The 94th season of Northeastern Men’s Hockey is upon us, and it brings with it a mixture of emotions: the usual excitement and excitement, but with the season comes a somber reality that this will be the final season Northeastern plays at historic Matthews Arena. The path to getting to this point has been well documented, including excellently by the Huntington News. But despite that, we still have hockey to play, and a new season of opportunity ahead of us.
We were fortunate to once again sit down with head coach Jerry Keefe to look ahead to the season, and associate head coach Mike Levine joined us midway through the interview. Thank you again to Men’s Hockey SID Sidney Binger for helping set up this interview.
Northeastern Hockey Blog: How was your summer, in terms of your own activities and in terms of developing and both looking back on last season and looking ahead to this one?
Jerry Keefe: Summer was great, I was in the rink a lot which was good. When you’re in a rink, good things happen. Lots of skill work with younger groups, and recruiting. Recruiting is a big thing in the summer especially with everything opening up now with Major Junior hockey, trying to get to know some of those guys a little better. Talking with a new set of advisors that deal with kids up north, making a lot of connections that way. And you’re always trying to grow as a coach, trying to pick people’s brains, friends you have in the college game, pro game, watching skill coaches on the ice and picking their brain. Because skill development and coaching are two different things, right, and at our level you have to do both. One of the things I like to ask the professional guys is “what would you want us to concentrate on more so when a player gets to your level they’re ready,” and the number one thing they always come back with is wall play. So that’s something we like to focus on here, and will continue to focus on that.
NUHB: What is your overall view of the team as we look ahead in terms of strengths, and what can you build off from last season?
JK: Well, half the team is new. The guys coming back are driven. Didn’t love the way the season went. Yeah you can talk about how the end of the season went and that’s the goal, right, win a Hockey East Championship, and we got close, so there’s something there we can build off with our returning players. There’s just so much new blood right now, they’re excited to be here. A lot of guys have been committed here for a bit now, and they came here for a reason. They knew the success we’ve had in the past both in our championships and guys moving onto the professional level. There’s a lot of excitement right now in that room. I really like this group, they’re attentive, there’s a lot of positive energy around them, and I think some of the things we needed to address from last year, we addressed. I like the fact that we have an older blue line, and I really like the depth we have up front up, and obviously we needed to bring in a goaltender with experience, and I think Zacher is going to be excellent for us this year.
NUHB: You’ve described Husky Hockey in the past as being a team that is relentless with the puck, relentless in puck pursuit, and trying to maintain possession. How would you assess that identity last year and how would you forecast it into this year?
JK: I thought it took us too long to get to that point last year. That identity isn’t going to change, the more you have the puck, the more you make other teams defend and they can’t play offense. You need the skillset to do it too. You can talk about things but you have to execute, have the right team that’s going to buy in to it and be able to execute it. Relentlessness without the puck is a big thing, how hard we work to get it back is a really important thing. You need the most skilled guys to also be the most relentless guys and everyone else falls into line that way. Our best players have always been that way. To be honest, looking through our back-pressure clips that we will show guys this year, the one guy you see doing that a lot is Dylan Hryckowian. Dylan’s obviously a really good hockey player for us, a really good offensive player, but now you gotta get everyone playing that way.
NUHB: On the topic of increased possession: often times you generally see either a shot volume increase for the team possessing the puck, or a shot volume decrease for the opponent because they don’t have the puck as much. Northeastern’s had a negative shot differential, about 3-4 shots per game less than their opponents, each of the last couple years. Is that something you and your staff assess and try to address, or do you see it as something as a quantity/quality trade-off?
JK: Well we’re definitely more on the quality more than quantity side. That being said, we can still be better there. We are tweaking a little of our offensive zone play which I think will allow us to create more shots, but we’re not changing things to where everything is going on net and then we’re chasing the puck.
