As the newest program in Hockey East, UConn men’s hockey isn’t content just being in the best conference in college hockey. Mike Cavanaugh and his staff not only want to compete for conference titles but also national championships, and to do that, they need elite players.
For UConn’s other top programs, it usually started with getting a top player from Connecticut — or at least nearby. The football team snagged Dan Orlovsky from Shelton. Southwick, Massachusetts’ Rebecca Lobo helped start the women’s basketball team’s dynasty. Chris Smith, a Bridgeport native, was a critical part of the rise of the Huskies’ men’s basketball program with the NIT victory in 1988 and the Dream Season in 1990.