At the beginning of the season, the Harvard men’s hockey team was projected to finish near the top of the league, and the incoming crop of freshmen was touted to be the best in the ECAC.

While the team results may have fallen short of expectations, with the Crimson finishing at the bottom of the ECAC standings for the first time in history, the rookies did not disappoint.

The standout this season for the Harvard freshmen has been forward Jimmy Vesey, who was recently named Ivy League Rookie of the Year.

Missing only a few games due to the World Junior Championships – in which he helped team USA earn the gold – Vesey played in 24 of 29 games for the Crimson, netting 11 goals and tallying 18 points, tied-for-first and second on the team, respectively.

In strictly Ivy League play he scored just one goal and had three assists, but in ECAC play he led freshmen in scoring with 15 points (nine goals and six assists), earning ECAC Rookie of the Week thrice and also ECAC Rookie of the Month for November.

The Ivy League also awarded captain Danny Biega, naming him to the All-Ivy League second team, his third All-Ivy honor of his career. The defenseman played a majority of minutes for Harvard, finishing the season with two goals and seven assists.

These two will look to continue their strong play into the ECAC playoffs, where the Crimson will face off against Ivy League rival Dartmouth, Friday night at Thompson Arena in Hanover, New Hampshire.