The Terrier Hockey Fan Blog

Amico shines at WJSS; Pando's first look at Malhotra;

2026-08-07T15:35:39.771-04:00

CollegePuckNXT's analysis of college hockey rosters has BU tied with Michigan State for most NHL draft picks (17) and just ahead of defending champion Denver (16). Both the Spartans and the Pioneers are on the Terriers' out-of-conference schedule this season.

A little context: MSU's 17 picks include 9 first-round selections; BU has just two, Caleb Malhotra and Tynan Lawrence, although nine Terriers are second-round selections including freshmen Haoxi Wang (#33 overall) and Xavier Villeneuve (#34). BU currently has one roster slot that has yet to be filled.

Following last season's 11-man freshman class, BU currently has just five on the 2026-27 roster: Malhotra, Wang, Villeneuver, Niklas Aaram-Olsen and Viktor Nörringer. 6'5" blueliner Carter Amico, a freshman last year, returns as a sophomore after spending second semester on the top D pair at USHL Muskegon.

The 2026-27 BU Men's Hockey freshman class will be the first in program history with 0 Americans
— BU Hockey Stats (@BUHockeyStats) August 7, 2026

Amico was a surprise standout to many observers at the recent World Junior Summer Showcase. He was the only Terrier in the U.S lineup for the final three games. 2027 recruit Brady Knowling didn't participate at the WJSS, but remains the projected starter in goal for Team USA at this winter's WJCs.

The Daily Faceoff's Steven Ellis wrote:

"Amico received rave reviews from Philly development camp, so I was excited to see what type of role he’d end up having here. And, damn; he was legitimately one of the best defensemen in Windsor. In two years with the National Team Development Program, Amico had just one goal. Last season, he had one regular season goal and then three in the playoffs. That felt like a breakthrough for a guy who hadn’t really put a ton of pucks on net since he was about 13 years old.
"But Amico was outstanding at this tournament, creating some high-quality offensive chances every single night. He’s one of those guys that really had to find a way to play their way onto the main roster, but I know the coaching staff had to love what they saw with his two-way game. Amico’s bread and butter is taking space away swiftly and effectively, but the up-ice puck rushes were a nice touch, as well."
Carter Amico tips Landon Nycz's feed and it's 1-0 USA.

Heck of a shift from Amico altogether there. #WJSS pic.twitter.com/TcE73WmnY8
— Steven Ellis (@SEllisHockey) July 27, 2026

● BroadStreetHockey.com Carter Amico is turning heads at the World Junior Summer Showcase

● TheHockeyNews.com Flyers Defensive Prospect "One of the Best" at World Junior Summer Showcase

►First-round draft picks Malhotra and Tynan Lawrence also had strong performances for Canada at the WJSS. NHL.com reported:

Tynan Lawrence alternated between center and the wing during the WJSS, and the St. Louis Blues forward prospect said he's willing to play wherever the coaches need him if it means he's on Canada's World Junior team.
"I don't think it makes too much of a difference," he said. "I think playing with good players and being able to adapt to certain situations and different positions is a good thing to have as you get older and (reach) higher levels. There's going to be top centers on the team so being able to have that ability to move to the wing and still be productive, I think that's a good thing to have."

Tynan Lawrence makes it a 2-1 game for Canada on the power-play🔥#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/JK0g4q3RCo
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) July 30, 2026

Several post-WJSS projections for Team Canada have Malhotra at center on one of the top two lines, with Lawrence slotted at forward.

Following the WJSS, Malhotra was back in British Columbia preparing for his freshman season, skating with several NHLers.

Victoria’s Caleb Malhotra and North Vancouver’s Macklin Celebrini chopping it up at 8 Rinks.

B.C. is a hockey hotbed, with some of the country’s best young talent training in Burnaby in the summer. #Canucks pic.twitter.com/UHaHEWWW5i
— Grady Sas (@GradySas) August 6, 2026

More Celebrini and Malhotra at practice.

Head coach Jay Pandolfo first saw Malhotra play as a 15-year-old in a Montreal tournament and remembers thinking then, “You could see his understanding of the game, his hockey sense.” Pandolfo spoke at length with The Province about the young center:

“Little things he did out there you noticed. He just stood out,” Pandolfo recalled of that viewing years ago. “And he’s just continuing to get better. This past year he’s really taken off. He’s bigger, stronger, all those things. I think that’s really helped him. I think there’s a confidence to go along with that, and he obviously played on a really good team (with Brantford). “He’s just going to continue to get better and grow as a player.
“I expect him to help us in all areas,” Pandolfo said of Malhotra, a 6-foot-2, 185-pound left-handed shot. “The centre position for us — as it is with most teams — is really important and we think he’ll be able to help us both offensively and defensively because of his skill set."

● TheProvince.com Caleb Malhotra's NCAA coach saw success coming three summers ago

►Aaram-Olsen, who made a strong impression at Canucks' development camp where he skated with Malhotra and Aiden Celebrini, talked to NHL.com about his season with Örebro HK in Sweden's J20 Nationell (20-20-40 in 29 games):

“I think I got more of an all-around game, 200-foot game, got better in defensive zone, and just keep developing using my body a little bit more, get a little bit more grit,” Aaram-Olsen said.

His plan for the summer is to continue building on those improvements, while applying what he’s learned at development camp. With a more fast-paced game awaiting him in the NCAA in the fall, he’s concentrating on improving his first five strides and body positioning to help him adapt quickly.

Aaram-Olsen chose BU because it felt like the right fit, and because of the program’s long history of developing NHL talent.

● NHL.com Niklas Aaram-Olsen is Focused on the Details

● CanucksArmy.com CA’s top 20 Canucks summer prospect rankings: #8 Niklas Aaram-Olsen

Joining Caleb Malhotra, Aaram-Olsen should be given a very good opportunity next year in the NCAA, and he will have a good chance to adapt to the North American game as he continues to develop. Somewhat similar to Tom Willander’s transition to Vancouver, being drafted out of Sweden, heading to the NCAA and then, hopefully, in Aaram-Olsen’s case, making the jump to pro hockey in the Canucks organization.

The biggest goal for Aaram-Olsen this upcoming season will be to continue to use his offensive ability to produce. Develop into more of a complete 200-foot player, play with more consistency and get stronger in the gym.

Looking ahead

While it's been a quiet start to recruiting season for 2010 birthdates for BU, some potential prospect names have begun to emerge, including this older one.

With Luke Schairer flipping his commitment to BC, BU has just two defensemen in the pipeline for 2027-28: Freddy Meyer V (Quebec) and Blake Barnes (Niagara). The Athletic reports on one possible candidate.

Flyers second-rounder Brek Liske is visiting with four schools coming out of the World Junior Summer Showcase.

Believe they are Boston College, Boston University, Western Michigan and Wisconsin.
— Scott Wheeler (@scottcwheeler) August 4, 2026

NeutralZone's profile :

4 ⭐️Brek Liske is a 6’1′, 192-pound right-shot defenseman who logged heavy minutes for Everett (20:59 TOI, 2:44 SHT, +36). He is a reliable, detail-driven defender with a strong foundation. He is steady, composed, and efficient rather than dynamic and that translates to the NHL game as he consistently makes clean first passes (90% pass completion) and manages play through structure and positioning.

Last month, he attended Philadelphia's development camp along with 2025 second-round picks Amico and Jack Murtagh.

UPDATED: Macklin's $94M extension; Terriers shine at WJSS; Recruit flips to BC; A Hobey winner to return?

2026-07-28T07:47:24.247-04:00

The highest-paid player in the NHL. pic.twitter.com/oc8xmpAT8O
— BU Men's Hockey (@TerrierHockey) July 29, 2026

Macklin Celebrini has signed a five-year, $94-million contract extension with San Jose after establishing himself as one of the NHL top talents while still under 20 years old (he turned 20 in June). The $18.8M AAV contract makes him the highest paid player in the NHL.

Extended ‼️

More goals, assists, celebrations, historic performances, and fun coming 🔜. pic.twitter.com/m5lG40JLV9
— San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) July 29, 2026

Celebrini, who was the 2024 Hobey Baker Memorial Award winner and a first team All-American, led BU to the Frozen Four in his one season in Scarlet. Last season, he finished fourth in the NHL in both points (115) and goals (45), for a two-season total of 70-108-178.

"In just two seasons as a teenager in the National Hockey League and on the International stage, Macklin has established himself as one of the premier players in the world," [General Manager] Mike Grier said. "We are extremely excited to have him secured and committed as the centerpiece of a core of talented players in San Jose.

That's TWO goals tonight for Macklin Celebrini 🦈 pic.twitter.com/JEgbff83YF
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) November 8, 2024

● NHL.com Celebrini signs 5-year contract worth League-best $18.8 million annually with Sharks

CHECK BACK FOR MORE COVERAGE

The 2026 World Junior Summer Showcase, an initial step for determining rosters for the upcoming WJCs in Alberta, has begun in Windsor, Ontario. Team USA's roster currently has four Terriers--Carter Amico, Conrad Fondrk, Jack Murtagh, and Charlie Trethewey and 2027 recruit Brady Knowling--while Canada's roster includes Tynan Lawrence, Caleb Malhotra and Xavier Villeneuve.

Finland and Sweden also have teams in the tournament. The U.S. and Canada will face off on Sunday, August 1.

● NHL.com World Junior Summer Showcase marks 1st step on road to 2027 World Juniors

● USA Hockey WJSS Homepage, Schedule

● Hockey Canada WJSS Information

On Monday, Glance was a top performer in USA Blue's 5-1 win over Finland. The Daily Faceoff's Steven Ellis wrote:

#17 Jamie Glance, RW (2027 NHL Draft): I was in the process of writing about how impactful Glance’s puck retrieval game was… only for him to steal the puck and then blast it in the net to make it 4-1. He has such an outstandingly quick release and can snipe from just about anywhere. Glance works so hard along the boards and is great in tight, allowing himself plenty of opportunities to create dangerous chances around the net. I love his energy, and I think Glance will make USA’s final roster despite being a draft-eligible prospect.

Jamie Glance has been quite noticeable today and he just made it 4-1 USA Blue. #WJSS #NHLDraft pic.twitter.com/Axs6CmZ3fU
— Steven Ellis (@SEllisHockey) July 27, 2026

In USA White's 6-4 win against Sweden, Murtagh scored a power play goal and added two helpers, while Amico opened the scoring for Team USA.

Carter Amico tips Landon Nycz's feed and it's 1-0 USA.

Heck of a shift from Amico altogether there. #WJSS pic.twitter.com/TcE73WmnY8
— Steven Ellis (@SEllisHockey) July 27, 2026

A beautiful goal from Jack Murtagh on the power play makes it 5-2 USA. #WJSS pic.twitter.com/bncsT4V6Nv
— Steven Ellis (@SEllisHockey) July 28, 2026

● USA Hockey U.S. Sweeps Day Two of Games at World Junior Summer Showcase

● Daily Faceoff Day 2 Top Performers

►Defenseman Luke Schairer, who committed to BU prior to his two seasons with the NTDP, also is at WJSS camp. However, media reports indicate that he is flipping his commitment to BC, beginning his college career this September, rather than waiting a year to play for BU.

A third-round draft pick by St. Louis last month, Schairer had announced plans to spend the 2026-27 season with OHL Peterborough. That decision apparently has changed.

