WALPOLE, Mass. -- The Beast Series Columbus Day Showcase brought many top prospects and teams from across the eastern part of the United States to various rinks around Massachusetts over the holiday weekend.
Most of the top games were played at Rodman Arena in Walpole, Mass. and Conte Forum on the campus of Boston College in Chestnut Hill, Mass. However, several other rinks were used, including New England Sports Village in Attleboro, Mass., Thayer Sports Center in Braintree, Mass., and Essex Sports Center in Middleton, Mass.
In addition to Beast Series teams, the Florida Alliance and South Florida Hockey Academy were a few of the top guest teams in attendance. While there was certainly a wide disparity in terms of talent, the showcase organizers did a good job of getting good teams and quality matchups at the most desireable rinks.
Below is a look at the top prospects and how they performed during the course of the showcase. Keep in mind that with games spread across numerous rinks, it was physically impossible to see each team, and it was hard to get too deep of a picture on a lot of players with games going on simultaneously. A concerted effort was made to keep a closer eye on teams and players who weren’t viewed last weekend at the Mid Fairfield Showcase in Stamford. A player being omitted doesn’t necessarily mean he wasn’t good. It could just be that I didn’t see him play.
15s Forwards
Nathan Casey
#11 Mount Saint Charles, 2/8/04, C, Left Shot, 5-8/135
Casey is a really good skater who had the puck a lot and made a few plays during his team’s loss to New Jersey Rockets.
Brady Berard
#8 Mount Saint Charles, 2/26/04, C, Left Shot, 5-10/181
NCAA commit: Providence
Berard didn’t find the score sheet in the game against the Rockets, but he was noticeable a few times. He has good vision and made some nice plays to facilitate offense after hunting pucks.
Nicholas VanTassell
#21 New Jersey Rockets, 4/18/04, RW, right shot, 6-1/154
VanTassell has size, length and an explosive stride. He hasn’t put it all together yet, but there’s plenty of potential.
Mike Murtagh
#18 River Rats, 9/11/04, RW, Right Shot, 5-9/148
Murtagh is a very good skater who found the back of the net. He showed off his good hands as he toe-dragged an opposing defender during the afternoon game on Saturday. Murtagh also forced turnovers due to his skating and edge work.
Jackson Graber
#10 Mount Saint Charles, 10/20/04, C, Right Shot, 5-9/156
Graber is slick and can make plays. He needs to be more engaged and involved away from the puck, but he’s got the quickness to get to loose pucks when he’s thinking offense in his own zone.
Hudson Blue
#13 Mount Saint Charles, 7/27/04, LW, Right Shot, 5-9/160
This could have been the best viewing of Blue yet. He was quick and seemingly all over the puck. He even made a few good plays with the puck once he got it.
Zachary Wagnon
#17 New Jersey Rockets, 3/26/04, C, right shot, 5-10/153
Wagnon is quick and has the ability to separate from opposing defenders.
Donovan Frias
#90 River Rats, 11/9/04, LW, Left Shot, 6-0/150
Frias is big and can be a power forward if he blossoms into that. He made a real nice play to hit a linemate on the backdoor. He uses his size and strength to drive the net and win battles.
Frank D’Ancona
#16 Mount Saint Charles, 6/2/04, C, Left Shot, 5-7/140
D’Ancona plays with a chip on his shoulder. On the smaller side, he’s quick, hunts pucks, and makes some plays.
Nicholas Peluso
#29 Rochester Selects, 2/14/04, RW, Right Shot, 5-5/135
Peluso had a goal and an assist against the River Rats. He played the point on the power play and generated a lot of chances during all situations.
James Schneid
#48 Rochester Selects, 5/15/04, RW, right shot, 5-8/140
Schneid has never really stood out before, but he had two goals Saturday against the River Rats.
Brian Judge
#16 Rochester Selects, 9/22/04, LW, left shot, 5-10/150
Similarly to Schneid, Judge made a good impression Saturday afternoon by scoring a goal and adding an assist.
Kurt Gurkan
#13 River Rats, 2/13/04, RW, Left Shot, 5-7/162
Gurkan was his usual self. He’s small and crafty and found his way onto the score sheet.
