Analyzing the RedHawks’ rookies

One thing is a near certainty with Miami’s 2020-21 roster: This year’s team should have no shortage of defensemen.

Nine new players will suit up for MU this fall, including eight freshmen, according to the roster posted on the team’s web site.

Three defensemen, a goalie and five forwards will dress as RedHawks for the first time this fall.

Newcomers up front are Michael Holland, Joe Cassetti, Brian Silver, Matthew Barbolini and Caleb Rule. Cassetti and Rule are transfers and will have to sit out the early portion of the season.

With seven returning D-men, competition for starting slots at that position should be fierce. Robby Drazner, Hampus Rydqvist and Dylan Moulton are all freshmen-to-be blueliners.

Swedish-born Ludvig Persson is the RedHawks’ newest netminder.

With nine departures from last season, Miami’s roster officially sits at 27.

Three skaters from 2019-20 are not on next season’s roster in addition to the six departed seniors: Forwards Christian Mohs, Noah Jordan and Brian Hawkinson.

Mohs redshirted his first season and graduated with a year of eligibility remaining, and Jordan and Hawkinson both transferred.

Not listed on Miami’s official roster is Michigan transfer Jack Olmstead, who has logged just nine games with the Wolverines over the past two seasons. It’s still unclear if he will be eligible to suit up for the RedHawks this season.

Here is a look at the incoming class for the upcoming campaign, including comments from Coach Chris Bergeron on each:

FORWARDS

MATTHEW BARBOLINI

Height: 6-2. Weight: 190. DOB: 6-1-2000. Shoots: Left. Home: Williamsville, N.Y.

Scouting report: Barbolini played his age 17 year with Janesville of the NAHL, where he recorded just 10 points, but he made the jump to the USHL in 2018-19 and has played 102 games in that league the past two seasons.

His goal total took a significant jump in 2019-20, as he scored 16 times in 47 games after netting just seven goals in 55 contests a year prior.

Barbolini has great size and will likely jump into the lineup right away. He played both USHL seasons with Lincoln under former RedHawk Chris Michael, who played for Bergeron when he was an assistant, so hopefully that familiarity will make Barbolini’s transition to Miami easier.

Bergeron comment: Barbolini has a huge ceiling – he can play this game for a while. He’s a bigger kid that can skate, there’s hockey player in him, he can score. We fought a couple of big-name programs to get Matthew to Miami, and we’re excited about that.

Season	Team	League	GP	G	A	Pts	+ / –	PIM
2015-16	Buffalo Jr. Sabres 15U AAA	T1EHL	15	1	8	9		2
2016-17	Buffalo Jr. Sabres 16U AAA	T1EHL	32	10	9	19		10
2016-17	Buffalo Jr. Sabres	OJHL	2	1	0	1		0
2017-18	Janesville	NAHL	49	4	6	10	0	30
2018-19	Lincoln	USHL	55	7	15	22	-26	37
2019-20	Lincoln	USHL	47	16	15	31	-1	33

JOE CASSETTI

Height: 6-3. Weight: 205. DOB: 2-28-1999. Shoots: Left. Home: Pleasanton, Calif.

Scouting: Cassetti has been playing at the USHL level since 2015, and he transferred to Miami after logging 14 games for Merrimack last season.

After going just 0-2-2 in NCAA play, the left wing returned to Waterloo of the USHL, where he scored 11 times in 22 games before the season was halted. Cassetti netted 20 goals in 62 games in 2018-19.

He has a close relationship with defenseman Derek Daschke since their days with Oakland (Mich.) Jr. Grizzlies, which may be why he picked Miami after departing Merrimack.

Like Barbolini, Cassetti has great size and an ability to put the puck in the net. Since he transferred, his eligibility status is still unclear, but it’s likely he’ll be available the second half of 2020-21.

Bergeron comment: I think Joey Cassetti has a chance to be a really good player. He’s big, he’s versatile, he played in the U.S. Program. I think he found a fit with us – I know there’s opportunity. I think we’re going to look for three pretty good years from Joey Cassetti.

