The first day of August paved the way for rising juniors in high school to make their college commitments.
Recruits from across the country made their college intentions known on social media throughout the day. A couple of local college programs, Boston College and Harvard, had tremendous days in terms of gaining valuable assets for the future. The Eagles and Crimson were in the top three nationally for recruiting winners on August 1, along with North Dakota.
Boston College received commitments from three recruits who are all slated to spend the next two seasons playing for USA Hockey’s NTDP. Right wing Ryan Leonard (Amherst, Mass.) and defensemen Drew Fortescue and Aram Minnetian all gave their pledges to BC head coach Jerry York (Watertown, Mass.) and his staff.
Leonard put together two monster seasons at Pope Francis before making the NTDP back in May. He scored 20 goals and seven assists while skating for Brian Foley’s Cardinals this winter. Leonard also played split season for the Springfield Rifles. He’s known for his goal scoring acumen, but he sees the ice well and should follow in his older brother, John’s, footsteps in being a NHL draft pick someday.
Fortescue and Minnetian are both products of Mid Fairfield. Fortescue, from Nyack, N.Y., is a smart, two-way defenseman who skates well and plays a mature game. Minnetian, a Woodcliff Lake, N.J., native, has higher end tools, but is a little more of a high risk, high reward puck mover. Minnetian’s size, skating and athleticism could lead to him being a top 10 pick in 2023.
Crimson add MacDonald, two others
Ben MacDonald will go to the same school where his father, Lane, won a national championship and Hobey Baker Memorial Award. MacDonald, an `04 from Weston, Mass., made it official Sunday with his commitment to play college hockey at Harvard.
MacDonald has always been a smart, 200-foot forward, but his game has taken huge strides over the past year. His skating and skill set have both become more dynamic. He had a strong showing at the recent USA Hockey Select 17 Player Development Camp. MacDonald plays prep hockey at Nobles and split season for East Coast Wizards.
Two more players from the Mid Fairfield Rangers 15 Only team made college commitments. Right wing Salvatore Guzzo and left wing Logan Renkowski joined Fortescue and Minnetian in choosing their college hockey destination on Sunday.
Guzzo, from Staten Island, N.Y., is a big power forward for the Crimson. He has size, skates well, and forechecks with tenacity and purpose. He’s often the first player to the puck and can make plays below the dots.
Renkowski projects as a great four-year college player. He’s a little on the smaller side, but he’s consistently gotten better over the past 18 months. From Nesconset, N.Y., his skating, stick and compete all stand out. He’s heading to the Long Island Gulls for the 2021-22 season.
There was just one other program that could boast a class equal to or greater than that of BC and Harvard. North Dakota’s recruiting haul was impressive as the Fighting Hawks landed two current and one former USHL tender. 2005 defenseman Andrew Strathmann, a Tri-City Storm tender, is one of the top defensemen in his birth year. Chicago Steel defenseman Jake Livanavage, an `04 who tendered last season, and forward Jayden Perron, a tender of the same organization for 2021-22, also will be playing college hockey in Grand Forks.
UMass lands two forwards
Junior Bruins left wing Chris Delaney and Compuware center Mikey Burchill announced their intention to play college hockey at UMass.
Delaney, a late `04 from Hopkinton, Mass., is an undersized winger who plays bigger than he is listed on the roster. He’s fearless and is crafty when it comes to creating offensive opportunities. In 43 games with the Junior Bruins in the NCDC, he scored nine goals and 32 assists.
Burchill is one of the faster players in the `05 birth year. The Mundelein, Ill., native is able to create offense on the rush and can impact a game in a few different ways due to his speed. He’s making the move from Compuware to Windy City Storm for the 2021-22 season.
Yale commits forward for future
Yale received a commitment from `04 Beanie Richter, a Mid Fairfield product who spent the 2020-21 season with the Penticton Vees in the BCHL. He is the son of former NHL and Wisconsin goaltender Mike Richter. The younger Richter, from Greenwich, Conn., also played a season of prep hockey at Brunswick.
Goaltender from Sunshine State for BU
Michael Chambre, an `05 goaltender from Fort Myers, Fla., committed to Boston University on Sunday. After playing bantam and midget hockey for Florida Alliance, Chambre made the NTDP and will wear the red, white and blue for the next two seasons.
A Rocket for UConn
New Jersey Rockets center Thomas Klochkov committed to UConn. The Fort Lee, N.J., native is a smart center who made those around him better. He bounced around through youth hockey, spending time with the New Jersey Devils Youth and North Jersey Avalanche, in addition to the Rockets.
Miscellaneous commits
Several other schools from the Big Ten and NCHC received commitments on Sunday. Michigan gained the services of Honeybaked defenseman Jack Willson. St. Cloud gained a skilled forward in the form of Austin Burnevik, who is joining the NTDP. Notre Dame will have another Slaggert on the roster as Carter committed to the Fighting Irish, following in the footsteps of his dad and two older brothers. The Chicago Mission product will skate for the NTDP. All three are 2005s.
Zam Plante, a forward from Hermantown High School in Minnesota, committed to play for Minnesota Duluth. His father, Derek Plante, is an assistant coach for the Bulldogs. Plante, an `04, is one of the most skilled players on the American team heading to Europe to compete in the Hlinka Gretzky Cup.
