UNH Commits Update 4-9-2026: Kole Hyles (RW) & Wyatt Kennedy (D) Added to UNH 2026-27 Freshman Class

Kole Hyles (RW) 2026 UNH Commit Neutral Zone 3.75★

Wyatt Kennedy (D) 2026 UNH Commit Neutral Zone 3.75★

Additions to 2026-27 Freshman Class

Kole Hyles (RW) committed to UNH in August, 2023. Growing up in Newfields, New Hampshire, he attended UNH games and hockey camps and considered it his "dream school". Earlier this week, the Omaha Lancers announced Hyles will join UNH as a freshman next Fall.

Also this week, right-shot defenseman Wyatt Kennedy became the fourth Canadian Hockey League player to commit to UNH for the 2026-27 season. He will join fellow Ontario Hockey League players Parker Von Richter (D) and Mason Zebeski (LW) as well as Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League player Niko Tournas (RW).

Here are the player profiles for Hyles and Kennedy. Their statistics for 2025-26 are included in the Stats Sheet at end of this post.

Kole Hyles Right Wing, 6'1", 190 lbs. Shoots Right Hometown: Newsfield, New Hampshire DOB: January 16, 2006; 20 years, 3 months 2025-26 USHL Team: Omaha Lancers (Alternative Captain) ~Lead team in goals (23) & scoring (42) Neutral Zone Rating: 3.75★

Neutral Zone, USHL Game Report, January 16, 2026

"Hyles is a skilled right winger who possesses a strong shooting ability, particularly from the flanks during power play situations. He effectively uses his agility to slip into open spaces and release powerful shots that can create scoring opportunities regardless of traffic in front. In addition to his shot, Hyles also displays a gritty, physical presence on the ice, using his strength and endurance to maintain possession and battle for space in tight areas."

"This combination of skill and determination makes him a formidable force in the offensive zone. He brings an ideal blend of size, skill, and grit, making him a reliable, high-impact player in all three zones and a trusted option on both the power play and penalty kill"

Wyatt Kennedy Defenseman, 6'5", 212 lbs. Shoots Right Hometown: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada DOB: May 27, 2005; 20 years, 11 months 2025-26 Ontario Hockey League Team: Windsor Spitfires ~Had 4th best +/- rating among OHL defenseman (+37) Neutral Zone Rating: 3.75★

Neutral Zone, USHL Showcase Report, September 17-21, 2025

"Wyatt Kennedy is a big, veteran defenseman who brings size, physicality, and reliable defensive play to the blue line. His 6-foot-5 frame has an immediate impact in the defensive zone, where he uses his reach and strength to box out opponents and limit space in high-danger areas."

"While he isn’t an overly flashy player, he can still move pucks efficiently up the ice with strong first passes-something that was evident on his overtime assist. He blocks shots, handles the small defensive details well, and plays a simple, effective game. Any offensive production he provides is an added bonus to his overall value."

