Many of the top 2005-born players in North America as well as a few solid 2004-born prospects made their way to the Fidelity Bank Worcester Ice Center over the weekend for the first annual Eastern Exposure Hockey Group All-Star Weekend.
The tournament’s founder, Matt Miles, did a good job of getting top ‘05s from Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Ontario, Quebec, Michigan and California to come out for the two-day event.
Players were put through on-ice practice sessions and games as well as several off-ice events that included a prep school fair. Former NHL referee and current ECAC Hockey Supervisor of Officials Paul Stewart was a guest speaker. College coaches and NHL scouts put the players through drills and served as coaches on the bench of the games.
Just prior to the event, one of the participants, Mid Fairfield forward Ryan Fine from Center Moriches, N.Y., became the first ‘05 to commit to a college hockey program when he announced his verbal to Boston University.
New England Hockey Journal was in attendance for all four ‘05 games. On Saturday, Red beat White, 8-4, and Black beat Gray, 4-2. On Sunday, Grey beat White, 6-4, and Red beat Black, 15-4.
NEHJ also took in Sunday’s ‘04 game. With the World Selects Invite starting next weekend in Voorhees, N.J., many top ‘04s chose not to participate, which made the field less laden with top talent compared to the ‘05s.
Here’s a look at the players who stood out over the course of the weekend:
‘05 Forwards
Will Smith
#2 Red, Jr. Eagles, Right Shot
By my count, Smith had seven goals and six assists over the course of two games. His skill set is undeniable with an elite stick. He can toe-drag opposing defenders and get shots off quickly. He’s a finisher. He’s around the puck a lot and he goes to the net. He’s got good size, but his success isn’t based solely on his physical strength. Expect Smith, a Lexington, Mass., native, to commit to a Beanpot school.
Ryan Fine
#6 Red, Mid Fairfield, Right Shot
NCAA Commit: Boston University
The Center Moriches, N.Y., native was on the same line as Smith and was a close second in terms of scoring output in the tournament. He had committed to Boston University a day prior to the event starting. He’s a little on the smaller side, skates well, and has a ton of skill. He’s patient with the puck on his stick in order to find openings and thread the needle to linemates for easy looks into the back of the cage.
Chris Barlas
#56 Gray, Ottawa 67’s, Left Shot
Barlas was good on Saturday, but he stepped up his game to a whole new level Sunday. He’s a power forward with a rugged, low center of gravity. He’s able to power his way to scoring areas, but he also showed some agility, including the first goal Sunday that he sidestepped a defender on before unleashing a wrist shot into the back of the net. It was the first of five goals he’d score on Sunday. He had an assist on the other goal in a 6-3 win for his team. He slid a backhand through the five-hole while moving left to right on two of his goals.
Keanan Dewberry
#3 Red, Kuper Academy, Right Shot
Dewberry was snake-bitten on Saturday, but he showed his elite skating ability throughout the weekend. On Sunday, he he was tremendous. He can cut and use his agility to weave in traffic and get open looks. He made a real nice pass for a Smith goal and had a nice tip in of a point shot. He’s from Quebec, and his father is American. He has interest in the college route.
Salvatore Guzzo
#39 Black, Mid Fairfield, Right Shot
Guzzo is a tall, power forward with an explosive stride. He has length and can really shoot it. He had a goal in each game. Saturday, his goal showed off his quick hands.
Alex Weiermair
#51 Gray, Toronto Titans, Right Shot
Weiermair didn’t have a great weekend, production wise, but he showed a ton of potential with his skating and compete level. He has a second gear and jumps out of the gate well. On Saturday, he showed great agility and escapability with the puck on his stick. He competed hard in all three zones.
Dylan Coyle
#52 Gray, Toronto Titans, Right Shot
Coyle had a goal Saturday and assisted on Barlas’ first goal Sunday. Neither resulted in goals, but he had a couple of nice tips in front of the net in Sunday’s game that showed off his hand-eye coordination. He hunts pucks and sees the ice well.
Ben Yurchuk
#38 Black, NJ Colonials, Left Shot
Yurchuk had three assists on the weekend. His vision and passing ability were both very good. He’s good in small areas and had a lot of positive plays in the corners and below the goal line, despite not being overly big.
Charlie Lewinski
#16 White, Belle Tire, Left Shot
Lewinski is a power forward who drove his way to the net. He had a hat trick on Sunday. He tipped home a point shot, scored on a deceptive wrist shot, and knocked one home from the doorstep. He’s good below the dots, and if his skating gets even better, look out.
