UNH Recruits Prepare for USHL: Part I

"Just bought a fresh grey suit...packing for Nebraska"
"Great going away party"
"This car ride needs to end"
"Just got a tour of the rink and locker room pretty super sweet"
"Good first skate with the boys"

A sampling of tweets from UNH Recruits as they prepared for training camps in the United States Hockey League (USHL). Earlier this summer, 10 young players, who have committed to play for UNH in the coming years, participated in the tryout camps of USHL teams. On July 1st, the teams announced which players made the 25-man Active Roster and 14-player Affiliate List. Nine UNH Recruits were on these lists and were invited to training camp.

Preseason training in the USHL runs through the month of September, includes practices and exhibition games, and culminates in the USHL Fall Classic - a series of 3 games with USHL opponents to be held in Sioux City, Iowa. By opening day, October 1st, all USHL teams are required to trim their roster to 23 players. What follows is Part I of a status review of all the UNH recruits who are battling for these roster spots.

Muskegon Lumberjacks

When the 2010-11 season ended, Casey Thrush planned on returning to the Muskegon Lumberjacks for his second season in the USHL. As expected, he was named to the Lumberjacks' 25-man active roster following the tryout camp and planned on attending the training camp. However, when Dan Correale's arrival at UNH was postponed for a year due to surgery, Thrush joined the 2011-12 Wildcats' squad.

Jordan Masters - In the summer of 2010, Masters was invited to try out for the Lumberjacks; he had not been drafted by any USHL team. He earned a spot on the 2010-11 roster and finished the regular season with 4 goals and 7 assists in 49 games. This summer, he was named to the Lumberjacks' 25-man Active Roster and joined their training camp this week. Given Masters' outstanding performance with the U.S. Under-18 Select Team at the recent Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament, his production with the Lumberjacks is likely to take a big jump this season. Masters is a 2012 UNH Recruit.

Michael McNicholas - In the 2010 USHL Futures Draft, the Lumberjacks chose McNicholas in the 5th Round (62nd pick overall). He participated in the 2010 tryout and training camps and was named to the affiliate list. He got to play in one Lumberjack game in February. McNicholas was a full-time player for the Victory Honda team (Michigan) in the Tier 1 Elite Hockey League (midget major). He was the 8th leading scorer in the league with 12 goals and 34 assists in 40 games. In June, he tried out for the Lumberjacks again and made the 25-man roster. In July, McNicholas and Jordan Masters tied for leading scorer in the 2011 Youth Select 17 Player Development Camp. Although they are both 17 and born a month apart, Masters was chosen for the U.S. Under-18 Select Team and McNicholas wasn't. He is looking to surpass Masters' scoring totals in this, his rookie season in the USHL. McNicholas is expected to join UNH in the fall of either 2013 or 2014.

Tri-City Storm

Mike Vecchione - In the 2010 USHL Entry Draft, the Tri-City Storm chose Mike Vecchione in the 16th round. He did not participate in the 2010 tryout camp, opting to prepare for his senior season at Malden Catholic High School in Malden, MA. As the team captain, Vecchione scored 26 goals and 44 assists in 20 regular season games. In the playoffs, he lead Malden Catholic to the Super 8 Massachusetts High School Championship. He was named a First Team All-Star by the Boston Globe. Vecchione entered the Storms tryout camp in June with a full head of steam and he was named to the 25-man active roster. After the second day of training camp, Storm Head Coach Drew Schoneck has identified Vecchione as part of a "youth movement" which will "add speed, skill, and, he hopes, scoring to Tri-City’s front line." The current plan is for Vecchione to enroll at UNH in the fall of 2012.

Dylan Maller - The Storm drafted defenseman Dylan Maller in the 3rd Round (32nd pick overall) of the 2011 USHL Entry Draft. Last season, Maller played for the DC Capitals in the North American Prospects Hockey League and had a goal and 5 assists in 24 regular season games. He impressed in his first tryout with a USHL team and made the 25-man active roster of the Storm. The NHL Central Scouting Service has identified Maller as a "B Prospect" which means that he has the potential to be drafted in Rounds #3-#5 in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. Maller is a 2013 UNH Recruit.

Part II will focus on the other 5 UNH Recruits who tried out for the USHL this summer.

