2020–21 Union Dutchmen ice hockey season

The 2020–21 Union Dutchmen ice hockey season would have been the 80th season of play for the program and the 30th season in the ECAC Hockey conference.

2020–21 Union Dutchmen ice hockey season
Conference	ECAC Hockey
Home ice	Achilles Center
Rankings
USCHO	NR
USA Today	NR
Record
Coaches and captains
Head coach	Rick Bennett
Assistant coaches	John Ronan
Union Dutchmen ice hockey seasons « 2019–20 2021–22 »

Season

As a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic the entire college ice hockey season was delayed. Despite the issues, Union and most of ECAC Hockey was expecting to start playing some time in November. On October 16, Yale raised the campus alert status from green to yellow when the 18th member of the men's ice hockey team tested positive for coronavirus.^[1] Less than a month later, the Ivy League, the primary conference for 6 ECAC programs, announced that it was cancelling all winter sports for 2020–21. Additionally the schools would not be participating in any Spring sports until the end of February.^[2] While Union was not bound by the IVY League's ruling, the other capitol-district school Rensselaer cancelled its season on November 16 and Union followed suit the following day.^[3]

Because the NCAA had previously announced that all winter sports athletes would retain whatever eligibility they possessed through at least the following year, none of Union's players would lose a season of play.^[4] However, the NCAA also approved a change in its transfer regulations that would allow players to transfer and play immediately rather than having to sit out a season, as the rules previously required.^[5]

Departures

Player	Position	Nationality	Cause
Jack Adams	Forward	United States	Transfer (Providence)
Lucas Breault	Forward	Canada	Returned to Juniors (Salmon Arm Silverbacks)
Zachary Emelifeonwu	Forward	Canada	Graduation
Parker Foo	Forward	Canada	Signed Professional Contract (HC Kunlun Red Star)
Josh Graziano	Goaltender	United States	Returned to Juniors (New Mexico Ice Wolves)
Darion Hanson	Goaltender	United States	Transferred to (Connecticut)
Vas Kolias	Defenseman	United States	Graduation
Sam Morton	Forward	United States	Transfer (Minnesota State)
Ben Pirko	Defenseman	United States	Transfer (Trinity)
Anthony Rinaldi	Forward	Canada	Graduation (signed with Kansas City Mavericks)
Colin Schmidt	Forward	United States	Transfer (Minnesota)

Recruiting

Player	Position	Nationality	Age	Notes
Trevor Adams	Forward	United States	21	Muskegon, MI
Ville Immonen	Forward	Finland	21	Seinäjoki, FIN
Nathan Kelly†	Defenseman	Canada	19	South Delta, BC
Gleb Murtazin	Forward	Russia	19	Penza, RUS
Nic Petruolo	Defenseman	United States	20	Neshanic, NJ
Bram Scheerer	Forward	United States	21	Edina, MN
Tyler Watkins	Forward	United States	20	Hermantown, MN

† played junior hockey or equivalent during 2020–21 season.

Roster

As of January 25, 2021.^[6]

