2025-26 Hockey East Season Preview: Maine Black Bears

The champs are back to defend their Hockey East title. The Maine Black Bears are officially kicking off their men's hockey season this weekend with a matchup against Holy Cross, looking to re-solidify their place amongst the best of the best in Hockey East, and meet the extremely difficult task of going back-to-back.

For this team, for this season, it is possible, thanks to a returning core of players, coupled with a solid coaching staff that's hungry for more credibility. Led by Ben Barr, they've proven that they can build well from within, but now get to add 13 new players into the mix.

This group consists of seven forwards, five defensemen and one lonesome goalkeeper. It includes just two transfers, sophomore defenseman Simon Motew from St. Francis Xavier in Canada, and junior forward Max Scott, coming over from Brown University. Last season saw a breakout from him, with a team-leading 12 goals and 24 assists in just 32 games. The team captain was a finalist for 2024-25 ECAC Hockey Best Defensive Forward.

The other 11 newcomers are freshmen, including Lukas Peterson, Jeremy Langlois, Luke Coughlin, Loic Usereau, Nick Peluso, Will Gerrior, Brock James, Mathis Rousseau, Jaden Lipinski, Miguel Marques and Justin Poirier.

Among them, a few names jump off the page thanks in part to their play in club hockey during their high school years.

Topping the list is Justin Poirier, a forward who absolutely tore up the back of the net during his three seasons playing for the Baie-Comeau Drakker in the QMJHL. In 181 games he registered 210 points, 188 goals and 88 assists, an absolute force to be reckoned with in the opposing zone.

Poirier’s play earned him a spot in the big leagues, being drafted in the fifth round, 156th overall, by the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2024 NHL Draft.

There's also another new face of note Black Bears, behind the bench in new assistant coach Joe O’Connor. He was previously a successful director at Mount Saint Charles Hockey Academy in Rhode Island, winning three national championships.

Head Coach: Ben Barr (RPI’04)
Assistant Coach: Alfie Michaud (Maine’99)
Assistant Coach: Rick Bennett (Providence’90)
Assistant Coach: John O’Connor (Fredonia’14)

Arena: Harold Alfond Sports Arena (Opened 1977)
2024-25 Record: 13-5-6 (Finished 2nd last season)
Last Hockey East Championship: 2025

Season Opener: Friday vs. Holy Cross, 7 p.m. ET

In terms of what this team needs to do in order to repeat, the Black Bears will aim to maintain their excellent leadership on the ice, and somehow replicate last year's stone wall in between the pipes.

In terms of leadership, that important role will fall upon the shoulders of seniors Brandon Holt and Thomas Freel, both dawning the captaincy for the very first time. Additionally, junior Frank Djurasevic will serve as the team's alternative captain.

Last season, as a group scored 22 goals, bagged 44 assists, giving them a grand total of 66 points as a trio. A stout defenseman in Holt, willing to lay his body on the line, coupled with talented forwards in Freel and Djurasevic, this team's leadership group is a coach’s dream, all aspects that make a good hockey team are present with these three athletes.

Now, the big one, goaltending.

In 2024-25 the Black Bears only surrendered 75 goals, the second fewest in Hockey East behind Boston College, and their lowest total since the 2019-20 season, when they also give up just 75 total goals.

A major factor was that Maine had one of the most prolific defenses in collegiate hockey last season. Goalie Albin Boija, now a junior, also had a stellar season.

In 37 games, he posted a .928 save percentage, making 886 saves, registered a .182 goals against average, while winning 23 games, four of which were shutouts. Consequently, he netted a laundry list of hardware, nominations and accolades, which included being a Second-Team All-American, a Mike Richer Award Finalist, a Hockey East Second Team All-Star, a member Hockey East All-Tournament Team, the runner-up for Hockey East Goaltender of the Year, Hockey East Goaltender of the Month for the month for February, two Hockey East Player of the Week honors and two-time Goaltender of the Week as well.

Boija is back again this season looking for more and remains the key to Maine's chances of repeating. That's not to say that Maine would be a bad team without him, far from it. But the Black Bears clearly rely on him, maybe too much. Should he have a setback or is unable to match last year's production it could keep them from the confetti filled glory that is winning in late March.

In other words, a lot is riding on his shoulders. The guess here is that Boija will be more than up to the task to get his team back to the Hockey East championship game in Boston, but only if everything goes right.

The Black Bears have a long road ahead of them if they really are committed to winning it all again this season. For the most part, the core has remained, it will be up to the leadership to lead the young guys and get them ready for one of the most competitive leagues in all of collegiate sports. Boija will have to stand bigger than ever between the pipes, and Barr will have to be at his best. Winning one championship when no one expects you too, is one thing. Doing it againwith a target on your back is another.