There have been some big names to come off the board, both locally and nationally, since Aug. 1, which is the day rising juniors in high school became eligible to commit to Division 1 college hockey programs.
It's still been relatively quiet.
Local high-end programs like Boston College, Boston University, Harvard, Providence College and UMass have been quiet halfway through Aug. 3.
But other local schools have been active. And national powerhouses like Minnesota and Michigan State have been just as active as usual.
Plus, a local '07 is now back on the market for a college commitment.
READ MORE: Live updates from start of 2026 commitment season
Let's dive into some takeaways.
This Aug. 1 and 2 weren't that much different from last year
As I walked around the Charles River on Sunday, I thought about how quiet the first two days of this recruiting period had been. Surely, all the chatter about players and programs taking things slower had kicked in.
Well, kind of. But not quite.
When I crunched the numbers, 15 players announced commitments on Aug. 1 last year; 14 did this year. So...one fewer player. That's nothing crazy. And on Aug. 2, more players actually committed this year (five) vs. last year (four).
Things have become much quieter on Aug. 1 (and the days after), but it's not a 2025 vs. 2026 thing — it actually happened last year. In 2024, 36 players announced commitments on Aug. 1, while 10 did on Aug. 2.
Things have certainly gotten quieter, and more players and teams are opting to wait. But that's not a new thing this year.
The biggest local get: Logan Cotter to Northeastern
In terms of New England talent, Cotter has been the biggest name off the board so far, opting for Northeastern. The St. Mark's product will play for the USHL's Green Bay Gamblers this coming winter.
What makes Cotter so intriguing is what he could turn into. He's an elite skater with high-end offensive potential, but he has no issues taking care of business and being physical in his own zone. If he can continue to hone his two-way abilities in the USHL, there's no doubt Cotter should be a top-four mainstay for Northeastern someday.
The biggest recruiting win: Princeton getting Jack O'Dell
What a snag for Princeton.
On Monday, New England Hockey Journal learned that Jack O'Dell is committing to Princeton, which is a massive victory for second-year head coach Ben Syer and his staff.
READ MORE: 15 forwards to watch for Aug. 1 recruiting | 12 defenders to watch for Aug. 1 recruiting
O'Dell had a strong first prep season for Phillips Andover with 12 goals and 21 points in 30 games. At 6-foot-2 and 194 pounds, he does everything really well, impacting the game offensively and defensively. He's just as likely to make a creative offensive play as he is to lay out an opposing player.
He was rewarded with an invite to the Hlinka Gretzky Cup Camp. He signed with the OHL's Windsor Spitfires for next season, and plans to play for the Neponset Valley River Rats and Phillips Andover this fall and winter.
Just under a year out from the 2027 NHL Draft, he looks like a definite candidate.
Jeff Hamilton and staff have Yale active
Hamilton did the opposite of what most other schools are doing and jumped into Aug. 1 recruiting, picking up Phillips Andover forward Michael Barrett (Lynnfield, Mass.), Deerfield forward Alex Strug (Westport, Conn.) and Burnaby Winter Club forward Justin Moon, who will play for the WHL's Tri-City Americans this coming season.
I've never seen Moon play, so I can't speak with authority on his game, other than he's been nothing but productive with Burnaby Winter Club.
The Bulldogs picking up a Connecticut kid in Strug is certainly a smart move. The feisty winger could become an effective, tone-setting power forward someday (he was a menace at USA Hockey's Select 17 Camp).
But the move with the highest upside is Barrett. At 6-foot-2 and 190 pounds, he's already showing signs of being a highly offensive power forward. He had a nice winter with Andover, putting up 21 points in 32 games. Since then, he's been effective at different events when he brings it with his physicality.
That physicality, matched with his offensive kill, could make him dangerous once he reaches Yale.
A Cleaves brother to Dartmouth? No way
It wasn't a huge surprise that Colton Cleaves committed to Dartmouth on Saturday given his older brothers, Hank and Cooper, are currently top players for the Big Green.
That doesn't take away from the significance.
The Riverside, Conn., native's stock has jumped over the last 12 months, which is in line with how his brothers have progressed, blooming a little late because they seem to consistently improve. Cleaves put up 20 points in 32 games for Brunswick last season, and is due for another large bump this winter. His poise, playmaking and hands are enough to project him as an impact player for Dartmouth someday.
READ MORE: Players, coaches and agents give out advice to Aug. 1 recruits
Quinnipiac goes for upside with Tyler Poti
Of all the '10 defensemen in New England, college coaches and junior executives always seem most intrigued by what Poti could become. At 6-foot-3 and 187 pounds, the left-shot defenseman is still raw, but moves well for someone his age and size. He has an active stick and can be physical, and moves pucks reliably.
Poti, a Sandwich, Mass., native, will likely be someone who continues to tap into his potential over the next few seasons at Winchendon and likely with the QMJHL's Rouyn-Noranda Huskies, who picked him with the 32nd pick (second round) of the QMJHL Draft earlier this year.
Biggest national commitments
It wasn't a surprise that Joey Cullen (Moorhead, Minn.) committed to Minnesota given his family ties there, but it was still a huge deal. His post announcing the news is at over 13,000 likes and counting, which is astronomical for college commitment announcements.
Cullen is the top '10 in the United States and is playing for Team USA at the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup, becoming the first U17 player to do that for the U.S. As someone who watched him at U.S. National Team Development Program Evaluation Camp in March, I can confirm he's that good.
I like Dylan Delgado (Weston, Fla.) to Western Michigan. Delgado was one of the better players at NTDP Evaluation Camp, in my opinion, but didn't make the team and signed a tender agreement with the USHL's Sioux Falls Stampede. He's a high-octane offensive producer.
MJ Campbell (Frankfort, Ill.) is a great get for Notre Dame. The former Mount St. Charles forward put up seasons of 100-plus points at the 14U and 15O levels. He will play for the USHL's Chicago Steel this winter.
Alex Donovan is back on the market
Donovan is an '07, so he's been eligible to commit to a Division 1 program for some time. But he's in the news because he's no longer committed to Denver.
He is immediately one of the top uncommitted '07s in the world.
The Darien, Conn., native is a 5-foot-11, 176-pound right wing who is fresh off notching 25 goals and 53 points in 63 games for the QMJHL's Saint John Sea Dogs. That came after four outstanding seasons with Shattuck-St. Mary's.
Donovan is the perfect example of someone who took his time developing in prep hockey before being ready to jump to juniors and thriving. This is just a guess, but he would make a lot of sense for Boston College or Boston University.
READ MORE: Live updates from start of 2026 commitment season
Devon Beck commits to Union
Beck was one of the top players on the Mid Fairfield 15O team last season. At 6-foot-2 and 170 pounds, he's an effective forward who should be a top player for St. Mark's this coming winter.