BU's pipeline for 2027 would still include two defensemen: Blake Barnes, who will be playing his second season for OHL Niagara Falls, and Freddy Meyer V, who returns to QMJHL Quebec and will be joined there this season by his brother, Carter Meyer, and James Scantlebury.

► Freshman defenseman Haoxi Wang, a 2025 San Jose second-round draft pick, spoke with Teal Talk about his final year of junior hockey, his second Sharks' development camp and his decision to commit to BU.

● NHL.com Wang looking to one day play role of 'Mr. Everything' with Sharks

► Several social media posts suggest that 2009 Hobey Baker winner and Terrier captain Matt Gilroy will be joining the BU staff in a player development role. That would be contingent on the NCAA approval of staff expansion this summer.

Gilroy, a two-time first-team All-American who led BU to the 2009 national championship, has spent the past two seasons as an assistant coach at Harvard. Previously he was an assistant coach at the NTDP.

● Elite Prospects Page

►Our friend BU Hockey Stats answered questions from Terrier fans in a recent blogpost, including who have been the top scorers playing two seasons or less for BU.

UPDATED: Freshman class rankings; AHL signings

2026-07-21T14:27:14.439-04:00

College Puck TOP 20 Freshman Class Team Rank
~July 2026 Edition~

Based on: Star Power, Quality, & Depth of incoming classes for current committed players that are confirmed to be Freshman in the 2026-27 season🤩

1. Michigan State🟢⚪️⚔️
2. Denver🪓
3. MichiganⓂ️
4. North… pic.twitter.com/W8FOY8ozcU
— College Puck NXT (@CollegePuckNXT) July 23, 2026

BU's freshman class currently includes five skaters: forwards Caleb Malhotra, Niklas Aaram Olsen and Viktor Nörringer, and defensemen Xavier Villeneuve and Haoxi Wang.

Congrats to Conrad Fondrk on being added to @usahockey's roster for the World Junior Summer Showcase! pic.twitter.com/7hn6WiXl5A
— BU Men's Hockey (@TerrierHockey) July 21, 2026

Rising sophomore Fondrk, a 2025 NJ Devils second-round draft pick, joins current Terriers Carter Amico, Jack Murtagh and Charlie Trethewey and 2027 recruits Jamie Glance, Brady Knowling and Luke Schairer on the WJSS camp roster. The weeklong event is set for Windsor, Ontario, beginning July 26. The 47-man US roster will be split into two squads for games against Canada, Finland and Sweden.

● NHL.com Devils Prospect File: Conrad Fondrk

At the recent Vancouver Canucks development camp, first-round pick Caleb Malhotra was the focus of considerable media attention. However, the Canucks' second-round pick, Niklas Aaram-Olsen, opened some eyes as well. The 6'1" left-shot forward discussed his final season in Sweden with Örebro HK and with Norway's national team, as well as preparation for his first college campaign.

“I think I got more of an all-around game, 200-foot game, got better in defensive zone, and just keep developing using my body a little bit more, get a little bit more grit,” Aaram-Olsen said.

His plan for the summer is to continue building on those improvements, while applying what he’s learned at development camp. With a more fast-paced game awaiting him in the NCAA in the fall, he’s concentrating on improving his first five strides and body positioning to help him adapt quickly.
For his first time living in North America, he’ll have some familiar faces when he arrives on campus. Meeting fellow Canucks prospects Caleb Malhotra and Aiden Celebrini at development camp gave Aaram-Olsen some added comfort going to BU in the fall.

● NHL.com Aaram-Olsen is focused on the details

● YouTube 2025-26 Highlights

► The Athletic's Scott Wheeler's ranking of top goalie prospects slots Mikhail Yegorov at #9 and Drew Commesso at #20.

Yegorov is a freak athlete who has high-end attributes. He’s a 6-foot-5 goaltender with raw, natural athleticism that presents itself in his ability to go post-to-post or low-to-high. He also has good hands, and he reads and anticipates the play smartly. He started his post-draft season by returning to the USHL with the Lancers, a team in disarray that often got shelled with shots. After posting a .912 save percentage across 19 games and just three wins to show for it, Yegorov accelerated his commitment to Boston University and joined the Terriers for the second half (where he was excellent early and into the Beanpot, and really made a world of difference for that team, elevating its ceiling and backstopping BU into the Frozen Four). Yegorov was one of the stories of the college hockey season (the five goals he gave up in the final were the most he’d surrendered after joining the Terriers). He and BU didn't follow it up with the same level of play in his sophomore year, but the talent is all there. He’s a big, long, lean goalie who should get stronger, is quick on his feet and in and out of his butterfly with clear technical skills as well. With the right patience, there’s some serious untapped potential in Yegorov’s game still, too. He has starter upside

In the Jay Pandolfo Era, BU has scored 13 OT game winning goals, a Hutson has scored 8 of them pic.twitter.com/nNeBxR9QZQ
— BU Hockey Stats (@BUHockeyStats) July 10, 2026

Looking ahead

5-⭐️ 2027 recruit Carter Meyer has been granted his release from the NTDP and will skate for the Quebec Remparts of the QMJHL next season. He'll rejoin his brother, 2027 recruit Freddy Meyer V, his teammate for two seasons at The Rivers School. Their dad, Freddy Meyer IV, was an All-American defenseman for BU.

Meyer posted 70 points (29G,41A) last season, playing initially for the U17s and then with the U18s. He's expected to be the top U.S. player in the 2027 NHL Entry Draft.

In an interview with The Hockey News, Meyer explains that he's modeling his game after BU All-American and NHL star Macklin Celebrini.

“I was around when [Celebrini] was [at Boston University], and that was so fun to watch,” Meyer told The Hockey News' Ryan Kennedy. “As a center and 200-foot player, it’s hard not to want to model your game after him.”
"He’s a smart, hard-working forward who plays a reliable two-way game while hitting everyone in sight," Daily Faceoff's Steven Ellis wrote of Meyer, ranking him fifth in his first ranking for the 2027 Draft. "He’s not even that big – he’s just strong and willing to throw his body at everyone."

Note: the THN story indicates Meyer would join BU in 2028-29. This has not yet been confirmed.

The Remparts also have signed 5-⭐️ 2027 recruit James Scantlebury following a season with USHL Chicago.

● FloHockey.tv Top American Prospect Carter Meyer signs with Quebec Remparts

● FloHockey.tv Carter Meyer highlights

Looking back

►►Former Terrier Chris Bourque has been named assistant GM of the AHL Toronto Marlies. In recent years, he has been an amateur scout and later Director of Amateur Scouting/Recruitment for the Maple Leafs.

A three-time Calder Cup champion with AHL Hershey, Bourque had a 10-13-23 line in his sole season at BU, including the Beanpot-winning overtime goal in 2005.

Earlier, the Marlies re-signed Sam Stevens to a one-year contract and signed Matt Copponi to a one-year deal.

● LeafNation.com Toronto Marlies name Chris Bourque as assistant general manager, round out coaching staff

Welcome to the Sharks, Jeff.

The Sharks have hired Jeff Kealty as Assistant General Manager.
— San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) July 17, 2026

Former BU defenseman Jeff Kealty has been named Assistant GM of the San Jose Sharks, reuniting with his Terrier teammate and SJ GM Mike Grier. They spent two seasons together at BU, the 1995 national championship and the 1996 Frozen Four appearance.

Kealty had been with the Nashville organization since 2001, serving as assistant GM the past eight seasons. He joined the Predators as an amateur scout and then was promoted to chief amateur scout.

In 2025, he served as general manager for gold-medal winning Team USA at the IIHF Men's World Championships. It was the first gold for the US in 92 seasons. Current Sharks head coach Ryan Warsofsky was Team USA's coach.

● NHL.com Sharks hire Jeff Kealty as assistant general manager

● Elite Prospects Page

Staying with the Sharks, Macklin Celebrini has been named the IIHF Male Player of the Year. The 2024 Hobey Baker Award winner scored five goals in the 2026 Olympic games to lead Canada to the silver medal. He also captained Canada's squad in the 2026 Men's World Championships, scoring 14 points.

● NHL.com Celebrini named IIHF Male Player of the Year, led Olympics in goals

Trevor Zegras has signed a new four-year contract with Philadelphia worth an average annual value (AAV) of $9.125M. In his first full season with the Flyers, Zegras set career highs with 26 goals and 67 points.

● NHL.com Philadelphia Flyers Agree To Terms With Forward Trevor Zegras On A Four-Year Contract

After playing seven games for Chicago at the end of last season, Sacha Boisvert is looking to secure a roster spot for the upcoming season. BU Coach Jay Pandolfo believes he's ready for the next level.

“He can play a lot of different styles of a game, which is important," Pandolfo said. "He can play physically, he has enough skill to make plays, great shot, really good release. That’s going to help him. And as a center, he’s capable of playing good, solid defense and he can create offense. Like any player that goes into pro hockey, they’re just going to have to learn what it takes to play at that level at a consistent basis.”

● NHL.com Boisvert ready to take next step in joining Blackhawks' youth movement

● EyesOnIsles Cole Eiserman can have a Matthew Schaefer-like impact on the Islanders

● NHL.com Blackhawks Agree to Terms With Goaltender Drew Commesso on Two-Year Contract

News from the development camps, trades and free agency; early 2027 draft rankings and a tease

2026-07-03T14:17:24.646-04:00

Happy Fourth of July and Happy Birthday, America!

From the Development Camps

And that’s the first Caleb Malhotra snipe in Canucks colours. 🎯 pic.twitter.com/PoH85GSOWN
— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) July 2, 2026

Bar down beauty from Niklas Aaram-Olsen. 🎯 pic.twitter.com/lGVpsiq8nK
— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) July 2, 2026

● NHL.com Interview with Bruins Prospect Jonathan Morello

► A frank interview with Jack Murtagh at Flyers' camp about his first year at BU, what he needs to improve on and the return of an NTDP teammate:

► Ben Merrill connects at Montreal Development Camp, skating on a line with 2027 recruit Braidy Wassilyn.

● TribLive Penguins defenseman prospect Charlie Trethewey ready for 2nd year at Boston University

“The guys are a lot older, stronger, bigger than juniors, more physical, so it’s getting used to that. And the pace of play is a lot faster, too, than juniors,” the 6-foot-1 defenseman said. “Especially now with the (Canadian Hockey League) rule changing, you have all the guys from the (CHL) coming in. The NCAA is better than ever now because of that rule. It’s awesome to play against those guys"

Ahead of his sophomore season at BU, Trethewey is placing an added focus on spending time in the film room, being better with his stick and “fine-tuning the little stuff.”

● WGNRadio.com at Development Camp Notebook: First impressions of Xavier Villeneuve

His highlight reel will impress you, and he was just as entertaining to watch during development camp practices.

(Chicago GM) Davidson said Villeneuve won him over during their in-person interview at the NHL Scouting Combine in Buffalo, and it’s easy to see why. He’s got infectious energy, supreme confidence that’s balanced with humility, and he’s a true hockey junkie. His biggest inspiration growing up? Blackhawks legend Duncan Keith.

“Everything,” Villeneuve said when asked what he likes about Keith. “What he did on the ice, what was his average time on ice when he was in playoffs? Probably 30 minutes, above 30 minutes? Just a horse on the ice. He could do it all. He’s really the guy that made me fall in love with the position of defenseman. It’s awesome I’ll be here and hopefully do a little bit of what he did.”
Xavier Villeneuve showing off some skill in a fun back-and-forth sequence: pic.twitter.com/LODuIA1oS9
— BHF (@BlackhawksFocus) July 3, 2026

● amerks.com McCarthy Growing in Second Appearance at Sabres Development Camp

Looking ahead

With the NHL Entry Draft in the rear-view mirror, rankings for the 2027 draft are emerging. The Daily Faceoff’s early rankings feature three Terrier recruits: #5 Carter Meyer; #27 Jamie Glance; and #29 James Scantlebury.

