Solidify the Future and Name Greg Brown Head Coach in Waiting

Whenever I run into other fans at games, around campus, on the golf course or wherever, by far and away the most asked question is always "who will be the next head coach?". It is a topic that everyone has different opinions on and with the success Coach York has had the past fifteen plus years, it is without a doubt the best job in college hockey. I have no clue how long Coach York will be around, I sure as heck hope it is for another 6 of 7 years and his contract does run through the 2019-20 season. I think being a coach at any major D1 school is tough, let alone at BC but if there is any 70 something that has the motor to keep on going, it is Coach York. Ask anyone that plays for him or coaches with him, he is always the most energetic guy on the ice every single day and I am certain that will continue for the next couple years, coinciding  with what should be a fantastic next few seasons for the maroon and gold, especially if they can keep this recruiting momentum going.

We all know that the most important thing in this business is recruiting and with archrival Boston University back from the dead, Providence winning a National Title, and Cav revamping UConn, winning the top end guys is as tough as it has ever been. The way recruiting has evolved in this sport, the staff has to start getting commitments from guys that wouldn't be here for another three, four, or even five years, a time period in which no one really knows where the program will be at. That is why I think AD Brad Bates should name associate head coach Greg Brown the head coach in waiting as soon as possible, because it would give the program an enormous amount of stability going forward. When they bring these extremely young kids in for visits, they can say unequivocally that if Coach York isn't here when you get to campus, Coach Brown and hopefully Coach Ayers will be there to insure that the operation is the same as it was when Coach York was here. Kids are not going to want to commit to a program and then have the whole thing change when a coach from the outside gets brought in because it totally changes everything that led them to the school.

Naysayers will say "Bates should go through the whole process and hire the best candidate" and point to Coach Brown's lack of head coaching experience but I think that whole argument is highly overrated. Does it really make a difference if he is a head coach between now and when Coach York retires? He is still going to recruit the same amount that he already does, he will have to implement a X's and O's strategy for whatever team he were to go to (something he already does at BC), what difference does it make? Mike Cavanaugh had no head coaching experience in college hockey, neither did Dave Hakstol, David Quinn, or Dick Umile and last time I checked, all of those guys are doing okay at their respective locations.

Coach Brown represents everything that is right with Boston College and it's hockey program. We can't afford to lose him and that is why he should be our head coach in waiting.

Go Eagles

Tortora Joins NTDP

 Jacob Tortora (Victor, NY) has joined the National Development Program as he was officially added to the roster this afternoon. Tortora, who is scheduled to arrive in the fall of 2017, is one of the staff's best recruits in the pipeline. He was slated to play in Youngstown (USHL) this upcoming season. As of now, he is the only future Eagle on the U17 team but the U18 squad has Graham McPhee, Joseph Woll, Zach Walker, and Michael Campoli.

Go Eagles. 

Locked And Loaded

Earlier this afternoon Columbus Blue Jackets beat writer Aaron Potzline reported that Jeremy Bracco had decommited from Boston College and would sign with the Kitchener Rangers. However, no more than an hour later, Bracco himself refuted the report with this tweet.....

Since this unique turn of events, I have been able to confirm with very reliable sources that Bracco, along with his parents, called Coach York today and informed him that Jeremy would 100% be attending Boston College in the fall. From what I am told, Jeremy and his family are excited to become part of the BC community and all the noise about what he is going to do has just been greatly exaggerated because Kitchener has not stopped trying to get ahold of him over the course of the past several weeks. Everyone out there is talking about Milano and how Bracco could just be following in his steps but Milano didn't call Coach York and reaffirm his commitment, he didn't confirm anything on Twitter which everyone in the world sees these days, and Toronto is totally different organization than Columbus.

Let's take a couple minutes here and talk about this recruiting win for the staff. Like usual, the college hockey media machine made it seem like there was no way he would end up here but Coach York and his crew went out there and landed the most talented freshman in the country. Awesome work by Coach Brown and Coach Ayers. I know he is young and maybe isn't the biggest guy but I think this kid has a chance to win Hockey East player of the year next year and maybe even the Hobey Baker because of how many points he gets on a nightly basis. I think he will love it here at BC because if you ask me, it's the best school in the world and Coach York's track record with younger forwards speaks for itself.

