Northeastern Huskies - Men's Hockey

Men's Hockey

The men's ice hockey program has existed since 1929 and played as an independent NCAA Division I team until joining the ECAC in 1961. Northeastern is a founding member of the Hockey East athletic conference, which the team joined in 1984. The Huskies' men's hockey team has generally met with mediocre success. The Huskies had their most success in the 1980s, when the team won the prestigious Beanpot tournament four times (the only times Northeastern has captured the Beanpot) and was the runner-up twice. Its best season came in 1982, when the Huskies finished 25-9-2 and made it to the NCAA Frozen Four. They also won the Hockey East championship in 1988, and made appearances in the NCAA hockey tournament in 1988, 1994, and 2009.

The program's most notable coach was ex-Boston Bruin and Hockey Hall of Famer Fern Flaman, who was the head coach between 1970 and 1989. The team's current coach is former New York Islanders' farm system coach Greg Cronin, who has coached the Huskies since 2005. Through the end of the 2011 regular season, Cronin has had a coaching record of 85-99-28. His best season so far on St. Botolph Street was the 2008-09 season, when the Huskies had their best record in a generation, finishing 25-12-4 and making the NCAA tournament, as well as being ranked at one point during the season 4th in the nation, Northeastern's highest national ranking ever in any men's team sport.

Northeastern players who have gone on to significant professional hockey careers have included David Poile '71, long time general manager of the NHL Washington Capitals and current general manager of the NHL Nashville Predators, St. Louis Blues goaltender and two-time All-American Bruce Racine '88, NHL defenseman Dan McGillis, Montreal Canadiens winger Chris Nilan, and Chicago Blackhawks defenseman and Hobey Baker Award finalist Jim Fahey '02. Michael Ryan '02 is currently a forward for Assat in the Finnish League. Joe Vitale '09 is currently a forward for the Pittsburgh Penguins and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins goalie and Hobey Baker Award finalist Brad Thiessen '09. Jamie Oleksiak '11 was drafted in the 1st round 14th overall by the Dallas Stars (the highest any Husky has ever been drafted), and currently plays for the Stars.