Meyer had a standout season in the NTDP, beginning with the U17, then being promoted to the U18s. He had a combined 70 points (29G,41A). The son of Terrier All-American Freddy Meyer, Carter is seeking to leave the NTDP and join his older brother, Freddy Meyer V, on the Quebec Remparts.

"Meyer was one of USA’s top players this past year… at the U-18 level. He earned a call-up from the U-17 squad in the second half and never looked back. He’s a smart, hard-working forward who plays a reliable two-way game while hitting everyone in sight. He’s not even that big – he’s just strong and willing to throw his body at everyone."

Glance, a right wing with a wicked shot, led the NTDP U18s in scoring with a 23-33-56 line. He’ll play one more season of junior before arriving on Commonwealth Ave. His QJMHL rights are held by St. John’s while Green Bay holds his USHL rights.

"Glance plays a highly detailed game – a lot of what he does well doesn’t get rewarded on the scoresheet. He forces giveaways, does a good job of chasing after attackers, and draws penalties as well as anyone on the USNTDP this past year. It just feels like every time I zeroed in on Glance, he made something happen."

Scantlebury, a 5-⭐️ recruit like Meyer, put up 39 points for the Chicago Steel, earning a spot on the USHL all-rookie team. The Montreal native is headed to QMJHL Quebec for his draft season.

"Scantlebury was drafted ninth overall by the QMJHL’s Quebec Remparts, but he elected to sign with the USHL’s Steel instead last year. Now, he’s set to join Quebec, where he’ll look to be the top prospect taken out of the Q. Scantlebury moves well and has some of the best playmaking in the 2027 draft class. Scouts wish he’d simplify his game at points – he can use his linemates a bit more. But in terms of pure, raw talent, Scantlebury is as good as they come right now."

Keep your fingers crossed on this one, BU fans.

Projected 2030 top prospect RJ Celebrini (Macklin’s younger brother) is NASSTYYY 🔥 pic.twitter.com/oSDN70fxc4
— Game Notes (@GameNotesBud) July 2, 2026

Looking back

The Devils' new GM Sunny Mehta, formerly the Panthers AGM, on the acquisition of Evan Rodrigues in a recent trade for goalie Jacob Markstrom.

"(Acquiring Rodrigues in the trade) was a key piece for me," Mehta said. "Evan is one of those guys who, to some extent, has kind of been underrated his entire career. In a lot of ways, this is sort of the next logical step in his career, where he's been an important cog in this machine down in Florida and now he's going to come here as one of our leaders."

Rodrigues said: “I think my leadership and the experience and the work ethic (are things Mehta appreciated in my game). I think we both know playing against (New Jersey) that they have a ton of talent, a ton of speed, and are very dangerous. The have big defensemen who are hard to play against who can be in your face. At the end of the day, it's a long season and you have to find ways to recover properly, and do all the right things.”

Domenick Fensore has signed a one-year free agent contract with Colorado. The former Terrier captain, originally a Carolina draft pick, is coming off a career season with AHL Chicago, putting up 35 points and earning a spot in the AHL All-Star game. He also made his NHL debut with the Hurricanes.

In 122 games as a Terrier, he scored 86 points and was a First Team Hockey East All-Star as a senior.

Wilmer Skoog has signed a one-year,two-way contract with Detroit, following three seasons in the Florida Panthers’ system. In 182 regular-season games with the Charlotte Checkers, the 26-year-old posted 49 goals and 43 assists, with another eight points in 24 postseason games

A four-year Terrier, Skoog was key cog in the offense in his last two seasons, putting up 61 points (31G,30A), including four tallies on his trademark lacrosse goals.

HIgh-end OHL forward commits; New Roster Projections; Gone camping

2026-06-30T22:45:40.898-04:00

‼️🚨BREAKING🚨‼️

The Boston University Terries have received a commitment from Alessandro Di Iorio!
🅱️🐾

3rd round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft by @BlueJacketsNHL

The ‘08 born Forward from Vaughan, Ontario had 31 points in 45 GP during the 2025-26 season for @StingHockey pic.twitter.com/I152JXFQtP
— College Puck NXT (@CollegePuckNXT) June 30, 2026

Terriers have received a commitment from Sarnia Sting forward Alessandro Di Iorio. The 6'1", 188 right-shot center was selected by Columbus in the third round of last week's NHL Entry Draft, taken at #94 overall. PuckPreps, which rates him as a 4.5-⭐️STAR prospect, reports he'll arrive for the 2027-28 season. We'll look to confirm that.

The Athletic's Cory Pronman reported:

Di Iorio is a hardworking two-way center who skates well and has a lot of energy in his game. The No. 2 pick in his OHL Draft, Di Iorio has quality puck skills, vision and finishing ability, although his pure offensive play isn’t super exciting. He creates offense more through his effort and supporting the play than being a creative player.

Di Iorio spent the past two seasons with the Sting and also played on Canadian National Teams at the 16U, 17U and 18U levels. Last year, a pre-season elbow injury limited him to 45 regular-season games but he still produced a 12-19-31 line. When he returned to the lineup, Di Iorio was named team captain.

The Vaughn, Ont., native produced 38 points in 58 games in his first year with the Sting, after starring in the Vaughn Kings organization where he won regular-season championships at the 14, 15 and 16 levels.

The Hockey News' draft profile:

Di Iorio has developed into a dependable two-way center. He can create turnovers by applying pressure to puck carriers and has shown an ability not just to get into shooting lanes, but to lay his body on the line with blocked shots. Di Iorio's defensive abilities have allowed him to become an effective penalty killer as well as a matchup center in the OHL.
As for the offensive zone, Di Iorio is better known as a perimeter player. Listed at 6'0", 188 lbs, he is skilled enough to beat defenders in one-on-one situations, which allows him to create open space in order to create scoring chances. Di Iorio has also shown strong playmaking abilities, as he can anticipate where his teammates will be and deliver passes to them in stride.

On the international level, Di Iorio has experience with several future Terrier teammates.

He played in the 2023 Youth Olympic Games on Canada’s U16 team along with Tynan Lawrence and 2027 recruit Braidy Wassilyn, leading the tournament in goal-scoring and his team in points (6-1-7 in four games).

A year ago he skated on Canada's gold-medal World U18 team along with Xavier Villeneuve, scoring twice and adding an assist. This past Spring he played in the WJC 18U again, this time with Lawrence, tallying three assists.

In between, he and Lawrence helped Canada claim a bronze medal at the 2025 Hlinka-Gretzky tournament.

● Elite Prospects Page

● TheHockeyWriters.com Di Iorio draft profile

● Instagram Page

► With the new commitment, BU has nine current or future players chosen in the 2026 Entry Draft, one behind Michigan State with 10.

►Development camps have begun for many NHL teams. Here are the Terriers in attendance:

Chicago: Villeneuve, Sacha Boisvert; Philadelphia: Devin Kaplan. Jack Murtagh, Carter Amico; Vancouver: Aiden Celebrini, Caleb Malhotra, Niklas Aaram-Olsen; St. Louis: Lawrence, Luke Schairer; Nashville: Viktor Norringer; Columbus Di Iorio; Ottawa: Brandon Svoboda; Pittsburgh: Charlie Trethewey; Islanders Kamil Bednarik, Cole Eiserman; Devils: Conrad Fondrk; Anaheim: Rian Chudzinski; Colorado: Shawn Carrier; Montreal Ben Merrill, Braidy Wassilyn; San Jose: Haoxi Wang, Brady Knowling; Buffalo: Gavin McCarthy; Toronto, Nick Roukounakis and Boston: Jonathan Morello.

Parker MacKay of the Bruins on BU's Jonathan Morello:

"He's a powerful skater. He plays an honest game. He's never going to cheat. He gets to hard areas. ... I think he understands what he is and the identity he needs to play with to have success"
— Mark Divver (@MarkDivver) July 1, 2026

►Our friend BurntBoats posted his updated Roster Projections graphic just before the latest commitment, so that name is missing. In addition, Zachary Morin is no longer a BU commit.

►Lawrence posted his final Draft Diary entry for NHL.com, focusing on last week's draft day when he was selected at #11 overall by St. Louis.

Looking back

A pair of Terriers who played for the Panthers have new homes. Evan Rodrigues, who won the Stanley Cup twice with Florida, was sent to New Jersey in a trade for Jacob Markstrom. ERod, who is in the final year of a four-year contract, has 270 career points (107G-163A) over 11 seasons. With Florida, he was a middle six forward who saw time on both power play and penalty kill units, roles he's expected to fill in New Jersey. A Devils blog calls hims "a Swiss army knife type."

AJ Greer, who also was Rodrigues' teammate on BU's 2015 national finalist team, has inked a four-year, $4.25 million average annual value contract with Anaheim that includes a 10-team no-trade clause. He had been traded to the Ducks over the weekend and completed his new deal just before he was to become an unrestricted free agent. In a career year, Greer rang up 17 goals and 15 assists for the Panthers.

● NHL.com Devils acquire Rodrigues from Florida

● ESPN.com Ducks sign AJ Greer to 4-year deal with $4.25M AAV

UPDATED Villeneuve, Aaram-Olsen, four others selected on Draft Day 2

2026-06-27T23:14:45.977-04:00

Six Terrier recruits heard their names called on Day 2 of the NHL Entry Draft, led by second-round choices defenseman Xavier Villeneuve, taken at #34 by the Blackhawks and Nikolas Aaram-Olsen, taken by Vancouver with the 41st pick.

Along with first-round selections Caleb Malhotra and Tynan Lawrence, eight of the nine draft-eligible Terriers were selected. Those two as well as Villeneuve and Aaram-Olsen will skate for the 2026-27 squad, which will include 20 drafted players.

8 Terriers were drafted in the 2026 NHL Draft which matches a program record reached in 1987, 2012, and 2019
— BU Hockey Stats (@BUHockeyStats) June 27, 2026

A dynamic offensive-defenseman (See recruit profile in the sidebar) who plays in the Hutson Brothers' style, Villeneuve adds to the increasing Terrier presence on the Blackhawks. Jordan Greenway has joined Chicago returnees Alex Vlasic, Ryan Greene, Sacha Boisvert and, possibly Drew Commesso.

After drafting only 6'1" or taller D-men in recent years, Blackhawks GM Kyle Davidson explained drafting the undersized Villeneuve to The Athletic.

“I just think the dynamic offense, the skating,” Davidson said when asked how Villeneuve might be different. “He has a lot of traits that are required of a smaller defenseman to work moving forward and so that certainly played into it.”
“Honestly for me personally, he was just one of those guys, too, that really popped for me when I met him in person,” Davidson said. “I love the passion he spoke with when he talked about the game, how he talked about the game, even just knowing about the league.
“It’s a whole package, there’s a holistic aspect to that. But from a hockey standpoint, the offense and the skating is one that you need to see from a defenseman of his size to have a good feeling that they’ll be able to make it moving forward.”

