CANTON, Mass. – The 13th annual River Rats Jamboree this week represented the first chance for college coaches and NHL scouts to get a look at players with their fall teams as the regular season kicked off.
With the abundance of showcases and camps throughout the summer, most of the top players at the event were already viewed numerous times over the past few months. However, each new season brings a few surprises. For example, last winter Syracuse lacrosse commit Trey Deere burst onto the scene during the prep school season for Salisbury and shined in the Crimson Knights' run to another NEPSAC Elite 8 Tournament championship.
At the River Rats Jamboree, it was proven that the 2022-23 season would be no different. A couple of Canadians, such as Liam Kilfoil (Salisbury/Buffalo Regals U16) and Stefano Pietrantonio (Kent/Yale Junior Bulldogs 15O), were more well known entering the event.
Here’s a look at three under-the-radar Canadian newcomers who shined in front of college coaches and NHL scouts on Monday and Tuesday.
Anthony Biakabutuka
Salisbury/Buffalo Regals U16, 6/20/06, D, left shot, 6-2/180
Biakabutuka comes to Salisbury from Charles-Lemoyne in his native Quebec. His team played in the first game Monday morning at Canton Ice House. A big, rangy defenseman, he’s raw, but has significant upside. From Longueuil, Quebec, he was hard to play against, showed jam in the corners, and skated well. He’s athletic and has the tools to intrigue anyone with a good eye watching his team play. Biakabutuka might be a familiar name to football fans, as his uncle Tim played in the NFL for six seasons after starring as a running back for the University of Michigan.
Jaden Davis
Berkshire/River Rats U18, 7/15/04, LW, left shot, 5-8/141
Davis, from Vaudreuil, Quebec, will play for Dan Driscoll’s team at Berkshire after coming down from the Lac St-Louis Lions, one of the more well-known programs in that province. He’s on the smaller side, but his skating and edge work jump off the page right away. He scored a nifty goal in Monday’s game against the Junior Eagles. While the skating might attract the most attention from casual observers, his attention to details should stand out, as well. He stopped on pucks and was responsible in his own end.
Nathan Watson
Cardigan Mountain/Yale Junior Bulldogs 15O, 3/16/07, D, right shot, 5-8/150
Watson hails from Mascouche, Quebec, but played for the Long Island Gulls 14U during the 2021-22 season, due to Covid restrictions rules north of the border. He’ll be at Cardigan Mountain this winter. Whether I missed him or he didn’t play when I watched the Gulls last season, I’m not sure. He was hard to miss on Monday and Tuesday for the Junior Bulldogs. He skates well, jumps up into the play and the puck just snaps off his stick.