Now let's look at this from a hockey perspective and how it affects BC's lineup. They're going to be very deep and talented at pretty much every position, especially on the wings. I don't know if they're going to keep last years top line together but I think they probably should just to start things out. However, the power play is going to be a huge question mark because they have so many first unit type guys but you can only put 5 out there obviously. I think Tuch and Bracco would be a deadly combination but I also love Sanford and Gilmour on that top line because they're probably better in the defensive end than any of BC's other top 9 forwards with the exception of maybe Cangelosi. Whatever the staff decides to do, they will have three lines that will probably be better than anyone else's first line. Here is just a random guess....

Sanford-Gilmour-Tuch

Fitz-White-Bracco

Wood-Cangelosi-Calnan

Gaudreau-Brown-Dudek/Silk

I think that is probably the third or fourth best forward lineup of the Coach York era with the potential to be the best if everyone pans out. You all know how good I think this team can be so I won't repeat it but they have a chance to do things no college hockey team has ever done, they're that good. 

In other, unrelated news, Thatcher Demko hit the ice today for the first time since his surgery which just goes to show how hard he has worked to get back because he wasn't expected to be ready for the season opener. 

What a day in BC Hockey world, now all we need to close out the summer is a Phil win @ Whistling Straits. 

GO EAGLES !!!!!

Report: Bracco Gone

Well, this stings. I'll have more later. Tough news in BC Hockey world.

Lamoriello New Toronto GM, Could This Help?

In a shocking turn of events this afternoon, longtime New Jersey Devils president and Providence College hockey alumnus Lou Lamoriello was hired by the Toronto Maple Leafs to be their next general manager. In his 28 years at the helm, the Devils captured 3 Stanley Cups and made the playoffs 21 times. Immediately after the news broke, I began to think about how this could possibly affect BC and their push to get top recruit Jeremy Bracco to campus. Truth be told, I have no idea if this will have any impact on Bracco's decision but under Lamoriello's leadership, the Devils have drafted as many BC players as any franchise in the NHL, with the exception of maybe Pittsburgh. Stephen Gionta, Peter Harrold, Scott Clemmensen, and Cory Schneider are just a couple of the more recent examples of BC grads to wear the red and black. Recently, New Jersey has zoomed in on future/current Eagles, taking Steve Santini, Miles Wood, and Joey Dudek in the 2013 draft.

You don't need to look far to see that Lamoriello obviously has a huge amount of respect for the program Coach York has built here and the job he has done getting guys ready for the NHL, particularly the ones that maybe aren't the most physically gifted of the pack. I have heard numerous times over the past week that Toronto has been pushing for Bracco to play at BC this fall and maybe it is because they have known for a period of time that Lamoriello would be running the ship. There have been numerous rumors swirling around about what will actually happen and of course, you have a lot of people out there that say he is 100% gone but I'm not sure about that. There will be a final decision in the next couple of days but until then we will just have to sit around and take in the different leads.

Go Eagles

BC vs North Dakota @ MSG, Other Notes

Apologies for the lateness in the updates, I was on vacation this week and have been glued to my TV watching Phil battle for another Claret Jug.

According to Brad Schlossmann of the Grand Forks Harold, Boston College will face rival North Dakota at The Worlds Most Famous Arena on December 2, 2016. These rumors have been swirling for years as there was one last year pertaining to a possible BC vs Qunnipiac game but that obviously never came to fruition. So with this news, the two best programs in college hockey will add another chapter to their history next season but we have a long way to go until then so let's focus on the current stuff.

No news on Jeremy Bracco but of course, the college hockey media machine is making it seem like there is absolutely no chance he ends up at BC. From what I am hearing, Toronto is very aware of BC's history with smaller players and thus could be pushing Bracco to attend college this fall. Obviously the rest of the country wants to see him bolt for the CHL so of course they're saying he is going to leave. My guess at this time yesterday was that he was 100% gone but after what I heard today, I am feeling confident about his arrival. I keep getting these messages about how the staff should stop recruiting "mercenaries" (other peoples words). Let's get two things perfectly clear. Neither Noah Hanifin nor Jeremy Bracco is a "mercenary", they're just trying to do what is best for their hockey careers. Of course I want Jeremy to play at BC but the kid's dream is to play in the NHL and whatever path he feels is best for him is the way he should go but don't count BC out just yet. The other complaint I have gotten is about the staff's recruiting strategy when it comes to these "mercenaries". That is ridiculous, they're working as hard as ever this summer after a somewhat disappointing season last year. I have a ton of confidence they will find a way to get Jeremy to campus but if they don't, it isn't the end of the world.

