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Time of India
15-07-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Dylan Nolan goes to the Waterloo Black Hawks in a trade for Connor Brown
Dylan Nolan goes to the Waterloo Black Hawks in a trade for Connor Brown (Image via Getty) A high-profile trade has resulted in Dylan Nolan, son of ex-NHL player Owen Nolan, entering a new environment by joining the Waterloo Black Hawks. After an exciting rookie campaign followed with some positive exploits in junior hockey, the young forward will now attempt to fit switching gears and aggressive styles of play while adding his scoring touch to a different system. Having been an instrumental move in his burgeoning USHL career, the ripples expanded to encompass both franchises. The growth path of Dylan Nolan: From Junior Kings to USHL stardom Dylan Nolan's local roots barely existed in junior hockey before he made the leap into the USHL. While with the San Jose Jr. Sharks, he made a great impact by scoring 50 points in his final season there. His transition to the LA Junior Kings only seemed to further Moe's cause, as back-to-back playoff appearances set the tone for his leadership on the ice. It's in his final year in LA that Nolan exploded onto the scene, delivering a jaw-dropping 80-point offensive season, netting 34 goals and assists to 46, firmly establishing his offensive presence. The breakout season produced an opportunity for a USHL career with the Tri-City Storm. Though his rookie campaign saw modest results, just two goals in 55 games, his playoff presence was notable. Ironically, one of his goals came against the very team he now joins: the Waterloo Black Hawks. Profile of Connor Brown : A skilled acquisition for the Tri-City Storm Tri-City Storm receives Connor Brown, a calculated attempt at balancing youthful potential with proven college experience. Hailing from Florida, Brown was drafted by Waterloo in 2021 and proved to be a consistent playmaker with 21 goals and 42 assists during his stint. Although last season was sidelined due to injury, Brown spent time with Western Michigan University, which speaks to his versatility and future potential at the NCAA level. His inclusion in the deal gives Tri-City a forward who has technical skills complemented by solid playmaking instincts that would suit well in the Storm system as they try to bounce back from last year's early playoff outage. Also Read: Jordan Binnington and Cris Prosperi celebrate son Johnny's first birthday with a sporty twist Dylan Nolan moving to Waterloo opens a plethora of opportunities for him as well as the Black Hawks, who are now eager to make the best of his energy and potential. Simultaneously, Tri-City is hoping Connor Brown can inject some life into their forward lines with collegiate smarts and offensive clout. As the new USHL season is upon us, this is a trade to keep an eye on. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
Boston Globe
02-07-2025
- Sport
- Boston Globe
Dean Letourneau, the Bruins' top pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, works toward big-time bounce-back season for BC
But with the intriguing pivot making the sizable jump from the prep level to the gauntlet of Hockey East last season at Boston College, the Bruins expected Letourneau to have a few missteps as a freshman. Advertisement It ended up being far more than just a couple of simple stumbles for the 18-year-old forward. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up 'Significant growing pains,' Don Sweeney said of Letourneau's first season with BC. 'Making a very big jump from the level of hockey he was the year before, to the demands of college.' Related : Initially, Letourneau was expected to take a smaller step by playing the USHL for a season before matriculating to college. But after Eagles star Will Smith left school to join the Sharks later in the summer, Letourneau opted to accelerate his timeline. It led to plenty of frustration for several parties this past winter. 'I think we all would have agreed that maybe a full year of the USHL would have been the best path,' Sweeney said. 