Jordan Masters - Another Lumberjack for UNH

17-year-old forward Jordan Masters of the Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL) has committed to play for UNH in either 2012 or 2013. He plans to join Casey Thrush and Michael McNicholas on the road from Muskegon to Durham. Along with McNicholas and 2013 UNH Recruit, Brett Pesce, Masters had a strong showing at the USA Hockey Select 17 Player Development Camp in early July. He and defenseman Pesce were named to the U.S. Under-18 Select Team that competed at the 2011 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament in August. The USA team joined teams from Russia, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Finland, Sweden and Canada for the tournament in the Czech Republic. The U.S. finished fifth with a record of 3 wins and 1 loss. Jordan Masters was the leading scorer for Team USA with 4 goals and 3 assists in 4 games. He was the 4th leading scorer among all players in the tournament.




Last season, his first in the United States Hockey League, Jordan Masters (DOB 4/30/1994) played as a 5'10", 153 lbs forward for the Muskegon Lumberjacks. He scored 4 goals and 7 assists in 49 games. Masters, who is from Rochester, NY, obviously stepped up his game over the summer. Dan Stewart, Director of Scouting for Future Considerations, provided this assessment:

"Jordan Masters, a left winger, was the most consistent offensive threat in Slovakia for the USA squad. Masters was another ‘right-place-right-time’ guy who was able to score some big goals an overmatches US squad. Despite his lack of ideal size he went to prime scoring areas without hesitation and was rewarded with boatloads of scoring chances. His quick shot helped him become a difference maker while his grit and determination made him a popular teammate. Masters, who plays for the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the USHL, could have pushed his name into the draft picture with a few NHL teams after this performance."

With the addition of Jordan Masters, the University of New Hampshire will have 10 and possibly 11 recruits playing in the United States Hockey League this fall. Look for more details in an upcoming post.

Top 15-Year-Old Shane Eiserman Commits to UNH

Shane Eiserman, a 6'1", 180 lbs forward from West Newbury, MA, has committed to play at UNH. Eiserman (DOB 10/10/1995) joins fellow 1995 birthdate player, Tyler Kelleher as a 2014 recruit.


By any measure, Shane Eiserman had an extraordinary freshman season. As a left-winger, he played on St. John's Prep School's (Danvers, MA) top line, centered by senior Colin Blackwell, who will play for Harvard this year. During the regular season, Eiserman scored 32 points and helped St. John's earn the #2 seed in the Massachusetts Super 8 Tournament. In the dramatic championship game against Mike Vecchione (2012 UNH Recruit) and Malden Catholic, Eiserman and the St. John's team lost in overtime 4-3. He scored 2 assists in what turned out to be his final game with St. John's. Overall (regular season plus playoffs), Eiserman scored 24 goals and 28 assists for a total of 52 points and was named by ESPN Boston to the Massachusetts All-Rookie Team.

When the high school season came to a close, Shane Eiserman launched his equally successful summer season. In late June, Eiserman participated in the USA Hockey 2011 Youth Select 16 Player Development Camp in Rochester, NY. He scored 2 goals and 2 assists in 5 games and tied for 7th in scoring. More importantly, he was selected to the US Under-17 Select Team which earned him a ticket to the Five Nations Tournament in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

From August 9-13, Eiserman played for Team USA in the Five Nations Tournament. The US faced teams from Germany, Switzerland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Team USA won the tournament in dominating fashion winning all four games. Chris Peters, writer for "The United States of Hockey" had this to say about Eiserman's performance during the tournament:

"There’s a lot to like about Eiserman’s game. He only posted two points, but made his presence felt in a variety of other ways. He was one of Team USA’s biggest forwards and best skaters. He played a very good two-way game, despite the fact that he seems to have some really good offensive ability. As he continues to round out his game and grow, he’ll be one to watch for sure. Draft eligible in 2014."

Eiserman will reportedly play for Cushing Academy in Ashburnham, MA this season.

And I thought August would be a quiet month.

UNH to Play in Frozen Fenway 2012

FENWAY PARK, Boston - When it's 86 degrees and the sun is reflecting off the Green Monster, it's difficult to imagine anyone playing hockey on the lush infield grass. But that's exactly what will happen on January 7, 2012. At a press conference this afternoon, Boston Mayor Tom Menino announced that the celebration of the 100th Anniversary of Fenway Park will begin with the Frozen Fenway 2012. The University of New Hampshire men's hockey team will play against rival the University of Maine in a 7:30 p.m. game. UMass Amherst will face off against UVM in the 4:00 p.m. game.

