Prospects Report | After training together in Buffalo, McCarthy and Richard to square off in NCAA

Boston University defenseman Gavin McCarthy and University of Connecticut forward Jake Richard had a regular morning routine this summer. A drive to LECOM Harborcenter preceded hours of skating, lifting in the gym and constant competition.

The former Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL) teammates ignited their respective hockey journeys over 1,000 miles apart. McCarthy grew up just outside Buffalo in Clarence Center. Richard is a Jacksonville, Fla., native.

The two spent over a year together with the Lumberjacks, where they ascended draft boards and were selected by the Sabres less than 12 months apart. They spent time together with Team USA and are both in the early stages of their third collegiate seasons.

This weekend they’ll meet again – this time, in opposing jerseys as UConn and BU open Hockey East play in a highly anticipated two-game series. Both games – beginning at 7 p.m. on Friday and 5 p.m. on Saturday – are available to watch on ESPN+.

McCarthy and Richard strengthened their hockey bond this past summer, when Richard lived with McCarthy in Buffalo for a month in June as the two prepared for Sabres development camp.

“It came up during development camp my second year,” McCarthy said. “[The Sabres] offer us to go down there and train with the Sabres trainers and really just take advantage of their resources. We brought that up to [Richard], and he’s from Florida so obviously not much as far as hockey going on down there.

“My parents actually talked to his dad at development camp, and Jake [Richard] is just a guy who loves the game and is a rink rat, so it was a no-brainer.”

The 2025 development camp was the fourth for Richard (a 2022 sixth-round pick) and the third for McCarthy (a 2023 third-round pick). This was the first summer, however, that the pair lived and trained together.

The daily training regimen often began with an off-ice workout in the gym followed by skating drills and a barrage of shots before leaving the ice. Post-practice shooting often included a game of "pig" – picking spots on the net for the other person to hit.

The pair could be found on golf courses around Buffalo, where their competitive dynamic only intensified. Richard said he was grateful to have a temporary billet family and that having McCarthy around gave him a sense of comfort and confidence – attributes he displayed with a hat-trick during 3-on-3 action on the final day of development camp.

McCarthy said it was one of the best summers he’s ever had with Richard as a roommate.

“We’re both trying to compete and make ourselves better,” McCarthy said. “I think that’s one of the coolest things about our relationship is how we use each other to push each other, and we obviously have that goal (of playing in the NHL).”

The relationship between McCarthy and Richard dates back to the fall of 2021, when they played more than 80 games together over a season and a half with Muskegon before Richard was traded to the Tri-City Storm.

Richard was drafted as a 17-year-old in 2022, one year prior to McCarthy. Richard recalled watching the 2023 NHL Draft when McCarthy’s name was called by the Sabres.

“I was watching it live actually, and I remember being so fired up, texting him immediately,” Richard said. “I was just so fired up to see him at camp that year.”

Richard and McCarthy got the opportunity to share the same jersey again at the 2022 World Junior A Challenge for Team USA and play for now-Rochester Americans head coach Michael Leone, who was an assistant.

Leone coached McCarthy at three different international events and has followed his development at Boston University.

“He's a really hard defender,” Leone said. “I think he's come a long way in his ability to move the puck, and he's really translated to understanding what his identity is going to have to be at the next level. ... He's going to have to be a shutdown guy, kill penalties and really develop into being hard to play against. He's shown that in college.”

Leone compared Richard’s style, meanwhile, to Vegas Golden Knights forward Mark Stone – in particular, how his hockey sense can translate to a top-six role.

“Richie is a really unique player,” Leone said. “His offensive instincts and his ability to protect pucks especially down low in the hard areas are [what] I think really translate to the next level.

“… Richie has an ability to take pucks to the net. His ability to create space and make players around him better. I'm sure every scouting report says he needs to be a better skater, but when I think about Richie, he’s a really intelligent hockey player.”

McCarthy is entering his junior season at Boston University and was named the Terriers captain in September – a title his older brother, Case, held with the program in 2023-24. Gavin is looking to lead a young, talented Terriers roster to a national championship after they fell to Western Michigan in last year’s Frozen Four final.

“I think those games are huge for just experience in general,” McCarthy said. “Over the last two years we’ve obviously played in some big games, and you learn how to just deal with your emotions in those games and not fall victim to the atmosphere and environment you’re playing in. I think that’s the biggest thing, and a majority of handling that is experience. I’ve played in those games, so I have some advice to offer now to a younger team like ours.”

Richard, meanwhile, walks through the hallway at UConn’s Toscano Family Ice Forum and sees five banners of former Huskies who have reached the NHL. Two of the five are/were Sabres: Cole Schneider and Tage Thompson.

Richard said he met Thompson briefly this summer and called him an influential role model. UConn coach Mike Cavanaugh uses Thompson’s journey as a measuring stick for what players can accomplish.

“You obviously want to be where your feet are and focus on being at UConn, getting better here every day and winning here,” Richard said. “But I'd be lying if my goal of playing in the NHL didn't run through my mind daily, so seeing those guys on that wall every day is kind of just like another motivator.”

Richard blossomed during his sophomore season in 2024-25, going from 18 points in 36 games as a freshman to 43 points in 34 games last year. He was named a Hockey East Third-Team All-Star and powered UConn to its first NCAA Tournament in program history.

The Huskies came one win away from going to the Frozen Four, falling to Penn State in overtime in their regional final. Like McCarthy, he enters this season with championship aspirations.

"With a team that we have, anything short of a national championship wouldn't be a success,” Richard said.

Prospect Spotlight

Isak Rosen, F - Rochester Americans, AHL

Rosen (1st round, 2021) is tied for third in the AHL with seven points (3+4) through the first five games of Rochester’s season. He had a goal and two assists in the Amerks’ 7-4 win over Utica last Friday, then added another assist in a win over Syracuse on Wednesday.

Ryan Rucinski, F - Youngstown Phantoms, USHL

Rucinski (7th round, 2025) was one of the youngest players at the Sabres’ Prospects Challenge in September, where he studied the habits of the older prospects to become a more prepared player in the USHL.

The 18-year-old is now one of the most experienced players in the USHL and has shined for Youngstown with eight goals, five assists and 13 points through 11 games. His point total is tied for second most in the league.

The Ohio State (NCAA) commit leads the league with five power-play goals.

Samuel Meloche, G - Rouyn-Noranda Huskies, QMJHL

Meloche (4th round, 2025) has been a workhorse for Rouyn-Noranda this season, playing in 10 of 12 games. He is second among qualified goalies in the QMJHL with a 2.61 goals-against average and has a .894 save percentage.

Meloche has the Huskies in second in the QMJHL Western Division and individually has a 7-3 record.