Brandon Holt was having an impressive freshman season for the University of Maine’s hockey team.
The defenseman from Grand Forks, North Dakota, had four goals and seven assists in 24 games and was among the team leaders in blocked shots with 29.
But during a 3-2 win over Providence College on Jan. 27, 2023, in which he assisted on two of the three goals, a Friar shot struck his pinkie finger and broke it.
Holt had surgery and missed the last 12 games of the season.
Now healthy, he will return to the ice for Saturday’s charity exhibition game against archrival New Hampshire at the Jack Kelley Rink at the O’Neil/O’Donnell Forum on the Colby College campus in Waterville. Game time is 5 p.m.
All proceeds from ticket sales will go to the Alfond Youth and Community Center in Waterville.
UMaine will open the season at home against ECAC team Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute of Troy, New York, next Thursday and Friday nights at 7 p.m.
“I am super excited and a little nervous,” Holt said. “I haven’t played a real game since January. It’s going to be fun to get back on the ice and compete in a real game. I’m pretty pumped up.”
Last season was frustrating for Holt.
“I felt like I was coming into my own and getting more and more comfortable and then that happened. I didn’t know at the time that it would be the end of my year,” said the 5-foot-11, 180-pound Holt. “There’s nothing fun about sitting in the stands, especially during the playoffs.”
He supported his teammates and tried to make the most of it, focusing on maintaining his cardiovascular fitness and watching games.
UMaine co-captains Lynden Breen and David Brezeale said having Holt back is going to give the team a big lift.
“It’s going to be huge,” said senior center Breen. “He plays bigger than he is. You don’t want to go up against him in practice because he’s tough to get around. “
Junior defenseman Breazeale called Holt a “heart and soul” guy.
“He’s not the loudest or the flashiest but he works hard and knows exactly what he needs to do when he’s on the ice,” Breazeale said. “He has a long reach and he is so athletic. He also provides offense.”
Holt attended the Arizona Coyotes’ development camp this summer, which he said boosted his confidence.
“You see how you stack up against a bunch of really high-level guys. And you have super high-level coaches. It went well,” Holt said.
Holt wants to become a more dominant player this season. UMaine head coach Ben Barr is looking for Holt to continue his development and become a high-end player in Hockey East.
“He was having a great freshman season when he got hurt,” Barr said. “It’s nice to have him back.”
Even though Saturday’s contest is an exhibition game, players said that competing against their rivals will bring much more energy than a typical exhibition.
“We’re going to prepare like it’s a regular season game,” Breazeale said.
UMaine finished sixth in Hockey East a year ago with a 9-11-4 conference record. The Black Bears were 15-16-5 overall. UNH wound up 10th (6-15-3, 11-21-3).
UMaine and UNH were picked to finish ninth and 10th, respectively, in the preseason coaches poll.
