BROOKLINE, Mass. — The New England boys prep hockey season isn't far away, and this past weekend several prep teams playing together in the fall hit the ice.
The Cape Cod Whalers hosted the 18U Prep Alliance Showcase at Dexter Southfield. The Whalers, Boston Junior Eagles and East Coast Wizards were the only teams not tied to a prep school.
The Brookline Whalers (Dexter Southfield), Central Mass. Penguins (Cushing), Islanders Hockey Club East (Winchendon), Islanders Hockey Club West (Holderness), Islanders Hockey Club North (Northfield Mount Hermon), Little Bruins (Lawrence Academy) and Fall Prep Wildcats (Kimball Union) were the other squads.
I saw every team over the two days except for Islanders Hockey Club West and North.
Here are 13 standout defensemen and goalies. A separate story was done on forwards.
Let's dive in.
Pierce Brackett
Brookline Whalers, 7/2/2009, G, catches left, 6-2/165
Hometown: Hingham, Mass.Â
Brackett wasn't too under siege against the Little Bruins, but when he was challenged, he made the big stops. In the first period, he stoned the Little Bruins on their best chance with a huge glove stop. In the third, he made a massive blocker save on a point-blank chance from Brennen Chau. Brackett was consistently technically sound and controlled his rebounds.
Jack Ducharme
Islanders Hockey Club East, 1/2/2009, D, left shot, 6-3/190
Hometown: Bolton, Mass.Â
Ducharme impressed with his two-way play. He defended hard using his size. Against the Fall Prep Wildcats, he used his strength to lift the stick of a forward cutting to the net with possession. He moved pucks intelligently and wasn't afraid to skate it himself. He scored on a missile from the point against the Wizards.
Sawyer King
Little Bruins 18U, 3/6/2009, G, catches left, 5-11/150
Hometown: Raymond, N.H.Â
King faced a whole bunch of shots against the Brookline Whalers on Saturday. And while he gave up five, it could've been a lot worse. He was forced to make all kinds of saves, but his glove was especially good. He was square to shots and quick to react to creative passes from the Brookline Whalers.
Tavian Mandeville
Cape Cod Whalers 18U, 4/18/2008, D, right shot, 6-0/175
Hometown: Medway, Mass.Â
Mandeville was a strong, two-way defender against the Penguins. He defended the front of his own net hard. He always got pucks through from the point, at one point scoring after walking to the middle of the blue line and ripping a hard, low shot. Mandeville made smart reads when stepping up in the neutral zone, too.
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Landon Nickulas
Central Mass. Penguins 18U, 6/10/2009, D, left shot, 5-8/130
Hometown: Barnstable, Mass.Â
Nickulas started his weekend off with a bang, jumping into the rush against the Cape Cod Whalers and wiring a low shot for a goal. Against the Cape Cod Whalers, he was consistently aggressive in both his step-ups when defending in the neutral zone and when joining the rush. His shiftiness and elusiveness helped him at the offensive blue line.
David O'Brien
Boston Junior Eagles, 3/29/2008, D, left shot, 5-7/150
Hometown: Weymouth, Mass.Â
Despite breaking his leg last season, O'Brien is still just as elusive. Even when the Penguins looked to have him cornered with the puck behind his own net, the Thayer defenseman always found a way out with terrific edge work and intelligence. The same was true at the offensive blue line — he used deception so well.
Thomas Ojard
Fall Prep Wildcats, 3/6/2008, D, left shot, 5-10/185
Hometown: Duluth, Minn.Â
I remain impressed with Ojard. He does everything well. Against Islanders Hockey Club East, he opened the game with a good hustle play to get back and negate a potential breakaway. He was mobile with the puck, evading pressure on breakouts. He was rewarded with a goal from the point. Ojard should be a prime candidate for NESCAC schools next season.
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Colin O'Leary
Boston Junior Eagles, 2/13/2009, D, right shot, 6-1/160
Hometown: Medfield, Mass.Â
O'Leary showcased a great stick and ability to defend, especially when negating chances off the rush. He was also apt at skating pucks out of his own end. At one point against the Penguins, he exited his zone all by himself and went end-to-end, almost scoring. O'Leary will be massive for Rivers this winter.
Ryan Porter
Brookline Whalers, 6/4/2010, D, left shot, 5-8/158
Hometown: Hanover, Mass.Â
Porter is a candidate to take one of the biggest jumps this winter. The '10 defenseman showed confidence and poise with the puck on Saturday. On one play, he shimmy'd around a defender at the offensive blue line, went down the wing and passed to a teammate for a scoring chance. He got the puck back and fed a teammate in the slot for another scoring chance. His offensive abilities make him intriguing this winter.
Brayden Robinson
Cape Cod Whalers 18U, 1/24/2008, D, right shot, 5-10/173
Hometown: Hingham, Mass.Â
I was impressed with Robinson's poise with the puck on breakouts and rushes. Maybe it's because it's fall hockey, but Robinson successfully navigated through pressure on breakouts and was able to leave his own zone. He got pucks through from the point, too. He will be at Milton Academy this winter.
Oliver Svoboda
Central Mass. Penguins 18U, 10/9/2008, D, left shot, 5-10/150
Hometown: Fort Myers, Fla.Â
I've always liked Svoboda, but this weekend was the best I've ever seen him. He was a breakout machine, consistently eluding pressure and either making a strong first pass or taking it himself. Against the Cape Cod Whalers, Svoboda won a battle in front of his own net, chipped the puck up ahead and went in on a 2-on-1 that ended in a Ben Yabsley goal. Division 3 schools should be all over Svoboda this winter, who will be Cushing's leader on defense.
Joel Thompson
Brookline Whalers, 10/28/2008, D, right shot, 6-2/185
Hometown: QuebecÂ
Thompson wasn't showy, but he showed himself to be a steady, reliable defenseman. He moved pucks intelligently and confidently, opting for simple plays. He used his size well while defending, and showcased a good stick. Thompson should be relied upon heavily at St. George's this winter.
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Gabe Walker
Fall Prep Wildcats, 10/20/2009, D, left shot, 6-1/196
Hometown: Fredericton, New BrunswickÂ
Walker was the most dynamic offensive defenseman at this weekend's showcase. Against Islanders Hockey Club East, he scored twice. One was joining the offense off the rush and rifling a shot below the goalie's glove. He did it again in the third period, completing a give-and-go off the rush, getting behind the defense and slipping one in. He's a phenomenal skater. The QMJHL's Newfoundland Regiment has his rights.
