Boston University hockey fans have reason to tune into the NHL Draft when it begins on June 22 in Dallas.
After a successful freshman campaign with the Terriers, forward Brady Tkachuk is expected to go as high as third overall and is the second-ranked North American skater in the draft according to NHL.com.
Tkachuk has not ruled out returning to the Agganis Arena ice for another go-round in Hockey East, but being a top-five selection would make it difficult for the physical winger to return to college.
The 6-foot-3-inch, 197-pounder was one of the Terriers’ most active contributors on the offensive end all season. He led the team with 23 assists and 131 shots, the most of any freshman in the country. His +15 plus-minus was the second-best on the squad and his 31 points were the fourth-most.
His performance on the ice was rewarded following the season, as he was named a member of the Hockey East All-Rookie Team. Tkachuk was a prime example of former head coach David Quinn’s recruiting prowess. Quinn had seven players selected in the 2017 NHL Draft after seeing four of his pupils selected in the first round of the 2016 NHL Draft.
Tkachuk serves as one of the final gems of Quinn’s recruiting legacy, one which concluded when he accepted the head coaching job with the New York Rangers last month. Quinn’s new hockey club holds the ninth pick, but Tkachuk will likely be swiped off the board by then.
The two-time Hockey East Top Performer could join former Boston Bruins head coach Claude Julien in Montreal. The Canadiens have expressed interest and Tkachuk’s NHL-ready body provides him with the ability to assist a talent-depleted Montreal roster sooner rather than later.
Another potential landing spot for Tkachuk is Arizona. The Coyotes are another team in need of a boost, as they have not made the playoffs since 2012. Multiple Phoenix media outlets have conveyed general manager John Chayka’s interest in selecting Tkachuk, who would be joining former Terrier Clayton Keller on a club which accumulated the fewest points in the Western Conference in 2017-18.
Unlike past seasons, BU will not have a collection of players waiting to hear their name called on draft night. Funny enough, the majority of the Terriers front-line performers have already been selected in previous years.
In 2017, Cam Crotty was picked by the Coyotes, Kasper Kotkansalo was selected by the Detroit Red Wings, David Farrance by the Nashville Predators, Logan Cockerill by the New York Islanders, Shane Bowers by the Ottawa Senators and Jake Oettinger by the Dallas Stars.
A year prior, Chad Krys went to the Chicago Blackhawks while Dante Fabbro and Patrick Harper both landed with the Predators. Take away Tkachuk, and the Terriers still have loads of NHL-level talent projected to be on the 2018-19 roster.
In terms of the players who have not been drafted, there is not too much chatter surrounding Beanpot hero Ty Amonte despite his name being floated around in draft speculation last summer.
Future Terriers:
Joel Farabee:
BU will likely have another first round pick in addition to Tkachuk. Incoming freshman forward Joel Farabee is listed as a likely first-round pick. The Cicero, New York native is ranked number 12 among North American skaters and mock drafts have him within the first 15 picks.
Boston Hockey Blog Draft Prediction: Top 10-15 pick.
Jake Wise:
Farabee won’t have to look too far to see another future Terrier being drafted, all he really needs to do is look to his right as his linemate with the USDP Jake Wise. Wise is expected to be the second future Terrier and third Terrier overall being drafted this season.
Boston Hockey Blog Draft Prediction: Late first round
Jack Deboer:
BU has one other incoming freshman who might hear his name called. Ranked number 166 among North American Skaters is Jack DeBoer. Although he is the son of the head coach of the San Jose Sharks, he is not a lock to be drafted. For a point of reference, current Terrier senior forward and captain Bobo Carpenter was ranked 119 among North American skaters for the 2014 draft and went undrafted.
Although the blog was down for most of the season, that didn’t stop us from publishing articles on The Daily Free Press’ main website. In this post you can find Matt’s feature on junior forward and assistant captain Bobo Carpenter and his 20 questions with freshman forward Brady Tkachuk.
Don’t forget to check out Liam’s article on freshman defenseman Kasper Kotkansalo as well as Liam’s most recent artcie on the BU Pep Band.
