After scoring just 63 goals in 2024-25 — the second-fewest tallies in all of Division I — Miami found the net 104 times last season.
Seventy-five of those 2025-26 markers came from RedHawks forwards who are returning this fall, and six of MU’s top seven snipers from that team are back.
Add in two top-five USHL scorers and a pair of NHL draft picks, and the potential for this season’s forward class is at a decade-plus high.
“Every single guy from 1-to-15 can make an impact,” senior Doug Grimes said. “Everyone does in a different way: Some guys are smaller and more skilled and have more speed, some guys are bigger and can use the physicality, but every single guy we have is a very impactful player in their own way, and the depth of our team, we’re going to be able to just roll, roll, roll, line after line, and it’s going be hard to stop, and hard to match up against us when we’ve got so much coming at the other team.”
VFG takes a look at the RedHawks’ forwards in Part II of its four-part preview series.
Part I can be found here:
WHO’S BACK: Srs. (2): Matteo Giampa, Doug Grimes; Jrs. (3): John Emmons, Nicholas Mikan, Ryan Smith; Sophs. (6): Kocha Delic, David Deputy, Ethan Hay, Ilia Morozov, Bradley Walker, Austin Baker.
WHO’S GONE: David Grosek, Max Helgeson, Blake Mesenburg, Brayden Morrison, Casper Nassen, Michael Quinn, Justin Stupka.
WHO’S NEW: Austin Baker (transfer), Charlie Blanchard, Matous Kucharcik, Layne Loomer, Ryan Seelinger.
ANALYSIS: Seven of Miami’s nine double-digit points producing forwards from 2025-26 are back — impressive in the instant-transfer era.
And with addition of five quality skaters, the RedHawks likely have its deepest class up front since the mid-10s.
Among Miami’s returning stars, Kocha Delic led the team in points (25) as well as shots on goal (106) as a freshman, and according to College Hockey News, he was the lone Miami forward to average over 20 minutes of TOI. Delic should continue to log tons of ice time in 2026-27.
Despite missing seven games due to two separate injury stints in early 2026, senior Matteo Giampa finished second on the team in scoring with 24 points and was second in goals (12). He led the team with four game-winners and should play a key top-six role this season.
Sophomore David Deputy was hurt on opening night and missed the next five games, but he more than compensated upon his return. The sophomore led all RedHawks with 15 goals, including a Miami-best four on the power play, and will likely play on the top line.
Ilia Morozov, who was also a freshman last season, was drafted 20th overall by the Buffalo Sabres in June, went 8-12-20 as a 17-year-old and was one of the best defensive forwards on the team. He should take a major step forward in 2026-27.
Ryan Smith should again play a key role offensively. He notched just five points as a freshman at Quinnipiac, but he scored 10 goals and assisted on nine more with Miami as a sophomore.
And Grimes was named the RedHawks’ captain last month after tallying 10 goals and eight assists last season following two campaigns at Boston University. He was also one of MU’s best defensive forwards.
“It means the world, it’s a huge honor for me,” Grimes said. “When I transferred here, I had not necessarily being the captain in mind, but I had being a leader and being a driving force for this program to help turn this program back to what it should be, which is one of top competitive teams in college hockey every year. Knowing that the coaches had the trust that I could a guy to lead this squad this year means the world to me.”
Ethan Hay, a sophomore center, was awarded an ‘A’ after going 4-12-16. He led all forwards in blocked shots (25) and exceled in the faceoff circle, most notably winning both overtime opening draws in Lindenwood that led to Miami game winners.
Miami’s other alternate captain is fellow sophomore Bradley Walker, who dressed 30 times, scoring three goals and setting up three more for six points. Despite missing six of the first eight games his freshman season, he led the team with 49 penalty minutes.
High-energy grinder John Emmons is back after scoring three goals in 18 games, and Nicholas Mikan also returns after going 0-2-2 in 26 contests. Both are juniors.
On paper, Layne Loomer and Ryan Seelinger are Miami’s top two incoming skaters up front.
Loomer finished third in the USHL with 72 points and was tied for seventh for Lincoln. Seelinger tied for fifth in USHL scoring with a 31-37-68 line with Des Moines.
The duo tied for seventh in the league with a plus-26 rating.
Two of the other incoming freshmen forwards are NHL draftees.
Matous Kucharcik, a Buffalo 2025 fourth-round pick, was limited to 35 USHL games with Youngstown last season, scoring nine goals, and he returned from injury to score in the regular season finale and add two points in four playoff games.
Austin Baker was picked by Detroit in the seventh round the 2024 draft but dressed just 14 times with Michigan State last season, tallying a lone assist.
Charlie Blanchard will also debut for the RedHawks after going 17-17-34 for USHL runner-up Muskegon (and adding six points in 16 playoff games). Miami has lacked depth up the middle for years, and Blanchard could thrive as a bottom-six center.
All of the newcomers are expected to challenge for lineups spots immediately.
“Up front, a mix of (new) guys that have played all different kinds of roles, guys that have scored in some really tough leagues,” coach Anthony Noreen said. “You look at the two guys that were top five scorers in the USHL last year, you look at a guy like Austin Baker out of the transfer portal, and where he’s played and having a part of the U.S. National program…and that entire forward group, we feel like they’re really competitive, we feel like our playmaking has improved. You add some size and some length with a guy like Matous Kucharcik. It’s a good mix up there.”
Grimes has been impressed with each of the newcomers so far in practice.
“Every guys is a competitor first, every guy is a great teammate first, everybody is willing to do what the coaches need of them and what we need of them as a team,” Grimes said. “Outside of that, a lot of them are really skilled, really good players that can combine their work ethic and their willingness to play hard and their willingness to do these things that they’re asking with their skill. Our whole is work first, and once you do the work, you can be creative, you can make plays, you can bring out that skill side, but I’ve seen some really good things from all the new guys in all of those areas.”
Miami has not only fortified its forward group overall, its center class — a RedHawks depth shortcoming for numerous years — may be its best in a generation.
“Center is a tough position, especially the way our team plays,” Grimes said. “We rely on killing pucks in the corners and getting other teams stopped up, not letting them flow in the offensive zone. So just having guys that are willing to play defensive and shut other teams down and also have an offensive side too is really helpful, because shutting a play down and turning it into offense is the best way to defend. We don’t want to defend for long, we want to kill their offense, shut it down and then we want to play offense. Having guys that can do that deep defensive work first, and then once they have the opportunity, turn that into offense is really great.”
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