| UMass Lowell Riverhawks 2010/2011 Recruiting Information (Stats through games as of 11/04/09) |
| This will be Coach Blaise MacDonald's tenth recruiting class at UML and it could be a large one. Currently we expect there to be 14 seniors graduating during the summer of 2009. Since Coach MacDonald has begun to really start to even out the classes, do not expect to see 14 freshman at the first game in October 2010. Most likely it’ll be close to half that number, around 7-9. Players that have signed an NLI (National Letter of Intent) are highlighted in red. |
UML's first recruit for 2010 was defenseman Julian Melchiori of the Newmarket Hurricanes (CCHL). A native of Richmond Hill, Ontario, the 6'1, 180 pound blueliner has a a 5-11-16 line in 15 games with 10 PIM. Melchiori was drafted by the Oshawa Generals in the OHL 2007 draft in the 14th round, but the youngster (born 12/6/91) has chosen the college route instead. He had played for the Toronto Marlies midget team prior to joining Newmarket. To find a good read about the youngster, check out the following link, http://www.ontariohockey.com/story.aspx?c=25&id=2441. Melchiori was a late addition to Team Canada East for the World Jr. A Challenge in Summerside, PEI in early November, 2009. He was named the team's Player of the Game with a 1-1-2 line against Belarus. He also was listed as a B Level player in the NHL's CSB release in October, 2009 (meaning a possible 3rd-5th round pick). Melchiori put together a 2-20-22 line in 48 games in his first year for the Hurricanes in 08/09. In a span of less than a week in February, 2009, UML picked up a couple of commitments from wingers for 2010. The first was from LW Shayne Thompson of the Brockville Braves (COJHL). This is Thompson’s first year with the Braves, after spending two seasons with the Kanata Stallions in the same league. The 5’11”, 195 pounder finished the 07/08 season with the Stallions having a 22-26-48 in 59 games (87 PIM). A native of Stittsville, Ontario (born 6/13/89), the following season Thompson has put together a 28-55-83 in 60 games (76 PIM), which was good for the ninth highest point total in the league. 31 of his 83 points had come on the power play during that season. So far in the 2009/2010 season, Thompson has a 10-19-29 line in 21 games for the Braves. The second winger that committed to Lowell is much more of a local player. Wilmington, Massachusetts will be represented on the UML roster in 2010 by LW Joe Pendenza of the Boston Jr. Bruins (EJHL). As per the Jr. Bruins site, Pendenza (who played at Arlington Catholic) showed up at the tryouts for the Jr. Bruins in April of 2007 barely known. His 94 points though for the Empire League’s Jr. Bruins in 07/08 raised his stock. In the 08/09 year with ths EJHL team, he put together a 22-27-49 (45 games), which was good for second on his team. Pendenza, born 11/22/90, was a C ranked prospect by the NHL in their late November (2008) rankings. He was a participant in the EJHL All-Star game in the 08/09 season. Through 14 games this year, Pendanza has a 7-7-14 line with 6 power play goals. UML picked up a commitment from another Massachusetts resident in RD Will Rayner, from Needham, MA. Currently playing for the Lincoln Stars of the USHL. Prior to this season, Rayner had played for the Neponset Valley River Rats. As per the River Rats website, Rayner (who led his Needham High team to the State Championship in 1998) is known as a hard hitting player, with a great shot from the point. He put up a 6-22-28 line in the 2008/09 season playing for (I believe) South Kent Prep. Born 1/19/90, Rayner was listed in the NHL's Mid Term rankings as the 140th best NHL prospect in North America. He was listed as a B ranked player in the Central Scouting Bureau's October 2008 rankings, meaning a potential 3rd to 5th round pick. A nice article written in the Globe on December 27, 2007, has a quote from his Needham High Coach, Bill Guisti who said about Rayner, "He can really skate, he's a great penalty killer, he's got a bomb for a shot, and he hits like a ton of bricks." Playing in the USHL this year, Rayner's had a quiet start with 6 PIM and no points through 5 games, and has been on the 45 day IR since mid-October 2009. UML picked up a goalie commitment for 2010's incoming class in May of 2009 from Marc Boulanger, from Sundre, Alberta. This will be Boulanger's third year as a member of the Olds Grizzlys of the Alberta Junior Hockey League. The 19 year old (3/27/90 birthdate) is listed at 