Weekly Roundup: Projecting UConn's 2021-22 roster
Breaking down where the Huskies' roster stands for next season.
Welcome to the UConn Hockey Hub newsletter, which catches you up on all the stories, trends, and anything else you might have missed, along with some quick takes and leftover notes from the weekend.
With UConn’s season over and the spring semester coming to a close, the state of the Huskies’ roster is starting to come into focus.
Here’s what we know so far:
Departures
As of now, UConn will lose seven players: Seniors Adam Karashik (Notre Dame), Brian Rigali (AIC), Zac Robbins (graduation) and Bradley Stone (transfer portal), juniors Kale Howarth (turning pro), and Tomas Vomacka (Nashville Predators), along with sophomores Yan Kuznetsov (Calgary Flames) and Eric Linell (Bentley). Two others, Ryan Keane and Ryan Wheeler, are in the transfer portal but may still come back.
Other than that, the Huskies are hoping nobody else will leave. While that’s a lot of players to lose in one offseason, UConn still has most of its core intact and it will bring in some talented newcomers as well. Even with so many departures, the Huskies should have a loaded roster next season.
Returning Players
Forwards
Seniors: Jonny Evans, Marc Gatcomb, Jachym Kondelik, Carter Turnbull, John Wojciechowski
Juniors: Vladislav Firstov
Sophomores: Cassidy Bowes, Nick Capone, Gavin Puskar, Hudson Schandor, Artem Shlaine, Ryan Tverberg
Evans is back after becoming UConn’s first Division I All-American while Kondelik should once again be near the top of Hockey East in assists as a senior. Firstov only played in just 13 of 23 games this past year due to a combination of World Juniors and injury but should give the Huskies a third elite forward.
Meanwhile, the sophomores should all take a sizable leap this offseason after an impressive first year in Storrs,
Turnbull is a prime candidate for a bounce-back season and Gatcomb should continue to be his ever-reliable self.
Defensemen
Seniors: Ryan Wheeler (in transfer portal)
Juniors: Carter Berger, Jake Flynn, Roman Kinal, Harrison Rees
Sophomores: John Spetz
Wheeler’s status is the only question mark in this group. Spetz was a stud as a freshman while the rising juniors are all established players at this point. If Wheeler comes back, this will be a rock-solid group of blueliners with a nice balance of offense and defense.
Goaltenders
Juniors: Ryan Keane (transfer portal)
Sophomores: Matt Pasquale
Combined, these two goalies have been between the pipes in a UConn uniform for just over nine minutes. Keane will need to make a decision on his future but either way, Pasquale should compete for the backup job behind Union grad transfer Darion Hanson after missing the 2020-21 season with a torn labrum in his hip.
Newcomers
While UConn’s roster was described as “up in the air” by a source on Monday, a few incoming players are locked in.
Up top, Yale grad transfer Kevin O’Neil will join the team while Chase Bradley is the Huskies’ top recruit out of the junior hockey ranks. Both are expected to be impact players right away. On the blue line, Jack Pascucci should be part of the freshman class as well.
In goal, the transfer Hanson will likely take over starting goaltender duties from Tomas Vomacka.
UConn will also bring in a walk-on: Jake Veilleux from South Windsor, a versatile defenseman/forward who can fill in at whichever position is needed. Since he’s not expected to get much game action, he’s not counted in the numbers below.
What’s left
All told, that leaves 14 forwards, six defensemen (not counting Wheeler), and at least three goaltenders, one way or another.
If Keane transfers, Logan Terness, a top goaltending prospect out of Canada, should be a definite for the roster. If the rising junior net-minder decides to come back, Terness could spend another year in junior hockey — though UConn may decide to bring him in regardless.
The Huskies are also looking to add at least one defenseman — two if Wheeler ultimate transfers. This should be sorted out in the somewhat near future, from what I’ve heard.
UConn wants to add at least one more forward, which could be new commitment Ryan Tattle or another player who remains uncommitted.
For the visual learners
We’ll look at what lies ahead for UConn’s roster next week.