Fall hockey is in the rear view. Next up: New England prep hockey.
It's a fun time of year. Every New England boys prep team has at least some hope that hey, maybe this is the year. The year our team makes the playoffs. The year our team wins a NEPSAC postseason tournament. The year our team makes the Elite 8. The year that I have my best game ever in front of a Division 1 college coach.
The possibilities are endless.
One of the most fun storylines entering every season is projecting the breakout candidates. Fall hockey is great at giving an early tell as to which players are most improved for the prep season. It's not everything, but it's something.
I did this exercise last season with forwards, defensemen and goalies.
Since this story is all about forwards, let me take a couple of victory laps from last season. Of the 23 forwards I predicted would break out, 10 were at least point-per-game players, while a number of others came close. I will give myself a special pat on the back for Carter Meyer (Winchester, Mass.) and Cam MacPherson (Hopkinton, Mass.) — two young, first-year prep players who lit it up.
For this season, I picked prospects who are either newcomers to prep or are players who were mid-tier last season and look like they're ready for the next step. There are, however, a few players who are listed here again this season. We'll touch on each one of them below. There are also some committed players on this list.
An example of someone who isn't on this list is Viktor Samal. The Holderness rookie was on Czechia's Hlinka Gretzky Cup team this past summer. Would he be "breaking out" if he goes off for a lot of points this winter? Not in my opinion.
Let's dive into 32 forwards in prep who I expect to break out. They're listed in alphabetical order. There will be separate stories on defensemen and goalies.
Luke Allen
Lawrence Academy, 5/20/2008, F, right shot, 5-8/150
Hometown: Billerica, Mass.Â
Allen made an impact last season as a freshman, scoring four goals and posting 17 points. He will be one of the focal pieces of Lawrence Academy's offense this winter and is coming off a nice fall with the Boston Junior Eagles' 16U team.
Zach Baker
Groton, 4/3/2006, F, left shot, 5-9/165
Hometown: Williston, Vt.Â
Groton lost some of its scoring in the offseason and Baker was already a legitimate piece of the offense with his 11 goals and 21 points. But he's a senior now and after a nice run in the New England Fall Prep Hockey League, he looks poised for an uptick.
Colvin Callahan
Tabor, 2/9/2007, F, right shot, 5-11/176
Hometown: Lexington, Mass.Â
Callahan has been on the ascent for some time. He broke out as an impact player for Xaverian in the MIAA last winter. He followed that up by consistently being one of the better players in the Foxboro summer prep league. With Tabor, he will have every opportunity to produce — and he should have no problem doing so.
Nico Ciardiello
Avon Old Farms, 11/10/2008, F, right shot, 5-11/174
Hometown: Guilford, Conn.Â
Avon Old Farms will be full of first-year '08s looking to make an impact. Ciardiello will be one of the main ones. He's coming off two very strong years with Mount St. Charles' 14U and 15O teams. He was a point-per-game player last winter for the 15O team and has been at USA Hockey's Select 15 and 16 Camps the last two summers.
OFF TO JUNIORS:Â 12 ex-prep players to track in junior hockey this season
Liam Donnelly
Avon Old Farms, 5/29/2008, F, left shot, 6-0/190
Hometown: Ringwood, N.J.Â
Donnelly is another player brought in by Avon Old Farms boss John Gardner to make an impact offensively. He was a standout with Delbarton (N.J.) School and the North Jersey Avalanche's 15O team last season. He followed that up being one of the highest producers at USA Hockey's Select 16 Camp over the summer with eight points in five games. He has a heavy shot and plays with power, which will serve him well in prep.
Brodie Donovan
Governor's Academy, 8/1/2006, F, left shot, 5-9/165
Hometown: Los Gatos, Calif.Â
Donovan had three points for Cushing last season as a junior, but made the move to Governor's Academy this winter. He was a standout when I viewed him in the fall with Top Gun. If he plays like he did in the fall when the prep season begins, he should be due for a big jump in points.
Axel Favreau
Cushing, 7/29/2007, F, left shot, 5-9/154
Hometown: Auburn, MaineÂ
Favreau will be one of a number of upperclassmen Cushing forwards who new head coach Ryan Bourque will look to. He had six goals and 13 points last season, but will get a bigger role this winter.
Joe Feinberg
Milton Academy, 1/10/2007, F, right shot, 5-11/170
Hometown: Highlands Ranch, Colo.Â
I've always liked Feinberg's game. He had seven goals and 21 points last season. This winter, Milton returns a lot of its scoring from last season, so the BC High product will be playing with productive players. If Feinberg takes that next step, the Mustangs will be a tough team to face.
Aiden Ferreira
St. George's, 1/17/2007, F, right shot, 5-10/161
Hometown: Warwick, R.I.Â
Every time I watched the Little Bruins this fall, I was always impressed with Ferreira. He plays with speed and has good skill. He had a strong sophomore year with 12 goals and 23 points, but with some graduations among forwards, he should have plenty of chances to make that next jump.
