Here is a look at each team.
Bentley (23-15-2 in 2024-25): The Falcons qualified for the NCAA Tournament for the first time last season after winning the Atlantic Hockey tournament before bowing to Boston College in the first round. Connor Hasley is off to Arizona State after posting 11 shutouts, so Bentley could turn to Lake Superior transfer Easton Hesse in net. Stephen Castagna will serve as captain after posting 25 points as a junior, while Garrett Horsager is back to anchor the defense.
Brown (14-15-3): Team MVP Ryan St. Louis is back for his senior season, serving as captain. The son of former NHL star and current Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis, Ryan led the Bears with 29 points last year. With goalie Lawton Zacher having transferred to Northeastern, the Bears will look to either Freddie Halyk, a a 6-foot-6-inch transfer from Denver, or junior Tyler Shea, who performed well in limited duty last season.
Dartmouth (18-13-2): A strong start had the Big Green ranked in the top 10 at times last season. They finished with 18 wins and their best winning percentage in a decade, but did not reach the NCAA Tournament. While there were many departures, they do return defensemen CJ Foley and Eric Charpentier, with senior Tucker McRae serving as captain. Up front, Nikita Nikora, who was tied for the team lead with 30 points, is back for his junior season.
Harvard (13-17-3): The Crimson finished strong last season, pushing Clarkson to the limit in the best-of-three ECAC quarterfinal series before succumbing in overtime. They appear to have more depth up front with the return of Mick Thompson along with Casey Severo and Joe Miller. Hull native Ryan Healey anchors the blue line along with senior captain Mason Langenbrunner, a 2020 Bruins draft pick. Depth at goal will be a concern, with just two netminders on the roster. Sophomore Ben Charette appears ready to take over the job in net full time, but Sherborn native Evan Zhang will likely see action as well.
Holy Cross (24-14-2): The Crusaders captured the AHA regular season crown but fell to Bentley in the conference championship game last season. They will have big holes to fill with the departures of goalie Thomas Gale and two-time conference player of the year Liam McLinskey to graduation. They do return their next five leading goal scorers, headed by Jack Stockfish and his 15 tallies as a sophomore.
Quinnipiac (24-12-2): The Bobcats will feature plenty of familiar faces for Boston hockey fans as they go for their sixth consecutive Cleary Cup, beginning with Bruins draft picks Elliott Groenewold and Chris Pelosi, both of whom are back for their sophomore campaigns. They were joined by goaltender Dylan Silverstein at Bruins development camp over the summer. Forward Jeremy Wilmer, who skated two seasons with Boston University before heading to Hamden for the 2024-25 season, will serve as an assistant captain after leading the team with 45 points. Former Boston College defenseman Charlie Leddy also earned an “A” on his jersey for his senior year.
Sacred Heart (21-13-5): The Pioneers figure to be in the mix for the AHA crown this season. Quincy native Mike Adamson is back for his senior year after setting the school record for a defenseman with 12 goals. He will serve as captain along with Reid Pabich, who posted career highs of 13 goals and 15 assists last season. Sophomore Ajeet Gundarah will be back between the pipes after posting a .936 save percentage and a 1.90 goals against average en route to being named to the AHA All-Rookie team.
Stonehill (10-22-0): The Skyhawks took a big step forward in 2024-25 after posting just two wins the previous season. The momentum continued in the offseason when the school announced a fund-raising campaign for Bogan Arena, which will house separate basketball and hockey arenas. Evan Orr is back to anchor the defense, while leading scorer Anthony Galante also returns. Graduate senior Connor Androlewicz returns in net for his final season.
Yale (6-21-3): With Keith Allain retiring in August, the Bulldogs named Joe Howe interim coach for the upcoming season. He would benefit from a return to health from some of his players, particularly defenseman Rhys Bentham, who was limited to just eight games because of an injury. Senior forward David Chen, the team’s second-leading goal scorer despite appearing in just 19 games, will serve as captain.
Follow Andrew Mahoney @GlobeMahoney.
