DANBURY, CONN. – A total of 30 ECAC Hockey alumni, representing ten member schools, have cracked NHL Opening Night rosters as the league begins its 2026-27 season Tuesday, September 29. 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 with ten players on the announced rosters. Quinnipiac has five alums on opening-night rosters, while Cornell boasts four. Brown, Dartmouth, Union, and Yale have a pair with ECAC ties on their respective rosters. Princeton, Clarkson, and Colgate each have an ECAC standout rostered for opening night.
The NHL headliners of the group that will begin their seasons this week include Harvard's Alex Laferriere (Los Angeles), Union's Shayne Gostisbehere (Carolina), Quinnipiac's Collin Graf (San Jose), and Cornell's Hoyt Stanley (Ottawa). Brown alum Garnet Hathaway (Philadelphia), former Clarkson forward Nico Sturm (Minnesota), and Dartmouth's Drew O'Connor (Vancouver) 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 Dan Muse enters his second season as the Head Coach for the Pittsburgh Penguins while Bill Zito leads the Florida Panthers as the President of Hockey Operations and General Manager.
Former Princeton standout Jeff Halpern (Tampa Bay Asst. Coach), Colgate alum Steve Spott (Boston Asst. Coach), Union alum Jay Vardy (Philadelphia Asst. Coach), and Yale's Jeff Malcolm (Rangers Goaltending Coach) are among the group of NHL coaches with league connections.
Additionally, Harvard alum Don Sweeney (Boston GM), Princeton alum Chris Patrick (Washington GM), Clarkson alum Craig Conroy (Calgary GM), and Dave Taylor (St. Louis Consultant to Hockey Operations), Cornell women's hockey alum Jessica Campbell (NJ, Player Development Coach), St. Lawrence alum Rich Peverley (Dallas Director of Player Personnel and Assistant General Manager), and Dartmouth's Tanner Glass (NYR, Director of Player Development) are among the bustling ECAC presence in NHL front office staffs.
Full list of ECAC alumni with active NHL roles in the 2026-27 season:
BROWN
Sam Lafferty, F, Florida Panthers
Luke Krys, D, Dallas Stars
CLARKSON
Nico Sturm, F, Minnesota Wild
Craig Conroy, General Manager, Calgary Flames
Dave Taylor, Consultant to Hockey Operations, St. Louis Blues
COLGATE
Bobby McMann, F, Seattle Kraken
Andrew Dickson, Scout, Boston Bruins
Greg Drechsel, Scout, Nashville Predators
Steve Spott, Assistant Coach, Boston Bruins
CORNELL
Jeff Malott, F, Anaheim Ducks
Sam Malinski, D, Colorado Avalanche
Hoyt Stanley, D, Ottawa Senators
Morgan Barron, F, Winnipeg Jets
Jessica Campbell, Player Development Coach, New Jersey Devils
DARTMOUTH
Drew O'Connor, F, Vancouver Canucks
Clay Stevenson. G, Winnipeg Jets
Tanner Glass, Director of Player Development, New York Rangers
Jamie Herrington, Director of NCAA Scouting, New York Rangers
Matt Lindblad, Scout, Boston Bruins
HARVARD
Alex Killorn, F, Anaheim Ducks
Ian Moore, D, Anaheim Ducks
Jack Rathbone, D, Buffalo Sabres
Matthew Coronato, F, Calgary Flames
Ryan Donato, F, Chicago Blackhawks
Alex Laferriere, F, Los Angeles Kings
Jack Drury, F, Nashville Predators
Alexander Kerfoot, F, Nashville Predators
Adam Fox, D, New York Rangers
John Marino, D, Utah Mammoth
Don Sweeney, General Manager, Boston Bruins
PRINCETON
Eric Robinson, F, Carolina Hurricanes
Chris Patrick, General Manager, Washington Capitals
Jeff Halpern, Assistant Coach, Tampa Bay Lightning
QUINNIPIAC
Connor Clifton, D, Boston Bruins
Zach Metsa, D, Buffalo Sabres
Charles Alexis Legault, D, Colorado Avalanche
Devon Toews, D, Colorado Avalanche
Collin Graf, F, San Jose Sharks
ST. LAWRENCE
Rich Peverley, Director of Player Personnel and Assistant General Manager, Dallas Stars
UNION
Nick DeSimone, D, Utah Mammoth
Shayne Gostisbehere, D, Carolina Hurricanes
Jay Varady, Assistant Coach, Philadelphia Flyers
YALE
Alex Lyon, G, Buffalo Sabres
Jack St. Ivany, D, Winnipeg Jets
Sean Backman, Scout, Florida Panthers
Jeff Malcolm, Goaltending Coach, New York Rangers
Dan Muse, Head Coach, Pittsburgh Penguins
Bill Zito, President of Hockey Operations and General Manager, Florida Panthers