2025-26 Stats Sheet for All 19 UNH Commits

Player	Neutral Zone★'s	Team	League	GP	Goals	Asst	Pts	PIM	+/-
Projected 2026 Freshman Class
Nicky Romeo* 5/2/05 (LW)	3.75	Cedar Rapids RoughRiders	USHL	62	28	28	56	2	+21
			Playoffs
Wyatt Kennedy 5/27/05 (D)	3.75	Windsor Spitfires	OHL	66	3	23	26	44	+37
			Playoffs	4	0	2	2	0	+2
Mason Zebeski* 10/4/05 (LW)	3.75	Barrie Colts	OHL	29	6	12	18	28	+4
			Playoffs	5	1	3	4	12	+9
		Brampton Steelheeds	OHL	38	13	15	28	37	-4
Kole Hyles* 1/16/06 (F)	3.75	Omaha Lancers	USHL	58	23	19	42	36	+6
Niko Tournas* 2/17/06 (RW)	4.0	Moncton Wildcats	QMJHL	64	43	31	74	44	+22
			Playoffs	4	1	4	5	2	+8
Parker Von Richter* 5/17/06 (D)	4.0	Barrie Colts	OHL	28	8	16	24	15	+23
			Playoffs	5	1	3	4	0	+4
		Brampton Steelheeds	OHL	38	4	21	25	26	+2
2026 or '27 Commits
Leo Henriquez 4/29/07 (G)	4.0	Green Bay Gamblers	USHL	37	21	9	2	2.22	.921
			Playoffs
Price Grimes* 1/28/06 (D)	3.5	Aberdeen Wings	NAHL	56	2	18	20	120	+6
2027 or '28 Commits
Ryan Grout* 8/15/07 (G)	3.75	Tri-City Americans	WHL	30	8	16	3	3.99	.879
Pavel Martinu 12/20/07 (F)	3.75	Sioux City Musketeers	USHL	53	8	9	17	59	-12
			Playoffs
Cash Koch 3/31/07 (F)	3.75	Tri-City Americans	WHL	41	7	9	16	84	-6
Jayden Connors 2/26/07 (D)	3.75	Truro Bearcats	MHL	32	7	19	26	12	-
			Playoffs	7	1	5	6	6
		Sudbury Wolves	OHL	3	0	0	0	0	-4
2028 or '29 Commits
Cole Sabourin 1/23/08 (F)	3.5	Mount St. Charles Academy	18U AAA	48	25	35	60	-	-
			Prep Hockey Conference	12	4	6	10	18	-
		USA NTDP Juniors	USHL	2	0	0	0	2	-5
		New England District	USA Selects 17	6	3	2	5	3	-
Blake Cash 5/9/08 (F)	3.75	Cushing Academy	NE Prep	30	15	12	27	-	-
			Playoffs	3	2	2	4	-	-
Xavier Cormier 12/18/08 (D)	3.75	Drummondville Voltigeurs	QMJHL	42	6	11	17	10	+16
			Playoffs	0	0	0	0	0	0
2029 or '30 Commits
Evan Sercerchi 2/18/09 (F)	4.0	Val-d'Or Foreurs	QMJHL	43	0	3	3	8	-11
			Playoffs	4	0	0	0	0	0
Cody Costello 4/22/09 (D)	3.75	Washington Township HS	USHS-NJ	14	8	15	23	18	-
		Woodbridge Wolfpack 16U	Tier 1 16U	12	2	5	7	16	-
			Beast 16U	7	0	0	0	0	-
			Playoffs	2	1	0	1	0	-
			NEPACK 16U	15	1	8	9	20	-
			USA 16U Nationals	5	0	0	0	6	-
Bastien Michaud 5/2/09 (D)	4.0	Bishop's College School Varsity	Overall	39	8	24	32	45	-
			CSSHLE U18	15	3	11	14	13	-
			Playoffs	5	1	4	5	0	-
			Canadian Prep	8	1	1	2	10	-
		Quebec Ramparts	QMJHL	5	0	1	1	0	0
Caine Bickel 8/13/09 (F)	3.75	Seacoast Performance Academy 16U	16U AAA	61	80	70	150	-	-
* = Signed NCAA Financial Aid Agreement
★'s = Neutral Zone 5-Star Rating

NOTE
Statistics for the commits, presented in the above table, are categorized by the projected year they will enroll in UNH. For example, I project the "2026 Freshman Class" will begin playing for UNH in the Fall of 2026.
My projections are based on the following factors:
~ Number of UNH players leaving the team at the end of the previous season and the position they played.
~ Number of incoming transfer players and the position they play.
~ The commit's performance in recent seasons as well as injuries.
~ Number of years in junior hockey and remaining years of junior eligibility.
~ Junior Leagues played in.
~ If a NCAA Financial Aid Agreement has been signed.

UNH Commits Update 3-27-2026: Current Stats and Status for All 18 UNH Commits

2025-26 Stats Sheet for All 18 UNH Commits

The Stats Sheet (shown below) provides a variety of information on the 18 players currently committed to enroll and play hockey for UNH in the future. It includes the following:
Identifying Information
Name, date of birth, position, 2025-26 team(s) and league(s).
Clicking the player's name connects to his historical statistics on eliteprospects.com.

