Frank Vatrano's Eligibility Issues a Huge Blow To UMass Hockey

The UMass hockey team will be without transfer Frank Vatrano until the 2014 Hockey East Tournament. The East Longmeadow, Mass. native enrolled at UMass last January and had to fulfill his year in residency, as well as an additional penalty for an "admissions documentation discrepancy" at Boston College.

Vatrano, an alum of the US National Team Development Program, arrived at BC last fall before an issue arose causing him to leave Jerry York's program. He played 19 games with the Junior Bruins in the EJHL last fall before heading to Amherst.

The loss of Vatrano is a huge blow to UMass coach John Micheletto. The second year bench boss of the Minutemen could have used Vatrano's offensive spark to go along with seniors Branden Gracel, Connor Sheary and Michael Pereira.

UMass opens up its 2013-14 campaign with a league contest at Boston University on October 11 before a nonconference game the next night against league rival UMass-Lowell.

More from Western College Hockey Blog:

• The Big Ten's Top 5 Preseason Hobey Baker Candidates
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• Hockey East Preseason: Top 5 Hobey Baker Award Candidates
• Top 5 Candidates for Hobey Baker from the ECAC Hockey League
• Former Boston College, NHL Veteran Marty McInnis Returns to Eagles to Join Coaching Staff

Jeff Cox covers college and junior hockey, recruiting, NHL Draft prospects and the AHL for SBNation. Follow him on twitter @JeffCoxSBNation.