Defending and Improving (Previewing The 2025-26 Season)
A look at the upcoming season for the National Runner-Up BU men's and Defending Hockey East Champions BU women's hockey teams
Men’s
Where We Left Off
The Boston University Terriers enter the 2025-26 season fresh off their third straight Frozen Four appearance, for the first time since 1995-1997. The Scarlet and White fell to Western Michigan, ending the season as National Runners-Up for the first time since 2015. BU finished the season 24-14-2, their third straight season recording 24+ wins, their longest streak since a 6 season span from 1992-93 through 1997-98. Head Coach Jay Pandolfo signed a contract extension in the off-season after recording the 3rd most wins by a Terrier head coach after 120 games with 81.
Departures
After 4 seasons behind the bench, goaltending coach Brian Daccord left the Terriers to become Director of Goaltending and Scouting Development for the Detroit Red Wings.
A trio of Terrier juniors made their NHL debuts at the conclusion of the BU season. Undrafted free agent and the latest member of the Terriers’ 50-50 Club (50 goals and 50 assists), Quinn Hutson signed with the Edmonton Oilers, playing in 2 games. 2024-25 Co-Captain and 100 Points Club member, Ryan Greene made his debut with Chicago Blackhawks also playing 2 games. Devin Kaplan became the 100th Terrier to play in the NHL after debuting with the Phildelphia Flyers.
Quinn Hutson leaving means that for the first time since 2020-21 the Terriers’ will be without a pair of brothers on the team.
Sophomores Shane Lachance and Tom Willander also signed NHL deals with the New Jersey Devils and Vancouver Canucks, respectively, with Lachance playing 2 games in the AHL for the Utica Comets.
The Terriers also saw a few players transferring out, with sophomores Doug Grimes (38 GP, 3-1—4) heading to Miami (OH) and Jack Gorton (3 GP, 0-0—0) heading to RPI, and freshman Alex Zetterberg (26 GP, 5-3—8) transfers to Minnesota State.
Returners
The Cole Train will continue servicing the Boston University campus, with leading goalscorer Cole Eiserman (25-11—36) and assists leader and National Rookie of the Year Cole Hutson (14-34—48) returning for their sophomore season. The Coles join Jack Harvey (11-16—27) as assistant captains. Gavin McCarthy captains the Terriers, making the McCarthy brothers the 4th family to have multiple brothers captain the Terriers.
While returning 44.67% of their scoring from last season—a slight increase from last season where they returned 43.87%—is good, stability in net will be crucial if the Terriers hope to book their tickets to Las Vegas in April. 2025 Eberly Award winner, Mikhail Yegorov, returns for his first full season between the pipes. Yegorov allowed 4+ goals in just 4 of his 18 games in net.
Newcomers
The 2025–26 Terriers includes fourteen newcomers, with two transfers and twelve freshman.
Transfers
The reigning NCHC Rookie of the Year and team leader in goals (18) and points (32), Sacha Boisvert (F) joins the Terriers from the North Dakota Fighting Hawks. Bosivert was held pointless in the Terriers two games at the Ralph last season.
Senior Owen McLaughlin (F) also joins the Terriers from North Dakota. McLaughlin led the Fighting Hawks in assists (25) and was second in points (30) behind Boisvert. McLaughlin recorded 3 points (all assists) against BU last season and a goal and 3 assists at Agganis Arena in the 2023-24 season.
Boisvert and McLaughlin are the 2nd and 3rd transfers from North Dakota to BU, following Scott Nieland who was a member of the 1978 BU National Championship team. The transfers make North Dakota the joint top transfer sources for the Terriers, along with Brown.
Freshman
Up first a quartet of USNTDP products: Carter Amico (D), Conrad Fondrk (F), Jack Murtagh (F), Charlie Trethewey (D). Murtagh (2a), Fondrk, and Trethewey (+1) faced the Terriers in an exhibition at Agganis Arena (7-5 BU win). Amico missed the game due to injury.
