The Warriors received a commitment on Thursday from OHL center Rowan Henderson. Import Sports Management, which is Henderson’s agent/advisor, announced the commitment on Instagram.

Henderson is from Ontario and was alternate captain of the Sudbury Wolves (OHL) last season. In 62 games for the Wolves, he finished with 32 points (12-20-32). Jewell had 24 points (11-13-24) in 66 games as an OHL rookie in 2024-25.

Henderson went undrafted this past summer but he’s still eligible for the 2027 NHL Draft as a late-2007 birthday. In an annual OHL Coaches Poll, he received votes as one of the best defensive forwards in the league.

After playing in the OHL Top Prospects Game, he was ranked No. 194 by NHL Central Scouting for the 2026 NHL Draft. He was injured in the second half of the season, which cost him a few games down the stretch and may have impacted his draft stock.

Sudbury coach Scott Barney told The Sudbury Star this past season:

“I thought he made great progress this season. He was a leader for us, too, so he had a lot more responsibility. If you look back at the numbers and he probably has our most five-on-five ice time and on the PK, he’s arguably one of the best in the league.

“The way he angles, his habits, his attention to detail are very high. When guys go to pro hockey, coaches usually have to change some of their habits from where they came in junior, but you’ll definitely have zero problems there with Rowan. When he’s tenacious on the forecheck, I think he’s very effective, and I thought in the playoffs, his line was outstanding. They played against O’Brien’s line for a lot of the playoffs and they were really good. I’m sure there were a lot of people watching during playoff time and I thought that was his best hockey of the season.”

Henderson has been added to our recruiting chart.

MIH Recruiting Chart

Late Friday, U.S. District Judge Charlotte Sweeney granted a preliminary injunction in the Wisne v. NCAA lawsuit that allows all seniors who graduated in the spring of 2026 to receive a fifth year of eligibility, provided they qualify for a fifth season under the NCAA’s new age-based eligibility rule.

Earlier this summer, the NCAA pushed its age-based eligibility rule through the approval process, finalizing it in late June. Under the new rule, athletes have five seasons of NCAA eligibility. The eligibility clock begins when an athlete enrolls in college or the season following the athlete’s 19th birthday, whichever occurs first.

The original proposal included language that would have started the clock during the season following an athlete’s 18th birthday. However, a push from the hockey community — which was later joined by representatives from other sports — resulted in the NCAA changing the rule to the season following an athlete’s 19th birthday.

As part of the new rule, the NCAA is allowing returning athletes who were previously eligible for the 2026-27 to apply for a fifth season if they meet the qualifying standards. However, the NCAA excluded athletes who graduated this spring, even though many of them — particularly in sports other than hockey — would have otherwise qualified for a fifth season under the provisions of the rule.

The Wisne v. NCAA lawsuit includes multiple athletes from several sports, although none are hockey players, many are basketball players. Athletes seeking a fifth year have filed lawsuits against the NCAA in numerous states, but most of those cases sought relief only for the individual players who filed suit.

The Wisne case was different. It was filed as a class-action lawsuit seeking an additional season of eligibility not only for the named plaintiffs, but for all athletes included in the defined class.

Sweeney granted that class-wide preliminary injunction Friday night.

What did the preliminary injunction mean?

The ruling means that all athletes in the graduating class of 2026 who used their fourth season of eligibility during the 2025-26 academic year are, at least temporarily, eligible for a fifth season under the NCAA’s age-based eligibility rule.

Read more

The City of Brotherly Love is becoming a tried-and-true recruiting hotbed for Joe Gallo and the Merrimack men’s basketball program.

The Warriors received a commitment Monday from Bonner-Prendergast guard Kam Jackson. Jackson is a ‘27 recruit.

The 5-foot-11 Jackson is the seventh Philadelphia Catholic League prospect to commit to Merrimack under Gallo. Adam “Budd” Clark, Jaylen Stinson, Ernest Shelton and Kevair Kennedy are among the names Merrimack fans will recognize from the program’s connection to Philadelphia high school basketball. Rocco Westfield, who will take the floor for the Warriors this season, is another addition to that list.

Jackson averaged 15.4 points and five assists per game during his junior season. Speaking with PCLSN’s Anthony Sorgi, Jackson praised the environment Gallo has created at Merrimack.

“Merrimack has a good environment,” hw said. “On the visit, they kind of showed me the role I would play, [similar to] what I play now. [They showed] me a couple clips of Budd Clark and Kevair Kennedy, how they played when they were at Merrimack, and showed me things I’ve done at Bonner, MADE Hoops tournaments, and showed me that I was doing the same thing [as Budd and Kevair]. They produce small guards. I’m a small guard. I believe in Coach [Joe] Gallo a lot.”

