New England Hockey Journal's Jeff Cox reports that former BU Head Coach Albie O'Connell will soon be announced as Associate Head Coach at Arizona State. Cox, who also is assistant GM of USHL Clark Cup champion Youngstown (Shane Lachance, Brandon Svoboda) adds that O'Connel willl remain in his position as a Montreal Canadians scout through the NHL Entry Draft later this month.
After winning its first nine games at the IIHF Men's World Championships, Team USA lost overtime games to Germany in the semifinals and and Latvia in the bronze medal game.
Looking ahead
FloHockey profiled Muskegon defenseman Gavin McCarthy who will join his brother, Case McCarthy, next season in the Terrier defense corps. Despite missing eight weeks due to an injury suffered at the World Junior A Challenge, he had a 8-19-27 in 42 games, while ramping up his defensive game in his second USHL season. Last summer, he skated for Team USA in the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup tournament.
With the ability to quarterback the power play, McCarthy puts himself in a position to rack up points on the man advantage. He possesses a quick release from the point that makes him deadly anywhere in the attacking zone, but he will frequently change up the speed of his shot to throw off the goaltender’s timing.
McCarthy’s vision is one of his best traits, and being a big, mobile defenseman in the offensive zone, he attracts a lot of attention when driving toward the net, which leaves his teammates open. The Boston University commit can effortlessly fit seam passes through small windows on plays in tight or on the breakout for players alone up-ice.
● FloHockey.TV Defenseman Gavin McCarthy Flying Under the NHL Radar
FloHockey's Chris Peters ranks McCarthy at #48 for the upcoming draft while NHL Central Scouting ranked him #52 among North American skaters. The 6'2" right-shot and 2024 recruit Svoboda are among the 24 USHL players invited to the NHL Combine, which begins Sunday in Buffalo.
The Athletic's Cory Pronman has McCarthy at #53 and offers this analysis:
McCarthy's toolkit is one that should do well in the pro game. He's got good size, he's a right shot, he skates well, and he's showing a lot of offense this season in the USHL. I don't think he's a natural puck-mover, but McCarthy has good skill and can make the occasional tough offensive play. His skating allows him to transport pucks up ice. Defensively he's solid. He can run around a little bit, but he's quite physical, and his skating lets him close on plays well. I think he will play a regular role on an NHL team even if it's on a third pairing.
Pronman also pegged 6'1" Swedish defenseman Tom Willander at #15 overall with these comments:
Willander's skating is his main asset for the NHL; he is one of the best skaters in the draft. He has a quick, powerful skating stride and can push the pace up ice with the puck. Willander's skating allows him to close on checks well and be a quality defender especially when combined with the fact he has some physicality in his game. I wasn't always sold on his offensive touch. I don't see a big-time playmaker as a pro, but Willander has good enough skill and vision to move pucks at higher levels well, especially given the space his feet can generate. He has the making of a good two-way top four defenseman.
BCHL West Kelowna announced that 2024 recruit Callum Hughes will join the Warriors for the 2023-24 season.
Hughes, 17, is also getting set to come to Western Canada and play his junior hockey with the Warriors for the first time as the Basking Ridge, New Jersey native spent this past season with the U16 team at Mount St. Charles Academy. In just 39 games, the 6’0”, 161-pound left-handed shot forward posted 14 goals and 42 assists for 56 points to finish 4th in team scoring. Hughes, along with incoming forward Jack Pridham, will suit up for the Boston University Terriers following their junior hockey career.
“I’m super excited to be able to play in the BCHL next season and connect with my Canadian heritage,” Hughes, a dual-citizen to Canada and the United States, said, “I can’t wait to be a part of the Warriors family and to play with such an amazing junior organization and team.”
Looking back
The Golden Knights and Panthers face off the the Stanley Cup finals beginning Saturday with Vegas' Jack Eichel looking to become the 11th Terriers to have his name engraved on the silver trophy. The 2015 Hobey Baker Memorial Award winner leads the Golden Knights in playoff scoring and led the team during the regular season, too.
● NHL.com Eichel has Stanley Cup on his mind in 1st Stanley Cup Run
Bill O'Neill with Jack Parker at the 2019 Hall of Fame Banquet
Former Terrier defenseman and Salem State Head Coach Bill O'Neill is stepping down after 42 seasons behind the Vikings bench. O'Neill, a Lynn, Mass., native and St. John's Prep standout, patrolled the BU blueline from 1975-79, playing in three Frozen Fours including on the 1978 national champions.
Following graduation, he spent two seasons as an assistant coach at Norwich under head coach Toot Cahoon before being named to the top spot at Salem State.
During his tenure, the Vikings compiled a 626-436-76 record. He is second all-time in total victories in NCAA Division III. During his first 22 seasons, he won 18 MASCAC titles and his teams claimed ECAC titles in 1985, 1994 and 1995. New England Hockey Writers named his coach of the year three times.
At the BU Athletics Hall of Fame banquet in 2019, he was the recipient of the William French Award presented to a current or former Boston University coach or to a graduate of Boston University who has distinguished himself or herself in the coaching profession in the past year.
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