Up To The Minute ▲ Boston College’s Couturier Transfers To UMass

The Massachusetts hockey team added an established Hockey East defensemen for the future as Boston College blueliner Josh Couturier announced he is transferring to UMass.

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Recruit Update ▲ UMass Recruiting Reset

Now that Coach Carvel and his staff have indicated that they’re done assembling their first recruiting class and we know about the current players who will not be returning next year, it’s time to take a fresh look at where the program is from a recruiting standpoint.  Recruiting is a fluid situation even in normal situations, so it’s been a challenge to try to keep up with all the new names that have recently committed while following which previous recruits are still committed to the school.  I believe all my information is up to date.  So first up, let’s take a look at the future Minutemen due in Amherst this fall.

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Up To The Minute ▲ Jeszka Commits; Frozen Fenway & Other Scheduling News

I last posted exactly a month ago.  I did not expect to go so long between posts but first I went to Florida to drink a lot of Cigar City Brewing attend a wedding and when I got back I just couldn’t find the time and/or motivation to write.  But after some time to recover from the feverish rate of positing as the season ended and the subsequent coaching moves were made, I think I’m finally ready to start spending some time on UMass hockey again.

It’s the offseason so there isn’t a ton to catch up on, especially since the focus of Coach Carvel and his staff has likely been more on getting settled in Amherst than actual hockey stuff.  But there were a few major developments since the last post.

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Recruit Update ▲ Hildenbrand A Force Recently For Fargo

There hasn’t been a lot of coaching search news in recent days.  But a lot of the future Minutemen are still in action.  So let’s catch up with them.

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Recruit Update ▲ Bear, Makar Win Brooks Team Awards

In my last recruit update I passed along the news that recruits Cale Makar and Matt Murray were named award winners for the AJHL.  Well recently the Brooks Bandits held an on-ice ceremony to announce their team awards and a couple of Minutebandits were winners.  Cale Makar was named co-Rookie of the Year while Shane Bear won Defenseman of the year.  You can view the ceremony here. 

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Recruit Update ▲ Makar, Murray Win AJHL Season Awards

The regular season is starting to wrap up for the UMass committed players just as it is for the college teams.  And with the final regular season games comes recognition.  A couple future Minutemen were honored by the AJHL this past week.  Brooks defenseman Cale Markar was named AJHL Rookie of the Year while UMass’ newest commitment, goalie Matt Murray, was named AJHL Top Goaltender.  Last season Nic Renyard won Top Goaltender as well as league MVP, beating out current teammate Austin Plevy who was the AJHL’s top scorer.  Shane Bear was a finalist for Defenseman of the Year but lost out to Brinson Pasichnuk, an Arizona State recruit.

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Recruit Update ▲ AJHL Goaltender Matt Murray Commits To UMass

Despite the obvious challenges surrounding the program right now coach John Micheletto has been able to continue to secure commitments from recruits to join the Massachusetts program.  And he continues to bring some pretty good talent to UMass.  Today’s commitment was from goaltender Matt Murray of the Spruce Grove Saints of the AJHL.  Murray would likely join the Minutemen for the 2017-18 season after Alex Wakaluk graduates.

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Recruit Update ▲ Hildenbrand Commits To UMass

The Massachusetts hockey team picked up a commitment from forward Niko Hildenbrand.  The right shot, 1995 birth year plays forward for the Waterloo Blackhawks of the USHL.  The Vacaville, CA native is 5’11” and weighs 194 lbs.

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Recruit Update ▲ Nachtigall Enjoying The New Year With 5 Goals Scored During 2016

Because of the weird schedule lately I haven’t had a chance to post a recruit update since 12/22.  At that time UMass recruits Shane Bear and Cale Makar had just won gold for Canada-West at the World Junior A Championships.  In the last few days the Brooks Bandits posted this really interesting video with Bear and Makar about their experience at the international competition.  Bear seems like a very mature and poised person from the interview.  It’s also interesting to hear him talk about what he learned from last year when he tried out but didn’t make the cut and how he learned from it.

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Recruit Update ▲ Bear, Makar Win Gold At World Junior A Challenge

Future Minutemen Shane Bear and Cale Makar, both currently playing together for the Brooks Bandits in the AJHL, won gold this past week representing the Canada-West team at the World Junior A Challenge.  Canada-West beat Russia 2-1 in the championship game. Makar had a goal in the tournament, and hit a post in the championship, while Bear did not register a point.  Makar was named to the tournament all-star team.

https://twitter.com/JPGasparini/status/678396398488952832

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