With the loss of five cornerstone players, men’s hockey took an aggressive approach to the offseason, filling in gaps in the defense, offense and goaltending.
It welcomed eight new standout players to the lineup, a mix of developed transfers and high-potential recruits to keep the Red competitive at the top of the conference.
Coming into his second season with the Red, Head Coach Casey Jones ’90 emphasized the importance of team bonding and building a disciplined team culture both on and off the ice.
“Preseason for me is about getting our team connected and wanting to work for each other and making sure our base is good for conditioning,” Jones said.
With eight new faces entering the program, this preseason stretch serves as a critical window for the incoming players to build chemistry with returning veterans before conference play begins.
After securing a podium spot with 47 points last season, the Red’s playoff run was cut short by a narrow loss to Princeton in Lake Placid. This year, the Red is determined to reclaim its place at the top of the ECAC and beyond. With a roster reshaped by turnover but strengthened by new talent, the Red looks to prove that last year’s near-miss was a stepping stone rather than a ceiling. The transformation starts now, with these new recruits.
Forwards:
Charles Arend / Wilmette, IL / Dubuque Fighting Saints (USHL) / Freshman
Charles Arend enters his first year with the Red with a strong sense of leadership, after serving as alternate captain with the U.S. Hockey League’s Dubuque Fighting Saints last season. He recorded 43 points over 52 regular-season games with the Fighting Saints in the 2025-2026 campaign.
Following the loss of several offensive players in the previous year, the Red may look to Arend to fill those empty spots. Over a span of 161 regular-season USHL games, he accumulated 87 career points and helped lead Dubuque to a showing in the 2024 Clark Cup finals. With championship experience, the Illinois-born forward gives the Red a strong asset who is built to rise into a leadership role.
Coco Armstrong / West Vancouver, British Columbia / Spokane Chiefs (WHL) / Freshman
Speedy and effective, Coco Armstrong has a remarkable sense of intelligence on the ice. During the 2025-2026 season, he put up 49 points across 67 games with the Spokane Chiefs of the Western Hockey League and was named one of the team’s MVPs. Across 161 career games with Spokane, Armstrong recorded 75 points and helped lead the team to a 2025 Western Conference championship win. Known for his versatile style of play, he serves as both a fierce competitor on the ice and a supportive teammate, making him a major all-around asset.
Brad Gardiner / Aurora, Ontario / Barrie Colts (OHL) / Freshman
Brad Gardiner elevates the Red’s offensive control with his sophisticated puck-handling skills. Alongside 49 points across 133 games with the Ontario Hockey League’s Barrie Colts, Gardiner brought a level of leadership and commitment as an alternate captain during his 2025-26 season. In his OHL career, he played 300 games, in which he posted 77 goals, 98 assists and 175 points, leading to the Dallas Stars selecting the forward 79th overall in the 2023 NHL Draft. Awarded the Roger Neilson Memorial Award for Academic Excellence, he is celebrated for bringing sharp intellect both on and off the ice.
Callum Hughes / Westwood, MA / Erie Otters (OHL) / Freshman
While Callum Hughes divided his time between the British Columbia Hockey League’s West Kelowna Warriors and the OHL’s Erie Otters, his performance remained consistent across leagues and teams. Described by Elite Prospects as “a lightning bolt on ice,” Hughes impresses with his ability to manipulate the dynamic on the ice and draw penalties from opposing defenders. During his 2025-26 season with the Otters, he posted 23 points across 58 games, following a split 2024-25 campaign where he recorded 37 points in 65 games between the two teams.
Louie Wehmann / Wayzata, MN / Penticton Vees (WHL) / Freshman
A two-time captain at Providence Academy, Louie Wehmann brings a level of innovation and leadership that looks to mesh well with the rest of the rookies this upcoming season. During the 2025-26 season, he put up 37 points across 68 games with the Vees in their first-ever season in the WHL. The year prior, he split his time between Penticton and the USHL’s Youngstown Phantoms, collecting 27 points over 47 games across the two teams. His play style remains consistent across teams, and while not a player who focuses heavily on skating style, he is remarkably effective at faceoffs and gaining possession of the puck.
Ivan Zadvernyuk / Moscow / Brown University (ECAC) / Junior
A 6’ 3” Russian transfer from Brown University, Ivan Zadvernyuk has the capabilities to lead the Red’s offense in this upcoming season. Coming off a season in which he served as Brown’s leading point producer with 22 points (eight goals, 14 assists) across 30 games, his elite scoring ability makes him an immediate game-changer for the team. Following the loss of Jonathan Castagna to the Calgary Flames, Zadvernyuk seems to be a prime successor, thanks to his elite face-off presence and size. The Red may look to Zadvernyuk’s veteran leadership, as prior to attending Brown, he was an alternate captain for the North American Hockey League’s Lone Star Brahmas.
Defenders:
Cole Tuminaro / South Beloit, IL / Chicago Steel (USHL) / Freshman
The 6’ 4” defenseman is described as mean on the ice, with aggressive plays, elite stick work and nonstop blocking. During his time with the USHL’s Chicago Steel, he posted 16 points in 54 regular-season games and ranked eighth-highest in the USHL for penalty minutes. Beyond his potential to elevate the Red’s offense, his physical presence is an asset, as his looming stature paired with his aggressive style consistently poses a challenge for opposing offensive players. His value was affirmed when he was drafted 140th overall by the Colorado Avalanche in the fifth round of the 2026 NHL Draft.
Goaltenders:
Mathis Rousseau / Montreal / University of Maine (HE) / Sophomore
The 5’11” transfer from the University of Maine posted an impressive 8-7-0 record with an .896 save percentage across 17 games in the Hockey East— in which he started 15. After Alexis Cournoyer transferred to the University of Wisconsin last season, Mathis Rousseau looks to fill the crease. Before his arrival to the University of Maine, he spent time with both the Halifax Mooseheads and Moncton Wildcats in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League, recording a combined .905 save percentage. He also started all five games for Team Canada at the 2024 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championships, posting a 3-2-0 record and a .912 save percentage. With historic shutouts against elite NCAA powerhouses like Boston College (21 saves) and Northeastern University (25 saves) in the 2025-26 season, the Quebecois goalie seems to be a contender for the starting goalie role this upcoming season.
