NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Jeff Hamilton, Malcolm G. Chace Head Coach and the Yale men's hockey team have announced the seven first-years that will be joining the squad for the 2026-27 season.

Of the seven players, five are U.S.-born, and two come from Ontario, Canada. Their experience spans multiple leagues across Canada and the United States. Here's how it breaks down:

• Four players from the United States Hockey League (USHL)
• One player from the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL)
• One player from the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)
• One player from United States Prep School Hockey

Henryk Lasky, Defense
Greenwich, Conn. | Omaha Lancers (USHL)

Before Yale:

• Competed for the Omaha Lancers in the USHL and the Powell River Kings in the BCHL
• Played in 24 games for the River Kings, recording two assists
• Played in 81 games for the Lancers, recording a goal and four assists

Personal:

• Son of Isabel and David Lasky
• Participated in community service for each of his hockey organizations
• Speaks French and Spanish fluently with a working knowledge of German

Why Yale? "Living 40 minutes from campus and visiting my friends at Yale, I fell in love with the energy on campus. Additionally, joining the most historic hockey program is exciting... and I look good in blue."

Drew Waterfield, Forward
Naperville, Ill. | Waterloo Black Hawks (USHL)

Before Yale:

• Competed in ice hockey at Shattuck-St. Mary's School in Faribault, MN
• Won two national championships with the Sabres in 2023 and 2024
• Recorded 53 points in 57 games his senior season in 2023-24
• Went on to play for the Madison Capitols and Waterloo Black Hawks in the USHL
• Recorded a combined 36 points in 104 USHL games

Personal:

• Son of Kristin and Brett Waterfield
• Enjoys competitive swimming, guitar and playing golf

Why Yale? "Great school with a great student body and support staff. Loved the city when I visited. Storied hockey program with a great student great future."

Eli Friedman, Forward
Rye, N.Y. | Powell River Kings (BCHL)

Before Yale:

• Served as assistant captain of the ice hockey team at Brunswick School
• Accumulated 27 goals and 54 assists for 81 points during his high school career
• Played 27 games for the Powell River Kings in the BCHL, recording 15 points

Personal:

• Son of Sarah and Todd Friedman
• Reading program volunteer at Qathet School district in Powell River, British Columbia
• Enjoys spending time with family, friends and his dogs

Why Yale? "I have grown up attending Yale hockey games since I was five years old, and it is a dream come true to play for such a historic program. Yale provides the opportunity to compete at a high level, receive a great education and meet people from all over the world."

Alex Assadourian, Forward
Stouffville, Ont. | Chicago Steel (USHL)

Before Yale:

• Competed in ice hockey at Saint Maximilian Kolbe Catholic Secondary School in Aurora, Ontario
• Played five seasons in the OHL with the Sudbury Wolves, Niagara IceDogs and Barrie Colts
• Recorded 147 points in 252 career OHL games
• Most recently played for the Chicago Steel in the USHL, recording seven points in 28 games

Personal:

• Son of Jenny Assadourian
• Brother Nicholas played Division III soccer at Colby College and is currently in med school
• Runs a hockey school during the summers to provide local youth with coaching
• Loves to play all kinds of sports like golf, tennis and soccer

Why Yale? "I chose Yale because it offers a combination of strong academics and competitive athletics."

Matthew Virgilio, Defense
Aurora, Ont. | Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL)

Before Yale:

• Competed in ice hockey and lacrosse at St. Andrew's College
• Competed for his home country of Canada at the U17 World Junior Showcase
• Played for the Moncton Wildcats in the QMJHL, recording 19 points in 62 games

Personal:

• Son of Emilia and Robert Virgilio

Why Yale? "I chose Yale because it offered the combination I was looking for academically, athletically and personally. Academically, I was drawn to the flexibility to explore my interests in economics, public policy and other fields while learning in a highly collaborative environment. Athletically, Yale gives me the opportunity to compete at the highest level of college hockey while being part of a close-knit team. What ultimately stood out to me, though, was the sense of community. I wanted a school that would challenge me, expose me to people with different backgrounds and perspectives, and give me opportunities to grow beyond the classroom and the rink. Yale felt like the place where I could make the most of all aspects of my college experience."

Kyle O'Leary, Forward
Medfield, Mass. | Sioux City Musketeers (USHL)

Before Yale:

• Competed in ice hockey and lacrosse for Noble and Greenough School in Dedham, Mass.
• Recipient of the Nobles Shield as the most respected student athlete
• Recorded over 100 points at Noble and Greenough, including 59 in 27 games during his senior season in 2025
• Recorded 28 points in 32 games with the Sioux City Musketeers in the USHL
• Recipient of the Boston Bruins John Carlton Award for most outstanding high school hockey player
• ISL MVP
• All-ISL Hockey and Lacrosse
• All-NEPSAC Hockey
• USA Hockey Nationals All Tournament Team 
• Boston Globe and Boston Herald Hockey All-American

Personal:

• Son of Eileen and Steve O'Leary
• Enjoys golfing, hiking and the beach

Why Yale? "I chose Yale because of the people, the tradition, the opportunity to compete at the highest level and the chance to learn from the best on and off the ice. I can't wait to get started!"

Derrick Huang, Goaltender
Carlisle, Mass. | The Rivers School (Prep)

Before Yale:

• Competed in ice hockey at The Rivers School
• 35-10-1 career record
• .919 career SV%
• 10-3-1 senior year record
• .947 senior year SV%
• All-NEPSAC Honorable Mention ('26)
• All-ISL ('26) 
• All-ISL Honorable Mention ('25) 

Personal:

• Son of Zhongqiang Huang and Heng Zhu
• Enjoys hiking and biking
• Plays the jazz saxophone
• Works as a Spanish tutor and volunteer hockey coach
• Volunteered for SCORE Boston, a Boston-based program providing opportunities for underprivileged kids from 2022 to 2026
• Younger sister Melissa plays hockey, soccer and lacrosse
• Dad is an AI researcher
• Mom is a patent agent
• Planning to major in applied math with concentration in neuroscience
• Speaks Mandarin at home and is on the path to becoming fluent in Spanish

Why Yale? "And not or. At Yale, I'm able to pursue both hockey and academics at the highest level rather than having to choose one or the other."