Finding the next Spencer Knight (Darien, Conn.), Jonathan Quick (Milford, Conn.) or Tom Barrasso (Boxboro, Mass.) is a task all college coaches and NHL scouts throughout New England have on their radar.
As equipment and the game itself have evolved, having an elite goaltender has become more important. As former Merrimack coach Mark Dennehy famously said, “The game of hockey should be called goaltending.”
While New England might not have a bona fide NHL superstar goaltender in the making currently, there are a handful of goaltenders to watch this summer and beyond who hope to join the list of commits.
The region currently has six committed goaltenders: Danbury Jr. Hat Tricks' Thomas Kiesewetter (Plymouth, Mass./Princeton), Sioux Falls Stampede's Jackson Irving (Newbury, Mass./UMass), Madison Capitols’ Mason Kucenski (Gill, Mass./St. Lawrence), Cedar Rapids RoughRiders’ Sam Scopa (Lexington, Mass./Quinnipiac), Lone Star Brahmas’ Arthur Smith (Farmington, Conn./Princeton), and Ryder Shea (Framingham, Mass./Maine).
Who is next to join the ranks of committed goaltenders in New England? Starting with three goaltenders slated to play junior hockey in 2023-24, here’s a look at eight netminders in the region who have their sights set on a Division 1 roster spot.
Thatcher Bernstein
Dubuque Fighting Saints, 7/17/06, catches left, 6-3/209
If I were a betting man, Bernstein (Brookline, Mass.) will be the next local goaltender to commit. The safe money is the former Nobles star pledging to Boston College or Harvard on or around Aug. 1. The rising junior will spend his final two years of high school playing for Dubuque in the USHL. Bernstein’s physical tools, including his size, have always intrigued scouts and coaches. Invited to the Team USA National Team Development Camp's Evaluation Camp in 2022, he’s been considered a top '06 goaltender in the country for the last 18 months. As with all young goaltenders, the jump to the USHL will be challenging, but he’s certainly capable and has plenty of upside.
Colin Winn
Youngstown Phantoms, 8/5/04, catches left, 6-1/190
Winning is all Winn (Westford, Mass.) has done for a few years now. Most recently, he was the second-string goaltender for the USHL Clark Cup champion Youngstown Phantoms. His size is average for modern-era standards, but that won’t deter him at the collegiate level. His skating is his elite asset as he moves extremely well in the crease. Expect his .891 save percentage to go up in his second year in the USHL. A number of college programs are lurking. It shouldn’t be long before the former Westford Academy, South Kent and Junior Bruins goaltender has a college logo next to his name on the line chart.
COLLEGE HOCKEY RECRUITMENT WATCH: Top uncommitted '06s at the Mass. Hockey Festival
Nick Bevilacqua
P.A.L. Islanders, 8/6/03, catches left, 6-0/179
Bevilacqua (Abington, Mass.) has been a good goaltender for a long time. Dating back to his bantam days, he stopped pucks and won games, despite not oozing the size and physical attributes coaches look for these days. After a successful 2021-22 season at Northfield Mount Hermon, Bevilacqua made his junior hockey debut this winter with the NCDC’s Boston Advantage. In 36 games he had a .919 save percentage. With the Advantage folding junior hockey operations, he’s off to the NCDC’s P.A.L. Islanders, the defending champion of the league.
Anthony Palmer
Avon Old Farms, 10/28/07, catches left, 5-9/140
Palmer (Lynnfield, Mass.) is off to prep school after two standout seasons with the River Rats and a stellar freshman campaign with MIAA powerhouse St. Mary’s. He’s a competitor with good reflexes. He’s very good down low and as he grows he’ll become better with the high shots. A late birthday, he’s twice been given the nod as the best goaltender in Massachusetts for his age group by advancing to national camp.
Sam Caulfield
Milton, 8/29/06, catches left, 6-2/185
Caulfield (Needham, Mass.) broke onto the scene this winter as he did his best impression of a brick wall for much of the year at Milton Academy. The Flood-Marr Tournament MVP had a sub-2 goals against average and a .948 save percentage for Paul Cannata’s Mustangs. Making it more impressive is he helped guide Milton to the Elite 8, despite the team in front of him not having the firepower of much of their counterparts. Despite stiff competition in the Bay State with Bernstein, Shea and Cole Pouliot-Porter all earning bids to national camp, Caulfield will join them by way of an at-large invitation.
Connor Towle
Hotchkiss, 3/27/06, catches left, 6-0/154
Towle (Fairfield, Conn.) got his feet wet at the prep level this past winter with the Bearcats. With two seniors graduating, he’ll be the full-time starter in Lakeville next winter. Formerly of Westchester Express and Elite Academy, Towle is a student of the game who is technically sound. He earned an at-large invitation to national camp in a couple of weeks.
Cole Pouliot-Porter
Xaverian, 7/24/06, catches left, 5-10/155
Pouliot-Porter (Franklin, Mass.) helped bring Xaverian to the state championship game at TD Garden in March. As he has for a couple of years now, he keeps exceeding expectations. He did just that by being selected to national camp out of the Mass. Hockey Festival. He doesn’t have the size college coaches are looking for, but he makes up for it by having one of the best compete levels you’ll ever see.
MOVING ON: How many players from Mass. Hockey Festival go on to play college hockey?
Parker Stockseth
Seacoast Performance Academy, 12/9/08, catches left, 6-1/165
I had no idea who Stockseth was until the Mass. Hockey Final 40. He was clearly the best '08 goaltender there. It wasn’t close. He was big and good. He stopped pucks and looked the part. After spending this past winter with MassConn United, he’s off to Seacoast Performance Academy.