Season	Team	League	GP	G	A	Pts	+ / –	PIM
2013-14	San Jose Jr. Sharks 14 AAA		15	12	14	26		16
2014-15	Oakland Jr. Grizzlies 16 AAA	T1EHL	65	12	15	27		42
2015-16	USNDT	USHL	79	15	9	24		78
2016-17	USNDT U-18	USDP	43	5	2	7		28
2016-17	USNDT	USHL	14	1	0	1	3	18
2017-18	Waterloo	USHL	44	8	10	18	-2	44
2018-19	Waterloo	USHL	62	20	17	37	8	28
2019-20	Merrimack	NCAA	14	0	2	2	-6	14
2019-20	Waterloo	USHL	22	11	8	19	5	16

MICHAEL HOLLAND

Height: 6-1. Weight: 190. DOB: 11-23-1999. Shoots: Left. Home: Charlotte, N.C.

Scouting: Unlike most of the recruits Miami has landed in recent years, Holland played four seasons playing prep hockey in Massachusetts and dressed for Boston Jr. Bruins of the NCDC in 2019-20.

An assistant captain at Deerfield Academy, Holland went 9-11-20 with 53 penalty minutes in 2019-20, his first true juniors season.

A major injury blunted his progress a couple of seasons ago, so Miami is hoping he’s a late bloomer who will add some much-needed size to this corps.

His role this season is harder to predict because of his atypical path to Miami.

Bergeron comment: He’s a guy that’s going to hopefully help our depth. He’s another big-time student, big-time kid, he’s a worker. We need some size, we need a little grease in that lineup, and he’s somebody that will hopefully bring that to us.

Season	Team	League	GP	G	A	Pts	+ / –	PIM
2015-16	Deerfield Academy	USHS	24	8	6	14
2015-16	Springfield Rifles 16U AAA	MHSL	10	3	5	8		22
2016-17	Deerfield Academy	USHS	25	8	13	21
2016-17	Springfield Rifles 16U AAA	MHSL	13	7	5	12		8
2017-18	Deerfield Academy	USHS	19	9	7	16		12
2018-19	Deerfield Academy	USHS	25	19	14	33		10
2019-20	Boston Jr. Bruins	NCDC	39	9	11	20		53

CALEB RULE

Height: 5-11. Weight: 180. DOB: 2-15-1999. Shoots: Right. Home: Lansing, Mich.

Scouting: Rule played four seasons at prep mecca Shattuck St. Mary’s, where he recorded over 200 points.

He spent two seasons in the USHL, scoring 13 times in 55 games with Lincoln in 2018-19, playing under former Miamian Michael.

Rule, originally recruited by Bergeron at BGSU and a former Ohio State commit, dressed for nine games with Providence last season before transferring to Miami, so his eligibility for 2020-21 is in question.

Bergeron comment: Caleb can really skate, I think he’s a guy that can really score goals. (He’s) not eligible until we can get some kind of waiver passed or until (2021-22). And that’s just something that we’ve got to work through.

Season	Team	League	GP	G	A	Pts	+ / –	PIM
2012-13	Belle Tire 13U AAA	T1EHL	29	14	22	36		14
2013-14	Shattuck St. Mary’s 14U AAA	USHS	65	18	34	52		28
2014-15	Shattuck St. Mary’s 16A AAA	USHS	55	18	17	35		14
2015-16	Shattuck St. Mary’s 16U AAA	USHS	53	24	43	67		24
2016-17	Shattuck St. Mary’s prep	USHS	56	22	32	54		14
2017-18	Tri-City/C. Illinois	USHL	37	1	3	4	-8	29
2018-19	Lincoln	USHL	55	13	9	22	-20	20
2019-20	Providence	NCAA	9	0	0	0	2	4

BRIAN SILVER

Height: 5-10. Weight: 180. DOB: 11-6-2000. Shoots: Right. Home: Lake Bluff, Ill.

Scouting: A converted defenseman, Silver has already dressed for over 100 USHL games with Lincoln over the past three seasons.

