UML Recruiting: Finally in the 20s!

[boblav1]

From the CHL to NCAA recruit thread. Cinnamoroll's thoughts on the latest recruits.

Both are solid guys.

Owen Phillips- Second season as captain of the Mooseheads, who are a great organization having a few down years of late. He's shouldered a ton of responsibility as a result of the young roster, but by all accounts he's done an admirable job. He shows high end flashes on occasion but most of the offensive D-man air is taken up by 27 draft eligible Malik L'Italien. Could unlock that next level of impact in college if he's given the opportunity

Parker Vaughan- Great shot, many people think the skill is greater than the production. Finishing is the concern. Uses his physicality well. Apparently he and BU's Tynan Lawrence are cousins. Look for him to have a big jump in opportunity. If you are looking for reasons besides watching Vaughan to check out North Bay games, he is teammates with Alexander Karmanov (Penn State). That's the 7'1 Moldovan defenseman.

 

[Middle Street]

“Finishing is the concern”

 

[UMLFan]

“Finishing is the concern”

Honestly, I'm more trying to get over the PSU commit that's 7'1, 280!

 

[boblav1]

I believe classes begin next week so if Norm plans to bring in another player we should hear something soon.

@Householdhockey
UMass-Lowell commit Harrison Franssen confirmed back in Oshawa for his OA season

 

[UMLFan]

I believe classes begin next week so if Norm plans to bring in another player we should hear something soon.

@Householdhockey
UMass-Lowell commit Harrison Franssen confirmed back in Oshawa for his OA season

Seeing that tweet, I wonder if Franssen that was the one he was trying to bring in now? It would have provided him one more year of eligibility as he'll be 21 before the start of next season.

 

[boblav1]

Charlie Kresl is on the training camp roster for the Calgary Hitmen (WHL). The Hitmen have 79 players scheduled to attend the camp.

@RyanNPike
Three imports in Hitmen camp: Jakob Leander, Artem Katsuro and Andrei Molgachev.
Only one 2006-born player: Charlie Kresl, a UMass Lowell commit (whose arrival in college has seemingly been pushed back...)

 

[Will]

The roster got posted to the site. https://goriverhawks.com/sports/mens-ice-hockey/roster/2026-27

Mike McMahon noted that the NCAA may be removing the ability to make mid-season roster additions.

"The NCAA Division I Cabinet could vote in October on a proposal that would prohibit midyear additions in sports that span both semesters.

If approved, the proposal would make midseason additions in college hockey — which are relatively common — a violation of NCAA rules.

There seem to be a few of these additions every season. Boston University has taken advantage of the practice more than most in recent years. Last season, the Terriers added Tynan Lawrence between semesters, and two years ago they brought in Mikhail Yegorov.

If the proposal passes in October, midseason additions like those would be prohibited under NCAA rules, with the change taking effect immediately."

 

[boblav1]

The roster got posted to the site. https://goriverhawks.com/sports/mens-ice-hockey/roster/2026-27

Mike McMahon noted that the NCAA may be removing the ability to make mid-season roster additions.

"The NCAA Division I Cabinet could vote in October on a proposal that would prohibit midyear additions in sports that span both semesters.

If approved, the proposal would make midseason additions in college hockey — which are relatively common — a violation of NCAA rules.

There seem to be a few of these additions every season. Boston University has taken advantage of the practice more than most in recent years. Last season, the Terriers added Tynan Lawrence between semesters, and two years ago they brought in Mikhail Yegorov.

If the proposal passes in October, midseason additions like those would be prohibited under NCAA rules, with the change taking effect immediately."

Norm brought in defenseman Ryan Kroll last season for the second half after losing two defensemen for the season to injury.

I'm not sure this will matter once teams are locked into the roster limit of 26. I would imagine all teams will start the season with a roster of 26. Unless I'm missing something, they wouldn't be able to add a player regardless of injuries.

 

[boblav1]

A new recruit for this season. Thomas Stewart, a 23-year-old defenseman, who has played in 113 minor league games has joined the UML hockey program.

From the Lowell Sun.

A player with 113 games of minor league experience has joined the UMass Lowell hockey program.

Thomas Stewart, a 6-2, 191-pound senior defenseman, completes the 2026-27 roster. The River Hawks held their first on-ice practice for the upcoming season on Tuesday at the Tsongas Center.

“He’s someone I think we help stabilize a young ‘D’ corps from last year. It’s always nice to have some experience,” UML head coach Norm Bazin said. “He’s a two-way guy. He’s an all-around defenseman.”