'Physically, he was able to play at the college level, and again, that opportunity presented a bit of a unique fashion. Advertisement 'I think everybody was sort of with the understanding that, hey, physically, he was ready to do it. Now, whether or not you can carry that over in the highest level, because that's what the expectations at BC are, and be successful from a production standpoint, you know, that's a leap.' Related : Despite playing in 36 games with the Eagles in a bottom-six role, Letourneau failed to score a single goal — finishing with just three assists. Boston was expecting a long-term project in Letourneau, but the frustration was evident for all involved — namely the player whose track record of stuffing the stat sheet came to an abrupt halt in the collegiate ranks. 'I mean, obviously the numbers weren't where I wanted them to be,' Letourneau said at Boston's Development Camp. 'It definitely weighed on me a little bit that the chances weren't going in. I had a couple of chances in the Beanpot … hit a couple crossbars, a couple posts. So usually when those don't go [in], you get a little frustrated.' Letourneau added that he was hindered by a broken hand for the first half of the season. He went under the knife around the holidays. Even if his health improved down the stretch, it still didn't lead to any tangible results on the scoresheet. But as the dissatisfaction continued to build, fellow Advertisement 'He just kept his head down and worked hard,' Gasseau, a 2021 seventh-round selection, said of Letourneau. 'He's someone who is willing to go on the ice. And when there's free ice, when the gym's open, we go on the ice a lot during free ice, if we have time before practice. 'I know he spent a couple weeks here before coming to this camp. So he's really committed. And like Seemingly bent on working on his shot, Dean Letourneau let one fly at Warrior Arena. Jonathan Wiggs/Globe Staff Bruins player development coordinator Adam McQuaid echoed the message about how Letourneau navigated a season where the positives were few and far between. 'He honestly handled it really well,' McQuaid said. 'Like there were days of disappointment where he felt like he could and wanted to impact more. … At the end of the year, he was like, 'I'm going back to BC. I'm going to compete for a spot.' Nothing's going to be given to you. 'He knows that, and it says a lot about him. So [I] learned a lot about his character. Adversity at a young age — a lot of these guys haven't seen it. So for him to go through it now, there's always going to be critics and adversity faced. And for him, being here in Boston probably magnifies it a little bit. He's handled it really well.' Related : Letourneau will likely be placed in the same bottom-six role with the Eagles in 2025-26, especially with Hagens and fellow Advertisement After learning to play more of a hard-nosed, checking role this past year, Letourneau wants to return to his strengths as an offensive playmaker — rather than try to augment his skillset based on where Letourneau might need plenty of seasoning in the collegiate ranks before setting his sights on the pro game. But he believes he has the means to put last season in the rearview mirror. 'I just took some time off. Kind of reflected on the season. … Trying to be more focused on my skill, trying to get my confidence back,' Letourneau said. 'And I feel I kind of have as the summer has [gone] on.' Conor Ryan can be reached at
Yahoo
01-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Klayton Knapp Transfers To Lindenwood
Mark Stewart / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK Former Minnesota Duluth goaltender Klayton Knapp has transferred to Lindenwood, it was confirmed Monday. Knapp, who hails from Sylvania, Ohio, just finished his freshman season with the Bulldogs, collecting a record of 6-6-2 along with a 2.67 GAA and a .907 save percentage in 16 appearances. Advertisement Before making the jump to the collegiate level, Knapp spent his time playing junior hockey in the USHL (Tri-City Storm & Green Bay Gamblers) as well as the NAHL (Austin Bruins & Bismarck Bobcats). His last year in juniors saw him spend the entire 2023-24 season in Bismarck where he went 17-8-3 while posting a 2.32 GAA and a .921 SP in 30 regular season games. With Knapp tranferring to the Lions, he could very well see himself grab a big role with the team and run with it. Having posted solid numbers in 2024-25, Knapp flashed athleticism and the ability to track the puck through traffic - skills that will allow him to continue to find success.