Production Statistics
Total games played, scoring production, penalty minutes and +/- rating are shown for forwards and defensemen.
Goalie stats include games played, wins/losses/ties, Goals Against Average and Save Percentage.

Projected Year of Enrollment
The committed players are categorized by the projected year they will enroll at UNH. Projections are based on the several factors including:
~ Number of years playing junior hockey and remaining years of junior eligibility.
~ Performance development throughout junior career.
~ Number of roster openings created by UNH players leaving the team at the end of the previous season and the position they played.
~ Number of incoming transfer players and the position they play.
For example, the "Projected 2026 Freshman Class" are on track to play for UNH in the Fall of 2026.
Players in the "2026 or '27 Commits" group have the potential to enroll in Fall 2026 or 2027.

Signed NCAA Financial Aid Agreement
By signing a Financial Aid Agreement (otherwise know as Athletic Aid Agreement) with any NCAA Division I school, the hockey prospect commits to attending the school for one year, and in return, the school guarantees a specific amount of athletic financial aid for that academic year.
Depending on the financial resources available to the university and decisions on how to allocate those resources, the athletic aid package may cover any of the following:
~Tuition & mandatory fees       ~Room & board       ~Standard Book Allowance
~Cost of Attendance stipend (approximately $2,000 to $6,000 annually) for general day-to-day expenses not directly billed by the university.
~Alston Award for academic achievement (up to $5,980 annually).
~Direct Revenue Sharing of money from TV deals, ticket sales, and sponsorships.

NCAA financial aid agreements do not include Third-Party NIL Agreements.
Once a prospect signs a athletic aid agreement, a recruiting ban goes into effect. Other schools are prohibited from communicating with them.

Players who have signed an NCAA Financial Aid Agreement with UNH have a * next to their name in the Stats Sheet.

Neutral Zone Player Ratings
Neutral Zone provides detailed scouting reports on college hockey prospects. NZ developed a 1-5 star scale for rating NCAA and Canadian Interuniversity Sport (U Sports) prospects. The star rating reflects how the prospect compares to other players in his birth year.

The Stats Sheet also includes the Neutral Zone star rating for each UNH Commit. Clicking the numerical rating for any player connects to all their evaluations and game reports performed by NZ's scouts. NZ is a paid subscription service.

