong performance at the 2023 Hlinka-Gretzky Cup, putting up five goals and 10 points in five games. He has no issue generating offense at high speeds and has the chance to be one of the top point-getters in Hockey East this season.
ATLANTIC HOCKEY: How the conference is adapting to a new age of recruiting
Joe Connor
Northeastern, 3/31/2005, F, left shot, 5-10/174
Drafted 195th overall by Tampa Bay in 2024
Local hockey fans know Connor well by now from his days dominating with Avon Old Farms, culminating in an Elite 8 championship in 2023. The Amherst, N.H., native took to the USHL quickly last season, scoring 31 goals and tallying 60 points in 50 games for the Muskegon Lumberjacks, proving he was more than ready to be a freshman this fall. His biggest attribute is his relentlessness. No matter his size, he will do whatever he can to win puck battles and get to high-danger areas.
Cole Eiserman
Boston University, 8/29/2006, F, left shot, 6-0/196
Drafted 20th overall by New York Islanders in 2024
Eiserman was a well-known goal-scorer with Shattuck-St. Mary’s before going to the NTDP. In Plymouth, Mich., Eiserman didn’t just prove he could score on the national stage — he finished his time there with the record for most goals (127) in program history. The Newburyport, Mass., native has a deadly shot and a high-end ability to finish. It wouldn’t be a surprise if he challenges for the most goals in Hockey East this winter.
Elliott Groenewold
Quinnipiac, 2/4/2006, D, left shot, 6-2/201
Drafted 110th overall by Boston in 2024
There’s a lot of high-end offense in this story. But for those who want to watch high-end defense, look no further than Groenewold. The Bellows Falls, Vt., native posted a nice season for Cedar Rapids in the USHL last season with 16 points in 57 games. But what sets him apart is his great ability to defend. He uses his stick and body well. His frame makes him a contender to make an immediate impact in the ECAC.
James Hagens
Boston College, 11/3/2006, F, left shot, 5-10/172
Remember when I wrote earlier that the region has the potential No. 1 pick for the second straight year? Well, that’s Hagens. The former Mount St. Charles standout is fresh off a 102-point season with the NTDP’s U18 team. The comparisons to New Jersey Devils star Jack Hughes, who was picked No. 1 in 2019, are legitimate. His skating, vision and high offensive IQ make him a lock to replace Smith as BC’s No. 1 center. He’s an early contender for the Hobey Baker Award.
Cole Hutson
Boston University, 6/28/2006, D, left shot, 5-10/165
Drafted 43rd overall by Washington in 2024
When one, brilliant, puck-moving defenseman leaves BU, head coach Jay Pandolfo has another one ready to come in — and they’re brothers. The Terriers lost Lane Hutson to the NHL after two outstanding seasons at BU. Replacing him will be his younger brother Cole. Cole put up 51 points in 51 games for the NTDP’s U18 team last season. Before going to the Program, he was a star with the North Jersey Avalanche.
THE FUTURE: Check out where the '08 boys will be playing college hockey
Sean Keohane
Harvard, 11/4/2004, D, left shot, 6-4/183
Drafted 173rd overall by Buffalo in 2023
Keohane spent time with both the USHL’s Tri-City Storm and BCHL’s West Kelowna Warriors last season. His role in college most likely will be that of a shutdown defenseman, and he has the tools to succeed. While he’s certainly got the frame for that job, he also is a terrific skater. Prep fans will remember the Milton, Mass., native from his time with Dexter Southfield two years ago.
Dean Letourneau
Boston College, 2/21/2006, F, right shot, 6-7/214
Drafted 25th overall by Boston in 2024
Letourneau might be the most fascinating prospect on this list due to the unknown of what he could be. He’s a great skater for someone of his size, and his skill is that of someone many inches shorter. He’s coming straight from prep hockey at St. Andrew’s College, so that is a bit of a question mark — how long will it take him to adjust to college hockey? He’s undoubtedly going to be at BC for more than one year, so the seeds of his development this season should pay off years down the line.
