On Campus: Top NHL prospects to watch in NCAA holiday tournaments
Beecher, Callahan, McBain among best in spotlight
By
Mark Divver
NHL.com Independent Correspondent
The week after Christmas is NCAA holiday tournament time, a tradition on the hockey calendar that features NHL draft picks and some intriguing free agents.
Two of three tournaments being played next week have lengthy histories: The Great Lakes Invitational began in 1965, and the Ledyard Bank Classic in 1978.
The GLI, as it's known, will feature Michigan State, Michigan, Michigan Tech and Western Michigan. The games will be played at Michigan and Michigan State on Dec. 30 and 31.
Participating in the Ledyard Bank Classic at Thompson Arena in Hanover, New Hampshire, on Dec. 30 and 31 will be Boston College, New Hampshire and Mercyhurst, as well as the host school, Dartmouth.
The new tournament this year is the Holiday Face-Off at Forum in Milwaukee on Dec. 28 and 29, and will feature Wisconsin, Providence, Bowling Green and Yale.
Here are 10 players to watch (in alphabetical order):
Ronnie Attard, D, Western Michigan
Attard (6-foot-3, 208 pounds) has a big shot and doesn't hesitate to use it. The 22-year-old leads all NCAA defensemen with 60 shots and has scored 18 points (five goals, 13 assists) in 18 games.
A junior, he was selected by the Philadelphia Flyers in the third round (No. 72) of the 2019 NHL Draft.
John Beecher, C, Michigan
A gifted skater, Beecher (6-3, 210) is one of 12 NHL picks on Michigan's roster. A junior, he was taken by the Boston Bruins with the No. 30 pick in the 2019 draft.
After being out the first month of the season with an injury, the 20-year-old he has scored four points (two goals, two assists) in 12 games.
Brendan Brisson, RW, Michigan
A dynamic offensive player, Brisson (5-11, 179) was taken by the Vegas Golden Knights with the No. 29 pick in the 2020 NHL Draft.
The 20-year-old sophomore has scored 22 points (11 goals, 11 assists) in 20 games this season.
His father is prominent player agent Pat Brisson, who represents centers Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins, Nathan McKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche and Jack Eichel of the Vegas Golden Knights, among others.
Michael Callahan, D, Providence
A three-year captain at Providence, Callahan (6-2, 197) is solid at each end of the ice.
He has scored 10 points (two goals, eight assists) in 21 games.
The 22-year-old senior was selected by the Arizona Coyotes in the fifth round (No. 142) of the 2018 NHL Draft.
Corson Ceulemans, D, Wisconsin
A mobile offensive defenseman, Ceulemans (6-2, 198) is tied for second on Wisconsin with 10 points (two goals, eight assists) in 15 games.
In his most recent NCAA game, the 18-year-old freshman had a goal and two assists in a 5-4 overtime loss to Penn State on Dec. 11.
He was chosen by the Columbus Blue Jackets with the No. 25 pick in the 2021 NHL Draft.
Parker Ford, C, Providence
An undrafted junior, Ford (5-9, 180) will be highly sought after by NHL teams if he opts to leave school after this season.
Playing in all situations, the 21-year-old has scored 18 points (10 goals, eight assists) in 21 games and has won 60.9 percent of his face-offs.
Jack McBain, C, Boston College
Centering BC's first line, McBain (6-3, 201) brings a physical dimension.
The 21-year-old senior is the team leader with 20 points (nine goals, 11 assists) in 16 games, and already had posted a career-high in goals after scoring six in each of his first three seasons.
He was selected by the Minnesota Wild in the third round (No. 63) of the 2018 draft.
Marc McLaughlin, C, Boston College
McLaughlin (6-0, 202) is a strong two-way center who was voted Hockey East's Best Defensive Forward last season. He is expected to have a number of NHL free-agent contract offers once his senior season ends.
A two-time team captain, the 22-year-old has scored 17 points (12 goals, five assists) in 16 games. His goal total is a career high.
Erik Portillo, G, Michigan
Portillo was the USHL Goaltender of the Year and a first-team All-Star for Dubuque in 2019-20. The 21-year-old sophomore is 14-5-0 with a 2.50 goals-against average, .913 save percentage and one shutout in 20 games for Michigan this season.
Portillo (6-6, 218) was selected by the Buffalo Sabres in the third round (No. 67) of the 2019 draft.
Drew Warrad, RW, Western Michigan
Warrad is one of the feel-good stories of the season.
The 24-year-old briefly quit hockey after commitments to Clarkson and Niagara fell through several years ago, but has hit his stride as a senior at Western Michigan.
Never drafted, Warrad (6-2, 186) is tied for second in the nation in scoring with 27 points (five goals, 22 assists) in 18 games.