I had Xavier Villenueve ranked #4 on my list. And I think 31 other NHL orgs will hate that they passed on this kid in a few years. Elite skater, manipulative, deceptive, elite vision, extremely skilled, could be Lane Hutson 2.0. Great pick by Kyle here. pic.twitter.com/TMDUCUwfh8
— CSS (@ChicagoSufferer) June 27, 2026

● TheHockeyWriters.com Blackhawks Draft Xavier Villeneuve 34th Overall

● Second City Hockey Blackhawks select defenseman Xavier Villeneuve in second round

● Boston Hockey Blog Xavier Villeneuve selected by Chicago Blackhawks in Second Round

BU's first-ever Norweigan recruit, Aaram-Olsen joins fellow freshman Malhotra as a Canucks' pick following a strong J20 Nationell season in Sweden with Örebro (20-20-40).

CanucksArmy.com reported "He attacks off the rush, handles the puck at pace and works responsibly on the backcheck," while The Daily Faceoff wrote:

“Aaram-Olsen always shines internationally, typically playing a big role for Norway across all age groups. He’s a pure goal scorer, and he often can be found dominating his own age group. I love him on the power play, where it feels like he does a good job of cycling the puck and then firing quick one-timers."

The Athletic commented:

More than anything, though, Aaram-Olsen is a proper freak-level athlete.
At the NHL draft combine, Aaram-Olsen absolutely crushed the various jump-related athletic tests. These are typically the tests that NHL talent evaluators pay the most attention to, largely because they’re seen as correlated with explosive skating ability. In the standing long jump test, in particular, Aaram-Olsen recorded the best result in this draft class.
“He’s a machine in the gym,” Vancouver Dir. of Amateur Scouting Todd Harvey noted. “I mean, he’s a guy that’s pretty low-maintenance, a direct player when he’s on the ice. He’s direct and he skates quick. That kind of explosive skating, and he’s got a really good shot so he can beat goalies.”

● TheHockeyWriters.com Canucks Draft Niklas Aaram-Olsen 41st Overall

"It means a lot, [I'm] really grateful."

Niklas Aaram-Olsen chats with Rinkside Reporter Olivia McDonald about getting drafted by the #Canucks. #NHLDraft | @UberEats pic.twitter.com/VuuwusqTPj
— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) June 27, 2026

A pair 2027 recruits were selected in the third round of the draft.

With the 75th overall pick, the Blues have selected defenseman Luke Schairer. pic.twitter.com/nOJzdhgVND
— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) June 27, 2026

A 6'3", 200 lb., right-shot defenseman, Luke Schairer was the first NTDP blueliner selected. His Elite Prospects' draft profile:

An explosive skater with a separating top-end gear, Schairer has the mobility of an NHL shutdown defender. He also has the rush defence skills, combining the speed with angling, stick work, and precision. He’s a master of diffusing complex rushes.

The North Carolina native, who will skate for Peterborough in the OHL next season, told The Hockey News:

"Just going to the OHL is going to be really good for my game," Schairer said. "There’s no rush. Obviously, I’m really raw. I feel like one more year in the OHL is going to be good for me, for my offensive game, for my defensive game, for playing a lot of minutes. Just going to help me develop a lot. Going to BU after that, so I’m excited.
"The environment there, they have had a lot of NHL players that (went) there that came through BU. Obviously (Jay) Pandolfo is a really respected head coach and I feel like he's going to help me be an NHL player as I get older.

"I'm a two-way defenseman, I feel like I can play in most situations... I'm excited for what's next."

Hear from Blues' third-round pick Luke Shairer immediately after his name was called at the 2026 #NHLDraft. pic.twitter.com/8PDE9XbXzu
— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) June 27, 2026

Rian Chudzinski has been selected by the Anaheim Ducks with the 82nd overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. ⁰⁰Chudzinski recorded 17 points (six goals, 11 assists) across 21 playoff games for the Moncton Wildcats. pic.twitter.com/P4Wnie4l6H
— Boston Hockey Blog (@BOShockeyblog) June 27, 2026

Following a 52-point prep season at Dexter Southfield, Rian Chudzinski had a strong rookie season in the QMJHL. The son of longtime NFL coach Rob Chudzinski, he'll return to Moncton for a second season before heading to Comm. Ave.

Orange County Register:

His straight-line speed, tenacity and willingness to bang bodies all stand out. His offensive game gained steam over the course of his campaign last year, but his aggressiveness, hunger for the puck and activity level are what make him an attractive prospect.

● NHL.com Ducks Select Winger Chudzinski in Third Round of NHL Draft

2027 recruit Brady Knowling was grabbed in the fourth round by San Jose as part of one of the top 2026 draft classes. The 6'5" netminder for the NTDP U18s was a standout in the USA-CHL series with a 42-save effort to secure a win. He also suited up for Team USA in the World Juniors. Knowling, who was Central Scouting's top-ranked North American goalie, will be in the crease for OHL Saginaw next season.

● San Jose Hockey Now Sharks Pick Brady Knowling No. 127

San Jose GM Mike Grier--a BU All-American and Jay Pandolfo teammate on the 1995 national champions--who selected Knowling as well as three first-round picks, continues to build a strong player pipeline for San Jose to support his Macklin Celebrini-led team. The Sharks have earned kudos as one the top winners of the 2026 draft.

Shawn Carrier has been selected 195th overall by the Avalanche! pic.twitter.com/XHQxPNvomz
— Terrier Hockey (@BU_Hockey5) June 27, 2026

The final BU recruit selected was left wing Shawn Carrier, taken in the seventh round by Colorado. Last season, the 2027 recruit led the Halifax Mooseheads in goal-scoring with a 37-28-65 scoring line. His Elite Prospects draft profile:

Carrier makes his impact – literally – on the forecheck. After forcing opponents to the outside, he hammers them into the wall. He’s quick to close and has the persistence to rip pucks free on second and third efforts.

● thednvr.com Carrier notes and hat trick video (scroll down)

First-round picks: Malhotra to Canucks, Lawrence to Blues

2026-06-27T00:32:23.820-04:00

BU's potential top two centers for 2026-27 were selected early the NHL Entry Draft as expected. Brantford's Caleb Malhotra was the third pick by Vancouver, the team he rooted for growing up, while rising sophomore Tynan Lawrence went to St. Louis at #11. They are the 28th and 29th Terriers chosen in the first round of the draft.

BU has multiple players selected in the Top 11 of an NHL Draft for the first time in program history
— BU Hockey Stats (@BUHockeyStats) June 27, 2026

● GoTerriers.com Malhotra, Lawrence drafted in first round of 2026 NHL Draft

● College Hockey News NHL Draft: 19 Current, Incoming College Players Taken in 1st Round

Malhotra, who skyrocketed up the draft rankings, emerged as the top center available following an 84-point regular season--and 26 more in the playoffs--for the Bulldogs. When he eventually turns pro, he'll skate for his father, Manny Malhotra, the Canucks' new head coach and himself a first-round pick in 1998.

● TSN Video DraftCentre Analysis: Canucks take Caleb Malhotra at No. 3

“Caleb Malhotra’s greatest asset, as good as his hockey sense and his speed and size is, is his character,” an anonymous NHL scout told The Athletic of Malhotra’s game in May. “He’s got elite character. I could see him captaining an NHL team someday, and you’re seeing it, his production in big games has gone to another level. He’s been dynamite in the playoffs.

"This is actually what I dreamed of." 💙

Caleb Malhotra chats with the Sportsnet panel about the emotions he felt after getting selected by the #Canucks.#NHLDraft | @ubereats pic.twitter.com/tlL0Z81IiP
— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) June 27, 2026

NHL.com report

Malhotra (6-foot-2, 185 pounds) is one of junior hockey's most complete and trusted centers, having rapidly become a cornerstone piece playing key minutes in all situations. He has elite hockey sense and speed, and his ability to manage pace, arrive in space ahead of defenders and elevate linemates are qualities that separate him from others at his position. The 18-year-old is a committed two-way forward who was second among Ontario Hockey League rookies with 84 points (29 goals, 55 assists) in 67 games, and led Brantford during the playoffs with 26 points (13 goals, 13 assists) in 15 games. He'll play at Boston University next season.
NHL.com analysis: The first step in the Canucks rebuilding effort is a future top-line center in Malhotra. He began the season on Brantford's top line while some of their older players were at NHL training camps. The thought was he would slide down the lineup when those players came back, but it never happened; Malhotra earned his spot in the top six and on the top power play, and then was a dominant presence in the OHL playoffs. That Caleb's father, Manny Malhotra, is the Canucks coach likely didn't enter into the Vancouver decision; big, smart, skilled centers are what teams build championships around, and that's the profile for Malhotra.

● NHL.com Caleb Malhotra 'literally dreamed about' getting drafted by Canucks

● NHL.com Caleb Malhotra talks with Jameson Coyle

● NHL.com Pre-draft day interview (video)

● FloHockey.tv Canucks select Malhotra No. 3

Malhotra becomes the seventh Terrier drafted in the top 5 of an NHL draft, joining Macklin Celebrini (#1,2024), Brady Tkachuk (#4, 2018), Jack Eichel (#2, 2015), Ryan Whitney (#5, 2002), Rick DiPietro (#1, 2000) and Scott Lachance (#4, 1991).

A moment Tynan will never forget!
pic.twitter.com/5K8swygwIQ
— BU Men's Hockey (@TerrierHockey) June 27, 2026

Lawrence joined BU at mid-season last year after leading USHL Muskegon to the 2025 Clark Cup title as playoff MVP and putting up 17 points in 13 games for the Lumberjack last fall.

“You just saw him get better and better. The production wasn’t there to start, but you still saw a lot of the things that make him a really good hockey player; just his relentless effort and motor, creating turnovers with a good stick, his pace,” Coach Jay Pandolfo told The Athletic. “And I thought in the last 3-4 games he played for us that he was arguably our best forward.”

By the end of it, Pandolfo also had him killing penalties, and he averaged 17:28 per game.

Tynan Lawrence went to Jake Allen's mini camps and already had "a few Blues things in his bedroom."

Check out this one-on-one interview with the Blues' No. 11 overall pick. #stlblues #NHLDraft pic.twitter.com/JC1eWfaSMo
— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) June 27, 2026

Full circle moment for Tynan Lawrence 💙 #NHLDraft pic.twitter.com/0qYMfiQU4L
— NHL (@NHL) June 27, 2026

NHL.com report

As one of the most complete and competitive forwards available in the draft, Lawrence (6-foot, 183 pounds) is a player whose game is defined as much by pace and intelligence as by production. The 17-year-old began the season with 17 points (10 goals, seven assists) in 13 games as captain of Muskegon of the United States Hockey League. He made the move to NCAA hockey Jan. 8, and had seven points (two goals, five assists) and 35 shots on goal in 18 games. His combination of skating, intelligence and competitive edge make him special, and his game already resembles what NHL teams look for in high-leverage moments.

NHL.com analysis: With the first of four first-round picks, the Blues fill a need at center with Lawrence. He got solid experience playing half a season of NCAA hockey, and he'll be even better when he plays an entire season at BU next season. He's a dynamic presence with a 200-foot game, who knows how to use his speed to back up defenders. The Blues could have a franchise-altering weekend in Buffalo, and Lawrence is a nice first step in that process.

● thehockeywriters.com Blues Draft Tynan Lawrence 11th Overall

BU has had at least 1 player selected within the first two rounds in each of the last 12 NHL drafts and have had a player selected in the 1st round for the 4th straight draft
— BU Hockey Stats (@BUHockeyStats) June 26, 2026

The draft concludes Saturday with televised coverage on NHL Network. Look for incoming freshmen Xavier Villeneuve and Niklas Aaram Olsen to be early day two selections.