We also have one more for you readers. Before she became the Sports Editor for the FreeP, Nikki wrote a feature on sophomore defensemen Chad Krys and Dante Fabbro.
Please be advised while reading these articles that the records and stats are accurate at the time of being published which could be different as of today.
Liam and I do have some more cool stories that we are currently working and they will be published soon.
Although the Boston University men’s hockey team will not return to action until the first weekend of the new year, some Terriers will be wearing the jersey of their respective country over the break.
Freshman forward Brady Tkachuk, sophomores goaltender Jake Oettinger and forward Patrick Harper will represent Team USA in the World Junior Championship which begins play Tuesday, Dec. 26.
Harper leads BU with 21 points, tied for first in assists with 13 and tied for second in goals with 8. Tkachuk leads Terrier freshmen in points and assists with 14 and 10 respectively Oettinger has started 17 games for BU and has a .902 save percentage.
Both Harper and Oettinger skated on the gold medal-winning 2017 U.S. National Junior Team that bested Team Canada 5-4 in a shootout.
Skating for Team Canada is sophomore defenseman Dante Fabbro. Fabbro leads the Terriers with 40 blocked shots and he has 12 points. Fabbro represented Canada in last year’s tournament–in which he took home a silver medal.
Playing for Finland is freshman defenseman Kasper Kotkansalo. Kotkansalo has two goals and three assists on the season.
These will not be the only Terriers playing in international tournaments over their break. Senior defenseman and captain Brandon Hickey was selected to represent team Canada in the Spengler Cup.
Hickey has three goals and two assists for the Terriers.
Patrick Harper will look for another gold medal. PHOTO BY MADDIE MALHOTRA/ DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF
The United States, Canada and Finland 2018 IIHF World Junior Championship preliminary rosters were announced earlier this week.
Five players from the Boston University men’s hockey team – some returning and some new – saw their names on the rosters among many other young hockey players who hope to represent their home countries in Buffalo, New York from Dec. 26 to Jan. 5.
Last year, Team USA won its fourth title after beating Team Canada 5-4 in a shootout.
Below are the five Terriers that were named to their respective countries’ WJC preliminary rosters. Team USA invited 28 players and will narrow the group down to 23 while Team Canada invited 32 players and will narrow it down to a 22-man roster.
The Returners
Sophomore forward Patrick Harper – Team USA
Harper notched one goal for Team USA last year and currently leads BU with 19 points (6g, 13a). Last Friday, Harper assisted four of the Terriers’ goals in the team’s 7-4 win over then-No. 15 Boston College.
Sophomore defenseman Dante Fabbro – Team Canada
Fabbro took home a silver medal with Team Canada last year and was one of two collegiate players on the squad. The New Westminster, British Columbia native currently has 11 points (4g, 7a) and leads BU in blocked shots with 38.
Sophomore goaltender Jake Oettinger – Team USA
While Tyler Parsons and BC sophomore goaltender Joseph Woll played in the net during last year’s championships, Oettinger came home with a gold medal. This year, Woll and Maine’s freshman goaltender Jeremy Swayman were also named to the preliminary roster.
The Lakeville, Minnesota native currently sits on a .905 goal save percentage and 2.89 goals against average over 15 games.
“It’s awesome and I’ve been lucky enough to do it a couple of times and it never gets old. [There’s] a really good group of guys invited to that camp so really excited to reconnect with those guys and start trying to defend our gold medal from last year, but that’s all going to come after what should be a strong end of the season here at BU.” – Oettinger after practice on Thursday.
The Newbies
Freshman defenseman Kasper Kotkansalo – Team Finland
The Finnish defenseman has represented Team Finland on many occasions including winning a gold medal in the IIHF World Under-18 World Championship. Kotkansalo currently leads BU’s freshman defensemen in blocked shots with 23, and has one goal and three assists on the season.
Freshman forward Brady Tkachuk – Team USA
Tkachuk won gold with Team USA in the 2017 U18 World Championship and collected seven points (1g, 6a) on top of serving as captain. The St. Louis, Missouri native is currently fifth highest on the team in points with 12 (2g, 10a) and leads in plus minus rating of +9.
