The 2016-17 season may be underway, but that doesn’t mean that Terrier head coach David Quinn and his staff aren’t still recruiting.
The Terriers seem to have landed another big name, as Jeff Cox of SB Nation tweeted out that ’98 defenseman Kasper Kotkansalo has committed to Boston University. He will be eligible to join the Terriers as early as next season.
Hearing BU has received a commitment from late '98 LD Kasper Kotkansalo. Playing with Sioux City in USHL. Won Gold Medal w/ Finland at U18s.
— Jeff Cox (@jeffcox425) October 13, 2016
The 6-foot-2, 190 pound blue-liner is currently playing with the Sioux Falls Stampede in the USHL. It is his first year playing hockey in North America. Kotkansalo, who is a top prospect for next year’s NHL Draft, also won a gold medal with his native Finland team in the U18 World Junior Championship last year, notching four assists and a plus/minus rating of +5 in six games.
Kotkansalo is a hard-hitting defenseman with offensive upside, totaling 19 points in 48 games with Blues U20 of Jr. A SM-Liiga in Finland last season. Current BU defenders Charlie McAvoy and Dante Fabbro are known for contributing on both ends, so it seems that Quinn and his staff may have a preference for defenders who can score points on any given night.
Kasper Kotkansalo, a native of Espoo, Finland, leads Sioux Falls with 3 shots. Stampede goalie Jeremy Swayman has 12 saves.
— Jerry Giese (@JerryGiese) October 9, 2016
Welcome to the BU pipeline, Kasper! It appears that there are only a few defensemen rated higher than him in next June”s draft. I like that he is a big, two-way d-man.
Coach OConnell is a recruiting genius. Lots of great BU hockey years to come go bu
Good recruit since they will lose Hickey and McEvoy to the NHL at the end of this year, and maybe Fabre too?