Of the 11 first-year Miamians on the upcoming season’s roster, five are forwards.
Four will be freshmen, plus lone transfer Austin Baker, a sophomore-to-be who dressed for Michigan State last season.
Part II of our three-part series on Miami’s incoming 2026-27 class breaks down the forwards, with history, scouting and comments from RedHawks general manager David Nies.
Part I can be found here:
AUSTIN BAKER
POSITION: Left wing/center.
HEIGHT: 6-0.
WEIGHT: 190.
SHOOTS: Left.
DOB: 2/11/2006.
HOMETOWN: White Lake, Mich.
2025-26 TEAM: Michigan State (NCAA).
GP: 14. G: 0. A: 1. Pts. 1. : +/–: 0. PIM: 15.
HISTORY: Baker spent two seasons with the U.S. National Development Team, racking up three medals with his respective World Juniors teams. He tallied 15 goals and 16 assists in 59 games in 2023-24, earning him a seventh-round selection by the Detroit Red Wings. In 2024-25, Baker logged 56 games for USHL Sioux City, where he wore an ‘A’ and finished 10-21-31. As a freshman at Michigan State, Baker dressed just 14 times — and only twice after the GLI in December — recording a lone assist competing on the Spartans’ fourth line.
SCOUTING REPORT: Baker can flat-out skate, and that aids him in multiple facets of the game. Obviously it helps him create offensive opportunities, but he’s also a two-way forward that can create pressure and force turnovers. He’s also extremely versatile, as he can play all three forward positions, including center, a needed commodity on Miami. Nies watched him frequently when both were with the USNDT several years back and was impressed with his energy level, another major strength.
WHERE HE FITS IN AT MIAMI: Like Vladislav Lukashevich, Baker was squeezed out of the lineup on a super-deep Michigan State team and is coming to Oxford for playing time. He should have every opportunity to dress, especially considering his versatility. Yet another former alternate captain, Baker gives the RedHawks their umpteenth leader.
NIES COMMENT: I think with the ice time that he’ll be given and the opportunity, he’s going to thrive in that. He’s a kid that always going to be able to bring a spark, somehow, some way.
CHUCK BLANCHARD
POSITION: Center.
HEIGHT: 6-0.
WEIGHT: 190.
SHOOTS: Right.
DOB: 1/18/2005.
HOMETOWN: West Hartford, Conn.
2025-26 TEAM: Muskegon (USHL).
GP: 59. G: 17. A: 17. Pts. 34. : +/–: 11. PIM: 31.
HISTORY: Miami has recruited from all over the globe, but few New Englanders have landed in Oxford in the New Goggin era. Like many high-end Connecticut players, Blanchard went the prep school route (and also played for the Yale Jr. U-18 Bulldogs, for whom he racked up 23 goals in 30 games in 2023-24). He made his USHL debut two seasons ago, scoring six goals and assisting on nine others in 55 games with Cedar Rapids. Playing for Muskegon in 2025-26, Blanchard’s numbers ballooned to 17-17-34 in 59 contests, and he added six more points during the Lumberjacks’ Clark Cup finals run.
SCOUTING REPORT: Blanchard tied for fifth on Muskegon in both goals and points, so he’s an impact skater offensively. He also was on the second power play unit and wasn’t on one of the top lines on a deep Muskegon team, so he had to earn most of his 34 points at even strength. Blanchard is responsible defensively, can kill penalties and win faceoffs.
WHERE HE FITS IN AT MIAMI: Blanchard was a secondary scorer in juniors and projects in that role with the RedHawks. But this coaching staff has regularly thrown freshmen over the boards on the PK, so he may be used in that role. Especially because of his defensive skill set and his prowess on draws, he should have the opportunity to earn ice time immediately, probably as a bottom-six forward to begin the season.
NIES COMMENT: He’s the type of kid that scratches, claws, fights for whatever he can get. He can play center or either wing — that (versatility) is kind of what we look for; he’ll be a good addition – he can plug in and play wherever.
MATOUS KUCHARCIK
POSITION: Center/left wing.
HEIGHT: 6-4.
WEIGHT: 198.
SHOOTS: Left.
DOB: 2/3/2007.
HOMETOWN: Prague, Czech Republic.
2025-26 TEAM: Youngstown (USHL).
GP: 35. G: 9. A: 7. Pts. 16. : +/–: 6. PIM: 18.
HISTORY: Born in Italy, where his father, Tomas, played minor league hockey, Kucharcik (Mat-TOUSH Ku-CHAR-sick) scored 30 goals in 33 games with his Czech U17 team in 2023-24 and won a silver medal in the Hlinka Gretzky Cup. He made the U18 national team the following season and was subsequently selected by Buffalo in the fourth round of the NHL Draft. In 2025-26 — Kucharcik’s first season in North America — he went 8-7-15 before an injury cost him three months. However, he returned for the final game of the regular season and scored, then posted a goal and an assist in four postseason games for the Phantoms. Should he make the NHL, he would be just the fourth player born in Italy to play hockey at the highest level, joining Damian Clara, Luca Sbisa and Victor Posa.
