Merrimack Adds Ballentyne, Bassen to 2025-26 Roster
The Merrimack men’s hockey team added two more names to its 2025-26 roster this week, landing commitments from defenseman Trent Ballentyne and forward Riley Bassen.
The additions bring the Warriors’ projected roster total to 27 players for next season — one over the new NCAA roster limit of 26, established under the recent House v. NCAA settlement. However, there’s a wrinkle: teams are permitted to exceed the cap if the extra players are classified as “Designated Student-Athletes” (DSAs). Under the settlement, DSAs are defined as players who would have been cut under a hard cap, but can be retained under the new transitional guidelines.
Eventually, the grace period will end—every program must be down to 26 players by the 2029-30 season. But until then, teams can exceed the 26-player cap if it’s offset by DSAs on the roster.
For now, Merrimack plans to carry 28 players into the upcoming season, sources tell me, meaning another addition could be on the way.
Ballentyne, 21, is a 6-foot-3 blueliner from London, Ontario. He was originally committed to Tennessee State, which had plans to launch a Division I program this fall. When that timeline shifted to 2026-27, Ballentyne re-opened his recruitment.
Last season, he recorded 14 points (3 goals, 11 assists) in 52 games for the Prince George Spruce Kings (BCHL). Before that, he appeared in 43 games for the Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL) during the 2022-23 campaign.
Bassen, 20, was previously committed to Michigan State. A native of Frisco, Texas, he’s a USHL veteran, having spent the last three seasons in the league. He put up 16 points (7 goals, 9 assists) in 50 games last year with the Fargo Force, and tallied 22 points (10 goals, 12 assists) over two seasons with the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders from 2022-24.
If the name sounds familiar, it should — Riley Bassen comes from NHL bloodlines. His father, Bob, logged 765 NHL games over a 15-year career with the Blues, Flames, Stars, Nordiques, Blackhawks, and Islanders. His grandfather, Hank, also played in the league, suiting up for the Blackhawks, Red Wings, and Penguins.