Nolan Leonard
#40 River Rats, 5/12/04, RW, right shot, 5-8/140
During my viewings, Leonard had two goals and was noticeable a few times. He’s a player who I’ll be watching closely going forward.
Makai Tarjamo
#87 New Jersey Rockets, 10/22/04, LW, left shot, 5-9/145
Tarjamo wasn’t as good as he was the previous weekend, but he still did a nice job of playing with tenacity in all three zones. He’s fast and forces turnovers.
15s Defensemen
Seamus Powell
#2 Rochester Selects, 4/26/04, D, Left Shot, 5-10.25/138
Powell has the skill set to make the NTDP. In the team’s game against the River Rats, he was very good at making smart passes to keep possession. He’s smooth and sees the ice well. Powell isn’t flashy and he’ll rarely get caught out of position.
Jake Furlong
#4 Mount Saint Charles, 3/4/04, D, Left Shot, 5-8/130
Furlong is a smart, heady puck-moving defenseman. He’s a good skater and plays with some jam.
William Moloney
#4 New Jersey Rockets, 1/11/04, D, left shot, 6-1/154
Moloney made a really good look on a power play attempt against Mount Saint Charles. He has good size and can play physically in his own zone.
Kiernan Gately
#46 Rochester Coalition, 2/25/04, D, Right Shot, 6-0/150
Gately skates well, jumps into the offense, and has some jam. His stick is solid and there’s some potential.
Pavel Bocharov
#2 Mount Saint Charles, 2/21/04, D, Right Shot, 5-11/167
Bocharov is a solid defensive defenseman. He has some upside with his size.
Michael Fisher
#16 River Rats, 5/2/04, D, Right Shot, 5-8/140
This was the best viewing of Fisher in a while. He’s smooth, a good skater, and is seemingly getting bigger. He has a good stick, a little jam, and made some plays. He’s still a little raw and could afford to do less at times, but there’s a lot to like in his game.
Dylan Shane
#22 Mount Saint Charles, 4/19/04, D, Right Shot, 5-10/175
Shane has some puck-moving skills, but his straight line speed is an area of his game that needs to continue improving.
Noah Jones
#5 New Jersey Rockets, 2/22/04, D, right shot, 6-1/155
Jones is a big physical defenseman with a mean streak
Odin Ford
#96 New Jersey Rockets, 7/8/04, D, right shot, 5-9/150
Ford scored a goal against Mount on a shot from the point. He plays hard and throws his weight around. He made a nice stop on one of Mount’s top offensive players.
15s Goaltenders
Joseph Cartigiano
#35 New Jersey Rockets, 2/15/04, G, catches left, 5-11/145
Cartigiano was really good in his team’s win over Mount Saint Charles on Saturday morning. He made a couple of nice saves to keep the Rockets ahead.
Andrew Heinze
#31 River Rats, 3/8/04, G, catches left, 5-9/140
In two halves of action on Saturday, Heinze was solid between the pipes for the River Rats. He’ll be at Brooks School this winter.
16-U Forwards
Sam Lipkin
#3 North Jersey Avalanche, 1/3/03, C/LW, Left Shot, 6-1/180
NCAA commit: Quinnipiac
Lipkin was really good all weekend, but especially in the two games on Saturday. He had a goal and an assist against the New Jersey Rockets and added at least an assist in the later game against Yale Jr. Bulldogs. He does a really good job using his size, protecting pucks, and facilitating the offense from below the dots. He has patience and skill around the net while working well with linemates Jack Musa and Devin Kaplan.
Clint Levens
#88 Florida Alliance, 6/19/03, RW, Right Shot, 6-1/172
Levens had two goals in Sunday’s 3-1 win over the North Jersey Avalanche. Even before he found the score sheet, he was impacting the game with some huge hits. He skates well, has size, and plays with an edge. Top college programs are lining up to talk with him in January.
Owen McLaughlin
#24 Valley Forge Minutemen, 3/25/03, LW, Left Shot, 5-11/152
NCAA commit: Penn State
McLaughlin was really good on Saturday morning. He’s just starting to scratch the surface of how good he can be. He’s getting bigger and more explosive. He is the only real offensive playmaker on his team and plays the point on the power play.
