CROMWELL, Conn. — Many good prospects came through the greater Hartford area for four days July 23-26 to showcase their skill and compete against peers at the Battle of Boston.
The tournament, originally slated to be played in Walpole, Mass., had to be moved to Connecticut due to Massachusetts’ rules prohibiting games. The Battle of Boston utilized several different rinks, but the majority of the top games were played at Champions Skating Center in Cromwell, Conn. Sunday’s playoff action moved to Northford Ice Pavilion in Northford, Conn. Roc City Elite ’01s ended up winning the championship.
There was a wide array of talent at the Battle of Boston. There certainly were several teams that didn’t belong, but tournament organizers Mark Lotito and Todd Stirling did a good job of pulling it all together in a relatively short time.
Among the top players from the Battle of Boston were top uncommitted prospects, a projected pick in the 2020 NHL draft and a couple of solid prospects for the 2021 and 2022 NHL drafts. I took in action at the Champions Skating Center on Thursday and Friday.
Below is a look at the players who stood out in the 2020 Battle of Boston from the teams I watched in person. There was a lot of hockey going on simultaneously. Some of the games were better than others. Some players hadn’t played in more than four months. Therefore, the following evaluations are meant as an identification or further reinforcement of previous viewings and not a complete picture.
Top uncommitted prospects
1. Michael Emerson
#17 Boston HC, Kent, 12/26/03, RW, right shot, 5-11/155
Emerson’s game has taken a huge step over the past year. Now, he’s even bigger and looks to have added another step. He’s smart, controlled possession, and made a lot of plays in Thursday’s game. The Yorktown Heights, N.Y., native is one of the top five uncommitted ’03 forwards in the country.
2. Tyler Procious
#58 Roc City 03, Omaha Lancers, 5/29/03, D, right shot, 5-10/175
Procious is an extremely smart, puck-moving defender. His vision is exceptional and he makes good breakout passes right on the tape. Procious does a good job keeping it simple and putting the puck into safe areas and not forcing plays. He reads plays and forces turnovers. Like Emerson, Procious is one of the most coveted uncommitted ’03s in the country at his position.
3. Evan Brown
#19 Hockey Essentials White, North Jersey Avalanche 18-U, 10/14/03, RW, right shot, 5-8/145
Brown was listed on another roster, but I saw him with Hockey Essentials White. He had a nice assist and showed his high motor throughout the game. He hunts pucks on the forecheck and had the puck on his stick a lot. He made plays and was very impressive.
4. Casey Severo
#18 Roc City 01, Madison Capitols, 2/1/01, C, right shot, 5-11/175
Severo is a smart, cerebral center who wins faceoffs and has good vision. He’s not a bad skater, but he lacks that next gear to really break away from opposing defenders. Projecting to the college level, he’ll be looked upon as a third-line center who can kill penalties, be out in key defensive situations, and to chip in offensively from time to time.
5. Matt Crasa
#23 Roc City 01, Fargo Force, 3/4/01, RW, right shot, 5-11/185
Crasa made a couple of really nice passes, at least two of which ended up in the back of the net for assists. A hard one-timer of his ended up in a goal. His quickness, skill and vision are all good enough for Hockey East. The former Sacred Heart commit still has to prove he can play in the dirty areas and be heavier on pucks.
6. Jared Mangan
#12 Hockey Essentials Black, Trinity-Pawling, 4/8/03, C, left shot, 5-10/150
I really like Mangan’s skill, but he looked a little rusty in the game I saw. His stick is very good and he has the ability to change the tune of a game with a creative offensive play.
7. Frank Djurasevic
#74 Hockey Essentials Blue, Penticton Vees, 3/9/02, D, right shot, 6-2/190
Djurasevic has a good combination of size, skill and grit. He’s strong on pucks, makes some good outlet passes, and can be a tough defender to play against.
8. Arseni Smekhnov
#13 Coaches Choice, Janesville Jets, 1/28/01, C, left shot, 6-1/194
Smekhnov, formerly committed to UConn, showed off his goal-scoring touch with a snipe in Thursday’s game. He still has to find a way to be less one-dimensional, but the skill is there to land with another college hockey program.
9. Jak Vaarwerk
#13 Roc City 03, Lincoln Stars, 6/13/03, C, left shot, 5-11/170
Vaarwerk is a smart center who plays a mature game. He’s on the right side of the puck, has good vision and is responsible in all three zones. He looks a little bigger and more explosive since the last time I saw him in February. Down the road, Vaarwerk projects as a bottom-six forward at the college level.