The Missing One?
Sophomore defenseman Chad Krys – Team USA
Krys was named to USA’s preliminary roster last year, but didn’t make the final cut. Last season, the defenseman finished a solid season with 11 points (5g, 6a) after being linemates with current Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy. Krys has surpassed that with 14 points (4g, 10a) over 17 games this season.
“Yeah, obviously you feel like it’s one of your children so you’re always hopeful and you always think very highly of him. It’s disappointing for Chad, but the one thing I know that he and I’ve talked about is you just move past it and he gets to spend Christmas at home and get some time off. There’s always a silver lining to everything.” – BU head coach David Quinn after practice on Thursday.
What are your thoughts on the BU players chosen for the WJC preliminary rosters?
The No. 18 Boston University men’s hockey team picked up another two points this weekend in its road series against the University of Maine. The Terriers are currently tied for fourth place in Hockey East alongside No. 10 Providence College.
Sophomore forward Patrick Harper picks up three assists this weekend. PHOTO BY MADDIE MALHOTRA/ DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF
On Friday night at the Alfond Arena, redshirt sophomore goaltender Max Prawdzik made his second collegiate start in net. Despite putting up 42 shots, with 18 in the final period, BU was only able to get two past Maine’s sophomore goaltender Jeremy Swayman for a final score of 5-2 in favor of the Black Bears.
The following evening at the Cross Insurance Arena in Portland, the Terriers were able to convert their opportunities for a season-high seven goals. Sophomore goaltender Jake Oettinger made 30 saves to shutdown any goals for Maine and recorded his sixth career shutout.
For freshman Terriers – Kasper Kotkansalo, Logan Cockerill, Hank Crone and Brady Tkachuk – also scored their first goals as Terriers. Kotkansalo finished the series with one goal and one assist, Cockerill had two goals and two assists and Crone picked up an assist in addition to his goal.
Freshman forward Shane Bowers registered two goals and one assist over the series. Freshman forward Jake Witkowski and freshman defenseman Cam Crotty each tallied their first collegiate points.
BU will play in the 6th biannual Red Hot Hockey game at Madison Square Garden this upcoming Saturday. Be sure to follow along on the live blog and Twitter as Boston Hockey Blog travels to New York City.
The Boston University men’s hockey team announced its incoming players for the 2017-18 season earlier today. Among the seven incoming forwards and three defenseman that make up the Terriers’ 27-man roster, five members of the freshman class were selected in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft.
In addition to the nine-member freshman class, the Terriers have added graduate transfer Drew Melanson who spent his last three years with Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Before playing in the NCAA, Melanson played in the USHL for three years and notched 73 points (30g, 43a) over 120 games, according to Elite Prospects.
“One thing I really love about this class is the balance,” Quinn said in a GoTerriers.com press release today. “We’ve got maturity, we’ve got skill, we’ve got physicality, and to top it all off, I really love the character of all these guys. They have a great work ethic and they are definitely going [to] make BU better both on and off the ice.”
Senior defenseman Brandon Hickey will lead the incoming players and rest of the Terriers this season as captain alongside senior forwards Bobo Carpenter and Nik Olsson, and junior forward Jordan Greenway who will serve as assistant captains.
Below is a full list of the incoming players to look for on the ice during the upcoming season:
Ty Amonte (forward) – Penticton Vees, BCHL
Shane Bowers (forward) – Waterloo Black Hawks, USHL
Logan Cokerill (forward) – U.S. National Under-18 Team
Jake Oettinger was the first goaltender selected in this year’s draft. PHOTO COURTESY OF NHL.COM
It was another exciting and successful year at the NHL Entry Draft for Boston University men’s hockey fans and more importantly, the players being drafted.
One goaltender, two forwards, and four defenseman were all called during the two days at United Center in Chicago. While defenseman Ryan O’Connell is a 2018 recruit, the other six players will take the ice during the upcoming season.
Here’s a FreeP recap of the draft written by Liam to see how your Terriers fared throughout the weekend and below are some videos and Twitter updates.