2025-26 Stats Sheet for All 18 UNH Commits

Player	Neutral Zone★'s	Team	League	GP	Goals	Asst	Pts	PIM	+/-
Projected 2026 Freshman Class
Nicky Romeo* 5/2/05 (LW)	3.75	Cedar Rapids RoughRiders	USHL	58	27	25	52	2	+18
Mason Zebeski* 10/4/05 (LW)	3.75	Barrie Colts	OHL	29	6	12	18	28	+4
			Playoffs
		Brampton Steelheeds	OHL	38	13	15	28	37	-4
Niko Tournas* 2/17/06 (RW)	4.0	Moncton Wildcats	QMJHL	64	43	31	74	44	+22
			Playoffs
Parker Von Richter* 5/17/06 (D)	4.0	Barrie Colts	OHL	28	8	16	24	15	+23
			Playoffs
		Brampton Steelheeds	OHL	38	4	21	25	26	+2
2026 or '27 Commits
Leo Henriquez 4/29/07 (G)	4.0	Green Bay Gamblers	USHL	33	17	9	2	2.28	.919
Kole Hyles* 1/16/06 (F)	3.75	Omaha Lancers	USHL	54	22	18	40	32	+4
Cash Koch 3/31/07 (F)	3.75	Tri-City Americans	WHL	41	7	9	16	84	-6
Price Grimes* 1/28/06 (D)	3.5	Aberdeen Wings	NAHL	53	2	17	18	98	+9
2027 or '28 Commits
Ryan Grout* 8/15/07 (G)	3.75	Tri-City Americans	WHL	30	8	16	3	3.99	.879
Pavel Martinu 12/20/07 (F)	3.75	Sioux City Musketeers	USHL	48	8	9	17	57	-7
Jayden Connors 2/26/07 (D)	3.75	Truro Bearcats	MHL	32	7	19	26	12	-
			Playoffs	5	1	4	5	6
		Sudbury Wolves	OHL	3	0	0	0	0	-4
2028 or '29 Commits
Cole Sabourin 1/23/08 (F)	3.5	Mount St. Charles Academy	18U AAA	48	25	35	60	-	-
			Prep Hockey Conference	5	2	3	5	14	-
		USA NTDP Juniors	USHL	2	0	0	0	2	-5
		New England District	USA Selects 17	6	3	2	5	3	-
Blake Cash 5/9/08 (F)	3.75	Cushing Academy	NE Prep	30	15	12	27	-	-
			Playoffs	3	2	2	4	-	-
Xavier Cormier 12/18/08 (D)	3.75	Drummondville Voltigeurs	QMJHL	42	6	11	17	10	+16
			Playoffs
2029 or '30 Commits
Evan Sercerchi 2/18/09 (F)	4.0	Val-d'Or Foreurs	QMJHL	43	0	3	3	8	-11
			Playoffs
Cody Costello 4/22/09 (D)	3.75	Washington Township HS	USHS-NJ	14	8	15	23	18	-
		Woodbridge Wolfpack 16U	Tier 1 16U	12	2	5	7	16	-
			Beast 16U	7	0	0	0	0	-
			Playoffs	2	1	0	1	0	-
			NEPACK 16U	15	1	8	9	20	-
			USA 16U Nationals	2	0	0	0	4	-
Bastien Michaud 5/2/09 (D)	4.0	Bishop's College School Varsity	Overall	39	8	24	32	45	-
			CSSHLE U18	15	3	11	14	13	-
			Playoffs	5	1	4	5	0	-
			Canadian Prep	8	1	1	2	10	-
		Quebec Ramparts	QMJHL	5	0	1	1	0	0
Caine Bickel 8/13/09 (F)	3.75	Seacoast Performance Academy 16U	16U AAA	61	80	70	150	-	-
* = Signed NCAA Financial Aid Agreement
★'s = Neutral Zone 5-Star Rating

NOTE
Statistics for the commits, presented in the above table, are categorized by the projected year they will enroll in UNH. For example, I project the "2026 Freshman Class" will begin playing for UNH in the Fall of 2026.
My projections are based on the following factors:
~ Number of UNH players leaving the team at the end of the previous season and the position they played.
~ Number of incoming transfer players and the position they play.
~ The commit's performance in recent seasons as well as injuries.
~ Number of years in junior hockey and remaining years of junior eligibility.
~ Junior Leagues played in.
~ If a NCAA Financial Aid Agreement has been signed.

College Hockey Insider Mike McMahon on Challenges Facing UNH Hockey & Head Coach Mike Souza

Mike McMahon

UNH Head Coach Mike Souza

Veteran sportswriter Mike McMahon has been covering college hockey for 20 years. He began as a beat reporter for The Eagle-Tribune in August 2026, covering Merrimack College and Hockey East. Later that year, McMahon began contributing to College Hockey News and is currently their columnist and co-host of CHN Insiders Podcast.

Five seasons ago, McMahon launched College Hockey Insider*, a newsletter providing daily coverage of college hockey news, analysis, and commentary. He's also does play-by-play and color analysis on ESPN+ broadcasts of Hockey East games.

The "Mailbag" edition of College Hockey Insider (3/13/26) included several questions from hockey fans. In his answer to one of them, McMahon provided his analysis of challenges facing the UNH men's hockey program and Head Coach Mike Souza. Here is the fan's question and McMahon's answer:

Fan: "Has Mike Souza’s performance this season tipped the scales at all on his potential departure from UNH, or do you anticipate that the school will extend him again?"

