Charlie Durkin commits to Merrimack, set for Lincoln Stars season

Charlie Durkin committed to Merrimack College for the 2026-27 season, and the move gives his upcoming run with the Lincoln Stars extra weight before he has even dropped the puck in Lincoln. The 2006-born goalie from Glencoe, Illinois, is already carrying a college-bound label into USHL play, a sign that Merrimack sees him as more than a project in the crease.

Durkin brings a profile that fits a potential difference-maker. HockeyDB lists him at 6-foot-0 and 183 pounds, catches right, and says he was born Jan. 26, 2006. His 2024-25 season with the Idaho Falls Spud Kings in the NCDC was the calling card: 38 games, a 1.96 goals-against average, a .932 save percentage, a 28-6-4 record and five shutouts. Those numbers point to a goalie who can handle volume, protect leads and finish games.

The next step was bumpier. HockeyDB shows Durkin made four appearances for the Alberni Valley Bulldogs in the BCHL in 2025-26 and posted a 4.27 GAA. Even so, the larger arc remains clear, because the Idaho Falls run established him as a goalie capable of producing elite junior results over a heavy workload. For Lincoln, that matters. A goaltender with that kind of track record changes how a team can think about nights when shot totals climb and margins tighten.

Durkin’s path also traces back through the Chicago Mission pipeline. Chicago Mission said on Nov. 3, 2023, that he had signed a tender with the Minot Minotauros, and Mission-related posts described him as a former Winnetka Warrior and a fixture between the pipes in the program. That background helps explain why Merrimack’s commitment resonates beyond a standard player note. The Mack Report listed him in Merrimack’s incoming freshman class, and Elite Prospects logged the transfer to Merrimack on July 29, 2026.

For Lincoln, the bigger story is credibility. The Stars are getting a goalie who already has a college destination secured, a strong NCDC season on his résumé and enough pedigree to enter the USHL as a name to watch in the crease, not just another young netminder learning on the fly.