One of the Boston University men’s hockey team’s most experienced defensemen has left the program.
Brandon Fortunato – as first reported by Mark Divver, the Providence Journal’s resident hockey reporter – has bid farewell to his career in the scarlet and white. The native of North Hills, New York would have been a junior in the 2016-17 season.
He appeared in 79 games across two seasons, registering six goals and 34 assists in the process. Often a pillar on the second power-play unit, Fortunato was a staple of BU’s charge to the NCAA title game during the 2014-15 campaign.
Prior to his time at BU, Fortunato featured prominently for U.S. Hockey’s youth national teams, earning a gold medal at IIHF U18 World Championships. During his sophomore year, Fortunato played on the U.S. World Juniors squad that captured a bronze medal.
Brandon Fortunato will not return to @TerrierHockey next season, according to David Quinn. Fortunato has 1 year of junior eligibility left.
— Mark Divver (@MarkDivver) July 28, 2016
It is not immediately clear what Fortunato’s BU hockey career entails, but the Terriers’ logjam along the blueline has become slightly simpler.
Head coach David Quinn will now have eight defenseman to choose from. From most to least experienced, they read as senior captain Doyle Somerby; juniors John MacLeod, Brandon Hickey and Brien Diffley; sophomores Charlie McAvoy and Shane Switzer; and freshman Chad Krys and Dante Fabbro.