He’s never been a big points producer because of his former role, but with experience on the blue line, hopefully Silver brings his defensive prowess to the forward corps, an area in which Miami has struggled the past few seasons.

Seven goals in 37 games last season shows there may be more to his game than defense.

Silver’s sister, Lexi Silver, plays for the RedHawks’ field hockey team and ran track this spring.

Bergeron comment: Brian’s a kid who’s a worker. He can kill penalties, I think he can play up and down your lineup. (We’re) trying to add a little harder-to-play-against up front, and Brian’s one of those guys like Michael Holland, that’s what we expect of him.

Season	Team	League	GP	G	A	Pts	+ / –	PIM
2013-14	Chicago Mission 14U AAA	HPHL	17	3	7	10		8
2014-15	Chicago Mission 14U AAA	HPHL	17	1	3	4		8
2015-16	Chicago Mission 16U AAA	HPHL	21	0	3	3		28
2016-17	Chicago Mission 16U AAA	HPHL	20	3	9	12		44
2017-18	Omaha AAA U18	HPHL	9	1	3	4		6
2017-18	Omaha	USHL	10	0	1	1	-2	2
2018-19	Omaha	USHL	62	6	8	14	-9	54
2019-20	Omaha	USHL	37	7	7	14	7	26

DEFENSEMEN

ROBBY DRAZNER

Height: 6-1. Weight: 195. DOB: 2-13-2000. Shoots: Right. Home: Buffalo Grove, Ill.

Scouting: Drazner has spent the past two seasons with Nanaimo of the BCHL – a step between the NAHL and USHL – and he has rolled up 54 points in 115 games there.

More impressive is that his points total jumped from 20 to 34 between Years 1 and 2.

Drazner has good size, so hopefully the transition to the NCHC will go smoothly. He should fight for a starting job on the blue line right away.

Bergeron said Drazner turned down other opportunities to find the right fit, and he and the coaching staff believe Oxford is perfect for him.

Bergeron comment: He’s another fantastic kid – you spend five minutes with him and you want to spend five minutes more. He’s somebody we’re really excited for. He’s just scratching the surface of where he could be as a player. We think Robby has a good future with us.

Season	Team	League	GP	G	A	Pts	+ / –	PIM
2013-14	CYA 13U AAA	HPHL	20	0	1	1		16
2014-15	Team Illinois 14U AAA	HPHL	16	1	1	2		12
2015-16	Milwaukee Jr. Admirals 15U AAA	T1EHL	81	11	29	40		29
2016-17	Milwaukee Jr. Admirals 16U AAA	T1EHL	31	3	14	17		16
2017-18	Chicago Mission 18U AAA	HPHL	20	1	8	9		8
2018-19	Nanaimo	BCHL	57	4	16	20		29
2019-20	Nanaimo	BCHL	58	5	29	34		34

DYLAN MOULTON

Height: 6-0. Weight: 176. DOB: 4-24-2001. Shoots: Left. Home: Nolensville, Tenn.

Scouting: At 19, Moulton is a youngster by modern NCAA defenseman standards, but he has already played parts of two seasons with USHL Green Bay, and he went 5-9-14 in just 37 games with the Gamblers in 2019-20.

He was never a points producer through his early teens, but it’s encouraging to see such a spike in his points-per-game average as he heads enter college.

Moulton, who formerly committed to Bowling Green, followed Bergeron to Miami and joins fellow Nashville-area junior Andrew Sinard as another Tennessean on the blue line.

Bergeron comment: Extremely young, he was committed to us at Bowling Green, so he’s somebody that we’ve known. I think there’s a lot of upside there – it’s going to be difficult transition as a 2001 born. Hopefully he’s able to transition and contribute this year, but I know he’s someone who’s going to help our program over his time here.