Speaking in front of representatives of the Boston Red Sox, Hockey East Association, Fenway Sports Management, New England Sports Network, and a couple dozen reporters, UNH Coach Dick Umile said "Over the years, Timmy (Whitehead) and I and Coach Walsh talked about us possibly playing a game like this in a big venue and I can't think of a better place to play than at Fenway Park. We're really looking forward to it. We have a lot of alums in the New England area and Boston area and hopefully they along with our fans will be down here. Hopefully we'll sell this out quickly because it's going to be an exciting day."

Following the formal remarks, I had an opportunity to interview Co-Captains Mike Borisenok and Damon Kipp. When asked about their experience playing hockey outdoors, Borisenok said "I grew up playing outside (in Watervilet, NY) whether it was on a pond or home-built rink. I never got to play an outdoor game so it's going to be really exciting." Kipp described his early experiences growing up in Salmon Arm, British Columbia. "I played a lot on a lake after shoveling the snow and setting up banks for the rink. I played with a lot of my friends - not a lot of them played hockey - but it's such a tradition to throw on the skates, get a stick and puck and shoot around. Good memories growing up, that's for sure."

I asked both Co-Captains and Coach Umile whether they would make any adjustments in their game plan going from indoor to outdoor hockey. Borisenok said "We'll play our systems. It's going to be the same size ice surface. The only difference will be the weather which could play a big impact." Kipp added "we're going to have to just play and deal with whatever's going on. The weather could be a big thing but we'll try to approach it like a normal game." Coach Umile indicated that the team will have an opportunity to practice on the specially-constructed ice surface at Fenway. Otherwise, he plans to prepare like it was any other game against Maine.

Tickets for the Frozen Fenway 2012 go on sale Tuesday, September 13th. Hockey East Commissioner Joe Bertagna reminded the audience that tickets for the 2010 games at Fenway Park sold out in two days. It was also announced today that the Bruins will play the Vancouver Canucks at the TD Garden earlier in the day on January 7th. Tom Carron said that all three games will be broadcast on NESN.

Notes:

Both captains told me that all of the incoming freshmen are either on campus or will be arriving soon in Durham. That means that Jay Camper, Eric Chevrier, Casey DeSmith, Grayson Downing, Ryan Randall, Trevor van Riemsdyk, Casey Thrush, and Matt Willows should be suiting up for UNH in a few weeks.

A representative of the Athletic Department indicated that the replacement for Coach Lassonde should be announced early next week. As with most state positions, the posting needed to be up for a specific period of time.

And finally, in what could be a harbinger of things to come, the little bear mascot for the University of Maine passed out on the Fenway turf. He reportedly was recuperating and resting comfortably.

Newsflash

The rumors are true. The UNH Men's Hockey Blog is BACK!

How about a big hand for TUMHB's Associate Editor, C-H-C!

The resurrection of The UNH Men's Hockey Blog would not have happened without his extraordinary efforts and initiative to provide Wildcat Nation with a place to come read the latest and the greatest in happenings around our UNH Men's Hockey team - in an environment where people can feel comfortable commenting and discussing the team's trials, tribulations and triumphs.

On today's docket, check out the Boston Redsox's website at 2:00pm to catch the live-streaming news conference confirming the State School Showdown, the College Hockey Battle at Yawkey, the Fourway at Fenway, the Throwdown in Beantown, the... alright, I'm out... but C-H-C is in - that's right, live at the presser - so you can be sure that if there is anything newsworthy to come out of it we'll be sure to bring it to you here on The UNH Men's Hockey Blog!



Oh, and of course...

Go 'Cats!

Collin MacDonald - A New 2012 Recruit for UNH

The U.S. Hockey Report (USHR) has announced that Collin MacDonald from the Jersey Hitmen organization has committed to play for UNH beginning in the fall of 2012. As is often the case, USHR is the first to report on this college commitment and the article includes background information on MacDonald.


According to information available online, Collin MacDonald played last season as a 6'1" and 192 lbs forward for the Jersey Hitmen of the Empire Junior (B) Hockey League. As the Captain of the team, he finished the season with multiple honors including Leading Scorer in the League with 29 goals and 53 assists in 39 regular season games. MacDonald was awarded the Offensive Player of the Year honor in the Empire League and was a first-team All-Star.

