Earlier this week, scouts, coaches, and agents convened on the New England Sports Center in Marlboro, Mass., to watch prospects compete at the 2018 Beantown Summer Classic.
Just like the past few years, the level of play at the Beantown Summer Classic continued to spiral downward. Tournament organizers did have a ‘Committed Division’ that played three games, which was nice. There were a couple of uncommitted players who snuck into the ‘Committed Division’ for various reasons.
However, both the ‘Pro Division’ and ‘Futures Division’ needs to be whittled down to just two teams each to bring the level of play back to what it once was.
New England Hockey Journal was on hand for three of the four days to evaluate prospects in the three divisions mentioned above. The ‘Prospects Division’ was skipped due to players being born in 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007.
The level of play at the 2018 Beantown Summer Classic didn't warrant player rankings, but below is a list of prospects who stood out. Special attention was paid to players who haven’t been viewed as often.
Committed Division
Ethan Phillips
#10 White, Sioux Falls Stampede (USHL), 5/7/01, Forward, Right Shot, 5-9/145
NCAA Commit: Quinnipiac
The Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, native was the most skilled player at the Beantown Summer Classic. He scored a few goals that left everyone in attendance in awe. He’s fast and he has good hands. It will be interesting to see what his next move is now that Selects Academy’s coaches have bolted for the upstart program at Mount Saint Charles.
Sam Colangelo
#5 Black, Lawrence Academy, 12/26/01, Forward, Right Shot, 6-1/185
NCAA Commit: Northeastern
The Stoneham, Mass., native played in this just a few days after competing for the United States at the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup. A few days off are in order. He was clearly a little off his game due to being tired, but he still scored a really nice wrist shot from the right circle. His ability to see the ice offensively and rip pucks are high-end. If Colangelo improves his pace of play and consistency, he should be picked in the 2020 NHL Draft's top three rounds.
Matthew Fawcett
#11 Black, Powell River Kings (BCHL), 4/22/99, Forward, Left Shot, 5-6/148
NCAA Commit: Quinnipiac
Fawcett will head to the BCHL after dominating the prep hockey scene last winter at Winchendon. The Lincoln, R.I., native put up gaudy numbers and his skill level here showed why. He’s not necessarily a pro prospect, but he could be a very nice offensive player for Quinnipiac.
Alex Laferriere
#15 White, Kent, 10/28/01, Forward, Right Shot, 5-10/160
NCAA Commit: Army
Laferriere is a late ’01 who has really started to come on the last few months. He’s picked up a step in his game and has the skating and skill to make plays. He drives the net and scores. He’s a big-time get for Brian Riley’s staff.
Luke Krys
#4 Black, Salisbury, 9/27/00, Defense, Right Shot, 6-2/185
The Ridgefield, Conn., native is the younger brother of Blackhawks prospect and BU defenseman Chad Krys. Luke doesn’t have the offensive skill set or the hands of his brother, but he’s steady. He has the size and length to defend better. Harvard is reportedly the frontrunner to land his commitment.
Cameron Boudreau
#3 Black, Junior Bruins (NCDC), 11/27/99, Defense, Left Shot, 6-1/185
NCAA Commit: Quinnipiac
The Salem, N.H., native can really skate. Granted he was on the older end of players here, but he looked sharp. He should be a nice pivot for the Junior Bruins this winter.
Pro Division
Brian Carrabes
#17 Conquistadors, Kimball Union, 8/1/01, Forward, Right Shot, 5-9/165
NCAA Commit: Boston University
After a solid BU Prep Showcase and another good performance here, the North Andover, Mass., native committed to the Terriers. He’s fast, drives the net and can score. His overall game and passing ability need work, but he’s a solid offensive prospect.
Tim Kippenberger
#7 Bombers, Cushing Academy, 4/27/01, Defense, Right Shot, 6-0/180
Kippenberger has some skill and can play mean on the blue line. He’ll be heading to Cushing after two seasons with the Junior Bruins U16 team. The Wilmington, Mass., native would be a solid pickup for the right Hockey East program.
Charles Shaffer
#14 Saints, Brunswick, 7/20/00, Forward, Right Shot, 5-11/180
Shaffer was a little up-and-down here, but he’s one of the top NESCAC targets heading into the 2018-19 season. His skating isn’t the best, but he can shoot the puck well and is often around the puck.
Connor Lovett
#19 Warriors, Lawrence Academy, 4/7/01, Forward, Right Shot, 5-11/185
Lovett will head to prep hockey after a few seasons with the Junior Bruins. He’s quick and can create offense.
Christian Powers
#18 Outlaws, Phillips Andover, 5/1/00, Forward, Right Shot, 5-8/165
The Gloucester, Mass., native is always around the puck and just scores no matter what game it is. On Monday, he scored a goal that exemplified the type of player he is. He swooped in for a loose puck in the slot and quickly banged it home.