10. Tyler Kopff
#15 Hockey Essentials White, North Jersey Avalanche 18-U, 4/22/03, C/LW, left shot, 6-0/174
Kopff is a big, heavy two-way forward who is smart. He showed well here and I think he’ll continue to get better.
11. Vitaly Levyy
#17 Hockey Essentials White, North Jersey Avalanche 18-U, 5/9/03, RW, right shot, 5-10/161
Levyy doesn’t have a lot of skill typically but scored a nice goal from in tight with good hands. He’s willing to go into the tough areas and competes hard every shift.
12. Jonathan Young
#96 Roc City Red, Northeast Generals, 6/23/00, C, left shot, 6-2/200
Young, previously committed to Merrimack, is a big, strong power forward. He’s good down low, cycles and is hard to knock off his feet. He’ll likely end up at an Atlantic Hockey or ECAC Hockey program.
13. Patrick Cole
#21 Roc City 03, Buffalo Junior Sabres 18-U, 2/14/03, RW, right shot, 6-1/190
This was my best viewing to date of Cole. He found the back of the net a couple of times and was around the puck a lot. He shoots it hard and could develop into a solid power forward, especially if his skating improves further.
14. Nick Marciano
#24 Roc City 02, Kent, 5/19/02, D, left shot, 6-2/190
Marciano is a player who has made a nice jump in his game over the past eight or so months. He skates well and can contribute offensively. I think he’ll find his way onto a Division 1 roster as a third-pairing or depth defenseman.
15. Will Kormanik
#15 Hockey Essentials Blue, P.A.L. Islanders, 3/20/01, LW, left shot, 6-1/160
Kormanik is a power forward who often leaves you wanting more. He has the tools but has never fully put it together. He was good here, controlling pucks and scoring a couple of goals on power moves. His first step and hockey sense need work, but there’s potential.
16. Ty Broad
#28 Roc City 03, Gunnery, 4/16/03, C/RW, right shot, 5-8/160
Broad is a forward who keeps his feet moving. He plays at a high compete level and was around the action. His hockey sense is one area that could use improvement as he makes the next step in his game to prep hockey.
17. Matthew Yeager
#26 Roc City 02, Buffalo Junior Sabres, 5/21/02, RW, right shot, 6-6/220
Yeager is a huge winger who scored a power-play goal on a snipe from the right-wing circle and then again later in the game from in tight. He’s always been an intriguing player. I’d like to see him be more consistent in playing between the dots and using his size to his advantage.
18. TJ Semtimphelter
#31 Hockey Essentials Blue, Chilliwack Chiefs, 5/9/02, G, catches left, 5-11/181
Semtimphelter posted a shutout in his half of action during the game I saw. He’s not overly big, but he almost always makes the first save. He’s reportedly a good student. I think he’d be a good backup goaltender for an academically inclined college program.
19. David Tolan
#50 Roc City 03, Shattuck-St. Mary’s, 10/16/03, RW, right shot, 6-0/170
Tolan is a goal scorer who shoots it hard. I noticed him a few times and he’s hard to knock off pucks.
20. Jaiden Moriello
#45 Boston HC, Kimball Union, 5/4/03, RW, right shot, 6-2/181
This was the first time I’ve seen Moriello since a gruesome leg injury at the Exeter Invitational back in December. He scored a really nice goal after splitting the defense and driving hard on net. He’s got potential as a middle-six forward with size.
21. Liam Lesakowski
#4 Roc City 03, Salisbury, 12/12/03, D, left shot, 6-4/209
Lesakowski has good size and is an intriguing prospect. He did deliver a couple of good hip checks. He needs to keep things simple and not look to force plays that aren’t there. Projecting out, he’s a bottom-pairing defender who will have to play with a mean streak to make the most of his physical tools.
23. Luke Antonacci
#2 Roc City Red, Maine Nordiques, 11/26/02, D, right shot, 5-8/165
Antonacci is a good skater who pushes the pace and gets pucks north. He got shots on net and one of those attempts ended up with a rebound goal for a teammate.
24. Joseph Schubert
#13 Roc City 02, New Jersey Titans, 1/1/02, LW, left shot, 6-0/190
Schubert is a big winger who skates well. The physical tools are there, but his vision will need to get better if he’s going to make the most of his ability.
