4 key questions for Syracuse ice hockey to answer in 2025-26 campaign
Despite losing face-off ace Tatum White and starting goalie Allie Kelley, Syracuse has rebuilt its lineup to continue its success in 2025-26. Leonardo Eriman | Photo Editor
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The 2024-25 season marked another step forward for Syracuse Ice Hockey head coach Britni Smith’s squad. After finishing with seven wins in 2023-24, SU retooled its roster entering Smith’s third year in charge.
By uniting veterans and newcomers, the Orange skated their way to the No. 3 seed in the inaugural Atlantic Hockey America postseason. And while SU was eliminated in the semifinals, the run raised its standards.
Over the offseason, just six players departed, but those losses included program pillars. Offensively, replacing the production of longtime captain Tatum White will prove a tough task. Allie Kelley’s reign in goal has also finally come to a close, leaving the position open to one of SU’s younger netminders. Key pieces Bryn Saarela and Charli Kettyle also left after spending their final years of eligibility at Syracuse.
With Smith set to assume a lesser role with SU due to obligations with Team Canada, the Orange’s revamped lineup must step up to contend for an AHA title.
Here are the four biggest questions for Syracuse ice hockey entering 2025-26:
Who will fill the void between the pipes?
Kelley left few records unbroken during her six years in college.
On Jan. 16, 2024, she set a new school record with 65 saves in a single game. Just over a year later, on Jan. 17, Kelley became the NCAA all-time saves leader after a 41-save performance against Penn State. To Smith, these accomplishments weren’t surprising.
“(Kelley’s) past coaches had nothing but great things to say about her. They really talked about how she could help change a program,” Smith said after Kelley broke the all-time saves record.
Although Kelley left a tough act to follow, the Orange still have solid options to replace her. SU’s likely starter is Bella Gould, who served as Kelley’s backup for the last two seasons. Though Gould has appeared in just eight career games, she’s yet to allow a goal in over 115 minutes. While she’s never started a game, Gould proved she could go the distance in SU’s matchup with Robert Morris on Feb. 7, playing two periods following Kelley’s ejection.
Behind Gould, the Orange will likely turn to Maïka Paquin, who didn’t see action last season. Ava Drabyk completes the goaltending trio, but she’s unlikely to play much in her first campaign.
Katie Crews | Design Editor
How will SU fare against its new conference opponent?
Syracuse’s conference schedule looks slightly different this season with the addition of Delaware to the AHA, a change announced shortly following the 2023-24 campaign. After assembling their roster last season, 2025-26 will mark the Blue Hens’ inaugural year as a program.
The Orange won’t be the first to welcome Delaware to the Division I landscape. That honor will belong to defending AHA champion Penn State on Oct. 10 and 11. The following week, SU will face its new conference foe for the first time.
Without any games under its belt, it’s hard to gauge how Delaware matches up with Syracuse. The Blue Hens boast a roster overflowing with first-year players, meaning SU’s greatest advantage comes from its veterans. Delaware’s roster contains 17 freshmen compared to SU’s six.
Taking care of business against an inexperienced Blue Hens squad in the regular season could prove essential for the Orange when the AHA playoffs arrive.
What will Syracuse’s revamped face-off unit look like?
Anytime Syracuse needed a face-off win over the past five years, it turned to White. A natural center, the captain’s rapid ability to swipe the puck became her calling card whenever SU struggled to gain possession. Whether she took a draw from the offensive zone, defensive zone or on the opening face-off, White remained consistent.
To end her career, White set the Syracuse single-season record with 436 face-off wins — a mark that ranked 10th in the nation. Her 1,298 draw wins also sit fourth all-time in program history. Much like Kelley, it’s unlikely Syracuse will find someone who can replicate her production. But all hope isn’t lost in that area.
As a sophomore last season, Nea Tervonen became SU’s most reliable option in the circle besides White. To maximize her talent, Smith slotted Tervonen as the center on the second line, where she swiped 307 draws by the season’s end. Then-second-year forward Haley Trudeau also raked in 60 face-offs, while freshman Rylee McLeod finished with 138.
Can SU get past Mercyhurst?
Mercyhurst has consistently been Syracuse’s kryptonite. Despite often clashing in one-goal games, the Orange have rarely managed to come out on top. SU’s poor 15-54-4 all-time record against the Lakers reflects that. But late last year, the narrative finally shifted.
With their playoff position secured, the Orange had a chance to spoil Mercyhurst’s aspirations for the AHA’s No. 1 seed to close out the regular season. They did just that, snatching a 4-2 win on Feb. 15. The victory not only marked SU’s first road win over Mercyhurst in over two years, but it also snapped a 12-game losing streak against the Lakers.
In their next meeting with Mercyhurst in Game 1 of the AHA Semifinals, the Orange were again triumphant with a 1-0 win, pushing one of the conference’s top contenders to the brink of elimination. Still, the Lakers took the next two games and the series.
Whether Syracuse can slay its demons against Mercyhurst further in 2025-26 remains to be seen. But if it wants to make this season a banner year, the Orange must find a way to best their rivals from North Pennsylvania.
