UNH Bolsters 2026-27 Roster With 13 New Players

Parker Von Richter (Fr, D, #8) NZ 4★ Pittsburgh/Rd 4, 111th

Émile Guité (Fr, F, #14) NZ 4★ Anaheim/Rd 5, 159th

Malte Vass (So, D, #57) NZ 4★ Columbus/Rd 3, 76th

Nick VanTassell (Sr, F, #21) NZ 3.75★ Ottawa/Rd 7, 111th

Rasmus Svartström (So, F, #11) NZ 4★

The Stats Sheet, shown below, lists the 13 new players who are on track to join UNH's 2026-27 roster. 6 of the new players will be incoming freshmen and 7 are from the NCAA Transfer Portal. The Stats Sheet identifies the 2025-26 team and league for each new UNH player plus their 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.

To view each player's historic statistics, going back to the age of 14 or 15, click on his name. That links to the player's page on eliteprospects.com.
The Neutral Zone star rating is shown for all 6 incoming freshmen and 7 transfers. Clicking the numerical rating connects to all their evaluations and game reports performed by NZ's scouts. An "^" indicates Neutral Zone has published one or more scouting reports for these players at some point during the last 2 seasons. NZ is a paid subscription service.

Strengths of New UNH Players

NHL Draftees
Two incoming freshmen and two transfers have been drafted by NHL teams:
~ Parker Von Richter Frosh (D), 2026 Round 4 #111 Overall by Pittsburgh Penguins.
~ Émile Guité Frosh (F), 2025 Round 5 #159 Overall by Anaheim Ducks.
~ Nick VanTassel Senior (F), 2023 Round 7 #215 Overall by Ottawa Senators.
~ Malte Vass Soph (D), 2025 Round 3 #76 Overall by Columbus Blue Jackets.

This is the most NHL draftees to join UNH in the same season since 2003-04. That year, freshmen John Doherty (2003, Rd 2, #57), Dan Travis (2003, Rd 5, #146), Brett Hemingway (2003, Rd 7, #225), Daniel Winnik (2004, Rd 9, #265), and Michael Hutchins (2002, Rd 9, #288) suited up for the Wildcats. Beginning in 2005, the NHL Draft went from 9 Rounds to the current 7 Rounds. Prior to April, 2021, NCAA players rarely transferred because it required sitting out one academic year before becoming eligible to play at the new school.

Highly Ranked Transfer Class
The scouts at Neutral Zone provide the Transfer Portal Team Rankings for the 56 Division I programs with one or more incoming transfers. UNH's transfer class currently ranks #7 in the nation.

Top of the Class:
Malte Vass
~ Neutral Zone Rating 4.0★
~ 3rd Round Draft Pick, Columbus Blue Jackets
~ 2025-26 Boston University freshman defenseman - 22GP, 0G, 3A, 3Pts 4PIM, -5
Nick VanTassel
~ Neutral Zone Rating 3.74★
~ 7th Round Draft Pick, Ottawa Senators
~ 2025-26 UMass junior forward - 26GP, 2G, 10A, 12Pts 10PIM, -4
Rasmus Svartström
~ Neutral Zone Rating 4.0★
~ 2025-26 St. Lawrence University forward - 34GP, 17G, 7A, 24Pts 28PIM, -20

Accomplished Goaltenders
UNH's top 2 goalies last season, Kyle Chauvette and Jared Whale, graduated and have signed professional contracts for 2026-27. They've been replaced by 2 goalies who've had success at multiple levels of hockey in recent seasons.

Michael Simpson
~ 2022-23 OHL Playoffs MVP (Wayne Gretzky 99 Award)
~ 2023-24 CHL Memorial Cup Most Outstanding Goalie
~ Combined AHL/ECHL record 10W 9L 1T
~ 2025-26 Providence College freshman goalie - 2GP, 2W 0L 0T, 1.52GAA, .936SV%
Teagan Kendrick
~ 2024-25 BCHL Top Goaltender
~ 2025-26 Sacred Heart freshman goalie - 20GP, 10W 7L 2T, 2.42GAA, .920SV%

2025-26 Stats Sheet for 13 Players Added to 2026-27 UNH Roster

Player	NZ★	NHL/Rnd	Team	League	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM	+/-
Incoming Freshmen
Parker Von Richter 5/17/06 (D)	4.0^	PIT/4th	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
Émile Guité 5/31/07 (F)	4.0^	ANA/5th	Barrie Colts	OHL	28	8	16	24	15	+23
				Playoffs	5	1	3	4	0	+4
Wyatt Kennedy 5/27/05 (D)	3.75^		Windsor Spitfires	OHL	66	3	23	26	44	+37
				Playoffs	4	0	2	2	0	+2
Nick Romeo 5/2/05 (F)	3.75^		Cedar Rapids RoughRiders	USHL	62	28	28	56	2	+21
				Playoffs
Mason Zebeski 10/4/05 (F)	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
2026 NCAA Transfer Portal
Malte Vass 3/38/07 Soph (D)	4.0^	CBJ/3rd	Boston University	Hockey East	22	0	3	3	4	-5
Rasmus Svartström 11/24/05 Soph (F)	4.0^		St. Lawrence University	ECAC	34	17	7	24	28	-20
Nick VanTassel 4/18/04 Senior (F)	3.75		UMass	Hockey East	26	2	10	12	10	-4
Ryan Johnson 5/5/03 Junior (F)	3.5		Alaska-Anchorage	Independ	33	4	11	15	26	-23
					GP	W	L	T	GAA	SV%
Michael Simpson 2/9/03 Senior (G)	3.75		Savannah Ghost Pirates	ECHL	10	3	15	1	2.63	.909
			Providence College	Hockey East	2	2	0	0	1.52	.936
Stefan Carney 10/31/03 Junior (G)	3.0		Univ. of New England	D III 2025-26	2	-	-	-	4.58	.824
				2024-25	14	9	3	1	1.83	.926
Teagan Kendrick 2/8/04 Soph (G)	3.75^		Sacred Heart University	AHA	20	10	7	2	2.42	.920