Penn State Hockey Is Another Nittany Lions Team Making Big Changes

The Penn State men’s hockey team that garnered so much fan attention the past two seasons will look completely different next year. After falling in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, the Nittany Lions are rebuilding their roster, just as the football and men's basketball teams did this offseason.

Penn State lost multiple key players who accounted for 244 of the team’s 384 points last season, which includes the likely departure of projected first-round pick Gavin McKenna. That also includes the exits of five of their top six points scorers.  

We rounded up the Penn State offseason to date, which currently has more subtractions than additions.  

Penn State hockey departures

Penn State was hit hard almost immediately after losing to Minnesota-Duluth in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in March. Three of the Nittany Lions’ top four point scorers signed professional contracts: forwards Charlie Cerrato, Aiden Fink, Matt DiMarsico. They were arguably Penn State’s most impactful skaters over the past two years. 

Cerrato initially signed a short-term contract with the Chicago Wolves, Carolina’s AHL affiliate, and made his professional debut in April. He recently signed a three-year entry-level deal with the Hurricanes, becoming the fourth Nittany Lion to do so this year. Fink signed his entry-level contract with the Nashville Predators, and DiMarsico signed with the Colorado Eagles, the AHL affiliate of the Avalanche.

The fourth former Nittany Lion to ink a professional contract was goaltender Kevin Reidler, who signed his ELC with the Ottawa Senators. He split duties in goal with Josh Fleming last season, ending his one-year Penn State tenure with a 3.31 goals-allowed average and .901 save percentage. 

The Nittany Lions lost three more skaters to the transfer portal shortly after that. The most notable was forward JJ Wiebusch, who transferred to Wisconsin. He was third on the team in goals the past two seasons with 30. 

Wiebusch’s exit capped the full loss of his line, which featured Cerrato and DiMarsico. The group was Penn State’s most productive unit since 2024. 

The two other portal entrants were forward Nic Chin-DeGraves and defenseman Cade Christenson. Chin-DeGraves was a key bottom-six player for the Nittany Lions and arguably the team’s best skater on the penalty kill, which makes his loss impactful.

The departure of Christenson was hard as well. He was arguably the most underrated Nittany Lion the past two years. Christenson was Penn State’s best defensive player and ultra-reliable when on the ice. He played important minutes in the team’s Frozen Four run in 2025. 

Penn State's roster additions

Penn State’s first offseason acquisition was Caeden Herrington, a right-handed defenseman who transferred from Vermont. Herrington was a fourth-round pick of the Los Angeles Kings in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft.

Herrington (6-2, 205 pounds) posted eight points and one goal in 34 games as a freshman at Vermont. He is a strong skater who shoots the puck frequently. Herrington scored 16 goals in his last season in the USHL in 2024.

Arguably the best offseason addition thus far has been winger Justin Poirier. A fifth-round NHL Draft pick in 2024, Poirier brings elite goal-scoring to the Nittany Lions. His 18 goals last season at Maine were the third-most in the Hockey East Conference. 

A rising sophomore, Poirier tallied an eye-catching 94 goals in 126 games over two years in the QMJHL. While on the smaller side (5-8, 185 pounds), he brings game-breaking speed to the table. 

The most recent commit was winger Marco Mignosa, who played last season in the CHL. He was a seventh-round pick by the Tampa Bay Lightning in last year’s NHL Draft. 

The 21-year-old spent five seasons in the OHL with the Soo Greyhounds, picking up steam predominantly in the last two years. Since 2024, Mignosa has posted 174 points and 71 goals in 123 games. He has a strong two-way game as well, playing on the penalty kill for the Greyhounds. 

Rounding out the offseason moves is goaltender Crew Petty. The 18-year-old is from Kennewick, Washington, and likely will serve as the third-string goaltender most likely in 2026. 

Petty (6-4, 205 pounds) is a large goaltender who catches with his left hand. He posted a 2.19 goals-allowed average and .919 save percentage with Gilmour Academy of the USHS-Prep League last season.

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