"The competitive side of me wanted to be a first round pick and wanted to be the first goalie taken." We like your style, Jake. pic.twitter.com/WUci9SHPOu
Could not be more excited to be a member of the pack! Such a great feeling to be drafted by the @ArizonaCoyotes Absolute dream come true! pic.twitter.com/8nYEnjXsWL
Have no fear Boston University men’s hockey fans, the 2017 NHL Entry Draft is almost here and many BU recruits as well as rising sophomore goaltender Jake Oettinger are expected to hear their names called by league commissioner Gary Bettman.
Jake Oettinger will likely be drafted in the first round. PHOTO BY MADDIE MALHOTRA/ DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF
The first round of the draft will start tomorrow at 7 p.m. EST and the second through seven rounds will begin at 10 a.m. EST on Saturday. We will keep you updated throughout the draft via Twitter and post a draft recap for those of you who can’t tune in.
While there is still one more day before Oettinger and other future Terriers will learn their NHL fate at the United Center in Chicago, we have compiled a preview full of highlights, facts and projections to get you all ready and excited for this year’s NHL Entry Draft.
The Goaltender
Jake Oettinger
The 6-foot-4 netminder took Hockey East by storm his freshman season. His production is expected to translate into a favorable spot in the first round of the draft, with potential fits being the Chicago Blackhawks, who own the 26th selection, or the Dallas Stars with the 29th pick.
The Minnesota native ranked among the leaders in the NCAA with an impressive stat line, which included a .927 save percentage and 2.11 goals against average while leading the Terriers to a 21-11-3 record when he stood between goal.
Additional Thoughts
“Oettinger is the prototypical combination of size, position and athleticism that NHL teams are looking for in a starting goalie, and should be selected very high in this year’s NHL Draft. It’s rare to see goalies be selected in the first round of the Draft these days, but Oettinger’s measurable, combined with him showing he can play at the college level make him as safe a bet as a team could make in a future goalie.” – Chris Dilks, SB Nation College Hockey
Projection: Late first round
The New Terriers
Shane Bowers
The moment the 18-year-old center announced his commitment to BU in November, the excitement surrounding him has not diminished. This comes as no surprise as the Canadian-born player had a stellar season with the Waterloo Black Hawks (USHL). He finished 10th in the league after totaling 51 points (22g, 29a) in 60 games, including two goals and one assist in the postseason. Bowers has also represented his home country in numerous tournaments and was most recently a member of Canada’s Under-18 Team.
Additional Thoughts
“Waterloo’s Shane Bowers is a workhorse and is very effective around the net. He reads plays well and is very effective on rebounds, often positioned at the right position in front of the net to finish off plays. Possesses great speed with the puck and can escape defenders with 2-3 extra quick strides. Very smart decision maker.” – Dennis Schellenber, Hockey Prospectus
Projection: Late first round
Cameron Crotty
While this BU recruit may slide under the radar, some reports project Crotty to be selected as high as the late second round. The Ontario native picked up 31 points (7g, 24a) in his two years with the Brockville Braves (CCHL), but is known as a two-way defensemen and was named the CCHL Top Prospect for the 2016-17 season. The 18-year-old may need some time to grow and adjust to college hockey, but he has the potential to develop into a strong blueliner.
Additional Thoughts
“This is why I see Crotty as such an interesting sleeper pick: he may not make a big splash in college as a freshman, but he brings an intriguing skill set that will emerge over time and could be very valuable.” – Ryan Kennedy, The Hockey News
Projection: Late second round or early third round
David Farrance
The defenseman been credited with containing a brilliant offensive acumen and should expect to hear his name called in the middle rounds of the draft. Armed with a stellar shot and commendable passing skills at the blue line, Farrance racked up seven goals and 30 assists with the USA National U-18 Team in 2016-17. He also starred in the U-18 World Championship, scoring a pair of goals to accompany an assist over a seven-game stretch.