Brendan Fields
#18 White, LA Jr. Kings, Right Shot
Fields scored the first two goals for his team on Saturday, using his quickness. The first one was a wrist shot that beat the goalie short-side from the left wing circle. The next one came by hanging around the goal mouth to put one home with the goalie out of position.
Pat Murphy
#15 Red, RI Saints, Right Shot
Murphy didn’t produce a lot here, but he scored a goal late in Sunday’s game. Even without finding the score sheet as often as he has proven capable of in the past, his skating stood out. He’s strong on his skates and can play a solid north-south game. He’s heading to play for Mount Saint Charles ‘05 team.
Will Vote
#4 Red, Jr. Eagles, Right Shot
Vote was on the line with Smith and Fine for much of the weekend and he produced. However, it would be a mistake to just assume he did so because of his linemates. While his puck skills aren’t in the same category as his linemates, he’s a playmaker and has good hockey sense. He made several really nice passes and plays a complete game.
Marco Beshere
#7 Red, Islanders HC, Right Shot
Beshere took a hard hit late in Sunday’s game, so we hope he’s alright. Before that, he found the back of the net a few times. He had a nice from right wing circle on the rush Saturday. He also had a nice tip in Saturday’s game that ended up in a rebound goal for a linemate. He crashed the net for a rebound goal in Sunday’s game as well. His acceleration is elite.
Owen Leahy
#33 Black, Providence HC, Left Shot
Leahy had two assists. On Saturday, it was a nice play that he made from below the goal line to get the puck out front. Sunday’s assist came on a nicely played two-on-zero rush that he dished off at the right time. He consistently got in quickly on the forecheck. He made a nifty move to break free from the opposing defenders and go in alone on another sequence.
Ryan Leonard
#17 White, Springfield Rifles 04, Right Shot
Leonard has a very good shot and sniped one on a three-on-two rush Sunday. He’s the younger brother of UMass sophomore and San Jose Sharks prospect John Leonard.
Evan Roy
#8 Red, Islanders HC, Left Shot
Roy has good speed and had a really nice finish on the team’s second goal Sunday. He tucked it high from close in with little room to work with. He scored a beauty of a goal from the left wing circle Saturday and had another goal later in the game Sunday.
Isaac Mitchell
#22 White, Minutemen Flames, Left Shot
Mitchell has good speed and created offense on the rush. He assisted on the third and fourth goals on Saturday.
Justin Cloutier
#57 Gray, Ottawa 67’s, Right Shot
Cloutier is a great skater and uses his edges well.
Luke Posthumus
#47 Black, Ottawa Myers, Right Shot
Posthumus had two snipes in Sunday’s game. He scored on a two-on-zero, thanks to a pass from Leahy, and scored on a perfectly accurate wrist shot later in the game.
Brendan Boring
#58 Gray, Mid Fairfield, Right Shot
Boring competes hard and is strong, but didn’t find the score sheet this weekend.
Logan Renkowski
#35 Black, Mid Fairfield, Left Shot
Renkowski had a goal and assist on the weekend. He has a low center of gravity and was a nice complementary player for his linemates, Ben Yurchuk and Salvatore Guzzo.
Eli Friedman
#23 White, Mid Fairfield, Right Shot
Friedman is quick, has separation speed and has good agility. He’s on the smaller side, but he’s a player to keep an eye on as he gets into prep.
Cullen Emery
#55 Gray, Jr. Eagles, Right Shot
Emery competes hard in all three zones. He forced a turnover on Sunday which led to Barlas’ third goal.
Sean Gibbons
#54 Gray, Mid Fairfield, Right Shot
Gibbons is small and crafty. He scored the team’s second goal on Saturday.
Emerson Marshall
#5 Red, Islanders HC, Left Shot
Marshall is heavy on pucks and had a rebound goal by going to the garbage area and had an assist on Sunday.
Vince Elie
#9 Red, Montreal Nationals, Right Shot
Elie hunts pucks and keeps his feet moving the entire shift.
Ethan Gardula
#20 White, Hillside, Left Shot
Gardula was better on Saturday, scoring two goals, both on feeds from Mitchell. He hits hard and plays hard.
Stephen Campbell
#53 Gray, Mississauga Reps, Right Shot
Campbell didn’t find the score sheet, but he has good size.
Jett Kozman
#66 Gray, Belle Tire, Left Shot
Kozman is physically mature, rugged, and is hard to knock off pucks.