Merrimack faced plenty of competition for Jackson. Loyola Maryland, Stonehill and UAlbany were among the programs pursuing him, along with fellow Metro members Mount St. Mary’s and Manhattan.

Stay tuned to The Mack Report for more coverage of Merrimack men’s basketball.

It’s time for another mailbag!

Today’s mailbag includes the following questions/topics:

• What changed with Yaroslav Bryzgalov and why is he going back to juniors this year instead of coming to Merrimack?

• What is my take on recent graduates looking to use a fifth year of eligibility?

• Why would Mekhi Robertson choose Merrimack over Power 4 schools?

• What are my feelings on the football team this fall?

• What changed with the goalie situation and is Max Beckford going to another program?

• Do I have any details on Scott Borek’s extension?

If you have a mailbag submission, simply reply to this newsletter (if you received it in your inbox) or send us a message:

Q. I saw news on X that Yaroslav Bryzgalov is not going to Merrimack this year and will instead play another season in the WHL. Is he still planning to come to Merrimack in 2027? Why do you think he changed his mind so late? Are we searching for a replacement forward now?

The decision on Yaroslav Bryzgalov was made after the NHL Draft. Merrimack was expecting him to join the roster for the 2026-27 season, but after he was drafted by Vancouver, the decision was made that he would spend another year in the WHL with Medicine Hat.

As far as I am aware, he remains committed to the Warriors, likely for the 2027-28 season.

With CHL players, many of these decisions aren’t being finalized until after the draft. Because this decision came after Bryzgalov was selected, I’m guessing the Vancouver Canucks had some input regarding where he would play this upcoming season.

Read more

Mekhi Robertson will become the latest in a long line of talented guards to play for Joe Gallo at Merrimack after announcing his commitment to the Warriors on Wednesday.

But Robertson’s commitment is historic for the program.

Robertson is the first four-star prospect and the first nationally ranked recruit in Merrimack history. The South Pemberton, N.J., native is ranked No. 137 overall in the Class of 2027.

Robertson will play this season at The Master’s Academy International in Stow. West Virginia, N.C. State, Oklahoma State and Mississippi State were among the programs pursuing him, but Gallo and his staff ultimately landed the highly touted prospect.

The significance of this commitment shouldn’t be overlooked. Ranked directly ahead of Robertson at No. 136 is Saint Louis commit Jimmy McKinney. Colorado State commit Luke Howery is ranked No. 138, while Kansas State commit Kameron Cooper is just behind him.

He shared his thoughts on his selection with the folks over at 247 sports.

“I have a lot of trust in Coach Gallo and the entire coaching staff,” Robertson said. “Their resume speaks for itself, and the success of the previous guards who’ve come through Merrimack and gone on to do great things says a lot about how they operate and how they develop their guards.

“I know this is the right place for me to continue growing both on and off the court.”

Robertson averaged the following numbers across six games at the Peach Invitational:

• 17.3 points per game

• 53 percent from the field

• 40 percent from three-point range

• 6.8 rebounds per game

• 2.7 assists per game

He also posted impressive numbers in the Nike EYBL:

• 13.2 points per game

• 42.2 percent from the field

• 33.8 percent from three-point range

• 5.3 rebounds per game

• 2.1 assists per game

This is a massive recruiting win for Merrimack. We’ll have more on Robertson in the coming days—and, hopefully, a schedule to analyze soon—as we continue previewing the upcoming Merrimack men’s basketball season.

Goaltender Charlie Durkin announced his commitment to Merrimack for the upcoming season. Durkin was originally expected to play for the Lincoln Stars (USHL) in 2026-27.

According to sources, Durkin will replace Max Beckford on Merrimack’s roster. Beckford, who announced his commitment to Merrimack after entering the transfer portal from Minnesota State in April, will not matriculate at Merrimack.

Read more

It’s time for another mailbag!

Today’s mailbag includes the following questions/topics:

• Are you concerned with Merrimack’s goaltending situation this season? I just feel like we leaned heavily on Max [Lundgren] last season and without him, the run we went on at the end of the year could have looked a lot different.

• Coming into the year, where do you think you will have Merrimack ranked nationally and in Hockey East?

• Are you concerned there has been so much roster turnover with men’s basketball? I feel like we see that every year, but last year we still brought back some key players.