Draft Day; Former Terriers on the move

2026-06-26T09:00:36.534-04:00

The 2026 NHL Entry Draft begins tonight with first-round selections to be announced. Live coverage is on ESPN and ESPN+. Centers Tynan Lawrence and Caleb Malhotra are certain to hear there names called; possibly Xavier Villeneuve and Niklas Aaram-Olsen, too.

In a USCHO Draft Preview video, Head Coach Jay Pandolfo looks at Lawrence’s half-season as a Terrier and looks ahead to his first full campaign.

McKeen's Hockey takes a deep dive--with video--into Malhotra, who is considered the top center available in this year's draft, and who might be selected at #3 by Vancouver, who just named his father, Manny Malhotra, as its new head coach, or at #5 the Rangers who made Manny the seventh overall selection in 1998.

Given his impressive in-season progression and transformation, Malhotra presents as both a high floor and high ceiling option to teams. At the very least, he’s going to be an elite level third line center who can provide secondary offense and top notch penalty killing ability. Best case, he’s an all situations top line pivot who can be an anchor for his team.

● McKeen's Hockey 2026 NHL DRAFT: DETAILED SCOUTING REPORT – Caleb Malhotra, C, Brantford Bulldogs (OHL)

►►The Athletic's Scott Wheeler's final pre-draft post offered some thoughts on two future Terriers.

I don’t think Xavier Villeneuve goes in the first round, but I do think Tommy Bleyl does. Villeneuve will go early on Day 2 and interviewed well at the combine, but I get the sense teams are too wary of his defending to take him in Round 1.

Boston University head coach Jay Pandolfo on Caleb Malhotra: I’ve watched most of his playoff games, and you can still see that the strength portion for him will show up more at this level than it does in the OHL, but his sense and everything that goes along with it, he’s just a player. He’s actually fun to watch.
OHL general manager on Caleb Malhotra: I like him. Super smart, super skilled, I think he’s going to need a little more time than people think. And that team had a lot around him. But all of these guys need time. He just continued to get better, though, too.

● Daily Faceoff Final Ranking Top 130

● ESPN Final Top Prospect Projections (Malhotra #8, Villeneuve #15, Lawrence #17. #40 Aaram-Olsen, #61 Luke Schairer,

● FloHockey Final Mock Draft

Looking back

Jordan Greenway has been traded from Buffalo to Chicago in a deal that gives the Sabres the #4 pick in tomorrow’s NHL Entry Draft. As a result, the Blackhawks might have five Terriers among the 22 rostered players. He’ll join blueline mainstay Alex Vlasic, Ryan Greene, who is coming off a strong rookie season, and Sacha Boisvert, who made several starts after BU’s season ended. The fifth Terrier would be Drew Commesso who picked up his first NHL win—and first shutout. He’s expected to challenge for the #2 goaltending spot on the Blackhawks this fall.

Greenway, who was the co-points-leader on BU’s 2018 Hockey East championship, had begun his pro career with Minnesota who drafted him in the second round of the 2015 NHL Entry Draft.

Another former BU power forward, Luke Tuch, was traded to Columbus by Montreal. Tuch has spent the past three seasons in the AHL with Laval. He scored BU’s only goal in the 2-1 OT loss to Denver in the 2023 Frozen Four semifinal.

Who are the 26 Terriers who played in the NHL last season? Eighteen were in the NHL either all or virtually all season:

Macklin Celebrini - San Jose, Charlie Coyle – Columbus, Jack Eichel – Vegas, Dante Fabbro – Columbus, Joel Farabee – Calgary, Ryan Greene - Chicago, Jordan Greenway – Buffalo, A.J. Greer – Florida, Matt Grzelcyk – Chicago, Lane Hutson - Montreal, Clayton Keller – Utah, Charlie McAvoy – Boston, Jake Oettinger – Dallas, Evan Rodrigues – Florida, Brady Tkachuk – Ottawa, Alex Vlasic - Chicago, Tom Willander-Vancouver, Trevor Zegras – Philadelphia

Eight others each played a handful of NHL games:

Domenick Fensore-Carolina, Quinn Hutson-Edmonton, Drew Commesso- Chicago, Cole Hutson-Washington, Sacha Boisvert-Chicago, Cam Crotty-Ottawa, Wilmer Skoog – Florida, Shane Lachance - NJ.

UPDATED It's NHL Entry Draft Week!; Tkachuk brothers united; Big Walt gets the call from the Hall

2026-06-22T13:55:00.524-04:00

Hoping everyone had a great Father's Day. Can you name the eight Terrier dads whose children have skated for BU? Answers at the bottom.

The 2026 NHL Entry Draft begins Friday evening in Buffalo and concludes on Saturday. As many as eight Terriers--one rising sophomore, three freshmen and four 2027 recruits--are likely to hear their names called. ESPN and ESPN+ will carry the opening round with NHL Network covering later rounds.

As noted in recent blogposts, the consensus of rankings and projections have Tynan Lawrence, Caleb Malhotra, Xavier Villeneuve and Niklas Aaram-Olsen expected to be selected in the first round or possibly early second.

Photo credit Blainville-Boisbriand Armada

A free in-depth story in The Athletic asks the question: Can 2026 NHL Draft prospect Xavier Villeneuve be the next Lane Hutson? Analysis is provided by XV's Blainville-Boisbriand Armada head coach and skills coach, as well as Terrier Head Coach Jay Pandolfo.

Both Pandolfo and Kim Brandvold, who runs BU’s defense, felt in particular that his competitiveness and passion for the game were similar to the Hutsons and both things that actually separate Villeneuve.
“With Lane, it took guys a little bit of time to get used to playing with him and have an understanding that you have to be ready all the time because he sees things that you don’t and maybe you don’t realize that you’re in a good spot for him. So, guys are going to have to adapt to Xavier, too, but a lot of times those players make people around them better, and I think Xavier has that ability,” Pandolfo said.

Villeneuve, an acknowledged fan of Lane Hutson, addresses the size issue (he's 5'10 3/4, 164) that likely will impact where he is drafted. The Hutsons were the driving force behind his decision to commit to Boston University for next season.

● Boston Hockey Blog Previewing the nine BU hockey prospects in the 2026 NHL Draft

● TSN.ca Final Draft Rankings

● Elite Prospects.com Cam Robinson's Final Draft Rankings

● The Hockey News Ryan Kennedy's Final Draft Rankings

● YouTube FloHockey's Final Draft Rankings and NHL Comparables

● NHL.com 2026 Mock Draft (Mike Morreale and Adam Kimmelman)

Looking ahead

2027 recruit Luke Schairer will skate for the OHL Peterborough Petes next season. The 6'3", 201, right-shot defenseman, recorded 22 points last season for the NTDP U18s.

👀 #Petes pic.twitter.com/HD5QwVQpwX
— Petes Updates (@Petes_Updates) June 22, 2026

● The Hockey Writers Luke Schairer draft profile

►►College Hockey Inc. has posted its annual NHL Draft Guide. Among other stats, it shows BU tied with BC and Minnesota for the second most first-round picks with 27. Michigan leads with 35. The most NCAA-connected first round picks in a single draft is 11 in 2007 and 2016. In the latter year, BU had four picks: Clayton Keller, Charlie McAvoy, Dante Fabbro and Kieffer Bellows. Might we see four Terriers picked this Friday?

BU is the only school with two overall #1 picks: Rick DiPietro in 2001 and Macklin Celebrini in 2024. In addition BU is second in most drafted players (203), trailing only Minnesota (237).

Looking back--Tkachuk edition

Ottawa's captain, Brady Tkachuk, has been traded to the Florida Panthers where he'll join brother Matthew Tkachuk. The Senators received a boatload of draft picks in return for one of their marquis players. He'll also join fellow Terriers Evan Rodrigues and A.J. Greer (who is coming off a career season), provided they resign with Florida.

Tkachuk scored 31 points for the 2017-18 Terriers helping them win the 2018 Hockey East Championship.

● NHL.com Brady Tkachuk joining brother following trade to Panthers by Senators

● ESPN.com Senators' deal unites Brady Tkachuk with brother on Panthers

►Hyundai will need to reshoot this commercial with Brady in a Panthers' jersey.

Good little ad with Matthew and Brady Tkachuk. And yes that is their real Mom, Chantal. Daddy Keith was in the trunk. pic.twitter.com/fIVbwLwlzX
— BucciOT.Com (@Buccigross) October 12, 2023

Brady Tkachuk will the 7th Terrier to play for the Florida Panthers following:
Dave Tomlinson (1994-95)
Ryan Whitney (2013-14)
Matt Gilroy (2013-14)
Evan Rodrigues (2023-26)
A.J. Greer (2024-26)
Wilmer Skoog (2025-26) https://t.co/zr71MyPupv
— BU Hockey Stats (@BUHockeyStats) June 22, 2026

Introducing the Hockey Hall of Fame Class of 2026! 👏#HHOF2026 #HHOF pic.twitter.com/jwTD6Q0OUL
— Hockey Hall of Fame (@HockeyHallFame) June 22, 2026

In a long overdue recognition, Keith Tkachuk--Brady's and Matthew's father--has been named to the Hockey Hall of Fame's 2026 class. "Big Walt," whose pro career stretched from 1991 through 2010, rang up 1,065 points in 1,201 games and won a gold medal representing the United States at the 1996 World Cup of Hockey.

According to NHL.com, "his 538 goals were second most of all eligible players not already in the Hall of Fame behind Patrick Marleau."

In 1995-96, Tkachuk produced a career-best 98 points (50G,48A) for the Winnipeg Jets.

In his season as a Terrier (1990-91) Tkachuck scored 40 points skating on a powerhouse line with Tony Amonte and Shawn McEachern, en route to the Hockey East title and the national championship game.

For the second straight year, a Terrier is heading to the @HockeyHallFame!

Congrats to Keith Tkachuk on getting the Call to the Hall!#ProudToBU pic.twitter.com/CQjO9JUHEX
— BU Men's Hockey (@TerrierHockey) June 22, 2026

Tkachuk's coach at BU, Jack Parker, was elected to the Hall of Fame in the 2025 class.

● NHL.com 2026 Hockey Hall of Fame class includes Bergeron, Price, Rinne, Tkachuk

● ESPN.com Keith Tkachuk makes Hall of Fame after sons become teammates

●Elite Prospects Page

Happy Father's Day!

8 Terrier fathers have had children play for the Terriers

Tony Amonte (Ty and Tristan)
Mike Eruzione (Mike Jr.)
Mark Krys (Chad)
Scott Lachance (Shane)
Tom O'Regan (Danny)
Tom Ryan (T.J.)
Keith Tkachuk (Brady)
Scott Shaunessy (Julia)
— BU Hockey Stats (@BUHockeyStats) June 21, 2026

UPDATED: Terrier to open '26-'27 season in Fairbanks; first home game is Oct. 24 vs. UConn

2026-06-19T14:11:12.728-04:00

Built the perfect schedule.https://t.co/okK4G5vy2O pic.twitter.com/TLHElTrUEF
— BU Men's Hockey (@TerrierHockey) June 18, 2026

Terriers will launch their 36-game 2026-27 season with a two-game series against Alaska in Fairbanks on October 2nd and 3rd. The schedule features 18 regular-season home dates, along with an October 10 exhibition game against Brown at Agganis Arena.