Mike McMahon: "I’ve written about this before, and I know it frustrates some UNH fans to hear it, but the reality is this: New Hampshire doesn’t have a coaching problem. It has a resource problem.

Compared to the rest of Hockey East, UNH funds its program at or near the bottom of the league. For example, they’re still one of the only programs that do not fund a third full-time assistant coach — something that has become standard across most of the country, let alone the conference. And this past year, they lost Ryan Conmy, in large part because of revenue-sharing opportunities elsewhere that UNH couldn’t match.

Someone asked me in January where associate head coach Glenn Stewart had been, because they had not seen him on the bench for several weeks. He was recruiting. Every weekend. Because they don’t have a full-time third assistant like the rest of the teams in their league.

Fifteen years ago, UNH was almost a lock to finish in the top four of Hockey East most seasons. But back then, the program also operated with top-tier resources. That simply isn’t the case anymore. They kept their investment level the same, while everyone else — Providence, UMass Lowell, UMass — all started to invest heavily in the sport.

Institutionally, UNH has fallen behind several of its conference peers. In terms of overall investment, they’re easily in the bottom three in Hockey East — and arguably in the bottom two.

And in today’s landscape, there’s no magic fix. It’s not like 1995, when a new coach could arrive with a different recruiting pipeline and immediately reshape a program. The recruiting world is far more transparent now. Everyone knows who the best players are. UNH just can’t get them to Durham, and that’s a resource and facility issue.

At first, UNH started losing ground because it fell behind in facilities. Now the gap exists in both facilities and revenue-sharing resources. That combination makes the climb extremely difficult, regardless of who is behind the bench."

The same fan replied to McMahon with comments on UNH's budget/resources and Souza's performance plus these follow up questions:

Fan: "does UNH fire Souza with one year remaining on his contract, does UNH have him return next season as a lame duck coach, or does UNH extend him for another few seasons like they did last time? Also, I get the sense that if you were AD of UNH, you would be bringing him back given you think it is a resources issue not a coaching issue, but am I wrong on that?"

Here are excerpts of McMahon's reply:
Mike McMahon: "I don't think they'll fire him. They had him go into the last year of his deal three years ago, and I think they'll do the same here. I do think it's a resource issue, and not a coaching issue. They don't staff their program to Hockey East levels, and from a budgetary standpoint, they are in the bottom tier with Merrimack and Vermont. Those are institutional problems."

"I'd rather see the school invest first, and then see what Souza and his staff can do with comparable resources to the rest of Hockey East. I believe he's a good coach. If they do that and it's still not working, then you have to figure it's time for a change. Until then, I think you're looking at a school that's just looking to pass its investment shortcomings onto a coach."

"And if I were the AD, I'd want to see what the current staff could do with a real Hockey East budget, and with real Hockey East resources. You get what you pay for. I don't think you can expect even a middle-of-the-pack finish when you're funding your program at the 10th-place level."


NOTE: * College Hockey Insider is a subscription newsletter. It currently offers a free 7-day trial.
Click this link to check it out:
College Hockey Insider.

UNH Commits Update 2-20-2026: Latest Stats for All 18 UNH Commits Plus Profiles of New Commits Nicky Romeo & Leo Henriquez

Nicky Romeo (LW) 2026 UNH Commit Neutral Zone 3.75★

Leo Henriquez (G) 2026 or '27 UNH Commit Neutral Zone 4★

New Commitments of USHL Players

Over the last two weeks, two top players from the United States Hockey League committed to UNH. Left-winger Nicky Romeo, top scorer for the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders, and Leo Henriquez, leading USHL goaltender, are potential impact players for the 2026-27 UNH season. Here are their profiles (also see 2025-26 Stats Sheet at end of this post):

Nicky Romeo Left Wing, 6'0", 181 lbs. Shoots Left Hometown: Clarkstown, New York DOB: May 2, 2005; 20 years, 9 months 2025-26 USHL Team: Cedar Rapids RoughRiders (Alternative Captain) ~Leads team in goals (20), Tied 2nd in scoring (38) Neutral Zone Rating: 3.75★

Neutral Zone, USHL Game Report, November 15, 2025

"Romeo showcased his offensive skill by making slip plays in tight, drawing defenders in and then finding his teammates in open ice. He executed this several times off the rush, attacking with speed and threading pucks under triangles to hit teammates streaking toward the net. He clearly leans toward a pass-first approach, using his quick hands, high hockey IQ, and excellent vision to consistently create scoring opportunities for others."

