2024-2025 Season

[InnervisionsUMASS]

Time to look ahead.

[TruBluMaroon]

Time to look ahead.

Given the history of of hockey, the incoming players part will go right up to September. Hrabel was not expected for this last season and I believe that UM didn’t get Lopina until September when he arrived. Morrow was late when ND wanted him to wait a year to enroll.
Hockey gets Commits from middle schoolers and then there is no exact science as to when they actually arrive More of a supply and demand element…..

[LS71]

^ To date, do you know who's committed?

[Old Cage]

Looks like we will lose almost the entire D group. Three in portal, Ufko has signed a pro contract, and Niinisaari will be 26 in August. Waiting on Morrow?

[TruBluMaroon]

Looks like we will lose almost the entire D group. Three in portal, Ufko has signed a pro contract, and Niinisaari will be 26 in August. Waiting on Morrow?

UM dressed seven (7) defenseman for the Denver game and with Ufko signing, there would be two (2) returning for next season, including Morrow. Looks like they could use help everywhere for next season.

[InnervisionsUMASS]

Morrow won't be back. 69MG took up too much of his ice time.

[69MG]

^ To date, do you know who's committed?

This is from NCAAHockey.com. Hockey commits change their minds a lot, so take it with a grain of salt. By my count we have 1 center, 2 forwards, 1 goalie and 7 defensemen for 2024-2025. Somebody else do a count to be accurate.

UMass Amherst Minutemen 2027-28 HEGER, Kyle LD Shattuck-St. Mary's Sabres 16U (USEPHS) 03/28/24
UMass Amherst Minutemen 2024-25 DUNN, Cameron F Odessa Jackalopes (NAHL) 02/13/24
UMass Amherst Minutemen 2026-27 BOUCHER, Owen C Fox Motors HC 16U (T1EL16) 02/06/24
UMass Amherst Minutemen 2026-27 NESTRASIL, Vaclav RW 01/25/24
UMass Amherst Minutemen 2024-25 ZIMMERMAN, Elias C Brynas IF Jr. (SweJN) 12/18/23
UMass Amherst Minutemen 2024-25 NORTON, James G Cedar Rapids RoughRiders (USHL) 11/16/23
UMass Amherst Minutemen 2024-25 LOFTUS, Finn LD Sioux City Musketeers (USHL) 11/06/23
UMass Amherst Minutemen 2024-25 DUERR, James RW Green Bay Gamblers (USHL) 08/14/23
UMass Amherst Minutemen 2026-27 NYCZ, Landon LD Waterloo Black Hawks (USHL) 08/11/23
UMass Amherst Minutemen 2025-26 BELZIL, Thomas C Powell River Kings (BCHL) 08/02/23
UMass Amherst Minutemen 2026-27 BANKS, John Alex LD North Jersey Avalanche 16U (AYHL16) 08/01/23
UMass Amherst Minutemen 2024-25 ORLOFF, Evan LD Maine Nordiques (NAHL) 06/12/23
UMass Amherst Minutemen 2024-25 LIEBERMAN, Charlie RD Omaha Lancers (USHL) 03/14/23
UMass Amherst Minutemen 2025-26 KIRSCH, Christian G Zug EV Jr. (SuiJA) 01/27/23
UMass Amherst Minutemen 2025-26 DEXHEIMER, Barrett LD Edina HS Hornets (MN-HS) 11/17/22
UMass Amherst Minutemen 2025-26 GEIKE, Jordan RW 11/17/22
UMass Amherst Minutemen 2025-26 POULIN, Kiernan RD Merritt Centennials (BCHL) 11/17/22
UMass Amherst Minutemen 2025-26 GALANEK, Jack C Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL) 11/17/22
UMass Amherst Minutemen 2025-26 KISS, Theo C Des Moines Buccaneers (USHL) 08/17/22
UMass Amherst Minutemen 2024-25 KEENAN, Larry LD Penticton Vees (BCHL) 04/29/22
UMass Amherst Minutemen 2024-25 DELL'ELCE, Francesco LD Penticton Vees (BCHL) 11/08/21
UMass Amherst Minutemen 2024-25 SOBIESKI, Kazimier LD Sioux Falls Stampede (USHL) 07/12/21
UMass Amherst Minutemen 2024-25 MCEWEN, Shaun LD Tri-City Storm (USHL) 08/03/20

[69MG]

This is from College Hockey News. It's 2024 only and the list is a little smaller, just 6 defensemen.

Dell'Elce, Francesco D 6-0, 174 King City, Ont.
Duerr, James F 6-2, 190 Chicago, Ill.
Dunn, Cameron C 6-2, 170 Holland, Mich.
Keenan, Larry D 6-3, 185 Midhurst, Ont.
Lieberman, Charlie D 6-5, 225 Naperville, Ill.
Loftus, Finn D 6-1, 179 Blaine, Minn.
McEwen, Shaun D 6-0, 192 Hadley, Mass.
Norton, James G 6-4, 183 Scarborough, Ont.
Sobieski, Kazimier D 6-1, 181 Deerfield, Mass.

[Sheck]

I'm confident Carvy can replace what we're losing and get some good players from the portal. Could use a few scorers.

[TruBluMaroon]

Another source: with years into the future
Not listed by college

https://collegehockeyinc.com/commitments.php

[InnervisionsUMASS]

Morrow officially signed. Makar also entered the transfer portal.

[minutefanjsf]

Morrow officially signed. Makar also entered the transfer portal.

Musa’s older brother will take Makar’s spot. Upgrade, IMO.

[TruBluMaroon]

Morrow officially signed. Makar also entered the transfer portal.

So now UM doesn’t have any younger siblings of older brother stars…..not a good visual, especially since he played on the first line at some point this season.
Some other UM names in the portal Tornqvist ( another defenseman - would have been 2nd best returning…. DeDobblaer ( played like 1 game in career) A couple of surprises, McDermott and Bohlinger - both were honored on Senior night. Old friend Pavicich also …

[InnervisionsUMASS]

Yep, we'll see how it all plays out. I'm not concerned based on the noise I'm hearing... reload and gel.

[jjmc85]

I’m surprised about Makar. I’m not as surprised by Bohlinger as UMass outside of Matt Murray hasn’t really kept too many if any fifth year Covid players.

On a new topic of discussion with UMass moving to the MAC I would be interested in a scheduling agreement with the four MAC schools playing D1 hockey.

Western is almost always good, and games (with potential wins) over Miami could help a lot with pairwise in the future. Bowling Green would be very winnable too. Have Miami host BGSU for two and go to UMass for two, while Western hosts UMass for two and goes to BGSU for two. Flip home and away each season. UMass and BGSU alternate who hosts each season. Miami and Western play each other in conference anyway. The schools control when OOC games happen so for the OOC games, they can work with the MAC so that the hockey teams play Friday night, the football teams play Saturday afternoon and the hockey teams play Friday night all on the same campus. It may give an increased incentive to travel for some road games for fans.

At the end of season give whoever has the highest winning percentage in games among the four a trophy or something. It wouldn’t be unprecedented as the Ivy League doesn’t sponsor college hockey but they award a championship to the all sport Ivy League member with the best winning percentage in games among Ivys.