CANTON, Mass. — There has been a shortage of hockey games this summer, due to the coronavirus, but the Canton Ice House Prospects League has helped fill that void since Massachusetts began allowing games on Aug. 17.
Prior to that, players who were scheduled to compete in the Canton Ice House Prospects League were put through skills sessions, led by prep coaches and Division 3 college coaches from the region.
The top three teams in the leagues were made up of players largely from Dexter Southfield, Nobles and Thayer. There were a couple of other solid prospects sprinkled among the other five teams in the league.
I took in some of the practices earlier in the summer and went to a couple of games last week to check in on the top players. Several in attendance made great strides over recent months. Here’s a look at the top uncommitted players who took part in the Canton Ice House Prospects League.
Forwards
Will Vote
#10 Pioneers, Dexter Southfield, 2/22/05, RW, right shot, 5-7/150
Vote was one of the younger players in the league, but he played well beyond his years. Even against strong, older teams, he was able to make his presence felt. His hockey sense and compete level are both elite. He forces turnovers and wins battles down low and along the wall before turning that into offense. He has a good shot to finish and the vision and skill to set up teammates. He’s a special player who should get serious consideration for the NTDP in 2021-22.
David Jacobs
#14 Bears, Nobles, 9/26/01, RW, right shot, 5-10/170
I’ve said it numerous times since last fall, but Jacobs is one of the most improved players in the region. By now, it’s more about college programs dropping the ball by not offering him a commit. He’s skilled, skates well and sees the ice well. He dazzled with slick moves to put the puck in the back of the net or feed an open teammate multiple times during the games. He’s better than at least a handful of commits in his birth year across the region. A good student, all of the Ivies plus several Hockey East schools should be all over Jacobs. Jacobs also excels on the lacrosse field.
Ben MacDonald
#2 Bears, Nobles, 2/24/04, C, left shot, 5-10/150
Speaking of players who’ve taken a major step, MacDonald looks a lot better than when I last saw him in prep about six months ago. He’s bigger, more explosive and showing more skill than he has in the past. I still think MacDonald has the hockey sense away from the puck and skating ability to be a good 200-foot center at the college level. After watching him the past few weeks, I think his upside could be greater than previously thought. He’s going to be a sophomore, but I would imagine he won’t have to wait long after next Aug. 1 to make a college commit. Harvard would appear to be the leader in the clubhouse for landing his services.
Joe Hurton
#11 Pioneers, Dexter Southfield, 3/23/05, RW, right shot, 6-3/190
Hurton is a power forward with intriguing size. He’s able to drive the net and protect pucks. He produced and more than held his own against older competition. I’d still like to see him use his size and strength to his advantage on a more consistent basis. There’s a ton of potential here, if it all comes together and he brings it each shift. Hurton will be a prep school rookie this upcoming season.
Will Hughes
#17 Pioneers, Dexter Southfield, 1/4/04, C, right shot, 6-2/200
Hughes showed here why college coaches are intrigued by his game. He’s big, can skate and has the physical tools. I’d like to see him produce more than he does, but he likely projects as a solid third-line center at the college level. He’ll be transferring to Dexter Southfield after playing his first two years of prep at Phillips Andover.
Grayson Badger
#6 Pioneers, Dexter Southfield, 5/9/04, RW, right shot, 6-0/170
This was glorified shinny hockey, which doesn’t fit Badger’s game. He’s a gritty, hard-nosed forward who hunts pucks, is tenacious on the forecheck, and earns quality scoring opportunities based on his compete level. I really like Badger as an energy player who can chip in offensively from time to time. If he can improve his skating and hockey sense some, I could easily see him outperforming expectations.
Austin Tasca
#19 Bears, Nobles, 3/14/04, C, right shot, 5-7/130
Tasca has been a skilled forward who keeps producing, despite his lack of size, over the past couple of seasons. I’ve sometimes questioned whether he can be dynamic enough, but he looked a little bigger, stronger and better this summer. He made some plays and created offense throughout the games.
Sean McWhinnie
#13 Gulls, Natick, 10/23/03, LW, left shot, 6-2/170
McWhinnie is one of the more underrated players in the region. Very few college coaches know him, as he’s played high school hockey at Natick and split season with the Minuteman Flames. He’ll need to prove himself in prep or junior hockey eventually, but he was good here. He’s a big power forward who can rip pucks. I also liked how he hunted pucks, played heavy and dominated below the dots.
Shane Taddia
#6 Beavers, Thayer, 1/20/04, RW, right shot, 5-10/175
Taddia is an intriguing prospect with his size, skating and shot. He’s a player who will have to focus on being a north-south power forward in order to maximize his potential.
Drew Haxton
#15 Bears, Nobles, 1/12/03, RW, right shot, 5-9/150
Haxton has wheels. That’s his best asset. He can fly and he made some things happen in my viewings here. He’ll have to round out his game and be less one-dimensional, but his skating will open doors.
