We've looked at the '09 forwards. Now, it's time to go over the '09 defensemen and goalies who could be picked in this weekend's QMJHL Draft.
On Friday and Saturday, the QMJHL Draft will take place at the Vidéotron Center in Quebec City.
While '06s, '07s and '08s are on the lists from New England, as well as Quebec and Atlantic Canada, the '09s will likely be the main focus.
And for the first time, New Englanders should be a hot commodity given the CHL ruling last November, allowing prospects who play in the CHL to be eligible for Division 1 NCAA hockey.
Here is our look at 10 defensemen and two goalies who, in my opinion, are prime candidates to be picked this weekend.
Preston Abbott
South Shore Kings, 4/5/2009, D, left shot, 5-11/161
Hometown: Middleton, Mass.Â
Abbott was one of the best '09 defenders at the Mass. Hockey Festival, and rightfully earned a spot at USA Hockey's Select 16 Camp. He's confident and assertive with pucks, never shying away from creating offense by himself. While he wasn't picked in the USHL Phase 1 Draft, Abbott would be a great late-round steal for a QMJHL team.
Easton Anello
Williston Northampton, 1/19/2009, D, left shot, 6-2/172
Hometown: Windsor, Mass.Â
Like Abbott, Anello was one of the top defensemen at the Mass. Hockey Festival and made it to Select 16 Camp. He was valuable with Williston this past winter, scoring two goals and finishing with 12 points in 27 games. He's a good skater with size and moves pucks responsibly. He also showcases a nice stick when defending the rush. The Cedar Rapids RoughRiders picked him in the seventh round (95th overall) in the USHL Phase 1 Draft.
Kurt Beck
Arlington High, 4/2/2009, D, left shot, 6-2/180
Hometown: Arlington, Mass.Â
Beck's growth into a top, two-way defender among the New England '09s is well known. He was picked in the eighth round (119th overall) of the USHL Phase 1 Draft by the Youngstown Phantoms. He made Select 16 Camp and was at Select 15s last summer.
READ MORE: Could any '06s be picked? | How about the '07s? | 24 among the '08s to watch
Brody Berard
Mount St. Charles, 9/2/2009, D, right shot, 6-0/181
Hometown: Cumberland, R.I.Â
Berard would provide good value to a QMJHL team drafting him. He was a snub from the U.S. National Team Development Program Evaluation Camp and responded before picked in the second round (29th overall) of the USHL Phase 1 Draft by the Youngstown Phantoms. He also made Select 16 Camp out of the New England District. Berard is a gritty, physical, shutdown defender.
Ethan Hung
Hotchkiss, 8/9/2009, D, left shot, 6-3/190
Hometown: Fairfield, Conn.Â
Hung has phenomenal size for a 15-year-old, left-shot defenseman. He played a legit role for Hotchkiss this past season, scoring a goal and adding six assists in 25 games. He was at Select 15 Camp last summer and made Select 16s out of the New England District in April.
Lawson Kearns
Mid Fairfield, 3/7/2009, D, right shot, 6-2/163
Hometown: Stamford, Conn.Â
Kearns didn't make Select 16 Camp out of the New England District, but was drafted in the 15th round (232nd overall) by the Muskegon Lumberjacks in the USHL Phase 1 Draft. He had a goal and 16 points in 58 games this past season for Mid Fairfield's 15O team and has obvious advantages with his size on defense.
Justin Lee
Nobles, 6/28/2009, G, catches left, 6-1/165
Hometown: Newton Center, Mass.Â
Goalies at 15 years old are incredibly hard to project for junior hockey, but Lee broke out this winter with Nobles, taking over the starting job and posting a 2.55 goals-against average and a .912 save percentage. He's extremely athletic and was taken early in the USHL Phase 1 Draft when Cedar Rapids picked him in the fourth round (50th overall).
IMPACT OF CHL RULING: How it will impact preps and academies | How it will impact Division 1, Division 3 and junior hockey
Cam Minella
Brunswick, 8/29/2009, D, left shot, 5-11/155
Hometown: Darien, Conn.Â
Minella's stock is high. He had a great showing at the NTDP Evaluation Camp and was the first local picked in the USHL Phase 1 Draft, going 27th to Sioux Falls. Minella is an expert, puck-moving defenseman and proved he could do it against older, stronger players in prep this past winter when he scored seven goals and finished with 37 points.
Jacoby Palmer
Long Island Gulls, 8/9/2009, D, left shot, 6-1/176
Hometown: Holden, Mass.Â
Palmer is one of the top '09 defensemen in New England. While he has good size, he's dynamic with the puck on his stick and is insistent on driving play from the back. He doesn't mind mixing it up physically either. He didn't make Select 16 Camp out of the Mass. Hockey Festival, but he was picked in the sixth round (78th overall) by the Des Moines Buccaneers in the USHL Phase 1 Draft.
Jacob Turcotte
Seacoast Performance Academy, 5/12/2009, D, right shot, 5-9/163
Hometown: South Berwick, MaineÂ
Turcotte recently made Select 16 Camp after a strong showing at the New England District Camp. It will be his first USA Hockey Select Camp. He's coming off a nice season with the Seacoast Performance Academy 15O squad, where he posted six goals and 26 points in 55 games.
Alex Wang
St. George's, 1/28/2009, G, catches left, 6-3/181
Hometown: Concord, Mass.Â
Wang has intriguing size. He had an up-and-down season, bouncing from Groton to Boston Hockey Academy. Wang got a lot of attention after he led all goalies in GAA (0.50) and save percentage (.979). The Chicago Steel picked him in the 12th round (167th overall) of this year's USHL Phase 1 Draft.
READ MORE:Â Go inside what life is really like in the QMJHL
Colin Yandle
Catholic Memorial, 10/15/2009, D, right shot, 5-10/159
Hometown: Dorchester, Mass.Â
I was surprised Yandle didn't make Select 16 Camp out of the Mass. Hockey Festival. He had a strong season leading Catholic Memorial to a Division 1 MIAA title as a mobile, two-way defender. He was at Select 15 Camp last summer and was a ninth-round pick of the Madison Capitols in the USHL Phase 1 Draft.
