Back to California: Nieto makes Sharks' roster

 

Matti Nieto, BU’s top goal-scorer last season, turned a strong performance in his first pro training camp into an opening day roster spot in San Jose. He talked with media after practice today about his role for the Sharks. Following the Sharks’ 6-5 win against Anaheim, in which former BU co-captain John McCarthy scored for San Jose, Coach Todd McClellan praised Nieto’s efforts: 

"He's been a very, very nice surprise. He makes us faster and for a small man, he does not get knocked off pucks. He's willing to take a hit. That skating ability is something we need."

 McCarthy was placed on waivers and, should he clear them, will be back in Worcester to begin the season.

Former BU captain Nick Bonino is expected to shoulder a larger role this season for the Ducks. Coach Bruce Boudreau has him centering Anaheim’s second line for winger Teemu Selanne.

Former Terriers Ben Rosen and Sean Escobedo, who signed contracts in MMMM with the AHL Bridgeport Sound Tigers, have been assigned to the Islanders’ ECHL affiliate the Stockton Thunder. The Connecticut Post spoke with Rosen about his summer experience as a silver medalist at the Maccabiah Games.

Ryan Whitney, a free agent this summer after three-and-a-half seasons in Edmonton, has signed a one-year deal with Florida for $900,000.

Looking ahead

An injury kept 2014 recruit Johnathan MacLeod from participating in last Thursday’s All American Prospect Game in Pittsburgh, but the hard-hitting blueliner was back in the NTDP U18 lineup on Sunday, scoring  a power play goal and adding an assist for his first points of the season in three starts, as the U18s routed Chicago, 8-0.  MacLeod, who earned third-star honors, played at Kimball Union, teaming with current BU freshmen Doyle Somerby and Nick Roberto two seasons ago before joining the NTDP program. 

2016 recruit Clayton Keller scored twice and added an assist to help Shattuck St. Mary's Prep thump Team Southwest, 8-3.

Women’s Team

● Daily Free Press recap of 4-3 OT exhibition win

● The Hockey Writers’ preview of Hockey East

Linkorama

The Terriers, who will play an exhibition game against St. Francis Xavier next Saturday, are holding a pre-season clinic for players in the eighth grade through high school at Agganis Arena. Associate head coach Steve Greeley, director of hockey operations Pertti Hasanen and former BU All American and NHL standout Mike Grier (photo) will lead the clinic, which begins Oct. 7. Details.


► The 2013-14 BU Hockey Prospectus, featuring a schedule, roster, team preview, player thumbnails and more, is now posted in the sidebar in the links section.

Looking back

Former BU MVP Alex Chiasson has spent the preseason demonstrating that his six-goals-in-seven games performance when called up to Dallas at the end of last season was not a fluke. Chiasson has earned top six playing time and most recently is skating on the first power play unit. Stars new head coach Lindy Ruff remarked:

“He’s great around the front of the net. I think he’s going to become our net-front guy on the power play on a permanent basis. I don’t think there is anyone better right now.”

● Dallas Morning News report

● Defending Big D report

In Thursday nights’ 5-1 exhibition game win against Colorado, Chiasson scored twice including a power play goal.

Brandon Yip, who scored the game-winning goals in the 2006 (video) and 2009 Hockey East (video) championship games, has been sent to AHL Portland by Phoenix, with whom he signed in the off-season. Yip scored 108 points in four seasons at BU

Looking ahead

2014 forward J.J. Piccinich scored a power play goal and added an assist for Youngstown in the Phantoms’ 4-3 OT loss to Green Bay last night. The 6-0 right wing has scored in each of the Phantoms’ three games and co-leads the team in scoring with five points.

Women’s Team

Sophomore Dakota Woodworth’s goal 1:15 into overtime—her second score of the game—gave the Terriers a 4-3 win over Western Ontario in an exhibition game last night at Walter Brown Arena. The teams went into the third period tied at a goal apiece and both teams scored twice late in the period. Both BU games were tallied by freshman Maddie Elia.  Senior Kerrin Sperry and freshman Victoria Hanson split the netminding duties.

