2023-24 UConn men's hockey position preview: Forwards

Last season, UConn men’s hockey had the 17th-best scoring offense in the nation with 3.2 goals per game and set a program-high for goals scored in the Hockey East era.

Yet Mike Cavanaugh knew his team’s attack had a major flaw.

“Our offense wasn't bad but it could get shut down at times,” he said after the season. “We've always got to be able to manufacture goals at different times. The playoff game was a perfect example of it. We had enough chances, you gotta find a way to manufacture a goal in there somehow.”

As the new campaign dawns, the Huskies will look to rectify that issue while returning most of their forwards. Gone are Ryan Tverberg (15 goals, 15 assists) and Justin Pearson (13 goals, 14 assists) — the team’s top two goal scorers — along with Ty Amonte (six goals, five assists) but joining are RPI transfer Ryan Mahshie (25 goals, seven assists) as well as a pair of NHL Draft picks in freshmen Jake Richard and Joey Muldowney.

Most importantly, UConn brings back a high-upside group of returners, headlined by Matthew Wood. As the youngest player in college hockey last season, Wood led the Huskies with 34 points on 11 goals and 23 assists then went on to become the highest draft pick in program history, going 15th overall to the Nashville Predators in the 2023 NHL Draft.

The youngster showed off a lethal shot as well as impressive playmaking ability as a freshman, but he did so with plenty of help around him.

“Matty was protected playing with Justin Pearson and Hudson Schandor,” Cavanaugh explained. “He had two very experienced players playing with him that could cover up some of his mistakes. As the season went on, he certainly felt more comfortable and played great, but he wasn't there wasn't a lot of pressure on him playing with those types of guys.”

Now, Wood will be tasked with leading the line. He’ll likely see more action at center after mostly playing on the wing last year and could even be worked into the penalty kill unit after only seeing special teams time on the power play previously.

While Wood will be the centerpiece, he won’t be the only weapon in UConn’s attack.

Hudson Schandor finished two points behind Wood last year with 11 goals and 21 assists. He’s not flashy but he’s steady and does the little things all over the ice that’ll win games — exhibited by a +10 +/-, the best mark among forwards.

Meanwhile, UConn had a pair of breakouts last season: Chase Bradley racked up 10 goals and 10 assists after totaling just nine points as a freshman while Nick Capone had more goals (nine) as a junior than he did in his first two years combined (five).

Jake Veilleux is also a seasoned veteran up top. Through two seasons, he’s appeared in 48 games and though he’s only collected eight career points, he’s proven himself as a reliable fourth-liner.

Then there’s the sophomores. The eight-man group will be counted on to take a collective step forward after a strong showing in their first year.

Aside from Wood, Samu Salminen is the most interesting name among the bunch. He didn’t arrive in the United States until late October due to a visa delay yet still put up nine goals and eight assists in 27 games. Now that he’ll actually get to participate in the preseason, expectations are high for the Finnish international.

“I've always tried to stay even-keel in the preseason, I try not to get too high or too low,” Cavanaugh began. “But to this point, I've been pretty impressed with what Samu’s done. I think this is a big year for him to take a big leap.”

Three others were fixtures in the lineup: Jake Percival, Tristan Fraser, and Tabor Heaslip. Percival thrived in front of the net with six goals while Fraser and Heaslip thrived on the energy line and were eventually worked into the penalty kill unit. They’ll likely fill a similar role again this season.

“I love what Tristan Fraser and Tabor Heaslip bring into our program,” Cavanaugh said. “I'm hoping that they can be two guys that are first over the boards when it comes to penalty killing.”

Jake Black, Ryan Tattle, Huston Karpman, and Mark D’Agostino will all compete for a spot in the lineup. Black came on strong at the end of the year and even scored a goal, Karpman played in six games while D’Agostino didn’t see any action.

As for Tattle, he’s an interesting case. He had an extended absence from the team due to the death of his mother, so it’s hard to evaluate him fairly. During the 13 games he played in, Tattle showed flashes of speed and tenacity that could prove useful this season.

UConn also has four newcomers in the mix at forward. The biggest name is Mahshie, a 6-foot-3, 209-pound winger with a left-handed shot from RPI who reminds his new teammates of a player he’s helping to replace.

“He brings some size. I don't know if you've seen him walking around but he's he's a big body, he's a power forward,” Schandor said. “He kind of reminds me a little bit of (Justin) Pearson last year, the way that he was able to protect and hold onto pucks down low.”

Among the freshmen, the top name is Richard (pronounced rih-shard). A sixth-round pick of the Buffalo Sabres in 2022, Richard put up 31 goals and 31 assists in 57 games with two different teams in the USHL last season. He’s expected to step into the lineup and be an impact player from day one.

The other NHL pick is Joey Muldowney, who went to the San Jose Sharks just four picks after Richard in 2022. At 5-9, 160 pounds, his small frame is a concern and he’ll need to make up for it with speed and skill.

The final freshman forward is Oliver Flynn, a Wolcott, Connecticut native. He brings plenty of size at 6-1, 210 pounds but has a lot of players ahead of him on the depth chart, which could limit his playing time early on. Still, Flynn’s impressed early in the preseason.

“Ollie kind of reminds me a little bit of Pearson too: A bigger body that can hold on to pucks and plays a good, strong two-way game,” Schandor said.

Assuming everyone is healthy and available, UConn has 10 players who should be locked into the lineup, leaving two spots up for grabs (three if the team uses the extra skater for a forward).

The locks are Wood, Schandor, Bradley, Capone, Salminen, Mahshie, Percival, Fraser, Heaslip, and Richard, meaning that Veilleux, Black, Tattle, Muldowney, Karpman, Flynn, and D’Agostino will battle for the remaining openings.

The Huskies won’t be short on talent at forward this season and regardless of who makes the cut for the opening weekend at Colgate, they should have quality depth when injuries inevitably strike.