BRISTOL, R.I. — Roger Williams men's ice hockey enters its second season of varsity competition with the foundation of its inaugural campaign in place: the Hawks return their top three scorers, much of their roster and a goaltender who started 19 games last season. With a new group of additions and a full slate of Conference of New England competition ahead, RWU will look to turn that experience into progress on the ice.

The Hawks finished 2025–26 with a 6-18-1 overall record and a 4-15-1 mark in CNE play. While RWU did not qualify for the conference tournament, the season included several wins that offered a glimpse of the team's potential. The Hawks defeated UMass Dartmouth, Wentworth, Western New England, Framingham State and Suffolk, and earned a shootout win over Endicott after a 1-1 tie.

The team also found success in close games. RWU earned an overtime win over Wentworth and split a two-game series with Western New England, winning 2-1 after a 1-2 overtime loss. Those results will give the Hawks a starting point as they work through another demanding conference schedule.

Head coach Chris Hall returns to lead the program, joined by assistant coaches Tom McCarthy and Matt Fawcett. Collin Felton, announced as the hockey programs' Player Development and Recruiting Coordinator, will also support both the men's and women's teams. The full-time position was established through philanthropic support for RWU hockey. 

Roger Williams returns 25 players from last season, with one graduating senior, five other departures and 10 newcomers joining the roster. The new group includes six first-year players and four transfers, adding depth across the lineup as the Hawks continue to shape the program.

The returning group spans every position. Forwards Daxton St. Hilaire, JJ Alger, Aidan Radic, PJ Sweeney, TJ Sullivan and Nicholas Rooney all return after contributing on offense last season. The defense also brings back Colin Kwak, Cooper St. Hilaire, Seth Rakosky and Tommy Rose, among others.

The roster includes players from across the country and abroad, with hometowns ranging from Lewiston, Maine, and Melrose, Massachusetts, to Boise, Idaho, and Chamonix, France. The newcomers add to that geographic reach, including first-year players from Tewksbury, Billerica and Easthampton, Massachusetts, and Manlius, New York.

St. Hilaire headlines the returning forwards after leading the Hawks with 19 points in 2025–26. The Lewiston, Maine, native finished with eight goals and 11 assists, including a team-high three game-winning goals. He enters his sophomore season as RWU's top returning point producer.

Alger also returns after matching St. Hilaire with eight goals. The Melrose, Massachusetts, native added seven assists for 15 points and led the team with three power-play goals. Radic recorded 14 points, including 11 assists, in 18 games. His 0.78 points per game ranked second on the team among players who appeared in at least 15 contests.

Sweeney gives the Hawks another experienced playmaker. He finished with three goals and seven assists for 10 points in 19 appearances. Sullivan added nine points on six goals and three assists, while Rooney totaled eight points, scoring five goals in 12 games.

Bo Clark and Christian Worrell are among the other forwards returning after appearing regularly in the lineup. Clark contributed five points, while Worrell recorded six. Senior forwards Gabe Reis and Shane Adler also return, alongside senior Max Chagovets and senior John Hoins, giving the forward group an experienced upperclassmen presence.

The incoming forwards will have opportunities to compete for roles. First-year Adam Ellegood joins from Lowell Catholic, while Ryan O'Leary arrives from Phillips Exeter Academy. The roster also includes first-year defensemen Jack Kent and James Tucker, and first-year forward Ryan O'Leary, with Brennan Cail returning after a redshirt year.

Kwak returns after leading the Hawks with 65 blocked shots last season, a total that ranked among the team's highest marks. He also contributed 10 points, recording one goal and nine assists in all 25 games.

Cooper St. Hilaire appeared in every game and finished with eight points, while Rakosky played in 24 contests and added three assists. Rose appeared in 10 games, contributing two points. Their experience will be important as RWU looks to limit opponents' scoring chances and support the transition from defense to offense.

The returning defensemen are joined by newcomers Kent and Tucker. Kent comes to Bristol from Northwood School, while Tucker joins the Hawks from Avon Old Farms. Ryan Solari, a first-year defenseman from Kingston, Massachusetts, also adds another option to the unit.

Sophomore Jacob Jaslow returns after carrying the largest share of the goaltending workload in 2025–26. He appeared in 21 games, making 730 saves and finishing with a .910 save percentage, a 3.49 goals-against average and a 6-13-1 record. Jaslow also recorded one shutout.

Niko Charles and Cam Prodin return after seeing action as first-years. Charles played in six games, while Prodin appeared in seven. Junior Maxim Zanchenko joins the group after transferring from Johnson & Wales, adding another experienced option in goal.

The Hawks enter a CNE field that includes returning contenders and new conference competition. Endicott claimed the 2025–26 tournament title, while the University of New England won the regular-season crown and reached the conference final. Suffolk also advanced to the semifinals after a 17-9-1 season, and Nichols reached the semifinal round.

Salve Regina joins the CNE after a 20-win season and an NCAA tournament appearance as an independent. The Seahawks are among the conference opponents on RWU's schedule, adding another established program to the league slate. cnesports.org

The Hawks' 25-game schedule features home-and-home series with Curry, the University of New England, Suffolk, Johnson & Wales, Nichols, Salve Regina, Western New England, Endicott and Wentworth. RWU also faces UMass Dartmouth, Albertus Magnus, UMass Boston, Framingham State, Southern New Hampshire, Amherst and Colby.

Conference play begins Nov. 6, when the Hawks host Curry. The schedule then brings a two-game series with the University of New England, followed by a home-and-away set against Suffolk. After the December break, RWU resumes CNE play in January against Johnson & Wales and Nichols before meeting Salve Regina, Western New England, Endicott and Wentworth in the closing stretch.

The Hawks finish the regular season with a home-and-away series against Wentworth on Feb. 19–20. For a team entering its second varsity season, the year will offer a chance to measure the growth of its returning core, see how newcomers fit into the lineup and build on the competitive moments from the program's first campaign.