Finn Loftus
UMass, 2/12/2004, D, left shot, 6-1/179
Loftus was a longtime standout for Blaine High School in Minnesota before spending the past two seasons with the Sioux City Musketeers in the USHL. He posted seven goals and 35 points in 62 games last season. UMass lost its top two defensemen after last season in Scott Morrow (Darien, Conn.) and Ryan Ufko. Loftus looks to be part of the core to help replace them.
John Mustard
Providence, 8/16/2006, F, left shot, 6-1/185
Drafted 67th overall by Chicago in 2024
This time last year, Mustard was going from 16-U hockey with the North Jersey Avalanche to the USHL’s Waterloo Black Hawks. Mustard thrived upon the move, putting up 29 goals and 56 points in 60 games with Waterloo. He does everything at very high speeds, which is one of the reasons he was taken in the third round by the Chicago Blackhawks in June.
Chris Pelosi
Quinnipiac, 3/6/2005, F, left shot, 6-1/181
Drafted 92nd overall by Boston in 2023
The Bruins liked Pelosi, picking him in the third round of the 2023 NHL Draft. He was outstanding with the USHL’s Sioux Falls Stampede last season, putting up 55 points in 56 games. The former Mount St. Charles prospect is a two-way centerman and should make an immediate impact with the Bobcats.
COLLEGE PREVIEW: Check out the latest New England Hockey Journal magazine
Ben Poitras
Northeastern, 7/18/2005, F, right shot, 5-11/181
Prep hockey fans will remember Poitras as a standout with Salisbury in 2022, posting 27 points in 27 games in 2022. He spent the 2022-23 season with Sioux City in the USHL before moving on to the USHL’s Green Bay Gamblers last year, scoring 20 goals and notching 53 points in 51 games.
Logan Sawyer
Providence, 5/6/2006, F, left shot, 6-1/174
Drafted 78th overall by Montreal in 2024
Sawyer was a standout with the Brooks Bandits last season, which played AJHL and BCHL games. He finished with 59 points in 39 games. Sawyer can be a force on the wing with his high compete. He looks to be a big part of the Friars on offense.
Will Skahan
Boston College, 5/14/2006, D, right shot, 6-4/216
Drafted 65th overall by Utah in 2024
Hockey East forwards can’t be too pleased about Skahan arriving at Boston College because of his elite shutdown abilities. He defends with a great stick and has no issue using his body to separate opposing players from the puck. He’s fresh off two strong seasons with the NTDP.
Teddy Stiga
Boston College, 4/5/2006, F, left shot, 5-10/179
Drafted 55th overall by Nashville in 2024
Stiga entered last season as a fringe NHL Draft prospect. He responded by posting 79 points in 61 games with the NTDP’s U-18 team and getting drafted by Nashville in the second round. He’s extremely smart, working in tandem with Hagens last season. The big question will be where does BC see Stiga slotting in, as a center or a wing? The Sudbury, Mass., native was once a standout for Belmont Hill and the Boston Junior Eagles.
Lucas St. Louis
Harvard, 3/30/2005, D, left shot, 5-11/170
The son of NHL legend and Montreal Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis, Lucas spent the past two seasons with the USHL’s Dubuque Fighting Saints. Last season, he posted 15 goals and 29 points in 43 games with Dubuque. He’s a great offensive defenseman who was a standout with Brunswick from 2020-22 and was a longtime member of Mid Fairfield.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS: How many recruits make it to college hockey? | How many August commits, goalies make it?Â
Brandon Svoboda
Boston University, 2/4/2005, F, right shot, 6-3/207
Drafted 71st overall by San Jose in 2023
Svoboda has intriguing size, which was one of the reasons he was drafted in the third round in 2023. He followed that by posting 20 points in 40 games between the Youngstown Phantoms and the Fargo Force.
Mick Thompson
Harvard, 3/1/2004, F, left shot, 5-9/170
Thompson spent the past three seasons with the USHL’s Chicago Steel. His best was last winter when he scored 24 goals and tallied 63 points in 54 games. Prior to Chicago, he was a standout with the North Jersey Avalanche and Bergen Catholic High School.
