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From the FreeP: Men’s hockey adds six new skaters for 2014-15 campaign

By Kevin Dillon/DFP Staff

The reinforcements are finally on their way for the Boston University men’s hockey team, as six recruits have signed their national letters of intent to join the squad in 2014-15.

The incoming freshmen include three forwards in Jack Eichel, J.J. Piccinich and Chase Phelps, as well as three defensemen in Brandon Hickey, Brien Diffley and Johnathan MacLeod. At least two more recruits are expected to join the team at a later date.

Eichel, a Chelmsford native, is expected to be the prize of the class. The 6-foot-1, 190 pound 17-year-old is a point-producing machine, as he dominated with the United States National Development Program this past year. He totaled 45 points in 24 games at the USHL level, 87 points in 53 games at the U-18 level and 10 points in seven games while leading that U-18 squad to a world championship on Sunday.

“I know Eichel is a guy who has elite talent,” said BU coach David Quinn. “You talk to anybody that watches him, he makes the game look easy. He has got incredible vision, he competes around the puck, he is a unique talent. He is incredibly strong, hockey strong. He is a great guy, he is a great kid and he makes everybody around him better.

“He might be the difference-maker in all of those one-goal games we lost last year.”

For more, visit www.dailyfreepress.com.

18 Comments

  1. When do we find out who is not coming back. He must have told them by now.

    • Maybe it is appropriate to let someone who is cut decide on what he is going to do next year before we are told. those cut are still BU people. Let’s treat them that way.

    • I wish all of those who get cut the best of luck in all they do … except if and when they return to face BU.

    • No one has been cut,DQ was at a Coaching Conference in Florida all last week,except the cuts after EXAMS…..

  2. as long as they know they’re gone, i don’t care when he let’s us know. just want their schollies

  3. no player has been cut,yet!!The coaching staff has been in Florida for the past week or so for Coaches Convention,cuts will be made after all exams are done….FYI….

  4. DQ has really betrayed the BU hockey family if he treats these players so poorly.

    • Are you serious?Anyone that knows a thing about hockey could tell you many players on last years team did not belong in HOCKEY EAST….

  5. betrayed? parker and bavis and powers betrayed the rich BU hockey tradition through their complacency and ineptness post 2009. you are the type of fan that is willing to accept the recent garbage they have been putting out there. time to man up. do you want a championship team or what? if so, time to get rid of the D3 players- kelly, collier, duane, macafee, moran etc. do you want see those stiffs around for 3 more years taking away valuable scholarships from potential quality players?
    betrayed? pahleeze. it’s milktoast fans like you who betray our legacy

    out with the old and in with the new

    • I thank Parker and Bavis every day by delivering Eichel and out recruiting BC for him.

  6. Some of you who post here and elsewhere need to get a new life. You are not part of the rich BU Hockey tradition. The mannerin which you make comments about coaches,players,and the program in general are embarrassing. You are crude, poorly informed, and lack any credibility. Are you entitled to your opinion ? Of course you are but be accurate,mature, and professional. Your comments regarding coaches past and present are ignorant. For 40 years,Jack Parker was without question one of the best,well respected and successful coaches of all time. Was he perfect ? No. Did have a flaw ? Yes, if you want to refer loyalty to his coaches and players as a flaw.I’ll take that flaw. Onto Coach Quinn. Again, some of you expected miracles.He’s been putting in a foundation. Recruiting is going well and he’s put together a coaching that will be the very best in the country. Next existing players. Yes, there are changes that will be made . When doing so, it needs to be handled with a sense of respect for them and done professionally. Coach Quinn will do so. He won’t do it poorly like so many other coaches. From reading so many negative comments from so many of you, I’m sure that all of you have never played any sport at a competitive level. You are obviously taking out your frustrations on coaches, players,and even fans who have a knowledge, respect, and appreciation of the BU Hockey Tradition. Is the tradition perfect ? No, but it’s pretty damn good. Malcontents go away. Go back to your cellar where you can play computer sports where you can be a star not a joke.

  7. I never criticized Parker’s overall body of work, but he went down hill after 2009 and should have called it quits and handed over the reigns to Quinn. It is not about being a malcontent. it is about calling a spade a spade. enough said

    As for Quinn I will give him all the time he needs. And in no way do I hold him to blame for last year’s debacle. I think you know who deserves the blame. I think Quinn is a great recruiter and coach. Also, I am thrill with the turnover in the coaching staff – Albie, Scott Young and Greeley. That is what I call a competitive staff

    But quinn means business in terms of coach and player turnover. i have no problem how he handles. i trust he will do it the right way. but it must be done or otherwise we are saddled with some pretty inadequate players for 2 to 3 years

    i am excited to see Eichel, but i am afraid he is one and done alla bourque and dipietro. oh well, i will take it

    and as far as the cellar is concerned, i would rather be there than under the rock where you live. and what competitive sports do you play there? hmmm

    go BU

  8. I agree with the points of the last blogger although i would rather just stick to hockey points and skip the personal slander. hey, if he thinks parker stayed too long, then that’s his point of view. i think parker earned the right to stay as long as he did, although his effectiveness did wane after 2009.

    i hope quinn helps these players find other teams and puts a good word in for them with other coaches. he does know a lot of people. it is not their fault they were recruited here. i would come too if BU came knocking. but at the same time, with dignity, they need to be transitioned out of the program, otherwise it is going to take twice as long to get the program back on track. remember, most high end kids want to come to winning programs with great players. that makes their game better. very few are into rebuilding projects, given that their time in college hockey might be limited. i know eichel is coming and i am shocked, but they need to double the 10 win total fairly soon or they will lose out on very good hockey players. teams that can impress a kid with various titles etc can make a much more compelling case to recruit.

    i see good things in the future for BU under quinn, and once he can establish himself, watch out.

    the tough personnel choices he makes now is for the good of the program down the line

  9. Not sure why the DQ supporters feel the need to bash Coach Parker. Are they trying to distract or excuse DQ’s poor first season by bashing Coach Parker? Both of these coaches are part of the BU hockey family and should be treated with the respect they have earned for their performance coach the team.

    • Give me a break,PLEASE!!!No coach in the country could have done better with the talent(or lack of)DQ was doing the best he could,wait till the team is full of his recruits,then judge away!!

  10. DQ: “He might be the difference-maker in all of those one-goal games we lost last year.”

    We only lost 2 one goal games last year. What is DQ talking about?

    • Another hater,why don’t you talk about the unbelievable incoming players he has coming in the next few years!!!

  11. Perhaps, but a fairly large percentage of those games (in which we lost by more than one goal) were because we pulled the goalie.