The Mass. Hockey boys festival kicks off on Friday, and it will be an important one for the 2009-born players.
For players who are finishing their sophomore year of high school, they will be getting serious looks from college coaches as they inch closer to Aug. 1, which is the earliest they can commit to a school.
The biggest goal of this coming weekend, however, is to move on to Final 40, which will be held the following weekend at Lovell Academy. From there, it's all about making it to USA Hockey's Select 16 Camp.
Click or tap here for the full rosters for the Mass. Hockey boys festival
We've already covered the '09 forwards to watch this weekend. Let's dive into the defensemen and goalies.
Eben Alden
Nobles, 6/25/2009, D, right shot, 5-10/160
Hometown: Dover, Mass.Â
Alden, who was only a freshman this past season, logged his second year in prep. He moved from Rivers to Nobles before the season and ended up with two goals and seven points in 27 games. He skates well and defends with a good stick. He's also a reliable puck-moving defenseman. He didn't make Select 15 Camp last season.
Easton Anello
Williston Northampton, 1/19/2009, D, left shot, 6-2/172
Hometown: Windsor, Mass.Â
In Monday's USHL Phase 1 Draft, Anello was picked by the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders in the seventh round (95th overall). He's a smooth-skating defenseman with size, which is what helps make him so intriguing. As a sophomore at Williston Northampton, he had two goals and 13 points in 27 games. He notched two assists in four games at Select 15 Camp last summer.
USHL DRAFTS:Â 21 locals picked in Phase 1Â |Â 32 locals picked in Phase 2
Kurt Beck
Arlington High, 4/2/2009, D, left shot, 6-2/175
Hometown: Arlington, Mass.Â
Beck consistently improved as the MIAA season rolled on, becoming one of Massachusetts's best defensemen. He's a stout, two-way defender who protects his own zone just as well as he can join the rush and help out offensively. It wasn't much of a shock when the Youngstown Phantoms selected him in the eighth round (119th overall) on Monday. He had one goal in four games at Select 15 Camp last year.
Ryder Bisson
St. John's Shrewsbury, 8/4/2009, D, left shot, 6-0/165
Hometown: Holden, Mass.Â
Bisson is a prospect to track. He's a phenomenal skater and has high-end poise with the puck. He always seems to pick the perfect time to pass to open teammates up ice. He was a top defenseman for St. John's Shrewsbury this season and helped get the Pioneers to the Division 1 final. Bisson plays with the Boston Junior Eagles in the fall and wasn't at Select 15 Camp last summer.
Richard Grace
Winchendon, 8/9/2009, D, left shot, 5-9/155
Hometown: Dracut, Mass.Â
Grace had a nice first season in prep, posting a goal and seven points for Winchendon. He plays with the Boston Junior Eagles in the fall and had one assist in four games at Select 15 Camp last season.
Justin Lee
Nobles, 6/28/2009, G, catches left, 6-1/181
Hometown: Wellesley, Mass.Â
Lee was one of the top breakout players in prep this season, grabbing the Nobles starting goalie job and never looking back, helping the Bulldogs to the No. 8 seed in the Elite 8. He posted a 2.55 goals-against average and a .912 save percentage. He was looked at so highly that Cedar Rapids picked him in the fourth round on Monday. Lee made Select 15 Camp last season.
JP Montgomery
Rivers, 6/20/2009, D, left shot, 5-11/170
Hometown: St. Louis, Mo.Â
Montgomery made the move from Winchester High in the MIAA to Rivers in prep before the season and posted three helpers in 22 games. Montgomery is a calm, puck-moving presence on the blue line. He was not at Select 15 Camp last summer and plays with the Boston Junior Eagles in the fall. He was, however, selected by the Sioux City Musketeers in Monday's draft.
MASS. HOCKEY FESTIVAL: 13 uncommitted ’08 forwards to watch | 12 uncommitted ’08 defenders to watch
Landon Nickulas
Cape Cod Whalers, 6/10/2009, D, left shot, 5-7/126
Hometown: Barnstable, Mass.Â
Nickulas' best asset is his skating. He's grown since being 5-foot-4 at the festival last season. I had him on my own selections going to Select 15 Camp, but he didn't end up actually making it. That's right, guys — I don't pick who moves onto Buffalo.
Colin O'Leary
Rivers, 2/13/2009, D, right shot, 5-11/140
Hometown: Medfield, Mass.Â
O'Leary was a reliable, puck-moving defenseman for Rivers this winter. The Medfield, Mass., native tallied six assists in 26 games. He executes breakouts well with patience and poise, and facilitates from the blue line in the offensive zone. He's someone who should be due for a breakout season as a sophomore.
Jacoby Palmer
Long Island Gulls, 8/9/2009, D, left shot, 6-1/176
Hometown: Holden, Mass.Â
Palmer opted to move to the Gulls for this past season, and his numbers prove it was a good one: 18 goals and 51 points in 57 games. He's a classic, two-way defenseman who is always creative with the puck, creates offense and defends his own zone well, especially with his good stick. I thought Palmer was the best '09 defenseman at last year's festival. He was at Select 15 Camp last summer and was drafted in the sixth round (78th overall) by the Des Moines Buccaneers in Monday's draft.
Colin Yandle
Catholic Memorial, 10/15/2009, D, right shot, 5-10/159
Hometown: Dorchester, Mass.Â
Yandle proved himself to be a top defenseman in his age group in the MIAA this winter, helping the Knights win the Division 1 championship. He defends his own zone hard, using his good skating and edges to keep up with opposing forwards and cut off lanes to the net. He's an apt puck-mover too, especially on breakouts.
MASS. HOCKEY FESTIVAL: 11 forwards to watch among the '09s at Mass. Hockey Festival
Alex Wang
Boston Hockey Academy, 1/28/2009, G, catches left, 6-3/181
Hometown: Concord, Mass.Â
Wang was drafted in the 12th round (167th overall) by the Chicago Steel in Monday's draft. He had a rough start to his winter with Groton, posting a 3.56 GAA and a .878 save percentage in limited action. But he moved on to Boston Hockey Academy's 16U team and had success with a 1.30 GAA and a .944 save percentage. Statistically, he was the best goalie at Select 15 Camp last summer with a 0.50 GAA and a .979 save percentage in four games.