5'11, 165 pounds. During the 2007/2008 season, Boulanger was 13-10-3, with a 3.01 GAA and an 89.11% save rate (in 34 games played). The following year, he finished 26-17-4 in 50 games, with a 2.62 GAA and a 90.88% rate. In 20 playoff games combined over the 2 years, he is 10-10 with a 3.15 GAA and an 89.25% save rate. His Coach at Olds, Kevin Hasselberg, said in a press release, “Marc is a tremendously intense player that is very focused and goal driven. He enjoys the pressure of the position and has been a very committed student of the game, always seeking ways to improve.” Boulanger was the MVP of the 2007 Telus Cup, playing for the Red Deer Optimist Rebels. The Telus Cup is Canada's National midget hockey championship. The Rebels lost in the Championship game that year. After missing a couple of weeks to start of the 2009/2010 season, Boulanger has put together a 2-6-2 record with a 2.93 GAA and a 90.07% save rate. The River Hawks received another commitment in May of 2009, from LW Tyler Brickler of the Westside Warriors in the BCHL. Brickler (born 1/27/91) is from Riverwoods, IL, and is 5'11, 175 pounds. In 21 games during the 08/09 season with the Green Mountain Glades of the EJHL, he put up a 12-26-38 line, with 5 power play goals and 6 power play assists. He was drafted in May, 2009 by Sioux City of the USHL in their entry draft. He played for the Lincoln Stars of the USHL in 2007/2008, with 2 goals in 28 games. Princeton, Clarkson and RIT were all interested in Brickler as well. Even though he won't be with the Glades, that team has sent quite a few players recently to Lowell, including recent grad Paul Worthington, 09/10 senior Barry Goers and 09/10 incoming freshman Riley Wetmore. Brickler played for the Chicago Mission AAA team prior to joining the Stars. Brickler started the 09/10 season playing for the Sioux City Musketeers of the USHL, but was traded on 11/18/09 to the Warriors. While playing for the Musketeers in the highly competitive USHL, Brickler has 3 assists in 4 games. Returning to the River Hawks, most likely as a sophomore with three years of eligibility left is goaltender TJ Massie currently of the Boston Junior Bruins in the EJHL (and a teammate of incoming freshman Pendanza in 2010). A Lexington, MA native, Massie had originally committed to UML for the 08/09 season. After playing two games and putting together a 3.76 GAA and an 87.5% save rate, Massie realized his playing time would be low with standouts Carter Hutton and Nevin Hamilton in front of him, so he went to play for the Sioux City Musketeers of the USHL for the remainder of the year. With a defense that didn't help at all, Massie's 5-19-1 record, with a 4.73 GAA and an 87.5% save rate looked pretty rough. For the 09/10 season, Massie has returned home essentially playing for the Jr. Bruins and so far has a 4-4-1 record with a 3.55 GAA and an 89.8% save rate. In November of 2009, UML picked up their first (we believe) recruit from San Diego, CA. Defensemen Chad Ruhwedel of the Sioux Falls Stampede in the USHL will be matriculating at Lowell in the fall of 2010. Currently a team Captain for the Stampede, the 5'11", 170 pound Ruhwedel is in his second year with the Stampede. He put together a quiet 0-11-11 in 55 games last year, with just 30 PIM. He has a 1-3-4 line in 9 games this season, but with no PIM. Ruhwedel was named the Defensive Player of the Week for a 1-2-3 line in mid-October, 2009. The Stampede already have a member of their team playing for UML in current 09/10 senior Ben Holmstrom. A second commitment was given to UML in November of 2009, from RW Nick Curry of the Springfield Jr. Blues in the NAHL. Curry (officially James Nicholas Curry), born 11/2/89, is listed as residing in Bettendorf, IA, but grew up in Eagle River, Alaska. The 6', 185 pound winger is in his second year with the Jr. Blues. In the 08/09 season, Curry put together a 15-41-56 line in 55 games, with 6-12-18 coming during power plays. He also averaged less than a minute a game in the box, with 49 PIM. So far in the 09/10 season, Curry is tied for the league lead in the NAHL with a 9-21-30 line in 21 games. Curry had played with Sioux Falls of the USHL prior to joining the Jr. Blues. The Jr. Blues coach last year, Chris Wyler, told the State-Register Journal last year that "[Nick] has tremendous hands and sees the ice differently than other players. [Nick] sees things in three dimension before they happen a lot of the time.” More Class of 2014 Recruit info is here. |