Four former prep school hockey players have earned college hockey commitments over the past few days.
On Monday morning, Newburyport, Mass., native Hunter McCoy announced his intention to play college hockey at Brown. McCoy, a ’00 forward for the Maryland Black Bears in the North American Hockey League, previously played for Phillips Exeter and Islanders Hockey Club.
McCoy has six goals and six assists through 12 games this season, his first in the NAHL. He spent last season in the British Columbia Hockey League with Powell River and Langley. From 2017-19, McCoy spent two seasons with the Islanders in the USPHL NCDC. He had a breakout campaign in 2018-19, registering 18 goals and 43 assists in 47 games to finish second in the league scoring race.
McCoy skates well, can finish, and is able to slide up and down the lineup. He will join Brown to start the 2021-22 season. McCoy has been listed by NEHJ as the top uncommitted 2000-born player in the region for quite some time. His older brother, Derek McCoy, played at UMass Lowell.
Quinnipiac lands USHL veteran
Chicago Steel defenseman Jack Babbage has committed to Quinnipiac for the 2021-22 season. The ’00 from Tully, N.Y., already has played 169 games in the United States Hockey League.
This year with Chicago, he’s wearing a letter and has three goals and two assists through six games. During the 2019-20 season with Chicago, Babbage recorded five goals and eight assists in 47 games. Prior to that, he played two seasons for the Sioux City Musketeers.
Babbage spent the 2016-17 season playing for John Gardner at Avon Old Farms. Babbage has good athleticism, skates well and has physical tools. His hockey sense was an area of his game that some college coaches questioned in the past. While it might never be a strength of his, Quinnipiac is getting a very good player who likely will be a four-year standout on the blue line.
Former Tilton star chooses Holy Cross
Forward Jack Seymour, an ’01 who led Tilton in scoring the past two seasons, has committed to Holy Cross. The Chelsea, Quebec, native was a key piece in the Rams winning the Piatelli/Simmons Small School Championship in 2019. Seymour scored 18 goals and 26 assists in 2018-19 and followed that with 21 goals and 25 assists in 2019-20.
Seymour is a good skater with skill. He’s played in only two games this season for the Brooks Bandits, a perennial power in the Alberta Junior Hockey League. He could matriculate to Holy Cross for the 2021-22 or 2022-23 season.
Colgate commits prep school champion
Goaltender Nick Haas, who was the starting goaltender for 2020 NEPSAC Elite 8 champion Salisbury last season, has committed to Colgate. He had a .918 save percentage in 15 games for the Crimson Knights in 2019-20.
The ’01 from Williamsville, N.Y., is with the USHL’s Chicago Steel this season. In two appearances, he has a 2-0-0 record with a .892 save percentage. In addition to his time at Salisbury, Haas previously spent time with the Buffalo Regals and Rochester Coalition.
AIC, UMass Lowell add to commit list
In recent weeks, American International and UMass Lowell each have added a recruit for future years.
Zachary Purcell, a ’00 forward from the NAHL’s Lone Star Brahmas, has committed to playing college hockey for the Yellow Jackets. In nine games this season, the Aurora, Colo., native has five goals and six assists. He spent last season in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League with the Steinbach Pistons. Growing up, Purcell played for the Rocky Mountain RoughRiders.
The River Hawks picked up 2000-born defenseman Isac Johnson, a Swede playing for the USHL’s Tri-City Storm. In five games with the Storm, he has two assists. UMass Lowell has an interesting connection with the Kearney, Neb.-based junior team. Former director of hockey operations Troy Thibodeau is now an assistant in Tri-City.