Connor Blanchard
#15 Pioneers, Dexter Southfield, 11/19/01, RW, right shot, 5-8/165
Blanchard sometimes was lost in the depth chart at Dexter Southfield the past two seasons. He’s very skilled, as he showed numerous times in practices and games here. Blanchard is crafty and slippery, being able to find his way into scoring areas. All Division 3 coaches should be coveting the former Waltham High star.
John Hagan
#9 Colonels, Tilton, 9/7/01, LW, left shot, 5-11/150
I’m really interested to see how Hagan does at Tilton this year. After watching him at Canton over the past two years, I knew Hagan was a good enough skater and an athlete. His skating and speed really impressed me here. I think he’ll need to focus on his habits and being more of a complete player as the level of play will increase around him.
Defensemen
CJ Foley
#7 Beavers, Thayer, 2/11/04, D, right shot, 5-10/155
Foley is another incredibly underrated prospect. He skates really well and plays hard. He’s the type of player who will do whatever it takes to make the team better. He showed a lot of that here. Foley isn’t flashy, but he’s efficient and really impressed here. He’ll be a player that a lot of college programs should be offering a spot to’next Aug. 1.
Ollie Chessler
#7 Gulls, Rivers, 7/9/04, D, left shot, 5-10/150
Chessler was really good throughout the summer on the ice. His footwork and skating allow him to escape oncoming forecheckers, transition from defense to offense, and jump into the offense. He’s a puck mover and capable of quarterbacking a power play. He’s added some size and strength, which has helped him become a little more dynamic. I think college coaches will really take notice when they are allowed back in the rinks.
Liam O’Keefe
#2 Pioneers, Dexter Southfield, 1/1/06, D, left shot, 6-0/165
It’s hard to believe O’Keefe is an ’06 going up against some kids here who were five years older than him. He’s steady and strong enough physically to hold his own with and without the puck. There were a few shifts where things came at him fast and he rushed a couple of decisions or made some questionable reads, but he’s a young defenseman to watch over the coming years. He’s a Junior Eagles product heading to prep school.
Brian Grant
#13 Bears, Nobles, 3/18/04, D, right shot, 5-11/166
Grant was solid in the couple of games I saw him play this summer. He has good size, skates well ,and can contribute at both ends. I think his game could take off as he gets more ice time and experience. He’s transferring from Deerfield to Nobles.
Patrick Morrissey
#4 Pioneers, Dexter Southfield, 1/7/03, D, right shot, 6-0/180
Morrissey is a steady puck-moving defenseman who has been good for a couple of years now. He’s smart and sees the ice well. He doesn’t have the high-end skating ability to be able to jump into the play and wow observers with end-to-end rushes. However, his vision allows him to make good breakout passes and find forwards for good looks when walking the blue line in the attacking zone.
Aidan Lyons
#8 Bears, Nobles, 2/26/03, D, left shot, 5-9/165
Lyons has a ton of skill and his skating can be dynamic. He’s able to turn a game in the blink of an eye with some highlight-reel plays. It’s summer hockey so there’s a lack of structure all around. I get that, but I’d like to see him pick his spots a little more carefully and shore up his play away from the puck, especially in his own zone. He projects as a power-play specialist who could help moving pucks north in five-on-five play.
Colin Oppelt
#12 SkyHawks, Topeka Pilots, 6/21/02, D, left shot, 6-2/185
Oppelt, who played for Boston Advantage coming up the ranks, always has been intriguing. He’s a big defender, but his skating has gotten better. He plays a mature game, but with checking not allowed, his physical presence wasn’t felt. I liked what I saw and think he’ll earn a Division 1 opportunity as he goes through junior hockey.
Damon Alexander
#3 Pioneers, Dexter Southfield, 7/12/04, D, left shot, 5-11/180
Alexander stood out here as a strong, rugged two-way defenseman. He’s solid, has a good stick, and gaps well going back. He’s mobile and can shoot it hard. He’s a really strong kid whose game will start to garner the attention it has deserved as he makes the move from MIAA with Boston Latin to prep at Dexter Southfield.
Will Brophy
#12 Gulls, St. John’s Shrewsbury, 1/1/04, D, right shot, 6-4/182
Brophy is really raw, but his size and overall tools are intriguing. He’s never really played at a high level, but that will change this fall as he competes in the Beast. In limited viewings here, he showed me the potential is there.
Sean Keohane
#13 Pioneers, Dexter Southfield, 11/4/04, D, left shot, 6-1/175
Keohane was a victim of numbers on a crowded blue line at Dexter Southfield last winter. He should get more of a chance to earn ice time this winter. He looks bigger and more comfortable with the puck on his stick.
Chris Romaine
#11 Raiders, Milton, 2/21/04, D, right shot, 5-10/150
I didn’t see a lot of the Raiders after the first week of the league, but his skating jumped out to me, as it usually does. He’s a player to continue to keep an eye on as he develops.
Jackson Stuzynski
#3 Beavers, Thayer, 2/18/03, D, left shot, 5-10/175
Stuzynski showed improvement in his puck-moving abilities. He made numerous good looks with the puck. If his skating can improve, he’ll be a more reliable blueliner for Thayer this upcoming season.
