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He’s Jack Parker’s grandson, but Shane Lachance is making his own mark as BU’s first sophomore men’s hockey captain
“I think ever since I was younger, it was always BU.”
There was never any doubt that Shane Lachance would one day lace up the skates for the Boston University men’s hockey team.
His lineage was a clear indicator, as the grandson of legendary coach Jack Parker and the son of Scott Lachance, who starred on the 1990-91 squad that reached the national championship game and had a 13-year NHL career.
Not that the Andover native didn’t have options after excelling at both Andover High and Tabor Academy. But other schools never really stood a chance of landing the dominant forward.
“I think ever since I was younger, it was always BU, as long I was good enough to come here, obviously,” said Lachance, who was selected by the Edmonton Oilers in the sixth round of the 2021 NHL draft. “If I got the chance, I was going to take it, so I definitely didn’t really look anywhere else.”
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It became clear early on, back in his days skating for the Valley Junior Warriors, that he had the ability to play Division 1 hockey, and in the summer of 2020, he made it official, committing to play for BU and then arriving on campus as a freshman for the 2023-24 season.
“I didn’t think there was any question that he would be OK as a college hockey player,” said Parker, who is enjoying his role as spectator while his grandson skates on the rink named after him upon his retirement in 2013 after 40 years and 897 wins as coach of the Terriers. “I didn’t realize he’d be able to contribute as much as he has this quickly.”
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The 6-foot-5-inch, 218-pound forward began his freshman season of the fourth line but continued to progress, ultimately skating left wing on the first line, which was centered by Macklin Celebrini, as well as on the first power-play unit. He would finish with 13 goals and 14 assists in 40 games as the Terriers rolled all the way to the Frozen Four.
To many around the program last season, he was considered to be a future captain for the Terriers. That time is now, as his teammates selected him to wear the “C” this season, along with junior forward Ryan Greene. The announcement was made in July; Lachance was the first sophomore in the history of the program to be named a captain.
Coach Jay Pandolfo thinks the sophomore talk doesn’t really matter when it comes to Lachance, whom he considers a natural leader.
“It’s easy for him, that’s just what he does,” said Pandolfo. “I think he’s always been like that. You can’t teach that, it’s just who he is. Our guys have a ton of respect for him, because he does things the right way — on the ice, off the ice. He can be vocal, but he leads by example, and there’s no better way to lead than that.”
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There were only three seniors in the lineup for BU’s opener against Holy Cross, all of whom came over via the transfer portal and are either in their first or second year with the program, further illustrating why Lachance getting to wear the “C” seemed like the logical move.
“He cares about his teammates,” said senior Matt Copponi, a Mansfield native who transferred to BU after three seasons with Merrimack. “He leads by example every day. And I think our team’s fed off that a lot, especially in training camp, from when we were first able to start working out as a group. I think it’s just a testament to who he is as a person and what he is as a player as well.”
Lachance has asserted that leadership early on for a squad that is off to a 2-0 start and is ranked third in the USCHO.com poll, thanks in part to another talented crop of freshmen, three of whom — Cole Eiserman, Cole Hutson, and Alex Zetterberg — scored their first goals in the season opener against Holy Cross, and then punctuated it with a unique celebration, shimmying their way across the ice as they skated past the bench.
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Eiserman and Zetterberg scored again in the second game against Union, as did Lachance, after which Eiserman said that routine would be scrapped.
“We’re not allowed to do that anymore,” Eiserman told the media after the game.
“I yelled at them,” Lachance interjected with a laugh.
After posting two nonleague wins, BU opens Hockey East play when it hosts UConn Friday night. It’s the first step in a journey that the Terriers and Lachance hope results in a third straight trip to the Frozen Four.
“It’s an honor to be able to represent this program as a sophomore,” said Lachance “But honestly, I just don’t really look at it like that. We’ve got a bunch of great leaders in that locker room. Everyone’s willing to pull their weight, and I think that’s what makes us so good.”
Weekend plans
After opening the season with a win over Stonehill, No. 19 Northeastern is at Denver for a pair of games against the defending national champs. The Pioneers are No. 1 in the poll and will be raising the NCAA banner before Friday night’s home opener. “It’s an opportunity,” said Northeastern captain Jack Williams. “It’s a good test for our group to see where we’re at early in the season. We get two chances at it, it’s banner night, so it’s a little motivation for us.” … No. 2 Boston College hosts AIC for its home opener Friday night after splitting at No. 4 Michigan State. There will be a top 10 battle in Orono when No. 9 Maine hosts No. 7 Quinnipiac for a pair of games. No. 14 Providence hosts Arizona State, and No. 15 UMass will play a home-and-home series with Sacred Heart beginning Friday at Amherst.
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