UMass has picked up two recruits over the past few days, including a local product, '06 left wing Jack Galanek of Hopkinton.
Galanek is in his third season playing for Shattuck-St. Mary’s in Faribault, Minn. Galanek has always been a talented player, but he’s taken a major step, production-wise, this fall in his 16U year. In 21 games, he’s scored 16 goals and added 22 assists. He scored 33 goals and had 48 assists in 61 games last season at the 15 Only level.
Galanek is a talented forward who is heavy on pucks and plays bigger than he is. He becomes the fifth '06 to commit to UMass, which is a change in recruiting philosophy from when head coach Greg Carvel first took over in Amherst. The Minutemen, under the recruiting guidance of former assistant coaches Ben Barr and Jared DeMichiel, tended to go after older players.
Another trend to keep an eye on is UMass relying more on in-state players. UMass won a national championship in 2020-21 with just three players born in the Commonwealth. Galanek is now the fourth Massachusetts native committed to the Minutemen, joining '06 defenseman Kiernan Poulin (Norwell), '04 defenseman Kaz Sobieski (Deerfield) and '04 center Chris Delaney (Hopkinton).
Galanek wasn’t the only recent addition to the future of UMass hockey. Carvel and his staff, including assistant coaches Tommy Upton and Nolan Gluchowski, picked up a commitment from '03 Jack Musa, who was formerly a Boston University recruit. Musa, from Orange Park, Fla., is in his second season in the USHL with the Madison Capitols. He played prep school hockey for Trinity-Pawling. In nine games this season, Musa has six goals and four assists. Last year, playing for Upton when he was the head coach in Madison, Musa scored 26 goals and had 17 assists in 71 games.
UNH adds in-state commit
New Hampshire has received a commitment from Ronan Walsh, who is in his third season playing junior hockey after skating for his father, Mike, in prep school at Proctor.
The '02 from Andover, N.H., has four goals and four assists in 15 games for the Aberdeen Wings of the NAHL. Walsh scored 21 goals and 12 assists in four games for the team last season. He’s also spent parts of his junior hockey career in the NCDC with the New Hampshire Junior Monarchs and the BCHL with the Cowichan Valley Capitals.
Hotchkiss alum chooses River Hawks
Left wing Jonathan Horn, who played one season at Hotchkiss, has committed to UMass Lowell. From Southbury, Conn., he’s in his second season of junior hockey after graduating from Hotchkiss in 2021. The '02 has six goals and five assists in 12 games with the Wenatchee Wild of the BCHL. Horn played for the NAHL’s El Paso Rhinos in 2021-22, scoring 18 goals and 27 assists in 59 games.
BU picks up skilled winger
Boston University received a commitment from Long Island Gulls first-line winger John McNelis. The '06 from Potomac, Md., is in his first season with Vinny Smith’s Gulls after playing for Little Caesars and New Jersey Colonials previously. He scored 10 goals and seven assists in the 12 games recorded on Elite Prospects last season.
Former Crimson commit turns to AIC
Minot Minotauros left wing Hunter Longhi will play college hockey at American International. The '02 from Collinsville, Ill., had previously been committed to Harvard. The St. Louis AAA Blues youth product is in his fourth season of junior hockey, all in the NAHL. In 15 games this season with Minot, he’s scored six goals and added 12 assists.
Salisbury alum headed to Vermont
Massimo-Sarantos Lombardi, who was on a Salisbury team that won the NEPSAC Elite 8 championship in 2020, has committed to play college hockey at Vermont. From Beaconsfield, Quebec, the '02 is in his second season with Cowichan Valley in the BCHL. In nine games, he has four goals and five assists. He was never considered much of a Division 1 prospect while in prep school, scoring just six points while at Salisbury.
COMMITMENT DATABASE: 2005 | 2006
BCHL goaltender for Big Green
Vernon Vipers goaltender Roan Clarke has committed to Dartmouth. An '03 from Cloverdale, British Columbia, Clarke is in his third season with Vernon. He went 18-5-7 with a .914 save percentage in 38 games last season. In 2022-23, Clarke has a 3-4-1 record with an .897 save percentage. He’s currently the only goaltender committed to Reid Cashman’s program.