Go Eagles

Hanifin Signs With Carolina

First off, really happy for Noah and his family. He is a tremendous kid who will without a doubt be a star in the NHL someday. He has all the tools to become one of the best defensemen in the game, he is big, he can fly, he has a shot that is improving, he has a high hockey IQ, and is getting better in his own end day by day. I think he will help lead that franchise to a lot wins over the next 15 years.

As for BC, not really sure what to say, obviously it is a huge loss. I can't speak for everyone but personally, I was always under the impression that he was going to stay two years but how the heck can are you supposed to turn down that kind of money? Our D situation is fine but it is young and probably not as deep as the staff would like. I think McCoshen is the best returning D in the league and we all know what Santini is capable of when healthy. Doherty is going to be his usual, offensive minded/gritty self that the team can rely on in a lot of situations. Savage will hopefully get back to the way he was playing freshman year but we can only wonder about how the two rookies, Casey Fitzgerald and Josh Couturier, will perform.

I suppose that with Noah's scholarship opening up, the staff could use it to try and lure another defenseman (or forward) for this years squad. I am not sure of Chad Krys' or Dante Fabbro's academic situations but if there was any chance that they could gain admissions this late in the cycle and enroll in September, then that would be the best case scenario. Sure, it stings a bit right now but I have total faith that this staff will get things situated before the season begins.

Congrats Noah, Go Eagles!

Development Camp Notes

Here is where the following Eagles are attending NHL development camps over the next two weeks.

New Jersey Devils- Miles Wood, JD Dudek, Casey Fitzgerald*, Matt Gaudreau*, Steve Santini, Josh Couturier

Toronto Maple Leafs- Jeremy Bracco

Ottawa Senators- Colin White

Buffalo Sabres- Chris Brown

New York Islanders- Teddy Doherty*, Austin Cangelosi*

Minnesota Wild- Alex Tuch

Washington Capitals- Zach Sanford

Columbus Blue Jackets- Scott Savage

Chicago Blackhawks- Chris Calnan

Florida Panthers- Ian McCoshen

Boston Bruins- Ryan Fitzgerald

Carolina Hurricanes- Noah Hanifin

Vancouver Canucks- Thatcher Demko (not playing, still recovering from surgery)

That is 18 guys....has to be some sort of record. * means they were not drafted by the club

Adam Gilmour is not at Wild camp, not sure why, believe because of summer classes.

Go Eagles.

Notes

First off, hope you all had a great Fourth with your friends and family. As we get back into the swing of things, this week may be the biggest of the offseason as we should know more about the decisions of Noah Hanifin and Jeremy Bracco. Yesterday, Hanifin told the Carolina media that he has not made a decision on whether or not he will return to BC but he added that he didn't want to hurt BC in any way by telling them late in the summer which is a classy move on his part. As for Bracco, some Toronto reporters have tweeted that they expect to know today what his plans are for next season. Surprisingly, I have heard some positive news concerning BC's top incoming recruit as of late but I guess there is only one person who really knows where Jeremy Bracco is going to play hockey next season.

On Friday, BC and BU alums will face off in the Comm Ave Charity Classic to help benefit victims of ALS. The game will feature Johnny G, Bill Arnold, Brian Gibbons, Kevin Hayes, Chris Kreider, and Coach Brown among others.

Nothing new on the scheduling front except for the two Vermont games.

On the recruiting side of things, BC will be in the hunt for two guys with former Maine connections. Late last week, Mark Divver of the Providence Journal reported that top 2000 Oliver Wahlstrom, a former Maine commit, is now reopening his commitment and I have since confirmed that BC will be one of the teams in on him. Even though every big name program in the country will be after him, I think BC has a good shot of landing this kid because apparently, he is best friends with TJ Walsh, another top 2000 that BC landed last summer. Walsh had a pretty good year for Shattuck St Mary's last year, recording 136 points in 66 games.

