BC's Hagens Taken Seventh Overall in NHL Draft

Five players who skated in the NCAA last season were chosen last night in the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.

James Hagens (Boston College) went seventh overall to the Boston Bruins.  A 5-foot-11 center from Hauppauge, N.Y. Hagens tallied 11 goals and 26 assists for 37 points in 37 games as a freshman last season in helping the Eagles to the 2024-25 Hockey East regular-season championship. He also scored a game-winning goal against Bentley in the NCAA tournament, as BC ultimately finished one win short of making a second straight Frozen Four.

Logan Hensler (Wisconsin) was taken 23rd overall by the Ottawa Senators. A 6-foot-2 defenseman from Woodbury, Minn., Hensler collected 2-10—12 points in 32 games last season with the Badgers.

Will Horcoff (Michigan) was tabbed at 24th overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins. A 6-foot-4 center from Bloomfield Hills, Mich., and the son of former Michigan State and NHL player Shawn Horcoff, he recorded 4-6—10 points in 18 appearances last season with the Wolverines.

Sascha Boumedienne (Boston University) was picked 28th overall by the Winnipeg Jets. A 6-foot-1 defenseman from Stockholm, Boumedienne registered 3-10—13 points in 40 outings in helping the Terriers to their third straight Frozen Four and first NCAA title game since 2009.

Cullen Potter (Arizona State) was chosen by the Calgary Flames with the 32nd and final selection of the first round. A 5-foot-10 center from Hortonville, Wisc., and the son of four-time U.S. Olympian and former Minnesota-Duluth skater Jenny Potter, and former Minnesota forward Rob Potter, he registered 13-9—22 points 35 contests last season with the Sun Devils.

The draft concludes on Saturday with Rounds 2-7.

ADDENDUM: The full list of college-related players drafted on both days can be found here.

Kessel Named Princeton Women's Hockey Coach

Courtney Kessel (New Hampshire) has been selected as the new women's ice hockey head coach at Princeton University. She succeeds Cara Gardner Morey, who resigned in May to take over as general manager of the expansion PWHL Vancouver club, after eight years at the helm of the Tigers.

Kessel, 35, who served as an assistant coach at Princeton from 2019 to 2023, spent the last two seasons as head coach of the PWHL's Boston Fleet. Prior to Princeton, where she helped the Tigers to the 2019-20 ECAC Hockey regular-season title, she helmed the Toronto Furies (CWHL) and the Ontario Selects U14 in 2018-19. She also helped guide Team Canada to a gold medal at the 2024 IIHF Women's World Championship as an assistant coach.

A native of Etobicoke, Ont., Kessel skated four years at UNH from 2007 to 2010, and served as team captain as a senior. She tallied 31 goals and 42 assists for 73 points in 111 career NCAA games at forward/defense with the Wildcats, before going on to play professionally with the Brampton Thunder of the CWHL from 2011 to 2017. She finished her playing career with one season in Europe, and also participated in three World Championships with Canada, winning two silver medals and one gold medal.

Four NCAA Alumni Named to Hockey Hall of Fame

Four of this year's eight inductees to the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto, as announced yesterday, have NCAA ties.

• Jennifer Botterill (Harvard) - Tallied 340 points in four seasons with the Crimson and was a four-time First Team All-America Selection. Also earned gold medals in five World Championships and three Olympic Games with Team Canada.

• Brianna Decker (Wisconsin) - Notched 244 points in four campaigns with Badgers, earning All-America accolades twice while also helping Wisconsin to 2011 NCAA title. Six-time gold medalist at World Championships, while also collecting one gold and two silver Olympic medals with Team USA.

• Duncan Keith (Michigan State) - Played parts of two season with Spartans, then went on to win three Stanley Cups with the Chicago Blackhawks. Earned two Norris Trophies as NHL's best defenseman and the 2015 Conn Smythe Trophy as Stanley Cup Playoff MVP. Played in four NHL All-Star Games, and also won two Olympic gold medals and a World Championship silver medal with Team Canada.

• Jack Parker (Boston University) - Legendary head coach and former BU forward spent 40 years at helm of his alma mater, winning 897 games overall and three NCAA championships with the Terriers. Also guided BU to four ECAC tournament titles and two ECAC regular-season crowns, before winning eight Hockey East regular-season championships and six Hockey East tournament titles, along with 21 Beanpot Tournament trophies. Three-time Spencer Penrose Award winner as the NCAA Coach of the Year.

The HHOF induction ceremony will be held in November.

