CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Harvard men's ice hockey will welcome six first-years to the program for the upcoming season from the class of 2030, Rob Rassey, The Robert D. Ziff '88 Head Coach for Harvard Men's Ice Hockey, announced today.
The incoming class features four forwards, one defensemen and one goaltender, and brings an impressive mix of junior hockey success, championship experience and NHL Draft pedigree to Cambridge. The group includes two QMJHL champions and three NHL Draft selections.
For more information on the class of 2030, see below:
Niles Benson | Right Wing | Tampa, Fla. | Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL) | Canisius High School
Attended Canisius High School … Skated with the Buffalo Jr. Sabres at the 15U and 16U levels as a right wing … Competed at the AAA level … Served as an assistant captain for the Buffalo Jr. Sabres 16U team … Helped his team win a USHL Eastern Conference championship … Earned First Honors as a sophomore, junior and senior … Member of the National Junior Honor Society … Son of Ron and Kathleen Benson; Ron attended Michigan and Kathleen attended Florida State … Enjoys fishing, golf and guitar.
Justin Graf | Forward | Lincoln, Mass. | Cedar Rapids RoughRiders (USHL) | The Rivers School
Played varsity ice hockey at The Rivers School from 2022 to 2025 … Skated with East Coast Militia from 2021 to 2024, the Boston Little Bruins from 2024 to 2025 and the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders during the 2025-26 season … Competed in both the USHL and NEPSAC … Captained The Rivers School during the 2024-25 season … Earned All-ISL honors in 2024 and 2025 … Selected to the 2026 All-American Game … Set the Rivers single-season assists record during the 2024-25 season … Helped Rivers win the ISL Eberhart Division championship in 2024-25 … Won the 2025 World Junior A Challenge championship … Volunteered as a coach with East Coast Jumbos from 2023 to 2025 … Son of Rob and Terri Graf; brother, Collin Graf, plays for the San Jose Sharks … Enjoys golf, pickleball and card magic.
Rudy Guimond | Goalie | Pointe-Claire, Québec | Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL) | Taft School
Played varsity hockey at Taft School from 2021 to 2023 while competing in the Founders League … Played split-season hockey from 2021 to 2023 and junior hockey from 2023 to 2026 … Earned all-league honors and was named Large School Tournament MVP in 2023 … Helped Taft win the Large School championship in 2023 … Won the President's Cup in 2025 … Became the QMJHL's all-time goals-against leader and set the league record for consecutive wins with 24 … Drafted in the sixth round by the Detroit Red Wings … Earned high honors every year of high school with a 90-plus average … Son of Jean-Pierre Guimond and Lisa Guay … Enjoys golf.
Eli Heinze | Forward | Santa Barbara, Calif. | South Shore Kings (NCDC) | The Governor's Academy
Played varsity hockey and varsity lacrosse for two years at The Governor's Academy … Skated with the Santa Barbara Ice Hawks from 2015 to 2020, Santa Barbara Royals from 2020 to 2023 and South Shore Kings during the 2025-26 season … Competed in the Independent School League's Keller Division at The Governor's Academy … Captained the ice hockey team during the 2024-25 season … Earned All-ISL honors in 2025 … Named New England Hockey Journal NCDC Player of the Year … Helped the South Shore Kings win the NCDC Dineen Cup and Founders Cup championships in 2026 … Led South Shore in points and goals … Inducted into the Cum Laude Society in 2025 … Son of Steve and Lori Heinze; Steve played men's ice hockey at Boston College from 1988 to 1991, earned All-America honors, was inducted into the Boston College Hall of Fame, represented the United States at the 1992 Olympic Winter Games in Albertville, France, and played in the NHL with the Boston Bruins, Columbus Blue Jackets, Buffalo Sabres and Los Angeles Kings.
Alex Huang | Defense | Rosemère, Québec | Chicoutimi Saguenéens (QMJHL) | École Saint-Gabriel
Skated with Seigneurs des Mille-Îles from 2018 to 2022 and with the Saint-Eustache Vikings at the M18 AAA level during the 2022-23 season before joining the Chicoutimi Saguenéens in the QMJHL from 2023 to 2026 … Selected fifth overall by Chicoutimi in the 2023 QMJHL Entry Draft … Named to the M18 AAA First All-Star Team and received the Kristopher Letang Trophy as the league's top defenseman … Helped Saint-Eustache win the M18 AAA regular-season championship while setting franchise records for longest winning streak and best record … Earned QMJHL All-Rookie Team honors in 2023-24 and was a finalist for the Raymond Lagacé Trophy as QMJHL Defensive Rookie of the Year … Helped Chicoutimi capture the Gilles-Courteau Trophy as QMJHL champions in 2025-26 … Skated for a Chicoutimi team that ranked as the QMJHL's top offensive and defensive team while also leading the league in power play and penalty kill in 2025-26 … Named the QMJHL David Desharnais Most Sportsmanlike Player in 2025-26 and was a finalist for CHL Best Sportsman … Earned QMJHL First All-Star Team honors in 2025-26 … Named QMJHL Player of the Week once, selected to the QMJHL Team of the Week five times and twice named QMJHL Defenseman of the Month in 2025-26 … Finalist for the Émile Bouchard Trophy as the QMJHL's top defenseman in 2025-26 … Won gold at the U17 World Hockey Challenge and Hlinka-Gretzky Cup and competed at the U18 IIHF World Championship … Became the first defenseman in history to win the U17 World Hockey Challenge, Hlinka-Gretzky Cup, U18 World Championship and a domestic junior championship … Drafted in the fourth round with the 122nd overall pick by the Nashville Predators in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft … Earned M13 AAA and M15 AAA Best Student-Athlete honors and received the M18 AAA Daniel-Brière Trophy as the league's top student-athlete … Recipient of a scholarship from the Montreal Canadiens and Aléo Foundation … Earned the QMJHL Dr. Sylvain Simard Silver Award … Son of Hai Huang and Xiang Rong "Lucy" Lu.
Joseph Salandra | Right Wing | Pleasantville, N.Y. | Barrie Colts (OHL) | Brunswick
Played varsity hockey at Brunswick and competed in NEPSAC … Skated with Mid Fairfield for eight years as a forward … Earned All-NEPSAC honors in 2025 … Helped his team capture an Eastern Conference championship in the OHL … Set Brunswick's single-season points record with 72 points … Led NEPSAC in scoring with 72 points … Earned high honors at Brunswick … Son of Mario and Christine Salandra; brother, Michael, is a member of Brown University's Class of 2028 … Enjoys golf, fitness and music.