Leo Henriquez Goalie, 6'1", 165 lbs. Catches Left Hometown: Bratislava, Slovakia DOB: April 29, 2007; 18 years, 10 months 2025-26 USHL Team: Green Bay Gamblers Team Slovakia, 2025-26 U20 World Junior Championship ~Has USHL's best Goals Against Average (2.00) & Save% (.926) Neutral Zone Rating: 4★

Neutral Zone, USHL Showcase Report, September 17-21, 2025

"His quick crease movements and calmness while making saves immediately stood out. Henriquez displayed excellent body control and explosive lateral mobility, highlighted by a highlight-reel save on a 2v0 chance against Sioux Falls. He gobbles up rebounds, tracks pucks well, and uses his edges effectively in his RVH and recovery. Angles were strong, though depth control was inconsistent, and his puck-handling needs refinement."

"His head is up, shoulder checks are frequent, and he reads plays intelligently. Stays low through screens and made several above-average reflex saves. Technically sound and athletic, Henriquez projects a high ceiling this season."

Implications for 2026 Incoming Freshman Class
Six current UNH players are in their final year of competition under the current NCAA eligibility rules. Their departure will leave 4 openings for forwards and 2 openings for goalies on the 2026-27 UNH roster:
FORWARDS (4)
Cy LeClerc (Left-Shot; Senior)
Morgan Winters (Left-Shot; Senior)
Kristaps Skrastins (Right-Shot; Senior)
Jack Cronin (Right-Shot; Graduate Student)
GOALIES (2)
Kyle Chauvette (Sr)
Jared Whale (Sr)

Barring unforeseen circumstances, Nicky Romeo will join Niko Tournas (RW), Mason Zebeski (LW), and Parker Von Richter (D) on the 2026 UNH freshman class. That leaves one potential opening for a forward on the 2026-27 UNH roster. Additional forward opening(s) might become available after the NCAA transfer portal opens from April 13 to 27.

Talented, young Leo Henriquez will likely be under consideration for one of the goalie openings. UNH has a track record of bringing in experienced goalies from the NCAA transfer portal. Uncommitted junior goalies could be considered as well. Henriquez may end up matriculating in 2027.