• I have a question that’s out of left field (literally). Have you heard anything about Merrimack looking to put the baseball stadium back on campus?

• Do you have any updates on banners for Lawler yet, or what the Hockey East banner might look like?

If you have a mailbag submission, simply reply to this newsletter (if you received it in your inbox) or send us a message:

Q. Are you concerned with Merrimack’s goaltending situation this season? It just feels like the Warriors leaned heavily on Max Lundgren last season, and without him that run at the end of the year might have looked a lot different.

You’re not wrong. Max Lundgren was Merrimack’s MVP last season.

That said, I’m honestly not that concerned about the goaltending this year.

Linards Feldbergs was arguably the best goalie in the USHL last season, and he backstopped the Sioux Falls Stampede to a Clark Cup championship. (Yes, it’s a little ironic that Merrimack’s new goalie is coming from Sioux Falls after the Warriors were eliminated there.)

Read more

In case you missed it, we broke down what we know so far about Merrimack’s 2026-27 men’s hockey schedule yesterday.

Less is known about the men’s basketball schedule at this point, but The D1 Docket continues to do an outstanding job tracking schedule releases across the country and has helped fill in several pieces of the Warriors’ slate.

Based on what’s been released, it appears Merrimack will open its home schedule on Nov. 5 against UMass Lowell as part of the new Metro-America East Challenge. The Warriors are also scheduled to travel to Albany on Nov. 8 as part of that scheduling agreement.

Here’s what I’ve been able to piece together so far:

Read more

Merrimack has not yet released its 2026-27 men’s hockey schedule, but enough opponents have announced their schedules that we can begin piecing together what the defending Hockey East champions’ season will look like.

Based on what I’ve been told—and I want to stress that this remains unofficial until Merrimack announces the schedule—the Warriors are expected to open their home slate on Thursday, Oct. 8, against New Hampshire. UNH has already released its schedule, which includes that matchup, and a Hockey East told me that Merrimack is not expected to play a home game before Oct. 8.

That could be the date the Warriors unveil the Hockey East championship banner. But again, nothing’s confirmed (I’m just speculating).

Here’s what I’ve been able to piece together so far:

Read more

After leading Merrimack to its first Hockey East championship this past March, Scott Borek and the Warriors have agreed to a multi-year contract extension. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Borek previously signed a contract extension in March 2022.

Borek is the only coach in program history to lead Merrimack to two Division I NCAA Tournament appearances, accomplishing the feat in 2023 and again in 2026. He’s also the only coach to guide the Warriors to the Hockey East championship weekend at TD Garden twice.

“I’m just excited to be at Merrimack,” Borek said after the extension was announced during the Merrimack Roadshow last week. “Having this opportunity, it’s not just for myself, it’s obviously for our program and the guys that I work with and every player in that room. When the school shows confidence in me, they show confidence in them. I hope that spreads throughout the fall and into our season because it’s going to be a very important thing to carry with us.

“I’m honored to be Merrimack’s hockey coach, and I’m really honored to be able to continue to do that moving forward.”

Borek also reached the 100-win milestone at Merrimack during the 2025-26 season.

“We’re thrilled that Scott Borek will continue to lead our men’s hockey program,” Merrimack athletic director Joe Foley said. “Since arriving at Merrimack, Scott has built a culture of excellence that has elevated our program both on and off the ice. His vision, leadership and commitment to developing outstanding young men have positioned our program for continued success, and we’re excited about what the future holds under his leadership.”

Borek owns two of the three winningest seasons in Merrimack’s Division I/Hockey East history, leading the Warriors to the program’s No. 2 single-season win total in 2022-23 and the No. 3 total in 2025-26.

Since the start of the 2022-23 season, Merrimack has gone 89-86-6. It’s the only five-year span in the program’s Division I/Hockey East era (since 1989-90) in which the Warriors have posted an overall winning record.

Borek also enters the 2026-27 season with the highest winning percentage of any coach in Merrimack’s Division I/Hockey East history.

On the national stage, the Warriors have finished in the top 22 of the Pairwise/NPI rankings three times over the past five seasons. Before Borek’s tenure, Merrimack had accomplished that just twice since the Pairwise was introduced in 2003 — finishing No. 6 in 2010-11 and No. 17 in 2011-12.

McMahon: This is welcome news.

I was advocating for this back in March after the Warriors returned from the NCAA Tournament, so it’s good to see the deal get done. I think it’s especially important right now to lock up a coaching staff that has consistently shown an ability to adapt as college athletics continues to change at a rapid pace.

