The 2024 NHL draft class in New England shapes up to be top heavy, similarly to 2023. Outside of U.S. National Team Development Program U-18 left wing Cole Eiserman (Newburyport, Mass.), the rest of the field has notable flaws.
While there are plenty of good players and ones who undoubtedly will emerge in the years to come, each of the first-year eligible prospects from New England in 2024 have parts of their skill set that need improvement in order to make the NHL someday.
The 2023-24 season could be an extremely light year for watching draft-eligible prospects in New England.
With many of the top players already at the NTDP or USHL and others set to join them, scouts in this area will have to travel to see the cream of the crop.
Here are names to watch for the 2024 NHL Draft.
Thatcher Bernstein
Nobles, 7/17/06, G, catches left, 6-3/209
Bernstein is leaving prep hockey for Dubuque in the USHL following two great years at Nobles. His physical ability and size have made him an intriguing player to watch throughout the years. While there are parts of his game that need continued improvement, including rebound control, there is a lot to like. He’ll certainly gain kudos from NHL scouts for challenging himself by making the jump to the USHL as a young goaltender.
Blake Burke
Westminster, 5/1/06, LW, left shot, 5-11/155
Burke, from Trumbull, Conn., had a breakthrough year at Westminster. Always a good player with Mid Fairfield coming up the ranks, he shined in a top-six role for the Martlets. He scored 14 goals and 14 assists in 26 games. A powerful skater with physical tools to take it to the net and create offense, he needs to accept his identity. He needs to play as a power forward and not a finesse, skill player. If he can do that and become heavier and harder to play against, he could rise up these rankings and into the top 10.
Cole Eiserman
NTDP U-18, 8/29/06, LW, left shot, 5-11/192
NCAA commit: Minnesota
Eiserman exceeded all expectations in his first year at the NTDP. He earned a call-up to the program’s U-18 team for the stretch run and World Championship. In 42 games at U-17, he had 43 goals and 29 assists. After being called up an age, he tallied 26 goals and six assists in 20 games. At the IIHF U-18 World Championship, he scored a remarkable nine goals in seven games. A power forward with an elite, pro-caliber shot, Eiserman is a pure goal scorer worthy of a first-round grade. A hockey rink rat, he continues to get better. His hockey sense is the biggest area of his game that needs improvement, in terms of NHL potential. Expect Eiserman to have a monster year in 2023-24 and cement his status as a first-round pick next June.
Will Felicio
Madison Capitols, 5/19/06, D, left shot, 5-9/161
NCAA commit: DenverÂ
After tendering with Madison for the 2022-23 season out of Mount Saint Charles, Felicio put up gaudy numbers as one of the youngest blueliners in the USHL. He scored four goals and had 24 assists in 55 games while earning first-unit power-play time. His skating, hockey sense and stick are all reasons he had success in the USHL as a youngster. While Felicio is still a work in progress in his own zone, his willingness to play hard and have an edge are reasons for optimism. His size could be his biggest deterrent to receiving more draft attention. The Holden, Mass., native is receiving attention from NCHC, Big Ten and Hockey East teams ahead of Aug. 1 when he can commit to a Division 1 college.
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Elliott Groenewold
Bishop’s College, 2/4/06, D, left shot, 6-2/185
NCAA commit: Quinnipiac
Groenewold might have the best tools of any area defenseman who didn’t play in the USHL in 2022-23. From Bellows Falls, Vt., Groenewold can take off and skate the puck up ice on breakouts. His hockey sense is the part of his game that will need continued improvement as he transitions into junior hockey and looks to gain the attention of NHL scouts. He scored 12 goals and 19 assists in 52 games for Bishop’s College, his second season north of the border.
Caeden Herrington
Holderness, 1/26/06, D, right shot, 6-1/165
NCAA commit: Vermont
Herrington, from Manchester, Vt., had a positive first prep season at Holderness. The big righty has the skating and stick skill to make a number of dynamic plays. He scored a couple of highlight-reel goals in the fall with the River Rats and then again in the winter with the Bulls. In 29 games for Holderness, Herrington scored five goals and 14 assists. He’ll have to reel it in and pick and choose his spots wisely, but the skill is there to generate buzz among NHL scouts. A great teammate, he’ll wear a letter for Holderness in 2023-24.
Dylan Hunt
Milton, 2/9/06, D, left shot, 6-1/174
Hunt doesn’t always attract the attention he should, in large part due to the fact he’s a little bit of a throwback. The Marlboro, Mass., native is a great skater who defends well. His gaps, positioning and stick in his own zone are all major reasons he can be a shutdown defender at the pro level someday. In 27 games for Milton, he scored a goal and 10 assists. If he can continue to get better with the puck, the sky could be the limit. A longtime member of the Junior Eagles, Hunt should be watched closely. He’ll be one of the better players skating in the Boston area in 2023-24.
Owen Keefe
Muskegon Lumberjacks, 3/26/06, D, left shot, 6-1/192
NCAA commit: Boston University
As expected, Keefe had his ups and downs in his first USHL season playing as a tender with the Muskegon Lumberjacks. The Saugus, Mass., native has good size and can jump into the offense. He scored four goals and 10 assists in 59 games while not always receiving a ton of minutes, due to his age and rookie status. The Junior Eagles lifer got better as the season progressed and should have an elevated role in 2023-24. His skating has gotten better as he has filled into his frame.
James Marshall
South Kent U-16, 4/5/06, C, left shot, 5-11/154
Marshall is an elite offensive player who scored 23 goals and 33 assists in 52 games at South Kent. The Weymouth, Mass., native is an elite skater with a smooth stride that just appears effortless at times. He has a good stick and brain for the game offensively. He’s improved on the defensive side of the puck and will need to continue trending in the right direction in that regard. The former BC High star will become a go-to player on South Kent’s U-18 squad in 2023-24.