Season	Team	League	GP	G	A	Pts	+ / –	PIM
2014-15	TPH Thunder 13U AAA	T1EHL	15	0	4	4		2
2015-16	Ravenwood (Tenn.)	USHS	13	2	9	11		0
2015-16	TPH Thunder 14U AAA	T1EHL	16	1	3	4		4
2016-17	TPH Thunder 16U AAA	T1EHL	32	5	4	9		10
2017-18	Oakland Jr. Grizzlies 16 AAA	HPHL	88	8	28	36
2018-19	Chippewa	NAHL	55	5	23	28	-15	40
2018-19	Green Bay	USHL	3	1	0	1	-1	0
2019-20	Green Bay	USHL	37	5	9	14	6	31

HAMPUS RYDQVIST

Height: 5-10. Weight: 185. DOB: 3-12-1999. Shoots: Right. Home: Goteborg, Sweden.

Scouting: Miami has landed very few European-born players in recent years, but Rydqvist and fellow Swede goalie Ludvig Persson committed to the RedHawks last season.

Granted it was the NAHL, but Rydqvist racked up 41 points in 52 games with Maryland in his first season in North America.

Sweden has been the envy of the world in terms of developing both forwards and defensemen who defend well, so hopefully Rydqvist brings that skill to Miami.

It will be weird seeing a RedHawks defenseman wear No. 16.

Bergeron comment: The forwards in this league are extremely good, and we’re hoping that (Hampus) can take his game to that level where his game will transition and he can make an impact for us next year.

Season	Team	League	GP	G	A	Pts	+ / –	PIM
2013-14	Frolunda U16	Swe U16	25	5	6	11		14
2014-15	Frolunda U16	Swe U16	28	0	3	3		22
2015-16	Malmo J18	Swe J18	35	2	5	7	7	16
2016-17	Malmo J18	Swe J18	37	5	10	15	14	61
2016-17	Malmo J20	Superelit	13	0	0	0	-4	0
2017-18	Frolunda J20	Superelit	44	2	6	8	8	22
2018-19	Frolunda J20	Superelit	44	7	8	15	29	36
2019-20	Maryland	NAHL	52	11	30	41	13	73

GOALTENDER

LUDVIG PERSSON

Height: 6-1. Weight: 184. DOB: 10-06-1999. Catches: Left. Home: Goteborg, Sweden.

Scouting: From the same Swedish hometown as Rydqvist, 2019-20 was Persson’s first in North America, and he absolutely dominated between the pipes.

Persson went 22-4 with seven shutouts, a 1.56 goals-against average and a .932 save percentage with Lone Star of the NAHL.

But that’s the NAHL. The NCHC is obviously a significant rung to climb from that league, so it will be interesting to see how his relatively-small juniors sample translates.

The starting goalie job appears up for grabs. Sophomore Ben Kraws played well at times in 2019-20 but didn’t establish himself as the favorite, and Grant Valentine was solid in a couple of starts last season but has logged just 226 minutes in three seasons.

Big skates to fill here, as Ryan Larkin averaged 30 games a year and finished with nearly 7,000 minutes played the past four seasons.

Bergeron said that both Persson and Rydqvist came to North America to earn a college scholarship, and both project as excellent students.

Bergeron comment: I feel like if there’s two kids that can tradition to (the NCHC), it’s those two – the two Swedes. (Ludvig) played on an unbelievable team in Lone Star if you look at their goals-against and team defense in general – they just were great. He’s a fantastic kid who’s got some talent, and we’ll see what he does, what will he do with his talent, what will he do with this opportunity?

Season	Team	League	GP	W	L	GAA	SV %	SHO
2014-15	Backen U16	Swe U16	12			3.88	0.891
2015-16	Backen J18	Swe J18	12			2.34	0.902
2015-16	Backen J20	J20 D-1	14			2.04	0.925
2016-17	Frolunda J18	Swe J18	16			2.20	0.926	0
2016-17	Frolunda J20	Superelit	1			2.00	0.909	0
2017-18	Frolunda J20	Superelit	24			2.76	0.908	4
2018-19	Frolunda J20	Superelit	14			2.45	0.914	1
2019-20	Lone Star	NAHL	28	22	4	1.56	0.932	7