Kenny Gillespie – RW – Omaha Lancers (USHL) – 2012
19 GP / 2 G / 3 A / 5 Pts / 33 PIM / -1
Another weekend where Gillespie makes little impact on the fortunes of the Lancers, going pointless in one of the game.  Someone who knows the USHL better than anyone says he’s having a tough time cracking the lineup or getting a lot of minutes on the talented Omaha team.

Willy Smith – LW – Springfield Pics (EJHL/EmpJHL) – 2014
EJHL: 20 GP / 1 G / 1 A / 2 Pts / 28 PIM
Empire: 20 GP / 6 G / 18 A / 24 Pts / 20 PIM
Smith played one game for the Empire Pics but did not get on the scoresheet.  One thing to keep in mind regarding Smith is that he is by far the youngest player on the Pics’ EJHL team.  The majority of the players are ‘92s or ‘93s with even a few ‘91s thrown in there.  In addition to that there are two ‘94s and one ‘95.  Smith was born is an early ‘96.  So for him to be playing with and against kids three and four years his age shows his talent level, even if he’s not putting up a ton of points.  On a side note, UMass having a recruit who was born during the school’s Final Four run makes me feel extremely old.

Shane Walsh – LW – South Shore Kings (EJHL) – 2012
Dubuque (USHL): 23 GP / 5 G / 7 A / 12 Pts / 0 PIM / –8
South Shore (EJHL): 5 GP / 4 G / 4 A / 8 Pts / 2 PIM
Walsh is absolutely dominating in his return to the EJHL.  In two games over the weekend he tallied two goals and three assists.  In his last season in the EJHL, 2009-10, he had 22 goals and 37 assists in 45 games.

I haven’t heard too much else recruiting-wise lately.  It was mentioned to me that UMass is still pursuing Alex Minter, who I wrote about last August.

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College Hockey News has an article on the return of Providence forward Tim Schaller, whom the Minutemen will see Saturday night.

College Hockey Inc. is trying to get the NHL’s help to keep committed college players from jumping to major junior on the eve of their freshman year.