30 Years Since Devils First Stanley Cup Title

The New Jersey Devils won their first-ever Stanley Cup 30 years ago today at the Meadowlands, completing a four-game sweep of the visiting Detroit Red Wings with a 5-2 victory. Former NCAA players on that NHL championship squad included (by last name): 

• Neal Broten (Minnesota)

• Danton Cole (Michigan State)

• Shawn Chambers (Alaska Fairbanks)

• Tom Chorske (Minnesota)

• Kevin Dean (New Hampshire)

• Jim Dowd (Lake Superior State)

• Bruce Driver (Wisconsin)

• Bill Guerin (Boston College)

• Randy McKay (Michigan Tech)

• Mike Peluso (Alaska Anchorage)

• Brian Rolston (Lake Superior State)

• Chris Terreri (Providence)

New Jersey also won the Stanley Cup again in 2000 and 2003, while also making the final in 2001 and 2012.

Abbotsford Wins First-Ever AHL Calder Cup

The Abbotsford Canucks are the 2024-25 champions of the American Hockey League.

The Canucks rebounded from a 2-0 first-period deficit tonight to score three unanswered goals and win the decisive Game Six of the 2025 Calder Cup Final by a 3-2 count at Charlotte. Abbotsford thus won the best-of-seven series, four games to two. It is the first overall league championship for Abbotsford, primary affiliate of the NHL's Vancouver Canucks, who had previously earned this year's AHL Western Conference title.

John Leonard (Massachusetts) and Jack Devine (Denver) scored early for the Eastern Conference champion Checkers, who were seeking their first Calder Cup crown since 2019. Christian Wolanin (North Dakota) assisted on Abbottsford's first goal late in the opening session, before the Canucks connected twice in the second stanza to close out the scoring and claim the championship, despite being outshot, 30-20, on the evening.

Joining Wolanin as former NCAA skaters who lifted the Calder Cup with the Canucks this season were Phil Di Giuseppe (Michigan), Ty Glover (Western Michigan), Akito Hirose (Minnesota State), Jujhar Khaira (Michigan Tech), Victor Mancini (Omaha), Cole McWard (Ohio State), Ty Mueller (Omaha), Max Sasson (Western Michigan) and Nathan Smith (Minnesota State). 

Canucks Take Two-Game Lead in AHL Final

Kyle Criscuolo (Harvard) and Jack Devine (Denver) tallied third-period goals to bring the visiting Charlotte Checkers within one, but the Abbotsford Canucks held on for a 3-2 victory in Game Four of the 2025 Calder Cup Final. The Canucks now lead the best-of-seven series, three games to one.

Ty Mueller (Omaha) notched two assists for Abbotsford, including one on the game-winning goal. Christian Wolanin (North Dakota) also had an assist for the Canucks, while Devine and Eamon Powell (Boston College) set up goals for Charlotte.

Abbotsford can wrap up its first-ever AHL championship with a win in Game Five at home on Saturday night (9 p.m. ET, NHL Network).

ADDENDUM: Charlotte rebounded for a 4-3 win in overtime in Game Five to stay alive, while also cutting Abbotsford's series lead to three games to two. Game Six is Monday night in North Carolina (8 p.m. ET, NHL Network).

Panthers Win Second Straight Stanley Cup

For the second straight season, the Florida Panthers are NHL playoff champions.

The Panthers won their second straight Stanley Cup tonight, defeating the visiting Edmonton Oilers by a 5-1 count. The Panthers won the best-of-seven series in six games, a year after besting Edmonton in seven contests in the 2024 final, with both clinching contests coming at the Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Fla.

This year's Panthers roster included several former NCAA players in A.J. Greer (Boston University), Evan Rodrigues (Boston University), Mackey Samoskevich (Michigan), Nate Schmidt (Minnesota) and Nico Sturm (Clarkson). 

Edmonton was seeking its first Stanley Cup since 1990, and the first by a Canadian-based NHL club since 1993. Florida, which entered the league in 1993-94, was skating in its third NHL final overall, having first played for the Cup in 1996.

DU's Benning Lifts Charlotte in OT

Mike Benning (Denver) scored from the left point in overtime on Sunday to lift the Charlotte Checkers to a 3-2 win over the visiting Abbotsford Canucks in Game Two of the 2025 Calder Cup Final. The AHL's championship series is now tied at one game apiece. John Leonard (Massachusetts) and Wilmer Skoog (Boston University) scored Charlotte's other goals.

Benning, 23, from St. Albert, Alberta, was a member of DU's 2022 NCAA championship team, and tallied 31 goals and 52 assists for 83 points in three seasons on defense with the Pioneers. He has spent the last two seasons with Charlotte, his first two campaigns as a pro, and has notched 4-4—8 points in 13 AHL playoff games so far this spring.

