We're 17 days into the new college hockey recruiting season and there have already been plenty of fireworks.
A number of local colleges have picked up talent for the future, with one Boston school recruiting a lot more than its competitors.
Local prospects have found future homes, too, with lots of New England prep hockey players committing to schools early in August.
Here are seven takeaways from the first two weeks of college hockey recruitment.
1. Harvard is the clear winner so far
The rumor was Harvard would be active on, and in the days after, Aug. 1. That was an understatement.
Ten prospects have committed to Harvard since the door was opened for colleges to verbally offer rising juniors. Three of the nine are locals in Nobles netminder Thatcher Bernstein (Brookline, Mass.), St. Mark's forward Richard Gallant (Concord, Mass.) and St. Sebastian's forward Ben Merrill (Hingham, Mass.).
The other seven committed are Buffalo Junior Sabres forward Niles Benson, Long Island Gulls defenseman Donny Bracco, Toronto Junior Canadiens defenseman Luka Graziano, Little Caesars forward Evan Jardine, Toronto Marlboro forwards Lev Katzin and Aidan Lane, and Long Island Gulls forward Jesse Orlowsky.
Both Bracco and Gallant will be members of the 2023-24 Under-17 United States National Team Development Program squad.
So, why was Harvard so successful?
For one, it's Harvard. Parents' eyes light up when they see the Cambridge, Mass., school pursuing their child. But the feeling around Harvard is the coaching staff did a good job finding players who are passionate about academics and hockey. Harvard alums finding success in the NHL certainly helped, too.
And the Crimson might not be done yet.
The news everyone is waiting for is where former Mount St. Charles star James Hagens chooses for his future college. According to a source, Harvard is "very relevant" in the race for Hagens. However, the current U.S. National Team Development Program star is taking his time with his decision — and he has lots of suitors.
2. All of the top local prospects committed early
Last year, Cushing forward Ethan Gardula (Princeton, Mass.) didn't announce his commitment to UConn until Sept. 1. The next day, Brunswick forward Drew DellaSalla pledged his loyalty to Harvard.
Cole Eiserman (Newburyport, Mass.), one of the top recruits in the class, waited until Sept. 7 to announce his college choice. It was Minnesota.
There's no such thing for the 2023 group.
The top local prospects are already off the board this season. Gallant committed to Harvard on Aug. 7. Bernstein, one of the top goalie recruits in the nation, committed a day later. Teddy Mutryn (Norwell, Mass.) committed to Boston College on Aug. 12.
HARVARD COLLEGE HOCKEY EXPERIENCE: 13 standout forwards | 8 standout defensemen and goalies
While there are still strong prospects who haven't committed yet (and many who have), those three stood out as the biggest in this class who didn't accelerate.
3. A bunch of prep players have already committed
The last two weeks haven't been short on prep players committing to Division 1 schools. In all, 13 players who played prep either last season or this season announced their future colleges.
Here is the full breakdown:
- Boston College: Teddy Mutryn (St. Sebastian's)
- Brown: Luke Drury (Brunswick)
- Dartmouth: Grayden Robertson-Palmer (Phillips Andover)
- Harvard: Thatcher Bernstein (Nobles), Richard Gallant (St. Mark's), Ben Merrill (St. Sebastian's)
- Maine: Michael Munroe (Avon Old Farms)
- Merrimack: CJ Watroba (Kimball Union)
- New Hampshire: Kole Hyles (Cushing)
- Northeastern: Cam Caron (New Hampton)
- Providence: Everett Baldwin (St. George's)
- Quinnipiac: Conrado Calderini (Berkshire)
- Yale: Dylan Hunt (Milton Academy)
I've already discussed the Harvard trio and Mutryn. Hunt is a really strong get for Yale. In an age when fast, puck-moving defenders get all the attention, reliable blueliners are still needed. He will be a stable force for the Bulldogs when he arrives on campus.
Caron's an intriguing get for Northeastern. He was a freshman last season but accelerated to being a junior over the summer. At 6-foot-3 and 194 pounds, the Dracut, Mass., native dominated as a first-year player for New Hampton, scoring 18 goals and totaling 47 points in 34 games. I'm curious to see how his game progresses in his second year at New Hampton.
4. Merrimack got the best value pick
Most of these players won't join their colleges for at least another two years, so this is all projecting. But Merrimack getting CJ Watroba (West Springfield, Mass.) was a steal.