Jay Feldberg (F) is the first Canadian Jay in program history. Kyle Kim (D) is the first Korean to play for the Terriers. Steven Luciano (G) is the first Terrier from New Canaan, CT, since Patrick Harper (2016-2020). John McNelis (F) is the 2nd Marylander to play for the Terriers, joining fellow freshman Charlie Trethewey. Ben Merrill (F) is the first Hingham, MA native to play for the Terriers since Jay O'Brien, who also joined BU after a season with the Penticton Vees. Jonathan Morello (F) is the 13th Boston Bruins draft pick to play for the Terriers, and of those the 4th Canadian. Malte Vass (D) is the 4th Swedish defenseman to play for the Terriers (8th overall), and it will be the 2nd straight year that the Terriers will have a pair of Swedish defensemen.
Finally, Ryder Ritchie (F) makes history as the first player ever drafted out of the CHL to then play for the Terriers. Ritchie and the Medicine Hat Tigers won the WHL before losing in the Memorial Cup Final. Ritchie finished 3rd on the team in points with 61.
Non-Conference Slate
This season will be the 3rd (2nd excluding the shortened 2020-21 season) least travel miles (estimated) for the Terriers since moving into Walter Brown Arena in 1971-72, with all games occurring in New England or New York.
Long Island University (Oct. 4th, Agganis Arena)
2024-25: 20-12-2 (25th PWR)
First game vs. LIU in program history and first independent school to visit Agganis since Arizona State in 2022
Colgate (Oct. 10-11th, Agganis Arena)
2024-25: 18-15-3 (3rd ECAC, 29th PWR)
Colgate makes their first trip to BU since the 2014-15 season, the Terriers last matchup with the Raiders occurred on Oct. 8th, 2016 to open their new arena (6-1 W)
Michigan State (Oct. 17-18th, Agganis Arena)
2024-25: 26-6-4 (1st Big Ten, Big Ten Tournament Champions, 2nd PWR)
Just 4 of the 17 all-time games against the Spartans have been at home
Quinnipiac (Nov. 15th, M&T Bank Arena, Hamden, CT)
2024-25: 24-11-2 (1st ECAC, 12th PWR)
BU and Quinnipiac have played in every odd numbered year for the last decade (except 2021)
Cornell (Nov. 29th, Madison Square Garden, New York, NY)
2024-25: 18-10-6 (6th ECAC, ECAC Tournament Champion, 17th PWR)
The Terriers will face off against the Cornell Big Red for the 5th season in a row
Harvard (Jan. 12th, Bright-Landry Hockey Center, Boston, MA)
2024-25: 13-17-3 (7th ECAC, 38th PWR)
BU makes their first trip (the shortest road trip in the sport) to Harvard for the first time since 2019 (2-2 T)
Beanpot (Feb. 2/Feb. 9, TD Garden, Boston, MA)
Northeastern, Boston College/Harvard
Northeastern and BU will face off in the Beanpot for the 8th time in the last 10 Beanpots—they have faced each other in all but 2017 and 2025 since 2015)
Stats To Follow
In each of the past 3 seasons, a Hutson defenseman has recorded 48+ points, no defenseman has recorded 50+ points since Chris O’Sullivan in 1994-95. Cole Hutson has a shot at reaching that milestone.
Last season Cole Eiserman recorded 25 goals, 18 of which were scored at home, if he can score in more places he stands a chance to reach 30 goals or potentially even the ever elusive 40-goal milestone.
Coach Jay Pandolfo is just 19 wins away from the 100 win milestone and is on pace to reach it this season.
Women’s
Where We Left Off
Tara Watchorn’s squad shocked much of the college hockey world, jumping from 7th in Hockey East to 2nd in the league, coming within a point of the regular season title. The 24-12-2 Terriers went on to win the Hockey East tournament on a run of OT victories, culminating in a 3-2 overtime win over the Northeastern Huskies at Toscano Family Ice Forum to claim their 6th Hockey East Tournament title. The Scarlet and White fell to Clarkson in the NCAA Tournament, but the season sparked hope for what the future will bring in the Watchorn era.
