The 95th season of Northeastern hockey is upon us, as the Huskies will open the year at Bentley Arena against the Falcons this Saturday, October 10th, at 6pm. Northeastern Hockey Blog was fortunate enough to sit down with head coach Jerry Keefe again to preview the season, as associate head coach Mike Levine joined us as well. The interview took place in mid-September.
Northeastern Hockey Blog: “How was summer, and how does the team look as things have started back up?”
Jerry Keefe: “Summer was great, a little too long for me. We started school September 9th which was late this year, so we were all pretty anxious to get going. September 9th came, first day on the ice together, obviously an exciting day. Our guys were really chomping at the bit to get back here. The energy has been awesome so far with this group. I’ll go on record right now just saying I really, really like the group we have, the kids we have, and I really like the competitiveness of this group so far.”
Mike Levine: “I agree, we’re very fortunate, we have a great group of kids. Excited to get going.”
NUHB: “A lot of guys from this team and some recruits went to NHL development camps. You tend to send a good amount every year. How do you see those camps as a benefit to the players when you see them come back?”
JK: “I think any time they go to development camp they’re taking a lot in from not just on-ice, but off-ice too. There’s a lot of talk of how to be a pro, how prepared you need to be, taking care of your body. The on-ice part is a lot of skill work, a lot of details. For us, I like it because it’s a lot of similarities to how we teach, so when they go talk to an NHL coach they’re probably hearing a lot of the same messages. We also like to pick our guys’ brains about it, if there’s anything they took away from it that we can utilize here. I know they all had great experiences, for them it’s good to hear different voices and learn from good coaches and development staff.”
NUHB: “What do you think you can build off from 2025-26 and from last year’s team?”
JK: “I think the biggest thing, thinking about last year’s team, you look at this year’s sophomore class. Hajibi, Martino, Mathieu, Pechar, Maltais up front, they have a year of college hockey under their belts. We’re expecting big steps from all of those guys, and they all had good summers, came back in great shape. Then if you look at your two transfer forwards, Fukakusa and Perkins, they have a year under their belt playing here and the expectation of how we play. I think they’re going to hit the ground running this year, you can tell they’re a little more confident. I look at that forward group, having that one more year of experience, I think it’s really going to help them.”
NUHB: “12 newcomers, 7 of them defensemen…how have they acclimated so far to the system, especially defense? How do you get them to gel quickly?”
JK: “I think when you talk about gelling, the most important part of that is the leadership group and how they treat the younger guys in making them feel like they’re a part of it. We don’t really talk about “being a freshman” or “rookies” around here, and I give our captains a lot of credit for that- they treat the young guys very, very well because they know how important they are. They’re as much a part of the team and have as much ownership as a senior or anyone on the team. I think that helps them confidence-wise, knowing the older guys have their back right away. From a hockey standpoint, when you look at the freshmen D, they’ve all come in and done an excellent job so far. They’re all smart players, they’ve picked up on how we do play really well, and I feel like they’ve gotten better every day. They’re very confident, they want the puck on their stick, their reads are quicker, they’re reacting quicker. We put a huge focus from Day One on them having to defend against speed, to get them up to par playing at a college level right away. We talked as a staff yesterday, we did a 3-on-2 drill yesterday and I thought you could see the difference in a week already how they defended the rush.
The transfer defensemen, they’re adjusting really well, I think they’re going to make a big impact on the team. You look at Pins (Alex Pineau) and Shelly (Joel Kjellberg), those two D I think led their team in minutes last year, those are guys that we are going to rely on heavily. They’ve only been on the ice a few weeks but I feel like they’ve been here a while already.
NUHB: “You mentioned your leadership, I wanted to ask about Andy Moore and Jo Lemay specifically. Co-captains at Northeastern for the first time since 2014. Can you describe them individually as leaders and role models for the team?”