The other recruiting news I've got is that BC is one of the finalist for ex-Black Bear Liam Pecararo who left the university a couple of weeks ago. Truth be told, he had a bit of a tough freshman season under Red Gendron but there is no doubt that the talent is there for him to be a terrific player in this league. Pecararo recorded 61 points in 54 games two years ago in the USHL. The other suitors for Pecararo are North Dakota and Denver, among others.

If anything happens today with Bracco, I'll be sure to have a post on it. Say your prayers.

Go Eagles

Notes

These next two to three weeks can be some of the most stressful for the staff as they will try to get a firm grip on next year's roster but unfortunately, things may be falling out of their hands. Let's take a look at what is going on.

Yesterday, a Carolina Hurricanes PR guy tweeted out Noah's number (#5) which led to rampant speculation that the 18 year old defenseman had signed with them but there has been no official word and from what I have heard, he has not made up his mind. From a pure outsiders prospective, it appears that the staff has been under the thinking that Noah would return for one more season but ever since the draft, numerous videos and quotes have been presented that would point in the other direction. In the end, I think there is a better chance than people think of him coming back but based on everything that was said at that draft, and let me be clear, just based on that, I think he will leave but hopefully Coach York can create some magic and get him to return.

The other issue  is the ongoing debate over what Jeremy Bracco is going to do next year. Multiple college hockey reporters have come out and said they think there is a 0% chance Bracco ends up on campus in October and I think everyone at BC was taken aback by his quote at the draft when he basically said he would let the Leafs decide what his path was, although he was careful to say "the focus is on BC". Of course, we all know what happened last year with Milano and how much that desecrated our club. If Bracco is going to bolt, which I am convinced he will because of all the swirling rumors, then hopefully he tells the staff in the next couple days instead of waiting until late August so they can try and bring in a replacement, which I have been told they will do if worst comes to worst.


No truth to the rumor that the fireworks you may have heard today after Eichel announced he was leaving came from Chestnut Hill but in all seriousness, that kid is the most NHL ready hockey player I have ever seen. I think he is going to be an all star and get that team to the playoffs next season, he is that good. I wish him nothing but the very best although I sure am happy he won't be skating against BC any time soon.

Pat Wey Retires

Per Mike Vogel, a senior writer for the Washington Capitals, current Cap and former Eagle Patrick Wey has retired after suffering back to back concussions and will pursue other educational interest. I've seen a lot of guys come and go through this program and don't get me wrong, a very large majority of them are terrific kids who will go on/have gone on to do fantastic things both in and out of hockey but I can say without any doubts that Pat Wey was one of the best people ever to don the maroon and gold. He treated everybody with respect, he was extremely popular amongst his teammates, and certainly performed admirably on the ice as he helped BC to 4 Beanpots, 3 Hockey East titles, and 2 National Titles. He battled through multiple setbacks including concussions and mono during his time here but always seemed to find a way to take his game to the next level in big moments, particularly in his own end where the staff often had him out against other teams' top lines. Pat Wey was the type of guy that I think Coach York and his crew strive to mold every BC player into, he was a genius in the classroom, a dependable player on the ice, and a gracious person off of it.

I wish Pat all the best in whatever lies ahead, once and Eagle, always an Eagle.

Go Eagles.

Bracco Picked But It Looks Bad

Freshman Jeremy Bracco was selected 61st overall this morning by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the NHL draft. However, it has become more and more likely that he will ditch BC for the Kitchener Rangers (OHL). I am not sure how much the Maple Leafs will influence his decision but I do know that Brendan Shanahan has been at a handful of BC's games in the past so he knows what the program is about.

Obviously, we went through this last year but this time around, I think everyone should be prepared for what is coming. I would say there is a 5% chance he ends up at BC next season. Obviously, it would be a total bummer but maybe the kid will step back and think about all the positives of playing college hockey and at BC in particular. In the end, no matter where he plays, we all want him to achieve his goal of donning that blue and white sweater in the near future.

As for what the staff will do to fill the spot (if and when it opens up), it appears that they have a plan to bring in someone to help out next years squad, should their top rated recruit bolt for Canada.

Go Eagles

Hanifin Goes To Carolina, White to Ottawa, and Finger Crossing Time

Tonight, Noah Hanifin became just the second Eagle ever taken in the top 5 of the NHL draft along with long time NHLer Bill Guerin. About an hour later, freshman Colin White was selected by the Ottawa Senators as the 21st overall pick, becoming the first Eagle to be drafted by the red and black since Patrick Eaves.

