Yes, it’s true — various top MIAA players leave before graduation for prep hockey. That’s the case again, entering this season.
But there are still countless players worth tracking throughout this winter. There are a whole bunch of players who will lead their teams to wins and, hopefully, deep into March.
Some of these are young, high-end prep prospects, while others are seniors looking to get one last crack at winning a state title. These seniors are also great candidates for postgraduate seasons in prep.
It’s impossible to name every player to watch this winter. But these players are on my radar to start.
Let’s dive in.
James Baker | Catholic Memorial | D | sr.
Baker’s last play in an MIAA game was assisting on the eventual winning goal. The 6-foot-2, 170-pound defenseman will be counted on more for his shutdown play in his own zone this season. He has a fantastic stick and is effective with physicality when needed. He will pitch in offensively, too, helping out a CM team that lost quite a bit to prep.
Ryder Bisson | St. John’s Shrewsbury | G | jr.
Bisson was a standout, puck-moving defenseman as a sophomore last season. The ’09 has great puck skills and is a smooth, slick skater. He even tallied a power-play goal from the point in the championship game.
Tyler Bourgea | Tewksbury | F | sr.
Bourgea was dominant in Division 2 last winter with 24 goals and 47 points. He’s a perfect blend of a skilled forward and a power forward. He can get to high-danger areas with finesse just as easily as he can smush a defender against the glass to free a puck and create a scoring chance.
Brady Chenevert | St. John’s Shrewsbury | F | sr.
The Pioneers are losing a lot of scoring with Daniel Menyalkin and Dominic Reidy graduating. Chenevert, who had 14 goals last season, will be counted on to step up and lead as a senior up front. He knows how to get to scoring areas.
Stephen Constantine | Arlington Catholic | F | sr.
Constantine often looks a step above others on the ice. He plays with power and protects pucks extremely well. He notched seven goals and 23 points last season as a junior.
Jaxson Fleming | Catholic Memorial | G | fr.
Fleming, a ’10, backstopped CM to a state title as an eighth-grader. The Knights are definitely happy he stayed for his freshman year, and so am I. Fleming made the right move — stay where you know you have the net and can face as many shots as possible. He’s been stout this fall for the Minuteman Flames 15O squad.
JR Goldstein | St. John’s Prep | D | sr.
Goldstein could have gone the prep route, but opted to return to SJP for his senior season. He had six goals and 18 points last season, playing in all situations. His puck-moving abilities, physicality and compete will be tone-setting on the back end, and he should see another jump in his numbers.
BOYS PREP: Our preseason boys top 10Â |Â Ranking the next 15 teams
Christian Hinckle | Catholic Memorial | F | jr.
Like Baker, Hinckle’s last play in an MIAA game was redirecting the puck to Tommy Hurst for the eventual state-champion winning goal. He has great hands and skill and terrific patience with the puck on his stick.
Colin McCarthy | St. John’s Shrewsbury | G | jr.
McCarthy was a fun story last season — the JV goalie who was promoted to varsity starter right before the postseason led the Pioneers to within a goal of a state title. Now he has the experience and the expectations to go along with that.
Cam McKenna | Hingham | F | sr.
McKenna had 24 goals last winter for a reason. The ’08 absolutely can rip the puck from anywhere into any spot in the net. His lethal scoring prowess should serve Hingham well in the offensive zone, especially on power plays.
Axel Osborn | Winchester | D | sr.
Osborn should get some attention this winter. At 6-foot-3 and 170 pounds, he’s a very good skater, which can be rare for 18-year-olds with size. He’s stout in his own zone, too. His two-way abilities should make a huge difference for Winchester as it looks to make another deep run this winter.
Nolan O’Sullivan | BC High | F | sr.
BC High was a low-scoring team last season, but O’Sullivan still potted 10 goals and 16 points. The senior projects to be a leader for a younger, more inexperienced BC High team. He has great hands and knows how to finish from scoring areas.
Cam Petrillo | Arlington | F | sr.
It’s no secret that Arlington lost a lot with forward JP Messuri and defenseman Kurt Beck heading to Dexter Southfield. Petrillo will be counted on to step up. The 6-foot-2, 194-pounder can finish plays with a goal and is a menace on the forecheck. That physicality should help create scoring chances.
Matt Regan | Pope Francis | F | sr.
Regan was one of Pope Francis’ go-to forwards last season with 15 goals and 32 points, and he should land an even bigger impact this year. Regan has a very good shot and will be a force in head coach Brian Foley’s top six.
Nolan Russell | Arlington | F | sr.
The ’07 easily could play and star in prep hockey. He’s been a standout on the Brookline Whalers 18U team throughout the fall, playing with Dexter Southfield’s team against other top prep teams and players. His hands and IQ are outstanding. Russell could be the best player in the state this winter.
BOYS PREP: 32 breakout forward candidates | 24 breakout defensemen candidates |13 breakout goalie candidates
Conor Secrist | St. John’s Shrewsbury | D| sr.
Secrist missed most of last season due to injury but came back for the end of the postseason run. The ’08 is a very athletic defenseman (he’s committed to play baseball at Navy) and will be a do-it-all presence for head coach Michael Mead to rely on this winter.
Nate Vittarisi | Reading | D | sr.
As a junior last season, Vittarisi had a strong winter with six goals and 18 points from the blue line. The senior captain will be a force at both ends of the ice, serving as a two-way leader, hoping to get Reading deep into March.
Joe Von Handorf | Xaverian | F | sr.
Von Handorf proved himself as a driver and producer of offense last season on a Hawks team that was missing a lot of that from the year before. He finished the campaign with six goals and 19 points.
Colin Walsh | Framingham | F | soph.
There’s no Framingham bias here. Walsh, a ’10, dazzled last winter with 19 goals and 32 points. This fall, he’s been a top player on the Neponset Valley River Rats 15O team, which is one of the best in the United States. His ability to always be in the right place and find scoring areas in the offensive zone is elite. He’s a borderline Division 1 prospect and should dominate this winter.
Brandon Ward | St. John’s Prep | F | sr.
I’m a big fan of Ward’s game. He was St. John’s Prep’s leading scorer last season with 17 goals and 31 points in 21 games. Ward consistently drove play last season, is a terrific skater, and knows how to get to scoring areas and finish chances. If he wanted to, the late ’07 would be a perfect candidate for a postgraduate year at a prep school.
READ MORE: Our preseason power rankings in boys MIAA hockey
Wolfgang Zinger | Pope Francis | F | sr.
Elite name. One of one. I will never stop writing that. Zinger, however, backed up his outstanding name with great play on the ice. Now a senior, he had nine goals and 28 points last winter.