SCOUTING REPORT: Kucharcik can definitely score, and he is already defensively responsible at a Division I level at age 19. Scouts have praised him for his ability to stickhandle in tight areas and for his hockey acumen. It’s interesting that Buffalo drafted Ilia Morozov in June, since Kucharcik seems like a very similar player: Both are big centers with scoring ability, stickhandling dexterity and are above-average defensively, although Kucharcik is more of a playmaker.
WHERE HE FITS IN AT MIAMI: Kucharcik may be the biggest wild card of the incoming class. His size is obviously an in-demand attribute, and similar types of players can tend to be late bloomers. Buffalo thought enough of his potential that it drafted Kucharcik in the fourth round last year. It will be interesting to see how he adapts to the Division I game — on paper he tracks similarly to former RedHawk Justin Vaive, also of pro hockey pedigree, who ended up having a successful Miami career. Miami’s center depth has been a shortcoming for well over a decade, and if Kucharcik can step up, this could be the deepest group of RedHawks centermen in a long time.
NIES COMMENT: Highly skilled, super athletic. I think he’s just scratching the surface of what he’s going to be. He’s the type of kid that as the game and the play elevates, he’s going to be able to elevate with it.
LAYNE LOOMER
POSITION: Forward.
HEIGHT: 6-0.
WEIGHT: 190.
SHOOTS: Right.
DOB: 7/17/2005.
HOMETOWN: Lethbridge, Alta.
2025-26 TEAM: Lincoln (USHL).
GP: 59. G: 30. A: 42. Pts. 72. : +/–: 26. PIM: 29.
HISTORY: Loomer played in the Alberta Junior Hockey League for two seasons and posted an identical 17-30-47 line each campaign, but he played 55 games in 2023-24 and amassed the same point total in just 39 games a year later. He finished the latter season with Lincoln, logging 30 games including playoffs. Loomer recorded 12 goals and 28 assists in 2024-25, his first full season with the Stars, and exploded to a 30-42-72 line last year, third-best in USHL regular season points. Shocker but Loomer was an alternate captain with the Stars last season.
SCOUTING REPORT: Loomer definitely heads to Oxford on a high note. He dominated the USHL in 2025-26 and went an incredible 5-7-12 in eight Clark Cup playoff games with Lincoln, leading his team in assists and points. His work ethic has been impeccable at every level. Like everyone Miami seems to bring in, Loomer is no slouch defensively either: His plus-26 rating was nine better than any of his Lincoln teammates last season.
WHERE HE FITS IN AT MIAMI: Coming off an outstanding season with Lincoln, Loomer could play himself into a top-six role right away. He has 141 games of USHL experience and should acclimate to the Division I game quickly. Invaluable on special teams, Loomer scored nine of his goals on the power play and two more shorthanded. A bit of a late b-Loomer (he turned 21 last month), Loomer has the potential to put up a lot of points for the next four years.
NIES COMMENT: He provides an offensive punch and he’s versatile too. He’s work-based but he’s got skill, he works at his game, he’s highly competitive. Super smart, really good hockey IQ. He’s a freshman but he’s got a lot of (high-level) experience, so he’s going to be a big addition for us.
RYAN SEELINGER
POSITION: Forward.
HEIGHT: 6-0.
WEIGHT: 185.
SHOOTS: Right.
DOB: 8/7/2005.
HOMETOWN: Downers Grove, Ill.
2025-26 TEAM: Des Moines (USHL).
GP: 61. G: 31. A: 37. Pts. 68. : +/–: 26. PIM: 26.
HISTORY: Coming from the Chicago-area Windy City Storm juniors program, Seelinger started in the NAHL, where he posted a modest (by prospective D-1 standards) 18-30-38 line in 2023-24, with a two-game promotion to Anthony Noreen’s Tri-City team. Seelinger played the last two seasons with USHL Des Moines. In 2024-25 he scored 14 goals and registered 19 assists for 33 points in 62 games. He more than doubled that output last season, going 31-37-68, finishing sixth in the league in goals and tied for fifth in points.
SCOUTING REPORT: Seelinger can fly. Numerous Twit-X clips from last season showed him blazing down the ice to either score goals or earn assists by feeding teammates. He doesn’t need a lot of space to create offense, and he showed numerous times last season that he’s deadly in odd-man rushes, including breakaways. He has had to pay his dues in the NAHL and has taken prodigious steps each year. Seelinger went from two USHL games played and zero points in 2023-24 to 33 points in that league the following campaign to 68 points plus two goals in three playoff games last season in Des Moines.
WHERE HE FITS IN AT MIAMI: Seelinger is dynamic with the puck and will make his linemates better. His 15 power play assists led the Buccaneers, and hopefully that will translate on a Miami team that was abysmal on the man-advantage in 2025-26. Like Loomer, Seelinger developed his game later (he’s 21 days younger than Loomer) and has a serious shot to crack the top six immediately.
NIES COMMENT: He can really skate — his skating is one of his best assets and I thought he used it consistently this year. His skill in tight areas is pretty elite, and his playmaking ability…he’s going to be quite successful here. If it’s 1-on-goalie, it’s probably going in the back of the net, and those guys are hard to find.
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