Will Smith, one of the most talented 2005-born players in the country, is no longer committed to Northeastern. The Lexington, Mass., native had committed to the Huskies back in April of 2019. Smith, in his first year with USA Hockey’s NTDP, was a longtime member of the Boston Junior Eagles and spent the 2020-21 Covid-shortened...
Will Smith, one of the most talented 2005-born players in the country, is no longer committed to Northeastern. The Lexington, Mass., native had committed to the Huskies back in April of 2019.
Smith, in his first year with USA Hockey’s NTDP, was a longtime member of the Boston Junior Eagles and spent the 2020-21 Covid-shortened prep school season with St. Sebastian’s. In 13 games with the NTDP U17 team, he has seven goals and seven assists.
Smith has been considered one of the best '05s in the country for at least a few years now. He has good size and has an elite stick. He’s able to protect pucks, make plays, and can finish. He has a strong stride and has become more of a complete player over the last 18 months.
He committed to Northeastern in the days leading up to NCAA legislation going into effect that prohibited young players from pledging to schools. Starting May 1, 2019, a player couldn’t commit to a college program until August 1 going into his junior year of high school. Prior to that, a player of any age could make a college commitment.
It is no secret that Boston College is the likely destination for Smith, who has a significant family connection at the Chestnut Hill school. Jerry Keefe and his staff did their best to keep Smith loyal to the Huskies. However, it was all for naught.
Smith might wait a little while to make it official, but he’ll end up at BC. He adds to an already very impressive '05 class for Jerry York and the Eagles. It includes four NTDP teammates, Will Vote (Arlington, Mass.), Ryan Leonard (Amherst, Mass.), Will Fortescue and Aram Minnetian. Vote was a teammate of Smith’s with the Junior Eagles while Leonard played youth hockey with the Springfield Rifles. Fortescue and Minnetian, both defensemen, played for Mid Fairfield.
St. Sebastian’s alum commits to UConn
Chilliwack Chiefs defenseman Thomas Messineo has committed to UConn. The 2020 St. Sebastian’s alum was a four-year player for Sean McCann’s Arrows. From Westwood, Mass., he’s in his first season of playing junior hockey with the BCHL franchise. In 11 games, he has a goal and six assists for seven points.
Messineo was part of several very talented teams while he was at St. Sebastian’s. During his final three seasons at the Needham, Mass., prep school, there were a total of 14 players who went through the program who are committed to or already playing at a Division 1 college hockey program.
