Last year, it was the offense that carried the weight for Penn State men’s hockey.
This year, it will be the defense.
Ahead of the 2026-27 season, Penn State men’s hockey finds itself positioned as a defensive team and it’s that defense – along with goaltending – that will need to carry it through should it want to reach the NCAA Tournament for the third straight season.
Of Penn State’s five top point getters in 2025-26, just one returns (Reese Laubach fifth with 28), and of course the reason for the mass exodus is a good one to have if you’re Guy Gadowsky.
Penn State lost Gavin McKenna, Matt DiMarsico, and Aiden Fink early to professional contracts of varying – though McKenna was only likely going to a one-year thing anyhow. Meanwhile, Penn State also lost Charlie Cerrato – who finished sixth in points on the team and likely would have been higher if not for injury – as well to the Carolina Hurricanes organization.
Of Penn State’s top 10 point scorers in 2025-26, only two forwards – Dane Dowiak and Luke Misa who had a combined 37 points, including 17 goals – return. The other top two returners – Jackson Smith and Mac Gadowsky – will be central pieces of the blueline.
And maybe that is the adjustment that Penn State needs. Penn State gave up the 17th most goals allowed in college hockey last year but ranked inside the top 10 in offensive production. Of course, there is an expected drop-off – especially as McKenna, who led the team, is now in the NHL – but the defensive style of play was at times what ailed Penn State last season.
Its inability to close out key games hurt Penn State down the stretch – just as much as injuries themselves hurt the team, which never could get momentum rolling. And while Gadowsky teams are always known for shots on goal – also a statistic where Penn State ranked inside the top 10 last year – those problems on defense may be better suited for a top-heavy Big Ten conference.
“Years before, guys would say that Penn State hockey was really hard to play against,” Smith said at media day this week. “I think last year we kind of got away from that a little bit. So that’s something that we’re going to bring back, while still having offense.”
Smith will likely be the stalwart of the defense – much like he was last year. At times, Smith was also not just Penn State’s best defenseman but the best player on the ice. Much of the offensive production – on top of his strong ability to play defense – will be on him to generate.
Elsewhere, guys like Mac Gadowsky – a former Hobey Baker top-ten finalist – and Nick Fascia also provide the stability on the blue line of experience. While Penn State features eight freshmen on the roster in 2026-27 across its entire roster, just one of those freshmen is a defenseman (Ethan Weber).
Of course, Penn State will also need stability at net, something it struggled to find last season. Josh Fleming – who was the better netminder with a 2.61 goals-against average and a .924 save percentage – figures to be a major piece of that equation yet again. But Penn State also welcomes Ryder Fetterolf who was the OHL and CHL goalie of the year last season. The foundation for success on defense starts at that goaltending and if Fleming can stack his season last year and Fetterolf can complement him, there is an opportunistic road to success ahead for Penn State.
Still, Penn State faces an uphill battle on offense as it tries to replace some of its most productive players in program history – a core that took this team to the Frozen Four just two years ago.
But if Penn State can leverage its defense in 2026-27, then it can reach the NCAA Tournament for the third straight year that may setup Penn State for more success beyond this season.
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