Barrie Colts forward Joe Salandra will move to the NCAA Harvard University next season
In a surprise move, Joe Salandra will move his commitment to Harvard a year early, joining the Crimson for the 2026-27 season, having previously been committed to the program to begin the season after.
Salandra, who played last season in the Ontario Hockey League with the Barrie Colts, had 12 goals, 26 assists, & 38 points in 59 games for the club in his OHL debut season.
The 18-year-old committed to Harvard in 2024, prior to joining the OHL. Salandra's older brother, Michael, is a forward at fellow Ivy League school, Brown.
Having gone undrafted in the 2026 NHL Draft, Salandra was initially expected to return to Barrie for another season, poised to be a potential breakout candidate for the Colts with a probable expanded role.
Salandra would also having been coming back from a broken fibula suffered in the OHL Finals against the Kitchener Rangers, his loss being one of the key factors in the Colts series defeat to the Rangers for the J. Ross Robertson Cup.
An undersized forward, Salandra had been ranked as a mid-to-late round pick by some outlets, including 152nd by NHL Central Scouting for North American skaters, praised for his physical intensity at 5'11, as well as having untapped offensive potential that could blossom in the future.
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