Boston College has now lost four of its top six scorers. Goaltender Spencer Knight and center Alex Newhook are the latest Eagles to forgo eligibility to sign NHL contracts.
Knight, a sophomore from Darien, Conn., signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Florida Panthers, the organization that drafted him 13th overall in the 2019 NHL draft. Knight was the first goaltender selected in 2019 and is considered to be one of the best American goaltending prospects in a long time.
Knight had a .932 save percentage while compiling a 16-4-1 record. In the middle of the season, he backstopped Team USA to a gold medal at the 2021 World Junior Championship. As a freshman in 2019-20, Knight went 23-8-2 with a .931 save percentage.
There was no shortage of accolades for Knight during his two seasons in Chestnut Hill. This season he was a Hobey Baker Award finalist, the Hockey East Player of the Year, Hockey East Goaltender of the Year and a member of the league’s first All-Star team. He made the Hockey East All-Rookie Team as a freshman.
Knight played at Avon Old Farms before heading to Plymouth, Mich., to play for USA Hockey’s NTDP. He played youth hockey for the Mid Fairfield Junior Rangers.
Newhook, also a sophomore, signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Colorado Avalanche. The ’01 from St. John’s, Newfoundland, was picked in the first round of the 2019 draft, three spots after Knight.
Newhook had seven goals and nine assists in 12 games as a sophomore. He missed several games with an injury and while playing for Hockey Canada at the 2021 World Junior Championship.
As a freshman in 2019-20, Newhook was named NCAA Rookie of the Year and Hockey East Rookie of the Year. He potted 19 goals and 23 assists in 34 games to earn the honors bestowed upon him.
Newhook played for St. Andrew’s College, a Canadian prep school in Aurora, Ontario, and the Victoria Grizzlies in the BCHL prior to arriving at BC.
In other news related to Boston College underclassmen, freshman defenseman Timothy Lovell entered the NCAA transfer portal. From Hingham, Mass., the ’02 came to the Eagles as a true freshman after playing just 31 games in the USHL with Chicago and Des Moines. As an undersized defender, he just wasn’t physically prepared to play college hockey. It’s yet another example of players needing more time and not rushing the development process.
Lovell marks at least the sixth underclassman to leave BC early since the start of the 2020-21 season. He joins Matthew Boldy, Mike Hardman, Knight and Newhook, who signed NHL deals, and Stephen Davis, who left school for the QMJHL.
Another Bobcat inks NHL deal
It was a senior year to remember for Quinnipiac center Odeen Tufto. He was named ECAC Hockey Player of the Year and a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award. He capped off his final year in Hamden, Conn., by signing a one-year, entry-level contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning. He’ll finish out the season with the Syracuse Crunch, the organization’s AHL affiliate, on an amateur tryout agreement.
Tufto had eight goals and 39 assists for 47 points in 29 games played this season. The Chaska, Minn., native finished his collegiate career with 39 goals and 129 assists for 167 points in 139 games.
Junior defenseman Peter Diliberatore signed with the Vegas Golden Knights earlier in the week. The program’s other top pro prospect, senior goaltender Keith Petruzzelli of Wilbraham, Mass., has yet to decide on his future. He could sign with the Detroit Red Wings, wait to become a NHL free agent on Aug. 15, or use his fifth year of eligibility given to all current student-athletes due to the coronavirus.