25. Stephen Kyrkostas
#6 Roc City 01, Corpus Christi IceRays, 1/23/01, C, right shot, 5-10/170
Kyrkostas is able to create offense on the rush with his speed. He scored a couple of goals but still needs to improve in terms of hockey sense and getting to the dirty areas in attacking zone situations.
26. Ryan Walker
#21 Hockey Essentials Black, Trinity-Pawling, 9/5/03, LW, left shot, 6-2/180
Walker is a big winger who always shows flashes. His stride and skating look a little better. I want to see him accomplish a little more, but there’s potential if he puts it all together.
27. Eric Charpentier
#1 Roc City Red, Gunnery, 6/10/02, D, left shot, 6-3/200
Charpentier is raw, but there’s some intriguing tools. He can be physical and closes time and space with his size. His decisions with and without the puck need work. He got walked a few times, but he’s a player who should be watched as he transitions from prep to junior hockey.
28. David Posma
#2 Roc City 03, Mount Saint Charles 18-U, 8/27/03, D, left shot, 5-10/160
Posma has average size, but he plays bigger. He delivered a couple of nice hits, which is typical of his style of play.
29. Sam Nichols
#5 Roc City Young Guns Red, Trinity-Pawling, 10/22/02, D, right shot, 6-2/190
Nichols showed me something here with his size, ability to block shots, and he also chipped in some offensively.
30. Adam Smith
#18 Roc City 02, Northeast Generals, 1/20/02, D, right shot, 6-1/200
Smith was noticeable a few times here for his size and ability to play with some jam defensively. He had a big hard shot from the point as well.
31. Andrew Carmody
#19 Roc City Young Guns Red, Choate, 7/18/02, D, right shot, 6-0/185
Carmody is assertive and jumps into the rush. He had above-average agility and helped his team in the puck possession category.
32. Chris Repman
#9 Coaches Choice, Maine Nordiques 18-U, 3/9/02, RW, right shot, 5-10/150
I’ve seen Repman play before, but he never stood out like he did Thursday afternoon. He was around the puck a lot, scored a couple of goals by driving the net, and set up another one. He’s a player I’d like to see again once the regular season starts.
33. Alexey Yarmulnik
#14 Hockey Essentials Blue, Pittsburgh Penguins Elite 18-U, 6/27/03, RW, right shot, 5-11/170
Yarmulnik is a power forward who can shoot it hard and drive the net. He’ll have to improve his skating and round out his game, but there’s a solid foundation as a goal scorer.
34. Bauer Swift
#6 Roc City Young Guns Red, Choate, 6/17/02, D, right shot, 6-1/180
Swift is a good skater, but his hockey sense needs to improve so he doesn’t skate into trouble as much. He’ll be a good Division 3 defender down the road.
Notable committed and current college players (alphabetical order)
David Andreychuk
#21 Roc City 02, Brooks Bandits, 4/2/02, C, left shot, 6-1/180
NCAA commit: St. Lawrence
Andreychuk won draws and made some plays. His vision and ability to be heavy on pucks are vital to his game. His skating looked a little better, but it's a part of his game that will need to continue to improve in order to make the jump to college hockey.
Michael Cameron
#16 Roc City 02, Omaha Lancers, 7/24/02, C, left shot, 5-10/175
NCAA commit: UMass
Cameron is an elite skater who plays a mature game. It’s obvious that he has a year of junior hockey under his belt. He’s always on the right side of the puck and he scored a goal in Friday’s game. He’ll be a very good third- or fourth-line center for the Minutemen.
Nick Capone
#11 Top Shelf, UConn, 12/17/01, RW, right shot, 6-2/203
Capone can take over a game physically but wasn’t really able to do that in this kind of hockey. His skating is an issue, but I look forward to seeing him develop at UConn. He’s always been fun to watch with his physical play and ability to control possession below the dots.
Damien Carfagna
#4 Hockey Essentials White, Lawrence Academy, 12/12/02, D, left shot, 5-11/165
NCAA commit: New Hampshire
Carfagna did a good job pinching and keeping pucks in at the attacking blue line. He’s a smooth skater who makes plays in transition.
Brandon Chabrier
#5 Hockey Essentials Blue, Sioux Falls Stampede, 7/19/02, D, right shot, 6-1/165
NCAA commit: Northeastern
Chabrier is a tall, puck-moving defender. His smooth feet and skill allow him to make plays in transition as well as during power-play situations. His defensive decision making needs work, but with the puck on his stick, he’s capable of doing something special.
