Boston has always been the geographic hub and spiritual home of Hockey East.
The city hosts the conference championship every spring, three of its member schools are located right in the city and four more are less than an hour away.
This year Boston could very well be where the best hockey in the league is played. The top four in the men’s coaches’ preseason poll features the three city schools — Boston University (No. 1), Boston College (2) and Northeastern (4) — with the fourth, Merrimack (3), located just up Rte. 28 in North Andover. The top-ranked Terriers also got the nod as the No. 1 team in the country in the preseason USCHO.com D-I poll.
Commissioner Steve Metcalf, now in his fourth year at the helm as Hockey East marks its fourth decade of existence, said that while success is gauged in numerous ways other than what’s on the scoreboard, it’s the way the conference performs on the ice that will ultimately prove its standing nationally.
“We feel we have a really deep and strong league,” said Metcalf. “Lots of good return players, some real superstars coming into the league.”
BU took the conference’s hope for its eighth NCAA championship since 2000 all the way to the Frozen Four last year, losing to Minnesota 6-2 in the national semifinal in Tampa. The Terriers were led by Lane Hutson, Hockey East’s top scorer as a freshman with nine goals and 25 assists. Hutson, along with Merrimack’s Alex Jeffries (13-17-30 in 2022-23), Northeastern’s Justin Hryckowian (14-15-29) and BC’s Cutter Gauthier (12-13-25) are among the returning stars expected to have lengthy stays atop the Hockey East scoring leaders.
With six teams in the USCHO.com top 20 in the first week of Dec. 2022, Hockey East was cruising and poised to send a glut of teams to the NCAA tournament. Then the league, collectively, hit a skid with numerous non-conference losses. It was a hole Hockey East couldn’t climb out of and wound up sending only two schools — BU and Merrimack — to the 16-team NCAA tournament field.
It’s a scenario Metcalf would like to see Hockey East avoid this year.
“We really have to make hay at the beginning of the year with some of our non-conference games, and make sure we take care of the games we’re favored in and get some results on the road, which will pay dividends throughout the year,” he said. “Then we can realistically get more excited about what success will look like.”
While Hockey East lost a bona fide superstar in Northeastern goalie Devon Levi, who won the Mike Richter award as the nation’s top goalie in 2021-22 and currently minding the net for Buffalo of the NHL, there remains plenty of goaltending talent in the league. UMass Lowell’s Henry Welsch was second to Levi in goals-against average in conference play (1.87) while Merrimack’s Hugo Ollas was second (to Levi) in save percentage (.929). The pair joins Maine’s Victor Osman as netminders to watch this season.
As for coaches, Jay Pandolfo and Greg Brown each enter their second seasons at BU and BC, respectively, while Maine’s Ben Barr is now in his third season. Steve Wiedler takes over at Vermont on an interim basis after the sudden removal of Todd Woodcroft, and has a chance at the job on a permanent basis, according to UVM athletic department officials.
BOSTON COLLEGE
HEAD COACH: Greg Brown (second season)
LAST SEASON: 14-16-6 (8-11-5 Hockey East, eighth, lost in quarterfinals of conference tournament)
KEY RETURNING PLAYERS: Sophomore forwards Cutter Gauthier (18-21-37) and Andre Gasseau (10-19-29), and sophomore defenseman Lukas Gustafsson (3-16-19)
KEY LOSSES: Forward Nikita Nesterenko (13-21-34) and Cam Burke (2-8-10) and goalie Mitch Benson (14-15-0, .904, 2.82)
KEY ADDITIONS: Freshman forwards Ryan Leonard, Gabriel Perreault and Will Smith (USA Hockey’s NTDP)
2023-24 PREDICTION: A significant influx of new talent will bode well for the Eagles this season, coach Greg Brown’s second after taking over for longtime skipper Jerry York. Three first-round 2023 NHL Draft picks highlight BC’s freshman class — Will Smith (4th, San Jose), Ryan Leonard (8th, Washington) and Gabriel Perreault (23rd, NY Rangers). Cutter Gauthier — drafted fifth overall by Philadelphia in last year’s NHL Draft — makes a strong case as the player to watch in Hockey East.
JD’s PREDICTION: Second
BOSTON UNIVERSITY
HEAD COACH: Jay Pandolfo (second season)
LAST SEASON: 29-11-0 (18-6-0 Hockey East, first, won conference tournament, lost in national semifinals)
KEY RETURNING PLAYERS: Grad student defenseman Case McCarthy (3-12-15), sophomore forwards Devin Kaplan (10-13-23), Quinn Hutson (15-13-28) and Ryan Greene (9-22-31), junior defenseman Ty Gallagher (3-18-21), sophomore defenseman Lane Hutson (15-33-48), senior forward Nick Zabaneh (8-4-12), and grad student forward Sam Stevens (8-10-18)
KEY LOSSES: Forwards Matt Brown (16-31-47) and Wilmer Skoog (16-15-31), defenseman Domenick Fensore (9-22-31), and goalie Drew Commesso (24-8-0, .913, 2.46)
KEY ADDITIONS: Freshman forward Macklin Celebrini (Chicago, USHL) and freshman defenseman Aiden Celebrini (Brooks, AJHL)
2023-24 PREDICTION: Nothing short of a return trip to the Frozen Four is the goal for the Terriers this season — anointed the preseason No. 1 team in the conference and the country — in their second year under Jay Pandolfo. BU is loaded with returners, including last year’s league scoring champ and tournament MVP Lane Hutson and Ryan Greene who, with Hutson, was an all-rookie team selection in 2022-23.
