Quinnipiac men’s ice hockey confirmed the return of four key skaters for the 2026-27 season: forwards freshman Ethan Wyttenbach, sophomore Chris Pelosi and junior Mason Marcellus, along with sophomore defenseman Elliot Groenewold.
March 30, the men’s hockey Instagram account, in a collaborative post with Marcellus, announced his return to Hamden for his final season.
The Greely, Ontario native appeared in 38 games for the Bobcats in his junior year, recording eight goals and 26 assists, for a total of 34 points.
Earning a spot on the All-ECAC Third Team, Marcellus has remained a consistent offensive force for the Bobcats. Despite being undrafted, the forward was invited to the Nashville Predators development camp ahead of his sophomore season in Hamden.
Additionally, Marcellus finished off his junior campaign with a +20 plus/minus, the highest of any forward on the Bobcats’ squad.
Announced April 1st to return for his junior season via Instagram, Groenewold has been a key part of Quinnipiac’s strong defensive lockdown and standing on the blue line.
Playing in all 40 games for the Bobcats, the Springfield, Vt. native finished off his sophomore campaign with seven goals, holding the spot of the most for a Quinnipiac defenseman this season, and 13 assists, capping off at 20 points.
Yet, Groenewold’s most impressive feat comes at his +39 plus/minus rating to end the season. His plus/minus rating was the highest in the nation this season, while further holding the highest rating in the NCAA since 2003 as far into the season as he held it.
Finishing conference play with a +28 plus/minus rating, Groenewold earned a spot on the All-ECAC First Team and was named ECAC’s Best Defensive Defenseman. He also earned a spot on the NCAA All-Regional Team in the Sioux Falls Regional.
Being drafted to the Boston Bruins in 2024 as the 110th pick, Groenewold’s return to Hamden was questionable, yet great news for Bobcat fans.
“If the Bruins can let me have (Groenewold and Pelosi) for at least another year after this, I’d appreciate that,” Quinnipiac head coach Rand Pecknold joked in the 2025-26 ECAC pre-season media availability.
Coming in alongside Groenewold as a Bruins draft pick, Pelosi announced his return to the Bobcats next season April 2 via Instagram.
The Sewell, NJ native recorded 18 goals and 16 assists throughout his sophomore campaign, despite missing a handful of games due to injury.
Pelosi’s offensive prowess placed him third on the squad in goals, despite his injury, showcasing his domination on the ice.
And how could we forget the household name of college hockey at the moment, Wyttenbach, who announced his return to Quinnipiac via Instagram, also April 1.
The Roslyn, N.Y. native not only stunned Bobcat nation in his freshman campaign but the entirety of collegiate hockey – finishing the season with 25 goals and 34 assists for 59 points.
Appearing in all 40 games for Quinnipiac, Wyttenbach’s point total not only put him above his fellow Bobcats by 19 points but also comfortably sat him atop the ECAC and the nation.
With his dominant performance this season, Wyttenbach broke Quinnipiac’s first-year Division I single-season scoring record, which was previously set at 54 points by forward Brian Herbet ‘03. The Long Island native also fell a point shy of breaking Quinnipiac’s single-season scoring record, held by current San Jose Sharks forward Collin Graf ‘24.
As the 144th pick by the Calgary Flames in the 2025 NHL Draft, Wyttenbach’s return to Hamden after his groundbreaking season was for sure questionable. I mean, everyone’s been talking about him, from the Flames social media accounts to Bauer Hockey.
Capping off the season, he was named ECAC Hockey Rookie of the Year and earned his spot on the All-ECAC First Team and All-Rookie Team.
Additionally, Wyttenbach was announced as a top 10 finalists March 18 for the Hobey Baker Award. The last Bobcat to be a Hobey Baker Top 10 Honoree was Graf, who earned the title two consecutive times.
