Hafner Named M. Hockey Captain; ’05-’06 Season Released

Junior defenseman Peter Hafner was announced as the 110th captain of Harvard men’s hockey during the team’s annual awards banquet, held Saturday night at the Harvard Club’s Main Clubhouse.

The Maryland native has skated in 94 contests, the most of any player expected to return next season.

During the Crimson’s most recent season—which ended March 26 with a 3-2, overtime loss to New Hampshire in the NCAA regional semifinals—Hafner and outgoing captain Noah Welch served as the squad’s top defensive pairing.

“I’m very excited about Peter Hafner’s selection,” said coach Ted Donato ’91, a former Harvard captain himself, in the team’s press release. “His leadership both on and off the ice will serve our team well in the 2005-2006 season. His personal character and his dedication to this program is a model for our players.”

The announcement of Hafner’s captaincy capped an evening of speeches and prizes.

Donato presented the first award—the Donald Angier Hockey Trophy for improvement over the course of the season—to senior Andrew Lederman. After scoring just one goal during the limited playing-time of his first three years, Lederman earned 20 points this campaign, six of which came from goals.

“I think there were some great stories this year,” Donato said, “but I’m not sure there’s one that’s any better, or that’s made me feel so good.”

Assistant captain Ryan Lannon was the next skater honored, when assistant coach Sean McCann ’94 presented the blueliner with the Ralph “Cooney” Weiland Award for “devotion” and “selfless contribution.”

“[Lannon] was an intimidator,” McCann said, “and it wasn’t because of anything he did after the whistle. It was what he did between the whistles. He was someone who was never going to be stopped.”

Rookies Tyler Magura and Jon Pelle shared the George Percy Award as the team’s top rookie, and senior goaltender Dov Grumet-Morris—a Hobey Baker Award finalist whose season save percentage of .947 ranks third in NCAA history—took home the John Tudor Memorial Cup as the squad’s most valuable player.

Next came the senior speeches—some of which jokingly thanked the admissions liaison, but all of which were in keeping with a line by outgoing forward Rob Flynn.

“My father has a joke,” Flynn began. “‘South Boston High was the best seven years of my life.’ I wish I could say that about Harvard.”

For those returning next season, though, the banquet provided a tentative 2005-2006 schedule.

The Crimson will commence its season Oct. 29, facing ECAC foe Dartmouth at the Bright Hockey Center.

Because Vermont—the Big Green’s former travel partner—will leave the ECAC for the Hockey East next season, new travel pairings have been arranged, including the combination of the Crimson and Dartmouth.

Harvard’s old partner, Brown, is now coupled with Yale, and Yale’s previous partner, Pricneton, has been matched with the incoming Quinnipiac.

Of particular note are two December matchups—one at New Hampshire, and then a pair at the rink of national runner-up North Dakota.

In addition, the Crimson will skate its traditional November matchups against local rivals, taking on Boston College at the Eagles’ rink and Boston University at the Bright.

Harvard will also face the Terriers in the opening round of the Beanpot in February.

—Staff writer Rebecca A. Seesel can be reached at seesel@fas.harvard.edu.