Senior goaltender Connor Hasley is set to take the reins in net for the Arizona State Sun Devils as they enter their opening weekend against No. 5 Penn State. After both of last season's goalies departed, with Luke Pavicich turning pro and Gibson Homer transferring, head coach Greg Powers turned to the transfer portal and found Hasley. Hasley previously played at Bentley University, where he established himself as one of the nation's top goaltenders. In his final season there, he recorded a 2.38 goals-against average and a .925 save percentage.
Hasley, who will turn 25 later this year, expressed his enthusiasm for joining the Sun Devils. He said he "fell in love with it from the first moment" he spoke with Coach Powers. Beyond the allure of the program, Hasley also mentioned the weather and the unique "feeling in the air about being a Sun Devil" as factors in his decision to transfer to Tempe.
The Sun Devils are entering their fourth season at Mullett Arena and are coming off a season where they narrowly missed the NCAA tournament. For the third straight season, ASU will have a new starting goaltender on opening night. Hasley led Bentley to their first-ever NCAA tournament appearance, nearly upsetting the No. 1 overall seed, Boston College, in the first round. He will be joined by freshman Samuel Urban and ACHA mainstay Chase Hamm, forming what could be the Sun Devils' deepest goaltending room since moving to Division 1.
This weekend's games will be a significant test for Hasley and the Sun Devils, with a sold-out student section and numerous scouts expected to be in attendance. Hasley sees the crowd as a positive factor, stating, "It's just that it's momentum, like you make a save and you hear the crowd behind you, it boosts you up," and that "the confidence is high". Hasley emphasized the importance of focusing on his own game and trusting his teammates. "I just remember focusing on my own game, like it's not really about the other team, it's about us," Hasley said. "We have great players. It's just kind of play your own game and just do what we've been preparing for months now".
Prior to joining ASU, Hasley had a successful junior hockey career, playing in the USHL with Cedar Rapids and in the NAHL with Odessa. At Bentley, in his freshman year (2022-23), Hasley started 18 games, was named Atlantic Hockey Goalie of the Week and Rookie of the Month, and earned All-Academic team and All-America Scholar honors. As a junior (2024-25), he was a finalist for AHA Goalie of the Year, Second Team All-Atlantic Hockey, a semifinalist for the Walter Brown Award, and named to the Richter Award Watch List.
