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The Forecheck: Breaking down UConn's future defensive corps
The Huskies committed another future blue liner over the weekend.
Welcome to the revamped UConn Hockey Hub newsletter, which catches you up on all the stories, trends, and anything else you might have missed, along with some quick takes and leftover notes from the weekend.
Breaking down UConn’s future defensive corps following Brady Smith’s commitment
Over the weekend, UConn picked up a commitment from Brady Smith, an '05 defenseman out of Canada. He's the sixth defenseman committed to the Huskies, joining '02s Thomas Messineo and Jack Pascucci — who will arrive this fall — Owen Simpson ('03), Kevin Fitzgerald ('04), and Jax Wismer ('05).
While UConn has made major strides in most areas over its first eight years in Hockey East, its defensive corps has often lagged behind. The Huskies have rarely had a stud blueliner — Wyatt Newpower’s three-goal, 19 assist senior campaign in which he won Hockey East’s Best Defenseman is probably the high mark — though they built a very solid, if unspectacular, group last season. UConn didn’t have any stars on defense but it didn’t have any liabilities, either.
Some of that is because top-end defensemen are rare and often leave early for the NHL. Few teams have more than one or two top-end guys and UConn is still not a destination for that type of player. Maybe that’ll change with the new arena and recent success, but it’s not there yet.
The Huskies do have one defenseman who could become that guy on the blue line: rising junior John Spetz. As a freshman, he was the best d-man on the team but in his second year, he dealt with inconsistency. Still, seven goals and 22 assists (27 points) in 58 games is decent, especially considering the production of UConn’s other defensemen like Roman Kinal (5-15—20 in 86 games), Jake Flynn (5-20—25 in 84 games), and Harrison Rees (6-21—27 in 91 games).
Of course, not all defensemen need to contribute on offense in order to be impact players but Spetz is the only player where it’s a feature of his game, not just a bonus.
UConn is also looking to finalize an offensive defenseman out of the transfer portal, though he first needs to clear up an administrative issue at his former school. He’s a right-handed defenseman who racked up nine goals and 23 assists (32 points) in 81 career games for one of the worst teams in Hockey East over the last three years.
Looking to the future, the Huskies are on the verge of significant turnover on the blue line with Flynn, Kinal and Rees are all set to graduate. Assuming they depart and everyone else comes back, UConn will be left with four returning defensemen: Spetz, rising junior Aidan Metcalfe, and rising sophomores Messineo and Pascucci.
So what will the Huskies’ future defensive corps look like? Starting with the players that should be returning, Spetz will be the veteran leader as a 23-year old when the season begins. As long as he’s around, UConn will have at least one top-end d-man.
Metcalfe came in this past season as a depth player and only saw action in one game. While he’s a serviceable backup, he probably isn’t someone the Huskies want to have in the lineup every game. If that happens, it either means Metcalfe made a major step forward in his development, or something has gone wrong on the recruiting trail.
The incoming freshmen are still unproven. Messineo is a left-shot d-man who’s listed at 6-feet, 190 pounds. He’s an “explosive skater” with “electric feet” and “huge upside,” according to a source, but exactly how that translates to the college level remains to be seen.
Pascucci is a right-shot player who’s listed at 6-foot-2, 194 pounds. With one goal and eight assists in 55 games with the Des Moines Buccaneers, he projects to be a defensive defenseman.
"Jack's a very physical defenseman," Mike Cavanaugh said after Pascucci signed in December.
Looking forward, Simpson should come in next fall (2023). At 6-foot-4, 180 pounds with a left-handed shot, he has plenty of size and is also regarded as a smooth skater with a good first pass. He was initially expected to arrive as part of the class of 2022 but now looks like he’ll be bumped back a year. Simpson had four points and 13 assists in 57 games with two teams in the BCHL this season.
Fitzgerald will likely join Simpson in the class of 2023. He’s on the shorter side at 5-foot-11 and also features a left-handed shot, but he’s a two-way defenseman who skates well with a high hockey IQ.
Arguably the top prospect among UConn’s committed defensemen is Wismer. A source described him as a puck-moving defenseman known for his skating ability, passing, and puck-handling skills. SI Prospects touted him as a player “loaded with potential” and said the biggest aspect of his game that needs improvement is positional awareness.
Of course, the Huskies will almost certainly add more defensemen out of the transfer portal and the junior ranks over the next few years. It’s even possible those who are currently committed end up going elsewhere or choosing the major juniors route.
But as the program shifts into a new era, finding more impactful defensemen will be a key if UConn wants to take the next step — such as winning Hockey East championships and making the NCAA Tournament.