For the last Friday night matchup of the regular season at Toscano Family Ice Forum, the UConn men’s hockey team will celebrate their seven senior players at their game against UMass; Tabor Heaslip, Ryan Tattle, Tom Messineo, Huston Karpman, Tyler Muszelik, Tristan Fraser and Jake Percival. Most of the players have been four-year Huskies, aside from goaltender Muszelik, who transferred in for his junior campaign. This senior class represents the third full recruiting cycle to come through UConn since the program joined Hockey East in the 2014-15 season.
After half of this class transferred throughout the years, six players remained. Those six players, with the addition of Muszelik, helped steer the ship, taking this program to new heights. In four seasons, this group has tallied two CT Ice championships, led UConn to its first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance and now need just four more wins to become the winningest class in program history over a four-year span. At 75 wins, they are just shy of Hudson Schandor and John Spetz’s record of 78 wins from the 2021-2025 seasons. It’s easy to say that this class has made UConn hockey history and has paved the way for future Ice Bus classes through its victories on and off the ice. Now let’s take a deeper look into each senior’s individual accomplishments.
Tabor Heaslip (Captain) – Forward
Heaslip, one of the captains of the Ice Bus, has been a steady two-way presence for the Huskies throughout his career. In his junior season, Heaslip played in all 39 games for the Huskies while tallying eight goals for 21 points, blocking 27 shots and winning 51% of his faceoffs. A highlight of Heaslip’s career is his two-goal performance in the 2025 Hockey East Championship game against Maine. After appearing in every game during both his freshman (6 points) and sophomore (8 points) campaigns, Heaslip has consistently contributed offensively to the team while also continuing to develop into a reliable, hard-nosed leader wearing the letter “C” on his jersey for senior year.
Ryan Tattle (Captain) – Forward
Next up is another one of the Huskies captains, Tattle. The senior has been a staple on the Ice Bus since his younger years on the team. Through his time, he has earned captain’s honors and in his junior season, posted a career-high 18 goals and 32 points while playing in all 39 games. One of his biggest highlights is his last-second game-winning goal over then-No. 15 Quinnipiac to send UConn to the CT Ice Championship game that it went on to win. After developing steadily from his freshman and sophomore seasons, Tattle has become a consistent offensive threat with nine multi-point games last year. Additionally, Tattle is a finalist for the Hockey Humanitarian Award, as he has raised over $180,000 for cancer research through his annual “Score for Cancer” game, leaving a lasting impact on and off the ice.
Tom Messineo – Defenseman
Now for the defensive zone of the ice: defenseman Messineo. The senior has been a dependable presence on the blue line during all four years at UConn. Messineo played in all 39 games since junior season while recording nine points and ranking third on the team with 61 blocked shots. One of his career highlights is his first-ever goal scored against Boston College last year. A steady contributor since his rookie campaign, Messineo has appeared in almost every game for the Huskies since he’s been on the roster, totaling 25 assists and 149 blocked shots over three seasons, establishing himself as one of the Huskies’ most reliable defensive anchors.
Tyler Muszelik – Goaltender
In his first season with the Huskies after transferring from New Hampshire, Muszelik made an immediate impact in the net as a junior, posting a 12-6-3 record with a .914 save percentage and 2.29 goals-against average in 23 appearances. He earned CT Ice All-Tournament Team honors and MVP recognition in 2025. In his senior campaign as the Ice Bus’s starting netminder, Muszelik’s play has been elevated further with a 16-7-4 record, .932 save percentage, and 2.09 GAA, solidifying himself as one of the top goaltenders in the nation. From his performances, Muszelik is a Hobey Baker nominee and a Mike Richter Award Watchlist selection for this season.
Huston Karpman – Forward
Karpman’s collegiate career can be defined by perseverance through adversity as he has battled multiple injuries. He appeared in seven games as a freshman, one as a sophomore and 15 as a junior. Karpman scored his first career goal on Oct. 31, 2025 during a shootout before suffering a torn ACL on Dec. 5, 2025 that would ultimately end his playing career. Despite the setback, Karpman remained an integral part of the program, taking on a role alongside the coaching staff on the bench and continuing to lead and support his fellow seniors and teammates in a new capacity while recovering.
Tristan Fraser – Forward
Fraser has been a reliable contributor for the Huskies as he played in all 39 games in his junior season and recorded 12 points. A career highlight for the senior forward includes an overtime game-winner against Vermont on Nov. 3, 2024. After posting 11 points as a sophomore and nine as a freshman, where he scored his first career goal against Vermont on Oct. 1, 2022, Fraser has consistently provided timely scoring and steady offensive production throughout his career for the Ice Bus.
Jake Percival – Forward
As the only Connecticut native on this senior class, Percival’s career is significant to this team. Percival has been a consistent contributor throughout his career, appearing in all 39 games during his junior season and totaling 19 points, including two shorthanded goals. After posting 14 points as a sophomore and 12 as a freshman, Percival has steadily elevated his impact each year, highlighted by a dominant five-goal stretch over four games during the 2023–24 season. The senior’s career-defining moment came in the 2026 CT Ice Championship at Yale, when he netted the game-winning goal against then-No. 6 Quinnipiac, to help the Huskies to secure back-to-back CT Ice victories
“That [win record] says something about what they’ve done and the imprint that they’ve left on this program,” said Head Coach Mike Cavanaugh about the team’s seniors. “They bleed blue and they are true to the program. They’ve given everything that I could ask for in four years. So I’m very proud of the group, and I’m excited to see where they’re going to go, because it’s not over for them yet.”