JD’s PREDICTION: First
CONNECTICUT
HEAD COACH: Mike Cavanaugh (11th season)
LAST SEASON: 20-12-2 (13-9-2, fourth, lost in quarterfinals of conference tournament)
KEY RETURNING PLAYERS: Junior forward Chase Bradley (10-10-20), senior defenseman Andrew Lucas (2-22-24), senior forward Hudson Schandor (11-21-32) and sophomore forward Matthew Wood 11-23-24)
KEY LOSSES: Forward Ryan Tverberg (15-15-30)
KEY ADDITIONS: Senior goalie Ethan Haider (Clarkson, ECAC Hockey)
2023-24 PREDICTION: The Huskies return their top two scorers from last season in Matthew Wood and Hudson Schandor. Ethan Haider, one of the top goalies in the transfer portal, was 16-16-3 at Clarkson with a 2.51 goals-against average and .906 save percentage, will compete for ice time with sophomore Arsenii Sergeev. Defensively, UConn will be anchored by Andrew Lucas, who had 22 assists last season.
JD’s PREDICTION: Fourth
MAINE
HEAD COACH: Ben Barr (third season)
LAST SEASON: 15-16-4 (9-11-3 Hockey East, seventh, lost in conference tourney first round).
KEY RETURNING PLAYERS: Graduate forward Ben Poisson (9-17-26), senior forwards Donavan Villenueve-Houle (9-20-19) and Lynden Breen (21-15-36), senior goalie Victor Ostman (14-12-4, 2.21, .918), junior forward Nolan Renwick (9-11-20) and sophomore defenseman Grayson Arnott (2-9-11)
KEY LOSSES: Defenseman Jakub Sirota (6-10-16)
KEY ADDITIONS: Freshman forward Bradly Nadeau (Penticton, BCHL)
2023-24 PREDICTION: Perhaps no team in Hockey East exceeded expectations in 2022-23 more than the Black Bears. Picked to finish near the bottom of the pack, Maine fell one game short of a .500 season. Maine returns three of its top four scorers from last season, plus a veteran goalie in Victor Ostman.
JD’s PREDICTION: Seventh
MASSACHUSETTS
HEAD COACH: Greg Carvel (eighth season).
LAST SEASON: 13-17-5 (7-14-3, ninth, lost in conference tourney first round).
KEY RETURNING PLAYERS: Junior forward Taylor Makar (10-2-12), sophomore forwards Kenny Connors (9-17-26) and Cole O’Hara (4-13-17), goalie Cole Brady (4-5-0, 3.10, .907), and junior defensemen Ryan Ufko (8-16-24) and Scott Morrow (9-22-31).
KEY LOSSES: Goalie Luke Pavicich (8-10-4, 2.75, .920).
KEY ADDITIONS: Freshman forwards Dans Locmelis (Luleå HF J20) and Aydar Suniev (Penticton, BCHL).
2023-24 PREDICTION: Things got off to a promising start for the Minutemen last season with back-to-back wins over then-defending national champion Denver. The team then hit a skid in late fall and never recovered. To get back to prominence they will look to Scott Morrow and Ryan Ufko for defensive reinforcement, and a bevy of highly touted newcomers.
JD’s PREDICTION: Ninth.
UMASS LOWELL
HEAD COACH: Norm Bazin (13th season)
LAST SEASON: 18-15-3 (11-10-3 Hockey East, fifth, lost in conference tournament semifinals).
KEY RETURNING PLAYERS: Sophomore forward Scout Truman (8-6-14), senior defenseman Ben Meehan (4-13-17), junior defenseman Isac Jonsson (5-12-17) and senior goalie Henry Welsch (6-6-1, 2.25, 916).
KEY LOSSES: Goalie Gustavs Davis Grigals (12-9-2, 2.05, .924) and forward Carl Berglund (12-15-27).
KEY ADDITIONS: Junior goalie Luke Pavicich (UMass-Amherst)
2023-24 PREDICTION: Lowell lost a big chunk of its scoring punch from last season and could struggle putting up numbers against some of the league’s heavy hitters. The River Hawks will get help between the pipes from intra-state transfer Luke Pavicich, who went 9-11-4 in two seasons for UMass with a 2.75 GAA and .920 save percentage last year. Isac Jonsson is a strong defensive anchor.
JD’s PREDICTION: Eighth.
