This is one of my favorite times of the year on the hockey calendar — right before the New England boys prep hockey season.
There's a thrill in the air. So much is unknown. Every team has a chance. Every player has a shot at a big season. The possibilities seem limitless.
A month from now, everyone will come back down to Earth.
But before that happens, it's a good time to take stock of breakout candidates. Way more than these forwards listed below will break out this winter, but these players have shown big improvements through the spring, summer and fall.
I did this last season with forwards, defensemen and goalies.
I'll take my victory laps with defensemen and goalies in those future stories, but these were a few of the forwards I picked to break out last winter:
- Zach Baker, Groton: 40 points in 29 games
- Rui Han, Andover: 37 points in 29 games; committed to Yale
- Ryan Hedley, Salisbury: 48 points in 31 games
- Will Manchuso, St. Mark's: 37 points in 30 games
- Iain Olsen, Kimball Union: 40 points in 34 games
- Caiden Pellegrino, St. Mark's: 41 points in 30 games
- Joe Salandra, Brunswick: 72 points in 35 games
- Ethan Travis, Tabor: 39 points in 26 games
As I'm a fan of making things harder on myself, I won't include any player who scored at or above a point per game last season. Also, no college commits. Those are the rules. I am, however, allowing for players who were on this last year to be on again.
I also picked 32 forwards, just like last season. They're listed in alphabetical order by last name. Again, there will be separate stories on defensemen and goalies.
Let's dive in.
Elliot Bibeau-Rivard, Salisbury
Bibeau-Rivard arrived at Salisbury this season from Quebec. He was picked in the fourth round of the QMJHL Draft last spring. The '09 dominated the C.E.M. Fall League with 17 goals and 24 points in 13 games. Given Salisbury losing so much scoring from last year's roster, the '09 should be due for a big season.
Drew Borggaard, Portsmouth Abbey
At 5-foot-6 and 145 pounds, Borgaard carved out a nice role for himself as a sophomore at Portsmouth Abbey last winter. He was a high producer in the Peak Performance Prep fall league and looks to become a primary guy for Portsmouth Abbey.
Xander Boutilier, Kimball Union
As a junior '08 last season, Boutilier had eight goals and 22 points, making an impact as a middle-six forward. Judging from the Fall Prep Wildcats' lines, I'd expect Boutilier on the top line. I'd also expect him to be one of his team's scoring leaders.
Owen Burke, Westminster
Burke had a great junior year last winter with 11 goals and 23 points in 28 games. With Owen (his older brother), Derek Rhodes (Ludlow, Mass.), Quinn Pine (Fall River, Mass.) and Tommy Coccaro (Fairfield, Conn.) gone, Burke will be relied upon heavily by head coach Tim Joncas. His 200-foot game should allow him to do that.
Matthew Carorlan, Belmont Hill
Belmont Hill regularly has seniors break out. Carorlan, an '07, had 14 points in 32 games as a junior last season. Carorlan has a high compete and the prep experience to take the next step this winter.
Dylan Chery, Taft
Chery tallied six goals and 14 points in 22 games as a junior last season. Now a senior, he had eight goals and 23 points in 15 games for Taft in the C.E.M. Fall League and should be a go-to player for Ryan Shannon's team this winter.
Lucas Desjardins, Salisbury
Desjardins entered Salisbury midseason last winter and had some legitimate hype. The '09 had four points in 21 games as a freshman last season, but posted 19 points in nine C.E.M. Fall League games. Does that automatically mean that it will continue during the prep season? No, but given his skill and responsibilities, he should be a high producer.
PREP PREVIEWS: Belmont Hill | Milton | Tilton | Berkshire | Deerfield | St. George’s | Brunswick | Winchendon | Salisbury | Choate | Nobles | Kent | Holderness | Dexter Southfield
Cam Doull, Milton Academy
Plain and simple: Doull is big and can score. At 6-foot-3 and 185 pounds, he's the exact kind of player you want with a playmaking center. The Concord, Mass., native arrives at Milton via Concord-Carlisle High (MIAA) and should be a primary producer.
Axel Favreau, Cushing
Favreau is now a senior leader for Cushing. The '07 was a big contributor to last season's Elite 8-winning team, posting 21 points in 25 games. With Max Dineen (Brentwood, N.H.) graduated and most of the defensive core (who supplied a large amount of the offense) gone, Favreau will be one of Cushing's go-to scorers.
Carter Felt, Rivers
Felt, a 2010-born player, is stepping into an opportunity-filled situation. With Rivers losing so much of its scoring from last season, Felt will get plenty of chances to make an impact. The feisty power forward can produce just as well as he can get under the opponent's skin.
Max Gagnon, Tilton
Gagnon had a strong junior year last winter with 12 goals and 25 points in 28 games, falling just short of the point-per-game mark. With the Rams losing a lot of their scoring from last season, Gagnon looks poised to be a primary scorer for head coach Brooks McQuade. The '07 is a great junior hockey candidate.
Joe Gannon, Taft
The Rhinos are full of potential breakout candidates, and Gannon is certainly one of them. The '08 led Taft in the C.E.M. Fall League in scoring with eight goals and 24 points in 11 games, which is a big improvement from 13 points in 24 games with Taft last winter.
Declan Grenache, Williston Northampton
Through two seasons at Williston, Grenache has had a nice prep career, most recently tallying 23 points in 26 games as a junior last winter. Williston should be one of the most improved teams in prep this season, so expect the Sutton, Mass., native to be a big part of it.
