NCAA Hockey: Five programs setting their students up for NHL success
By Rohan Yaradi
4. Boston University Terriers
NHL Representatives: 18
Recent Accomplishments: 2015 Finalists
Standout Alum: Jack Eichel
Next up on the countdown are the five-time NCAA champions and 22-time Frozen Four participants, the Boston Terriers. BU is one of the most storied NCAA Hockey programs, having won three national championships in the 1970’s before recently finding success again, winning the championship in 2009 under legendary coach Jack Parker.
It should be telling, however, that much of this school’s success is now nearly forty years in the past. Outside of a run to the finals in 2015, they have mostly struggled to reach their former glory.
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That being said, the program has still been able to turn out some of the most promising young players in the NHL today, including Eichel and Charlie McAvoy. The fourth overall pick in the 2018 draft, Brady Tkachuk, will join those ranks this season with the Ottawa Senators.
The program is in a bit of turmoil right now, with head coach Dave Quinn being hired by the Rangers in the offseason. However, the team will have 12 NHL draftees on the squad for the upcoming season, including Jordan Greenway, who was on the 2018 US Olympic team:
Other BU alumni currently experiencing successful NHL careers include Kevin Shattenkirk, Charlie Coyle and Nick Bonino.
It will be interesting to see what the Terriers can do under new coaching, but as long as they can continue to produce elite talent at the NHL level, they will remain as one of the top programs on this list.