Additional Thoughts
“Under six foot defender who is a mobile defenseman with terrific offensive skills and high end passing skills. Displays excellent vision and has the ability to the throw the home run stretch pass to a teammate with accuracy. Very good on the power play at moving the puck to the right option. Quick and precise in retrieval in his end, and a power play generator who reads his passing options but also has a rocket from the point.” – Bill Placzek, Draft Site
Projection: Mid-to-late third round
Kasper Kotkansalo
The defenseman may not find an NHL team until later in the draft, but he will likely provide a physical presence for BU on the blue line. The Finland native most recently played for the Sioux Falls Stampede (USHL) and tallied 12 points. However, Kotkansalo snagged six points in 13 games during the Finland Under-20 Tournament.
Additional Thoughts
“A two-way reliable defender with some offensive upside. … He handles and controls the puck well, displays high-end vision and his first pass is on target. He moves the puck efficiently and quickly in his passing game and finds his target under pressure…He’s just a reliable two-way guy who could develop into a strong offensive contributor at the next level.” – Future Considerations
The current freshman class has helped propel the Terriers on an eight-game win streak. (Photo by John Kavouris/Daily Free Press Staff)
Boston University commit, Shane Bowers, has aced his midterm.
When NHL Central Scouting released its midterm rankings of players eligible for the 2017 NHL Draft, it ranked the Halifax-born center as the 13th-best amongst North American skaters.
Bowers has played in all 33 games for the United States Hockey League’s Waterloo Blackhawks. His 10 goals and 24 points are good for second best on his team and puts him on track to beat last year’s numbers. Only 17, Bowers could be another offensive powerhouse on the Terrier roster.
He may have been the only projected newcomer to make the midterm rankings, but of all the likely freshmen for 2017-18, he isn’t the only one having a notable season.
Henry (Hank) Crone may only be 5-foot-8, but he packs a punch. The Texas native could be compared to the notoriously short and spunky Boston Bruin, Brad Marchand. Like Marchand, Crone spends a decent amount of time in the box, but that doesn’t prevent him from being productive. The winger has accumulated 31 points in 29 games with the Fargo Force, seventh-best among all USHL players.
David Farrance and Brady Tkachuk have been logging minutes on the U.S. National Under-18 Team.
At 5-foot-11, Farrance will likely never be the biggest man on the ice, but he’s been a strong presence on the blue line. As a defender, it’s no surprise he’s only netted five goals, but he also has 15 assists under his belt. The New York native has played in all 37 games and contributes to a penalty kill with an 85.1 percent success rate.
Tkachuk has family roots aplenty in the NHL. He could follow suit, as he’s eligible for the 2018 draft and putting up impressive numbers. He averages almost three shots on goal a game, and has the second most points among his teammates with 28. Tkachuk has consistently netted 15 or more goals in the previous three seasons, and between his 11 goals with the Under-18 team and five goals with the USA Hockey National Team Development Program, he’s already accomplished that.
Four members of the current freshman class – goaltender Jake Oettinger, forwards Clayton Keller and Kieffer Bellows and defenseman Chad Krys – all carried their success on the Under-18 team to Terrier ice. Farrance and Tkachuk will likely do the same.
In his rookie season in the British Columbia Hockey League, forward Ty Amonte has played in all 41 games for the Penticton Vees. Earlier in the season, he boasted a nine-game point streak. While the Norwell native has only scored one point in the past nine games, he’s still a top producer for the team. He’s recorded 12 goals and 17 assists.
Finnish skater Kasper Kotkansalo has missed six games due to injury during his season with the Sioux Falls Stampede of the USHL, but has impressed nonetheless. The 6-foot-2 defenseman is expected to go in the middle rounds of the 2017 NHL Draft.
Cameron Crotty is also a notable prospect for the 2017 Draft, according to eliteprospects.com. The defenseman from Ontario has contributed eight points, including a game-winning goal, to the Brockville Braves of the Central Canadian Hockey League. He’s only played in 25 games this season, but his 0.32 points per game average from last season has persisted.
The current Terrier freshmen class has drawn national attention thanks to its stunning abilities and maturity. The amount of talent in the 2016-17 group will be hard to top, but the new wave of players projected to arrive on campus next fall will undoubtedly bring promise of continued success for the team.
~ This article originally appeared in The Daily Free Press and was written by Shelby Reardon. ~
