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| MICHELLE JAY/FILE PHOTO Boston University men’s hockey head coach David Quinn will welcome four additional freshmen to his team for the 2014-15 campaign. |
By Conor Ryan & Andrew Battifarano/DFP Staff
With a little over a month until the start of the 2014-15 regular season, the Boston University men’s hockey team has finally put the finishing touches on its roster with the inclusion of four more freshmen on the team.
The four new Terriers – two forwards, one defenseman and one goaltender – will help push the final roster to 26 total players.
BU will add another puck-moving defenseman with the arrival of Brandon Fortunato. Playing last season with the United States National Team Development Program U-18 team, Fortunato led all blueliners in points with 39 (three goals, 36 assists) on the year.
The North Hills, New York native, who also played alongside incoming BU freshmen forward Jack Eichel and defenseman John MacLeod, helped the USNTDP squad capture the 2014 International Ice Hockey Federation World U-18 Championship.
The Terriers will also receive a boost on offense with the addition of forward A.J. Greer, an imposing 6-foot-3 presence out on the ice. Greer put up impressive numbers over the last two seasons at Kimball Union Academy compiling 92 points (39 goals, 53 assists) in 61 games.
During the 2012-13 season at KUA, Greer skated alongside current BU sophomores forward Nick Roberto and defenseman Doyle Somerby. Greer, who does not turn 18 until Dec. 14, is the youngest player on the Terrier roster.
Another netminder will join the ranks of the Terriers this season, as goaltender Connor LaCouvee was also added to the team. Playing last season with the Alberni Valley Bulldogs of the British Columbia Hockey League, LaCouvee earned team MVP honors after posting a 2.82 goals-against average and a .920 save percentage.
LaCouvee, hailing from Qualicum Beach, British Columbia, stepped up his game in the BCHL playoffs, putting forward a .929 save percentage in seven games.
Rounding out the list of new players is forward Nikolas Olsson, who last played for the Sioux City Musketeers of the United States Hockey League over the last two years. In 75 games with Sioux City, the Escondido, California, product recorded 23 points off of 13 goals and 10 assists.
The arrival of four new freshmen was not the only news roster-wise for the Terriers Wednesday, as a team source confirmed that defenseman Dalton MacAfee is no longer a member of the team. No reason was given for his departure.
A standout at St. Sebastian’s School in Needham, MacAfee played in 31 games last season for the Terriers, recording three assists while leading all defensemen in plus-minus at -3.
MacAfee is not the first Terrier to depart the team this offseason, as freshman forward Brendan Collier and redshirt sophomore defenseman J.D. Carrabino were cut from the roster in May.
Earlier this year, BU head coach David Quinn acknowledged that a large incoming class would likely force the team to make some roster cuts in order to free up space.
Fortunato, Greer, LaCouvee and Olsson will round out a 10-member Class of 2018 that also includes forwards in Eichel, Chase Phelps and J.J. Piccinich, as well as defensemen in MacLeod, Brandon Hickey and Brien Diffley. The first wave of BU’s incoming freshmen signed their National Letters of Intent back in May.
OK, who has any intel on why Dalton MacAfee is no longer a part of BU Hockey. Was he cut because of lack of skill? That does not seem likely as he played in over 30 games last year with the best +/- of all defensemen. Was a violation of team rules involved? That does seem likely either. Did he make the decision to leave BU? That also does not seem likely. Has he made a decision to enroll at another D1 school? Does anybody know anything about this departure.
If we are going to get the good news in detail, we should get the something more than a statement that part of the BU hockey family is no longer part of the team.
As a booster and member of Friends of BU Hockey, I have heard from a very reliable friend, that MacAfee was shown the door by Coach Quinn, skipping classes, poor academic performance, and a very bad attitude. I also heard he used profanity while speaking to one of his professors! I absolutely love Coach Q’s no-nonsense approach to the program. And look at the recruiting he continues to excel at!!! Very bright future under Quinn.
+/- is the worst stat in all of hockey. I wouldn’t use that to “prove” that MacAfee was the best defenseman on the team. My eyes told me that he was not and overwhelmed at the D-I level. I figured he left because he wouldn’t have playing time. I didn’t know about the info provided by the last person to post (no idea if accurate.)