Neutral Zone was in attendance at the Massachusetts Selects All-Star Showcase on October 8th at the Bright Center at Harvard University. We were in attendance for the U15, U16, and U18 All Star games which included players from several different organizations in Massachusetts. We have provided a listing of the 37 players (split between forward and defense) that we feel showed best at the event. Most, if not all of these players will be playing prep/Mass HS hockey during the winter season. We will be sure to check back in throughout the winter to assess development. Grades are for this event only and in relation to others in each age group. Players did well to make this report.
U15 Forwards
Tom Rooney #18 (F, L, 5’6/130, 2002, Catholic Memorial) – Tommy is a skilled left-shot center that can finish. He is on the smaller side but is cerebral and thinks the game plays ahead. Doesn’t waste many movements and will jump on loose pucks quickly with a good first step. Handles the puck well, especially in traffic and will look to make the smart pass if it is available. Score two nice goals on the day with a quick snapshot. Will be interesting to follow at Catholic Memorial. Grade: A-
Bobby Luca #13 (F, L, 5’10/165, 2002, Roxbury Latin) – Bobby is a skilled left-shot winger. He looks to make plays and uses his vision to find open teammates through the neutral zone and into the offensive zone. Has a good first step which allows him to jump on loose pucks. Has a soft set of hands which allow him to make plays in tight. Also has good touch on his passes. On several occasions he chipped the puck into an area which resulted in a positive play. Grade: B+
Patrick Somerville #10 (F, R, 5’8/160, 2002, Arlington Catholic) – Patrick has a high motor and was all over the ice. He is a smaller forward but has a low base and is tough to knock off the puck. He has strong edges and is agile. He competes for every puck and uses his above average puck handling to beat defenders wide and in one-on-one situations. Will need to get stronger as he moves to the next level but he will be interesting to watch. Grade: B
Chris Jenkins #15 (F, R, 5’10/165, 2002, Mansfield HS) – Chris has a long stride and a balanced skating style. He has a strong core and base and is tough to knock off the puck. Plays a strong north-south game and uses his body and frame to drive the net wide. He has a strong shot with a quick release and can shoot the puck in stride. Grade: B
Jake Waterman #16 (F, L, 5’11/165, 2002, Mt. St. Charles) – Jake is a smooth skating, skilled left-shot winger. He handles the puck well. He likes having the puck on his stick and makes confident decisions in the offensive zone. He has a good first step but will need to improve overall straight line speed. At times he tries to play too much 1 versus 1. However, there were instances where he passed the puck to the open man and created positive offensive plays. Has a lot of upside. Grade: B
Nolan McDonough #22 (F, R, 5’5/135, 2002, Winchendon) – Nolan’s team was overmatched but he stood out. He is a smaller forward that will need to get stronger as he moves to the prep game. He moves well and plays a tough game, not shying away from the dirty areas. He does a good job at stretching the ice through the neutral zone and beating defenders with speed wide. He also finds the soft areas in the offensive zone. Grade: B-
Justin Moran #14 (F, L, 6’0/160, 2002, Waltham HS) – Justin is a lanky forward that is still finding his feet and skating style. He has a long reach which allows him to protect the puck. He works well along the walls and around the net in the offensive zone. Thinks the game well and plays a solid positional game. Will need to improve quickness and agility as he moves to the next level. Grade: B-
Cam Partosan #20 (F, R, 5’6/150, late 2002, Braintree HS) – Cam is a smaller player that plays a bit of a perimeter game. He has quick feet and good edges which allow him to change speed and direction quickly. He works hard and is tough to catch below the dots in the offensive zone. Will be interesting to follow as he continues to develop physically. Grade: B-
U15 Defense
C.J. Petito #3 (D, L, 5’9/165, 2002, Wakefield HS) – CJ plays a straight forward game. He is physical and tough to play against in his own zone. He uses a quick first step to close on opposing forwards and uses an active stick to cut down on space. He makes the simple play and does a good job facilitating the breakout with strong tape-to-tape passes. Grade: B+