No.	S/P/C	Player	Class	Pos	Height	Weight	DoB	Hometown	Previous team	NHL rights
1		Garrett Nieto	Sophomore	G	6' 4" (1.93 m)	245 lb (111 kg)	1998-05-15	Yorba Linda, California	Janesville Jets (NAHL)	—
2		Taylor Brierley	Senior	D	5' 10" (1.78 m)	160 lb (73 kg)	1996-07-31	East Grand Forks, Minnesota	Dubuque Fighting Saints (USHL)	—
4		Joseph Campolieto	Senior	D	6' 0" (1.83 m)	185 lb (84 kg)	1998-04-29	Eynon, Pennsylvania	Tri-City Storm (USHL)	—
5		Nic Petruolo	Freshman	D	5' 11" (1.8 m)	180 lb (82 kg)	2000-01-29	Neshanic, New Jersey	Green Bay Gamblers (USHL)	—
7		Brandon Estes	Senior	D	6' 0" (1.83 m)	175 lb (79 kg)	1998-02-13	Richardson, Texas	Youngstown Phantoms (USHL)	—
8		Chaz Smedsrud	Sophomore	F	6' 2" (1.88 m)	195 lb (88 kg)	1998-06-04	Luverne, Minnesota	Madison Capitols (USHL)	—
9		Gleb Murtazin	Freshman	F	6' 3" (1.91 m)	198 lb (90 kg)	2000-10-26	Penza, Russia	Amarillo Bulls (NAHL)	—
10		Ryan Sidorski	Junior	D	6' 2" (1.88 m)	195 lb (88 kg)	1999-10-02	Williamsville, New York	Buffalo Jr. Sabres (OJHL)	—
11		Gabriel Seger	Sophomore	F	6' 4" (1.93 m)	216 lb (98 kg)	1999-11-15	Uppsala, Sweden	Amarillo Bulls (NAHL)	—
12		Fletcher Fineman	Junior	D	6' 3" (1.91 m)	210 lb (95 kg)	1999-02-17	Lake Worth, Florida	Springfield Junior Blues (NAHL)	—
13		Tyler Watkins	Freshman	F	5' 9" (1.75 m)	175 lb (79 kg)	1999-12-19	Hermantown, Minnesota	Minnesota Wilderness (NAHL)	—
14		Drew Blackmun	Senior	F	6' 1" (1.85 m)	190 lb (86 kg)	1996-01-18	Minneapolis, Minnesota	Northeastern Huskies (HEA)	—
16		Christian Sanda	Sophomore	F	6' 0" (1.83 m)	185 lb (84 kg)	1998-03-13	Vadnais Heights, Minnesota	Coquitlam Express (BCHL)	—
17		Matt Allen	Sophomore	F	6' 2" (1.88 m)	187 lb (85 kg)	1999-03-14	Smithfield, Rhode Island	Boston Junior Bruins (NCDC)	—
18		Ville Immonen	Freshman	F	6' 2" (1.88 m)	188 lb (85 kg)	1999-06-18	Seinäjoki, Finland	Minot Minotauros (NAHL)	—
19		Liam Robertson	Sophomore	F	6' 5" (1.96 m)	175 lb (79 kg)	2000-05-14	Courtice, Ontario	Youngstown Phantoms (USHL)	—
21		Michael Ryan	Junior	D	5' 11" (1.8 m)	175 lb (79 kg)	1997-01-19	Marion, Massachusetts	West Kelowna Warriors (BCHL)	—
23		Trevor Adams	Freshman	F	5' 9" (1.75 m)	174 lb (79 kg)	1999-08-19	Muskegon, Michigan	Chilliwack Chiefs (BCHL)	—
24		Alex Cohen	Sophomore	F	6' 0" (1.83 m)	180 lb (82 kg)	1998-06-15	Boca Raton, Florida	Northeast Generals (NAHL)	—
25		Owen Farris	Sophomore	F	6' 3" (1.91 m)	212 lb (96 kg)	2000-06-08	Dallas, Texas	Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL)	—
26		Nathan Kelly	Freshman	D	5' 11" (1.8 m)	180 lb (82 kg)	2000-11-22	South Delta, British Columbia	Chilliwack Chiefs (BCHL)	—
27		Josh Kosack	Senior	F	6' 0" (1.83 m)	180 lb (82 kg)	1997-06-25	Oakville, Ontario	Green Bay Gamblers (USHL)	—
28		Dylan Anhorn	Sophomore	D	6' 0" (1.83 m)	175 lb (79 kg)	1999-01-21	Calgary, Alberta	Prince George Spruce Kings (BCHL)	—
29		Sean Harrison	Senior	F	5' 11" (1.8 m)	175 lb (79 kg)	1996-03-29	Anchorage, Alaska	Central Illinois Flying Aces (USHL)	—
33		Merek Pipes	Sophomore	G	5' 11" (1.8 m)	170 lb (77 kg)	1998-11-12	Cobble Hill, British Columbia	Swan Valley Stampeders (MJHL)	—
63		Bram Scheerer	Freshman	F	6' 3" (1.91 m)	185 lb (84 kg)	1999-06-03	Edina, Minnesota	Minnesota Wilderness (NAHL)	—

Standings

2020–21 ECAC Hockey Standings v t e
	Conference record												Overall record
	GP	W	L	T	OTW	OTL	3/SW	PTS	PT%	GF	GA		GP	W	L	T	GF	GA
#11 Quinnipiac †	18	10	4	4	1	1	3	37	.685	54	34		29	17	8	4	100	59
#20 Clarkson	14	6	4	4	1	2	2	25	.595	29	25		22	11	7	4	62	52
St. Lawrence *	14	4	8	2	1	1	1	15	.357	30	37		17	6	8	3	40	45
Colgate	18	5	9	4	1	0	1	16	.352	34	51		22	6	11	5	48	66
Brown	0	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-		0	-	-	-	-	-
Cornell	0	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-		0	-	-	-	-	-
Dartmouth	0	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-		0	-	-	-	-	-
Harvard	0	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-		0	-	-	-	-	-
Princeton	0	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-		0	-	-	-	-	-
Rensselaer	0	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-		0	-	-	-	-	-
Union	0	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-		0	-	-	-	-	-
Yale	0	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-		0	-	-	-	-	-
Championship: March 20, 2021 † indicates conference regular season champion (Cleary Cup) * indicates conference tournament champion (Whitelaw Cup) Rankings: USCHO.com Top 20 Poll

Schedule and Results

Season Cancelled

Awards and honors

Player	Award	Ref
Josh Kosack	Derek Hines Unsung Hero Award	[7]

References

1. "18 members of Yale's men's ice hockey team test positive for Covid-19". CNN. October 16, 2020. Retrieved January 25, 2021.
2. "Ivy League cancels winter sports season, delays spring play". ESPN. November 12, 2020. Retrieved January 25, 2021.
3. "Union Releases Update on 2020-21 Ice Hockey Season". Union Dutchmen. November 17, 2020. Retrieved January 25, 2021.
4. "NCAA approves blanket waiver for 2020 fall sports athletes to retain year of eligibility". CBS Sports. August 21, 2020. Retrieved January 25, 2021.
5. "DI Council grants waiver to allow transfer student-athletes to compete immediately". NCAA. December 16, 2020. Retrieved January 25, 2021.
6. "Men's Ice Hockey Roster". Union College. Retrieved January 25, 2021.
7. "Union's Josh Kosack captures 2020-21 Derek Hines Unsung Hero Award with leadership qualities, community outreach initiatives". USCHO.com. April 9, 2021. Retrieved April 10, 2021.