The next three games of this year's best-of-seven final are slated for the Abbotsford Centre in British Columbia, starting Tuesday night.

Happy Father's Day 2025

 

Trois-Rivières 2025 ECHL Champions

Exactly one week ago, the Trois-Rivières Lions finished their 2024-25 season with a title.

The Lions, the ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Montreal Canadiens, completed a five-game triumph over the Toledo Walleye to earn their first-ever Kelly Cup as ECHL playoff kings with a 4-1 victory at home at the Colisée Vidéotron on June 7. Chris Jandric (North Dakota) tallied the game-winning goal in the deciding contest.

Trois-Rivières rebounded with four straight wins in the final, after Toledo took the opener in Ohio. The Lions, who began play in 2021-22, are the second Canadian team in league history to win the ECHL playoff title, following the now-defunct Newfoundland Growlers, who did the same in 2019.

Besides Jandric, who also played for Alaska Fairbanks in his college career, other former NCAA players on this year's Lions' playoff squad included Jakov Novak (Northeastern), Cory Thomas (Canisius) and Kirby Proctor (Omaha).

Oilers Tie Stanley Cup Final at Two

The Edmonton Oilers have made the best-of-seven 2025 Stanley Cup Final a best-of-three.

The visiting Oilers rebounded from a three-goal deficit after 20 minutes on Thursday to eventually take a 4-3 lead on a third-period goal by Jake Walman (Providence), before ultimately outlasting the Florida Panthers in overtime, 5-4. The Panthers had won the previous two games of the NHL's championship series, after the Oilers claimed the opener in OT.

Game Five is in Edmonton tomorrow night, while Game Six is slated for Florida on Tuesday evening.

ADDENDUM: Florida took Game Five by a 5-2 count, and can clinch its second straight Stanley Cup championship on Tuesday evening at home.

 

BC's Kreider Dealt to Ducks

Chris Kreider (Boston College) is finished playing for the New York Rangers. The veteran left wing waived his no-trade clause today, and has been dealt to the Anaheim Ducks after spending the last 12 full NHL seasons in Manhattan. New York received center Carey Terrance and a 2025 third-round draft pick in return.

Kreider, 34, who was drafted 19th overall by the Rangers in 2009, has tallied 326 goals and 256 assists for 582 points in 883 career NHL regular-season games, all with the Rangers. He tallied a career-high 52 goals in 2021-22. He has also recorded 48-28—76 points in 123 Stanley Cup Playoff contests, and helped New York to the 2014 Stanley Cup Final.

A 6-foot-3, 230-pound native of Boxford, Mass., Kreider was a Hockey East All-Rookie Team and Hockey East Second Team selection in his three years at Boston College, where he helped the Eagles to both the 2010 and 2012 NCAA titles. He tallied 50-43—93 points in 114 career college games, and also recorded 10 power-play goals, 10 game-winning goals, and four short-handed goals with BC. 

In international play, he represented the U.S. at the 2010, 2011 and 2018 IIHF World Championships, and at the 2010 and 2011 IIHF World Junior Championships, winning gold at the 2010 WJC.

UMass' Makar Wins Second Norris Trophy

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar (Massachusetts) is this year's recipient of the Norris Trophy as the NHL's top defenseman.

It is the second Norris Trophy ever for Makar, 26, who recorded 30 goals and 62 assists for 92 points during the 2024-25 campaign, the second straight season he has reached the 90-point threshold in his NHL career. He had previously won the award in 2022. Colorado went 49-29-4 this year, but fell to Dallas in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

In six NHL seasons to date, Makar has notched 116-312—428 points in 395 regular-season games, all with the Avalanche, who drafted him fourth overall in 2017 after two years of junior hockey with Brooks (AJHL). He has also registered 22-63—85 points in 79 career Stanley Cup playoff contests, and was a key member of Colorado's 2022 Stanley Cup title team when he also claimed the Conn Smythe Trophy that spring as NHL playoff MVP.

Makar, who hails from Calgary, skated at UMass from 2017-19, notching 21-49—70 points in 75 total outings while helping the Minutemen to the 2019 NCAA championship game. In his second and final collegiate season, he won the Hobey Baker Memorial Award as the NCAA's top player, and was also a First Team All-America selection.

BU's Hutson wins Calder Trophy with Montreal

Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson (Boston University) has been named the recipient of the 2024-25 Calder Trophy as the top rookie in the National Hockey league.