As you probably know, I say some stuff on this blog and on the Twitter waves that probably don't resonate too well with some people, including some of BC's own players but when it comes to Noah Hanifin, I've never had a player treat me with kindness and respect quite like he has. Sure, it's a really small thing but the kid goes out of his way to treat me well and for that, he will always be a top my list of favorite Eagles, along with G of course. I know how hard he has worked to get his named called this evening and no one deserves it more than that kid. He always talks about how he wants to improve his shot before he gets to the show. A lot of people just talk about that stuff but I can't tell you how many times he has stayed after practice working on his one timer with Coach Brown while everyone else heads to the locker room. Carolina is not just getting a special hockey player, they're getting one heck of a kid who represents Boston College unbelievably well. As for what happens now, I was always in the camp of thinking he would return but it doesn't look good (click link), However,  Here is a link of Carolina's GM saying the organization is certainly open to him coming back to BC.

When it comes to Colin White, I thought he was going to end up with Boston or Detroit (my favorite team) but he ended up sliding down to Ottawa, where a lot of pundits had him. Obviously, a terrific night for him and his family but this tweet below got me thinking again. Immediately after it was posted I talked with a person inside the program and he said there was "no way" White would ever bolt. From everyone I have talked to, it seems like he is excited to get here and contribute, even telling a local paper last week that he wanted to be a "point per game player @ BC". It is probably nothing but here it is.......

Tomorrow we will see Jeremy Bracco, Casey Fitzgerald, and David Cotton get drafted. See you then. 

Go Eagles

UPDATE********- As of Saturday morning, that tweeted from Lafortune has been deleted.

Draft Notes, Staff Announces Freshmen Class, and Other Notes

Tomorrow marks one of the most exciting days in the offseason as the NHL draft commences in Sunrise, Florida. Like usual, many Eagles are projected to be picked over the course of the next few days but of course, no one stands out more so than Noah Hanifin who is slated to go #3 overall in tomorrows first round. The question is where will Noah and a handful of other Eagles take the next steps in their hockey careers after leaving Boston College?

I'm not going to sit here and try to make it seem like I know where these guys are going to end up but I think a good idea would be to give you a few different mock drafts so you can try to see for yourself where the BC guys will end up. For the record, I think Hanifin will go #3 but I think it will be to Columbus rather than Phoenix. I was surprised at how low some experts had Colin White because I think he will go #13 to Los Angeles and I also wouldn't be blown away if Jeremy Bracco makes it a trio of Eagles in the first round due to his vision and play making abilities. So, here are the different mock drafts I came across.

USA Today 

SB Nation 

My NHL

Mike Morreale's final mock draft (this guy knows what he is talking about)

Adam Kimelman's final mock draft 

Yahoo Sports

Sports Net 

Blue Jackets Blog "The Cannon"

Here is a good trivia question....who is BC's highest first round draft pick all time and what number was he?

When the draft is all said and done, I expect Hanifin, White, Bracco, David Cotton (3rd round), Casey Fitzgerald (6th or 7th round) to all get drafted. So, if that does indeed take place, BC will have 15 NHL draft picks on it's team next year. Think we're going to be pretty good? Ya, pretty, pretty, pretty, good.

The staff officially finished announcing the incoming class today so here are the freshmen numbers.

Jeremy Bracco- 17
Colin White-18
Miles Wood- 28
Chris Shero-23
Chris Birdsall-1
Casey Fitzgerald-5
Josh Couturier- 22
Chris Brown-10
Joey Dudek-15

Before I go, I want to share a tweet I saw yesterday but because it has become such a controversial topic that I have touched on time and time again, I will avoid comment.

Also, I have updated the schedule with three more games, including the two vs archrival Boston University.

Good luck to all the guys down in Florida, Go Eagles!

Offseason Questions

It's been a little while since we discussed the offseason and what could possibly lie ahead for this team next fall. As you probably know, I'm quite excited about the team BC could possibly have next season but there is a still a couple of questions as to who shows up in September. 