2025-26 Statistics for All 18 UNH Commits

Player	Neutral Zone★'s	Team	League	GP	Goals	Asst	Pts	PIM	+/-
Projected 2026 Freshman Class
Nicky Romeo 5/2/05 (LW)	3.75	Cedar Rapids RoughRiders	USHL	45	20	18	38	2	+6
Mason Zebeski 10/4/05 (LW)	3.75	Barrie Colts	OHL	17	3	8	11	22	-2
		Brampton Steelheeds	OHL	38	13	15	28	37	-4
Niko Tournas* 2/17/06 (RW)	4.0	Moncton Wildcats	QMJHL	51	36	26	62	32	+22
Parker Von Richter 5/17/06 (D)	4.0	Barrie Colts	OHL	17	4	11	15	4	+11
		Brampton Steelheeds	OHL	38	4	21	25	26	+2
2026 or '27 Commits
Leo Henriquez 4/29/07 (G)	4.0	Green Bay Gamblers	USHL	25	14	6	2	2.00	.926
Kole Hyles* 1/16/06 (F)	3.75	Omaha Lancers	USHL	41	15	13	28	24	-1
Cash Koch 3/31/07 (F)	3.75	Tri-City Americans	WHL	41	7	9	16	84	-6
Price Grimes* 1/28/06 (D)	3.5	Aberdeen Wings	NAHL	42	1	10	11	74	+6
2027 or '28 Commits
Ryan Grout* 8/15/07 (G)	3.75	Tri-City Americans	WHL	24	8	11	3	4.00	.875
Pavel Martinu 12/20/07 (F)	3.75	Sioux City Musketeers	USHL	39	6	8	14	42	-6
Jayden Connors 2/26/07 (D)	3.75	Truro Bearcats	MJAHL	27	7	15	22	8	-
		Sudbury Wolves	OHL	3	0	0	0	0	-4
2028 or '29 Commits
Cole Sabourin 1/23/08 (F)	3.5	Mount St. Charles Academy	18U AAA	45	23	33	56	-	-
			Prep Hockey Conference	12	4	6	10	18	-
		New England District	USA Selects 17	6	3	2	5	3	-
Blake Cash 5/9/08 (F)	3.75	Cushing Academy	NE Prep	27	13	10	23	-	-
Xavier Cormier 12/18/08 (D)	3.75	Drummondville Voltigeurs	QMJHL	37	6	11	17	6	+15
2029 or '30 Commits
Evan Sercerchi 2/18/09 (F)	4.0	Val-d'Or Foreurs	QMJHL	33	0	2	2	6	-8
Cody Costello 4/22/09 (D)	3.75	Woodbridge Wolfpack 16U	Tier 1 16U	12	2	5	7	16	-
			Beast 16U	7	0	0	0	0	-
			Playoffs	2	1	0	1	0	-
			NEPACK 16U	15	1	8	9	20	-
Bastien Michaud 5/2/09 (D)	4.0	Bishop's College School Varsity	CSSHLE U18	14	3	11	14	13	-
			Canadian Prep	8	1	1	2	10	-
		Quebec Ramparts	QMJHL	2	0	0	0	0	0
Caine Bickel 8/13/09 (F)	3.75	Seacoast Performance Academy 16U	16U AAA	57	76	61	137	-	-
* = Signed NCAA Financial Aid Agreement
★'s = Neutral Zone 5-Star Rating

NOTE
Statistics for the commits, presented in the above table, are categorized by the projected year they will enroll in UNH. For example, I project the "2026 Freshman Class" will begin playing for UNH in the Fall of 2026.
My projections are based on the following factors:
~ Number of UNH players leaving the team at the end of the previous season and the position they played.
~ Number of incoming transfer players and the position they play.
~ The commit's performance in recent seasons as well as injuries.
~ Number of years in junior hockey and remaining years of junior eligibility.
~ Junior Leagues played in.
~ If a NCAA Financial Aid Agreement has been signed.

UNH Commits Update 1-17-2026: Latest Stats for All 17 UNH Commits Plus Early Look at 2026 UNH Freshman Class

Mason Zebeski (LW) 2026 UNH Commit

Niko Tournas (RW) 2026 UNH Commit

Parker Von Richter (D) 2026 UNH Commit

Early Look at 2026 UNH Freshman Class

Recent commitments to UNH by Mason Zebeski (LW), Parker Von Richter (D), and Cash Koch (RW) reflect the influx of CHL commitments last winter and spring. Forwards Oliver, MacDonald, Newcombe, and Gagnon plus defensemen Carr, De Angelis and Plandowski quickly adapted to NCAA competition this season and are among the top players on the 2025-26 UNH roster.

Zebeski, Von Richter and Koch have also built impressive resumes during their CHL seasons. Zebeski and Von Richter are slated to be in UNH's 2026 freshman class. Koch may join them.

Niko Tournas (RW) was just ranked the 81st North American Skater for the 2026 NHL Draft. NHL Central Scouting listed him as a potential 3rd Round pick in the draft. Tournas has signed an NCAA Financial Aid Agreement and is on track to join the 2026 UNH freshman class.