Jack Musa
#17 North Jersey Avalanche, 7/22/03, C/LW, Left Shot, 5-7/130
Musa continues to be really good this fall. He had at least a couple of points and could have had more. Musa made a couple of really nice passes, including a few that were of the highlight reel variety in Saturday night’s game against the Yale Jr. Bulldogs.
Devin Kaplan
#21 North Jersey Avalanche, 1/10/04, RW, Right Shot, 6-2/190
NCAA commit: Boston University
There’s no denying Kaplan’s physical gifts. He’s big, strong, and athletic. He can bull his way through opposing defenses and protect pucks. He can be a possession machine in his own zone and he’s got a bomb of a shot. His skating and hockey sense are two areas of his game that could use improvement or a little more consistency. With his physical tools, he’s a NTDP candidate.
Gavin Brindley
#4 Florida Alliance, 10/5/04, LW, Right Shot, 5-7/139
Brindley is a terrific talent, but Sunday’s game against North Jersey wasn’t up to his lofty standards. Still, he had a few flashes where he used his speed, quickness, skill and hockey sense to get chances.
William Hughes
#55 River Rats, 1/4/04, C, Right Shot, 6-2/185
Hughes was really good on Saturday. A big power forward, he used his size and skating ability to get numerous chances, a few of which he buried. With his size and skating, there is certainly plenty of potential.
Gleb Veremyev
#28 New Jersey Rockets, 6/28/03, C/LW, Left Shot, 6-3/190
Veremyev didn’t find the score sheet as much as he did the previous weekend, but he still showed off his ability to be a dominant power forward by protecting pucks and unleashing some big time shots. I’d like to see him be even more assertive and drive the net with more authority on a more consistent basis.
Cam Bergeman
#10 North Jersey Avalanche, 2/11/03, LW, Left Shot, 5-7/137
Bergeman scored a goal Sunday on a quick release. On Saturday, he had a couple of nice assists. One such play showed his development over the past year. He was tenacious on the forecheck which prevented a breakout attempt and led directly to a goal by one of his linemates. He also made a really nice look, showing his good vision in another game.
Jake Bongo
#11 Selects Academy, 2/4/03, LW, Right Shot, 5-9/140
Bongo was all over the ice Saturday night in an easy win over Westchester. He made a really nice look to the backdoor for an assist and picked up a secondary assist later in game. He’s quick and tenacious while having more skill than originally thought.
Matt McGroarty
#13 Mid Fairfield, 1/30/03, C, right shot, 5-10/159
NCAA commit: Quinnipiac
I just really like how McGroarty plays. He made a huge hit on the forecheck while crashing in on a defender retrieving a puck. He zips all over the ice and makes plays.
Paul Davey
#11 Mid Fairfield, 1/11/03, LW, left shot, 6-1/165
NCAA commit: Boston College
Davey is a big, skilled winger, but he wasn’t as assertive as he needed to be Saturday night. With his size and skill, he should be able to take over every game he plays in at this level.
Andon Cerbone
#17 Mid Fairfield, 4/13/04, LW, left shot, 5-7/137
Cerbone is somewhat of a one-dimensional player, but his offensive skill set is very good. He has great hands and showed them off in Saturday night’s game against Long Island Gulls. He sniped a goal on the power play.
Tyler Kopff
#22 North Jersey Avalanche, 4/22/03, C, Left Shot, 5-11/170
Kopff is a smart player at both ends of the ice and has a hard shot while playing heavy on pucks. He didn’t contribute a lot offensively, but he made a couple of solid plays away from the puck.
Mick Thompson
#14 North Jersey Avalanche, 3/1/04, LW, Left Shot, 5-4/120
Thompson is by far the smallest player I saw over the weekend at the Beast Series Columbus Day Showcase. However, he’s really smart and he made some nifty plays, including for a secondary assist in Sunday’s game against Florida Alliance. He isn’t afraid to get in on the forecheck and challenge bigger defenders.
Matt Copponi
#15 River Rats, 6/4/03, C, right shot, 5-10/145
Copponi had a very good day on Saturday, contributing offensively and leading the charge in terms of playing hard and with a purpose. He’s got that blue collar mentality as he hunts pucks. That doesn’t mean he doesn’t have skill, but when he’s competing hard, it’s a tough combination to contain at this level.