In addition to the Alaska series, the out-of-conference schedule includes a pair of road games vs. Michigan State, a trip to upstate New York to face Cornell and Colgate, a home pair with defending champion Denver and home games with Harvard and Quinnipiac.

Our friend BU Hockey Stats points out that schedule brings:

- BU's first game against Alaska and first trip to Alaska since the 2007 NYE Frontier Classic
- First trip to Munn Ice Arena since 2013 - First visit from Denver since 2017
- First trip to Colgate since the Class of 1965 Arena’s opening night (10/8/16)

- First visit to Lynah Rink since 2002

- 3 home games vs NU

The Hockey East schedule includes three games with BC, whom the Terriers also will face in the opening round of the Beanpot.

● GoTerriers.com Men's Ice Hockey Announces 2026-27 Schedule, Full schedule

NHL Entry Draft

The 2026 NHL Entry Draft begins a week from today on June 26 and concludes on the 27th. BU is likely to see four players--rising sophomore Tynan Lawrence and incoming freshmen Caleb Malhotra, Xavier Villeneuve and Niklas Aaram Olsen-- selected in the first 30-35 picks.

Also expected to be drafted are 2027 recruits Luke Schairer, Brady Knowling, Rian Chudzinski and Braidy Wassilyn.

We've compiled some of the media buzz around the BU recruits. They're linked below.

The Athletic polled some of the top draft prospects and included a question asking who they believe is their NHL comparable. Their replies:

Caleb Malhotra: "Aleksander Barkov and Jack Eichel. Elite playmakers who have poise offensively and play in all areas."

Niklas Aaram Olsen: "Timo Meier. I think we play similar. But I want to be more like Brandon Hagel to add that grit and be around the crease."

Xavier Villeneuve: 'Lane Hutson. What he’s doing right now is unreal, and his defensive game has an edge to it. If I can get to that, I’ll be good."

Check out an excellent piece from BHB's Eli Cloutier: Why I'm not panicking on Tynan Lawrence, whose draft ranking slipped from higher levels earlier this season.

● The Hockey News He's a franchise No.1 center: Caleb Malhotra is his own guy

● Elite Prospects: Film Room: Xavier Villeneuve could be the NHL's next elite undersized defenceman

● FlamesNation What do scouts think of Niklas Aaram Olsen?

►►Analyzing the top 2026 draft prospects, The Athletic's Cory Pronman ranked Lawrence and Villeneuve as #1 and #2 for best skaters and Aram Olsen at #2 for best shot.

Recruiting class ranking

Hockey East 2026 recruiting class rankings are up to date. UMass leads the way with 7 incoming 4⭐️ freshman, followed closely by Boston College. Boston University has the highest average recruit score thanks to three incoming 5-stars.

🔗 https://t.co/eoivum9Cj2 pic.twitter.com/7QvHmi2bmc
— Puck Preps (@PuckPreps) June 16, 2026

Looking ahead

Hearing the Saginaw Spirit have signed NTDP goaltender and 2026 prospect Brady Knowling.

He’ll form a tandem with fellow 2026 prospect Stepan Shurygin.

Knowling is a BU commit for 2027-28. Announcement expected today.
— Scott Wheeler (@scottcwheeler) June 20, 2026

Knowling was the top-ranked North American goalie for the 2026 draft according to NHL Central Scouting. His NTDP U18 teammates and fellow 2027 recruits, Luke Schairer and Jamie Glance are expected to spend next season in the CHL or USHL.

Glance, who led the U18s in scoring with a 23-33-56 line has been projected as a top 20 selection for the 2027 NHL draft.

● OHL.ca Top-ranked 2026 goaltending prospect Brady Knowling signs with Saginaw

Looking back

Cade Webber and Sam Stevens are the 12th and 13th Terriers to win the Calder Cup and first since David Van der Gulik in 2015 with the Manchester Monarchs https://t.co/R2xKBzdrSS
— BU Hockey Stats (@BUHockeyStats) June 20, 2026

Women's Team

Like the men's team, the women will face off next season with the defending national champions. Tara Watchorn's squad will open the season at Wisconsin for a pair with the Badgers on Oct. 1 and 2. A week prior, they'll play an exhibition against LIU.

BU will host the 2026 Ice Breaker tournament with an Oct. 23 match-up with Yale, then Minnesota State or Robert Morris the next night.

The out-of-conference schedule also includes two games with Colgate and a pair with Brown.

● GoTerriers.com Women’s Ice Hockey Announces 2026-27 Schedule; Full schedule

PWHL Draft

Three Terriers were selected in the PWHL draft: Sydney Healy by Vegas; Maeve Kelly by Boston Fleet; and former Terrier goalie Andrea Brändli by Detroit.

● GoTerriers.com Brändli, Healey, Kelly Selected in PWHL Draft

Looking ahead to 2026-27: Bigger, older, experienced, skilled;

2026-06-10T08:16:46.466-04:00

Photo credit: Marcus Antonellli, Daily Free Press

The new Terriers: Bigger, older, experienced, skilled

Last September, BU began the season with over half of the roster—14 players—who were new to the program, either as freshmen or transfers, and only one senior on the roster (also a transfer). While the talent-laden roster comprised 19 NHL draft picks--including two high-profile transfers--the 2025-26 squad featured twelve freshmen, was the youngest team in the country and experienced its share of growing pains. The squad finished with a .500 record and missed the NCAA Tournament for the first time in the Jay Pandolfo coaching era.

With the 2026-27 roster appearing to be nearly complete (25 of 26 slots accounted for), the next edition of the Terriers will be older, bigger, better equipped for the grind of a long D1 season, and poised for a bounce-back season.

Some manpower keys for the upcoming season:

▪Currently, there are 14 forwards, eight defensemen and three goalies rostered.

▪Eighteen (!) returning players (including four seniors, six juniors and projected first round NHL draft pick, Tynan Lawrence) will provide more experience and size, along with a much deeper leadership group that will foster strong team chemistry. Given the team’s subpar performance last year and the myriad of playing options available to players in the NCAA current climate, it is fair to conclude that the decision of so many players to return to BU for the 2026-27 campaign reflects not only confidence in the program and coaching staff, but also a high degree of optimism that the team will return to its winning ways.

▪Only two players on the roster will be 18 or younger and, critically, none of the defensemen will be under the age of 19 (last year’s squad started the season with seven 18-year-olds, including four Ds). The newcomers also include two older, experienced transfer defensemen, 22-year-old Adam Barone and 21-year-old Jax Wismer. It is safe to say that BU will not once again be one of the youngest D1 teams.

▪With just five incoming freshmen, this will be the smallest freshman class in the Pandolfo era. It will also boast plenty of high-end, NHL caliber talent, including projected top five NHL draft pick, Caleb Malhotra, and super-skilled Canadian defenseman, Xavier Villenueve.

▪Earlier in the off-season, the BU Department of Athletics announced that it has opted in to the House v. NCAA settlement beginning with the 2026-27 season. This decision provides the potential for significant benefits to the program (the ability to grant more scholarships, share revenue with players, etc.) and, importantly, signals clearly the strong and continued commitment of the Athletic Director and administration to provide the support necessary to maintain the competitive strength and stability of BU’s hockey and other athletic programs.

Let’s take a closer look at the newcomers.

Three freshman forwards are rostered. The first, whom we’ve covered extensively, is 5-star center Malhotra. The 6’2” left shot increasingly is projected to be taken at #3 in the NHL Entry Draft by Vancouver--who just hired his father, Manny, as head coach. Following a standout regular season at Brantford (29-55-84), the 200-ft. center, who plays in all situations, led his team to the OHL championship game. Very likely he’ll center one of the two top lines for BU. Malhotra draft profile

The most recent forward recruit is 6’1” Norwegian left-shot wing Niklas Aaram-Olsen (commitment post). A prolific scorer at every level, he had a 20-20-49 line in 29 games in Sweden J20 Nationell while also seeing action in the SHL. He was a top scorer for Team Norway at both U20 and U18 tournaments. He’s been ranked as high as #29 for the draft. NAO draft profile. One prospect evaluator wrote:

“One of, if not the best, pure shooters at the draft. Has a bomb of a1-timer and a super quick release on his snapshot. Can score from far but also in tight. Also has a deceptively smooth hands and while he prefers to shoot, he has ability to dangle opposing defenders one on one."

The third forward is 6’4” Swedish right-wing Viktor Nörringer, a fourth-round pick by Nashville in 2024 who will turn 20 this summer. After growing up in the Frolunda HC organization, the power forward moved to the USHL with Muskegon who drafted him tenth overall a year ago. He produced a 24-25-49 line in 48 games (tied for best among first-year players) with another 12 points in the playoffs. Nörringer also skated for Sweden in last season’s World Junior A Challenge. He’ll bring toughness and an NHL-caliber shot to the BU lineup.

Nörringer takes control of the game‼️ #ChopChop #GetJACKD #USHL #Hockey pic.twitter.com/00NvYfMflP
— x - Muskegon Lumberjacks (@MuskegonJacks) March 2, 2026

Viktor Norringsr (@TerrierHockey) is such an exciting player to watch.

Great size, hands, skill and speed.

He was unreal last night for @MuskegonJacks, and he’s a Nashville Predators prospect. @USHL pic.twitter.com/SqyD37OZdm
— Jonny Lazarus (@JLazzy23) May 23, 2026

While not a newcomer, Lawrence will be in Scarlet for a full season with the advantage of going through preseason training. He showed flashes of brilliance down the stretch last season and Coach Pandolfo asserted that he was arguably the team’s best forward in those final weeks. Lawrence is projected to be drafted in the first half of the first round in June, possibly as the second center picked after Malhotra. He appears poised to have a breakout season for the Terriers.

With the infusion of talent, BU will be extremely strong at center with Malhotra, Lawrence, Kamil Bednarik and Jonathan Morello. Along with newcomers Olsen and Norringer, there’s significant returning talent on the wings. Rising sophomores Ryder Ritchie, Jack Murtagh and Conrad Fondrk, with a D1 season under their belts, should be ready to take the next step and produce more consistently. Another sophomore, Ben Merrill, was the pleasant surprise of last season with scoring, strong skating and plenty of grit. Senior Jack Harvey is the top returning goalscorer with 13. Rising juniors Bednarik and Brandon Svoboda, both excellent penalty killers and strong on face-offs, will be asked to up their offensive contributions as will classmate Nick Roukounakis.

Defense:

BU’s blueline corps will feature rising seniors Aiden Celebrini and Mick Frechette, rising soph Charlie Trethewey, Carter Amico (discussed below), two transfers and two freshmen.

22-year-old right-shot Barone—6’1” 209—was Lake Superior State’s top-scoring blueliner last season producing a 4-15-19 line in what was called a breakout season. He quarterbacked LSSU’s power play and blocked 27 shots while taking just 12 penalties. Barone was an OHL first-round draft pick by Sudbury but elected to play his junior hockey in the BCHL. A rising junior, he’ll have two seasons of eligibility. Barone garnered strong interest from D1 teams when he entered the transfer portal and the Terriers were fortunate to secure his commitment.

(Commitment post)

● Video First collegiate goal, Overtime game-winner

Terrier fans should be familiar with left-shot Wismer from the past two seasons’ games with Vermont. The 6’0” rising junior skated on the Catamounts’ top defensive pairing most of last season with standout Philip Tournqvist, posting a 2-5-7 scoring line with 27 blocks and just two minor penalties.

