2020 is a weird year for a number of reasons. Add scouts watching prospects for the 2021 NHL draft before the 2020 draft is even in the books to the growing list of anomalies in this calendar year.
The 2020 NHL Entry Draft will be held in October this year, due to the coronavirus postponing the annual event that was scheduled to take place in June in Montreal. There still will be a handful of players eligible for the 2020 draft hitting the ice in upcoming Midget tournaments around the New England region.
However, NHL amateur scouts largely will be turning their attention to the crop of prospects eligible for selection in the 2021 draft. That work will begin in earnest this week with the River Rats Jamboree and Beast Labor Day Tournament scheduled to be played over the next eight days.
While this revelation won’t come as much of a surprise to anyone who follows the sport, or news in 2020, it’s still up in the air which prospects will be able to play in which events. Many boarding prep schools are locking down their students, meaning hockey players won’t be able to leave for weekend tournaments, as has been customary over the years.
With that being said, I believe there are two prospects NHL amateur scouts will be paying the closest attention to when or if they’re in uniform at upcoming events. Boston University commit Shane Lachance of Tabor, a left wing for the River Rats 18-U, and New Hampshire commit and Avon Old Farms center J.P. Turner, a center for Mid Fairfield 18-U, are the top two prospects for 2021 heading into the season. Below is a closer look at the 2021 draft standouts, in alphabetical order.
Matt Copponi
River Rats 18-U, Dexter Southfield, 6/4/03, C, right shot, 5-11/165
NCAA commit: Merrimack
Copponi, from Mansfield, Mass., plays hard and with a chip on his shoulder. The energy and grit he brings allows him to get a lot of quality chances and produce. He’s got room to grow and should become even better.
Paul Davey
Mid Fairfield 18-U, Avon Old Farms, 1/11/03, LW, left shot, 6-1/164
NCAA commit: Boston College
Davey, from Greenwich, Conn., long has been regarded as a solid prospect in this class. His size, skill and vision are all very good attributes. I’d like to see him become more consistent in terms of his production.
Tim Delay
Junior Eagles 18-U, St. Sebastian’s, 6/16/03, C, right shot, 6-1/170
NCAA commit: Boston College
There’s no doubt that Delay has the skating and skill to get to the next level. The Hingham, Mass., native is one of the best skaters in this class, but he’ll have to prove to scouts that he has the compete and hockey sense necessary for the NHL.
Brendan Fitzgerald
Boston Imperials Split 18-U, Governor’s, 3/6/03, D, left shot, 5-11/147
NCAA commit: New Hampshire
Fitzgerald is a player with plenty of NHL pedigree. His two older brothers, Ryan and Casey, were NHL draft picks of Boston and Buffalo, respectively. His dad had a long and distinguished NHL career after staring at Providence, and he’s now the general manager of the New Jersey Devils. Brendan bucked the family trend and committed to the Wildcats earlier this month. His skating is a knock against him, but his stick skills and how hard he plays defensively will keep him on the radar of amateur scouts this season. Fitzgerald hails from North Reading, Mass.
Will Killoran
Boston Imperials Split 18-U, Belmont Hill, 1/30/03, D, right shot, 6-2/180
Killoran is a big, physical defenseman. He’s athletic and defends well. What he lacks in skating, he makes up for in willpower and using his size and strength to intimidate and close on opposing forwards. From Charlestown, Mass., his skating and skill have both gotten better, and he even earned power-play time last prep season at Belmont Hill.
Shane Lachance
River Rats 18-U, Tabor, 8/30/03, LW, left shot, 6-4/190
NCAA commit: Boston University
Lachance, an Andover, Mass., native, committed to the Terriers earlier this August. His father, Scott Lachance, is a former first-round pick and scout for the New Jersey Devils. His grandfather is legendary BU bench boss Jack Parker. The bloodlines run deep. That, however, isn’t why Lachance will have scouts watching his every move this season. He’s a big power forward who protects pucks and scores goals. His skating continues to get better and his upward trajectory from two years ago at Andover High to now is quite remarkable.
Matt McGroarty
Mid Fairfield 18-U, Brunswick, 1/30/03, C/RW, right shot, 5-11/159
NCAA commit: Quinnipiac
I wouldn’t necessarily vouch for McGroarty as a NHL pick right now, but he’s certainly a player worthy of an evaluation by scouts. He’s a smart, 200-foot forward who can play wing or center. He hunts pucks, goes to the dirty areas, and can produce. The Westport, Conn., native is versatile and can slide up and down the lineup.
Owen McLaughlin
Mount Saint Charles 18-U, 3/25/03, LW, left shot, 6-11/165
NCAA commit: Penn State
McLaughlin is another player whose stock has soared over the past 24 months. He was a little-known prospect out of Hill School in Pennsylvania before a breakout performance at the 2019 USA Hockey Select 16 Player Development Camp. There is significant upside with his skating and physical tools.
Tristan Mecenas
Cape Cod Whalers 18-U, Governor’s, 11/18/02, G, catches left, 6-4/220
Mecenas is making the move from NEFPHL to Cape Cod Whalers for his split-season hockey. I wouldn’t suggest he’s a pick, but the late ’02 from Maryland is the top first-year eligible goaltender competing in split season.
Walter Oliphant
Little Bruins 18-U, Lawrence Academy, 12/28/02, D, right shot, 6-4/200
Oliphant intrigued me and several NHL scouts who I talked to during last season. He’s big and his skating has come a long way since his days playing Midget minor hockey in his native Illinois.
Tyler Rubin
Junior Eagles 18-U, Belmont Hill, 1/10/03, D, left shot, 5-10/155
NCAA commit: Princeton
Rubin is a gifted skater. His footwork and ability to break pucks out of his own zone will have NHL scouts taking notice of the Wayland, Mass., native.
JP Turner
Mid Fairfield 18-U, Avon Old Farms, 1/31/03, C, right shot, 5-11/190
NCAA commit: New Hampshire
Turner is a player who first came on my radar as a freshman at Falmouth High School. He showed a propensity to score goals. Over the next couple of seasons as he transitioned to Avon, his skating picked up, and he still has that knack for scoring goals. In addition, he’s heavy on pucks, plays a physical brand of hockey, and can contribute in a number of different ways.
Culin Wilson
Junior Eagles 18-U, Dexter Southfield, 3/12/03, LW, left shot, 6-0/180
Wilson, from Hingham, Mass., will be watched by NHL amateur scouts due to his skill and hockey sense. He sees the ice well, is heavy on pucks, and can make plays. He does a good job in small areas, especially coming off the half wall and from below the goal line.
