CLIFTON PARK, N.Y. – A total of 30 ECAC Hockey alumni, representing 10 member schools, have cracked NHL Opening Night rosters as the league begins its 2024-25 season on Tuesday. Additionally, 18 ECAC alums are members of the team’s front office or hockey operations staff.
Harvard leads the list of former ECAC Hockey standouts who will begin the journey to Stanley Cup glory with 11 players on the announced rosters. Cornell, Quinnipiac, and Yale have three, while Brown, Colgate and Union each have a pair with ECAC ties on their respective rosters.
The NHL headliners of the group that will begin their seasons this week include Harvard’s Alex Killorn (Anaheim), Union’s Shayne Gostisbehere (Carolina), Quinnipiac’s Devon Toews (Colorado), and Cornell’s Morgan Barron (Winnipeg).
Brown alum Garnet Hathaway (Philadelphia), former Clarkson standout Nico Sturm (San Jose) and Dartmouth great Drew O’Connor (Pittsburgh) are also among the contingent of players on opening night rosters.
Off the ice, ECAC alums continue to impact the league at a high level. Yale alumnus Bill Zito leads the Panthers' Stanley Cup defense as Florida's General Manager and Cornell women's hockey alum Jessica Campbell is set to become the first female assistant coach in an NHL regular season game.
Former Princeton standout Jeff Halpern (Tampa Bay Asst. Coach), Colgate alum Steve Spott (Dallas Asst. Coach) are amongst the group of NHL coaches with league connections. Additionally, Harvard alum Don Sweeney (Boston GM), Clarkson alum Craig Conroy (Calgary GM), St. Lawrence alum Rich Peverley (Dallas Dir. Player Personnell), and Princeton’s Chris Patrick (Washington GM) are amongst the bustling ECAC presence in NHL front office staffs.
Full list of ECAC alumni with active NHL roles in the 2024-25 season:
BROWN
Garnet Hathaway, RW, Philadelphia Flyers
Sam Lafferty, C/LW, Buffalo Sabres
Peter Ihnacak, Scout, Toronto Maple Leafs
CLARKSON
Nico Sturm, C, San Jose Sharks
Craig Conroy, General Manager, Calgary Flames
Dave Taylor, Senior Advisor Hockey Operations, St. Louis Blues
COLGATE
Bobby McMann, F, Toronto Maple Leafs
Chris Wagner, F, Colorado Avalanche
Andrew Dickson, Scout, Boston Bruins
Greg Drechsel, Scout, Nashville Predators
Steve Spott, Assistant Coach, Dallas Stars
CORNELL
Morgan Barron, C, Winnipeg Jets
Sam Malinski, D, Colorado Avalanche
Riley Nash, F, New York Rangers
Joakim Ryan, D, Carolina Hurricanes
Jessica Campbell, Assistant Coach, Seattle Kraken
DARTMOUTH
Drew O’Connor, F, Pittsburgh Penguins
Tanner Glass, Assistant Director of Player Development, New York Rangers
Jamie Herrington, Director of NCAA Scouting, New York Rangers
Matt Linblad, Scout, Boston Bruins
HARVARD
Colin Blackwell, C, Dallas Stars
Matthew Coronato, RW, Calgary Flames
Ryan Donato, C, Chicago Blackhawks
Jack Drury, C, Carolina Hurricanes
Adam Fox, D, New York Rangers
Alexander Kerfoot, C, Utah Hockey Club
Alex Killorn, C/LW, Anaheim Ducks
Alex Laferriere, RW, Los Angeles Kings
John Marino, D, Utah Hockey Club
Henry Thrun, D, San Jose Sharks
Jimmy Vesey, LW, New York Rangers
Peter Chiarelli, Vice-President Hockey Operations, St. Louis Blues
Angela Ruggiero, Operations Advisor, New York Rangers
Don Sweeney, General Manager, Boston Bruins
PRINCETON
Chris Patrick, General Manager, Washington Capitals
Jeff Halpern, Assistant Coach, Tampa Bay Lightning
QUINNIPIAC
Connor Clifton, D, Buffalo Sabres
Sam Lipkin, F, Utah Hockey Club
Devon Toews, D, Colorado Avalanche
ST. LAWRENCE
Dan Laperriere, Scout, Colorado
Rich Peverley, Director of Player Personnel, Dallas
UNION
Shayne Gostisbehere, D, Carolina Hurricanes
Troy Grosenick, G, Minnesota Wild
YALE
Alex Lyon, G, Detroit Red Wings
Joe Snively, F, Washington Capitals
Jack St. Ivany, D, Pittsburgh Penguins
Sean Backman, Scout, Florida Panthers
Bill Zito, General Manager, Florida Panthers