By Joshua Boyd / USPHLPremier.com
With three seasons of USPHL Premier hockey, the last two spent with the always powerful Florida Eels, Brayden Goddard feels more than ready to be a difference-maker for the UMass-Dartmouth Corsairs this fall.
“I absolutely loved every minute I got to spend representing the Eels. I owe a big chunk of my college future to Frank, Frankie, Clare, and Nikki Scarpaci, and will always be thankful that I, and any other kid who plays for the Eels, got to have them in my corner,” said Goddard, about his past two years in Fort Myers. He was one of 29 college commitments from the Eels organization this year, including eight to the NCAA ranks. “Frankie and the rest of the coaching staff dedicate a big amount of their time to creating a culture and schedule that allows every player the best chance to succeed and develop not only as a hockey player, but as a person as well. Frank and Clare do so much of the behind-the-scenes work.
“[Owner and GM] Frank Scarpaci is a big reason I was able to get in touch with UMass-Dartmouth and helped me with the entire process from the visit and phone calls all the way to the commitment at Nationals in Utica. He does anything he can to get his players on the radar of not only the schools they are interested in, but others that may be good fits, or he believes would be a good option. I am extremely grateful to the Scarpaci family for giving me the opportunity to achieve my goal of playing college hockey and helping me as best they could to get there.”
Goddard finished this year with 43 points in 43 games, and six points in eight playoff games, helping the Eels to at least the National semifinals for their fourth straight postseason. For his career, he finished with a combined 86 points in 127 regular season and playoff games. The 2023-24 USPHL Premier Florida Division All-Star defenseman is also excited about the NCAA Division III institution that he’s headed to, where he expects to take the next big jump in his game.
“What made me decide on UMass-Dartmouth in terms of the hockey program and the education was a combination of a lot of different details. I was lucky enough to attend a visit to the school during their hockey season when we had a small break in ours and was very impressed with how they treated [myself and other Eels players]. We got to spend a good amount of time with the team itself in and around the facilities and they were very welcoming to us,” said Goddard. “The coaching staff was also very welcoming and helped us with touring schedules, food accommodations, and allowed us to view several games and practices throughout our time on the visit.
“The school also has a lot to offer in terms of academics. Talking to a lot of the players throughout that time, they had many great things to say about the Business program which is what I will be enrolled in,” Goddard added. “The school itself has a very impressive business school on campus that has a lot of resources for its students to take advantage of outside of just the specific classes that it offers, which was very important for me.”
Also important is the fact that he’ll be joined by a fellow Eel, as All-Star forward Noah Trathen is also preparing this summer for his debut as a UMass-Dartmouth Corsair.
“I am super excited to continue playing with Noah Trathen at UMass-Dartmouth. I got to know Noah very well over our two seasons we shared together at the eels. He is an amazing hockey player, and an even better teammate that anyone would love to spend more time playing with and having around in the locker room, as well as being a good person in and away from the rink,” said Goddard. “I am looking forward to seeing what he and I can bring to the team at UMass-Dartmouth next season when we link up with our former Eels teammate Collin Patterson.”
As strong as Goddard has been for the Nationals staple Eels, he knows he can get even better. Summer work leads to fall and winter success, and Goddard has been already fully involved with his off-season training program.
“The parts of my game I would like to work on the most ahead of playing college hockey would be my physicality, and the mental side of my game. College hockey is going to be a big step up in terms of physicality. The players are older and stronger, and have been playing at that level for longer which requires the newer players to do what they can to make up ground,” he said. “I also think it will be very important to work on the mental aspect of the game as not only will I now have the daily hockey schedule to work with, but also classes, homework, and any other school-related activities that may arise throughout my time at UMass-Dartmouth.”
The USPHL congratulates Brayden Goddard, his family, the Florida Eels, and UMass-Dartmouth for his commitment.
