Snapshots: Hertl, Thompson, Whitelaw, Boija
Golden Knights center Tomas Hertl rejoined the team for practice today, the team announced (Twitter link). It’s worth noting that he wasn’t cleared for contact so he’s not particularly close to returning. The 31-year-old suffered a shoulder injury a little more than a week ago, stalling what had been one of his better offensive seasons as he has 31 goals and 28 assists in 70 games. However, Pierre LeBrun reports in his latest piece for The Athletic (subscription link) that Hertl is expected to be ready for the start of the playoffs so while Hertl won’t be back in the immediate future, he won’t be out for much longer either.
Elsewhere around the hockey world:
- Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson suffered an upper-body injury in the first period tonight against Carolina, the team announced (Twitter link). While he finished the period, he did not return after that. The 27-year-old has done quite well in his first season with Washington, posting a 31-5-6 record with a 2.43 GAA and a .912 SV% in 42 games heading into tonight’s action, earning himself a six-year, $35.1MM extension back in January. While Washington has a big cushion for top spot in the Metropolitan Division, an extended absence certainly wouldn’t be ideal heading into the playoffs.
- Blue Jackets prospect William Whitelaw is looking for a new place to play next season as he has entered the NCAA transfer portal, relays Mark Divver of the New England Hockey Journal (Twitter link). The 20-year-old was an early third-round pick back in 2023, going 66th overall but has bounced around since then. He played at Wisconsin in his freshman year but after managing 10 goals and seven assists in 37 games, he entered the portal and wound up choosing to play at Michigan this year. The change of scenery didn’t yield much of an increase in production, just one extra goal in two fewer games so it appears he’s hoping the third time is the charm in terms of finding the right school to play at.
- University of Maine goaltender Albin Boija was one of the top goaltenders from this year’s college free agent class. However, he won’t be turning pro after all as Divver reports in a separate tweet that the 21-year-old has elected to return for his junior year. Boija took over as the starter for the Black Bears this season, posting a 1.82 GAA and a .926 SV% in 37 games, ranking him in the top ten in Division I in both categories.
Big Hype Prospects: Gadowsky, Boija, Hutson, Borgesi
College hockey has drawn into the center focus of the hockey world. The NCAA Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Tournament kicked off on Thursday, and plenty of players are calculating their next moves by entering the transfer portal or signing pro deals. That attention has lifted up the top athletes across the college world, giving us another reason to borrow from MLB Trade Rumors’ Big Hype Prospects series to share four names to watch with the season coming to an end.
Four Big Hype Prospects
Mac Gadowsky, LD, Army / U.S. Military Academy (NCAA, Atlantic Hockey America, NHL Free Agent)
38 GP – 16 G – 26 A – 42 TP – 6 PIM – +5
The final 10 Hobey Baker Finalists were revealed on March 19th. The list contains star NHL prospects like Zeev Buium and Ryan Leonard – but no name stands off the list quite like Army star Mac Gadowsky. Gadowsky was unstoppable this year, showing brazen confidence on the puck and the energy to make an all-three-zones impact on every single shift. He drove hard on and off of the puck and used his stocky six-foot-three, 185-pound frame to force opponents into tireless, gritty hockey. Gadowsky led all collegiate defensemen in goals scored, largely on the back of his ability to generate dangerous shots from the perimeter after leading the fast break. The sophomore defender found his way to 42 points this season – second among all defenders behind freshman star Cole Hutson – a significant stride forward from his 23 points in 28 games last year. Gadowsky’s motor and grit have been clear for a while, but his scoring was shielded through two years in the NAHL before he moved to Army. He’s broken out in full this year, and looks like a strong bet to earn college’s MVP title after emerging as Army’s top option.
Albin Boija, G, University of Maine (NCAA, Hockey East, NHL Free Agent)
36 GP – 23-7-6 record – .930 Sv% – 1.76 GAA
While Gadowsky sits at the center of Hobey Baker attention, star Maine goaltender Albin Boija will be close to the top of the list of snubs. He was a consistent impact for the Black Bears, working his way to the fifth-highest save percentage in the country while playing in the sixth-most games. The sophomore Boija grabbed firm control of Maine’s starter’s crease early in the season and never faltered enough to earn question. It was a performance that many expected from the 21-year-old netminder, after he posted a dazzling .916 in 18 games as Maine’s backup last season. Boija played behind Seattle Kraken draft pick Victor Ostman last season – and far outperformed the latter’s .892 save percentage. Boija’s breakout year was built on flashes of great athleticism and locked-in movements throughout the entire season. His movements and puck-tracking looked to be at a pro level through his high points this season, but he’s rumored to be headed for a return to college next year, per NHL.com’s Mark Divver. That news will be thrilling news for Maine, who gets back one of the hottest goaltenders across college, and gives Boija a chance to chase the MVP title with another dazzling year.
Quinn Hutson, F, Boston University (NCAA, Hockey East, NHL Free Agent)
34 GP – 21 G – 26 A – 47 TP – 29 PIM – +20
The Boston University Terriers ended the regular season with the most goals in their conference. At the core of their offense has been the Hutson brothers – Washington Capitals star prospect Cole, and emerging junior Quinn Hutson. Quinn has been a top scorer throughout his junior hockey career, netting a whopping 115 points in 104 games in the USHL before moving to BU in 2022-23. He’s grown in every season since, with 29 points as a freshman and 36 points as a sophomore. Both of those totals came narrowly below a point-per-game pace – a mark that Hutson blew out of the water with 21 goals and 47 points in 34 games this season. He’s shown an increased ability to create in the dangerous areas of the ice, getting pucks on net quickly in the slot and using short passes to open space with teammates. He’s not abundantly fast or strong, but plays a well-rounded game with a sharp eye for the net. Those traits, backed by a hard-nosed drive on the forecheck, will be enough to make Hutson a top pro free agent when the Terriers’ season ends.
Vinny Borgesi, RD, Northeastern University (NCAA, Hockey East, NHL Free Agent)
32 GP – 5 G – 17 A – 22 TP – 16 PIM – +1
Five-foot-eight defenseman Vincent Borgesi has been easily overlooked across his juniors career. His scoring hasn’t jumped off the page dating back to his days in the USHL – and his 22 points this season fell just shy of the 28 points he totaled in 34 games last year. But Borgesi’s confidence on and off of the puck has grown exponentially over his three years at Northeastern University. He’s found new ways to use his bulky, 175-pound frame – engaging opponents in the corners and low-slot with far more effectiveness than in year’s past. Borgesi has added those traits while maintaining his quick and snappy abilities on the puck, sparking fast breakouts and seamlessly joining the rush. He was a key driver for the Huskies this season, and offers under-the-radar upside as a puck-mover capable of holding his own away from the puck. Borgesi won’t jump off the page in the same way as his Hockey East peers, but he’ll remain a key name to watch for minor-league squads looking to bolster their ranks before the playoffs.