Linkorama--UPDATED

When Brandon Hickey’s WHL rights were acquired by Red Deer last week, the rumor mill began to question whether the standout blueliner would return to BU for his sophomore season. Talking with TSN, Hickey quickly set the record straight:

“I’m going back to school, the plan hasn’t changed,” Hickey said, “I’m looking for a backup plan in case I get injured. Injuries happen in sports. I don’t want to be a guy that is just tied to hockey. I want to be a guy who has options. If hockey doesn’t work out then I’ll always have my degree to fall back on.”

The Calgary Flames draft pick led the Terriers in blocked shots, recorded 17 points (6G, 11A) and was a key to BU's power play.

● NBC ProHockey Talk report

Playing hockey again is making me so excited to get back to BU #goterriers hi @mcarm_

— Brandon Hickey (@BHickey14) August 5, 2015

USCHO's Dan Hickling talked with incoming freshman Jordan Greenway after the 6-5 left wing attended Junior National Team evaluation camp in Lake Placid. A second-round draft pick of the Minnesota Wild, Greenway spent the last two seasons with the NTDP as a teammate of fellow freshman Charlie McAvoy. He scored 44 points in 53 games last season.  


Looking back

SB Nation ranked Evan Rodrigues as the Buffalo Sabres #23 top prospect. With 61 points, E-rod was second in the nation in scoring behind teammate Jack Eichel, whom he hopes to follow to the Sabres after signing a free agent contract. It's likely he'll begin the season at AHL Rochester, joined by Cason Hohmann, according to twitter reports.

 
Former BU Director of Hockey Operations and Assistant Coach Pertti Hasanen has been named NJ Devils development/skills coach, joining the staff of newly appointed head coach John Hynes. Hasanen spent five seasons on Coach Jack Parker’s staff and also was an assistant at UMass-Lowell.

NHL.com’s Mike Morreale reports on Hynes’ initial impact on the Devils. A member of BU’s 1995 national championship team, Hynes has spent the past  five seasons as head coach of Pittsburgh’s AHL affiliate.

Looking ahead

Future Terriers Patrick Harper and Hank Crone are skating with Team USA in the 2015 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup, which begins tomorrow in Breclav, Czech Republic, and Bratislava, Slovakia. Both are small, high-skill forwards expected to arrive at BU in 2017. Crone, who assisted on Team USA’s only goal in a 2-1 exhibition game loss to the Czech Republic, will play his second USHL season with Omaha beginning next month. In July, we reported that Harper will be back at Avon Old Farms where he will accelerate his education and then play a USHL season, also with Omaha.

● Official Hlinka Cup page

● USA Hockey Hlinka Cup page

● Team USA player profiles

● Harper Elite Prospects card

● Crone Elite Prospects card

Women’s Team

Incoming freshman Mary Grace Kelley, younger sister of men’s team junior Tommy Kelley, spoke with MetroWest Daily News about her decision to play hockey for Coach Brian Durocher. Last season, Kelley had captained Dexter Southfield to the NEPSAC championship game and was a standout for the Assabet Valley U19 team that won the state championship. The Natick, Massachusetts native earned the 2015 Massachusetts Hockey Sportsmanship Award.