JK: “They are both exceptional human beings. Extremely hard-working off the ice. They got great details, they’re very prepared kids. Jo Lemay, being a Quebec kid, does very well in school, takes it very seriously. Andy Moore, same thing, I think he had a 3.7 GPA last year, something like that. They do everything the right way off the ice and for me that’s where it starts. On the ice they’re not afraid to speak up. They’re both alphas. When they need to call someone out or hold someone accountable they’re not afraid to do it. They’re going to be guys that are team-first, they want to win. Any time you look at captains, when you have guys that aren’t focused on themselves, they’re focused on the group as their number one priority, I think those guys do that. They take a lot of pride in the jersey, a lot of pride in Northeastern Hockey. Lemay, he’s a positive guy, he brings a great attitude to the rink, I think it’s important to have someone like that back there with the younger guys, he’s got a great way about him working and talking with the younger guys. You would think he’s been here ten years. Can’t say enough about those guys, both well-deserving to wear the C.
ML: “Ultra-focused, tremendous humans, great players and leaders. Alphas. Vocal. Very fortunate to have those two at the top and they do a great job bringing everyone up with them and incorporating everyone in the group. The freshmen have all commented on how natural it feels to be around those guys.”
NUHB: “You return 4 of the top 5 scorers from last year including your top two centers. You mentioned how their previous success can set them up for more success. You also bring in Miguel Marques from Maine and Dawson Sharkey from the QMJHL, both NHL draft picks with point and goal-scoring pedigree. How do you see them sliding into the lineup?”
JK: “Starting with Miggy, he had a really good freshman year in this league. Ultra-skilled. Talking with the staff, we’ve all been really impressed with him, he’s fit in really well with our group. I think he’s enjoying himself here. Sees the ice really well, he’s a finisher that can score, he can make plays. Great hockey sense. We’re expecting him to have a big year, hoping there’s not much of an adjustment since he’s used to the league. The leaders have made him feel comfortable from the start.
And with Dawson Sharkey, I love what he brings to the team. He’s a little bit of a throwback player. He’s a power forward, can really shoot the puck. he’s hard to play against, he loves being physical. And he’s just got a good way about him- he’s just a hockey player. Both of those guys, we’re looking to contribute on the scoresheet. Miggy’s a powerplay guy in our top six, I see Sharkey as a powerplay guy and he brings that physical element to contribute for us too.
ML: “Sharkey’s got a winning mentality. He’s got a great backup game. He’s a guy you want to play with, he backs his teammates up, can really shoot the puck. I think he’s got more playmaking ability than he was given credit for in junior hockey. There’s a path for him to be successful not only in college but after college as well. I think Marques, he’s got a little bit of everything. He can skate, he can handle a puck, he can shoot. I think he’s a really smart player, really good sense.”
NUHB: “Every year we try to identify X-Factor players that could break out and contribute. This year I wanted to ask about Jack Pechar and Matthew Perkins. Perkins a senior, Pechar came in with pedigree out of the USHL. One thing we are hoping for is some more production from the third line to give you guys more depth. What do you see about those two specifically for this year?”
JK: “Pechar we are expecting a big step. We love his game. He’s a 200-foot player but he’s a player we’re looking for to score. He can shoot the puck, he’s got great offensive instincts, he’s a big body. I thought he had a great summer, he really focused on some of the areas he knew he needed to get better at. Right now we have him on the wing, he can definitely play in the middle, but our lineup right now we have him on the wing. Perkins, he had some injuries last year, coming to a new place, coming off a year where he was down production-wise. I think the biggest thing with Perkins is confidence, he can really skate, he’s a very good hockey player, he checks well. I like his overall game. I think he’s a player that can add a lot more offense for us this year. He looks more relaxed this year.
NUHB: “How much does it help everyone knowing you have a rock in net like Lawton Zacher?”
JK: “Oh yeah it’s huge. We’ve obviously had some good goaltenders at Northeastern as you know, and it just gives the team a lot of confidence because you’re going to be in every game and he’s gonna give us the chance to win. Not only just his play, but the way he carries himself, he’s a confident kid. He’s a really competitive kid, he wants to win. Having LZ back there, I’ll put him up there with anyone as the best goaltender in the country.”
NUHB: “A personal question for you: what’s it like have Owen here now as a player and at the school?”
JK: “It’s great. I see a kid that just takes so much pride in playing here. So far it’s gone really well, he’s working his butt off. I know he loves the group, loves being part of it. When you see your kid happy like that, it’s a cool thing as a dad. As far as the on-ice and the coaching, we’re only a few weeks in but it’s been fun seeing him like any other player out there, being around his teammates. I know I have a kid that’s going to work his tail off to get better every day and that’s what you’re looking for from all your players.”
