Following the Massachusetts hockey team’s loss to Western Michigan in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament, UMass is losing 10 players heading into the 2025-26 season. Four Minutemen sophomores and juniors decided to sign professional contracts and take their hockey careers to the next level, while four are graduating. Two freshmen also entered the transfer portal to continue their college hockey careers elsewhere.
Alongside seniors Lucas Mercuri and Ryan Lautenbach who signed with the Tampa Bay Lightning and American Hockey League’s San Diego Gulls, respectively, the Minutemen lost four other players to pro hockey. Juniors Cole O’Hara and Kenny Connors, and sophomores Aydar Suniev and Dans Locmelis all would have returned for the 2025-26 season as veteran forwards.
In Mercuri and Lautenbach, UMass loses more than just their on-ice production. As two players who stayed in Amherst all four years, Mercuri and Lautenbach exemplified the “NewMass” culture that head coach Greg Carvel cultivated in his nine seasons with UMass. The two alternate captains provided vocal leadership and played a huge role in the Minutemen’s success since 2021, which was only amplified in their last two seasons as upperclassmen.
On April 1, Locmelis signed an entry-level contract with the Boston Bruins. He was the 119th overall pick in the 2022 Entry Draft, selected in the fourth round. In his first professional game, the 21-year-old logged two assists, including one on his first shift.
O’Hara, a 2024-25 Hobey Baker candidate who led UMass with 51 points on 22 goals and 29 assists, signed with the Nashville Predators on April 3. He was the 114th overall pick in the 2022 Entry Draft, drafted by the Predators in the fourth round. If O’Hara stayed for his last year at UMass, he would have likely been given a leadership position and been a dominant force in the NCAA.
That same day, Suniev signed his three-year entry-level contract with the Calgary Flames, and Kenny Connors signed a two-year entry-level contract with the Los Angeles Kings. Connors will play with the AHL’s Ontario Reign when back to full health, according to Kings blog Mayor’s Manor. He was a fourth-round pick in the 2022 Entry Draft and was selected 103rd overall.
O’Hara’s offensive production and defensive strides will be difficult to replace next year. While Connors didn’t have the same jump as O’Hara into his junior year, he was a consistent player that provided stability in the forward group. He meshed well with everyone through the lineup and sparked other players’ games. In his three seasons, Connors missed just three games.
Locmelis and Suniev found chemistry on the ice together as two Europeans with complimentary styles of play. Where Suniev is a gifted goal scorer with an elite shot, Locmelis’ natural playmaker abilities made them a formidable duo. They made up two-thirds of the “Euro” line with freshman Daniel Jenčko, who will look for new linemates next season.
Suniev is the only signee to make the full jump to the National Hockey League. He hit the ice for his first professional practice on April 4. The 20-year-old was selected in the third round by the Flames and was the 80th overall pick in the 2023 Entry Draft.
On top of signings, the Minutemen are losing four players to graduation and the transfer portal. Freshman defenseman Finn Loftus put his name into the portal on April 1 after not seeing consistent minutes with UMass. In 32 games played, the Minnesota native totaled one point on an assist. After spending a few days in the portal, Loftus announced that he committed to St. Cloud State for next season.
The next player to enter the transfer portal was freshman forward Cam Dunn on April 2. With a strong forward group, Dunn played seven games during his first season, not recording a point during that time. He is currently still looking for a new home for his sophomore year.
Linden Alger and Joey Musa will also be leaving Amherst due to graduation. Alger was a captain in his final season with the Minutemen, playing all five seasons of his eligibility with UMass. Alger didn’t miss a game during the 2024-25 season, grabbing three goals and six assists during that time. He signed a contract with the ECHL’s Tahoe Knight Monsters on April 9.
Musa came to Amherst as a graduate transfer from Dartmouth College, playing his final year with his younger brother Jack Musa. To start the season, the graduate student wasn’t cracking the lineup but in the second half, was on the third line with Connors and Lautenbach.
As the coaching staff embarks on its recruiting journey in the off-season, Carvel made it known that while the 2024-25 season was about maturing young defensemen, the forward group will be the new, young skaters in the 2025-26 season.
Kayla Gregoire can be reached at [email protected] and followed on X @Kaygregoire. Matt Skillings can be reached at [email protected] and followed on X @matt_skillings. Sydney Ciano can be reached at [email protected] and followed on X @SydneyCiano.
