UMass Extends Greg Carvel

Two months after winning the school’s first national championship, UMass extended the contract of head coach Greg Carvel through at least the 2026 season with a new five-year contract extension.

UMass was one of the worst programs in Hockey East when Carvel was hired from St. Lawrence in 2016, coming off consecutive last place finishes in Hockey East. But after a rough transition season, the Minutemen began to take off under Carvel’s leadership. In his third season, they won their first Hockey East regular season title and advanced to the Frozen Four for the first time in school history. After having another potential tournament run cancelled in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Minutemen claimed their first ever national title in 2021.

Carvel’s new contract is a rolling contract, which automatically adds one year to the deal every year, unless Carvel is provided written notice by the school. Carvel’s meteoric rise at UMass has led to speculation that he may receive interest for a head coaching job in the NHL, including rumors that he may be a candidate for the Buffalo Sabres job. This contract extension, however, makes it more likely that Carvel will remain in Amherst for the foreseeable future.