Last week, a pair of Hockey East teams saw players return to junior hockey.
Dovar Tinling (4.5-stars) left Vermont after one-and-a-half seasons with the Catamounts. Tinling, who is from Quebec, will play the rest of this season with the Des Moines Buccaneers. In two games over the weekend, Tinling began his USHL run with two goals and an assist.
Tinling appeared in 26 games for UVM since the start of the 2020-21 season and finished with two goals and one assist.
Tinling was the youngest player in college hockey last season. He didn’t turn 18 years old until this past March and will turn 19 years old in a few weeks (March 3).
Neutral Zone NHL scout Ian Moran was high on Tinling this past summer, ranking him as the No. 133 overall prospect in our NHL Draft Final Rankings.
“Dovar has been an excellent part of this team for 26 games, he is a student in good academic standing and he has a bright future ahead of him,” UVM coach Todd Woodcroft said in a statement. “This being an NHL draft year, Dovar will have an opportunity to showcase his game alongside players of his own age group. We sincerely wish Dovar all the best and thank him for all his contributions, both on and off the ice.”
Down in Boston, Braden Doyle (4.25-stars) left Boston University at the semester break and signed with the Penticton Vees (BCHL). In our final 2001 NCAA Eligible Rankings from last spring, Doyle was ranked No. 9 overall.
Doyle appeared in eight games in the first semester for BU and had recorded one assist. In 51 gamers for the Dubuque Fighting Saints (USHL) last season he finished with five goals and 19 assists for 24 points.
Doyle was drafted by the Los Angeles Kings in the sixth round of the 2019 NHL Draft.
“He is a talented, athletic, two-way defender with smooth hands and exceptional puck poise to extend plays on the blue line,” said NZ scouts. “He’s made improvements in his defensive zone game and is more reliable, particularly in his net-front and defending below the dots. He’s not a burner but plays his angles well, pivots the right way, and maintains tight gaps through the neutral zone to make up for it.”
