Six former Michigan Tech hockey players are competing for NHL roster spots as training camps opened Thursday, Sept. 17.
The group includes 517-game veteran Matt Roy, 2018 Stanley Cup champion Pheonix Copley and 2026 CCHA Defensive Defenseman of the Year Jack Anderson, according to Michigan Tech Athletics. Under the NHL's new collective bargaining agreement, the preseason has been shortened to four games to fit an expanded 84-game regular season. Opening night is Sept. 29.
Matt Roy, Washington Capitals
Roy is Tech's top NHL name. The Canton, Michigan, native is in the third year of a six-year, $34 million contract with Washington, according to The Hockey Writers. He has logged 517 career NHL games with the LA Kings and Capitals, recording 29 goals and 120 assists.
The Hockey Writers also projects Roy on Washington's first defensive pairing alongside Jakob Chychrun this season. Roy played 115 games over three seasons at Tech from 2014-17 and was a two-time All-WCHA selection.
Pheonix Copley, Columbus Blue Jackets
Copley, from North Pole, Alaska, raised the Stanley Cup with the Washington Capitals in 2018. He signed a one-year deal with Columbus in July and enters his 13th professional season. In 78 career NHL games with St. Louis, Washington and LA, Copley holds a 44-17-8 record with a 2.85 goals-against average.
At Tech from 2012-14, Copley won 18 games with four shutouts and was named Most Valuable Player of the Great Lakes Invitational in 2012-13 after posting back-to-back shutouts to lift the Huskies to their first GLI title in 32 years.
Jack Anderson, Dallas Stars
Anderson signed a two-year entry-level contract with Dallas in March. The 6-foot-6 defenseman from St. Louis already made an impression at the Stars' prospect tournament, getting into two fights, according to Stars Thoughts.
"Like, it's gonna suck if you're gonna get punched in the face, but also it's gonna suck for them, because they're gonna get punched in the face, too," Anderson said, as reported by Dallas Stars correspondent Robert Tiffin on X.
In his one season at Tech, Anderson was named the 2026 CCHA Defensive Defenseman of the Year, ranked fourth nationally in goals by a defenseman and tallied a career-best 24 points in 39 games.
Brian Halonen, Boston Bruins
Halonen, from Delano, Minnesota, signed a two-year deal with Boston in July and enters his fifth full pro season. He played 15 NHL games for New Jersey last season and has 86 goals in 217 career AHL games. A Hobey Baker Top 10 finalist in 2021-22, Halonen played 139 games at Tech and ranks 59th in program history with 105 career points.
Jake Lucchini, Nashville Predators
Lucchini, from Trail, British Columbia, signed a one-year, two-way contract with Nashville for the 2026-27 season. The eighth-year pro has appeared in 54 career NHL games and 400 AHL games, tallying 255 points in the minors. Lucchini never missed a game in his Tech career, skating in all 164 contests.
Chase Pietila, Pittsburgh Penguins
Pietila, from Howell, Michigan, was drafted by Pittsburgh in the fourth round of the 2024 NHL Draft and signed a three-year contract in March 2025. He played 66 AHL games for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton last season. At Tech from 2023-25, Pietila was named the 2025 CCHA Defensive Defenseman of the Year and led the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) in penalty minutes both seasons.
The NHL regular season opens Sept. 29.
