Sun Devils open season against Merrimack at Mullett Arena

(Photo: Hailey Rogalski)

Custom schedules, historic NCAA Tournament berths and tense rivalries. Those are just a few of the perks of competing in Division I college hockey without allegiance to a conference. Arizona State’s 2023-24 campaign will officially begin Friday, as the Sun Devils open a two-game series hosting No. 15 Merrimack, marking their last season as an independent program. On July 5, the National Collegiate Hockey Conference announced it would be adding ASU as its ninth member, which will take effect on July 1, 2024.

The 2022-23 season saw many highs and lows for the Sun Devils, who finished with an 18-21 record and marked the program’s third consecutive losing season. ASU would have qualified for back-to-back tournament appearances at the end of the 2019-20 season if not for the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 2023-24 roster features several key returners, among them junior goalie TJ Semptimphelter. The Northeastern transfer from a season ago provided stability and consistency in the net that the program hadn’t seen since Joey Daccord’s tenure as a Sun Devil from 2016-2019. Playing in 36 of the team’s 39 games, Semptimphelter finished with 1,024 saves, the sixth-most in the country and third all-time in program history. His five shutouts ranked fourth in the country and second-most all-time in a single season in program history. Other key returners to the 2023-24 squad include senior forwards Ty Jackson, Dylan Jackson, and Lukas Sillinger, and sophomore forward Ryan Alexander.

Junior defenseman Cade Alami, senior forward Alex Young, and graduate forward Tyler Gratton highlight ASU’s incoming transfer class. Alami transferred from Boston College, where he finished the season with three points, blocked nine shots, and had 20 shots on goal in his sophomore campaign. Young played in all 40 games at Colgate last season, collecting 39 points and was named to the EXACH First Team All-League and All-Tournament Team. Additionally, he was named the team’s Best Offensive Player. His 21 goals ranked first in the conference and fifth in the nation while earning the same respective rankings in power-play goals with nine.

Gratton was recently unanimously named the team’s captain for the 2023-24 season, following Josh Doan’s departure to professional hockey in the Coyotes’ organization. Gratton, a letter-wearer from Penn State, was named a 2022-23 Academic All-Big Ten honoree, where he earned a career-high 15 points on seven goals and a career-best eight assists.

“It says a lot about his character and ability to gain control of the room,” ASU head coach Greg Powers said. “To do that as a new player in college is really impressive. He was the only player to get a vote from every single person. His numbers may not jump off the stat sheet, but he brings an element that we simply did not have last year.”

Friday’s season opener won’t be the first game action this season. On Oct. 6, the Sun Devils dominated Arizona’s Division I ACHA team with a 16-0 shutout. A team effort across the board with 14 different skaters finding the net, the exhibition’s biggest stat performance was ASU freshman defenseman Josh Niedermayer’s four assists.

This weekend, ASU will host No. 15 Merrimack for just the second time in program history. In 2016, the Warriors defeated the Devils 10-0 in North Andover. The Warriors arrive in Tempe fresh off an NCAA Tournament appearance that saw a first-round exit to eventual national champion Quinnipiac. Last season, forwards Alex Jefferies, Matt Copponi, and Ben Brar led Merrimack to a 23-14-1 record and an average of 2.8 goals per game, and all return to the Warriors’ roster as they turn the calendar. All three forwards finished the season with 14 goals each and 41, 29, and 26 points, respectively.

“We know how good they are,” Powers said. “They are going to be a really tough test for out of the gate, but that’s how you want it.”

A win over the Warriors would be the Sun Devils’ first season opening victory since 2021, a 5-3 victory over UMASS Lowell. It has already been announced that Friday’s student section has sold out, a feat accomplished during every home game last season while school was in session. Puck drop for both nights is scheduled for 7 p.m. AZT.