Nate Garrett #2 (D, L, 6’0/165, 2002, Milton Academy) – Nate is a taller defensemen that uses a long reach and good gap control to defend. Not overly physical at this time and defends with his feet. Handles the puck well and doesn’t hesitate to push the pace from the back-end. Has an OK shot from the back-end and will wait for traffic to materialize in front of the net before shooting. Grade: B
Liam Fisher #5 (D, R, 5’11/175, 2002, Walpole HS) – Liam is a mature defensemen with ok feet. He has a long reach and defends well through the neutral zone. He anticipates the play well and on several occasions made the right decision on a pinch at the blue line. Will need to improve his overall quickness and agility as he moves to the next level, but the tools are there. Grade: B
U16 Forwards
Riley Duran #18 (F, R, 6’1/165, 2002, Malden Catholic) – Riley was one of the best players on the ice. He has a long frame with room to fill out. He uses a long reach and a fluid skating style to attack defenders. Is at his best on zone entries and working off the half-wall. Also, works well in the corners and uses his physicality to battle along the walls. Has a strong stick and above average stick skills. Has a strong shot with a quick release and doesn’t hesitate to shoot from anywhere. Grade: A-
Max Bogdanovich #15 (F, L, 6’3/175, 2001, Jr. Bruins U16) – Max is a big bodied winger. He is strong and moves well for a bigger player. Was playing center for most of the day but projects as a winger. At this level he is near impossible to contain below the circles. Has a strong lower half and long reach which he uses to protect the puck. Also has the speed to beat defenders wide and does a good job in transition. Will need to improve his agility and overall handling of the puck (especially in traffic) as he moves to the next level. He is an impact player that was noticeable each time he was on the ice. Grade: A- College: Maine
Peter Kramer #21 (F, L, 5’9/155, 2002, BC High) – Peter is a skilled, playmaking forward that can play at multiple different speeds. He did a good job attacking the net and using his reach and body to protect the puck. Skates well and can change direction quickly. Thinks the game well and at times is creative in the offensive zone. Grade: B+
Brett Berard #22 (F, L, 5’5/135, 2002, Bishop Hendricken) – Brett is a smaller, skilled forward that was still finding his game against bigger, stronger players. He is quick and sees the ice well. He anticipates where pressure is going to come from and spins off contact easily. He isn’t afraid to play in the dirty areas of the ice and has a quick first step and a good set of hands. He has a nose for the net and will cut in and out of traffic in the offensive zone. Grade: B College: Providence
Frank Ireland #16 (F, L, 5’9/150, 2001, Jr. Bruins U16) – Rugged, hardworking forward that has a high motor. Not the smoothest skating style, or most polished player, however, he gets the job done. Strong player that plays through contact and does a good job getting to the net. He is relentless on the forecheck and creates offense through pressure on opposing defensemen. Has a strong shot which he release quickly and accurately. Grade: B
Matthew Beniers #10 (F, R, 5’11/160, 2002, Milton Academy) – Matt is at his best when he finds open ice and can use his speed to beat defenders wide. He was tied-up for stretches here and never really got going. He has a fluid, powerful stride and doesn’t waste many movements getting up to top speed. He handles the puck well and makes defenders miss in space. Had a few flashes on zone entries. Will be interesting to follow as he assimilates into the prep game at Milton. Grade: B
U16 Defense
Bradley Farrell #3 (D, L, 6’3/205, 2001, Jr. Bruins U16) – Bradley is smooth and balanced defender. Never in a rush and takes his time to read the play and make an effective pass. Retrieves pucks well and makes a strong first pass out of his zone. Doesn’t hesitate to carry the puck through neutral zone when he is given open ice. Big body and long reach which allows him to outmuscled opponents in the defensive zone. Has a heavy shot from the point. Grade: A-
