Vaclav Nestrasil is the new big man on campus โ literally.
UMass hockey’s latest prized recruit brings a talented pedigree to the 2025-26 Minutemen roster after being selected 25th overall in this past summer’s NHL Entry Draft to the Chicago Blackhawks, all within a mammoth, 6-foot-6 frame.
“I’m a big guy, I think everybody can see that, but I’m a mix of everything,” Nestrasil told The Daily Hampshire Gazette last week following a team weight-room session. “I feel like I can do whatever Coach [Greg Carvel] wants me to do. Whether it’s score goals on the powerplay, net front, or go on [penalty kill] and kill a [penalty]. I can play tough positions and do well in them.”
Nestrasil, a native of Prague, Czechia, helped the Muskegon Lumberjacks win the Clark Cup Championship of the United States Hockey League last season and should step right into a UMass forward group with plenty of spots up for grabs.
In 61 games with the Lumberjacks in 2024-25, Nestrasil netted 19 goals and 42 points. The right-shot winger’s stat-line was even better in the playoffs as Nestrasil nabbed 13 points in 14 postseason games (seven goals, six assists) en route to the title.
Former Lumberjacks linemate Jack Galanek will join Nestrasil in the Pioneer Valley this season as another member of the Class of 2029. According to Nestrasil, Carvel is keeping the pair together on a line, at least to start, as the Minutemen officially began on-ice practices earlier this month.
“We’ve been great friends and we’re on a line right now, so hopefully that sticks together,” Nestrasil said. “We played together the whole year, basically, last year, and obviously won the Clark Cup so there’s great chemistry there. He’s a great guy. I’m happy to have him here.”
Nestrasil noted fellow countryman and current teammate, Michael Hrabal, was someone he “relied on” when he decided to commit to UMass. The duo also crossed paths in their youth hockey days in Czechia as they were teammates for a brief period as teenagers.
“We played on the same team. I was practicing with his team when I was 14 and he was 16 or 17 by that time, so we kind of knew about each other,” Nestrasil said.
Though, if not for some convincing from his older brother, Andrej, Nestrasil may not have even chosen the college hockey route to begin with.
“It was actually my brother’s idea because he went through major juniors in Canada,” Nestrasil said. “That’s what I always wanted to do when I was younger. Then it came to that decision when I was 16, whether to choose major junior or the NCAA route and he was actually the one that brought up NCAA in the first place. He made some points and they all made sense to me, so we decided that college was going to be better for me.”
Andrej Nestrasil played in the Quebec Major Junior League from 2008-11, before an admirable pro career in the United States that included stops with the Detroit Red Wings and Carolina Hurricanes. Andrej Nestrasil has starred for HC Ocelรกลi Tลinec, who play in the top pro league in Czechia, since 2021.
I feel like I can do whatever Coach [Greg Carvel] wants me to do.
Vaclav Nestrasil, NEW UMASS HOCKEY FORWARD
When it came down to picking a specific college program, Nestrasil revealed UMass was a team he was attracted to right away.
“I knew that this was a great spot that develops great players and I want to be a part of that, so it was basically a no-brainer,” Nestrasil said.
The fact that the Minutemen go up against prestigious schools in Hockey East essentially every week was another sticking point in Nestrasil’s decision to attend UMass.
“That’s exactly what I wanted, I wanted to compete every single week and that’s what we’re going to have here,” Nestrasil said. “That was definitely a huge factor. Obviously the facilities and the coaching staff, but who we’re playing against is also important.”
Blackhawks management will surely be keeping an eye on Nestrasil’s development throughout his career with the Minutemen as Nestrasil is now part of one of the deepest prospect pools of any NHL team.
Chicago has collected eight first-round picks in the last three drafts and used them on high-profile names such as 2023 first-overall selection Connor Bedard and defenseman Artyom Levshunov, the second overall pick in 2024.
Despite being picked by the club he grew up rooting for as a child, Nestrasil said he is in no hurry to leave Amherst.
“It was like 6 a.m. [in Czechia] when that Chicago pick came in and I was hoping and I thought it was going to be me,” Nestrasil said. “When my name was called that was a once in a lifetime feeling.
“I’m glad it happened, I’m glad that I’m part of that organization, but that’s not something that I’m focusing on right now,” Nestrasil continued. “I’m here, maybe the next two years I’m going to be here, so that’s what my main focus is on.”
Hanrahan comes home
Coleson Hanrahan is one of two freshmen defensemen to be added to this year’s UMass squad, along with Landon Nycz, and both are American.
Nycz grew up in Detroit while Hanarahan had roots much closer to the Mullins Center as a product of Longmeadow.
As a western Mass. kid, playing for the college team he grew up cheering for was Hanrahan’s goal, so safe to say, the 5-foot-10 defender is ecstatic to get his Minutemen career going.
“It’s been my dream school, always, and every year they’ve had phenomenal seasons so hopefully we’re going to build off [that],” Hanrahan said.
Unlike UMass’ forward lines, its D-corps remains mostly intact from last season. Former captain Linden Alger is the only every-day player to depart the program (graduation), while Owen Murray, Lucas Olvestad, Larry Keenan and Francesco Dell’Elce all return to the blueline this year.
Hanrahan, Nycz and sophomore Charlie Lieberman โ who missed his entire freshman season with an injury โ will battle with rugged senior Kennedy O’Connor for two open slots on the Minutemen’s third defensive pair, in all likelihood.
“Be consistent every day,” Hanrahan said on his mindset to win a starting job. “Obviously it’s going to be hard with a few older guys and a lot of returners, but [Carvel] gives a fair shot. Whenever I get an opportunity, take advantage of it.”
Hanrahan’s play style fits hand-in-hand with his current situation as the former Youngstown Phantom described himself as a “hard-nosed, simple” player.
Over two seasons with the Phantoms in the USHL, Hanrahan had 24 points and 201 penalty minutes in 83 career games.
Prior to his junior career, Hanrahan played for the Springfield Jr. Pics’ Under-16 squad for two seasons.
Now that Hanrahan’s dream has become a reality, the right-shot rearguard hopes to add his name to the ever-growing list of defensemen who’ve developed at UMass under Carvel, then went on to bigger and better things.
“How he develops guys, but defensive-wise, especially, he’s got a long list of development that he’s done for the defense so that made my decision really easy,” Hanrahan said of Carvel.