On the same day we learned that freshman goaltender TJ Semptimphelter is entering the NCAA Transfer Portal, we also learned that Northeastern received a verbal commitment from Grant Riley, a 2002 birth year goaltender from Rochester, NY. Riley was formerly committed to Boston College.
Riley will enroll this Fall, and is likely to start as the backup behind Devon Levi, who is expected to return for his junior season. Riley brings pro-size and a prototypical modern style to the Northeastern goaltending corps, standing at 6-foot-4, 205 pounds, catching with his left hand. He is currently playing for the Chilliwack Chiefs of the BCHL, one of the most offense-driven leagues in junior hockey. In 38 games he has a .907 save percentage and 2.47 goals-against-average, with 3 shutouts. Previously, he played for the Omaha Lancers, Tri-City Storm, and Madison Capitols of the USHL, and the Janesville Jets of the NAHL. He also was a frequent attendee of USA Hockey Selects camps as he grew.
Riley committed to Boston College in 2020, but with the Eagles bringing in Colgate transfer Mitch Benson, in addition to having Henry Wilder staying at The Heights and a commitment from USNTDP goalie Dylan Silverstein, Riley appears to have been the victim of a numbers game in Chestnut Hill. Luckily he didn’t have to look far for his new home.
When evaluating his game, scouts comment that “Riley has strong fundamentals, covers a lot of net and has a ton of upside. ” Often lauded for his size, scouts have foreseen him being an NHL-caliber goaltender as he developed. His goalie coach in Janesville praised his attention to detail, also a great trait for a developing goalie. “You want to coach players who want to be better. Everything he does, he wants to be better at. He’s willing to listen, learn, and pay attention to everything he does.” He’s no slouch in the classroom either, previously having a 4.0 GPA in high school which also makes him a perfect fit for a school of Northeastern’s caliber.
We are thrilled to have Grant in the Northeastern pipeline and look forward to seeing him at Matthews Arena in the Fall.
As always, go Huskies!