Wednesday, October 8, 2014

Alums Set for Puck Drop in NHL

More than 200 former college players on opening-night rosters released by NHL.

Alums Set for Puck Drop in NHL
Martin St. Louis is one of 11 former NCAA players on the New York Rangers’ opening-night roster.

More than 200 former NCAA players are on opening night rosters as the NHL prepares to drop the puck on the 2014-15 season Wednesday night.

NHL Matchup Tool | Sortable: Alums on NHL Opening Day Rosters | NCAA in the NHL

Forty-four of the 59 Division I schools have at least one former player among the 209 currently on an NHL roster, led by Wisconsin (19) and Boston College (18), including players currently on injured reserve.

Most Alums on NHL Rosters by NCAA School
19 – Wisconsin
18 – Boston College
15 – Michigan
14 – Minnesota
13 – Michigan State
10 – North Dakota

Each NHL team features at least three former NCAA players on their active rosters, while eight teams have eight or more.

Most NCAA Alums on NHL Rosters
12 – Minnesota Wild
11 – New York Rangers
10 – San Jose Sharks
9 – Edmonton Oilers, St. Louis Blues
8 – Carolina Hurricanes, Detroit Red Wings, New York Islanders

Among the 2013-14 NCAA players to make the opening night rosters are Hobey Baker winner Johnny Gaudreau of Boston College in Calgary and his former teammate, Patrick Brown, in Carolina. Cornell’s Brian Ferlin, UMass Lowell’s Christian Folin and New Hampshire’s Trevor Van Riemsdyk made opening night rosters in Boston, Minnesota and Chicago, respectively. Wisconsin’s Jake McCabe will start the season on Buffalo’s injured reserve list, while BC’s Kevin Hayes is on the IR for the New York Rangers.

NCAA hockey produced a record 305 NHL players last season, making up 31% of the league.