Following the completion of the Huskies’ season yesterday when they were not selected for the NCAA tournament, three Northeastern forwards, senior Austin Goldstein and sophomores Neil Shea and TJ Walsh, have entered the NCAA transfer portal. This does not necessarily mean the players will leave NU, they are free to withdraw themselves at any time, however it likely indicates none will be back with the Huskies this fall.
Austin Goldstein was not expected back next season, having graduated from NU after four seasons with the Huskies and having been honored on senior night alongside the rest of his class in February. The forward scored the biggest goal of his career on an overtime breakaway in the 2019 Hockey East Tournament against Maine, scoring on Bruins prospect Jeremy Swayman and giving the Huskies the playoff win. Goldstein was named an assistant captain of the team this season by his peers. He will have two years of eligibility as a graduate transfer at his new school after redshirting the 2019-20 season due to injury. He was a part of three Beanpot championships with the Huskies in addition to his integral role in the 2019 Hockey East Championship run.
Neil Shea came to NU as an impressive prospect, even garnering some NHL draft hype after a 43 point season with the USHL’s Chicago Steel. He played with fellow Huskies forwards Gunnarwolfe Fontaine and Sam Colangelo both in Chicago and at Lawrence Academy back home in Mass. Unfortunately Shea never was able to settle in as a contributor at NU, posting a 1-4-5 line in 33 games as a freshman and just one goal and one point in 2020-21 in 16 games while totaling a -11 career rating and often falling out of the starting lineup this past season. He will have up to three years of eligibility at his new school.
TJ Walsh committed to NU in late 2018 for the following summer, in the midst of a 49 point USHL campaign with the Des Moines Buccaneers. An undersized forward, Walsh looked to be contributor in his first semester as a Husky, managing two goals and five points in his first 20 games before an injury ended his freshman season prematurely. Unfortunately Walsh fought injuries again as a sophomore and was limited to 15 games and only three assists. After a pair of trying years as a Husky, Walsh will move on with three years of eligibility as well.
All three of these players helped the 2019-20 Huskies take the Beanpot before their season was unfortunately cut short and we both thank them for their contributions at Northeastern and wish them all of the best in the future with their hockey careers. They will always be a part of the Northeastern Hockey family.
In addition to the above players, it is not believed at this time that any of the other seniors who participated in the senior night festivities will be returning to the team for their NCAA sanctioned additional year of eligibility next season. Congratulations to Zach Solow, Curtis Frye, Collin Murphy, Grant Jozefek, and Billy Carrabino, in addition to Goldstein, on their careers as the winningest class in the history of Northeastern Hockey.