MARLBORO, Mass. – The Boston Junior Eagles won the championship at the EAK Labor Day Tournament 18U Division. The team, coached by Brian Leetch and Paul Cannata (West Roxbury, Mass.), defeated Bishop Kearney Selects in the final after narrowly getting past the Long Island Gulls in the semifinal.
The Junior Eagles are a team made up wholly of 2005-born players while some of the teams they’re playing against have `04s and `05s. It’s a group that has been together for a while, but looks vastly different than it did a couple of years ago. Gone are Will Smith (Lexington, Mass.), Will Vote (Arlington, Mass.), Sam Scopa (Belmont, Mass.) and Ethan Gardula (Princeton, Mass.). Many of the players left have a chip on their shoulders, as they take on a larger role.
Dexter Southfield defenseman and Yale commit Jonathan Lanza (Winthrop, Mass.) scored the game-winning goal in overtime against the Gulls, a game that sent the team to the final. Paul Dalessio, a newcomer to Dexter Southfield, was terrific in net. The Burlington, Mass., native spent the past two seasons at Bishop Kearney Selects, culminating in a national championship last April. Up front, the leaders were Belmont Hill left wing Jake McManus (Winthrop, Mass.), Dexter Southfield center Cullen Emery (Reading, Mass.) and St. Sebastian’s winger Isaac Mitchell (Harvard, Mass.).
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Dalessio isn’t the biggest goaltender, but he’s used to winning and made key saves all weekend. He’s athletic and has quick reflexes while staying composed in net. McManus is a smart, cerebral playmaker. Emery is hitting his stride after having ups and downs last winter in his first year of prep hockey. He skates well and can finish. Mitchell’s ability to play at pace, hunt pucks and compete all stand out. Outside of Lanza, the Eagles have a solid nucleus among their top four defensemen. Joining Lanza are Lawrence Academy’s Shawn Leary (Dorchester, Mass.) and St. Sebastian’s Jack Harney (Needham, Mass.) and Aiden Connors (Westboro, Mass.).
Below is a look at three uncommitted players from other teams who performed well enough over the weekend at the EAK Labor Day Tournament to generate buzz among college coaches in attendance.
Trey Jefferis, C/LW
Philadelphia Jr. Flyers, 7/29/05, left shot, 5-10/177
If all you’re watching for during a game is high-end skill and elite skating ability, Jefferis isn’t going to be the first player your eyes go to. However, the Hummelstown, Pa., native was terrific here while keying the offense for the Junior Flyers. What he does to separate himself is playing bigger than he is, winning wall battles, penetrating the middle of the ice, and being in the right place at the right time. He’s got a knack for the net and hunts pucks. He makes those around him better. Jefferis isn’t the only player on this team worth watching. While he’s certainly the standout, keep an eye on defenseman Mason Grimley and center Casey Johnson.
Giovanni DiGiulian, C/RW
Yale Jr. Bulldogs, 9/25/05, right shot, 6-1/160
DiGiulian, from South Burlington, Vt., will be in his second year of prep school hockey at Kent School this winter. The late `05 has opened some eyes over the first week of the fall season with his performance at the River Rats Jamboree and EAK Labor Day Tournament. His size, skating and compete are all positive attributes. He’s a player that should fit in well as a third-line center for the right Hockey East program. Outside of Northeastern commit and 2023 NHL draft prospect Joe Connor (Amherst, N.H.), DiGiulian has been the next best forward option for the Junior Bulldogs.
Adam Stevenson, G
Bishop Kearney Selects, 6/1/05, catches left, 6-2/210
Stevenson, from Chandler, Ariz., is an intriguing goaltending prospect with his size. He comes to BK Selects from the Phoenix Junior Coyotes where he stood out for that organization’s 16U team during the 2021-22 campaign. He made a couple of big saves over the course of the weekend, leading his team to the finals before bowing out to the Junior Eagles. With the 2023 draft class in this region lacking a lot of depth or firepower this winter, sans the players with the NTDP and in the USHL, Stevenson could gain some traction among scouts. Don’t be surprised if a few NHL organizations bring their goaltending gurus in to watch Stevenson.
