Groton Hockey Alum Goes Pro, Signs with Providence Bruins

Michael Doherty ’12, a phenom on the ice both at Groton School and at Yale University, has signed with the Providence Bruins, an affiliate of the Boston Bruins, to play professional hockey.

Mike entered Groton in Second Form (eighth grade) and played on the varsity hockey team that year, completing five years of Groton hockey by the time he graduated. His talent was obvious from day one.

“He was a fierce competitor while at Groton. He always worked at a breakneck pace on the ice,” remembers varsity hockey coach Bill Riley. “He saw plays develop at a high level and had a terrific shot. Michael developed into one of the best New England Prep hockey players while playing for Groton. Yale recruited him because they recognized just how competitive he was.”

After Groton, Mike spent a year playing for the Islanders in the U.S. Premier Hockey League. In 2013, he entered Yale and immediately made an impact on the Division 1 team. In 2015, he was the tenth highest scorer in the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Hockey League and was invited to the Boston Bruins’ and the Chicago Blackhawks’ rookie camps, attending both.

A true scholar-athlete, Mike has a 3.67 grade point average at Yale and was nominated for ECAC Student-Athlete of the Year. A story on the Yale Bulldogs’ website called Mike’s recent season “one of the most prolific post seasons a Yale hockey player has ever had.”

Still, even several years after leaving the Circle, Mike is quick to gush about his formative years at Groton. “I consider Groton my favorite place,” he says. “When I got to Groton, the hockey team was in a tough place, but the older guys on my earlier Groton teams really taught me a lot. Along with all my teachers, they taught me what it meant to work hard. Those guys got everything out of their ability, and it always made me want to win for them. We eventually were fortunate enough to win a few league championships, and to be able to do that with all my best friends is something I always look back on.”

Mike remains close with his Groton coaches. “They traveled to some my college games, and I learned just as much off the ice from them as I did on the ice," he says. "I feel very lucky to have all the support that I do—especially from the Circle. It has never gone unnoticed.”

Groton congratulates Mike and looks forward to watching him play with the Providence Bruins! Several Groton School graduates have gone on to sports at the Olympic or professional level. Another graduate, Mark Yanetti ’90, also played professional hockey.

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