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Boston University is hoping Buckingham Brown & Nichols senior defenseman Brien Diffley will be bringing some of his championship pedigree with him to Commonwealth Ave. The Burlington, Mass. native is in his second season playing for head coach Terrence Butt at the Cambridge, Mass. prep school.
Before heading to BB&N, Diffley won a state championship at Burlington High School as a junior in 2012. He repeated his junior year at BB&N last season and had three goals and ten assists from the blue line as the Knights went 16-8-3.
Diffley became a hot commodity this winter after previously being thought of as a fringe Division I or Division III prospect. "Brien has really come into his own over the last year or so with us," said Butt, a former player at Holy Cross.
Diffley's ability to start the breakout and move the puck in transition had Hockey East coaches taking notice, including BU assistant Steve Greeley.
"He has the ability to carry the puck at full speed, and makes plays with his head up moving up the ice. He has great stick skills, and his vision and decision making are his strengths."
Diffley, a '95, has 10 assists in 16 games played this season for BB&N, a team that sits at 10-5-1 in the Independent School League (ISL) Eberhart Division.
Butt believes that as well as Diffley is playing right now, there could be better days ahead for the six-foot-two blue liner.
"His combination of speed and skill at his frame are hard to find, and his skating is as fluid as there is. Once he grows into his body, he will be a difference maker."
Diffley, a 2014 commit, and his BB&N teammates return to the ice Wednesday afternoon with a home game against Groton Academy.
Jeff Cox covers college, junior and high school hockey, NCAA recruiting, NHL Draft prospects and the AHL for SBNation. Follow him on twitter @JeffCoxSBNation.