Vermont hockey broadcaster Owen Gund told THFB “In terms of his game, he skates really well that’s what jumps out immediately. Good puck mover who can get up and down the ice in a hurry and is great at facilitating clean entries. I like his offensive upside because he’s always been great at getting shots through from the point.”

pic.twitter.com/FcNfWAWgJd https://t.co/23ebPFR690
— Boston Hockey Blog (@BOShockeyblog) December 6, 2025

LD Haoxi Wang, 6’5”, 223, brings size and elite skating to the Terrier blueline. A high second-round pick by San Jose in the 2025 draft, he spent the past season and a half in OHL. This past season he posted a 6-20-26 line in 57 games, playing for Oshawa and then after a trade, for Niagara. Last month he skated for Team China in the IIHF Men’s Championships, Div. D1B, posting 2 goals and 2 assists in five games and being named the tournament’s best defenseman.

Wang has made considerable progress in developing his game after being a relative newcomer to higher level hockey in Canada. He will attend his second Sharks’ development camp in July and turns 19 later in the month.

Wang will be the Terriers’ first China-born skater. Brandon Yip, who played for BU’s 2009 champions, had a long career in the NHL and KHL and captained Team China in the 2022 Winter Olympics, was born in Canada.

● Video Coast-to-coast shorthanded , power-play one-timer

● The Athletic (subscription) Inside Simon Wang’s journey to becoming the highest Chinese-born player selected in the NHL Draft

The most recent—and potentially high-impact—defensive recruit is Villeneuve, a top QMJHL defenseman, whose dynamic style has been likened to Montreal Canadiens Lane Hutson’s offensive game. The 5’11’ 164, left-shot, who turns 19 in September, has spent three seasons with the Blainville=Boisbriand Armada. Two seasons ago, he was rookie defenseman of the year with 43 points in 53 games; the following season he earned Defenseman of the Year honors with 62 points. While injuries shortened his 2025-26 campaign, XV produced 38 points in 37 regular-season games and then added 14 points in 17 playoff games. Look for him to compete right away for the quarterback position on the Terrier power play unit.

Villeneuve has acknowledged that one of the players he patterns his game after is Hutson. And, according to NHL Central Scouting senior eastern scout Jean-Francois Damphousse, there's a lot of similar traits between the two."

"For me, it's the elite offensive potential," Damphousse said. "You're talking maybe a Lane Hutson. We all watch the (Stanley Cup) Playoffs now and we all doubted that undersized defensemen could do what he's doing right now, at a high-pace, physical game. I think Villeneuve has that ability to create offense out of nothing. His feet are excellent, his puck game is excellent. He can transport the puck, he can move the puck. He can be a power-play specialist, running it from the top of the blue line."

While Villeneuve’s defensive game is still developing, evaluators have pointed out that he doesn’t shy away from physical play and has a good defensive stick. He’s projected to be a late first-round or early second-round draft pick.

● NHL.com Villeneuve likened to Hutson of Canadiens on 'NHL Draft Class' podcast

Amico, who missed considerable time with knee injuries in both NTDP seasons, saw limited ice time for BU in first semester and so went to Muskegon to work on his game. He quickly was installed on the Lumberjacks’ top D pair and established himself as a shutdown defenseman with 11 points in 27 games. In the playoffs he had a 3-4-7 scoring line and, in Muskegon’s last Clark Cup finals win, Amico came up big on both offense (game-tying goal) and on defense. He undoubtedly attracted strong interest from many other D1 programs when he returned to juniors, but remained loyal to BU.

CARTER. AMICO. #MKGHST #GetJACKD #ClarkCup #USHL pic.twitter.com/jgDgQlyTDF
— x - Muskegon Lumberjacks (@MuskegonJacks) May 23, 2026

This defensive effort from Carter Amico (PHI) was incredible. Breaks his stick on the shot and physically out-muscles everyone to break up multiple chances.@MuskegonJacks | @USHL pic.twitter.com/ffekn76e3r
— Ryan Sikes (@rms_hockey) May 23, 2026

Goaltending

No changes to the Terrier goaltending room as all three return.

Jack Parker famously said “We should change the name of the game to ‘goalie.” That’s even more applicable in today’s era of large, mobile netminders and BU is fortunate to have one of the more talented “go large” goalies in rising junior Mikhail Yegorov.

Last season, Big Mike’s first half clearly didn’t match up to his dominant performances after arriving in January of 2025. He rebounded during second semester with the kind of strong efforts that BU will need to compete in Hockey East and nationally this coming season.

Capable back-up Max Lacroix and Steve Luciano return as well.

Looking ahead—NHL Entry Draft edition

►Five Terriers—Malhotra, Lawrence, Villeneuve, Aaram Olsen and Luke Schairer (2027)--were among the 90 invitees to the recently completed NHL Draft Combine in Buffalo.

►In the fitness testing Aaram Olsen and Villeneuve turned in very strong efforts. NAO had two first-place finishes and two seconds, including the ultra-rigorous Wingate Cycle Ergometer Test.

● The Hockey News: Top finishers in each test category

►The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler issued his final top 100 rankings for the 2026 Entry Draft: Malhotra #4, Lawrence #11, Villeneuve #22, Aaram Olsen #27, Schairer #66, Rian Chudzinski (2027) #78 and Braidy Wassilyn (2027) #95.

Chudzinski drew considerable attention with a strong performance in the QMJHL playoffs, producing a 6-11-17 scoring line in 21 games. A draft profile from TheHockeyWriters.com points out:

Rian Chudzinski is the type of player that NHL teams covet when the playoffs roll around. He has decent size, skates well, and will hit anything that moves. Chudzinski has enough skill for the NHL, a strong shot that he gets off well in many different contexts, and he’s more than happy to cause mayhem around the net.

Looking back

Jack Eichel continues his quest to bring a second Stanley Cup to Vegas. Going into game four of the Cup Finals, he’s second in playoff scoring with 20 points. Lane Hutson, whose Canadiens were eliminated in the Eastern Conference finals, is tied for fifth overall and is first among defensemen.

50 playoff assists. 57 playoff games ⚔️

Jack Eichel sets a new NHL record for the fastest U.S. born player to reach 50 postseason assists, breaking Craig Janney's previous record of 61 games 🔥 pic.twitter.com/MSikw6e9Xp
— ESPN Insights (@ESPNInsights) June 3, 2026

Our friend BU Hockey Stats posted that” A Terrier is guaranteed to lift the Calder Cup with former teammates Cade Webber (TOR) and Dom Fensore (CHI) facing off.” Fensore, who made his NHL debut with Carolina in April, helped the Wolves get past Colorado to reach the championship round. Webber is in his second season with the Marlies.

DOMENICK FENSORE WASTES NO TIME WITH THE SHORTHANDED TALLY!😮‍💨@Chicago_Wolves | #COLvsCHI | #CalderCup

📺: https://t.co/xslzIvekI0 pic.twitter.com/9AYDxS5rwf
— American Hockey League (@TheAHL) June 3, 2026

Bobo Carpenter (KC) is playing for his 4rd pro trophy in 3 years after winning the Kelly Cup with the Florida Everblades in 2023-24 and the EIHL Challenge Cup and EIHL Regular Season with the Belfast Giants last season https://t.co/BO5hApEJQ8
— BU Hockey Stats (@BUHockeyStats) June 4, 2026

Women's Team

These Terriers are Walter Cup CHAMPS 🏆

Congrats to Nadia Mattivi, Marie-Philip Poulin and Tamara Giaquinto on winning the 2026 Walter Cup with @PWHL_Montreal #ProudToBU pic.twitter.com/tV4KOhqSBd
— BU Women's Hockey (@TerrierWHockey) May 21, 2026

Terrier legend and Montréal Victoire captain Marie-Philip Poulin was named the Ilana Kloss Playoff MVP tonight after leading her team to its first-ever PWHL Walter Cup. Poulin tallied eight points (4G, 4A, with two GWGs) over the course of the playoffs, tying the record for most points in a playoff year.

MARIE-PHILIP POULIN WINS THE ILANA KLOSS PLAYOFF MVP AWARD! 🏆 pic.twitter.com/UExM7ikEzB
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) May 21, 2026

Yesterday, Poulin was named to Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in Sports 2026.

UPDATED: Elite defenseman Villeneuve commits; Chudzinski shines in Q playoffs; Celebrini wears the C for Canada

2026-05-15T17:45:38.353-04:00

As rumored in recent months, standout QMJHL defenseman Xavier Villeneuve has committed to BU for 2026-27. A 5'11", 162 lb., left shot from Laval, Quebec, Villeneuve, who will turn 19 in late September, has been a force on the blueline for the Blainville-Boisbrian Armada for the past three seasons.

Villeneuve is coming off an injury-shortened season with BBM (6-32-38 in 37 games), but finished strong in the playoffs with a 6-8-14 line in 17 games. A year ago, he rang up 62 points (12G,50A) and was named the Q's Defenseman of the Year and a first-team all-star. In 2023-24, he was the league's Defensive Rookie of the Year and earned CHL All-Rookie honors.

Villeneuve skated on Canada's gold medal 2025 World Junior Championship squad, leading all defensemen with four goals.

He also skated in last fall's CHL-USA series alongside fellow incoming freshman Caleb Malhotra and scored the game-winner in the second game of the series.

FloHockey.tv points out that as "an undersized transitional defenceman and true power-play quarterback, Villeneuve shows certain traits reminiscent of Lane Hutson’s style of play."

“I find the comparison flattering. Lane is a guy who’s performing in the NHL, but I mainly want to bring my own style. I watch all defencemen under six feet, especially without the puck, but Lane is definitely the best example,” he explained.

This season, he has focused on improving specific areas of his game: “I’ve made big progress on what I wanted to improve, especially defensively. My goal is to prove that I can be a complete player.”

► Villeneuve's elite skating, ankle-breaking moves and pinpoint passing are on display in this highlight video.

A projected first round pick in next month's 2026 Entry Draft, he is NHL Central Scouting's #18-ranked North American skater. Tony Ferrari of The Hockey News ranks Villeneuve #10 for the draft, noting:

Possibly the purest offensive blueliner in the class, Villeneuve is as dynamic as they come on the back end. When he's at his best, he can dance around the ice with the puck the way some of the NHL's best do it. Villeneuve can stickhandle in a phone booth, and he has some of the best vision of any defenseman in the class.

Earlier this month,The Athletic's Scott Wheeler ranked him #20 :

His skill level, offensive hockey sense and puck play are all legitimately elite. He’s constantly making plays and finding openings. And while he’s more shifty than fast (he has mastered using his head, shoulders and eyes to be deceptive and shake past opponents), his speed has improved, he opens up a lot of space for himself on the ice, and he defends smartly for his size, using his edges and a combination of IQ and instincts. It's his shimmies over his breezy feet that really grab you, though. He beats and loses players effortlessly and plays the game with incredible poise and dimension. He has phenomenal edges, a quick release and a good stick. He does have a unique skill set, though, and his ability to break ankles will translate.

Villeneuve will be one of four newcomers to BU's defense corps joining portal transfers Jax Wismer (Vermont) and Adam Barone (Lake Superior St.) and fellow freshman Haoxi Wang (OHL Niagara). In addition, Carter Amico, who spent the first semester of last season at BU, returns from USHL Muskegon where he currently is playing in the Clark Cup finals.

