Jimmy Hayes 1989-2021

Former NHL and NCAA forward Jimmy Hayes (Boston College) has died of unknown causes. He was 31 years old.

A native of Dorchester, Mass., Hayes played three years at BC, helping the Eagles to the 2010 NCAA title in Detroit as a sophomore. He also scored the game-winning goal in overtime in the 2011 Beanpot Tournament championship game, and also helped BC to two Hockey East championships.

In 117 career games at the Heights, the 6-foot-5 Hayes recorded 42 goals and 39 assists for 81 points. Drafted by Toronto in the second round of the 2008 NHL Draft, he registered 54-55—109 points in 334 career NHL regular-season games with Chicago, Florida, Boston and New Jersey. He also posted 51-57—108 points in 195 AHL regular-season outings, including a 15-goal, 30-point campaign with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in 2018-19 in his final playing action.

A product of both the U.S. National Team Development Program in Michigan, and the Noble and Greenough School in Massachusetts, Hayes was a member of the silver-medal U.S. squad at the 2007 Under-18 World Junior Championship. In addition to his wife, two sons, and his parents, Hayes is also survived by his younger brother, Kevin, also a BC alumnus and currently a member of the NHL's Philadelphia Flyers.

RMU Off Ice Until at Least 2022-23

 

The Robert Morris University men's and women's hockey programs will not play in 2021-22. It was announced last week that both teams will be on hiatus until at least the 2022-23 season.

The Colonials hockey teams were discontinued by the university back in May. Since then fundraisers, which will be ongoing, were started to help revive the programs, along with the threat of potential legal action.

The 2021-22 Atlantic Hockey (men's hockey) and College Hockey America (women's hockey) composite schedules were previously released without the Colonials on either of them.

Tony Esposito 1943-2021

Former NCAA/NHL netminder and hall of famer Tony Esposito (Michigan Tech) passed away Tuesday at age 78 from pancreatic cancer.

Esposito, from Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., starred at MTU from 1964 to 1967. According to school records, he went 38-10-3 in 51 career appearances with the Huskies, while also posting a 2.55 goals-against average and a .912 save percentage. A three-time All-America selection, he also led the Huskies to the 1965 NCAA national title in Providence, posting victories over both Brown and Boston College for MTU's second-ever national crown. He earned NCAA all-tournament honors that season, and was also a three-time All-WCHA first-team selection and a member of the conference's All-Decade Team of the 1960s.

A member of Montreal's 1969 Stanley Cup championship team, Esposito is best known for backstopping the Chicago Blackhawks from 1969 to 1984. In 15 NHL seasons, he went 423-306-151 with 76 shutouts in 886 NHL regular-season contests, and he also played in 99 Stanley Cup playoff contests with 45 victories and six shutouts. He also won the Calder Trophy as the league's top rookie in his first full professional campaign before leading Chicago to within one win of the 1971 Stanley Cup title the following year. A six-time NHL all-star and a three-time choice for the Vezina Trophy as the league's top goaltender, he represented Canada at the 1972 Summit Series and the 1977 World Championship, and the U.S. at the 1981 Canada Cup.

Esposito's iconic No. 35 was retired by the Blackhawks in 1988, the same year he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. In 2017, he was named of the 100 greatest NHL players of all time.

More NCAA Coaching Changes for 2021-22

More coaching changes have occurred recently as the 2021-22 NCAA hockey season draws nearer.

Andy Murray has stepped down at Western Michigan after 10 seasons, and has been succeeded by associate coach and Broncos alumnus Pat Ferschweiler.

Mike Levine (Utica) is now the associate head coach at Northeastern, which has also hired former NHL goaltender Mike Condon (Princeton) as assistant coach.

Jason Fortier has been named an assistant coach at Maine, while Daniel Paille, a forward on the Boston Bruins 2011 Stanley Cup championship squad, has been elevated from volunteer to assistant at Canisius.

Lastly, former Air Force forward Chad Demers has been named director of hockey at his alma mater.

Alaska 30 Years Later

Hard to believe it's been three decades to the day I first arrived there. Go Nooks! #AlaskaFairbanks

Former NCAA Players Still Changing NHL Clubs

A number of NCAA-trained players have changed NHL clubs recently, via trades or free agency. Below are some of them (not an all-inclusive list):

Player School          Old Team/New Team

Andrew Cogliano Michigan         Dallas/San Jose

Blake Coleman Miami          Tampa Bay/Calgary

Aaron Dell North Dakota     New Jersey/Buffalo

Ryan Dzingel Ohio State       Ottawa/Arizona

Derek Forbort North Dakota     Winnipeg/Boston

Erik Haula Minnesota        Nashville/Boston

Danton Heinen Denver          Pittsburgh/Anaheim

Jon Merrill Michigan         Montreal/Minnesota

Derek Stepan Wisconsin        Ottawa/Carolina

Matt Tennyson Western Michigan New Jersey/Nashville