NUHB: Last year you talked about liking the depth of the team as well as the size and compete level. Unfortunately last year depth scoring was an issue after the top 5-6 scorers. Is there something you’ve diagnosed as to why things turned out that way, and what do you think is key for that goal of having depth scoring being realized this year?
JK: Some of the first-year players coming in this year, we let them marinate an extra year in junior hockey. I think they’re more ready this year. We were patient, we didn’t rush them in to get in here. We’ve learned that from the past, some guys maybe we should have had play the extra year and they come in and it’s a big jump for college hockey. We feel that the group this year is going to make more of an impact, the younger players coming in.
NUHB: Fourteen newcomers this year, fifteen last season. In your opinion, what’s the key to making so many new faces and personalities gel cohesively at the start of the season?
JK: It starts in the locker room, starts with them being confident around their teammates. That starts with things away from the rink, getting to know each other on a different level. The more confident guys are, whether it’s a transfer or a freshman, the better they are going to play, it’s that simple. We want to make sure we are instilling confidence in the group, obviously you have to push guys, hold them accountable, but we want them feeling good about themselves when they hit the ice. The more confident the first-year guys are, the more impactful they’ll be.
NUHB: I wanted to ask about a few returning players specifically, Vinny Borgesi and also Jo Lemay, two senior defensemen, captain and assistant captain: can you describe what they bring to the team both as players and leaders, but also as a pair when on the ice together.
JK: Yeah so we are expecting one of those two to be out there on the ice most of game. We know the minutes Vinny can log, Jo Lemay is the same, we know he can eat minutes. A little different of a player than Vinny but between the two of them, you’ll see one of them on the ice most of the game. They’re both wonderful kids, they both care about the game and they want to win, they are both focused on winning. Yes they care about development and they want to become pro hockey players, but I really believe that those two came back, because they both could have left, because they want to win and they want to win here. They’re different leaders but they both lead by example, they’ll both speak up when they need to hold someone accountable, especially Vinny. When he says something he expects it to not happen again, and I like that. Jo came back in tremendous shape physically, and I’m excited for Jo because he was excited to get here last year but got hurt early on and it took a little while to comfortable, get his swagger, his confidence back, and then I think everyone saw that player at the end of the year. Between the two of them I think we have two of the best defenders in our league.
At this point, Coach Levine joined our conversation
NUHB: Up front, you have two returning players in Dylan Hryckowian and Joe Conner, they’re now seen as the load-bearing forwards up front. How do you see them taking the next step on the scoresheet but also as leaders?
JK: We’re going to need both of those guys to be really good this year. Ritzy’s been so consistent from Day One, not too many guys are point-per-game guys their first two years in college, so yeah we’re looking for him to take a step that way but we feel really good about where his game is at, and it’s not just about the points. JC, I don’t think people really understand how good he is, so we’re excited for that to happen this year. He’s going to get more of an opportunity this year, even moreso than last year. They’ve both had great summers, love the condition they both came back in, they know they’re the guys that have to elevate that, and they’re guys that thrive in that situation.
ML: I think both those guys are ready to accept the challenge of being the catalysts for us. They’re both difference-makers, and at the end of the day those guys will be the engine for the offense.
NUHB: Two players from last year who have a chance to step up this year, sophomores James Fisher and Griffin Erdman, how have their summers gone and how do their outlooks seem for this season with potentially some higher lineup spots available.
JK: I thought James Fisher finished the year well last year, playing his best hockey for us. When he left here, after our end-of-year meeting, he felt good about where he’s at, gained some confidence. Coming into this year, feels much better. Erds is a guy for me that we felt he took a real big step in the spring last year. He was not happy with his year last year, at all. He’s a very driven kid and he looks like a man on a mission right now. Came back in really good shape and he was on the ice a lot this summer, he’s got more swagger to him this year.
