BOSTON – Coming off one of the best seasons in school history, Fernie Flaman Men's Hockey Coach Jim Madigan announced Tuesday that rising senior defenseman Eric Williams will captain the Northeastern men's hockey team in 2018-19. In addition, juniors Jeremy Davies, John Picking and Ryan Shea will serve as assistant captains.
 
"We're very pleased with our program's leadership corps entering next season," Madigan said. "These young men have been key contributors to our team in a variety of ways throughout their careers, and they have each earned the opportunity to lead our team moving forward. Our program has been fortunate to have some tremendous leaders over the last several years, and I have no doubt that this group will fill that role, as well."
 
Williams (Newmarket, Ontario) has yet to miss a game in three seasons on Huntington Avenue, appearing in 117 career games on the Northeastern blue line tallying 15 goals and 30 assists. Averaging more than 20 minutes of ice time per game, Williams has been relied on in all game situations for the Huskies and was tied for 11th in the nation with 81 blocked shots in 2017-18. 
 
Davies (Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec) led Hockey East and was tied for fifth in the NCAA in scoring among defensemen with 35 points (six goals, 29 assists) while averaging nearly 28 minutes of ice time per game playing in all situations for the Huskies en route to CCM/ACHA First Team All-American honors. He was also third in the NCAA among defenseman with 0.97 points per game. It was the second straight season that a Northeastern defenseman has recorded more than 30 points, and is the most for a Northeastern defenseman since Jim Fahey in 2001-02. Davies was also the first Northeastern blueliner to earn Hockey East First Team All-Star and All-American status since Fahey in that 2001-02 season.
 
Shea (Milton, Mass.) has been a solid defenseman for the Huskies since arriving on campus two seasons ago. A trustworthy defenseman, Shea blocked 67 shots and was a key component of Northeastern's penalty killing unit that clicked at 82.4 percent in 2017-18. His 16 assists and 17 points ranked second among NU defensemen and he led the team with a +19 rating.
 
Picking (Wellesley, Mass.), who missed a chunk of his freshman year due to injury, returned with a vengeance in 2017-18, notching three goals and five assists and appearing in 37 of 38 games this season. His game-winning goal in overtime on Feb. 16 at Vermont helped the Huskies secure the season sweep over the Catamounts.
 
The Huskies skated to a 23-10-5 record in 2017-18, the third most wins in a single season in team history, and captured the program's first Beanpot championship since 1988 while Adam Gaudette became Northeastern's first Hobey Baker Award winner in school history.
 
Matthews Arena was kind to the Huskies this season as the Howlin' Huskies won a school record 14 games on home ice in 2017-18. The Huskies wrapped up their home campaign with a two-game sweep over UMass in the Hockey East quarterfinals to advance to the conference semifinals for the second time in three seasons. After their Hockey East postseason run came to an end at TD Garden, the Huskies received at at-large bid to the NCAA tournament for the third time in program history.