Departures
The sole departure for the Terriers was Alex Law (64 GP, 7-15—22) who will head to Quinnipiac. Law’s game winning goal on February 4th, 2025 ended a 14-game winless streak against the Northeastern Huskies at Matthews Arena.
Returners
Maeve Carey was named captain of the Terriers. Carey is the 5th transfer (Stonehill) to be named captain of the Terriers, joining Cara Hendry (2005-07, Minnesota State), Jenn Wakefield (2011-12, UNH), Alexis Crossley (2016-17, UNH), and Reagan Rust (2018-19, RIT).
The Terriers will return 68.4% of their scoring from last season, including their top two leading scorers Sydney Healey and Clara Yuhn. Healey and Yuhn will where an “A” alongside Maeve Kelly. Healey recorded the game winning overtime goal in the Hockey East Tournament title game and was named tournament MVP. A member of the Hockey East All-Tournament team, Riley Walsh also returns after scoring the game winning goal in the quarterfinal vs. Vermont and the game tying goal in the semifinal vs. Boston College.
Newcomers
Nine new Terriers will don the Scarlet and White for the 2025-26 season, including three transfers and six freshmen.
Transfers
First up, Greta Henderson (F) who comes to BU from St. Cloud State, recording 3 goals and 6 assists for the Huskies last season. Ella Belfry (D) joins from Colgate, recording a goal and 8 assists for the Raiders who finished 2nd in the ECAC. Last but certainly not least, Michelle Pasiechnyk (G), the 2024 NCAA Goaltender of the Year, joins the Terriers after a year away from the sport, adding incredible support to BU in goal.
Freshman
Lucy Thiessen (D) of Alexandria is the second Virginian to play for the Terriers, following goaltender Mia Becker (2013-15). Mia Vergilii (F) the 2nd Ohioan after Ani FitzGerald, attended Shattuck-St. Mary’s at the same time as teammate Lola Reid. Avery Supryka (D) recorded 5 goals and 6 assists in 14 games for the Whitby Junior Wolves last season. Anežka Cabelová (F) won a silver medal with Czechia in the 2024 U18 World Championship and was named one of the top three players on the team. Lexie Bertelsen (F) won goal with Canada in the 2025 U18 World Championship. Rounding out the freshmen two goalies Bayonne, New Jersey native Sydney Fogu and Walpole, MA native Jackie Wright.
Non-Conference Slate
Minnesota (Oct. 3-4th, Walter Brown Arena)
2024-25: 29-12-1 (3rd WCHA, 4th PWR)
Minnesota makes their first trip to BU since December 10th, 2016 when the Terriers recorded a 6-5 OT win—their only win over the Gophers
Colgate (Oct. 10-11th, Class of 1965 Arena, Hamilton N.Y.)
2024-25: 30-9-0 (2nd ECAC, 5th PWR)
The Terriers and Raiders will face off for the first time in program history
Brown (Oct. 17th, Walter Brown Arena)
2024-25: 14-13-2 (8th ECAC, 21st PWR)
Brown returns to BU for the first time since November 28th, 2017 (6-4 W)
Friendship Series (Jan. 2-3, SSE Arena, Belfast, NI)
Quinnpiac, Harvard/Minnesota Duluth
The Terriers embark on their first overseas trip and first competitive international game
Beanpot (Jan. 13/Jan. 20, Walter Brown Arena/TD Garden)
Northeastern, Boston College/Harvard
The Terriers will host the first Beanpot semifinal at Walter Brown Arena since 2020 with a rematch of that 2020 Final
Stats To Follow
Senior Sydney Healey continues to improve year over year doubling her goal total from 7 to 15 between her sophomore and junior year. Transfer Riley Walsh found her footing in the 2nd half of the season—recording 5 points in the Terriers last 5 games—and is a player to watch for the new season. New goalie Michelle Pasiechnyk could be an X-Factor for the Terriers if she can perform as she did in her NCAA Goalie of the Year winning season.
Further Reading
If you’re new here and want to get more into historical deep dives, check out:
If you want to get into advanced analytics, we also have a great primer for that:
In case you missed it, we put out our Men’s Hockey Quarter Century Team in May:
