Karl El-Mir, David Cotton, & Hockey East's 5 Most Improved Players Of 2019

Karl El-Mir, David Cotton, & Hockey East's 5 Most Improved Players Of 2019

Boston College’s David Cotton, UConn's Karl El-Mir and UMass’ Jacob Pritchard and Mitchell Chaffee are among the most improved players in Hockey East.

Mar 22, 2019 by Mark Spezia
Karl El-Mir, David Cotton, & Hockey East's 5 Most Improved Players Of 2019

Prior to this season, Boston College’s David Cotton, UConn's Karl El-Mir and UMass’ Jacob Pritchard and Mitchell Chaffee had not finished among Hockey East’s top 10 in any offensive category or earned year-end league honors.

That changed dramatically this year as all four were among Hockey East’s leaders in many categories and even among the nation’s leaders in some cases. They were also named to the league’s All-Star squads, announced this week.

The four, along with Northeastern’s Liam Pecararo were among Hockey East’s most improved players in 2018-19.

1. David Cotton | Boston College


The junior forward enters today’s Hockey East semifinal against UMass having scored more goals this season (21) than his previous two seasons combined (19). He leads the league and is tied for seventh nationally in goals and goals per game (0.57).

Cotton is also tied for first in Hockey East with seven power-play goals, tied for ninth with 12 power-play points and tied for 10th in overall points (33) with eight multi-point games. He had eight power-play goals the past two seasons combined.

Make no mistake, Cotton was productive as a freshman and sophomore with 52 points in 77 games, but has clearly established himself as Hockey East’s most dangerous sniper this year.

He was named Hockey East Player of the Week on Nov. 5 after a two-goal, two-assist effort in a win over Merrimack. Cotton was then named the league's November Player of the Month after netting seven goals and four assists in seven games, including two game-winners.

That included a five-game goal-scoring streak and six-game point streak. 

Cotton, who was drafted by the Carolina Hurricanes in 2015, was named to the Hockey East first team. 

He also blocked 17 shots, up from 12 a year ago. 

The Parker, Texas, native has played in all 114 Eagles games the past three seasons and has 85 career points (40-45) with 15 power-play and nine game-winning goals. Cotton also has 17 multi-point games.

2. Jacob Pritchard | UMass


The senior forward has made an impact—and then some—in his first season with the Minutemen after three seasons with St. Lawrence during which he never finished with more than 22 points in a season. 

Pritchard has more than doubled that with 45 points (16-29) in 36 games heading into today’s Hockey East semifinal against Boston College. That ties for the sixth-best single-season assists total in program history. Pritchard ranks second in Hockey East and is tied for sixth nationally in both points and assists.

Pritchard is also eighth nationally in points per game (1.25) and tied for seventh in assists per game (0.81). 

The native of Macomb, Michigan, has been especially dangerous with a man-advantage, leading the league and tying for first in the nation with 24 power-play points (7-17). He tops Hockey East and is fourth nationally in power-play assists and tied for the league lead in power-play goals.

Pritchard, who is a plus-9, boasts 13 multi-point games and put together a six-game point streak in late January and early February. He was named to the Hockey East second team. 

This is not Pritchard's first season playing under UMass coach Greg Carvel. He was recruited to St. Lawrence by Carvel and played under him for a season before Carvel left for UMass. 

Overall, Pritchard has 108 career points (43-81) in 132 games, including 16 power-play goals.  

3. Mitchell Chaffee | UMass


With 41 points (17-24) in 35 games, the sophomore forward has nearly doubled his total from last season when he finished with 24 (13-11). Chaffee also has six power-play and four game-winning goals, up from three and one a year ago. 

He is third in Hockey East in scoring, tied for second in goals and tied for seventh in assists. Chaffee, known for his lethal shot and physical style of play, is also tied for fourth in power-play goals and tied for sixth in power play points (14). 

The Rockford, Michigan, native has also made a huge turnaround in another category with a plus-22 rating (fifth in Hockey East) after a minus-five showing as a freshman.  

Chaffee also has 12 multi-point games this season, including netting two goals and two assists in a 7-4 win over UConn on Nov. 30.  He was named to the Hockey East first team.  

Chaffee appeared on last year's final NHL Central Scouting rankings at No. 203 among North American skaters.

4. Karl El-Mir | UConn


After scoring 15 goals in his first three seasons combined, the senior forward found his scoring touch this year, erupting for 13 goals with 14 assists for 27 points, 11 more than last season. 

He is tied for first in Hockey East with seven power-plays goals after netting just three in his first three seasons with the Huskies combined. El-Mir tied for second in the league with three short-handed points (2-1) and is one of 10 players in the nation with more than one short-handed goal.

El-Mir was a plus-six this season after posting a minus-four mark in 2017-18. He had three short-handed and two game-winning goals as well and was named to the Hockey East third team.

El-Mir enjoyed six multi-point games, including three assists in an upset of nationally-ranked Providence last month. He finished with 62 career points (28-34) in 118 games. 

The Montreal native signed a contract with the Providence Bruins, the American Hockey League affiliate of the Boston Bruins, on March 14. 

5. Liam Pecararo | Northeastern


If Hockey East handed out a Comeback Player of the Year award, the senior forward would probably be the most fitting recipient ever. 

When Pecararo took to the ice for the Huskies’ season-opener Oct. 12, it marked his first college game action since Feb. 7, 2015. That’s how long it took for Pecararo to complete the transfer process from the University of Maine and become eligible due to various issues with the NCAA Clearinghouse and other red tape. 

He actually returned to the United States Hockey League’s team in Waterloo, Iowa, after leaving Maine and played on a summer league team after enrolling at Northeastern. 

The native of Canton, Massachusetts, shook off the collegiate rust, however, and flourished this season.

Going into today’s Hockey East semifinal against Boston University, Pecararo is tied with Brandon Hawkins for second on the team scoring list with 28 points (10-18) in 34 games, including two power-play goals. He is also a plus-seven. 

Pecararo was named Hockey East Player of the Week on Feb. 25 after scoring three goals and four assists in two games against New Hampshire. He has six multi-point games this season. 


Mark Spezia is a freelance writer based in Lapeer, Michigan, whose work has been featured in the Detroit Free Press, Hour Detroit Magazine, ESPNW.com, and Flint, Michigan-based My City Magazine.