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Joe Mense
Junior Bruins, 7/21/06, D, right shot, 6-2/190
Mense was one of the youngest players in the USPHL NCDC in 2022-23. From Needham, Mass., he made the jump from prep school at Nobles and got better for doing so. In 28 games, he scored a goal and three assists while going up against players three to fours his elder. He also had a strong split-season campaign for the Little Bruins U-16 and had a good showing at USA Hockey Nationals. Mense has the size to intrigue scouts, and his skating has gotten better. There were a few viewings down the stretch where he was the best player on the ice at the U-16 level.
JJ Monteiro
Mount Saint Charles U-16, 1/12/06, C, left shot, 5-11/174
NCAA commit: Providence
Doubting Monteiro could come back to be a mistake. With his advanced physical development, it always was easy to assume the Hudson, Mass., native was just dominating because of his size and strength. That was a common thought before his 15 Only year at Mount Saint Charles. He continued to prove the doubters wrong in 2022-23 at the U-16 level. In 58 games, he torched opponents for 42 goals and 53 assists. He’s strong on his skates and plays in the middle of the ice. He plays to his identity as a power forward. While it doesn’t always look pretty, he gets the job done. His pro potential can still be doubted, but he should at least be on scouts’ radars.
Andrew O’Sullivan
Kimball Union, 8/15/06, D, right shot, 5-11/165
O’Sullivan made the most of his first year of prep hockey at Kimball Union. He played top-pairing minutes right from the start and was put into the fire on a nightly basis. A smart two-way defenseman, the Norwell, Mass., resident scored four goals and 21 assists for the Wildcats. He’s smooth and reliable at both ends of the ice. His best hockey is ahead of him. While he’s not a dynamic skater, he can move well and will keep getting better.
Nate Porter
Dexter Southfield, 3/10/06, RW, right shot, 5-10/161
Porter had a huge fall with the Junior Eagles and followed that up by hitting double digits in goals at Dexter Southfield. The Hingham, Mass., native scored 22 goals for the Junior Eagles before lighting the lamp 10 times in prep. A right wing who can slide over and play the middle, Porter’s skating and shot are worthy of draft consideration. His willingness to be held accountable at both ends of the ice and playing more in the dirty areas are parts of his game that need continued attention.
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Kiernan Poulin
Lovell Academy U-16, 1/5/06, D, right shot, 5-9/139Â
NCAA commit: UMassÂ
Poulin, from Norwell, Mass., is one of the most dynamic offensive defensemen in this class. He eludes forechecking pressure well on breakouts, using his fleet feet to make up for lack of size. The next step will be gaining some more size, continuing to prove he can compete at higher levels and becoming more defensively responsible when other teams have sustained zone time. All signs point to him being able to do all three.
Landan Resendes
Cushing, 12/10/05, RW, right shot, 5-9/145
NCAA commit: Boston College
Resendes had a breakthrough campaign for Cushing. The Marlboro, Mass., native was the best player on the ice on most nights for the Penguins, one of the top two teams in prep hockey all winter. In 32 games, he scored 27 goals and 27 assists. He played four games in the USHL with Cedar Rapids after the season, finding the back of the net once. He’s a diminutive winger, but his skating, stick and willingness to play the game with an edge are all reasons for his success. Continuing to refine his hockey sense will help him get better, especially when it comes to attracting the attention of NHL scouts.
Jack Sadowski
Kimball Union, 7/29/06, LW, left shot, 6-0/182
NCAA commit: New Hampshire
Sadowski started off slow in his first prep season but came on strong at the end. The Arlington, Mass., native and longtime Junior Eagles star finished his junior season at KUA with 23 goals and 19 assists in 33 games. His brain and stick are both big-time attributes that allow him to have the production he has, despite a lack of foot speed. While his skating is a concern, NHL teams will at least write reports on him, due to his ability to see the ice and propensity for putting pucks in the back of the other team’s goal.
Ryan Staples
Loomis Chaffee, 2/24/06, C, right shot, 6-0/161
NCAA commit: Yale
Staples hit somewhat of a bump in the road in his first prep school season at Loomis Chaffee. The two-way center scored four goals and seven assists in limited ice time for the Pelicans. From Middletown, R.I., he still had a strong fall, being a leading scorer for the River Rats for a second consecutive campaign. Staples’ shot, goal-scoring touch and willingness to hunt pucks in all three zones are key factors in why he could be considered a prospect for the 2024 draft. His skating and details of his game are areas to work on as looks to make the most of his final season in prep hockey in 2023-24.
Teddy Stiga
NTDP U-17, 4/5/06, LW, left shot, 5-9/154
NCAA commit: Boston College
Stiga took his bumps, literally and figuratively, in 2022-23 while with the NTDP. He missed significant chunks of time with injury but made the most of his time on the ice. The Sudbury, Mass., native scored 12 goals and nine assists in 49 games but produced at nearly a half point per game in USHL contests. His skating is a big reason NHL scouts will be on him, despite his small frame. He can fly, and his first two steps and acceleration are worthy of looks. It will be interesting to see how he progresses in year two with the program.
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Niko Tournas
New Jersey Rockets U-16, 2/17/06, RW, right shot, 6-2/185
NCAA commit: New Hampshire
Tournas, from Redding, Conn., had a huge year for the New Jersey Rockets while playing for Noel Rubin. He scored 67 goals and had 51 assists in 77 games, as he played a top-line role for one of the best Midget teams in the country. Tournas has the size to be a power forward, and the puck comes off his stick with authority. His stride and hockey sense are areas of his game that he’ll need to show more of an improvement in, if he is to have success going forward and to impress NHL scouts.