MacDonald (DOB 6/21/92) played four years for West Milford High School in Northern New Jersey. In his junior year, he scored 54 goals and 34 assists and added another 52 goals and 21 assists in his senior year. Overall, MacDonald scored 249 career points for West Milford and was named a first-team all star in Passaic County three years in a row. Following his graduation from high school last spring, MacDonald plans to enroll this fall in an honors program at Passaic County Community College and play for the Jersey Hitmen of the Eastern Junior Hockey League.

Jim Tortorella: The UNH-Colby College Connection

When longtime Associate Coach David Lassonde announced early last week that he was leaving UNH for the University of Denver, names of possible replacements quickly sprouted on various college hockey websites. Apparently, Jim Tortorella did not show up on anyone's radar - other than Coach Umile's. No, there is still no official announcement from UNH. If Tortorella is introduced as the new Assistant Coach at UNH in the coming days, as US Hockey Report and others have reported, his path to Durham will be one that is well worn.

The connections between the hockey programs at UNH and Colby College run deep. Tortorella himself was Umile's Assistant Coach at UNH before heading to Waterville, Maine to become Colby's Head Coach in 1995. When Tortorella arrived at the Alfond Rink, he crossed paths with Scott Borek, who was leaving the Colby job after three seasons, to become the Head Coach at Lake Superior State University. Many years before these comings and goings in the early 1990's, there was one move down the Maine Turnpike that changed UNH Hockey forever.

At the end of the 1968 season, a 46-year-old coach named Charlie Holt decided to leave Colby and try his fortunes in Durham, NH. What Holt accomplished at UNH is worthy of the label "legendary". In his second season in Snively Arena, he won the Spencer T. Penrose Award as the NCAA Coach of the Year. He went on to win that distinct honor two more times in 1974 and 1979. In 2010, ten years after his passing, Coach Holt was recognized with the Hobey Baker Legend of Hockey Award.

If 51-year-old Coach Tortorella takes the position on Coach Umile's staff, he will arrive with an impressive resume of his own. As Colby's Head Coach, Tortorella's overall record is 230-138-33. Several of his former assistant coaches have advanced to careers in Division One including Brendan Whittet, head coach at Brown University.

Of course, unlike Coach Holt, Coach Tortorella will not come to UNH as the new head coach. He'll be on a staff of colleagues who know each other well and his role will be more limited. Presumably, Tortorella would focus on coaching the defense and goalies. Time will tell.

UNH Reportedly Will Hire Jim Tortorella

Two sources - U.S. Hockey Report and Judd Brackett (Scout for the Vancouver Canucks) - have reported that UNH plans to announce the hiring of Jim Tortorella as the new member of Coach Umile's coaching staff. USHR has a very informative article on Coach Tortorella's background and connections to UNH Hockey. In brief, Tortorella has been the successful Head Coach at Colby College (NCAA Division III) for the past 16 years. Following a playing career as a standout goalie at Concord-Carlisle High School and the University of Maine, Tortorella began his coaching career as a high school coach in Brunswick then Augusta, Maine. In 1993 and 1994, he was an Assistant to Coach Umile at UNH. At Colby College, he was named the New England Small College Athletic Conference's Coach of the Year in 2006 and 2008. His older brother is John Tortorella, Head Coach of the New York Rangers.

Will UNH Select Coach Sean Tremblay?

As the end of the summer grew near, Sean Tremblay, General Manager and Head Coach of the New Hampshire Junior Monarchs of the Eastern Junior Hockey League (EJHL),was probably thinking about Siberia, not Durham, NH. Tremblay will be bringing a team of EJHL All-Stars to play in the Junior World Cup in Omsk, Russia which begins on August 28th. The team is expected to leave for Russia on the 26th. In the midst of this hectic schedule, has Coach Tremblay been considering an opportunity to be the new Associate Coach at UNH? Since former UNH coach, David Lassonde, accepted a coaching position with the University of Denver less than a week ago, speculation about his possible replacement has swirled. Coach Tremblay certainly would qualify.

Sean Tremblay began his coaching career with the Great Northern Snow Devils, a charter member of the EJHL and predecessor of the Jr Monarchs. He was awarded his first EJHL Coach of the Year honor in 1997. The team moved to it's current headquarters, the Tri-Town Ice Arena in Hooksett, NH in 2001 and became the NH Jr Monarchs. Tremblay and his team have been a dominant force in the EJHL ever since. They won the Regular Season Title six times (2002, 2006-2010) and the Playoff Championship six times (2002, '04, '06, '07, '10, '11). Tremblay was the EJHL Coach of the Year three more times in 2002, '06, and '07.

