2024 NHL Draft Diary: Cole Eiserman

Cole Eiserman of USA Hockey's National Team Development Program Under-18 Team will file a draft diary for NHL.com this season leading up to the 2024 NHL Draft. The 17-year-old left wing (6-foot, 197 pounds) and native of Newburyport, Massachusetts, is a projected first-round selection. He has 13 points (10 goals, three assists) in seven games this season. His 69 goals in 62 games with the NTDP U18 and Under-17 Teams in 2022-23 are second in program history, behind the 72 scored by Cole Caufield in 2018-19. 

Eiserman is committed to attend Boston University in 2024-25.

Hello ice hockey fans.

I'm so glad I'll have an opportunity to keep a draft diary this season for NHL.com. For my first post of the season, I thought I'd provide a little background.

I have three older brothers, who all played. My dad played and I have uncles and cousins who played, so my family is really all hockey. When I was young, I was around the game all the time. I have a local rink right by my house. In Massachusetts, hockey is pretty big, so that was also a big factor in me picking up the game so early in my life. I started skating, really enjoyed it and, obviously, seeing your big brothers who were my idols growing up playing, made me want to play even more. That's how I started.

My 30-year-old brother Chris played goalie at SUNY Fredonia for two seasons (2013-15). Billy, 31, played at UMass Lowell and transferred to Bentley University, where he finished playing (in 2015-16). Shane, 27, played at the University of New Hampshire (2014-18). My twin brother, Caden, played with me for the Middlesex Islanders under-13 team and then a few years of high school hockey at Newburyport. My dad (Bill) played at UMass Lowell (1986-87). 

Growing up, I always liked to score goals. I played a lot of mini hockey outside with my brothers. Just kind of being able to go to their games and then coming back and being able to talk to me about it ... I loved that stuff growing up.

I would say my style of play is a mixture of Auston Matthews and Alex Ovechkin. Matthews is a guy who just loves to score, can make plays and use his skill all over the ice. Ovechkin, with his shot, how he kind of shoots from everywhere, but also use his body to be a factor, is great to watch.

I was asked to comment on my change of commitment from the University of Minnesota late last month. I've decided, instead, to attend Boston University next season. It was obviously a family decision. My family and I decided that being home for the foreseeable future was really important. Obviously, as you grow up, you don't get really get to pick where you get to play, so I think it was really important for me to be home for my collegiate career.

It was a great start to the season at the USHL Fall Classic, both personally and as a team. It was a good trip for the team on and off the ice, but at the end of the day, it's two games and we have a whole season to go. I went into that event just wanting to play free and enjoy the time with my teammates.

I play left wing at the NTDP on a line with center Christian Humphreys and Austin Baker. 'Humps' and Austin each have great offensive minds. Humps is very skilled, is a great passer and can also really shoot the puck so it's really nice to play with him because he's obviously looking to dish it most of the time. But if I give it to him, he's definitely putting it in the back of the net. 

Austin Baker is a really big power forward who brings a lot of skill and a lot of speed. He's probably one of the fastest guys I've played with. It's really nice to see him use his speed and he opens a lot of chances for me.

I think our biggest asset as a team is how close we are off the ice. It's probably one of the tightest groups I've been a part of, so that definitely helps. On ice, in practice, we're competing our tails off for each other every single day.

Coach Nick Fohr has been awesome. He's definitely a player's coach, really helps you with so much. Off the ice, he's great with us. He brings a smile to the rink every day and he's close with all of us. He's very good at teaching while also holding us accountable, so that helps make our relationship really good.

Finally, I know that Macklin Celebrini of Boston University is a favorite to be a high pick in the 2024 draft. He's my best friend. We've been very close the last three or four years, so it's definitely really cool to see how good he has become as a player. In my eyes, he's one of the best players I've ever played with (at Shattuck-St. Mary's in Faribault, Minnesota from 2020-22). He's so good with the puck, such a dynamic skater and so good on the defensive end. He's really the full package and I've got nothing but good words about him.

No matter what happens at the 2024 draft, I'm going to enjoy the fact that our dreams are coming true and I'm going to be happy for him.

That's it for this month. Thank you for reading!