● GoTerriers.com recap and comprehensive boxscore

Media Day: BU 6th in Coaches Poll--UPDATED

Tuesday was Media Day for Hockey East and the Terriers were ranked sixth in the Hockey East Coaches Pre-season poll announced today, the conference’s media day. Lowell and BC each had 104 points, but the River Hawks garnered seven first-place votes to the Eagles four. 
● HockeyEastOnline.com talked with both Head Coach David Quinn (photo) and senior blueliner Garrett Noonan. (video)

● Daily Free Press interviews with Quinn, Noonan and senior defenseman  Patrick MacGregor.

BU is one of six Hockey East schools that will participate in the inaugural Big Ten/Hockey East Challenge. Five of six teams in the newly formed Big Ten Conference provide the opposition in 13 games to be played between Oct. 18 and 27. The Terriers will appear in three games: Oct. 19, hosting Wisconsin, Oct. 25 at Michigan and Oct 26 at Michigan State.

● Hockey East Online announcement

● USCHO report
● Daily Free Press report

Looking ahead

Two future Terriers, rugged defenseman Johnathan MacLeod (2014) and forward Bobo Carpenter (2015) were named to NHL Central Scouting’s preliminary Ones to Watch List for the 2014 draft. MacLeod, who skates for the NTDP U18s, was on the roster for USA Hockey’s All American Prospects Game scheduled for this Thursday, but isn’t available due to an injury. Carpenter, who will return to Austin Prep for his junior year, is currently skating for the Islanders Hockey Club 18U Midgets with a 2-2-4 scoring line in two games.

Examing potential candidates for next spring’s NTDP Tryout Camp, the Western Hockey Blog rated 2016 recruit Clayton Keller as a likely invitee.

"Clayton Keller-F-Shattuck-St. Mary's (Boston University commit)-Keller made his debut with Shattuck's top team this weekend and looked exceptional. Not very big, but continues to draw comparisons to Zach Parise, for his natural scoring ability, combined with his ability to play in the defensive zone as well."

Women’s Team

The defending Hockey East champion and national finalist Terriers held their first practice on Monday at Walter Brown Arena. Coach Brian Durocher’s squad, which returns 18 letterwinners, will play an exhibition game this Friday, hosting Western Ontario at 7 p.m.

● GoTerriers.com release

● Photo gallery

LInkorama

 

(AP Photo/LM Otero)

Alex Chiasson , who appears to have secured a spot on Dallas’ second line, scored a power play goal in last night’s 3-2 OT loss to the Blues.  Earlier in the week he scored the shootout game-winner for Dallas in a 3-2 win against Florida.

Matt Nieto, who signed with San Jose at the end of last season, is in the mix to make the Sharks’ roster and has seen action in San Jose exhibition games. He and Sharks’ coach Todd McLellan talked to the Mercury News about his chance to stay with the big club.

Former Terrier standout forward Brandon Yip scored a pair of goals in the Coyotes’ 5-1 exhibition game win against the Kings. Yip signed a one-year deal with Phoenix this past July. Video Q&A with Yip. (Kevork Djansezian / Associated Press / September 15, 2013)

Eric Gryba, who was an injury call-up to Ottawa last season and stayed in the lineup throughout the playoffs, talked with his hometown paper, the Saskatoon Star Phoenix, about training camp and his hopes to remain with the organization’s top level team.

Former BU All-American Colin Wilson, recovered from off-season shoulder surgery, could see action at wing as well as center this season according to Predators’ coach Barry Trotz. Wilson had a 7-12-19 line in 24 games in an injury shorted season.

Bay State Road Sports posted a video of ex-BU All American Colby Cohen firing a shootout goal for Porin Assat in the Finnish SM-Liga.

Looking ahead

2014 recruit JJ Piccinich scored goals in each of Youngstown’s first two regular-season games, a 9-3 loss to the NTDP U18s and a 7-6 loss to the NTDP U17s.  Fellow 2014 recruit Jack Eichel scored a goal and added two helpers for the U18s’ win.

2016 recruit Clayton Keller has made the prep team roster at Midwest powerhouse Shattuck St. Mary’s, one of only two 10^th graders on SSM’s top-level squad. The other is Minnesota 2016 recruit Ryan Lindgren. SSM prep began its Upper Midwest High School Elite League season this weekend. Keller scored a goal in first game, a 5-2 SSM win against Team SW, earning kudos for his efforts tweeted by the Western Hockey Blog’s Chris Dilks. Keller contributed an assist in Saturday’s 6-0 win against Team NW.