Noel Acciari is Rhode Island’s greatest, largest, defense-first son

Photo by Brian Babineau/NHLI via Getty ImagesAge: 27

Position: Center/Winger

Games Played: 72

Goals: 6

Assists: 8

Points: 14

5-on-5 CF%: 49.93%

5-on-5 FF%: 52.30%

Playoff Games Played: 19

Playoff Goals: 2

Playoff Assists: 2

Playoff Points: 4

Playoff 5-on-5 CF%: 39.85%

Playoffs 5-on-5 FF%: 43.14%

I’m gonna miss Noel Acciari.

For one thing, he was one thing that a lot of big, tough fourth liners aren’t; responsible with the puck, and good enough at getting it up ice that the nu-merlot line could genuinely consider themselves a threat on the ice every once in a while. And it helped that they had an absolutely ridiculously bruising body in Acciari to help out.

Of course, that isn’t the only thing that helped…