NUHB: “A couple systems questions. Last year the powerplay finished at 20% success rate, but faces some inconsistencies and droughts. When you look, not the final number but how you got there, is there anything you diagnose as things to change to create more consistency and opportunity?
JK: “Every year is a little bit different though with that. Last year if you look, some of our most important powerplay guys were freshmen, so you’re really trying to get to know them and their tendencies, where they’re comfortable playing, trying to find some chemistry. The thing I like this year, we have some new guys this year that will be on the powerplay but you look at the returning guys, like Mathieu, Hajibi, Martino, Joe Connor, Lemay, you start right there with five guys returning you know well and know each other well. The newer guys that will be on the powerplay, we’ll have to run through that again, see where guys are comfortable, can they play a certain role. Pechar is a powerplay guy, Miggy (Marques) is a powerplay guy, a really good powerplay guy. Sharkey is a powerplay guy. I think we have a lot of powerplay defensemen. So we’ll have to work through that a little bit, find the right combination, and try to put those defensemen in the right situations.”
NUHB: “We’ve talked multiple times in the past about shots, shot quality, shot quantity. Looking at last year’s numbers: Northeastern was 11th-lowest in shots on goal last year. Teams around them were UNH, RPI, Minnesota, Princeton, teams that had a mixed bag of success last year. The closest NCAA tournament teams were the two Ivies and the next non-Ivy was 150 SOG more than Northeastern. My takeaway was that it’s hard to reach those levels of success, which is the goal, when you’re not getting the puck on net as much. A lot of players returning averaged 1.5-2 shots on goal per game last year. My question is: your thoughts on that output, is there a need to get more shots off and to the net, and what changes can be made to make that happen.”
JK: “I think it needs to be a blend. I think our possession and our quality is definitely still number one for us when it comes to just talking about shots. I do think we can shoot the puck more. I think we have a group of defensemen that shoots the puck well and will be active on the blue line so that helps a lot. And I think you add a guy like Sharkey who is a shooter, a guy like Marques who is a shooter, so that’s two guys right there. I think, when you look at systems, you’re looking at the finished product of shot quantity, but that also starts in the defensive zone. If you’re killing plays quicker, breaking pucks out quicker, you’re going to be playing more offense, leading to more opportunity to shoot the puck more. It all goes hand-in-hand but I agree, I’d like to see us have the puck a little more offensively so we can create more shots.
When you look at our lineup, Joe Connor is a shooter. Chewy (Mathieu) is a shooter. Hajibi has really taken a step by the way, he is a shooter. Marty (Martino) is a shooter. Miggy (Marques) is a shooter. Pechar is a shooter, Sharkey is a shooter. Perkins isn’t afraid to shoot a puck. We’ve got a good blend of guys that “think shot.” I think we have more shooters up front that think that way, which I like, and we have a pretty good blend of offensive defensemen, so you’re hoping that creates more shots. I don’t want to change our mentality from being a team that’s thinking quality, but at the same time I do think naturally when you have players that think shot, you’re going to shoot more, because they have the confidence to score.
Mike Levine: “Couldn’t agree more. I think your possession leads to good quality chances. I’ve always believed possessing pucks, wearing other teams down, getting good looks at the net is much more beneficial than throwing pucks on net.”
NUHB: “Final question, same as last year: what are you looking forward to most this year?”
JK: “I think just competing with this group of players. I said it earlier, I love this group. We’ve got some real high-quality kids on this team and some real high-quality players on our team. As a staff, I think we’re excited to get behind the bench and go to battle with each other. I think we have a group that’s going to stick together through any adversity that we have, because we are going to hit it, all teams do. I am excited to go through that together. I can’t say it enough: it’s been fun working with this team.”
ML: “For me, I love the guys and we all have such good relationships with them. You know there’s going to be some challenges and adversity, some bumps in the road. To see those guys have success, winning games and scoring goals, that’s what I get excited about. Seeing smiles on faces whether things are going well or not, that’s the kind of thing that can lift a team up and lift a staff up.”
Thank you again to both coaches for sitting down with me ahead of the start of the season. Looking forward to the first game just a few days away.
As always, go Huskies!
