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This year’s senior class started out as a big freshman class full of promise. The 10-man class featured two NHL draft picks, Brad Thiessen’s replacement, and some players that had posted impressive stats in the United States Hockey League. But the class may not have lived up to its high expectations, and the now seven-man class will likely graduate with no winning seasons and just one Hockey East playoff appearance, barring a push from tenth to eighth place for the final playoff spot this season.
The two NHL draft picks, Justin and Drew Daniels, left after last season, but the San Jose Sharks chose not to sign them despite owning their draft rights. Both are playing in the lower minor leagues now.
Jake Newton left after his freshman year to sign with the Anaheim Ducks. His AHL career never took off and he now plays in the second division of the Italian Hockey League. Chris Student played one season before deciding to transfer back home to Minnesota. He played one game last season for them and is no longer with the team.
Of the group of seniors that remains, the biggest contributions have actually come from a student who was playing for Boston University when this class arrived on campus.
Vinny Saponari’s college hockey career has certainly been a memorable one. He won a National Championship with BU as a freshman, but was kicked off the team following his sophomore season. After spending a year in juniors, he was given a second chance by Northeastern coach Greg Cronin. Shortly after Saponari committed to Northeastern, Cronin left the program. Under Cronin’s replacement Jim Madigan, Saponari has emerged as talented playmaker and a leader. The senior captain is the second leading scorer on the team and he leads all Huskies with 19 assists, 15 of which have been primary. Saponari’s play has been a huge, yet rarely mentioned part of Kevin Roy’s breakout season. Over half of Roy’s goals (9 out of 17) have been assisted by Saponari. The Georgia native has also emerged as the team’s best penalty killer. He is not a flashy player, but he is well-rounded and he could be the next Northeastern alumnus to break into the NHL, where the Winnipeg Jets own his draft rights.
Goaltender Chris Rawlings set the Northeastern school record this season in career shutouts with 10 after a win over Alabama-Huntsville on Nov. 10, breaking Brad Thiessen’s (2006-2009) record of nine. Over his four years at Northeastern, Rawlings has had his ups and downs, but it’s hard to argue with his stats.
Garrett Vermeersch had missed just one game in his previous years before getting hurt after the Beanpot final, and is now suspended indefinitely following a violation of team rules. If he does not return before the end of the season, he will finish his career having played 130 games for the Huskies and having two 20-point seasons. Known for his great moves and unreal hair, Vermeersch always seemed capable of a major breakout scoring wise. It didn’t happen at Northeastern, but it could at the next level. The Michigan native is an undrafted free agent.
Robbie Vrolyk’s time at Northeastern has been marred by injuries. When healthy, Vrolyk has been an important part of the team. The most noticeable part of Vrolyk’s game is his speed, but the most impressive part is how hard he works on the ice. He is also playing the game hard and doing anything he can to help the team win, regardless of the score or standings. He is an alternate captain and he, along with Saponari, deserve a lot of credit for the fact that this team is still playing hard despite their situation in the standings.
The other senior who will be missed next year is Drew “Shooter” Ellement. He is probably the most improved member of this senior class. He did not play much during his freshman season, but he has worked his way up the defensive ranks for Northeastern. The defense was hit hard by transfers, decommits and early departures the past couple years, and Ellement entered this year as the only upperclassman. Before getting injured against Lowell on Jan. 26, Ellement was logging major minutes as the No. 1 guy on the blue line. He and Vermeersch are the only skaters on the team to play more than 100 games for Northeastern (Vrolyk is at 98 and should hit 100). His absence has hurt and the team is just 2-7 without him.
The senior class is 51-66-21 during their time here, but it’s not due to a lack of effort. On the whole, they are all hard workers and that has shown down the stretch this season. Guys like Vrolyk and fan-favorite senior Steve Morra are still giving the team everything they have right until the end. They didn’t win any trophies, but they have been a part of some memorable moments and they will be missed next season.
-Drew Stukas can be reached at [email protected].
