Some of the best talent college hockey has to offer will take center stage during the Dunkin’ Beanpot at TD Garden.
It feels like Boston College is bursting at the seams with NHL prospects while Boston University, Northeastern and Harvard have their share of top-tier difference-makers ready to make an impact on the tournament.
The high-end skill sets will be on display starting Monday night when BU takes on Harvard in the first semifinal at 5 p.m. ET followed by BC squaring off in the night cap against Northeastern, which is scheduled for 8 p.m. Both games can be seen on NESN.
Here are seven players to have an eye on in the Beanpot:
Gabe Perreault, Boston College
Perreault certainly won’t hear cheers much longer at TD Garden since he’s a 2023 first-round pick (No. 23 overall) of the New York Rangers. But Perreault gives Eagles fans something to cheer about all the time with his dynamic ability. The sophomore forward leads the No. 1-ranked team in the country with 32 points from nine goals and 23 assists. Perreault’s assist total ranks second in the nation.
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Quinn Hutson, Boston University
Hutson is just the latest from his family to star for the Terriers — his brother, Lane, had a ton of success with BU, which has now carried over with the Montreal Canadiens. The junior forward is as well-balanced as they come, logging 15 goals and 15 assists on the season. It’s the third straight season Hutson has tallied at least 15 goals and he’s on pace this season to set new career highs.
Ryan Leonard, Boston College
Leonard has lived up to the billing of being the No. 8 overall pick by the Washington Capitals in the 2023 NHL Draft since stepping foot onto the Chestnut Hill campus. That’s not an easy feat. The sophomore forward enters the tournament as the top goal-scorer in the nation with 22 tallies and he also has eight assists for 30 points. The Amherst, Mass., native definitely has the look of a player who will make a name for himself in the NHL.
Jack Williams, Northeastern
Williams will have a big say in Northeastern trying to capture a Beanpot three-peat. He leads the Huskies with 12 goals and 17 assists for 29 points. The junior forward also has three game-winning goals under his belt this season and showed his ability to come up clutch during last year’s Beanpot when he netted the game-tying goal in the championship game against BU.
James Hagens, Boston College
Macklin Celebrini starred for BU last season and performed well on the Beanpot stage before becoming the No. 1 overall pick in the NHL draft. Hagens is looking to do the same. The highly touted NHL prospect is having a solid freshman season with the Eagles. He’s done more setting up than scoring with 21 assists compared to six goals, but he’s an adept playmaker even though he just turned 18 years old three months ago.
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Joe Miller, Harvard
The 2020 Toronto Maple Leafs sixth-round draft pick will look to leave an imprint on the Beanpot. The junior forward leads the Crimson with 15 points off four goals and 11 assists. If Harvard can make some noise in the tournament, Miller likely will be at the center of it.
Jacob Fowler, Boston College
Fowler is the favorite to win the Eberly Award, which is given to the top goalie of the tournament. The sophomore netminder has been rock-solid in net all season, boasting a spectacular 1.63 goals-against average an .938 save percentage en route to a 17-3-1 record with six shutouts. Two more good games from Fowler and he could walk away with some hardware.
Honorable Mention: Teddy Stiga (BC), Cole Eiserman (BU), Cam Lund (Northeastern), Drew Fortescue (BC).
NESN Dunkin’ Beanpot coverage is presented by Dunkin’.
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