Jayden Sison
#27 Mount Saint Charles, 1/27/03, RW, Right Shot, 5-8/165
In a quick viewing, Sison made some plays and found the back of the net. He’s a little on the smaller side, but he sees the ice well and plays a honest game.
Copeland Fricker
#8 Selects Academy, 8/20/03, RW, Right Shot, 5-9/160
Fricker has a great motor. He’s strong and plays with an edge. His hockey sense and offensive skill set certainly aren’t bad, but his high compete level is the main reason for most of his contributions. And, that’s meant as a compliment.
Oliver Flynn
#15 Yale Jr. Bulldogs, 6/13/03, C, Left Shot, 6-0/165
NCAA commit: UConn
Flynn has his moments where he can take over a game with his strength and ability to play a power forward game while driving the net and dominating the cycle and puck possession game below the dots.
Michael Emerson
#26 North Jersey Avalanche, 12/26/03, C/RW, right shot, 5-10/150
Emerson, who played on the Avs’ 15 team last year, keeps getting better. He is getting bigger, is an above average, and can provide a secondary scoring touch.
Paul Minnehan
#11 North Jersey Avalanche, 4/9/03, LW, left shot, 6-1/165
Minnehan had a nice assist on Bergeman’s lone goal for the Avs on Sunday against Florida Alliance. He has good size and some potential.
Connor Welsh
#9 Mid Fairfield, 1/2/04, C, right shot, 5-8/131
Welsh had a very good game Saturday night against the Long Island Gulls. He made a couple of really good passes. He’s slick and can evade opposing defenders and has the hockey sense to see the ice well.
Jared Mangan
#20 North Jersey Avalanche, 4/8/03, LW, Left Shot, 5-9/140
Mangan is still a little raw, but he is a very good skater with a good stick. He made a highlight reel move in one of the games, but wasn’t a consistent force. There’s certainly a lot of potential.
Ryan Walker
#21 Florida Alliance, 9/5/03, LW, Left Shot, 6-2/180
Walker didn’t get a lot accomplished Sunday against the Avs, but his size, skating ability and overall physical tools remain intriguing.
Max Resnick
#91 Florida Alliance, 9/14/03, RW, Right Shot, 5-10/170
Even when he’s not impacting the score sheet, Resnick is a key figure for the Florida Alliance. He plays hard and will sacrifice his body in the defensive zone as well as on the forecheck.
Jake Manfre
#22 Long Island Gulls, 4/22/04, LW, left shot, 6-1/195
Manfre is a big power forward with a choppy skating stride, but he gets around OK for a big guy. His skating is definitely better than it was, but more work is needed. He’s got a hard shot and can protect pucks.
Cole Eichler
#17 Yale Jr. Bulldogs, 3/28/03, RW, Right Shot, 5-11/191
Eichler showed off his good vision and hard shot in the game against the Avs. He’s heavy on pucks, but like in previous viewings, his feet need a little work.
Cole Watson
#10 Yale Jr. Bulldogs, 4/21/03, RW, Right Shot, 6-1/167
Watson scored yet another goal during one of my viewings. He has good size, is an above average skater, and seems to know where to go to find pucks.
16-U Defensemen
Seamus Casey
#6 Florida Alliance, 1/8/04, D, Right Shot, 5-9/146
NCAA commit: Michigan
Casey wasn’t as all over the ice on Sunday as he can be at times. However, he still made a couple of big time plays to push the pace and keep possession. His skating and puck skills are elite. There’s no denying his incredible hands and feet.
Lane Hutson
#23 North Jersey Avalanche, 2/14/04, D, Left Shot, 5-8/135
NCAA commit: Boston University
Hutson was a big time player for the Avs this weekend. He has elite feet and is a great puck-moving defenseman. He made numerous great breakouts and zone entries into the attacking zone. He had a big time pass to the weak side for an assist in one of the games Saturday.
Aidan Dubinsky
#28 Florida Alliance, 4/28/04, D, Right Shot, 5-10/160
Dubinsky isn’t always noticeable, but it’s because he rarely does anything poorly to notice him. For a young defender, he makes a lot of smart and simple plays. He uses the wall to chip pucks up ice and rarely throws it into the middle. He took an uncharacteristic penalty in Sunday’s game when out of position, but that stands out because it’s so unusual.
