“I’ve played against a couple of them [before college], but I didn’t really know anyone that well,” McNally said of meeting his classmates on the team. “We basically met for the first time [on the] first day. We all met up at [the] John Harvard statue and from there just became really good friends.”

His freshman teammates agreed, pointing out just how close the group has become in the few months since the start of the year.

“We eat a lot of meals together and hang out a lot,” Max Everson said. “It’s really nice. It’s good to have a group of guys I can get along with and hang out. Obviously, they play hockey with me, so they have the same schedule type.”

“We’re together all the time. I was actually really surprised—all the guys are great,” Placek agreed. “We hang out a lot; there’s not fighting or whatever. There’s really good chemistry between us.”

The impact from the class of 2015 won’t be limited to the drafted prospects. Forward Ryan McGregor, who played twice in the World Junior Championship with Team Switzerland, could become an important member of the offense after he returns from injury. Others, including forward Tommy O’Regan, have already played a role, registering two assists in last week’s exhibition against Western Ontario.

The Crimson has recruited the talent. Now, as Donato recognizes, comes the real challenge.

“We feel like we have a pretty well-rounded class, a pretty international class,” he said. “We’re excited about the class and we feel that now is when the real work begins. We get to work with them, develop them, and hopefully they’ll be great players in the future of Harvard hockey.”

—Staff writer E. Benjamin Samuels can be reached at samuels@college.harvard.edu.

—Staff writer Robert S. Samuels can be reached at robertsamuels@college.harvard.edu.