Tremblay has also coached in the USA Hockey Selects Player Development Program and international competition. He was the assistant coach for the Under-17 team that won gold at the 2006 Three Nations Tournament and head coach for the 2010 team that won the Five Nations Tournament

Several dozen of Tremblay's players have earned scholarships at NCAA Division One Hockey Programs. Three of his former players - Brian Foster (UNH), Paul Thompson (UNH), and Brian Dumoulin (BC) were NCAA All-Americans. Three members of the 2011-12 UNH roster - Greg Burke, Trevor van Riemsdyk, and Ryan Randall - played for Coach Tremblay with the Jr Monarchs.

Who Would be the Goalie Coach?
If Coach Tremblay joins the UNH coaching staff, who would coach the group of four goalies lead by senior Matt DiGirolamo? With Coach Lassonde's extensive experience recruiting and teaching goalies, both at UNH and USA Hockey Development Camps, UNH had the advantage of a full-time, salaried goalie coach. Sean Tremblay was a two-time All-State goalie when he played at Biddeford (Maine) High School and he played from 1988-1991 at the University of Southern Maine. However, it is not clear how involved Tremblay would be in working with UNH's goalies. With the Jr Monarchs, he utilized goalie coach Rob Day. Day's students have included Brian Foster, Jim Mello (Dartmouth), Brian Billett (BC) and Casey DeSmith (UNH). Perhaps UNH would add Day to the coaching staff as an assistant, "volunteer" coach in charge of goaltending - the model used by most other Hockey East teams.

With the veteran players and incoming freshmen arriving in Durham this week, chances are the new Associate Coach will be named very soon.

Coach Lassonde Leaves for DU; Who Will Replace Him?

It's official - Coach David Lassonde has accepted an offer to become the Assistant Coach at the University of Denver. In an article published by the Denver Pioneers Official Athletics website Lassonde said:

"I am excited to begin this new chapter of my coaching career at the University of Denver...I was very impressed with the facilities, culture and sense of family witnessed during my recent visit to Denver. I got a feel early on that it would be a good fit, and I am anxious to begin working with the student-athletes at Denver."

At UNH, Lassonde was responsible for coaching the goalies and defensemen. He taught a number of UNH's best goalies including All-Americans Ty Conklin, Mike Ayers, Kevin Regan and Brian Foster. For many summers, Lassonde has coached at a number of USA Hockey camps including the Warren Strelow National Team Goaltending Camp.
Coach Lassonde had this to say about his many years at UNH:

"I want to express my gratitude to Marty Scarano, Dick Umile and all the people I have had the pleasure to work with during my second tour of duty in Durham. I will be forever appreciative of the opportunity UNH has given me to pursue my dream of coaching at the collegiate level. I also want to thank all the current and past UNH players I have had the pleasure of coaching. One of the big reasons why we enter this profession is to have the opportunity to work with young men and watch them grow as people and develop as players. I am grateful to them for making my time at UNH such a rewarding one."

In Coach Lassonde, UNH had a full-time coach who was also a goalie coach. Among NCAA hockey programs, this reportedly is the exception rather than the rule. According to an article on ESPN Boston most Hockey East teams have part-time "volunteer" goalie coaches in part because the NCAA does not permit teams to employ four paid coaches. These volunteer coaches are also not allowed to recruit prospective goalies. In an era when elite goalies are seeking specialized training, it can be an advantage to have a full-time goalie coach on the payroll.

Potential Candidates?
With classes starting in a few weeks and the preseason game against New Brunswick scheduled for Oct. 1st, UNH does not have a lot of time to fill Coach Lassonde's position. I have no idea who may be under consideration for the job but I thought I'd toss out a few names:
Patrick Foley
After leaving UNH in 2004, former three-time captain Patrick Foley went on to coach two years at the U.S. National Team Development Program. For the past 4 years, he has served as Assistant Coach at Harvard where he was responsible for coaching the defensemen and special teams. Earlier this month, the United States Hockey Report reportedly identified Foley as the new Assistant Coach at Northeastern. However, to date, there has been no official announcement from Northeastern and Foley still appears as an Assistant Coach on the Harvard hockey website. Even if Patrick Foley was available, he would not bring an expertise in goaltending.
Mike Ayers
Another 2004 graduate of UNH, former goalie Mike Ayers, has spent the last two seasons as the goalie coach at St. Cloud State University. A few days ago, he was named the goaltending coachat the U.S. National Team Development Program and coordinator of the Warren Strelow Camp. He apparently is not available.
Chris Economou
Economou is the goalie coach for the Waterloo Black Hawks of the USHL and trains goalies such as Ty Conklin and Matt DiGirolamo during the summer. Beyond that, I don't know much about him.
It will be interesting to see what develops. Your thoughts and comments are welcome.
**UPDATE**
Northeastern has announced that Patrick Foley is their new Assistant Coach.