Rui Han
Phillips Andover, 2/23/2007, F, left shot, 6-0/170
Hometown: Birmingham, Ala.Â
Han was a secondary scorer for Andover last season, posting eight goals and 21 points in 30 games. He plays with speed, skill and a high compete. He's ready for a primary role.
Ryan Hedley
Salisbury, 8/9/2007, F, left shot, 6-0/176
Hometown: Raleigh, N.C.Â
I've always liked Hedley's game. He can drive play and should move into a more prominent role in Salisbury's offense. He scored 10 goals and finished with 21 points in 27 games last season.
Jacob Jett
Avon Old Farms, 1/1/2008, F, left shot, 5-10/154
Hometown: Summit, N.J.Â
Jett enters Avon Old Farms from the North Jersey Avalanche and Summit (N.J.) high school. He is coming off an outstanding fall with the Northern Connecticut Nor'Easters. His skill and vision from the middle of the ice is impressive and, even as an '08, should put him near the top of the team in scoring.
Brendan Keaveney
St. Sebastian's, 3/22/2006, F, right shot, 6-0/180
Hometown: Westwood, Mass.Â
While he had 10 goals and 28 points in 27 games, Keaveney will be faced with an entirely new challenge this season. All of Keaveney's teammates from last season are gone, leaving him to be the focal point of potentially the youngest team in prep hockey. He plays with such a high compete and has a lot of speed. Depending on who he plays with, he should produce roughly just as much as last season.
Eric Lund
Cushing, 9/15/2006, F, right shot, 6-1/170
Hometown: Bridgewater, Mass.Â
Lund is yet another Cushing forward the Penguins will need to step up. He has great size, plays with a lot of power and has an edge to his game. He scored five goals and tallied nine points as a junior last season.
COLLEGE HOCKEY RECRUITING: 7 takeaways from the last month
Will Manchuso
St. Mark's, 1/8/2008, F, left shot, 5-11/181
Hometown: Concord, Mass.Â
Manchuso is new to St. Mark's this season after being a standout at Concord-Carlisle (Mass.) high school. He plays at such a high speed and is a driver of offense. He will be one of the focal points of the St. Mark's offense this season and should be due for big numbers.
Iain Olsen
Kimball Union, 3/7/2006, F, left shot, 6-1/181
Hometown: Vergennes, Vt.Â
Olsen had 23 points in 21 games last season. Those are nice numbers, but the senior will be thrust into a role that usually spells a whole lot more production: Kimball Union's top line. He will likely play with Corwith Simmers, who had 54 points last season, and C.J. Watroba, who is committed to Merrimack. Is Olsen putting up Sam LeDrew- and Jack Sadowski-like numbers from last year? That's a big jump. But he's positioned for a large jump.
Sam Pandolfo
Rivers, 7/2/2009, F, left shot, 6-3/185
Hometown: Winchester, Mass.Â
Last season, Pandolfo was part of the '09 trio with Rivers that took prep by storm. Carter Meyer (Winchester, Mass.) had 39 points, while Finn Sears (Medford, Mass.) had 34. Pandolfo scored four times and finished with 25 points. That's an outstanding first season in prep, especially as an eighth-grader. Based off of summer and fall hockey, Pandolfo looks positioned to be a primary producer for Rivers.
Caiden Pellegrino
St. Mark's, 2/10/2009, F, left shot, 5-8/146
Hometown: Uxbridge, Mass.Â
Pellegrino is another '09 who will have legitimate expectations this season. He arrives at St. Mark's via the Providence Hockey Club. He is an elite passer for his birth year and if put with the right wings, he should be a point machine for head coach Carl Corazzini.
Jack Queally
St. Sebastian's, 7/27/2010, F, left shot, 6-0/174
Hometown: Milton, Mass.Â
This is my Meyer-like pick this season. Queally, who is fresh off playing 14U hockey with the Neponset Valley River Rats, has the traits necessary to succeed in prep hockey. He has the size and he certainly has the confidence. He also has the perfect storm around him to produce. Yes, there will be lumps and he's not very insulated. But that will likely mean being thrust into a top role and having the opportunity for more ice time and more production.
JT Rothstein
Taft, 1/19/2008, F, left shot, 5-9/154
Hometown: New City, N.Y.
NCAA: HarvardÂ
Rothstein was in this story last season and finished with 18 points in 25 games. In fairness to him, he was coming off leaving the Long Island Gulls' 15O team. This year, however, Rothstein has dominated. He was tied for 10th in scoring at Select 16 Camp with eight points in five games. He's also been a standout with the River Rats' 16U team this fall.
Stevie Rousell
Rivers, 3/25/2008, F, right shot, 5-9/157
Hometown: Norwood, Mass.Â
Rousell has all the tools. He's a good skater and has nice hands. He has a quick shot that he can get off from in tight. There will be a lot of forwards wanting the puck at Rivers this winter. But if Rousell can put it all together, he should take a big step up from 14 points in 27 games last season.
