Editor’s Note: The Sun’s hockey mailbags are analysis pieces intended to answer questions sent in by readers on X.
If you haven’t been paying attention to men’s hockey since this year’s season came to an end on March 27, welcome back. There's a lot to catch up on.
From transfers, professional signings and more, this era of college hockey is relentless. Cornell has experienced it all and more as the team prepares to compete amongst the nation’s top teams next season.
In this edition of The Sun’s men’s hockey mailbag, I will give my best answers (for likely the last time) as Cornell navigates the offseason. To receive the latest updates on Cornell men’s hockey, be sure to follow @JaneMcNally_ on X, formerly Twitter.
Questions have been lightly edited for clarity.
The goalie situation in general. It seems like you need to bring in a third goalie, no matter what - is that going to be [Nick] Cirka, a late commit, a portal guy? Also, thoughts on [Ivan] Zadvernyuk and any other possible portal adds? — @Aviatrix084
This question was sent to me before Cornell picked up former Maine goaltender Mathis Rousseau in the portal, which seems to solve next year’s goaltending situation. The Red’s three goaltenders on the roster next season are set to be rising sophomores Rousseau and Erick Roest, and rising junior Justin Katz.
But I am also going to use this question as a chance to unpack Cournoyer’s departure. From what I have heard, Cournoyer’s decision to enter the portal blindsided the program and coaching staff. He did not previously indicate a desire to leave Cornell, even in the immediate aftermath of the season. It seemed to have been a very recent development.
I also have heard that Cournoyer, a fifth-round pick of the Montreal Canadiens, is looking to sign a professional contract early — as soon as next offseason. It became clear to the coaching staff that Cournoyer did not place emphasis on graduating and did not see extra value in staying at Cornell, which is largely attractive to players for its high-level hockey and Ivy League degree. That in mind, though everything is purely speculative, Cournoyer — like most other transfers into the Big 10 — will probably make a pretty penny next season at Wisconsin.
As head coach Casey Jones ’90 told me: “Coming to Cornell, we surely want people that understand the connections and the value of the education. We’ve just moved on. We wish him well, and we'll pivot.”
And that’s that on the transfer! Putting it to bed.
As for Ivan Zadvernyuk, the former Brown forward that Cornell acquired from the portal — I think this is a really solid pickup, considering the loss of junior forward Jonathan Castagna at center. I anticipate that the Zadvernyuk acquisition could age even better should junior forward Ryan Walsh sign a professional contract (which has not happened yet, but still very well could).
Zadvernyuk had a breakout sophomore year with the Bears, eight goals and 22 points while largely anchoring Brown’s top six. He’s a bigger guy, listed at six-foot-three, 200 pounds. That seems to be the current theme for Cornell’s recruiting — getting bigger, stronger and tougher.
I don’t anticipate any other portal pickups besides Zadvernyuk and Rousseau. We will just have to stay tuned for the announcement of the incoming freshmen to see who is matriculating for next season.
What are the rules surrounding the timing of late commitments? Can Cornell bring in another goalie commit at this point from the CHL or USHL, or is it past school deadlines for doing so? — @LynahFan
This question also alludes to the Cournoyer transfer, which is now moot due to Rousseau transferring in. But I think it is still an interesting question to consider for the future. Generally, the rule of thumb is that a student cannot be admitted to an Ivy League school if they do not apply before the final admissions deadline — this year, that was March 26.
So, even though news about commitments can come out later — like Cournoyer’s did last offseason — these players are getting applications in before the deadline. That’s what Ivy League schools will have to do if they want to stay competitive with the Major Junior kids — have them submit applications as early as possible, even if all the T’s and I’s haven’t been quite crossed and dotted.
What kind of dollars are men and women receiving from NIL and schools to play hockey? And which schools might be considered free spenders and which ones are frugal/cheap? — @MrEd315
Ain’t this the million-dollar question?
This kind of information feels like it should be out there publicly — especially considering that a lot of the schools doing the paying are public universities — but, unfortunately, it is not. Numbers have floated out there, like the infamous $700,000 Penn State paid Gavin McKenna this past season, though that figure is a bit of an anomaly.
