With the 2018-19 hockey season in the rearview and junior camps in full swing, now is a good time to look at the top uncommitted, 2000-born prospects in New England.
As most readers know, college hockey recruiting is its own unique beast. Several ‘00s will be sophomores in college next fall, but other ‘00s could theoretically have two years of junior hockey remaining.
One New England-born ’00, Quincy, Mass., native Oliver Wahlstrom, has already signed a NHL contract after just one season at Boston College.
While it is undeniable that most of the top ‘00s in New England are already in college or committed to a college, there remains some good prospects on the market who will undoubtedly play Division I hockey.
New England Hockey Journal’s All-Uncommitted ’00 Team
Hunter McCoy
Islanders (NCDC), 8/1/00, C, Left Shot, 6-0/190
In his second season of junior hockey, McCoy led the Islanders in scoring and was second in points among all USPHL NCDC players with 18 goals and 43 assists for 61 points in 47 games played. The Newburyport, Mass., native has decent size, skates well, and plays hard. While he’s a top line center in the NCDC, his role on a college team will be as a third liner who can chip in offensively. If he can learn to accept the player he will be, he will be that much better. The Omaha Lancers selected him in the ninth round of the 2019 USHL Phase II Draft. He’s generating interest from some top programs, including Boston University and Union. McCoy will be a huge, albeit underrated, commit for whichever college program lands him.
Thomas Kramer
BC High, 8/8/00, C, Left Shot, 5-11/154
The Bridgewater, Mass., native is a Division I hockey player, but what conference he lands in will probably depend on how well he can transition from MIAA to junior hockey. Kramer, BC High’s longtime top line center, led the Eagles to two MIAA Super 8 championships in a row. He has decent size, is heavy on pucks, can kill penalties, and score at the high school level. While he has a well-rounded skill set, what’s working against Kramer right now is the belief many have that he’s good at just about everything, but not not elite at one given aspect of his game. The other issue he’ll have to address in junior hockey is his skating. His feet need to get a little better in order for college coaches to feel confident giving him an offer. His 2019-20 destination is still up in the air, but the Salmon Arm Silverbacks in the BCHL is the most likely.
William Winship
Islanders (NCDC), 10/25/00, RW, Right Shot, 6-3/195
After three strong seasons at Central Catholic, Winship made the move to junior hockey in 2018-19. In 48 games with the Islanders in the USPHL NCDC, he notched 15 goals and 22 assists. From Andover, Mass., Winship has the size and strength to dominate below the dots and get pucks to open teammates after winning battles in the corners and down low. An underrated part of his game is his vision to know where to go with those pucks. His skating is the one area of his game that will need to show continued improvement, if he’s going to get a college commit. He’s likely headed to the BCHL for the 2019-20 season.
Linden Alger
Boston Bandits (NCDC), 4/9/00, D, Left Shot, 6-3/195
Alger, from Centerville, Mass., is a good-sized defenseman two seasons of junior experience in the USPHL NCDC with the Boston Bandits. In 50 regular season games, Alger picked up four goals and had 15 assists while racking up 66 penalty minutes. If Alger can continue to assert himself physically, he will be looked upon more highly by Division I colleges. A 19th round pick in the 2019 USHL Phase II Draft by the Youngstown Phantoms, Alger will likely play in the NAHL for the 2019-20 season.
Matt Pasquale
NH Jr. Monarchs (NCDC), 10/6/00, G, Catches Left, 6-2/190
The North Reading, Mass., native put up respectable numbers, including a .917 save percentage, during his first season of junior hockey with the New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs in the USPHL NCDC. The former Central Catholic standout has good size and has always looked the part of a top flight goaltending prospect. If he can avoid giving up soft goals over the next two seasons, he could find his way onto a Hockey East roster as a backup or an Atlantic Hockey roster as a possible starter.
Ryan Wilson
Northwood, 6/20/00, G, Catches Left, 6-2/172
The Darien, Conn., native had a monster season for a very good Northwood team. He had a .961 save percentage in USPHL 18U league games and had several very good games at USA Hockey Nationals back in April. That helped make him a draft pick of the Sioux City Musketeers in the 2019 USPHL Phase II Draft. Wilson has good size, plays well fundamentally, and skates well. He’ll likely end up in the BCHL or NAHL, unless there’s a spot for him on Sioux City’s 30-man roster.