Anthony Cliche
#18 Mount Saint Charles, 6/9/03, D, Right Shot, 6-3/202
Cliche has good size, skates well and has an above average offensive skill set, especially for such a big defender. His hockey sense and learning to pick his spots are still a work in progress, but expect him to continue developing under the tutelage of Devin Rask and the rest of the staff at MSC.
Peter Klemm
#4 North Jersey Avalanche, 4/20/04, D, right shot, 6-1/195
Klemm has gotten a lot better in just over a month working with Vinny Smith at the Avs. He has good size and his skating looks more powerful and assertive. He made a really nice stretch pass to Lipkin for a scoring chance on Saturday. He closes quickly and made some very good reads.
Nicky Wallace
#9 North Jersey Avalanche, 3/7/03, D, Left Shot, 5-7/160
Wallace wasn’t as good as he had been in the previous few viewings, but his feet and ability to break pucks out are almost always on display. I’d like to see his habits get a little better and see his sense improve some. However, his feet are still too good to assume he won’t make a difference as he continues rising up the developmental ladder.
Andrew Centrella
#6 Valley Forge Minutemen, 1/29/04, D, Left Shot, 5-9/155
Centralla is a solid puck-moving defenseman with good skating ability. He sees the ice well and makes contributions almost every shift.
Ethan Mistry
#4 River Rats, 2/4/03, D, Left Shot, 5-8/158
Mistry isn’t a dynamic player, but he’s smart, sees the ice well, and is an above average skater. He made a couple of good plays to keep pucks going north during Saturday’s games.
Bryceon Lago
#24 North Jersey Avalanche, 5/20/04, D, Left Shot, 5-7/125
Lago had a goal in Saturday night’s game against Yale Jr. Bulldogs. He’s smaller, but he’s quick and skilled with the puck on his stick. Playing away from the puck is an area of his game that needs improvement.
Eddie Romano
#3 Long Island Gulls, 2/24/04, D, Left Shot, 5-8/168
Romano has mobility and is solid, but his hockey sense could use some improvement.
Charles Andriole
#3 Yale Jr. Bulldogs, 4/19/03, D, Left Shot, 5-8/153
Andriole makes some good passes in transition and certainly skates well enough to be an impact player on the rush. His hockey sense is an area that could use some improvement as he begins his prep career at Loomis Chaffee.
Cameron Miranda
#18 Selects Academy, 3/13/03, D, Right Shot, 6-0/160
Miranda had a couple of goals in Saturday night’s game against Westchester Express. A good skater, he does a good job jumping up into the play. He has above average vision and can shoot it, as evidenced on his first tally as he was cutting through the slot.
16-U Goaltenders
Nicholas Von Kaufmann
#31 New Jersey Rockets, 4/30/03, G, catches left, 6-6/219
After a couple of shaky outings, the last couple of viewings of Von Kaufmann have been much better. He’s more focused and using his size to take up a lot of the net and cut down on shooting angles. He’s a big butterfly goaltender with upside.
Dylan Silverstein
#60 River Rats, 2/7/04, G, catches left, 6-0/160
Silverstein came up huge for the River Rats and made some very good saves when called upon. He has good size, moves well, and has a lot of upside.
18-U Forwards
Victor Czerneckianair
#9 Mount Saint Charles, 2/17/02, C, Left Shot, 5-11/175
NCAA commit: Quinnipiac
Czerneckianair has a ton of skill and a quick stick. He’s quick, hunts pucks, and keeps his feet moving. He’s been the unquestioned heart and soul of the Mount Saint Charles 18-U team.
Aidan Thompson
#20 River Rats, 2/18/02, C, Left Shot, 5-11/157
NCAA commit: Denver
Thompson has a ton of speed and looks even more comfortable playing with his new team than he did in the first few weekends of the season. When he’s on his game, he can create separation, finish, and make plays.Â
Blake Humphrey
#10 River Rats, 1/18/02, C, Right Shot, 5-8/153
NCAA commit: Providence
This is the first weekend I saw Humphrey with his new fall team after coming over from Rochester Coalition. He’s quick, heavy on pucks, and has a good shot.