Anthony Sciucco
#12 Outlaws, Junior Bruins (NCDC), 12/1/99, `Forward, Right Shot, 5-11/160
The Winchester, Mass., native will look to make the jump from U18 to NCDC this winter. He’s quick and has some skill. He needs to get to the dirty areas more.
Ian Carpentier
#13 Outlaws, Junior Bruins (NCDC), 6/22/00, Forward, Left Shot, 6-0/170
Carpentier made a few nice plays here. He has the speed to beat defenders and separate from the pack. The Worcester, Mass., native will also be making the jump to the NCDC.
Alex Contey
#1 Apaches, Kent, 7/27/00, Goaltender, Catches Left, 6-2/195
Contey is a big goaltender with athleticism. It’s always tough to gauge goaltenders in events like this, but he looks the part and could be a Division 1 goaltender down the road.
Julien Menes
#16 Saints, St. Paul’s, 1/25/00, Forward, Left Shot, 6-2/195
The Montreal, Quebec, native is a versatile, two-way forward who can play defense. He’s another player who will be a top target for NESCAC programs.
Zachary Murray
#19 Saints, Washington Little Caps U18, 7/2/01, Forward, Left Shot, 6-2/155
Murray is the son of Tulsa Oilers head coach Rob Murray, who formerly played pro hockey and was head coach of the Providence Bruins from 2003-2011. He scored a nice goal that he roofed under the bar with a sneaky release.
Futures Division
Conner Chalmers
#6 Hombres, Kimball Union, 8/30/03, Defense, Right Shot, 5-10/160
After playing his bantam season with Top Gun, Chalmers will play prep hockey for Tim Whitehead at KUA. He’s a very good skater with the mobility to escape trouble and effectively break pucks out of his own zone.
Ian Moore
#3 Hombres, St. Mark’s, 11/2/02, Defense, Right Shot, 6-2/150
Moore’s skating continues to improve, and he’s always had intriguing raw ability and physical tools. He has a hard one-timer and good instincts. He’ll be a Division 1 player.
Brendan Fitzgerald
#7 Titans, Islanders U16, 3/6/03, Defense, Left Shot, 5-10/145
Fitzgerald has played a lot of hockey lately with national camp, so this wasn’t his best showing. Having said that, he made several good plays, joining the rush and contributing offensively.
Alexander Mickanin
#31 Nationals, Selects Academy U16, 8/11/03, Goaltender, Catches Left, 6-0/190
Mickanin had a solid national camp and was again good here. He covers a lot of net with his size and strong positioning. He moves well and made several noteworthy saves.
Colin Ronan
#1 Hombres, Islanders U16, 6/6/03, Goaltender, Catches Left, 6-2/175
Ronan is part of the family that has produced several Hockey East players over the past two decades, including Ed Ronan, who made it to the NHL. The Saugus, Mass., native has good size and potential.
Greg Spitznagel
#16 Braves, NJ Colonials U16, 3/10/03, Forward, Right Shot, 6-2/180
Spitznagel is a big-bodied winger whose skating is still a work in progress, but he does a lot of good things. He’s solid below the dots and has a hard shot. He’s protects pucks and muscles his way into the high-quality scoring areas.
Daniel Lurie
#8 Braves, Northern Cyclones U16, 6/30/03, Defense, Left Shot, 5-9/144
The Lexington, Mass., native is on the smaller side, but he’s a puck-moving machine. He’s smart and makes solid lead passes. He’s not the fastest skater, but he gets the job done. He continues to get better.
Michael Roby
#22 Titans, Virtua U16, 2/1/03, Forward, Left Shot, 5-9/148
Roby was noticeable a few times over the course of the week, and not for his uniform number being incorrect on the roster. He scored several really nice goals.
Peter Frates
#4 Titans, Roxbury Latin, 10/11/01, Defense, Left Shot, 5-10/150
Frates has been somewhat lost in the shadows at Roxbury Latin, but he’s a solid, puck-moving defenseman. He has good mobility and makes lead passes that facilitate transition play. He’ll need to make faster decisions over the next few years.
Jaiden Moriello
#18 Hombres, Junior Bruins U16, 5/4/03, Forward, Right Shot, 6-1/170
The Lynn, Mass., native has added some size, but plays with same edge from when he was smaller. He grinds and plays physically.
Michael Franzoni
#9 Braves, Jersey Shore Whalers U18, 7/16/01, Forward, Left Shot, 5-10/165
Franzoni scored a really nice goal on Monday, finishing a breakaway with snap shot right under the bar as he was falling down. He was quick and made a couple of plays other than that.