MERRIMACK
HEAD COACH: Scott Borek (sixth season)
LAST SEASON: 23-14-1 (16-8-0, second, lost in conference tournament final, lost in first round of NCAA tournament)
KEY RETURNING PLAYERS: Junior goalie Hugo Ollas (10-9-0, 2.32, .915), senior goalie Zach Borgiel (13-5-1, 2.08, .919), senior defenseman Christian Felton (2-4-6), grad student forward Ben Brar (14-12-26), senior forward Alex Jefferies (14-27-41) and junior forward Matt Copponi (14-15-29)
KEY LOSSES: Defenseman Slava Demin (3-13-16)
KEY ADDITIONS: Grad student forward Chase Stevenson (UNH, Hockey East)
2023-24 PREDICTION: The Warriors’ look to make it back-to-back trips to the Division I NCAA tournament for the first time in program history. Helping their cause will be the team’s top three scorers from last season — Alex Jefferies, Matt Copponi and Ben Brar. Also back for the ride are the goaltending tandem of Hugo Ollas and Zach Borgiel.
JD’s PREDICTION: Third
NEW HAMPSHIRE
HEAD COACH: Mike Souza (sixth season)
LAST SEASON: 11-21-2 (6-15-2 Hockey East, 10th)
KEY RETURNING PLAYERS: Senior defenseman Nikolai Jenson (1-9-10), junior defensemen Alex Gagne (1-8-9) and Colton Huard (3-16-19), sophomore forward Cy LeClerc (13-7-20), junior forward Liam Devlin (12-12-24) and sophomore goalie Tyler Muszelik (4-7-2, 3.24, .883)
KEY LOSSES: Forwards Chase Stevenson (12-8-20), Jake Dunlap (3-4-7) and Kristaps Skrastins (3-3-6), goalie David Fessenden (7-14-1, 2.65, .911) and defenseman Damien Carfagna (6-10-16)
KEY ADDITIONS: Junior goalie Jakob Hellsten (North Dakota, NCHC)
2023-24 PREDICTION: It’s hard to believe it has been 10 seasons since UNH, once a conference heavyweight, has posted a winning season in Hockey East play. To reverse that trend, the Wildcats will rely on last year’s top two scorers, Cy LeClerc and Liam Devlin and defensive key Colton Huard.
JD’s PREDICTION: Ninth
NORTHEASTERN
HEAD COACH: Jerry Keefe (third season)
LAST SEASON: 17-13-5 (14-7-3 Hockey East, third, lost in conference tournament quarterfinals)
KEY RETURNING PLAYERS: Senior forward Gunnarwolfe Fontaine (10-20-30), sophomore forwards Jack Williams (6-11-17) and Cam Lund (7-16-23), sophomore defenseman Hunter McDonald (1-13-14) and junior forward Justin Hryckowian (15-21-36).
KEY LOSSES: Forward Aiden McDonough (20-18-38) and goalie Devon Levi (17-12-5, 2.24, .933)
KEY ADDITIONS: Grad student Matthew Staudacher (Minnesota)
2023-24 PREDICTION: Despite losing two megastars in Aiden McDonough (the team’s top scorer and the league’s fourth last year), the Huskies still have a lot left in the cupboard with Justin Hryckowian (tied for fourth in league scoring with his teammate McDonough last year), Gunnarwolfe Fontaine and Cam Lund among the scoring threats.
JD’s PREDICTION: Fifth.
PROVIDENCE
HEAD COACH: Nate Leaman (13th season)
LAST SEASON: 16-14-7 (9-9-6 Hockey East, sixth, lost in conference tournament semifinals)
KEY RETURNING PLAYERS: Sophomore defenseman Austen May (3-1-4), junior defenseman Taige Harding (4-13-17), sophomore forwards Brady Berard (1-2-3) and Bennett Schimek (11-9-20), sophomore goalie Philip Svedebäck (14-11-7, 2.18, .909).
KEY LOSSES: Forwards Brett Berard (10-14-24) and Parker Ford (12-14-26) and defenseman Max Crozier (3-21-24)
KEY ADDITIONS: Junior forward Matt Hubbarde (Dartmouth, ECAC Hockey), grad student Cal Kiefiuk (UMass, Hockey East)
2023-24 PREDICTION: The Friars lost their top three scorers from last season, which will be tough to overcome, but still feature a solid offensive core with Taige Harding and Bennett Schimek expected to lead the charge. Philip Svedebäck provides veteran leadership in goal.
JD’s PREDICTION: Sixth
VERMONT
HEAD COACH: Steve Wiedler (first season)
LAST SEASON: 11-20-5 (5-16-3, 11th, lost in conference tourney quarterfinals)
KEY RETURNING PLAYERS: Sophomore forward Jens Richards (3-1-4), senior forward Will Zapernick (6-10-16) and senior goalie Gabe Carriere (9-12-3, 2.49, .914)
KEY LOSSES: Defenseman Robbie Stucker (3-11-14) and forward Isak Walther (9-10-19)
KEY ADDITIONS: Grad student defenseman Jérémie Bucheler (Northeastern, Hockey East)
2023-24 PREDICTION: It will be a rebuilding year for the Catamounts, who hope to use a surprise upset in the first round of last year’s conference tourney as a springboard of continued improvement under first-year coach Steve Wiedler. Will Zapernick is always a scoring threat and Gabe Carriere has the makings of a solid netminder.
JD’s PREDICTION: Eleventh
