Former teammates: Northeastern University Huskies‘ portal transfer, senior Jakov Novak(10) hits the center dot for the 1st drop of a puck on the 2021/2022 NCAA Division 1 college hockey season vs. Bentley University Falcons‘ graduate student Brendan Hamblet(6).
2-year Holy Cross College Crusaders transfer (from University Of Maine Black Bears), center Jake Pappalardo(37) takes probably his best stats in a severely COVID cut 2020/2021, getting 5 goals and 3 assists in 13 Atlantic Hockey games to a 1-year ECHL deal with Idaho Steelheads.
The 5’10” 185 lbs. forward spent barely any time in juniors after graduating as 2-year captain at Proctor Academy and quickly entered college play.
He was an absolute scoring stud in high school.
The 25-year old, Salem, NH native is being given a tremendous opportunity with a top team in the league.
Huge 6’6″ 249 lbs., France-import, right wing Justin Addamo(22) leaves Robert Morris University Colonials, as they decide to suspend their college hockey program for at least the current year, enters the transfer portal and will head to RPI Engineers for his senior year.
A decent scorer through some tough seasons at college, he should be more focused for 2021/2022 to increase those totals.
US junior hockey was maybe a little more giving to his game, as he ran up pretty good totals and won the 2017 NAHL Robertson Cup.
He came over after playing all of his youth hockey at home, then was elevated to play 5 games with Rouen II of France3, scoring an eye-popping 5 goals and 2 assists.
4-year Brown University Bears‘ defenseman Tony Stillwell(6) will take a year of eligibility to a new experience at nearby Quinnipiac University Bobcats for 2021/2022.
Unfortunately neither ECAC team skated last season.
The small 5’9″ 170 lbs. blue liner basically averaged 10 assists a frame with a single goal before his time was up, which was close to what got him spotted in a 2nd full campaign of USHL for his 2nd club, hometown Green Bay Gamblers, where he grabbed all highs, 2 goals, 11 assists, 13 points with a +5 rating in half a session.
The 24-year old from Green Bay, WI will mix well with the talent already at his new school.
Undrafted, Helsinki, Finland native, junior center Santeri Hartikainen(26) enters the transfer portal as his school, Robert Morris University Colonials decides to suspend hockey operations and will show up at American International College Yellowjackets.
The fairly big 6’2″ 190 lbs. forward played all of his youth hockey back home with HIFK but came over for high school hockey, ultimately ending up at Northwood School, continuing on his more than point-per-game play with 22 goals and 30 assists in 51 USHS-Prep games.
He did one year of juniors with Corpus Christi Ice Rays before committing and once again lit the lamp big.
The 22-year old stays in Atlantic Hockey, but enters an exciting new team’s system of playing hockey.
After one season on as a freshman with RPI Engineers, defenseman Cory Babichuk(32) enters the transfer portal when a 2nd frame is left on the shelf due to the virus, and comes out as a 3rd year player with University Of Vermont Catamounts.
He played most of his junior hockey on home ice in the BCHL, where he likely committed to his first school, but did have a short foray into the USHL before heading back to Surrey Eagles, then playing a year of AJHL with Spruce Grove Saints.
The 5’10” 174 lbs., 22-year old blue liner will likely do well in Hockey East, considering he was good for 4 goals and 12 assists as a first year skater.
After a couple of seasons at University Of Maine Black Bears, junior defenseman Levi Kleiboer(16) decides to head to school closer to home at Mount Royal University Cougars for 2021/2022.
As a freshman, he saw playoffs get canceled, then endured a sophomore year where teams almost didn’t know whether they were going to be playing games or not.
He skated mostly a full schedule in his first campaign, but was limited to only 7 Hockey East games in 2020/2021, which is possibly why he decided to leave.
The 5’11” 176 lbs. blue liner played three sessions for Battlefords North Stars of the SJHL, confirming to his college after a successful 2nd stint, where he got 29 assists.
He would move down to play a year of American juniors, but quickly didn’t find the fit right at Sioux City Musketeers before switching to a much better one with Minot Minotauros.
3rd year Robert Morris University Colonials‘ center Grant Hebert(3) heard what they were saying after hoisting career high 8 goals and 15 assists for 23 points with a +6 rating in 24 Atlantic Hockey games, entered the transfer portal and will come out with his senior year at University Of Maine Black Bears.
The terrain in Hockey East will no doubt be tougher, but we feel the big 6’3″ 175 lbs. forward will step it up.
He caught the attention of his first school with a massive breakout season for Cumberland Grads, throttling 27 goals and 64 assists in 60 CCHL games as the team’s assistant captain.
This set him up for the one year they likely wanted him to put in to a US junior hockey program and he was drafted by and played for Fargo Force, dominating on offense with 15 goals and another helper party of 39 assists with a +19 rating, then another 10 points (3-7) in 14 playoff games to win the 2018 USHL Clark Cup Championship.
We think the 22-year old from St. Andrews West, ON will have a good run with his new college club.
Undrafted left wing Christopher Berger(10) leaves after graduating 4 years at Brown University Bears, and somehow still has two years of eligibility remaining as he’s set to join Michigan Stage University Spartans for 2021/2022.
His former college team did not play in 2020/2021 due to COVID restrictions and he ended the previous campaign on a season ending injury after just 9 ECAC games, scoring two goals and two assists, which gives him his pair of additional campaigns.
The 5’9″ 175 lbs. forward did a pair of successful junior seasons, first with Buffalo Jr. Sabres (34-56-90) in 98 OJHL games, then moving more into America for a frame with Des Moines Buccaneers, where he got 10 goals and 20 assists.
He was having breakout scoring in college as a sophomore, similar to when he was able to produce 8 goals and 11 assists in 29 USHL games,
The 23-year old, Amherst, NY native may find it a bit tough, but he could adjust quickly to Big Ten play and start scoring.
Air Force Academy Falcons loses a good one through the transfer portal, as undrafted, right wing Thomas Daskas(34) takes off for Miami University (Ohio) Redhawks.
The solid 6’2″ 201 lbs. power forward had only 14 Atlantic Hockey games in a screwed up 2020/2021, but struck for 3 goals and 4 assists.
He spent three seasons in junior hockey, starting up north in the CCHL for Kemptville 73’s before coming back to a pair of NAHL campaigns, of which hooking up with Lone Star Brahmas for a 2nd frame made it work for 19 goals and 29 assists with a +28 rating to score his college commitment.
The 21-year old will bring good things to his new school and should be able to play himself into a place, where he becomes a sought after unrestricted free agent upon completing.