READ MORE: Check out the full Prep and MIAA preview magazine
Sam Lee, Belmont Hill
The Sextants' season will likely come down to how younger players on the roster elevate their game to prep. With spots open in Belmont Hill's forward lines, Lee should have a big chance to produce. He's long been one of the top '10s in New England and was a standout for the Minuteman Flames' 15O squad this fall.
Ben Lombardi, Brunswick
Lombardi had a fantastic junior year with 10 goals and 25 points in 35 games. But the '08 has great speed, which allows him to create offense quite a bit off the rush. He'll be in a bigger role with the Bruins this winter, which should equate to even more production.
Andrew Martin, Brooks
Martin raised eyebrows at USA Hockey's Select 17 Camp this summer with three goals and six points in six games. He had 13 points in 26 games for Brooks as a sophomore last season, but looks physically poised to make a much bigger impact this winter. I'd expect Division 1 college programs to be watching him closely this season.
Tucker Mears, Frederick Gunn
Frederick Gunn has a lot of incoming talent, but the Highlanders will still be heavily reliant on veteran leaders to be impactful scorers — and that's where Mears comes in. The '07 had 11 goals and 17 points in 33 games last season. He's a power forward who projects to have an even greater impact this winter.
JP Messuri, Dexter Southfield
Even in a crowded Dexter lineup of forwards, Messuri projects to stand out. His dogged compete, hockey sense and ability to get to high-danger areas should result in an uptick in production. The 5-foot-8 center also brings a toughness to Dexter's lineup that will serve him well.
Cade Noonan, St. Sebastian's
St. Sebastian's is still a young team, and Noonan should be a fixture in the top six. The '09 had 10 points in 25 games last season, but built off that with three points at Select 16 Camp and a strong fall with the Boston Junior Eagles.
READ MORE: A team-by-team breakdown of the ISL Keller
Josh Phillips, Kimball Union
Phillips had 33 points in 36 games last season. As a senior, however, I expect him to reach another level. At 6-foot-2 and 201 pounds, the center is a good skater, plays with power and has a pro shot. I'd expect him to be KUA's next high-scoring senior.
Noah Poinsett-Yoshida, Phillips Exeter
Poinsett-Yoshida is Exeter's leading returning scorer from last season. He has fantastic hands to go along with edgework that helps him navigate into scoring areas. The late '07 will be relied on more heavily this season by new head coach Sean O'Brien.
Max Prudovsky, Dexter Southfield
Putting an '11 on here might be a stretch — especially one in a stacked forward lineup like Dexter's. But Prudovsky is special. His vision, hockey sense and compete should allow him to produce and have success in prep at 14 years old.
Jonathan Rivard, Rivers
Rivers lost most of its scoring from last season. Fortunately, head coach Freddy Meyer can turn to Rivard, who had 14 points in 27 games as a junior. Now a senior, the Newton, Mass., native will be relied on to up his production, slotting higher in the lineup.
Viktor Samal, Holderness
Samal was in last year's story and posted 10 goals and 19 points in 23 games. The Czech native should have more to give as a senior, as the 6-foot-1, 175-pound winger is a strong playmaker. He projects to be on Holderness' top line.
Will Schlechtweg, Kent
It took Schlechtweg some time to adjust to prep last season, posting eight goals and 17 points in 26 games. The '08 got on NHL Central Scouting's Preliminary Watch List, and rightfully so. He was a standout throughout the fall due to his heavy shot and offensive awareness. He's in line for a monster year at Kent.
Colton Simas, Deerfield
Simas was on a veteran-heavy Deerfield team last season, and still notched four points in 26 games as an '09 freshman. The Coventry, R.I., native had a strong fall for the Providence Capitals' 16U squad, and with the Big Green graduating their top four scorers, Simas looks primed for a bigger role.
READ MORE: Ranking the No. 11-25 teams in boys prep hockey
Mitch Smith, St. Paul's
Smith had a nice sophomore season last winter with nine goals and 22 points in 30 games. But the late '08 has a quick stride and isn't afraid to get into high-danger ice and mix it up physically. At 6 feet and 185 pounds, I'd expect an uptick in production.
Sean Sweeney, Thayer
No matter when I was watching the 16U level, Sweeney always stood out for the Boston Junior Eagles. After two years with Seacoast Performance Academy, Sweeney's high-skill game will be a welcome addition to a Thayer team that should contend for the Elite 8.
Alex Taylor, Frederick Gunn
In late September, I was bouncing around between 16U and 18U games at New England Sports Center. I was watching the Northern Conn. Nor'Easters and couldn't help but notice Taylor — a 5-foot-8, 130-pound buzzsaw of a wing. His skating, shot and vision popped. He had 98 points in 68 games for the Halton Hurricanes 16U team in Canada last season.
Jack Welby, Holderness
Welby had eight goals and 16 points in 30 games last season as a secondary scorer for the Bulls. Now a senior, Welby will be thrust into a top role for a Holderness team that graduated a whole lot of talent. He had a strong fall with the Islanders Hockey Club West squad.
Blake Wilichoski, Milton Academy
Wilichoski has long been one of the top 2010-born players in New England. At 5-foot-11, he has the size to make an impact as a younger player. But he also has the play-driving abilities and shot to be someone head coach Jim Gaudet turns to this winter. A strong winter should put him in line to get an invite to the U.S. National Team Development Program Evaluation Camp.
READ MORE: Our preseason boys prep power rankings
Chase Warsofsky, Cushing
Warsofsky was in this story last year. He missed 12 games due to injury, but still put up five goals and 11 points as a center down the stretch. He was vital during the run to the Elite 8 title, and will be even more important this year with a season of prep under his belt.