MASS. STATE TOURNEY: 13 uncommitted 18U standouts | 9 standout 16U forwards | 7 standout 16U defenders
Joseph Salandra
Brunswick, 2/15/2008, F, right shot, 5-9/174
Hometown: Pleasantville, N.Y.
NCAA: HarvardÂ
Salandra has a massive opportunity in front of him as the headliner on offense for Brunswick. The Harvard commit should be able to fill those shoes as he's a phenomenal play driver and someone who makes his teammates better.
Max Santos
St. Mark's, 8/27/2006, F, left shot, 5-9/146
Hometown: Evanston, Ill.Â
Santos quietly posted a nice season last year with eight goals and 23 points in 29 games. In my viewing of him this fall, he's confident and poised with the puck. He has a high level of skill and should be set for an uptick in production.
Ben Short
Winchendon, 5/14/2008, F, left shot, 5-10/165
Hometown: Lunenburg, Mass.
NCAA: MerrimackÂ
Ever since his first Mass. Hockey Festival in 2023, Short has shown glimpses of how good a player he can be. His potential is so high, which is why Merrimack has a commitment from him. He posted four goals and 19 points in 29 games last season, but should be due for so much more this winter on a revamped Winchendon team.
Pete Silverman
Tilton, 3/20/2006, F, left shot, 5-10/159
Hometown: Winthrop, Mass.Â
Silverman torched the MIAA over the last two seasons with Winthrop (Mass.) High. He has a whole bunch of speed and knows how to produce. If he can continue that production into prep, he will undoubtedly help Tilton climb up the Lakes Region standings.
Cooper Snee
Avon Old Farms, 6/20/2006, F, right shot, 5-11/174
Hometown: Franklin Lakes, N.J.
NCAA: Providence CollegeÂ
Snee is committed to Providence. He quietly posted eight goals and 18 points in 27 games last season for Avon Old Farms. This year, he's the captain and will be the focal point of an offense with a lot of '08s. As an '06, he will be counted on to lead and for a jump in production. He's in a good spot to do both of those things.
Nick Sumner
Brooks, 2/13/2008, F, right shot, 6-1/154
Hometown: Hingham, Mass.Â
Sumner had a strong freshman year at Brooks, scoring the second-most goals on the team (13). He had a nice fall with the Boston Junior Eagles' 16U team and looks ready to continue his ascent as an offensive leader for his team.
Spencer Thornborough
Governor's Academy, 6/22/2008, F, right shot, 6-0/174
Hometown: Boxford, Mass.Â
Governor's Academy lost its top three scorers from last season to graduation. One player who head coach Brian McGuirk will need to step up is Thornborough. He's long been one of the top '08s in the region, as he was selected to NTDP Evaluation Camp in the spring. He plays with a lot of straight-ahead speed and after 15 points in 18 games last year, he looks ready for a productive, full season.
Ethan Travis
Tabor, 4/22/2008, F, left shot, 5-11/172
Hometown: Narragansett, R.I.Â
Travis made the move from Narragansett/Chariho (R.I.) high school to Tabor this season. This is an underrated addition by the Seawolves, as Travis has been at Select 15 and 16 Camp the last two summers. He has a high offensive IQ and always seems to be able to make things happen.
PREP PREVIEWS: Avon Old Farms | Belmont Hill | Berkshire | Brunswick | Frederick Gunn | Holderness | Kent | Phillips Andover Â
Brayden Wade
Holderness, 9/5/2007, F, right shot, 5-8/172
Hometown: Commerce Township, Mich.Â
Wade will likely center Holderness' top line, which will provide him ample opportunities to produce alongside high-end players. While not the biggest guy on the ice, Wade's shiftiness, skill and hockey sense make him an '07 for Division 1 colleges to watch.
Chase Warsofsky
Cushing, 6/20/2009, F, left shot, 5-8/145
Hometown: Northborough, Mass.Â
Warsofsky was a standout with Saint John's Shrewsbury in the MIAA last season. He made two moves entering this season: He transferred to Cushing and switched from the Boston Junior Eagles to the Neponset Valley River Rats. With the River Rats, Warsofsky was the 15O team's best forward and got to play a prominent role. Cushing doesn't yet have a go-to scorer on the roster. That very much could be Warsofsky's to take this winter.
Patrick Woods
Belmont Hill, 7/5/2007, F, right shot, 6-1/170
Hometown: Charlestown, Mass.Â
Woods plays a two-way game with high compete. He centered Belmont Hill's second line last season and tallied six goals and 17 points in 31 games. If head coach Brian Phinney opts to move Woods up to play between David Bosco (Winchester, Mass.) and Jake Tavares (Belmont, Mass.), Woods' production will soar.