The North Barrington, Ill. native, a product of the U.S. National Team Development Program, tallied six goals and 60 assists for 66 points while playing in all 82 games this past season, twice earning NHL Rookie of the Month accolades. His 66 points is the most-ever by a Montreal rookie, and the fourth-most by an NHL freshman defenseman all-time. He also helped the Canadiens to their first Stanley Cup Playoff berth since 2020 this spring, where the Habs fell to Washington in the first round.

Hutson, 21, who is the first Canadiens player to claim the Calder Trophy since Ken Dryden (Cornell) in 1972, was drafted in the second round (62nd overall) by Montreal in 2022 after skating with the NTDP. He spent the prior two seasons at BU, where he helped the Terriers to consecutive NCAA Frozen Fours (2023, 2024) while tallying 30-67—97 points in 77 games overall. He was also a two-time NCAA First Team All-America selection, and a two-time Hobey Baker Memorial Award finalist.

Panthers Take Lead in 2025 Stanley Cup Final

Evan Rodrigues (Boston University) tallied a goal and an assist as the Florida Panthers routed the visiting Edmonton Oilers, 6-1, tonight in Game Three of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final. 

The Panthers, who scored three power-play goals in the victory, now lead the best-of-seven series, two games to one, having won the last two games after dropping the opener. Game Four is Thursday night in Sunrise, Fla.

Abbotsford Claims AHL Western Crown

Jujhar Khaira (Michigan Tech) and Phil Di Giuseppe (Michigan) scored goals, and Christian Wolanin (North Dakota)and Akito Hirose (Minnesota State) added assists, as the Abbotsford Canucks won the AHL's Western Conference title tonight with a 4-2 victory over the visiting Texas Stars. Abbotsford claimed the best-of-seven series in six games.

The Canucks, who earned their first-ever Robert W. Clarke Trophy with the victory, are also the first primary affiliate of the NHL's Vancouver Canucks to claim a conference crown in 10 years. Abbotsford will now take on the Eastern Conference champion Charlotte Checkers in the 2025 Calder Cup Final, starting Friday in North Carolina.

Texas Stays Alive in AHL Western Final

Curtis McKenzie (Miami) scored just over two minutes into overtime to keep the Texas Stars alive with a 2-1 win over the visiting Abbotsford Canucks tonight in Game Five of the AHL's 2025 Eastern Conference Final. The Canucks still lead the best-of-seven series, three games to two, with Game Six scheduled for Abbotsford on Sunday night.

Jack Becker (Arizona State) assisted on McKenzie's goal in sudden death, while Justin Hryckowian (Northeastern) tallied Texas' only goal in regulation. Max Sasson (Western Michigan) assisted on Abbotsford's only goal of the game. The winner of the series will face the Eastern Conference champion Charlotte Checkers in the 2025 Calder Cup Final.

Oilers Win 2025 Stanley Cup Final Opener

Nate Schmidt (Minnesota) had two assists and Evan Rodrigues (Boston University) added another, but the defending NHL champion Florida Panthers fell, 4-3, in overtime last night to the host Edmonton Oilers in Game One of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final. 

After falling behind in the first two minutes of play, Florida rebounded to take 2-1 and 3-1 leads at Rogers Centre before watching the Oilers scored three unanswered goals to take the series lead. Jake Walman (Providence), who won an NCAA title in 2015, had one assist and five shots on goal last night for the Oilers, who won the NHL's Western Conference championship for the second straight year. Florida is the Eastern Conference champion for the third straight season.

Florida defeated Edmonton in seven games last spring in the final to earn the initial Stanley Cup in franchise history, taking a 3-0 lead in that series only to see Edmonton win the next three games before the Panthers claimed the clincher at home. The Oilers are seeking their first Stanley Cup crown since 1990, their sixth overall, and the first by a Canadian-based NHL club since 1993.

ADDENDUM: Schmidt again registered two assists and Rodrigues one as the Panthers tied the series with a 5-4 win in double OT on June 6. Game Three is Monday night in Florida.

2025 ECHL Kelly Cup Final Tied

Jakov Novak (Northeastern) had goal and an assist as the visiting Trois-Rivières Lions tied the 2025 ECHL Kelly Cup Final with a 5-1 win over the Toledo Walleye last night. The best-of-seven series now moves to Quebec for Games 3 and 4 on Friday and Saturday.

Carter Gylander (Colgate) finished with 30 saves in the loss for Toledo, which had claimed the series opener by a 3-1 count on Saturday. Trois-Rivières is seeking its first-ever Kelly Cup as ECHL playoff champion, while Toledo won back-to-back titles in 1993 and 1994 in its former incarnation as the Storm.