AMESBURY, Mass. - A record 82 alumni of the Hockey East Association have begun the 2021-22 season on National Hockey League rosters. The number also nearly doubles the 44 league alumni who suited up in the NHL on opening night in 2011, showing the steady growth of the league’s talent over the last decade, and sets a new mark for Hockey East products in the NHL on opening night for the 10th season in a row. A full list of players, sorted by NHL team and Hockey East school, can be found below.
Eleven schools are represented on 31 of 32 NHL teams, led by 21 from Boston College alone. Boston University boasts 15 Terriers in the NHL, Massachusetts claims 10 players, Providence sends eight, New Hampshire developed six, five Northeastern Huskies and Maine Black Bears have suited up on opening night alongside three UMass Lowell River Hawks, and one alumnus each from UConn and Vermont. Additionally, six Notre Dame alumni who competed in Hockey East for the Fighting Irish made an NHL club.
The Pittsburgh Penguins lead all NHL teams with eight Hockey East alumni on their roster while 20 others have at least two league products.
The record-setting milestone comes after 17 current players and recruits were selected in the 2021 National Hockey League Entry Draft, representing seven of the 11 Hockey East member schools. Hockey East’s 17 selections were once again the most of any college hockey conference and represent nearly one third of the 56 NCAA players and recruits chosen.
Of the 17 players, reigning Pro Ambitions Co-Rookie of the Year Josh Lopina (Minooka, Ill./Massachusetts/Anaheim) was the lone skater who spent the 2020-21 season in Hockey East. In total, Hockey East had seven forwards, nine defensemen, and one goaltender chosen. Massachusetts led all member schools with four players chosen for the second consecutive year, while Boston University and Vermont each boast three, Boston College, New Hampshire, Providence claim two, and one future UConn Husky was picked.
The impressive showing at the 2021 NHL Entry Draft concluded a historic 2020-21 NHL season for Hockey East alumni. The Hockey East Association was once again the most well-represented college hockey conference in the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs, as 108 league alumni, including 54 players, entered the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs. Each of the 16 NHL clubs that qualified for the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs boasted at least one Hockey East alumnus on roster. Last season nearly 100 Hockey East alumni appeared in at least one NHL game, comprising nearly a third of the over 300 NCAA alumni who appeared in the NHL this season.
The 2021 Stanley Cup Champion Tampa Bay Lightning won with the help of three league alumni, including Vermont forward Ross Colton (2016-18), who scored the Stanley Cup-winning goal.
ABOUT HOCKEY EAST: The Hockey East Association is an 11-team Division I college men’s hockey con- ference founded in 1984 and a 10-team Division I women’s league which began play in 2002-03. The men’s league has won 10 NCAA championships in the past 27 years, most recently Massachusetts in 2021. Since 1999, Hockey East has won eight men’s NCAA Championships with 17 NCAA Championship Game appearances, while placing 28 teams in the Frozen Four and 74 teams in the NCAA Tournament. Overall, Hockey East has sent 118 teams to the men’s NCAA Tournament since its inaugural season, more than any other conference in that span. Hockey East is home to 11 Hobey Baker winners and four Patty Kazmaier winners.
Hockey East Alumni on 2021-22 NHL Opening Night Rosters
By NHL Team
Anaheim Ducks (3) – Josh Manson (NU), Kevin Shattenkirk (BU), Trevor Zegras (BU)
Arizona Coyotes (2) – Carter Hutton (UML), Clayton Keller (BU)
Boston Bruins (4) – Charlie Coyle (BU), Matt Grzelcyk (BU), Charlie McAvoy (BU), Jeremy Swayman (ME)
Buffalo Sabres (5) – Jacob Bryson (PC), Anders Bjork (ND), Jack Eichel* (BU), Vinnie Hinostroza (ND), Tage Thompson (UConn)