1. Will Noah Hanifin stay? 

Obviously, this is the #1 question in every player, coach, and fan's mind, will BC's top player return for another year on the Heights? First of all, I think it says a lot about Hanifin and Jack Eichel that they're taking their respective commitments to BC and BU so seriously, that is something we don't really see these days. It is clear that these two prospects, perhaps the most highly touted in college hockey since Toews and Kessel, enjoyed their seasons and it's quite amazing that they're even considering coming back. My take on Hanifin is probably the same as anyone else's, I think it's 50-50 as to whether he stays or goes because it depends so much on who drafts him although I do think there is a better chance of him staying than people think. Is BC screwed if he leaves? No, they still have four very solid guys coming back on the blue line with two young but talented freshmen in Couturier and Fitzgerald. If you really want me to say what I think, and I am very biased, yes, I do think he will stay. 

2. Will Jeremy Bracco show? 

Unfortunately, I feel like this one is more up in the air than the Hanifin question. The good news is that its been about a month since the close of the NTDP season and Bracco has yet to sign anywhere, unlike some other guys on his team such as Tkachuk and Max Jones (U17). The bad news is that in speaking with people around the program, it is clear that they are not 100% sure that he will arrive in the fall. We all know what happened with Sonny Milano and that was arguably the worst thing that could have happened to the team last year. Bracco signing with Kitchner wouldn't be as big a blow as Milano but I am one of many who believe he could be the leading scorer on this team next season because he always seems to have a knack for putting points on the board, something BC desperately needs. I would like to think that he will be in the opening night lineup at Army but there is only one person that really knows the answer to whether or not that will come to fruition. 

3. Is the staff done recruiting for the year?

With 7 seniors and Mike Matheson gone, many believe that the staff has some left over scholarship money to spend for next season. Unlike BU, Coach York and his crew are pretty conservative when it comes to throwing around scholarship money. Here is what I think, if Bracco does in fact sign with Kitchner, then BC will certainly bring in another guy, I believe they have a plan in case that happens. But, if he does end up coming to BC, I don't think they will sign anyone else, and unlike others, I don't think they necessarily need to. All those BU clowns keep talking about how we won't be deep next season but when you look closely, BC won't just be deep next year, they will have "role" players who are experienced and most importantly, skilled. Here is just a quick projected forward lineup for next year....not much thought went into this.

Sanford-Gilmour-Tuch

Fitz- White-Bracco 

Wood-Cangelosi-Calnan

Gaudreau-Brown-Silk/Dudek 

That is as deep a lineup as Coach York has ever had, at least skill wise. I think you could certainly switch some guys around like White and Cangelosi, Calnan, Bracco, and Tuch can be arraigned literally anyway they want, and I'm not sure if they're going to keep that first line together again after they struggled in the postseason. Again, just a quick run through, we will do more of these as October gets closer but it sure is fun when you have a lot of options.

4. How is Demko doing? 

From all I have gathered, it seems as if Thatcher Demko is recovering well from his hip surgery earlier this spring. Obviously, we still have a ways to go until October 9th but I think there is a solid chance he is ready to go and if not then, certainly in the first couple weeks of the season. I do not think he will play nearly as much as he did a season ago because I think the staff has some confidence in Birdsall's abilities along with the fact that BC should be the highest scoring team in the nation. For example, will he really need to play @ Army, vs Wisconsin, or RIT? Why not give the freshman some valuable experience early on. It can't hurt in the long run. 

5. I've gotten about 1500 emails about BU's recent recruiting run and how we should be concerned, should we? 

Remember what Aaron Rodgers said after the Packers went 1-2 to start the year? "RELAX". Obviously, the staff is confident that a lot of guys will stay following this season because they have not committed much scholarship money to high end guys that are coming in the fall of 2016. BU on the other hand will lose guys like Oksanen, O'Regan, Grzelyck, Lane, and perhaps Hickey after this season. Tuch is certainly here for just two years, but I wouldn't say it is a forgone conclusion that guys like Santini, Gilmour, and Calnan leave after their junior seasons.....but that is a long ways off. The point is, don't worry, we will be fine. No one will question recruiting this year, trust me, not even this guy. 

6. Is this the most talented team Coach York has ever had, outside of maybe 2011? (If Bracco and Hanifin come/stay) 

......................................................Yes.

Go Eagles!

One week until Chambers Bay, come on Phil!