● Elite Prospects Page

● NHL.com 2026 NHL Draft: Villeneuve modeling game after Canadiens' Hutson

●The HockeyWriters.com Villeneuve Draft Profile

►Center Egor Shilov, who had been committed to BU for 2027, has shifted his commitment to Penn State. This list of recruits in the sidebar has been updated.

Looking ahead

College Puck NXT is out with the first ranking of 2026 recruit classes and has BU second behind Michigan State. The ranking was done prior to Villeneuve's commitment with BU's class including Malhotra, Wang, Amico, Viktor Norringer and recently committed Niklas Aaram Olsen.

College Puck TOP 20 Frosh Class Team Rank
May 2026 Update ~ Pre-CHL splash Round 2 🌊

Based on: Star Power, Quality, & Depth of incoming classes for current COMMITTED players that are *projected* to be Freshman in the 2026-27 season🤩

1. Michigan State🟢⚪️⚔️
2. Boston… pic.twitter.com/yRgxsRThJy
— College Puck NXT (@CollegePuckNXT) May 11, 2026

2027 recruit Rian Chudzinski scored his sixth playoff goal and added an assist for Moncton, but the Wildcats fell, 7-6, to Chicoutimi and trail in the league championship series, 3-2. Chudzinski, who has 17 playoff points, had a 21-17-38 scoring line in the regular season.

Toujours près du filet, celui-là! 🧑‍🏭

Rian Chudzinski, à la bonne place, au bon moment, et @monctonwildcats mènent 2-0!#SeriesLHJMQ | #Proxi | #EspoirLNH pic.twitter.com/NnGShifAOX
— LHJMQ (@LHJMQ) May 15, 2026

The Athletic's Cory Pronman wrote in his draft profile of Chudzinski:

Chudzinski wasn't a top scorer on a deep Moncton team, but he had a good season including a great playoff. His talent base is decent. He's a strong skater with good hands who can beat defenders one-on-one. He's not a strong playmaker, but his effort level is what makes him interesting. Chudzinski is highly physical, gets to the net to create offense and can be a pain in the ass to play against. I think he has just enough skill to go with his tenacity and edge to be a middle-six winger

Looking back

Macklin Celebrini was selected as captain of Canada's IIHF World Championship squad by his teammates. He retained the C even after Sydney Crosby joined the squad. Crosby, who will be an assistant captain, was captain of Canada's Olympic team with Celebrini wearing an A.

FINAL | Macklin Celebrini had 1G 3A to help 🇨🇦 down 🇫🇷 6-1 in its pre-#MensWorlds opener.

FINAL | Macklin Celebrini inscrit 1B et 3A, et le 🇨🇦 bat la 🇫🇷 6-1 à son premier match préparatoire en vue du #MondialMasculin.

📊 https://t.co/KLbgB7iP9X
📊 https://t.co/u8sTJH8PDP pic.twitter.com/HMjrqrE1cD
— Hockey Canada (@HockeyCanada) May 10, 2026

Lane Hutson assisted on a pair of goals as Montreal doubled up Buffalo, 6-3, to take a 3-2 lead in their playoff series. He has a 2-10-12 line in 12 playoff games and is second among defensemen in post-season scoring.

The reason we may never see another Lane Hutson is the compete level.

Even though Lane Hutson's skillset is incredible and game-breaking in every way, his consistent compete level is his primary attribute.

Certainly seems better than "average" to me.#GoHabsGo https://t.co/PwAq4ywJK3
— The Rinkside General (@RinksideGeneral) May 11, 2026

Former Terrier goalie Jason Tapp was named Assistant Coach of the Year at the recent AHCA Conference in Florida. Tapp, who played for BU from 1998 through 2002, has been Dartmouth's associate head coach for the past six seasons.

The Dartmouth double!

We had the great opportunity to celebrate the AHCA Men's Hockey Head Coach of the Year and Assistant Coach of the Year a week ago in Florida!

Congratulations to Reid Cashman and Jason Tapp on earning these major recognitions!#ECACHockey pic.twitter.com/xOrNLMeK9H
— ECAC Hockey (@ecachockey) May 11, 2026

Women's Team

Four former Terriers are competing in the PWHL finals. In game one, Montreal defeated Ottawa, 3-2, in overtime. Marie-Philip Poulin and Nadia Mattivi had assists for Montreal while Rebecca Leslie scored Ottawa's opening goal.

For the first time ever, there will be an All-Terrier Walter Cup Final

Marie-Philip Poulin, Tamara Giaquinto, and Nadia Mattivi (MTL) vs. Rebecca Leslie (OTT) https://t.co/zFyVufanHU
— BU Hockey Stats (@BUHockeyStats) May 13, 2026

WHAT A GOAL BY REBECCA LESLIE TO OPEN THE SCORING IN THE WALTER CUP FINALS 🚨

The toe-drag shot and then she gets her own rebound to make it 1-0! pic.twitter.com/1ADXiAznwg
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) May 15, 2026

UPDATED High-end Norweigan forward commits for 2026-27; Jax Wismer; BU Opts in to House Settlement; Kudos for Wang

2026-05-05T16:02:00.004-04:00

Terriers have received a commitment from Niklas Aaram-Olsen, a high-scoring Norwegian forward, who has been a standout in Sweden's J20 Nationell and in international play. He is projected to be a late first-round or early second round pick in the NHL Entry Draft next month.

Hockeysverige.se reported: "Örebro looks set to lose one of the NHL Draft's most sought-after players. According to Expressen, Niklas Aaram-Olsen has chosen to leave for Boston University."

The 6'1', 187 lb., left wing produced a 20-20-40 scoring line in 29 J20 Nationell games. He also saw limited time in 16 games in the SHL, Sweden's top pro league. Olsen has led Norway in several international events as well, powering Norway to a gold medal in the WJC Div. 1A, with six goals and four assists in five games. Norway now returns to the top WJC level for 2027. More recently, at the World U18s, his hat trick in the relegation game win keeps his country in the top IIHF division.

“One of, if not the best, pure shooters at the draft. Has a bomb of a1-timer and a super quick release on his snapshot. Can score from far but also in tight. Also has a deceptively smooth hands and while he prefers to shoot, he has ability to dangle opposing defenders one on one."

Alex Forlini, Draft Prospect Hockey.

In 2024-25 as a 16 year old, he was third in scoring for Örebro J20 with 23-18-41 in 42 games and also was a top scorer for Norway in both the IIHF U18 and U20 events. As a 15 year old, he skated on Norway's WJC team and was named a top three player on the team.

The Hockey Writers has ranked the Oslo native as the ninth best left wing for the draft.

The Athletic's Scott Wheeler ranks him at #29 for the upcoming draft:

He’s a dangerous scorer and shooter who picks corners and beats goalies from mid-range with his heavy snapper or curl-and-drag wrister. He can threaten as a shooter from the bumper or the flank on the power play because he also has a hard one-touch shot and one-timer, a go-to weapon for him. He’s a good skater who gets up and down the ice well and is willing to track back on pucks, with room to add strength and smooth out his stride, which does kick a little. He takes pucks off the wall and isn't complacent on the outside. I’d like to see him involve himself more off the puck defensively, drive play more at five-on-five and play with a little more physicality, but his scoring package is legit and I don’t think he’s a one-way winger either — it's more just about development priorities. He's one of the few forwards in this range with power-play skills.

Earlier in the season, The Hockey News' International Roundtable wrote

Aaram-Olsen is an offensively minded winger with strong puckhandling skills. He’s at his best on the power play, where he is a threat with a quick, accurate shot. He also has the skating ability to push play forward, rarely holding onto the puck for long as he often looks to ramp up the pace. His skating speed and decision-making will be tested further in the SHL, which should provide more answers about Aaram-Olsen’s ceiling.

Niklas Aaram-Olsen’s biggest selling point this season has been how professional he has looked in every aspect of the game.

A player who knows where to put in the work. Great instinct and shooting to boot. Could be a #2026NHLDraft first-rounder

An incredible addition for BU. pic.twitter.com/mWVhUaW9f2
— Foley (@NHLFoley) May 5, 2026

Olsen will be the Terriers' first Norweigan player, but the not the first from his country in the BU program. Assistant Coach Kim Brandvold also hails from Norway.

● Elite Prospects Page

BU officially opts in to the House Settlement.

They were the only Hockey East school not to opt-in last season. https://t.co/P6TnrfMAUe
— Mike McMahon (@MikeMcMahonCHN) May 5, 2026

By opting in, BU agrees to cap the hockey roster at 26 and can fund as many scholarships.

● College Hockey Inc. House Settlement FAQs

● BU Athletics statement

● College Hockey News Special Report The Money Trail

►► Vermont hockey broadcaster,Owen Gund has provided some insights into recent portal transfer defenseman Jax Wismer. Gund is a BU grad whose resume includes WTBU Sports and College Hockey News. He also assisted Bernie Corbett on BU Hockey broadcasts.

Sad to lose him but happy for him. He’s a great guy was a great teammate. One of the more vocal players and well liked by everyone in the room.

In terms of his game, he skates really well that’s what jumps out immediately. Good puck mover who can get up and down the ice in a hurry and is great at facilitating clean entries. I like his offensive upside because he’s always been great at getting shots through from the point. One of his goals in the second UVM BU game on Dec 6 is a good example. I think he’s got a lot of potential.

Looking ahead

Other Terriers in Wheeler's final top 64 draft rankings: #4 Caleb Malhotra, #11 Tynan Lawrence, #20 Egor Shilov, #62 Luke Schairer. Rian Chudzinski and Braidy Wassilyn received HMs.

Malhotra's OHL season with Brantford came to an end last night when the Bulldogs lost game seven of their conference final series to Barrie, 3-0. Malhotra was the second leading scorer in the playoffs with a 13-13-26 line in 15 games. He was the OHL's second-leading rookie scorer in the regular season with 84 points (29G,55A).

There’s a World where he becomes the best player in this Draft. Worst case like a Justin Williams. Change of pace, vision, athleticism are all so incredibly elite. I honestly see some Celebrini in him. The cuts he makes at top speed are unfathomable. pic.twitter.com/FMhSuzlm6U
— Western Hockey Scout (@Pete___Hughes) May 5, 2026

2027 recruit Chudzinski's Moncton team takes on Blainsville-Boisbriand Armada tonight in game seven of their QMJHL semifinal. The former Dexter Southfield standout has a 4-10-14 line in 14 playoff games. He had 21 goals and 38 points in the regular season. The Armada lineup features defenseman Xavier Villeneuve, whose name has been connected to BU in multiple online postings.

2027 recruit Haoxi Wang helped China take the silver medal in the IIHF Division 1B 18U tournament.

Haoxi Wang was awarded Best Defender at 2026 D1B Men’s Worlds. He finished the tournament with 2 goals, 2 assists, and a +4 in 5 games. pic.twitter.com/ESHC5O6aHe
— lena 🍊 (@MCL_71) May 5, 2026

Looking back

As the second round of the NHL playoffs begin, four Terriers remain in contention for the Stanley Cup: Jack Eichel (Vegas) Lane Hutson (Montreal) Trevor Zegras (Philadelphia) Jordan Greenway (Buffalo)

Women's Team

The Terriers will host the 2026-27 Ice Breaker Tournament at Walter Brown Arena on October 23 & 24. BU will face Yale in one semifinal while Robert Morris takes on Minnesota State in the other semi.

● GoTerriers.com Women’s Ice Hockey to Host 2026 Ice Breaker Tournament