Yale Makes Surprising Coaching Hire; Transfer Portal Update on NHL Draft Picks: Puck Drop

In one way, Yale contributed to a strong tradition in college hockey on Monday, by hiring a former player to take over the program as head coach. And it didn't land just any former Bulldog, but their all-time leading scorer.

However, it disregarded the general practice of having a head coach who has actually coached before. Instructed and developed? Absolutely, which is obviously what Yale is banking on.

Jeff Hamilton, a three-time All-American and two-time Hobey Baker finalist, is the 12th head coach in program history. He replaces longtime coach Keith Allain (himself a Yale graduate) after announcing his retirement in August 2025 after 19 seasons on the bench, with assistant coach Joe Howe serving as the interim coach this past season — Yale went 8-22-1 and finished 58th out of 63 teams in the National Collegiate Percentage (NPI) Index.

Allain's name was noticeably absent from the school's press release announcing the move, after a letter he wrote to Yale President Maurine McInnis alleging that current athletic director Victoria Chun had created a "toxic environment" for the university's sports teams became public knowledge.

Form 1996-97 to 2000-01, Hamilton was an outstanding player for Yale, notching 80 goals, 94 assists for 174 points in 127 games. He subsequently played 10 years as a professional including brief stints with the Chicago Blackhawks, Toronto Maple Leafs, Carolina Hurricanes and one game with the New York Islanders. Overall, he played in 157 NHL games, with 32 goals, 45 assists and 77 points.

Since then he's been the co-owner of the Connecticut Junior Rangers, and is owner of 203 Sports Group, which aids players and families with the developmental process. As an instructor, he's "spent more than a decade developing players across the youth and junior levels, with over 100 advancing to collegiate and professional hockey," per the Yale press release.

"I'm honored and humbled to lead the next era of Yale men's hockey. Thank you to Vicky [Chun],Danielle Upham, and the athletics administrative team for giving my family and me the opportunity to return to a place that has had such a profound impact on our lives," Hamilton said in a statement.

"Building on the foundation laid by my greatest mentor, Coach Tim Taylor, and on the extraordinary success of the past decades, we will pursue excellence with the highest expectations. My staff and I are committed to elevating the student-athlete experience to the highest standard of recruiting, developing, and championing the very best in college hockey, while providing opportunities that are uniquely Yale."

College hockey stands as a sport in which many head coaches had attended and played for their schools, including three at the recent Frozen Four. In another reccent coaching hire, St. Cloud State brought back former team captain, Nick Oliver. Some other coaches at their alma matters:

Boston College: Greg Brown (1990)
Boston University: Jay Pandolfo (1996)
Denver: David Carle (2012)
Harvard: Ted Donato (1991)
Mass.-Lowell: Norm Bazin (1994)
Michigan: Brandon Naurato (2009)
New Hampshire: Mike Souza (2000)
Western Michigan: Pat Ferschweiler (1993)

Transfer Portal Update: NHL Draft Picks

As we're reaching the midway point of the 15-day period in which the transfer portal is open for undergraduates, which is the deadline for players to submit their names but they can continue to sign with schools after it closes on April 27, 2026, one transfer stands out on the surprising side of the many transactions.

Swedish defenseman Sascha Boumedienne is, so far, the only first-round draft selection to switch teams, going from Boston University to Ohio State. He played in 40 games for the Terriers last season, but was credited with two goals and eight assists. He was the 28th-overall selection of the 2025 NHL Draft by the Winnipeg Jets.

Check Monday's Puck Drop for a school-by-school list of transfer-portal additions at the end of the first week, but here are the 27 moves made by NHL draft picks:

First round
D Sascha Boumedienne (Boston University to Ohio State); 2025 Jets

Second round
D Filip Nordberg (Merrimack to Arizona State); 2022 Senators

Third round
F Miguel Marques (Maine to Northeastern); 2024Predators

Fourth round
D Andrew Strathmann (North Dakota to Quinnipiac); 2023 Blue Jackets
G Quetin Miller (Denver to Western Michigan); 2023Canadiens
F Hagen Burrows (Denver to Notre Dame); 2024 Lightning
D Tanner Hendricks (St. Cloud State to Minnesota); 2024 Blue Jackets