Kyle Chauvette
#31 Roc City Elite Red, Maine Nordiques, 10/5/01, G, catches left, 5-11/160
NCAA commit: Holy Cross
Chauvette is a little undersized, but he made a couple of acrobatic saves in one game. He’s quick and has good reflexes.
Matt Copponi
#25 Boston HC, Dexter Southfield, 6/4/03, C, right shot, 5-11/161
NCAA commit: Merrimack
Copponi was dynamic in Thursday’s game. He protected pucks, made plays and displayed his skill by finding the back of the net and dishing out some nice passes. One of his goals was a hard wrist shot and the other was a backhand. Even in glorified shinny hockey, he plays hard, hunts pucks and goes to the hard areas.
Ryan Coughlin
#27 Roc City 01, Omaha Lancers, 2/9/01, RW, right shot, 6-0/185
NCAA commit: Robert Morris
I’ve liked Coughlin since his time with Selects Academy. He’s big, strong and hunts pucks. He does a good job of protecting pucks and cycling down low.
Cole Crusberg-Roseen
#14 Roc City 02, Coquitlam Express, 4/14/02, D, right shot, 5-11/175
NCAA commit: UMass
Crusberg-Roseen jumps into the offense and showed some improvement, as he had displayed during his time with Mount Saint Charles this past season.
Mark D’Agostino
#15 Top Shelf, Langley Rivermen, 5/6/01, C/RW, right shot, 6-1/170
NCAA commit: UConn
D’Agostino is strong and can use that to his advantage at times. He’s got a gritty side where he’ll stick an opposing player or lower his shoulder to get body positioning. I’d like to see him stop and start more.
Anthony Dowd
#8 Roc City 03, Chicago Steel, 4/25/03, D, right shot, 5-6/150
NCAA commit: Providence
Dowd has good feet, which allows him to sidestep oncoming forecheckers. He likes to jump into the rush and plays an offensive-minded game. His recovery speed is good enough for him to get back defensively when he gets caught up ice.
Jimmy Dowd
#5 Roc City Elite Red, Penn State, 7/9/00, D, right shot, 5-9/165
Dowd is a high-risk, high-reward type of offensive defenseman. His skating and feet sets him apart. He joined the rush and set up a lot of grade-A opportunities for his teammates.
Oliver Flynn
#9 Top Shelf, Loomis Chaffee, 6/13/03, C, left shot, 6-1/172
NCAA commit: UConn
Flynn is a power forward with reach. He can protect pucks and use his explosive stride to get away from opposing defenders.
Bayard Hall
#8 Hockey Essentials White, Youngstown Phantoms, 8/16/02, D, right shot, 6-1/176
NCAA commit: Yale
Hall is a defender I’ve always respected. He’s not a throwback per se, but he doesn’t play a typical game of a modern-era defender. He keeps things simple and makes good breakout passes. His size, skating and range were all noted. He might not have an elite skill-set, but he’s good and dependable.
DJ Hart
#2 Hockey Essentials Blue, Madison Capitols, 2/23/02, D, right shot, 6-3/190
NCAA commit: Ohio State
Hart was one of the pleasant surprises of the event. He’s always been solid, but this was a very good viewing. He’s physical, has a hard shot, and movies well. He doesn’t have a lot of skill, but he made some good passes and was good at both ends of the ice.
Cody Hoban
#14 Top Shelf, Salmon Arm Silverbacks, 4/26/01, RW, right shot, 5-10/170
NCAA commit: Dartmouth
Hoban is skilled and skates well. He’s gotten better over the past 12 months and showed that here.
Blake Humphrey
#34 Roc City 02, Sioux Falls Stampede, 1/18/02, C, right shot, 5-9/160
NCAA commit: Providence
Humphrey has skill, agility and quickness. He did a good job cycling down low.
Quinn Hutson
#9 Hockey Essentials White, Penticton Vees, 1/1/02, RW, right shot, 5-10/161
NCAA commit: Boston University
Hutson made a couple of nice passes and showed off his vision. He’s skilled and showed that he can be a playmaker at the college level.
Alex Laferriere
#17 Roc City 01, Harvard, 10/28/01, C/RW, right shot, 6-1/185
Laferriere was all over the ice and had the puck on his stick just about every second of each shift. He scored a really nice goal, showed off his hands and skating, and was a force. He’s a player who has gotten a ton of attention over the past two years at Kent and then Des Moines in the USHL. It’s rightly deserved and he’s almost certainly going to hear his name called at the 2020 NHL Entry Draft.
