MARLBORO, Mass. — It was a big weekend for top talent across the 14U, 15O, 16U and 18U levels in New England and around the country, as the famous Eastern Alliance Kickoff took place over Labor Day weekend.
I mainly focused on the 15O level — and so did many junior hockey executives and college coaches.
It's a big year for the '11s, as they become eligible to be drafted to junior hockey leagues at the end of the season. And, of course, there's the U.S. National Team Development Program looming large over them.
Islanders Hockey Club took down the Boston Junior Eagles, 4-2, in the 15O championship. The two teams were by far the best squads in the birth year this past weekend.
We already covered the forwards. Now, it's time to take a look at the top defensemen and goalies from the weekend.
Let's dive in.
Alex Bobrov
Boston Junior Eagles, 1/26/2011, D, left shot, 5-11/172
Hometown: Milton, Mass.
Bobrov scored a beauty against the Nor'Easters on Saturday. Max Prudovsky made a sweet pass across the zone to him, and Bobrov sniped one from a crazy angle. Bobrov made smart, creative puck plays on breakouts and in the offensive zone. One thing I like about Bobrov's game is how he can slow the game down when he gets the puck. He never panics.
Liam Boily
Masters Academy, 2/17/2011, G, catches left, 6-2/194
Hometown: Ann Arbor, Mich.Â
Boily looked the part. He was so sound in net, staying square to shots and not having to make extravagant saves because of his strong positioning. He didn't allow many rebounds because of how well he corralled shots. That size mixed with his positioning makes him such an intriguing prospect.
Jackson Dyment
Islanders Hockey Club, 11/26/2011, D, right shot, 5-11/155
Hometown: Burlington, Mass.Â
Against Atlantic Coast Academy, Dyment potted two goals. He picked up a rebound in a 4v4 for his first, and then finished a chance in front for his second, displaying strong offensive awareness. Dyment made effective, strong passes when leaving his zone, and in the offensive zone he got quick shots through from the point.
Tyler Fecteau
East Coast Militia, 3/28/2011, G, catches left, 5-10/141
Hometown: Northboro, Mass.Â
Fecteau showed a lot of promise. He showcased great mobility and a strong ability to read plays before they happened. He had a great glove, too, making big glove saves off in-tight chances. He's an intriguing '11 local goalie prospect.
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Jack Irwin
Boston Junior Eagles, 1/21/2011, D, right shot, 5-11/165
Hometown: Windham, N.H.Â
Irwin has a strong dose of nastiness to his game. He plays with such a high compete and never shies away from finishing hits, making life difficult for opposing forwards. Along with being difficult to play against, he moves pucks reliably and occasionally rushes the puck himself.
Tyler Kyle
Masters Academy, 5/17/2011, D, right shot, 6-0/155
Hometown: Cary, N.C.Â
Kyle provides a lot of intrigue. When I watched him Friday night against the Cape Cod Whalers, he first caught my attention when he wired a shot in from the point. But he did a lot of other good things, too. He showed himself to be a smart, two-way defenseman, knowing when to jump into the rush and contribute offensively. He made such smart breakout passes, especially under pressure.
Zach Martin
Woodbridge Wolfpack, 5/5/2011, D, left shot, 5-9/161
Hometown: Maple Grove, Minn.Â
The most fun part of events like these and ages like this is finding players I haven't seen before and being wowed. Martin was precisely that. The Minnesota native controlled the game when he had the puck. His skating was phenomenal. Against the River Rats, he danced around the offensive zone at one point, avoiding defenders, picking his spot and sniping a shot short side. Against the Junior Eagles, he got the puck at the point, showed phenomenal poise to step in until he couldn't anymore and sniped another.
Martin was so fun to watch. If I were a Division 1 NCAA coach, I'd have his name circled. He was a sixth-round pick by the Kelowna Rockets in this year's WHL Draft.
Will O'Brien
Neponset Valley River Rats, 10/4/2011, D, right shot, 5-9/130
Hometown: Portland, MaineÂ
I liked O'Brien's aggressiveness a lot. He stepped up quite a bit in the neutral zone and at the attacking blue line, taking smart angles to cut off lanes for opposing puck carriers. He was also good at finding soft spots in the offensive zone to sneak in for low-to-high passes. O'Brien made smart breakout passes, too.
Jordan Silvetti
Woodbridge Wolfpack, 2011, G, catches left
Home state: ConnecticutÂ
While the Wolfpack lost to the Junior Eagles, 4-2, on Sunday, Silvetti was the only reason the game was close. He was under siege for most of the game, but especially early, being forced to make countless big stops. He was steady in net and made apt saves on tight chances. At one point, Junior Eagles forward Carter Watson whipped a turnaround wrister along the ice from the bottom of the circle, and Silvetti calmly made the save and didn't allow a rebound.