Read more

The Warriors added two more players to their 2026-27 roster this week, bringing in 6-foot-5 forward Jacob Frasca and 6-foot-1 defenseman Keaton Orrey.

Frasca, 23, spent last season with the ECHL’s Reading Royals and also attended training camp with the Toronto Maple Leafs. At 6-foot-5 and 225 pounds, he brings plenty of size and physicality. He recorded 28 points (12 goals, 16 assists) and 113 penalty minutes in 62 games with Reading.

Before turning pro, Frasca played 194 career OHL games, spending most of his junior career with the Barrie Colts. He also served as one of the team’s captains for three seasons.

Orrey, 20, adds another physical presence to the blue line. Last season with the USHL’s Des Moines Buccaneers, he posted 22 points (7 goals, 15 assists) in addition to 101 penalty minutes. He also wore a letter as one of the Buccaneers’ leaders.

McMahon: I believe Frasca has two seasons of NCAA eligibility remaining, although it’s difficult to say with complete confidence given how frequently the NCAA has changed its eligibility rules over the past several months.

Read more

The Warriors added another recruit from the QMJHL this week, receiving a commitment from 2008-born forward Ryan Howard.

Neutral Zone has Howard rated as a 4-star recruit. Scouts highlighted his physicality and ability to use his 6-foot-1, 200-pound frame to to challenge opponents. Howard was drafted in the second round of the 2024 QMJHL Entry Draft by the Quebec Remparts.

This past season for the Remparts, Howard had 20 points (9 goals, 11 assists) in 62 games and also had 91 PIMs.

Based on InStat’s data, he was one of the most physical players in the Q last year, ranking in the 74th percentile for hits. He was also good defensively, ranking in the 78th percentile in defensive takeaways.

Howard was traded to the Saint John Sea Dogs last month.

Read more

Declan Carlile made 42 appearances for the Tampa Bay Lightning last season and played for Team USA at the IIHF World Championships this past spring. He parlayed that success into a new deal with the Pittsburgh Penguins last week.

The former Merrimack defenseman was an unrestricted free agent after the season. He signed a two-year deal with the Penguins worth a total of $3.0 million. It’s a one-way contract, meaning his salary will be $1.5 million per season regardless of where he plays (NHL or AHL).

Based on the current roster construction, Carlile looks like he’s on pace to be one of Pittsburgh’s seven NHL defensemen. The group is headlined by Erik Karlsson and Kris Letang. Carlile looks to be in a battle for playing time on the second or third pair with the likes of Ryan Graves, Trevor van Riemsdyk, and Kaedan Korczak.

Carlile is currently No. 8 all-time among NHL games played by Merrimack alumni. He has the chance to vault up to No. 3 on that list over the course of next season. Steve McKenna (373 games) is the all-time leader, with Johnathan Kovacevic (258 games) still active in the second spot.

Here is a complete list of Merrimack alums who have already signed on the dotted line for 2026-27.

Read more

Merrimack tied for the lead in Hockey East with 25 players named to the Hockey East All-Academic Team, a testament to the program’s commitment to excellence both on the ice and in the classroom. Players earn All-Academic Team honors by posting a GPA of 3.0 or higher. The Warriors finished tied with UMass Lowell for the most All-Academic selections.

In addition to nearly the entire roster earning All-Academic Team recognition, freshman defenseman Ethan Beyer was named the Top Scholar-Athlete, recognizing the highest GPA among conference players at his position. Mark Hillier also earned Distinguished Scholar honors after being named to the Hockey East All-Academic Team in each of his five seasons with the Warriors.

The full list of Merrimack honorees include:

1. Parker Lalonde

2. Justin Gill

3. Trevor Hoskin

4. Caelan Fitzpatrick

5. Nick Pierre

6. Caden Cranston

7. Nolan Flamand

8. Seamus Powell

9. Austin Oravetz

10. Ethan Beyer

11. Mark Hillier

12. Daniel Astapovich

13. Ryan O’Connell

14. Michael Emerson

15. Nathan King

16. Ty Daneault

17. Cameron Kungle

18. Filip Nordberg

19. Joseph Henneberry

20. Jack Richard

21. Ben Yurchuk

22. Max Lundgren

23. Trent Ballentyne

24. Ryan Keyes

25. Nils Wallstrom

Multiple Merrimack players are taking part in NHL Development Camps this week, including former goaltender Max Lundgren, who has impressed in his first development with the Boston Bruins.