New York Times
01-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Bruins' Dean Letourneau, a no-goal freshman year and the first-rounder's way back
BRIGHTON, Mass. — Dean Letourneau knows there are reasons he has yet to score his first NCAA goal. The 2024 first-round pick of the Boston Bruins arrived at Boston College as an 18-year-old freshman out of Canadian prep school hockey. He played half the year with a broken hand that required surgery in December. The 6-foot-7, 221-pounder was playing a support role behind, among other players, Ryan Leonard and Gabe Perreault, who advanced to the NHL as soon as their sophomore seasons concluded. Ex-NHLer Brian Boyle, a 6-foot-6 forward who scored five goals as an 18-year-old BC freshman and logged 871 career games, is a case of a behemoth who needed time to adjust to Hockey East. Advertisement But zero goals is zero goals. It is a difficult output to consider for a player with 61 tucks the previous season for St. Andrew's College, the Aurora, Ontario, program with a limited history of sending graduates to the NHL. 'Definitely a frustrating year,' said the right-shot forward, who had three assists in his 36 BC games. 'Going forward, just knowing that if you just stick through it and work hard, good things will come. So definitely a good learning experience.' On Monday at Warrior Ice Arena, Letourneau began his second development camp since being drafted No. 25 in 2024. It is a friendly setting for NHL hopefuls to incorporate the on- and off-ice fundamentals required for making a living in hockey. The players are not here to win jobs. But Letourneau is using the week as a serious step in repairing the fractures of an unexpected freshman season. He is trying to discover who he thinks he can be as a BC sophomore: an offensive play-driver instead of depth checker. 'Mental mindset. Just trying to be more focused on my skill, trying to get my confidence back,' he said. 'I feel like I kind of have as the summer's gone on. Just seeing more skill, more of what I'm used to, what my game is. I'll always have that hard-checking role I was put into in my back pocket so it won't leave. But trying to focus on skill and getting my confidence back.' The Bruins took Letourneau because of his size and offensive potential. Initially, Letourneau intended to spend 2024-25 with Sioux Falls in the USHL before joining the Eagles this fall as a 19-year-old. Letourneau appeared in two games for Sioux Falls in 2023-24. But Letourneau and BC accelerated the plan. On May 28, 2024, Will Smith signed his entry-level contract with the San Jose Sharks. Smith's one-and-done decision opened the door for Letourneau to arrive ahead of schedule. Advertisement It was a hasty decision. 'In hindsight, I think we all would agree that another year in the USHL, a full year in the USHL, would have been the best path,' said general manager Don Sweeney. 'Physically, he was able to play at the college level. That opportunity presented in a bit of a unique fashion. I think everybody was under the understanding that physically, he was ready to do it. Now, whether or not you can carry that over to the highest level — because that's what the expectation of BC is — and be successful from a point-production standpoint? That's a leap.' Initially, the pace, competitiveness and professionalism of college hockey smacked Letourneau in the face. In his first game, for example, Michigan State rolled out 23-year-old defenseman Nicklas Andrews. Letourneau was playing against men. So was James Hagens, his fellow Bruins prospect. But Hagens, also an 18-year-old, had the advantage of coming from the U.S. National Team Development Program. Hagens had the reps of playing with and against the best 2007-born players. The Under-18 team regularly played college and USHL opponents. Hagens also represented Team USA in the World Juniors. 'Coming from Canadian prep school to college is a huge jump,' BC coach Greg Brown said. 'I'm sure a lot of the time Dean was hoping for better, wanting to make more of an impact. But one, it's a huge jump to play against the older players in college. Also, it seems that guys who are that tall, their development is a longer path.' By the second half of last year, Letourneau found traction in BC's bottom six at five-on-five and on the penalty kill. He was satisfied to add those traits to his toolbox. He also generated more scoring chances. But none of them went in. It got to him. 'Definitely weighed on me a little bit as the chances weren't going in,' Letourneau said. 'I had a couple chances in the Beanpot game that wouldn't fall. Hit a couple crossbars, a couple posts. Usually when those don't go in, you get a little frustrated. Not having any goals and not falling in definitely hurts a little more.' Advertisement Letourneau still considers himself an offensive presence. He is viewing this week as a platform upon which to handle pucks and generate chances. He is still learning how to apply his strength toward puck protection and shooing away checkers. Brown has not determined Letourneau's role. The BC coach said the 19-year-old will have opportunities following the departures of Leonard and Perreault. Time will tell whether his offseason reset produces NCAA results in 2025-26. 'When players have had success and put up points their entire careers,' Sweeney said, 'and all of a sudden it's like, 'Hold up, this is a lot harder,' it's deflating to a degree. But talking him through it, he'll be fine. He'll earn his opportunity to work his way back up the depth chart and start to produce like he has. I don't look it as a setback. I just look at it as a reality slap in a lot of ways.'