Recent shifts in NCAA eligibility rules allow players with minor-league professional experience in the ECHL and AHL to play college hockey.

A right-shot player from Toronto, Ont., Stewart has played the last two seasons in the ECHL, a league one tier down from the American Hockey League.

He skated in 68 games last season for the Iowa Heartlanders. He scored nine goals and posted 20 points to become Iowa’s third-leading scoring defenseman. One of his goals came short-handed. Stewart was assessed 34 penalty minutes.

In the previous season, he saw action in 45 games for the Bloomington Bison, netting a 5-5-10 line.

Stewart is also a veteran of 188 games in the Ontario Hockey League. He was an assistant captain of both teams he suited up for, Oshawa and Barrie, a sign of his leadership skills.

Several college hockey teams utilized players with minor-league experience last season, including Merrimack, Bemidji, Arizona State, Quinnipiac and Niagara.

Merrimack received a huge boost last season from forward Justin Gill, who helped lead the Warriors into the NCAA Tournament. Gill, who was a force against UMass Lowell last winter, finished the season with 16 goals and 35 points in 36 games. He had previously played in the AHL and ECHL.

Three former UML players skated for Iowa last season, TJ Schweighardt, Jack Robilotti and Jack Collins, giving the UML coaching staff an inside look at Stewart.

“We touched base with them and got the feedback,” Bazin said. “He’s someone who’s going to be able to go against the other team’s top two lines.”

Stewart will wear No. 12 for the River Hawks.

Stewart will compete for playing time with fellow defensemen Daniel Buchbinder, Tnias Mathurin, Nate Misskey, Sean Kilcullen, Josh Mori, Ryan Kroll, Dominic Payne, Anthony Dowd and Felix Plamondon.

Buchbinder and Mathurin had their 2025-26 seasons ended early by injury, and Dowd, an Arizona State transfer, is also coming off surgery.

Bazin said UML’s defense is “deep” entering the season.

“It’s a long season and injuries last year were a good example” of how depth can be crucial, Bazin said.

Bazin put the River Hawks through various drills Tuesday, as the team hit the ice for the first time. There was a sense of excitement as the River Hawks begin to form an identity.

“It’s exciting not only for the players, but for the coaches as well,” Bazin said.

The River Hawks will host Concordia in exhibition play on Oct. 2. The season opens for real on Oct. 9 when Clarkson University visits Lowell. Puck drop is 7:15 p.m.

 

[UMLFan]

I guess we're jumping into that pool now as well. Still not sure how I feel about this.

 

[boblav1]

I guess we're jumping into that pool now as well. Still not sure how I feel about this.

I feel the same way. I assume based on his age he'll have one season of eligibility. Is that correct?

 

[Will]

I feel the same way. I assume based on his age he'll have one season of eligibility. Is that correct?

Believe so. He is almost exactly the same age as Justin Gill (21 days apart), and Gill only got two years of eligibility starting with 25-26 due to playing organized hockey after turning 21.

 

[cinnamoroll]

I guess we're jumping into that pool now as well. Still not sure how I feel about this.

I feel the same way. I assume based on his age he'll have one season of eligibility. Is that correct?

i understand the hesitation based on your own thoughts of if it should be allowed, but one of the things ive heard from other fans is this: if there is a pathway to improving the team, coaches owe it to the team and fanbase to use all the avenues available, whether or not you personally think it is allowed. id raise an eyebrow at the schools who can recruit all of the high end guys, but for other teams im not going to sweat it. the first team to manage it was Bemidji State and the CCHA parity was immense last year as a result of some smart use of the rule changes.

and there's something to be said about having the experience in the room. like Norm implied, the D core could've benefitted from more veterans last year. adding him and Dowd should help the underclassmen. the former UML guys who played w him in Iowa giving him the green light is a good sign too.

 

[UMLFan]

i understand the hesitation based on your own thoughts of if it should be allowed, but one of the things ive heard from other fans is this: if there is a pathway to improving the team, coaches owe it to the team and fanbase to use all the avenues available, whether or not you personally think it is allowed. id raise an eyebrow at the schools who can recruit all of the high end guys, but for other teams im not going to sweat it. the first team to manage it was Bemidji State and the CCHA parity was immense last year as a result of some smart use of the rule changes.

and there's something to be said about having the experience in the room. like Norm implied, the D core could've benefitted from more veterans last year. adding him and Dowd should help the underclassmen. the former UML guys who played w him in Iowa giving him the green light is a good sign too.

I don't disagree with you. If it's an option to make your team better, you should. I just don't think this should be an option for anyone, but we are where we are, so take advantage of it.