BOSTON — From Sunday to Tuesday, 175 skaters and 23 goalies, spread across 12 teams, took to the ice at Harvard's College Hockey Experience.
The event brought players together from around the world, giving players the chance to play multiple games with a plethora of college coaches behind the bench.
Those coaches were Colby head coach Blaise MacDonald, Bowdoin head coach Ben Guite, Harvard assistant coaches Jim Tortorella and James Marcou, Sacred Heart senior associate head coach Scott McDougall, UConn assistant coach Michael Pereira, Dartmouth assistant coach Troy Thibodeau, Quinnipiac associate head coach Joe Dumais, Merrimack assistant coach Dan Jewell and Providence associate head coach Ron Rolston.
Players participated in practices on Sunday and Monday led by Babson head coach Jamie Rice, Williams head coach Bill Kangas, USNTDP goalie coach David Lassonde, Wesleyan head coach Chris Potter, Brown assistant coach Jason Smith and Union head coach Josh Hauge.
Northeastern associate head coach Mike Levine and Harvard coaching staff ran seminars on Sunday and Monday.
I saw every team at least once, basing my evaluations on Monday and Tuesday's games. We'll look at the standout defenders and netminders in a different story.
For now, let's dive into the forwards.
Ryan Aaronson
Chicago Mission 15U (Team 4, Black), 1/15/2007, F, left shot, 5-10/161
Hometown: Riverwoods, Ill.
On Monday, Aaronson was by far the best player in his game. His offensive awareness was impressive both with the puck and without it. With the puck, he was patient, evaded defenders and drove to high-danger areas, earning scoring chances. Without the puck, he found open space and supported the puck carrier. His speed and slick hands were on display on his many trips through the neutral zone with the puck. He was taken in the seventh round (98th overall) by the Dubuque Fighting Saints in this year's USHL Futures Draft.
Mclean Agrette
Nichols School 16U (Team 8, Red), 11/23/2007, F, left shot, 5-7/146
Hometown: St. Catharines, Ont.
Agrette had a strong showing in Monday's game. With defenders closing in, he scored a nice backhand snipe right in front of the crease. Later in the game, on a 2-on-1, his patience led him to fake out the defender and let him cut middle for a strong scoring opportunity.
Will Cooney
Wellesley High (Team 11, Navy), 9/22/2007, F, left shot, 5-9/139
Hometown: Wellesley, Mass.Â
As a former MIAA player myself, I always like to see current MIAA players have success in these kinds of events and in my viewing of Cooney, he did that. He's far from the biggest guy on the ice, but his speed and ability to control the puck helped him evade much bigger defenders. What also helped with that was his edgework, which was really good. Late in Monday's game, he forced a turnover off a breakout, corralled the puck and hit the crossbar. Cooney has also played with the Boston Jr. Eagles.
OFF TO HLINKA: 5 locals make the 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup team
Jack Dec
Hartford Jr. Wolfpack 18U (Team 12, Gray), 9/1/2005, F, left shot, 6-2/185
Hometown: Southampton, N.Y.Â
In Monday's game, Dec used his size to create havoc on the forecheck. He was hard on defenders and took away passing lanes, intercepting a pass as the third-guy high at the blue line and continuing an offensive zone sequence. In his own zone, he was defensively responsible and broke up some plays high in the zone. Overall, Dec may not have the speed others did at this camp, but his frame and compete made up for it. Dec attends Kent School.
Luke Drury
Brunswick School (Team 4, Black), 5/24/2005, F, left shot, 5-8/174
Hometown: Rye, N.Y.Â
Drury, the son of Chris, the longtime NHL center and current New York Rangers general manager, may be on the smaller side, but he plays much bigger than he is. He showed off his high compete level in the corners when digging for 50/50 pucks. He found ways to get open for scoring chances in the offensive zone, too. In Monday's game, he laid a big hit and displayed a mean streak on other plays, which isn't often seen from players in summer events like this. Drury posted seven goals and 20 points as a junior for head coach Mike Kennedy at Brunswick last season. I'd expect him to be a prominent producer for the Bruins in 2023-24.
Nolan Hens
Salisbury School (Team 11, Navy), 3/8/2005, F, left shot, 6-0/170
Hometown: Albany, N.Y.Â
Hens showed off good speed in Monday's game. In my opinion, one thing that always shows growth is how patient someone is with the puck and he showed that by not rushing or forcing passes as he skated through the neutral zone and into the offensive zone with the puck. He helped in chance creation in the offensive zone, too. Hens had three goals in 26 games for Salisbury as a junior in 2022-23.
