UConn men's hockey lands Princeton defenseman Nick Carabin

UConn men’s hockey made a big splash on the blue line, landing Princeton defenseman Nick Carabin out of the portal, a source told the UConn Hockey Hub.

This past season, he put up five goals and 12 assists for the Tigers while blocking 30 shots. Carabin’s 17 points are most among defensemen currently in the portal while College Hockey Insider’s Mike McMahon rated him as the top blue liner available at the moment.

Carabin played with UConn forward Ryan Tattle on the BCHL’s Coquitlam Express in 2019-20 before he joined Princeton. The Ivy League canceled all sports due to the Covid pandemic during his freshman year in 2020-21 then he suited up for 21 games and collected just a single assist as a sophomore. Carabin broke out as a junior with 11 points (one goal, 10 assists) and carried that success into this past campaign.

Listed at 5-10, 195 pounds with a right-handed shot, Carabin hails from Mahwah, New Jersey. In addition to his offensive production, he averaged 24.0 takeaways per 60 and recorded 3.9 hits per 60, according to McMahon.

The addition of Carabin fills a major needs for UConn. The Huskies lost Jake Flynn, Andrew Lucas and Harrison Rees to graduation while John Spetz’s status is still undecided — which represents two-thirds of their d-corps. With rising juniors Tom Messineo and Jack Pascucci as well as rising sophomore Owen Simpson expected back, Carabin will provide a veteran presence alongside incoming freshmen Kevin Fitzgerald, Kai Janviriya and Trey Scott.

Currently, only graduates are allowed to enter the transfer portal. It opens for all underclassmen on Monday, Mar. 25.