I’ve been busy the last few weeks with work (bad) and vacation (very good) so time to catch up on the news around the Massachusetts hockey program since my last post.

Of course the biggest news, at least in this area, was former Minuteman defenseman Matt Irwin signing with a one year deal with the Boston Bruins.  Irwin will become the first UMass hockey player to suit up the Bruins, assuming Frank Vatrano doesn’t somehow beat him onto the Garden ice first.

Vatrano was busy in recent weeks at the Bruins development camp.  The athletic department travelled to camp to see how he fared there and put together this video:

Masslive also covered the Western Mass native’s time at Bruins camp in this piece.  It seems a little concerning that Bruins development coach Jay Pandolfo made a point of mentioning that Vatrano wasn’t as conditioned as he could’ve been when he joined the Providence Bruins shortly after the UMass season ended.  Overall it sounds like Vatrano impressed the Bruins staff at camp, even scoring a goal in the scrimmage with the other prospects.

Dennis Kravchenko impressed out west at Ducks development camp, scoring a hat trick in the scrimmage there.  The athletic department posted this Q&A about his experience with Anaheim.

Callum Fryer, who verbally committed to UMass a few weeks back, officially signed his National Letter of Intent last week.  Here’s the release from UMass as well as Coach Mick’s scouting report on the incoming defenseman.

Jeff Cox of SBN College Hockey was at the USA Hockey Select 16 Development Camps and gave scouting reports on the players there, including UMass recruits Colin Felix and Brian Scoville.

Former UMass defenseman Mike Marcou will be playing in Russia for Medvescak Zagreb of the KHL next season.

So the offseason activity is pretty much winding down with the draft come and gone, development camps wrapped up, and next year’s recruiting class in place.  That means it’s time to start thinking about next season!  The full schedule will likely be released shortly, though I have been keeping up with piecing it together based on other schools’ releases.  There are rumors that there will be a bit of a surprise in the schedule that will be a cool opportunity for the team and its fans.  So keep an eye out for that.

FTT will be transitioning from the offseason doldrums to preseason previews shortly as well as I plan to spend the next couple weeks sketching out ideas and posts to set the stage for UMass Hockey 2015-16.  Sure it was 90 degrees in the Bay State for a couple days this week, but hockey isn’t too far away!