ML: We talked about Griffin after practice, he looks stronger on his feet, more confident. He’s an alpha, he wants to be The Guy, I’m really happy with how he came back. His speed looks like he’s taken a step and we’re looking for him to take that step for us. As Coach said on James, his last ten games were promising. You look at the player, he’s got great size, he might have the best shot release on the team. The tools are all there for him to continue that growth.
NUHB: Five transfers coming in from four conferences and at all three positions. Coach you mentioned earlier you wanted a goaltender coming in with experience. For folks who have not watched much of Brown hockey, what can fans expect from Lawton Zacher?
JK: Really confident kid. He’s been The Guy for two years now in college. Had a really good year last year, they play in a good conference (ECAC) and he seems like he’s good in big games, he gives his team a chance to win every game and that’s what we’re expecting. He’s a consistent goalie, he’s competitive, he loves the small-area games.
NUHB: Seemingly every year you guys have success bringing in defensemen out of the Transfer Portal, going back to Tommy Miller, through Boltmann and Lemay. This year you bring in Austen May (Providence) and Dylan Finlay (Alaska-Anchorage), who profile a little differently. May we’ve profiled as a little more defensive-minded and Finlay profiled as a little more offensive-minded in my estimation. How do you see them being deployed this season to maximize their effectiveness?
JK: I actually think you might even have that opposite. May actually has some offense in him, he can really shoot a puck. If you look at his numbers last years, points-wise yeah they’re ok, but if you look at his shot totals and shot attempts, he had the puck on his stick in the offensive zone a lot. Been really impressed with his release. He has a good stick and he’s a smart player. And Dylan, he’s long and smooth and intelligent, and you can tell he was well coached coming through the Lac St-Louis program all those years, he’s got good details to his game. He can bring both (offense and defense), but he’s a guy who I think has a good stick, can close gaps, and has some savviness away from the puck. I think both of them can bring ultimately both sides of the game.
ML: Both have played three years of college hockey. It’s hard to find guys that have been through the grind, been to tournaments, been on good teams with success. Any time you can bring in those guys that have also logged a lot of minutes, it brings value to your lineup.
NUHB: You’re also bringing in two players who played a lot of minutes up front in Tyler Fukakusa (RIT) and Matthew Perkins (Minnesota-Duluth). Can you share some insight as to what those players bring to the lineup?
JK: We knew both players in junior hockey actually, Tyler led the OJHL in scoring so he’s always had success scoring. We liked that he was a playmaker, leading scorer on his team at RIT. We needed to get deeper in the middle, both of those players bring that and can play center. Fukakusa always seems to produce wherever he goes, very intelligent hockey player. Perkins we’ve known since watching him in Youngstown (USHL), he had success in junior hockey. He can really skate and brings a speed element. He’s a kid that for me, the year didn’t go well for him last year. He’s a good hockey player, and we all know that certain situations whether it’s confidence or ice time, things can happen. So we know we are getting a player who is hungry and driven, we know it has it in him because we’ve seen it, and we know he’s well-coached coming from one of the best programs and coaches in the country. With both players we did our due diligence too on what types of kids they are, and they’re both terrific kids. That’s a big part of the Transfer Portal now, not only bringing in good players but you need to bring kids in who are going to fit into our culture.
ML: I’ve been really happy with both so far, Tyler is a kid who has real good sense, makes plays, has scored at every level. Very cerebral player. Perkins, there is a high ceiling there. Had a good freshman year at Duluth, took a little bit of a step back last year. We talk a lot that those are the types of kids that the portal is good for, hit the reset button and get a fresh start and then build up the player he knows he can be.
NUHB: To the freshmen this year, a lot of high-end skill coming in. One player I wanted to ask specifically about was Jacob Mathieu. He’s the first CHL player to come to Northeastern with the new eligibility rules, he was one of the top goal-scorers in the QMJHL last year and was a multi-year captain. What does he bring to Northeastern in terms of skills but also CHL experience that is truly unique to him?
