The '03 native of Wilton, NY recently finished his second and final season of the junior hockey, and now has officially climbed all the way up the ladder from the Eastern Hockey League Premier (EHLP), to the Eastern Hockey League (EHL), to NCAA hockey.

Blanchard's junior hockey career began in the EHLP with the Adirondack Jr. Thunder, back in the 2022-23 season when he posted 55 points in 42 total games. Following that season, Blanchard made the jump up to the EHL this past year (2023-24), starting things off with the New Jersey 87's before finishing out the campaign with the Huntsmen. Overall, in 41 EHL games last year, Blanchard notched 11 more points to his name.

"We were excited when we traded for Andrew, his work ethic and leadership changed our room immediately," said former Huntsmen head coach Matt Reid. "He is a 200-foot, team-first guy, and we couldn’t be happier of the fact that he will be playing at Potsdam this fall. We know he will hit the ground running and be a force for the Bears."

When Blanchard arrives on campus, he will be part of a four-player class that the EHL is sending off to Potsdam. The veteran forward will quickly reunite with Ryan Bartlett from the Huntsmen, and then become new teammates with Lucas Salas from the 87's and WIlliam Walsh from the Railers Jr. Hockey Club.

"The excitement of being committed to a top tier division 3 school goes beyond what I can say on paper," said Blanchard. "It's going to be a new chapter for me and that's what I'm most excited about, growing as a person but also as a hockey player. The Huntsmen was a great organization to help me achieve my goal of playing NCAA hockey. Coach Reid brought me to the Huntsmen confident he could get me committed. Coach Reid helped me adjust to my new team and started talking to schools. Without him I'm sure I'd be in a different situation."

Learn more about the Huntsmen on the team's official website, and check out the full 2023-24 NCAA commitment list.