Robert Mastrosimone
#21 Hockey Essentials White, Boston University, 1/24/01, LW, left shot, 5-10/170
NHL rights: Detroit Red Wings (2019, 2nd round, 54th overall)
Mastrosimone was mainly out here to be with friends and former teammates. As an NHL pick and a player with a roster spot secured on a college team, he had little to prove. His stickhandling, puck skills and agility wowed the crowd a few times.
Ross Mitton
#23 Hockey Essentials White, Colgate, 7/5/00, RW, right shot, 5-11/183
Mitton is another player who is best in structured environments when there’s something significant on the line. He plays hard, hunts pucks and makes an impact as the F1. He drove the net for a rebound goal.
Connor Pelc
#97 Roc City 03, Des Moines Buccaneers, 4/28/03, RW, right shot, 6-2/194
NCAA commit: Providence
Pelc is a power forward who is really coming into his own. He has a long, powerful stride and is able to lower his shoulder and drive into the scoring areas. On more than one occasion, he drove the net hard. He plays with an edge and likes to mix it up.
Michael Posma
#8 Roc City 01, Cedar Rapids RoughRiders, 12/4/01, C, left shot, 6-1/175
NCAA commit: Boston College
Posma was reunited with his old prep school linemate in Alex Laferriere. I liked what I saw, but this really isn’t an environment where Posma shines. He’s a hard-nosed player who hunts pucks, plays with an edge, and goes to dirty areas, when he’s on top of his game.
Kenny Riddett
#24 Hockey Essentials White, 3/26/01, LW, left shot, 5-5/154
NCAA commit: Robert Morris
Riddett is an undersized forward who produced a lot here. He’s quick and crafty, but I still wonder whether he can do it against bigger, older, physical defensemen at the college level.
Ben Ritter
#76 Roc City 02, New Jersey Titans, 1/31/02, D, left shot, 5-11/185
NCAA commit: Dartmouth
Ritter looked like he’s used his time away from the rink to get bigger and stronger. He’s a smooth skater who makes good breakout passes.
Jack Robilotti
#2 Roc City 01, Holy Cross, 4/18/01, D, right shot, 6-2/190
Robilotti is a player who I’ve liked for a while. He has good size, skates well and has good length to defend. He’s not necessarily gifted offensively, but his puck skills are good enough to make efficient plays to maintain possession. I think he’ll be one of the best defensemen in Atlantic Hockey over the coming four years.
Christian Sarlo
#18 Hockey Essentials White, Penn State, 6/29/01, LW, left shot, 6-0/194
Everything I thought of Sarlo coming in was proven here. He’s got a hard shot, is heavy on pucks, and is smart in terms of knowing where to go for pucks to find him. His skating is just average, but he scores.
Andy Stoneman
#29 Roc City Elite Red, Bowdoin, 4/16/00, C, left shot, 6-0/190
Stoneman scored a goal on a hard wrist shot. He has good size. It will be interesting to see what he does this upcoming season with the uncertainty in the NESCAC.
Garrett Sundquist
#13 Roc City 01, Cedar Rapids RoughRiders, 7/17/01, D, left shot, 6-3/210
NCAA commit: Providence
It’s tough to gauge a defensive defenseman in a showcase setting. However, a couple of things impressed me with Sundquist here. His skating looks better and he’s definitely moving well on the ice. While summer hockey isn’t conducive to big hits, he still showed a little bit of an intimidation factor. I think he’ll be relied upon heavily once he’s at Providence for having that mean streak in front of his own net and making life tough for opposing forwards.
Connor Tait
#22 Roc City 01, Prince George Spruce Kings, 1/26/01, RW, right shot, 6-2/205
NCAA commit: Quinnipiac
Tait looks a little bigger and still shows flashes of being able to drive the net and protect pucks. If the roster was correct, he’s leaving the NCDC’s Jersey Hitmen for the BCHL.
Winter Wallace
#12 Coaches Choice, Youngstown Phantoms, 1/21/02, RW, right shot, 6-3/201
NCAA commit: Michigan State
Wallace is a power forward who uses his reach to protect pucks. His physical tools are very good, but he’ll need to become more of a force between the dots and down low in order to make the most of that.