JK: He looks like a veteran already. His presence, the way he carries himself, you can tell he’s been a captain on a really good team, a playoff team that went far in the playoffs and on a run last year. He brings a lot in the sense that he’s hard to play against, he scores goals going to the net, gets to the net and will eat a puck, he’s physical. He brings a whole different element, he can play all three forward positions. We’re really excited about him, I’ve already had a conversation with him that we need that confidence and swagger right off the bat. You can already tell he’s a leader.
NUHB: You also brought in a lot of talent from the USHL, classically the recruiting ground for high-end talent before college. To list them off: two top-ten scorers (Giacomo Martino, Jack Pechar), another top-twenty scorer (Amine Hajibi), and arguably the top defenseman in the league (Dylan Compton). It’s a lot of names, but what do they bring to the program as an infusion of talent?
JK: I’ll start with Martino. Extremely gifted mind- sees the ice and game really well. He’s got great tocuh on his passes, he finds quiet ice really well, he can rip a puck, he’s a guy that can score goals or make the play. We expect him to be really good on the powerplay. He really took a step in his second USHL year, was a lot more dynamic with his skating. Looking for him to make an impact. Hajibi, really good one-on-one player. He can really make something out of nothing, he’s long with a good stick, shoots the puck really well. He was the leading scorer on his team too, when you’re getting USHL leading scorers that’s a really good sign, especially a team coached by Mark Carlson because you know they will have good habits. Really high-end player, Hajibi.
Pechar, leading scorer on the top regular season USHL team. Now you get a guy who plays in the middle of the rink (center), plays both sides of the puck, who is good in the dot, excellent habits. He was well-coached in Lincoln too. Big kid who brings a little more size, can lean on you and get to the net. And Compton had a helluva year. Really gifted puck-mover, tremendous stick. He can run a powerplay and arguably the best powerplay defenseman in the USHL last year. And I like his demeanor, he’s a quiet confident kid. When you look at those guys from the USHL and add a Matthew Maltais, who is a veteran in the league, captain of the Lincoln Stars, played with Pechar, he brings a physical element, can score goals going to the net. We expect him to be a penalty killer and be a leader. We’re really excited about those USHL guys and like I said a lot of them we let marinate that extra year, and I think that way they can be difference makers when they get here right off the bat.
NUHB: And Coach Levine, with the team bringing in a lot of those older freshmen, no ’06s no ’07s, everyone is 20+ in the freshman class. How much of an advantage do you find that gives those players in terms of the adjustment period point of view?
ML: It’s a cliché but they’re older, they’re more mature, their bodies are more developed so they’re bigger, faster, stronger. Anytime you can get a little older, get more timing and reps and touches, it’s a good thing, and for me any time that those guys can play more games under their belt they become better players.
JK: I think the mentality is the biggest thing right? You look at Martino, had a good first year in the USHL, but then he goes out and leads the league in scoring, so where’s his mind at now? He’s expecting that, he’s not hoping to do it, he just went out and did it. So you have that mindset as a player, coming off success rather than hoping for success, it’s a big difference. And all those guys had success, they played a lot of minutes, they’ve been captains, they’ve been on good teams, so the mentality, it’s really important.
ML: And you can see it even watching practice, some of those guys don’t look like it’s their first time on the ice, they have a lot of swagger, a lot of confidence, and that’s a key ingredient to winning.
NUHB: Last question: What are you most excited for this season?
ML: I am excited to see how close this group can come together. From the onset there’s a real connection down there with the group and the leaders, and more often than not that leads to success.
JK: To prove everybody wrong. Except the people in our locker room. We know what we are, we know what we’re capable of. I don’t know what other people are going to say out there. I know this group has a little chip on their shoulder right now. There is quiet confidence in that room. We can be as good as we want to be, it’s that simple. We got enough talent in there, we got loads of character. I am excited to see just how good this group can get. There’s an opportunity to do some special things this year with this team.
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 week and a half away, October 4th, against Holy Cross.
As always, go Huskies!