Whether other UNH commits (e.g., "2026 or 27 Commits") join the 2026-27 roster depends on a variety of factors. For example, there could be one or more uncommitted junior players under consideration. Also, current NCAA players who enter the transfer portal could end up committing to UNH for 2026-27. The portal will be open to new players from April 13 to 27.

2025-26 Statistics for All 17 UNH Commits

Player	NZ Stars**	Team	League	GP	Goals	Asst	Pts	PIM	+/-
Projected 2026 Freshman Class
Mason Zebeski 10/4/05 (LW)	3.75	Barrie Colts	OHL	4	0	2	2	2	0
		Brampton Steelheeds	QMJHL	38	13	15	28	37	-4
Niko Tournas* 2/17/06 (RW)	4.0	Moncton Wildcats	QMJHL	38	26	19	45	24	+12
Parker Von Richter 5/17/06 (D)	4.0	Barrie Colts	OHL	4	0	1	1	0	+2
		Brampton Steelheeds	QMJHL	38	4	21	25	26	+2
2026 or '27 Commits
Kole Hyles* 1/16/06 (F)	3.75	Omaha Lancers	USHL	35	13	12	25	24	+2
Geno Carcone 11/14/06 (F)	3.75	Green Bay Gamblers	USHL	33	7	22	29	37	+2
Cash Koch 3/31/07 (F)	3.75	Tri-City Americans	WHL	36	7	9	16	64	-3
Price Grimes* 1/28/06 (D)	3.5	Aberdeen Wings	NAHL	33	1	8	9	68	+5
2027 or '28 Commits
Ryan Grout* 8/15/07 (G)	3.75	Tri-City Americans	WHL	17	6	7	3	4.08	.875
Pavel Martinu 12/20/07 (F)	3.75	Sioux City Musketeers	USHL	31	6	6	12	42	-4
Jayden Connors 2/26/07 (D)	3.75	Truro Bearcats	MJAHL	19	5	10	15	6	-
		Sudbury Wolves	OHL	3	0	0	0	0	-4
2028 or '29 Commits
Cole Sabourin 1/23/08 (F)	3.5	Mount St. Charles Academy	18U AAA	34	18	23	41	-	-
			Prep Hockey Conference	5	2	3	5	14	-
		New England District	USA Selects 17	6	3	2	5	3	-
Blake Cash 5/9/08 (F)	4.0	Cushing Academy	NE Prep	13	7	6	13	-	-
Xavier Cormier 12/18/08 (D)	3.75	Drummondville Voltigeurs	QMJHL	32	6	10	16	4	+13
2029 or '30 Commits
Evan Sercerchi 2/18/09 (F)	4.0	Val-d'Or Foreurs	QMJHL	27	0	1	1	6	-9
Cody Costello 4/22/09 (D)	3.75	Woodbridge Wolfpack 16U	Tier 1 16U	9	1	1	2	12	-
			Beast 16U	7	0	0	0	0	-
			Playoffs	2	1	0	1	0	-
			NEPACK 16U	15	1	8	9	20	-
Bastien Michaud 5/2/09 (D)	4.0	Bishop's College School Varsity	CSSHLE U18	10	2	8	10	11	-
			Canadian Prep	8	1	1	2	10	-
		Quebec Ramparts	QMJHL	2	0	0	0	0	0
Caine Bickel 8/13/09 (F)	3.75	Seacoast Performance Academy 16U	16U AAA	49	69	49	118	-	-
* = Signed NCAA Financial Aid Agreement
** = Neutral Zone 5-Star Rating

NOTE
Statistics for the commits, presented in the above table, are categorized by the projected year they will enroll in UNH. For example, I project the "2026 Freshman Class" will begin playing for UNH in the Fall of 2026.
My projections are based on the following factors:
~ Number of UNH players leaving the team at the end of the previous season and the position they played.
~ Number of incoming transfer players and the position they play.
~ The commit's performance in recent seasons as well as injuries.
~ Number of years in junior hockey and remaining years of junior eligibility.
~ Junior Leagues played in.
~ If a NCAA Financial Aid Agreement has been signed.