Calgary Flames (2) – Johnny Gaudreau (BC), Noah Hanifin (BC),
Carolina Hurricanes (1) – Brett Pesce (UNH)
Chicago Blackhawks (1) – Adam Gaudette (NU)
Colorado Avalanche (2) – Cale Makar (UMass), Alex Newhook (BC)
Columbus Blue Jackets (3) – Nathan Gerbe* (BC), Gustav Nyquist (ME), Andrew Peeke (ND)
Dallas Stars (3) – Joel Hanley (UMass), Jake Oettinger (BU), Ben Bishop* (ME)
Edmonton Oilers (3) – Warren Foegele (UNH), Devin Shore (ME), William Lagesson* (UMass)
Florida Panthers (5) – Noel Acciari* (PC), Spencer Knight (BC), Ryan Lomberg (ME), Brandon Montour (UMass), Frank Vatrano (UMass)
Los Angeles Kings (2) – Cal Peterson (ND), Jonathan Quick (UMass)
Minnesota Wild (3) – Brandon Duhaime (PC), Jordan Greenway (BU), Matt Boldy* (BC)
Montreal Canadiens (1) – Jake Evans (ND)
Nashville Predators (2) – Matt Benning (NU), Dante Fabbro (BU)
New Jersey Devils (2) – Tyce Thompson* (PC), Miles Wood* (BC)
New York Islanders (1) – Oliver Wahlstrom (BC)
New York Rangers (2) – Chris Kreider (BC), Kevin Rooney (PC)
Ottawa Senators (4) – Angus Crookshank* (UNH), Zach Sanford (BC), Brady Tkachuk (BU), Colin White* (BC)
Philadelphia Flyers (7) – Cam Atkinson (BC), Justin Braun (UMass), Patrick Brown (BC), Joel Farabee (BU), Kevin Hayes (BC), James van Riemsdyk (UNH), Ryan Fitzgerald* (BC)
Pittsburgh Penguins (8) – Brian Boyle (BC), Casey DeSmith (UNH), Brian Dumoulin (BC), Mike Matheson (BC), Evan Rodrigues (BU), Chad Ruhwedel (UML), Bryan Rust (ND), Zach Aston-Reese* (NU)
San Jose Sharks (3) – Nick Bonino (BU), Mario Ferraro (UMass), Matt Nieto (BU)
Seattle Kraken (2) – Brandon Tanev (PC), Jamie Oleksiak* (NU)
St. Louis Blues (1) – Jake Walman (PC)
Tampa Bay Lightning (1) – Ross Colton (UVM)
Toronto Maple Leafs (1) – Joseph Woll (BC)
Vancouver Canucks (2) – Thatcher Demko (BC), Brady Keeper (ME)
Vegas Golden Knights (2) – Jack Dugan (PC), Alex Tuch* (BC)
Washington Capitals (4) – Matt Irwin (UMass), Conor Sheary (UMass), Trevor van Riemsdyk (UNH), Bobby Nardella* (ND)
Winnipeg Jets (1) – Connor Hellebuyck (UML)
By School
Boston College (21) – Cam Atkinson (PHI), Matt Boldy (MIN), Brian Boyle (PIT), Patrick Brown (PHI), Thatcher Demko (VAN), Brian Dumoulin (PIT), Ryan Fitzgerald (PHI), Johnny Gaudreau (CGY), Nathan Gerbe (CBJ),
Noah Hanifin (CGY), Kevin Hayes (PHI), Spencer Knight (FLA), Chris Kreider (NYR), Mike Matheson (PIT), Alex Newhook (COL), Zach Sanford (OTT), Alex Tuch* (VGK), Oliver Wahlstrom (BC), Colin White* (OTT), Joseph Woll (TOR), Miles Wood* (NJD)
Boston University (15) – Nick Bonino (SJS), Charlie Coyle (BOS), Jack Eichel* (BUF), Dante Fabbro (NSH), Joel Farabee (PHI), Jordan Greenway (MIN), Matt Grzelcyk (BOS), Clayton Keller (ARI), Charlie McAvoy (BOS), Matt Nieto (SJS), Jake Oettinger (DAL), Evan Rodrigues (PIT), Brady Tkachuk (OTT), Kevin Shattenkirk (BU), Trevor Zegras (ANA)
UConn (1) – Tage Thompson (BUF)
Maine (6) – Ben Bishop* (DAL), Brady Keeper (VAN), Ryan Lomberg (FLA), Gustav Nyquist (CBJ), Devin Shore (EDM), Jeremy Swayman (BOS)
Massachusetts (10) – Justin Braun (PHI), Mario Ferraro (SJS), Joel Hanley (DAL), Matt Irwin (WSH), William Lagesson (EDM), Cale Makar (COL), Brandon Montour (FLA), Conor Sheary (WSH), Jonathan Quick (LAK), Frank Vatrano (FLA)
UMass Lowell (3) – Connor Hellebuyck (WPG), Carter Hutton (ARI), Chad Ruhwedel (PIT)
New Hampshire (6) – Angus Crookshank* (UNH), Casey DeSmith (PIT), Warren Foegele (EDM), Brett Pesce (CAR), James van Riemsdyk (PHI), Trevor van Riemsdyk (WSH)
Northeastern (5) – Zach Aston-Reese* (PIT), Matt Benning (NSH), Adam Gaudette (CHI), Josh Manson (ANA), Jamie Oleksiak* (SEA)
Providence (8) – Noel Acciari (FLA), Jacob Bryson (BUF), Brandon Duhaime (MIN), Jack Dugan (VGK), Kevin Rooney (NYR), Brandon Tanev (SEA), Tyce Thompson* (NJD), Jake Walman (STL)
Vermont (1) – Ross Colton (TBL)
Notre Dame (6) – Anders Bjork (BUF), Jake Evans (MTL), Vinnie Hinostroza (BUF), Bobby Nardella* (WSH), Andrew Peeke (CBJ), Cal Peterson (LAK), Bryan Rust (PIT)
*will begin season on injured reserve