UNH Recruits Representing the USA

Throughout August, three UNH recruits will be representing our country at various venues.

Brett Pesce
2013 Recruit, Brett Pesce, has had quite a summer. In July, Pesce participated in USA Hockey's Select 17 Player Development Camp, finished second in scoring among defensemen with a goal and 4 assists in 5 games, and was chosen for the U.S. Under-18 Select Team that is currently competing at the 2011 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The highlight so far was Pesce assisting on the overtime, game-winning goal against the Russian team. To watch a video of that goal, check out HockeyVideoDraft.com - #6 Pesce keeps the puck in the zone and Vincent Hinostroza scores the goal.

Tyler Kelleher
Last March, Tyler Kelleher (2014 Recruit) participated in the tryout camp for USA Hockey's Under-17 National Team Development Program. Although the final roster for the 2011-12 US National U-17 Team has not been officially announced by USA Hockey, this video interview with Kelleher confirms that he is on the team and attending their orientation in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Kyle Smith
2012 Recruit, Kyle Smith was recently selected for an All-Star Team from the Eastern Junior Hockey League which will represent the USA at the Junior World Cup. This event will be played in Omsk, Russia in late August and will feature teams from Russia, Belarus, Latvia, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Sweden, and Canada.

UNH Recruit Update with C-H-C

C-H-C is short for (Gordie) Clark-(Jamie) Hislop-(Cliff) Cox; a tip-of-the-hat to the most exciting UNH line from my student days. I'll be reporting on the progress of the young players who have made a commitment to play UNH hockey. I'll synthesize information from newspapers, team websites, blogs and other publically available sources so you can follow their careers.

Incoming Freshmen
2010-11 Stats:
Jay Camper (Chicago Steel/USHL) - 37 GP, 9G - 5A - 14Pts.
Eric Chevrier (Cushing Academy/NEPrepHC) - 35 GP, 2G - 15A - 17Pts.
Casey DeSmith (Indiana Ice/USHL) - 37 GP, 22W - 15L, 2.54 GAA, ,920 SV%.
Grayson Downing (Westside Warriors/BCHL) - 52 GP, 34G - 36A - 70Pts.
Ryan Randall (NH Jr. Monarchs/EJHL) - 32 GP, 11G - 13A - 24Pts.
Trevor van Riemsdyk (NH Jr. Monarchs/EJHL) - 39 GP, 16G - 22A - 38Pts.
Casey Thrush (Muskegon/USHL) - 59 GP, 10G - 18A - 28Pts.
*On July 18th, Casey Thrush was added to the roster because "an injury to another incoming freshman opened up a roster spot."
For more details on the incoming freshmen, including assessments by their former coaches, check out UNHWildcats.com.
*Dan Correale, high-scoring forward for the Grande Prairie Storm of the Alberta Junior Hockey League, was included in the original 2011-12 Recruiting Class but his name is not on the roster on UNHWildcats.com. Is Correale the "injured freshman"? Will he return to play for Grande Prairie then come to UNH in the Fall of 2012 (the original plan for him)? Look for clarification soon.
UPDATE: The Grande Prairie Storm have confirmed that Dan Correale has an upper body injury which will require surgery. Correale's plan is to rehab and play for the Storm by December. He will join UNH for the 2012-13 season.

Last season, I had a chance to watch Randall and van Riemsdyk play in two games and Willows and Chevrier once. My fans-eye impressions were:
Ryan Randall - A converted forward; carries the puck out of the D-zone well; reminds me of Kevin Kapstad.
Trevor van Riemsdyk - Blake Kessel-like skills in a JvR-type body; Terrific passer; Deadly wristshot from the point.
Matt Willows - At 5'9", 170 lbs., he could be the next diminutive scorer a la Stevie Moses or Jacob Micflikier; Super fast, leading scorer in the EJHL.
Eric Chevrier - Tough as nails, aggressive defenseman; Keeps the crease clean; Good first pass out of the D-Zone.
Looking forward to see which of these freshman make an immediate impact on the team.