Jake Higgins #3 (D, R, 6’1/180, 2001, Hingham HS) – Jake was one of the most noticeable defenders on the ice. He is strong and skates well for a bigger body. He takes open ice when it is available and uses a compact, fluid stride to get through the neutral zone. Skates with his head up which allows him to facilitate the play. Made several nice reads through seams to find open forwards. Solid defender that keeps gaps tight and uses an active stick to deny forwards space. Will be interesting to watch his development at the high-school level. Grade: B+
Kyle Furey #6 (D, L, 5’11/165, 2002, Malden Catholic) – Long left-shot defender. Has a long stride which allows him to get up-and-down the ice. Transitions well and maintains good gaps through the neutral zone. At times will push the pace from the back-end and isn’t afraid to skate with the puck. Is smart and made several nice reads to create positive plays. Grade: B+
Will van der Veen #9 (D, R, 6’2/170, 2001, Duxbury HS) – Will is a raw puck-moving defensemen. He is an athletic skater and moves fairly well for a bigger body. He handles the puck well and has a strong shot from the point. Plays with his head up which lets him see the ice well and find passing lanes. At times he tries to do too much and will get out of position. Grade: B
Ryan MacDermott #6 (D, R, 6’0/170, 2002, St. Sebastian’s) – Ryan is a solid stay-at-home defensemen. He skates well for a bigger body but isn’t dynamic enough at this point to lead the rush. Keeps good gaps and closes on opposing players effectively. Plays a heavy game in the corners and won several board battles throughout the day. Has a strong shot from the point which he releases quickly. Grade: B
Kevin MacKay #2 (D, L, 6’0/185, 2001, Dexter) – Kevin is a solid puck-moving defensemen. He is a bigger body which allows him to effectively defend in his own zone. Closes on forwards well in the corners and does a good job being physical in front of the net. Makes a strong first pass out of his end. Handles the puck well, especially under pressure. Has an above average shot which he uses effectively from the point. Grade: B-
Cody Sealey #4 (D, R, 5’11/160, 2002, Cushing Academy) – Cody is a strong, poised defensemen that is very comfortable with the puck on the back-end. He facilitates the play well and retrieves pucks efficiently. He handles the puck well and is a skilled passer. He will need to improve his first step and footspeed when closing on opposing forwards. Very interesting player to watch as he enrolls at Cushing. Grade: B-
U18 Forwards
Jay O’Brien #13 (F, R, 5’11/180, late 1999, Thayer) – Was the most complete player on the ice on the afternoon. Talented forward that competes hard all over the ice. Works just as hard on the back-check as he does with the puck. Has a smooth skating style and doesn’t waste many movements. Great on zone entries and will pull-up to find trailing forwards. Has a good set of hands and will beat defenders in one-on-one situations. Also reads the play well and will find the quiet ice in the offensive zone. Grade: A College: Providence
Aidan McDonough #13 (F, L, 6’3/190, late 1999, Thayer) – Powerful winger that is still finding his feet. Once he gets up to speed he is tough to stop. Aidan has a big body and long reach which he uses to protect the puck. He thinks the game well and plays under control. Plays a confident game when he has the puck and shows some creativity on zone entries. Is at his best along the wall and below the dots in the offensive zone. Made a few nice plays making defenders miss and coming out of the corners to create positive plays. Grade: A- College: Northeastern
Jack Nisbet #10 (F, R, 6’0/185, 1999, Dexter) – Jack is a strong skater that has a powerful stride. He doesn’t waste movements and has strong edges which allow him to make defenders miss in space. He gets up to speed quickly and handles the puck well in transition. Has quick hands which allow him to work in tight spaces. At times can play too much on the perimeter. Grade: B+
Thomas Samuelsen #10 (F, R, 6’0/190, 1999, KUA) – Balanced skater that moves up and down the ice well. Thomas has a low base and a fluid stride. At this level he has the extra gear that allows for separation. Was dangerous on zone entries and made some nice reads to find open teammates through seams. Plays a smart game and is patient with the puck. Grade: B College: UCONN