Fifth round
G Melvin Strahl (Michigan State to Minnesota); 2023 Blue Jackets
D Matthew Mania (Michigan to RIT); 2023 Kings
G Alexis Cournoyer (Cornell to Wisconsin); 2025 Canadiens
D Justin Kipkie (Arizona State to St. Thomas); 2025 Wild

Sixth round
F Barrett Hall (St. Cloud State to Minnesota Duluth); 2022 Kraken
D Matthew Mayich (Clarkson to Arizona State); 2023 Blues
D Luke Coughlin (Maine to Ferris State); 2023 Panthers
F Austin Burnevik (St. Cloud State to Minnesota); 2024 Ducks

Seventh round
F Cade Littler (North Dakota to Arizona State; 2022 Flames
D Owen Mehlenbacher (Massachusetts to Ferris State); 2022 Red Wings
F Jimmy Clark (Minnesota to Michigan State); 2023 Wild
F Nick Van Tassell (Massachusetts to New Hampshire); 2023 Senators
D Casper Nässén (Miami to Lake Superior); 2023 Bruins
D Mattero Mann (Colorado College to Lake Superior); 2023 Flyers
F Christian Humphreys (Michigan to Minnesota); 2024 Avalanche
F David Klee (North Dakota to Notre Dame); 2023 Sharks
F Erik Påhlsson (Minnesota to Ohio State); 2024 Predators
F Austin Baker (Michigan State to Miami); 2024 Red Wings
F Jérémy Loranger (Omaha to Connecticut); 2025 Blue Jackets

Still in the transfer portal is former Northeastern forward James Fisher, a 2022 seventh-round selection of the Blue Jackets.

Meanwhile, College Hockey News’ CHIP metric has the Big Ten as the only conference with a positive score as Wisconsin, Notre Dame, Minnesota, and Michigan State lead the country in talent acquisitions through the transfer portal. Western Michigan is fifth, with North Dakota and New Hampshire tied for sixth.

College Hockey Insider publisher Mike McMahon reported that escalating bidding wars are dominating the initial week of the men's hockey transfer portal, with coaches noting that player negotiations frequently open with baseline demands of $30,000.

Puck Drop: Tuesday, April 21, 2026

• NHL commissioner Gary Bettman on possibility of having an NHL outdoor game at Beaver Stadium, as many hockey fans expect after hosting men's and women's games this past season. “There's been discussions over time. … I would envision at some point we'll make our way out to Happy Valley.”

Making room for more history. 🏗️ pic.twitter.com/UABvGQ12ue
— Penn State Football (@PennStateFball) April 17, 2026

• United States Hockey League President/Commissioner Glenn Hefferan on X: "Once again, the NCAA misses the mark. A five-year eligibility clock is reasonable, but this proposal overlooks two predictable consequences. First, athletes and their advisors will adjust high school graduation timing so the eligibility clock starts later, pushing graduation closer to age 19. Second, this creates a disincentive for academically advanced student-athletes who currently graduate at 17 and begin college coursework early while continuing their athletic development. Policies should encourage academic acceleration, not discourage it. There also does not appear to be any grandfather clauses. By the way, ncaa hockey players are among the highest graduation rates and academic success."

• Denver forward Sam Harris, who was tied for second in team points with 35 last season, announced that he's returning for his senior year with the Pioneers. He'll begin the 2026-27 season as the NCAA active leader in career goals.

• Warroad High School forward Carson Pilgrim committed to St. Cloud State. He was previously committed to North Dakota.

• Yep, again ... Porter Martone (Michigan State) is the first teenager in NHL history to score the game-winning goal in each of his first two career Stanley Cup Playoff games. Joe Thornton (1999) is the only other teenager with game-winning goals in consecutive playoff games.

Right place, right time! Porter Martone scores his second goal of the playoffs to give Philly a 1-0 lead! https://t.co/S2IIX7xKx9
— Michigan State Hockey (@MSU_Hockey) April 21, 2026

Countdown to the 2026-27 Season

164 days

Hockey Quote of the Day

“Women are playing [hockey] because they love it, not because they’re trying to be a woman in a man’s game.”
Cammi Granato

We'll Leave You With This ...

To celebrate Macklin Celebrini breaking the @SanJoseSharks single-season points record, we're throwing it back to some of his best @TerrierHockey moments! 🏒👏#NCAAHockey pic.twitter.com/2bIw2GZDBd
— NCAA Ice Hockey (@NCAAIceHockey) April 20, 2026

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