If you ask students and fans of the Northeastern Men’s Hockey program what’s on their minds ahead of the 94th season of Husky Hockey, you’d get an array of answers: The final season of Matthews Arena. Bouncing back after a disappointing 2024-25 season. New faces and new players to cheer for. Top-tier opponents to see the Huskies play against.
If you ask the people in the locker room, however, the mindset is singularly focused.
“I’m going to say this a lot this year but everything this year is team first,” said captain Vinny Borgesi. Everything is about the team, about learning, taking steps every single day to get better day by day and staying in the moment.”
For Borgesi, a fourth-year defenseman now charged with leading the Huskies through an unprecedented season, the objective of the season remains crystal clear ahead of him. “For me personally, I want us to buy into what we are trying to do and ultimately I want us to win games. I don’t want anything for myself, I don’t want to look ahead, I try to stay in the moment and control what I can control. It’s all about the team and what we can do each and every day to buy in and win games.”
It’s an attitude often preached by college coaches, including head coach Jerry Keefe- can’t get too high during the good times, or too low during the bad times. Staying in the moment, especially in a season sure to be full of them, will be critical to the team’s success, especially right out of the gate, where the team has twelve home games in the fall semester.
“In the last couple years we’ve found our stride towards the end of the year,” noted junior Dylan Hryckowian. “We always seem to find something in January so getting off to a hot start would be important. The home games in the front half will do a lot to propel us forward so looking forward to that.” Hryckowian, now an assistant captain, will be looked at to be a leader both on the scoresheet, as he has been for the last two seasons, but also to aid in Borgesi’s vision for the team, staying in the moment no matter what is going on around them.
It’s that even-keel attitude, married with the example set by leaders such as Borgesi, that helps players acclimate as they adjust to college hockey as freshmen, and adjust to the pace and style of Hockey East play if they transfer in. “I was playing around some really high end talented players, so watching them and how they carry themselves on a daily basis, their preparation, attitude, mindset on a daily basis, tried to soak everything in,” said sophomore defenseman Jack Henry.
Henry has the benefit of hindsight now, but he’s trying to instill confidence and wisdom into the new players this year after his experience jumping from junior hockey to the college game. “Guys in college are older, bigger, stronger, faster. A lot of skilled players in junior hockey but it takes a jump in college, guys are good, their touches on the puck and small areas plays are faster.”
Even for college hockey veterans, there are similar feelings for newcomers. “Playing in the Atlantic (at RIT), we had a few non-conference games with Hockey East schools, you can tell the pace of play is higher,” added junior forward Tyler Fukakusa. “Everyone’s intelligent on the ice, I know it’s going to be harder hockey, faster hockey, plays will be made faster, but I’m ready for the adjustment.”
Fukakusa entered the transfer portal after two successful seasons with RIT, which included winning an Atlantic Hockey championship as a freshman, then leading the team in scoring as a sophomore. In two seasons, he played in 74 games and had 64 points (18 goals). Expected to be a fixture in the Huskies’ top six, Fukakusa described his game as “I am a hard-working two-way forward, I like to make plays where I can, I think I have a high hockey IQ and I like to help make my teammates better.”
Despite recent struggles, Northeastern is still seen as an attractive option for top-end talent like Fukakusa to play at, in large part because the coaching staff knows exactly what they want to create within their program. In fact, when asked why he picked Northeastern, the coaches were the first thing he mentioned: “I think the plan that the coaches had for the team, and how important the program is to them. The history behind Matthews Arena and Northeastern itself. You really get a sense of pride that they have for the logo and the school. The players they’ve produced in the past, a lot of guys that move on to play pro hockey. Their play style fits mine, and it’s a prestigious school.”
And that play style is centered in the ethos of Husky Hockey, emboldened by Borgesi’s iron-clad work ethic: “Come to each each and every day, put your head down and work. Come to work every single day, be a good teammate and good person, that goes a long way.” It’s an example set by the captains and leaders before him, and one that he and upperclassmen like Hryckowian seek to instill in their team this year. “Consistency is the biggest part of being a leader,” quipped Hrycokwian. “Day in, day out. Have a positive attitude in the rink every day”
In just a few short days, the puck will drop on the season. The arena will be filled with screaming fans, the prospects of new success will be reality instead of hypothetical, and after seven months of waiting, the players will finally have the opportunity to see their fruits of their efforts manifest.
And no one is more locked in and ready than Borgesi. “I’m excited to be here and excited to be back. I’m excited to lead this group.”
Many thanks to Men’s Hockey SID Sidney Binger for helping coordinate time for these interviews, and special thanks to Vinny Borgesi, Dylan Hryckowian, Jack Henry, and Tyler Fukakusa for taking time out of their day to speak with me.
As always, go Huskies!