Notebook: Two UConn freshman selected in 2025 NHL Draft

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UConn men’s hockey’s two incoming defensemen were both selected in the 2025 NHL Draft.

Anthony Allain-Samaké went first, going in the sixth round (168th overall) to the Anaheim Ducks. In the next round, the reigning back-to-back Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers took Brendan Dunphy with the 197th pick.

Allain-Samaké is listed at 6-2, 183 pounds with a left-handed shot out of Gatineau, Quebec. He spent last season in the USHL with the Sioux City Musketeers, where he put up 14 assists in 61 games. Despite the low point totals, EliteProspects wrote that Allain-Samaké is “always involved offensively with his non-stop, proactive activation game and vision from the point,” before adding that prospects “don’t get much more exciting than this in the mid-rounds.”

While he’s regarded as a strong skater who isn’t afraid to get physical, Allain-Samaké still needs to add muscle to his frame while refining his skillset.

As for Dunphy, he’s a 6-5, 207 pound blue liner with a left-handed shot out of San Diego. He began this past season with the BCHL’s Langley Rivermen but jumped to the WHL with the Wenatchee Wild once the NCAA ruled that major-junior players would retain their college eligibility and raised his draft stock as a result.

In 19 games with the Rivermen, Dunphy had no goals and six assists but bumped up those numbers to six goals and 18 assists in 47 games with the Wild, though he also had 62 penalty minutes. Elite Prospects describes him as a defensive defensemen, writing: “Dunphy is a battler. He shoves opponents to the ice, pins them to the walls and tosses them away from his net… Offense will likely never be a big part of his game.”

With these two selections, the Anaheim Ducks and Florida Panthers have now each taken three UConn players and commits each, more than all but one other NHL franchise — the Nashville Predators (four). The Panthers previously selected Carter Berger (fourth round, 2019) and Tyler Muszelik (sixth round, 2022) while the Ducks had never drafted a single Husky prior to this offseason.

That changed when UConn landed defenseman Darels Uljanskis (seventh round, 2024) then followed it up with the pickup of forward Alexandre Blais (fourth round, 2024) earlier this summer. Anaheim then added to it with Dunphy — the 30th Husky taken in the NHL Draft all-time.

UConn is now set to have six NHL picks on its 2025-26 roster with Allain-Samaké, Dunphy, Blais, Muszelik, Joey Muldowney (San Jose Sharks) and Jake Richard (Buffalo Sabres).

Elsewhere, Jack Murtagh — brother of UConn forward Mike Murtagh and BU commit — went in the second round to the Philadelphia Flyers.

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Schandor signs overseas

Hudson Schandor is set to continue his career in Denmark after signing with the Frederikshavn White Hawks in the Superisligaen. Though he hoped to land an AHL contract to continue playing in North America, Schandor told the UConn Hockey Hub in April that he’d sign in Europe if that didn’t materialize.

That’s now come to pass as Schandor heads overseas. He’ll team up with fellow Husky Ben Freeman, who also signed with the club after spending the last five seasons in the ECHL.

NHL development camps

As NHL development camps get underway, UConn is well-represented around the league.

Anaheim has three Huskies with Blais, Dunphy and Uljanskis while four other teams have one current member of the Ice Bus. Joey Muldowney (San Jose Sharks) and Jake Richard (Buffalo Sabres) are with the organizations that drafted them back in 2023 while Ethan Whitcomb will make the short drive up to Boston to join the Bruins and Viking Gustafsson Nyberg will work with the Detroit Red Wings. Former UConn goalie is in camp with the New York Rangers, too.

As for players who transferred out, Matthew Wood is with the Nashville Predators despite making his NHL debut this past season, Arsenii Sergeev will participate with the Calgary Flames, Sasha Teleguine received an invite from the Pittsburgh Penguins and Artem Shlaine will skate with the Dallas Stars.

Rinker, Habisch go back-to-back in PWHL draft

For the first time in the short history of the league, UConn women’s hockey had two players selected in the PWHL Draft — and they went back-to-back. Minnesota Frost — who have won the only two championships since the league began play — picked defender Ava Rinker with the sixth pick in the fourth round (30th overall) while the expansion Seattle franchise took Jada Habisch with the next pick (31st overall).

Hockey East All-Academic teams announced

The book is finally closed on the 2024-25 season after Hockey East announced its all-academic teams. UConn women’s hockey had 25 players make the cut while the men’s squad had 19 players included.

The women’s team had six players named academic all-stars — goaltender Tia Chan, defenders Emma Eryou, Sophie Robinson and Maya Serdachny, and forwards Livvy Dewar and Ellie Markakis. Chan, Alexa Pongo and Megan Warrener were named distinguished scholars after earning four all-academic selections.

On the men’s side, Kevin Fitzgerald was named a top scholar athlete after earning the highest GPA at his position while Hudson Schandor made the cut as a distinguished scholar.

Full all-academic teams:

Men’s: Nick Carabin, Kevin Fitzgerald, Tristan Fraser, Viking Gustavsson Nyberg, Tommy Heaney, Tabor Heaslip, Kai Janviriya, Thomas Messineo, Joey Muldowney, Mike Murtagh, Tyler Muszelik, Jack Pascucci, Jake Percival, Hudson Schandor, Kaden Shahan, Filip Sitar, Bauer Swift, Ryan Tattle, Callum Tung

Women’s: Ashley Allard, Brooke Campbell Tia Chan, Livvy Dewar, Meghane Duchesne-Chalifoux, Emma Eryou, Riley Grimley, Jada Habisch, Sadie Hotles, Kyla Josifovic, Jade Lore, Ellie Markakis, Martha Mobarak, Shannon Moran, Claire Murdoch, Alexa Pongo, Taylor Porthan, Ava Rinker, Sophie Robinson, Maya Serdachny, Julia Stephen, Christina Walker, Brianna Ware, Megan Warrener, Megan Woodworth