On campus: The best possible spectators in the NHL in NCAA holiday tournaments

The week after Christmas is the time for NCAA holiday tournaments, a tradition in the hockey calendar that includes NHL draft selections and fascinating free agents.

Two of the three tournaments to be played next week have a long history: The Great Lakes Invitational began in 1965 and the Ledyard Bank Classic in 1978.

The GLI, as it is known, includes Michigan State, Michigan, Michigan Tech and Western Michigan. The matches will be played in Michigan and Michigan State on December 30th and 31st.

Boston College, New Hampshire and Mercyhurst, as well as the host school in Dartmouth, will be participating in the Ledyard Bank Classic at Thompson Arena in Hanover, New Hampshire on December 30 and 31.

This year’s new tournament is at the Holiday Face-Off Forum in Milwaukee on Dec. 28 and 29, featuring 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) is strong and will not hesitate to use it. The 22-year-old leads all NCAA defenders with 60 shots and has scored 18 points (five goals, 13 assists) in 18 games.

The Philadelphia Flyers selected him as the junior in the third round of the 2019 NHL draft (No. 72).

John Beecher, C, Michigan

The talented skater Beecher (6-3, 210) is one of the 12 NHL selections on the Michigan list. As a junior, the Boston Bruins chose him No. 30 in the 2019 draft.

After an injury in the first month of the season, he has scored four points (two goals, two assists) in 12 games.

Brendan Brisson, RW, Michigan

Dynamic striker Brisson (5-11, 179) was selected to the Vegas Golden Knights by No. 29 in the NHL 2020 Draft.

The 20-year-old second-grader has scored 22 points (11 goals, 11 assists) in 20 games this season.
His father is a well-known player agent, Pat Brisson, who represents the centers Sidney Crosby Pittsburgh Penguins, Nathan McKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche and Jack Eichel including the Golden Knights of Vegas.

Michael Callahan, D, Providence

The three-year-old captain in Providence, Callahan (6-2, 197), is fixed at both ends of the ice.
He has scored 10 points (two goals, eight assists) in 21 games.

Arizona Coyotes selected the 22-year-old senior in the fifth round (No. 142) in the 2018 NHL draft.

Corson Ceulemans, D, Wisconsin

Mobile offensive defender Ceulemans (6-2, 198) is second in Wisconsin with 10 points (two goals, eight assists) in 15 games.

In his most recent NCAA match, the 18-year-old freshman scored and scored two assists for Penn State in the extra time on December 11 in a 5-4 loss.

Columbus Blue Jackets selected him 25th in the 2021 NHL Draft.

Parker Ford, C, Providence

Undrafted junior Ford (5-9, 180) is highly sought after by NHL teams if he decides to leave school after this season.

The 21-year-old, who played in all situations, has scored 18 points (10 goals, eight assists) in 21 games and won 60.9 percent of the matches.

Jack McBain, C, Boston College

By focusing on the first line of BC, 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 had already set a career record in goals after scoring six in each of his first three seasons.

He was selected by the Minnesota Wild in the third round of the 2018 draft (No. 63).

Marc McLaughlin, C, Boston College

McLaughlin (6-0, 202) is a strong two-way center that was voted Hockey East’s best defensive striker last season. He is expected to have several NHL free agent contract offers at the end of his senior term.

Double team captain, the 22-year-old has scored 17 points (12 goals, five assists) in 16 games. His overall goal is the pinnacle of his career.

Erik Portillo, G, Michigan

Portillo was the USHL goalkeeper of the year and Dubuque’s No. 1 All-Star in the 2019-20 season. The 21-year-old sophomore is 14-5-0 with 2.50 goals on average, 0.913 rebounds and one stop in 20 matches in Michigan this season.

Buffalo Sabers selected Portillo (6-6, 218) in the third round of the 2019 draft (No. 67).

Drew Warrad, RW, Western Michigan

Warrad is one of the well-being stories of the season.

The 24-year-old stopped hockey for a moment after his commitments to Clarkson and Niagara expired several years ago, but he has made his career as a parent in Western Michigan.

Warrad (6-2, 186) has never been equipped and is second in the country with 27 points (five goals, 22 assists) in 18 games.