Support A Terrific Cause

Former Eagle captain Pat Mullane and his classmates joined forces with a couple of counterparts from the down the street to develop the Comm Ave Charity Classic to be played on Friday, July 10th at BU's Walter Brown Arena. The game will pit former Eagles including Brian Leetch, Cam Atkinson, Chris Kreider, Brian Dumoulin, and G vs former Terriers such as Scott Young, Jay Pandolfo, and Charlie Coyle. The proceeds for the game will go straight to research for ALS.

I'm certainly impressed with the work Pat has put in to help bring this game to fruition as I know he was very close with Dick Kelly during his time at Boston College. Of course, the news of Pete Frates' diagnosis a couple of years back and the subsequent "Ice Bucket Challenge" last summer provided even more initiative for Pat and his crew to get this thing together. I know we like to give them a hard time when it comes to the hockey and recruiting but hats off to the former Terriers for playing a big role in what will certainly be a terrific event next month.

Here is the website if you want more information. Hopefully we can see the good guys take home another victory over the scarlet and white.

Go Eagles!

Updates

As we learned the hard way last August, no news can usually be perceived as good news and that is exactly what has taken place so far this summer in BC Hockey world. I don't have much to report on but here are some quick points.

It appears Thatcher Demko's recovery from hip surgery is going quite well. By all accounts, there is a solid chance he is good to go for Army on October 9th but I would expect that he sits 7-9 times this year. He simply ran out of gas last season but the good news is he should have a high powered offense to support him.

Forward Brendan Silk is still recovering from a concussion and was cleared to begin working out just a couple of weeks ago. Still not a sure thing he will be ready to go for the season opener.

As far as recruiting goes, nothing much to report. Over the course of the past three weeks, we have seen numerous CHL teams announce signing of American prospects but thankfully, none of those have been Jeremy Bracco who still seems set on attending BC in September.

In the schedule page, we've got pretty much all of the non-conference games set in stone with the exception of RIT. No conference games have been announced but we host Notre Dame and travel to Vermont.

Other than that, enjoy the summer and get ready for Phil at Chambers Bay!

Go Eagles

Recruiting Updates

Brad Schlossman, the beat reporter for North Dakota (busy couple days for him), reported this afternoon that top prospects Dante Fabbro and Tyson Jost, both of Pentiction (BCHL) are looking to accelerate their studies in hopes of playing college hockey this upcoming fall. BC has particular interest in Fabbro, the 6'1 defenseman from the same area that they got recruits such as Isaac Macleod, Destry Straight, and Evan Richardson. I think it'll be interesting to see what takes place over the next couple of weeks because BC has the room to try and bring in these guys but then theres the obvious question if the admissions department would let someone in so late in the process but I am not too worried about that. As of now, BC pretty much has their starting 6 D set in stone (and yes, I think 7 comes back) but there is always the possibility of Hanifin being drafted by a team that wants him right away and if that happens, they might want to try and bring in one more because after their top 6, they won't have much and you want to avoid the injury problem.

Tkachuk Signs With London

Matthew Tkachuk, son of Terrier legend Keith and NTDP standout, ended all the speculation yesterday when he signed with the London Knights (OHL). Some people seem a bit shocked by the news given who his father is but I don't find it the least bit shocking because once he decommitted from Notre Dame in the winter, you could tell there was a lot of interest in the O. 

No reason to be upset over not getting him, it was a long shot in the beginning with the Knights and the Terriers involved but I guess the good news is we won't have to play against him next season. 

On another note, a giant in Massachusetts high school hockey was asked not to return next year as Bill Hanson, head coach at Catholic Memorial for 38 years, will not be behind the bench next season. Interestingly enough, it appears that his replacement will be former Eagle and Belmont Hill forward Ian Moran but that isn't set in stone, yet. 

Go Eagles  

Positive Sign

This afternoon, the Youngstown Phantoms (USHL) tendered future Eagle Jacob Tortora, a 1999 birthdate out of Victor, New York and the Don Millis Flyers. If you read my tweet you could see this is a big step in the right direction for the staff but there have been a lot of questions as to why it's so important that he was tendered. Basically, there is a good chance that Tortora signs in the OHL (he was picked 19th) but by going to the USHL, it seems that he is committed to the college route. Currently slated to arrive at BC in the fall of 2017, Tortora is perhaps the staff's biggest recruit in the pipeline.

Go Eagles.