Seamus Powell (Columbus) and Parker Lalonde (Toronto) are both headed to camps as free-agent invitees. Incoming defenseman Simon-Pier Brunet will take part in Buffalo’s camp — the Sabres drafted him in the fourth round last summer.

Read more

Merrimack recruit Yaroslav Bryzgalov was drafted No. 97 overall in the fourth round by the Vancouver Canucks during the second day of the NHL Draft in Buffalo.

Bryzgalov is the first Merrimack player or recruit selected by the Canucks since Joe Cannata in 2009.

The 19-year-old Belarusian forward was one of the top rookies in the WHL this past season, racking up 13 goals and 42 assists for 55 points in 64 games.

NHL Network had this to say about Bryzgalov after he was drafted:

“Relentless forechecker. Delivers heavy contact. Smart distributor who consistently finds seams.”

While Merrimack has not officially announced its incoming class for the 2026–27 season, I have Bryzgalov projected for this year’s roster based on his stellar 2025–26 campaign and today’s draft results. However, Vancouver will undoubtedly have some input on his immediate future now that he is officially part of the organization.

Read more

Merrimack men's hockey coach Scott Borek, men's basketball coach Joe Gallo, football coach Mike Gennetti, women's hockey coach Courtney Kennedy and women's basketball coach Missy Traversi are hitting the road this summer for three meet-and-greet events. The first event is Wednesday (June 24) at The Autograph Tavern in Andover.

"We are extremely excited to launch the Merrimack Roadshow," Merrimack athletic director Joe Foley said. "We believe this modern initiative will help strengthen relationships and generate excitement around Merrimack Athletics, which will directly benefit our student-athletes and programs."

The Merrimack Roadshow Schedule

June 24: The Autograph Tavern (Andover, MA), 6-8 p.m.
July 15: Legal Seafood (Boston, MA), Time TBD
TBD: Cape Cod Location

Registration is required prior to the event, and you can purchase tickets for $10 by clicking here.

Former Merrimack captain Michael Babcock was named the new head coach of the Brantford Bulldogs (OHL) on Friday. Babcock spent last season as an assistant coach with the AHL’s San Diego Gulls.

At 31 years old, Babcock becomes the youngest head coach in Brantford franchise history and just the sixth head coach the organization has employed.

After a stint playing professionally in Europe following his graduation from Merrimack, Babcock began his coaching career in 2021 at the University of Saskatchewan, where he also earned his MBA. In 2023, he served as a development coach for the Ottawa Senators and later spent two seasons as a skills coach with the St. Louis Blues before heading to San Diego last season.

“From the moment we began this search, our focus was finding the right leader to guide our players and our organization into the future,” said Brantford general manager Spencer Hyman. “Mike is a relentless competitor, an elite communicator, a gifted teacher, and most importantly, a tremendous human being. His passion for the game is infectious, his commitment to player development is unwavering, and his ability to connect with people is special. Mike embodies everything we believe a Bulldog should be. He will challenge our players, he will push our players, and most importantly he will care for our players. He will help them become the best versions of themselves both on and off the ice.”

Babcock will coach Merrimack commit Jack Good next season. Good played in the BCHL this past season but was traded to the Bulldogs earlier this week. His OHL rights had previously been held by the Erie Otters.

In the midst of the NCAA rejecting hockey’s counterproposal for implementation of the age-based eligibility model, it appears the NCAA may be moving closer to securing the congressional support it needs to enforce some of its rules.

On Wednesday, U.S. Senators Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) announced an agreement on a bipartisan bill that would codify several NCAA rules into federal law. Senators Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.) and Chris Coons (D-Del.) also signed on as co-sponsors.

The legislation has been named the Protect College Sports Act. It follows months of negotiations between Cruz and Cantwell, who at one point appeared far apart on several key issues.

If the bill passes both houses of Congress, the NCAA would receive limited antitrust protection.

The legislation contains several major components, but here are some of the most significant potential impacts on college athletics:

Read more

The Warriors completed their roster last week with the addition of transfer guard Jeremiah Anderson for the upcoming season.

Anderson will be a senior guard after transferring from Felician University (Division II). He was named the CACC Player of the Year this past season and also earned All-CACC First Team honors. Anderson averaged 20.6 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game last season.

Anderson helped lead the Golden Falcons to a 28-4 record. They lost to St. Anselm in the second round of the NCAA Division II Tournament.

Analysis: At least on the surface, it appears the Warriors will have plenty of guards in the rotation. I wouldn’t be surprised to see stretches where they roll out four guards on the floor at once.

We’ll see.

Read more