Boston Globe
29-06-2025
- Sport
- Boston Globe
Five players to watch this week at Bruins Development Camp
Here are five players to keep tabs on during Development Camp: James Hagens, C The crown jewel of a revamped Bruins prospect pipeline, Hagens could assuage the pain drawn from a miserable 2024-25 season if he develops into a legitimate franchise pivot. Despite dropping from his standing as the projected No. 1 pick entering the 2024-25 campaign, Hagens is a skilled playmaker whose skating ability, slick hands, and transition game should translate well to hockey's highest level. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Related : Advertisement Another year at Boston College will benefit Hagens, giving him time to fill out his 5-foot-11-inch frame. But this week could offer Bruins fans longing for high-end talent a glimpse at what's to come when Hagens puts on a black-and-gold sweater full-time. 'I don't think it's an alarming thing for us at all,' Bruins director of amateur scouting Ryan Nadeau said of Hagens' 37-point freshman season at BC. 'James helped drive a lot of play. Love the way that he can play with pace and attack with pace. Controlled pucks offensively. Just a real exciting player for us.' Related : Hagens headlines an intriguing Advertisement Will Zellers, LW One of the top prospects acquired in Boston's Related : Dean Letourneau, C All eyes might be fixated on Hagens next season, but BC is expected to feature six Bruins prospects on its roster: Hagens, Moore, Dean Letourneau, Oskar Jellvik, Andre Gasseau, and Kristian Kostadinski. And while Hagens might alleviate some pressure on Letourneau, this is shaping up to be a critical year for the Eagles' pivot. Selected in the first round last year (No. 25), Letourneau was viewed as a project by Boston — with the 6-7 center's size and skill painting the picture of a potential matchup nightmare. But after spending most of his draft year dominating at the prep level (127 points in 56 games at St. Andrew's College), Letourneau opted to make the jump to Hockey East rather than spending a year in the USHL. 'I think we all would have agreed that maybe another year of the USHL [or] a full year of the USHL would have been the best path,' Bruins general manager Don Sweeney acknowledged Wednesday. The 2024-25 campaign was a struggle for Letourneau, who had zero goals and three assists over 36 games. At this stage, the Bruins might welcome a scenario where Letourneau develops into a bottom-six ace like the 6-7 Brian Boyle. But the Bruins need to see more assertiveness on the ice — especially given Letourneau's imposing frame. Advertisement Albin Boija, G The Bruins will have one drafted goaltender in Development Camp in Providence College's Philip Svedebäck (2021 fourth-round pick). But as they try to find a young netminder to pair with Jeremy Swayman for the long haul, fellow Maine Black Bear Boija is worth keeping tabs on. A camp invite, Boija is expected to be one of the top undrafted college free agents next season after helping Maine to its first Hockey East championship since 2004. The 21-year-old won 23 games last season, sporting a .928 save percentage. With the futures of Michael DiPietro and Brandon Bussi, Boija could be an intriguing add for Boston next spring. Chris Pelosi, C/W One of the more under-the-radar prospects in Boston's system, Pelosi had a strong freshman season at Quinnipiac. He had 13 goals and 24 points in 38 games for the Bobcats, with 19 points over the final 23 games of the season. A third-round selection by the Bruins in 2023, Pelosi is a high-motor, physical forward who was noticeable in last year's camp. He might be more of a third-line player if he reaches the NHL, but Pelosi's sandpaper style could make him a useful asset. Advertisement Conor Ryan can be reached at
