A couple things before I get started with the usual stuff.  First off, I hope all the UMass hockey fans out there had a merry Christmas, or whatever you choose to celebrate.  Secondly, I just want to thank everyone for the overwhelming response to my post last week regarding the future of FTT.  I’ll reflect more on all that sometime when there’s no hockey to be played, but I do appreciate all the nice messages people have been sending.

So with that addressed, UMass has picked up a commitment for next fall from Marc Hetnik Jr, a 6’1” 175lb defenseman.  Hetnik is currently playing for the Vernon Vipers of the BCHL (same team where Andrew Tegeler is now playing).  He has a goal and five assists in 31 games for the Vipers.  Last year he had three goals and 14 assists in 60 games.  Prior to that the Brookline native played for Catholic Memorial where he was named to the Herald’s Dream Team in 2011.  Jim Clark of the Herald described him to me as a skilled defenseman who is solid in his own end but was a pretty good two way player in high school.

Hetnik was originally supposed to play at Boston University next fall, but as the Boston Hockey Blog explains, plans changed recently.  Hetnik was supposed to pay his own way there as his father, who won a national championship as a Terrier, worked for the school and therefore would’ve paid only minimal costs.  However, his father no longer works for the school and there was no scholarship available for Hetnik, so he reconsidered and will now become a Minuteman.  According to this article from when he committed to BU, he had a number of schools interested in him at the time including some of the Ivies.

Here’s a profile of him from last winter during his first year in Vernon:

It’s still a little tough to see how the numbers work for next year’s roster.  The team will graduate four players, but there are currently six, maybe seven, players due to join the team next year plus Rob Dongara who is practicing with the team but sitting out due to transfer rules.  I’ll keep an eye out to see if there’s any change to the current recruit list and keep you readers updated.

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Ben Gallacher – D – Green Bay Gamblers (USHL) – 2013 (transfer)
7 GP / 1 G / 1 A / 1 Pts / 30 PIM / +1
Gallacher returned from his second suspension over the past weekend and had an assist and more importantly no penalties.

Mark Hamilton – D – Salisbury School Crimson Knights (NE Prep) – 2013
0 GP / 0 G / 0 A / 0 Pts
Updates for the prep recruits will happen semi-regularly.  Last I knew Hamilton still had yet to suit up this season.

Marc Hetnik – D – Vernon Vipers (BCHL) – 2013
31 GP / 1 G /4 A / 5 Pts / 26 PIM

Mike Iovanna – RW/C – Malden Catholic Lancers (MA High School) – 2013
2 GP / 1 G / 1 A / 2 Pts
Iovanna scored his 100th point in his HS career with an assist in his last game.

Dennis Kravchenko – LW – Sioux Falls Stampede (USHL) – 2013 or 2014
25 GP / 12 G / 13 A / 25 Pts / 65 PIM / +6
Kravchenko had a goal and an assists in a couple games last weekend.  He’s currently 16th in the USHL in both goals and total points.

Patrick Lee – LW – Brooks Bandits (AJHL) – 2014
34 GP / 16 G / 18 A / 34 Pts / 18 PIM / 0
Lee had a couple goals and an assist in recent games as the Bandits improved to 35-1-0.  They’re outscoring their opponents by a whopping 122 goals so far this season.

Casey Miller – C – Kimball Union (NE Prep) – 2014
5 GP / 2 G / 5 A / 7 Pts
Updates for the prep recruits will be done semi-regularly.

Willy Smith – LW – Springfield Pics (EJHL) – 2014
18 GP / 0 G / 3 A / 3 Pts / 6 PIM
Smith had an assist over the weekend.

Frank Vatrano– LW/C – Junior Bruins (EJHL) – 2013
18 GP / 13 G / 9 A / 22 Pts / 22 PIM
Vatrano didn’t play this past weekend.

Lastly, I know the recruits page is dreadfully out of date.  I’ll be rectifying that soon.