Check out these five players utilizing their fifth year of college hockey!
Sometimes, you need a final bite at the apple. This quintet of graduate students have unfinished business and are returning for a fifth year of college hockey. Players are listed in alphabetical order and not ranked.
Lassi Lehti: Goaltender, Minnesota State Mankato
After tending to the crease for four years at Fairbanks, Lehti is taking his talents to the State of Hockey. The big bodied Finnish netminder looms large at 6 foot 4 and 209 pounds while his career .920 save percentage through 51 matches speaks for itself.
Minnesota State cruised through the CCHA, capturing their fourth Mason Cup Championship in five years. However, the Mavericks fell to Western Michigan in the NCAA Loveland Regional Semifinals ending their tournament run prematurely. Perhaps a boost between the pipes is what Minnesota State needs to succeed.
Joaquim Lemay: Defenseman, Northeastern University
Northeastern's co-captain hopes to bounce back this fall after being limited by injury last year to just nine games. Washington's 2021 fourth round selection upgraded his A to a C having served as an alternate captain in 2025-26. Lemay was still recovering back in June as Monumental Sports Network's Tarik El-Bashir reported that Lemay skated in a non contact jersey at 2026 Capitals Development Camp.
The St-Pierre-les-Becquets, Quebec native started his collegiate career at Omaha, but transferred following an 18 point sophomore season in 2023-24. Lemay was poised for a breakout year in 2025-26 and he will likely make the most of his mulligan as a graduate student. If he makes hits his stride, AHL Hershey or ECHL South Carolina could come calling
Noah Hackett: Forward, Niagara University
In a world the transfer portal is a constant factor and professional players come to college, it is not often that one player stays with the same program let alone for five years Hackett exhibits exceptional loyalty as he enters his graduate student season at Niagara.
In 2025-26 Hackett was a key contributor as an alternate captain, leading the Eagles with a +5 rating while tying for a team high 12 goals amidst 37 games. He also knows what it takes to win, capturing a 2022 Alberta Junior Hockey League Championship on the renowned Brooks Bandits. Between skill, loyalty and experience, I'd be surprised if anyone other than Hackett is the Eagles' captain come October.
Gibson Homer: Goaltender, Providence College
Providence is one of my 2027 Frozen Four favorites and the addition of Gibson Homer further solidifies their chances. Homer spent his first three years at Arizona State University before transferring to North Dakota. Coming in a t 6 foot 5 209 pounds, he served primarily as a backup behind Jan Špunar in the Fighting Hawks' Frozen Four run.
Across four seasons, Homer has a 25-13-4 record with a .914 save percentage and 2.44 goals allowed average. That wealth of experience will serve to support and enrich sophomore netminder John Parsons. The Grand Rapids, MI native is likely the final piece Providence needs for a trip to D.C.
Carter Rapalje: Forward, Bemidji State University
I'm intrigued to see what Rapalje does on an upgraded roster. He has tied or led three different schools in scoring. Those were Ferris State, Long Island University and Stonehill College. Rapalje also is a fairly disciplined player, accruing just 8 penalty minutes through 94 combined games.
The Burlington, VT native's productive yet restrained demeanor makes him an asset to the Beavers. With Bemidji State's best goal getter Kasper Magnussen leaving for North Dakota, Rapalje could set the scoring standard at a fourth institution.