Tabor Heaslip
#7 River Rats, 12/17/01, C, Left Shot, 5-9/160
NCAA commit: UConn
Heaslip had a goal and was solid away from the puck, as he usually is. He just has a fiery game and is willing to do whatever it takes to block shots, deliver hits to opposing players, and hunt pucks.
Owen Fowler
#16 River Rats, 6/4/02, LW, Left Shot, 5-9/190
NCAA commit: UMass Lowell
Fowler had a weekend, lighting the lamp at least once. He plays at a fast pace, finished at the net, and plays with a chip on his shoulder.
Morgan Winters
#61 River Rats, 12/8/01, C/RW, Left Shot, 5-9/155
NCAA commit: New Hampshire
Winters is a very good skater and plays an honest game. He sees the ice well and is seemingly getting better with each viewing.
Quinn Hutson
#27 North Jersey Avalanche, 1/1/02, RW, right shot, 5-10/175
NCAA commit: Boston University
Hutson’s had a good fall, but it wasn’t his best weekend, at least in action I watched. Still, he showed skill and skating ability. I’d like to see him be even more assertive.
Chris Carroll
#28 North Jersey Avalanche, 5/4/01, LW, left shot, 6-0/180
NCAA commit: Merrimack
Carroll plays hard and is a nice complementary player for Quinn Hutson on the Avs’ top line. He scored a goal against Maine Nordiques Development Program.
Cody Hoban
#11 Yale Jr. Bulldogs, 4/26/01, RW, right shot, 5-9/175
NCAA commit: Dartmouth
Hoban continues to climb the ladder this fall. He lit the lamp against North Jersey and showed off his skill and quickness once again.
Tristan Fasig
#16 Yale Jr. Bulldogs, 10/9/01, C, left shot, 6-0/185
Fasig is a big center who scored a goal against North Jersey. He’s solid and should be counted on for big minutes at Taft this winter.
Cole Vallese
#24 Yale Jr. Bulldogs, 2/15/02, LW, left shot, 5-8/135
NCAA commit: Providence
Not much else can be said that hasn’t been said before. Vallese has a ton of speed and can hunt pucks. He used his separation speed to score a goal Saturday night against North Jersey.
Lukas Sedlacek
#81 North Jersey Avalanche, 10/3/01, LW, Left Shot, 5-10/150
Sedlacek had an assist in the team’s game against Maine Nordiques Development Program. He plays a hard game and can be heavy on pucks and cycle pucks below the dots.
18-U Defensemen
Cole Teleki
#9 River Rats, 3/13/02, D, right shot, 6-2/185
NCAA commit: Providence
Teleki quietly goes about his business as a big, mobile defender who closes quickly on opposing forwards. He limits time and space and also can hop into the offense from time to time.
Jason Marsella
#4 North Jersey Avalanche, 11/20/02, D, left shot, 5-11/181
NCAA commit: Yale
Marsella was his usual self this weekend. His skating, vision, and puck skills allow him to jump into the offense. He had at least a goal and an assist in a couple viewings.
Bayard Hall
#2 Yale Jr. Bulldogs, 8/16/02, D, right shot, 6-1/185
NCAA commit: Yale
Hall, who recently switched his commitment to Yale from Brown, was good. He had an assist in the game against North Jersey. A solid, two-way defenseman, he’s steady and reliable in both zones.
Frank Djurasevic
#7 North Jersey Avalanche, 3/9/02, D, right shot, 6-2/190
Djurasevic has some upside as a big, shutdown defender. He can bring it physically, but he skates and sees it well enough to make the occasional nice play with the puck on his stick.
DJ Hart
#29 North Jersey Avalanche, 2/23/02, D, right shot, 6-2/185
NCAA commit: Ohio State
Hart is a good-sized, athletic, tough defender. His athleticism and strength allow him to be keep opposing forwards in check.
John Hallard
#3 North Jersey Avalanche, 1/28/01, D, right shot, 5-11/190
Hallard is a solid defenseman who plays with jam. He skates well, can make a solid first pass, but he needs to pick his spots a little better at times. He had a nice assist in Saturday’s first game.
18-U Goaltender
Brandon Milberg
#33 River Rats, 7/16/01, G, Catches Left, 6-0/165
Milberg continues to show he’s ready for a big second season of prep hockey at Lawrence. He was solid for the River Rats.