It's hard to consider any of the Beanpot schools for best value picks since they consistently draw the eyes of the best players.
Watroba led Pope Francis to an MIAA Division 1 state title this past season with 22 goals and 37 points. He was one of the best '07s at the Mass. Hockey Festival and followed that up with a standout performance at USA Hockey Select 16 Camp, scoring three goals and dishing out three assists in five games. He's a great skater with lots of offensive awareness. He's creative and consistently makes things happen in the offensive zone.
HARVARD CRIMSON COMBINE STANDOUTS: 10 standout forwards from the ’08s | 5 standout defenders from the ’08s | 11 standouts from the ’09s
He will head to Kimball Union this winter, where a big point of emphasis will be becoming a better 200-foot player. If that happens, Merrimack will be getting an impact player down the road.
5. Kolin Sisson's rise to being a Division 1 recruit was impressive
Kolin Sisson had a strong 2022-23 playing at the 16U level with South Kent and then Mount Saint Charles. In 37 games for South Kent, the Lincoln, R.I. native posted 12 goals and 42 points in 37 games. At Mount, he scored 14 goals in 24 games and added 13 assists.
But his status really rose at Select 17s.
Sisson scored six goals, which was the most among all players at the camp. His nine points were tied for second. He was a driving factor in why the New England District walked away from the event as the No. 1 team.
And oh, yeah — right before going to Select 17s, the 5-foot-9 forward had a great showing at the USHL's Chicago Steel Tryout/Development Camp and scored a roster spot, which is where he plans to play this upcoming season.
So, as Sisson approached Aug. 1, he had his choice of top, local programs, as well as interest from the Midwest. He opted for Providence College. His high-skill, shifty style of play is a great get for head coach Nate Leaman.
6. Boston University made its commitments count
Somehow, this is the first mention of Boston University, but that doesn't mean the Terriers haven't been active.
BU secured a commitment from Conrad Fondrk on July 12. Fondrk accelerated, which allowed schools to jump on him immediately. The St. Paul, Minn., native spent his last two seasons lighting up the scoresheet for Mount Saint Charles. In 2021-22 with the 14U team, he had 58 goals and 108 points in 58 games. He upped his goal total to 63 this past winter, totaling 105 points in 54 games.
Fondrk will play his 2023-24 season with the NTDP where he projects to be one of the U17 team's primary producers.
Joining Fondrk in Plymouth, Mich., this season will be Jack Murtagh, who also committed to BU. The East Greenbush, N.Y., native committed to the Terriers on Aug. 1.
Like Fondrk, Murtagh spent the last two seasons putting up video game-like numbers. With Bishop Kearney Selects' 14U team in 2021-22, Murtagh posted 67 goals and 113 points in 73 games. This past winter with the 15U's, he scored 52 goals and added 49 assists in 68 games.
Both Fondrk and Murtagh will be highly-touted recruits when they arrive on Comm. Ave. That's slated to take place in the Fall of 2025.
7. Along with Fondrk and Caron, one other top local prospect committed after accelerating
Gavin Cornforth (Milton, Mass.) has had an unconventional last 12 months.
He only did one season at Thayer in 2021-22, posting 12 goals and 30 points in 22 games. That, plus notching seven points in four games at Select 15 Camp in the Summer of 2021, earned him a spot at NTDP Evaluation Camp in 2022.
Cornforth didn't make the NTDP team but was drafted in the first round (12th overall) of the 2022 USHL Futures Draft by the Dubuque Fighting Saints. He wanted a challenge, so he headed straight for Dubuque and played in 49 games, scoring four goals and totaling 10 points. As a December 2006 birthday, he played some of last season as a 15-year-old in the USHL. That's where the unconventional part lies.
The 5-foot-9, 154-pound right wing took his licks in the USHL this past winter. He boasts a lot of skill and good speed, which made him a prime candidate for a top college hockey program. That's where BC came in, earning his commitment after he accelerated this summer. As of now, the Eagles have committed Cornforth and Mutryn in this recruiting class.
That's right — both BC and BU have each committed two players so far in this class. The rivalry never sleeps.
MORE COLLEGE HOCKEY RECRUITMENT READING:
- Teddy Mutryn commits to Boston College and more
- Thatcher Bernstein commits to Harvard and more
- Richard Gallant picks Harvard and more local commitments
- We tracked all the local commitments from the first week
- 9 takeaways from Aug. 1 — the first day of college hockey recruitment
- College hockey commits from 2022 give advice to future recruits