Bronson Hunt
Northstar Christian Academy 18U (Team 2, Kelly Green), 3/26/2005, F, left shot, 5-10/165
Hometown: Long Beach, N.Y.Â
In Monday's game, Hunt handled the puck well and showed off a high compete. That compete was on display on the forecheck, as he forced turnovers. There was one play in particular that stood out. An opposing defenseman was going back to retrieve the puck and Hunt took a smart angle on him, forcing the defenseman to pass the puck right to Hunt's team. Hunt posted 21 goals and 68 points in 54 games for Northstar Christian Academy's 18U squad this past winter. In 2023-24, he will attend Cushing.
FOXBORO PREP LEAGUE: 5 standouts from July 19
Tanner Hunt
Northstar Christian Academy 18U (Team 2, Kelly Green), 3/26/2005, F, right shot, 5-9/165
Hometown: Long Beach, N.Y.
They're not just related — they're twins. The Hunt brothers played together on a line in both of my viewings of the Kelly Green team. Tanner had some finesse in his game and helped create offense, especially in off the cycle. At Northstar Christian Academy last season, Tanner scored 15 goals and added 18 assists in 50 games. The twins will have a big opportunity ahead of them this season at Cushing.
Ryan Kavanagh
Pingree School (Team 9, Crimson), 8/22/2005, F, right shot, 5-8/145
Hometown: Wakefield, Mass.Â
Kavanagh was one of my favorite players to watch at the camp. His shiftiness and ability to dangle in tight were both impressive. In my viewing of him on Tuesday, he scored two goals and added an assist. The first goal came off defenseman Dylan Corsi finding Kavanagh for a goal in front of the net. The second one was all Kavanagh as he rushed down the left side of the ice on his off-wing and sniped a shot high over the goalie's glove. Later in the game, he made a sweet pass to Zhenya Miles for a one-timer goal. It's no surprise that Kavanagh led Pingree in scoring last season with 17 goals and 39 points in 29 games.
Ben Merrill
St. Sebastian's School (Team 1, Yellow), 11/4/2005, F, right shot, 6-0/159
Hometown: Hingham, Mass.
Merrill burst onto the prep scene this past winter, jumping from two goals and three points as a freshman to 11 goals and 24 points in 27 games as a sophomore, so it wasn't a shocker to see Merrill stand out at this event. But Merrill didn't just stand out — he was clearly the best player on the ice. In Monday's game, he started the matchup off with a breakaway goal where he finished on a nice forehand to backhand play. He has good hands and uses his size to protect the puck well. It seemed almost impossible to take the puck from him along the wall and he was crafty, stick-handling around and away from defenders. Merrill is a player popping up on more and more Division 1 college hockey radars.
Grayden Robertson-Palmer
Phillips Andover (Team 7, White), 8/29/2007, F, left shot, 5-10/181
Hometown: Kanata, Ont.Â
Robertson-Palmer showed off his high compete level and good speed on the forecheck in Tuesday's game. The Phillips Andover product was always involved in stifling opposing defenders and when he had the puck in the offensive zone, his ability to get to high-danger areas was evident. He was also prevalent cycling the puck around the offensive zone with his linemates. In 27 games with Phillips Andover last winter, he had six goals and 15 points. I'd expect a jump in production in 2023-24.
AJ Songini
Central Catholic (Team 4, Black), 7/18/2006, F, right shot, 5-8/161
Hometown: Lawrence, Mass.Â
What stood out most about Songini were his faceoffs. In Monday's game, he kept winning his draws forward, which at one point led to him scoring a goal. Midway through the game, off an offensive zone faceoff, he dangled the opposing center and ripped a quick wrister that went between the goalie's legs.
Wonjun Yun
Avon Old Farms (Team 2, Kelly Green), 3/9/2006, F, left shot, 6-2/187
Hometown: Seoul, South KoreaÂ
I was fortunate enough to see Yun twice at the camp and he impressed me both times. In Monday's game, he had two goals and an assist. The first goal was a one-timer from the slot, while the second was him being in the right place and jamming in a rebound. His assist came on a 3-on-1 when he made an unselfish play and dished the puck off to Bronson Hunt for the goal. In both games, he was assertive and wanted the puck on his stick. He used his size well in the dirty areas to grab pucks back. Yun posted four goals and nine points as a sophomore this past winter for head coach John Gardner at Avon Old Farms. It's not a hot take to expect Yun to step up and make an even greater impact for the Winged Beavers this winter.