Jericho Petkovich #17 (F, R, 5’10/185, 1999, Albany Academy) – Jericho really stood out here. Hardworking right-shot forward that combines speed and skill. Handles the puck well with speed and protects the puck well in traffic. Is most effective in transition through the neutral zone and on zone entries. Looks to either drive the puck to the goal or make a cross ice read to the open man. At times works too much on the outside of the rink, but the overall skill and talent is there. Grade: B
Ian Murphy #18 (F, R, 5’11/185, 1999, Dexter) – Ian played his typical game here. He skates well. He has a good shot which he uses from anywhere in the offensive zone and he gets to the net. He plays a rugged game and doesn’t shy away from contact. He is smart and positions himself well in the offensive zone which allows him to win pucks. Has the ability to beat defenders in one-on-one situations but works best staying to the outside and driving the net with speed. College: Williams Grade: B
Jack Studley #17 (F, R, 6’0/185, 1999, BB&N) – Jack is a bigger, athletic forward that is still rounding out his game. He was good here. He plays well up-and-down his wing. He drives the net hard and doesn’t shy away from physical contact. He sees the ice well and made some nice passes that created offensive chances. He will need to add an extra gear to be successful at the next level, but his game is progressing nicely. Grade: B
Reilly Moran #20 (F, R, 5’11/165, 2000, Thayer) – Reilly plays a fast game and creates positive plays with his feet. Works hard in each zone and plays a responsible game positionally. At times he gets knocked off the puck and will need to continue to get stronger as he moves to the next level. Has a straightforward approach and used that here attacking the net and pushing the puck through the neutral zone. Grade: B- College: Army
U18 Defense
Cade Webber #5 (D, L, 6’5/187, 2001, Rivers) – Massive frame. Cade is a long player that still has the room to fill out. Very effective in his own zone with his long reach. Cuts down time and space effectively. Feet are solid and will get better in time, but at this level he is more than capable of keeping up with the play. Makes the smart, simple reads and facilitates the offense from the back-end. Comfortable carrying the puck and will take open ice when it is given to him. Major upside, one of our highest rated 2001s and we will be to see his impact at Rivers as a more polished sophomore. Grade: A College: BU
Christian Felton #6 (D, L, 6’2/195, 2000, KUA) –Christian is an athletic defender that really stood out here. Makes simple but effective plays. Skates well and moves the puck into space so his teammates receive the pass in stride. Anticipates the play well and made several pinches at the blue line to keep the puck in the zone. Bigger body that is tough to get around and is difficult to play against in his own zone. Grade: A-
Jack Rathbone #2 (D, L, 5’11/185, 1999, Dexter) – Jack pushed the envelope on offense all day, which led to some questionable decisions. At times seems bored which allows him to get into some bad habits. The tools are all there. Skates well, strong player, reads the play well. He is very confident at this level with the puck and is very difficult to get by in one-on-one situations. Will be one of the best, if not the best defender in prep hockey this year. Grade: A- College: Harvard
Nolan McElhaney #7 (D, R, 6’4/185, 1999, Cushing) – Had a very efficient and effective showing. Long player still has room to add bulk. Skates well for a bigger body with a balanced, efficient stride. Uses his feet to keep tight gaps and keep forwards in front of him. Not overly physical and uses a good first step to cut down time and space in his own zone. Doesn’t hesitate to push the pace from the back-end and will take offensive chances when they are afforded to him. Grade: B+
Braden Doyle #6 (D, L, 5’11/155, 2001, Lawrence) – Was OK here. Braden is still a little raw but loves having the puck on his stick. Is creative with the puck in the offensive zone and is constantly looking to find the open man on the opposite side of the ice or back-door. He is an effective skater with a balanced stride. Doesn’t waste many movements. He is confident with the puck and will draw players to him before dumping the pass into a free area for a teammate. Grade: B+ College: BU
Photo Credit: Dan Hickling/Hickling Images