Vinny Saponari Heading To Northeastern, Coach Greg Cronin Leaving?

According to a report in The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead (North Dakota), Northeastern hockey coach Greg Cronin is leaving the school to take a job in the American Hockey League. 

If the reports are true, Northeastern would become the third Hockey East program to part ways with its head coach this offseason. Earlier this year, Providence fired coach Tim Army and hired Union head coach Nate Leaman. UMass Lowell parted ways with Blaise MacDonald and replaced him with former standout Norm Bazin.

Cronin leaving the Northeastern program wouldn't be a surprise, especially considering the fact that earlier this year, he served a school-imposed suspension for recruiting violations.

What is surprising is in the same report from The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead comes word that former Boston University forward Vinny "Party like a Puckstar" Saponari will play for Northeastern this season. Saponari has spent the last year playing for the USHL's Dubuque Fighting Saints, serving as an assistant captain and registering 18 goals and 46 assists in 56 games.

Saponari showed interest in joining the Eagles for next season, but his application was denied by BC admissions. And so next season, Saponari's "Jack Parker revenge tour" will make tour stops on Huntington Avenue and not Chestnut Hill. In the end, that's probably a good thing.

Northeastern can certainly use a forward next season. The Huskies will be without its top four scorers next season. Seniors Wade MacLeod, Tyler McNeely and Steve Silva all graduate, and Brodie Reid left school early to join the San Jose Sharks.