Certainly, though, players can make six figures, or get close to it. You can chalk up the Big 10 schools like Penn State, University of Michigan, Michigan State and Wisconsin to be some of the bigger spenders, largely because those schools have some pretty prolific athletic departments. You could add Arizona State (National Collegiate Hockey Conference) to the mix as a prominent spender, along with a blue blood like University of North Dakota. University of Denver, too, although head coach David Carle might not admit it.
I don’t think any schools are trying to be ‘frugal,’ per se — some just don’t have the funds to be shelling out six figures for one or two years of a blue-chip prospect.
I’d be interested in Casey’s take on the early departures, if you’re able to talk with him. I’m surprised Stanley left. Seemed like a 4 year player to me. — @LynahFan
When I broached this subject with him, Jones was thrilled about the opportunities junior defenseman Hoyt Stanley and junior forward Jonathan Castagna were getting. Ultimately, signing NHL contracts is a good thing for the program. They are tangible examples of what you can become as a Cornell hockey player — a professional.
The thing you have to look at, too, is the timing for both the team and the player. If players like Castagna and Stanley stay for their senior seasons, their NHL squads (Calgary and Ottawa, respectively) run the risk of losing them for NCAA free agency the following offseason, as both players’ draft rights would expire in a year’s time. Those teams don’t want to lose those players, so it’s equally important for the players to sign and, in Stanley’s case, get some professional playing experience under the belt.
What’d you think of Luke Ashton’s first year at Cornell? — @CBJProspects
Sometimes, it’s hard to see a player improving or developing in real time, or game by game. But in sophomore defenseman Luke Ashton’s case, I did genuinely see strong development over the course of the season.
Technically, Ashton’s point totals this season (3-8–11) dropped from his freshman year at Minnesota State (5-8–13). But Ashton also played more of a depth role on Cornell’s second pairing alongside junior defenseman George Fegaras, who is notably more of an offensive-minded defenseman, particularly on the breakout.
I found that Ashton improved his defending a ton throughout the year. At times in the early workings of the season, it didn’t seem like he was using his size to his advantage. A year in the Cornell system, where being big and brooding is not just an individual strength but team strategy, it seems like Ashton has become more comfortable in his own skin. I thought his shot improved, too.
How will Casey Jones’ recruiting strategy differ from Mike Schafer’s? — @EJHansen9
I think the answer to this question is less about Jones vs. Schafer and more about the extremely different climates that these two coaches have recruited in.
The timing for Jones must have been chaotic — he assumed the program within the year of the most seismic change in college hockey in decades, the Canadian Hockey League/NCAA rule change. That alone opens up the player pool for recruitment by thousands, meaning there is a ton more talent out there for Jones’ taking. So, that said, the junior leagues in which Cornell players hail from will inevitably change — expect fewer British Columbia Hockey League skaters and more Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League and Western Hockey League products.
Can Cornell hockey continue to be competitive with all the NIL money being thrown around, including at Quinnipiac, Penn State and others? If so, how? — @MRosenweig
I would write 3,000 words about this if I could. But I’ll spare everyone.
In all honesty, this new landscape poses an incredible challenge for Ivy League schools — competing with the big spenders who will inevitably lure in the NHL’s top prospects. In that sense, schools like Cornell cannot compete, not for the McKennas or the Porter Martones or the Roger McQueens.
On the other hand, Cornell emphasizes one word that I find key to success amid all the chaos in the NIL world — retention. Bringing players in and developing them, and building your roster around guys who will stick around for three to four years.
Just look at the NCAA’s most recent champion, Denver — different, of course, with it not being an Ivy and having a few more bucks to spend. But look at some of the key players that helped the Pioneers eclipse greatness — Kent Anderson, a senior defenseman, scored the double-overtime winner against Michigan in the national semifinal. Rieger Lorenz, a senior forward, tied the national title game against Wisconsin. Five of the Pioneers’ top seven point-scorers this season were upperclassmen, including a pair of standout junior defensemen in Eric Pohlkamp and Boston Buckberger.
For Cornell to contend in this new age, retention is key. Because the Red won’t lack talent in the future — for as much as the CHL/NCAA change bolsters some of the big spenders, it also deepens the talented player pool for Cornell to pick from. That talent alone doesn’t keep Cornell competitive — developing it over time does.
Jane McNally is a senior editor on the 143rd editorial board and was the sports editor on the 142nd editorial board. She is a member of the Class of 2026 in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. You can follow her on X @JaneMcNally_ and reach her at jmcnally@cornellsun.com.
