Boston College Men's Hockey Defenseman Enters Portal, Former Winger Finds New Destination
The NCAA men’s hockey transfer portal opened up on Monday morning, and Boston College has already seen a pair of losses from its 2025-26 roster — albeit one of the players split time between Chestnut Hill, Mass., and Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada, in the Quebec Maritime Junior Hockey League (QMJHL).
The two players who have reportedly hit the portal, according to College Hockey News senior writer Mike McMahon, are sophomore defenseman Will Skahan and freshman forward Gavin Cornforth, the latter of which left the program on December 30, 2025, after the Eagles picked up projected 2026 NHL first-round pick Oscar Hemming.
Boston College (F) Gavin Cornforth, who left for the Q mid-season, officially hits the portal.
— Mike McMahon (@MikeMcMahonCHN) April 13, 2026
Defenseman Will Skahan (Utah-2nd) also enters for BC.
Skahan, a product of the United States National Team Development Program (USNTDP), played in 31 games this past season after making 30 appearances as a rookie in 2024-25. He tallied just eight points across those two years with three goals and five assists, including just one goal in 2025-26.
The 6-foot-5-inch, 223-pound defenseman out of Woodbury, Minn., was selected No. 65 overall in the 2024 NHL Draft by the Utah Mammoth after playing two seasons with the USNTDP.
He appeared in 120 games for the U.S. Under-17 and Under-18 teams, recording six goals and 19 assists, and additionally appeared in seven games for Team USA at the 2024 IIHF Under-18 Men’s World Championship, where the U.S. won silver.
Cornforth, meanwhile, suited up in 18 games for the Eagles in 2025-26 as a rookie, collecting three assists and a plus-minus rating of +2 in that span.
He fared much better in the Canadian juniors, however, as he generated 12 goals and 18 assists for 30 points in 29 games with a plus-minus of +22. He also had six goals and an assist in six playoff contests.
While Skahan has yet to find his next home, Cornforth has reportedly already made a decision on where he is transferring to for the 2026-27 campaign.
Heard that Gavin Conforth is headed to UMass out of the transfer portal after spending three years in the USHL, followed by stops in Moncton (QMJHL) and Boston College.
— Jonny Lazarus (@JLazzy23) April 13, 2026
Had 54 points in 62 games in Dubuque last season and 30 points in 29 games in Moncton this season.
According to Jonny Lazarus of Daily Faceoff, Cornforth has committed to UMass, one of BC’s Hockey-East foes.
Cornforth (5-foot-9, 170 lbs.) is a native of Boston, Mass., so he at least gets to stay somewhat local at his next program.
Before stops on the Heights and with the Wildcats, Cornforth spent three years playing for the United States Hockey League's Dubuque Fighting Saints, where he registered 54 points (27 goals, 27 assists) in 62 games during his final season (2024-25).
The Eagles have yet to make any additions to their roster from the portal since it opened.
Follow us on Twitter/X, Facebook, YouTube, Threads, Bluesky, and Instagram for the latest Boston College news.
Graham Dietz is a 2025 graduate of Boston College and subsequently joined Boston College On SI. He previously served as an editor for The Heights, the independent student newspaper, from fall 2021, including as Sports Editor from 2022-23. Graham works for The Boston Globe as a sports correspondent, covering high school football, girls' basketball, and baseball. He was also a beat writer for the Chatham Anglers of the Cape Cod Baseball League in the summer of 2023.
Follow graham_dietz