Jonathan Balzarini
#37 Black, Eaglebrook, Left Shot
Balzarini displayed good vision at times and was able to slow the game down to make plays.
Cam Russo
#21 White, Jr. Eagles, Right Shot
Russo had an assist on the fourth goal Sunday and plays a physical brand of hockey.
Landan Resendes
#36 Black, Hillside, Right Shot
Resendes had his team’s first goal on Saturday, while camped out front and banging home a centering feed from below the goal line.
‘05 Defensemen
Grayson Tiller
#60 Gray, Hamilton Bulldogs, Left Shot
Tiller has all the makings of a big time defender. He jumps into the rush and has good feet. He scored a goal on Sunday when joining an odd man situation. He made several great outlet passes. He gaps well, reads plays, and has strong hockey sense.
Matt Mania
#14 Red, Belle Tire, Right Shot
Mania is an offensive-minded defenseman with a lot of puck skills. He’s able to impact possession and keep pucks moving north while protecting the puck well. Mania has good poise and makes a good first touch whether it’s D to D or up to the wing. He scored the sixth goal on Sunday on a nice rush up the ice and finished shortside. He also had a point shot tipped home for a goal.
Jason Zaccari
#11 Red, Anaheim Jr. Ducks, Left Shot
Zaccari has terrific feet and his skating ability was elite. He keeps things relatively simple and gaps well. He also has good touch on his breakout passes.
Gabriel Runco
#63 Gray, Hamilton Bulldogs, Right Shot
Runco had an assist on the second goal Saturday. He made several slick sauce passes to help transition from defense to offense. He’s a puck-mover and can join the attack. He also has the length to defend and recovery speed to get back.
Jack Harney
#13 Red, Jr. Eagles, Right Shot
Harney projects as a solid defensive defenseman with length, good body positioning and hockey sense in his own zone.
Ben Cook
#28 White, Minutemen Flames, Right Shot
Cook has a good stick and makes plays defensively with his length. For the most part, he keeps things simple and makes smart chips up the wall and gets pucks north without much risk. If his skating keeps coming, he’ll get even better.
Ryan Sikorski
#43 Black, North Jersey Avs, Right Shot
Sikorski was a solid, two-way defenseman who made some good, but simple plays to break pucks out. He has a good stick and just does his job efficiently. He’s moving from the North Jersey Avs up to Mount Saint Charles.
Drew Fortescue
#25 White, Mid Fairfield, Left Shot
Fortescue has good size, poise, and reads plays well.
Michael Calabrese
#62 Gray, North Jersey Avs, Left Shot
Calabrese is small, but he does a good job moving pucks up ice and has above average mobility.
Cam Smith
#42 Black, Providence HC, Left Shot
Smith is an offensive-minded defenseman who plays with an edge.
Jakob MacRae
#61 Gray, Ottawa 67’s, Left Shot
MacRae did a good job getting shots through on a couple of occasions.
Jackson Powers
#59 Gray, Islanders HC, Left Shot
Powers has quick feet and is a small, puck-moving defender.
Jon Lanza
#24 White, Jr. Eagles, Right Shot
Stay-at-home defender who made a couple of good reads.
‘05 Goaltenders
Sam Scopa
#29 White, Jr. Eagles, Catches Left
Scopa’s team lost both games, but Scopa was really good at times. He made a couple of legit, 10-bell saves. He moves well and has good size.
Rudy Guimond
#31 Gray, Kuper Academy, Catches Left
Guimond has a good glove and cat-like reflexes, despite being a little on the smaller side.
Danick Leroux
#1 Red, Amiral, Catches Left
Leroux is a big goaltender who won both games.
Brian Cronin
#30 Black, Islanders, Catches Left
Cronin is a smaller goaltender who made some nice saves.
‘04 Forwards
Kurt Gurkan
#66 Red, Phillips Exeter, Left Shot
This was the best viewing of Gurkan to date. He scored two goals, one on a rebound off an odd man rush, and another one by being shifty and using his edges. He’s small, but he’s quick. He should get even more ice time next season at Phillips Exeter.
Michael Kadlecik
#14 White, Syracuse Nationals, Right Shot
Kadlecik is a solid, all-around player who skates well and is a good passer. On Sunday, he impacted all 200 feet of the ice. He’ll be making the move to play for Chris Collins’ Rochester Coalition in 2019-20.
Genaro Fronduto
#3 White, Northern Cyclones, Right Shot
Fronduto scored a goal on Sunday and has a hard shot. He’s a big, strong kid who can bull his way to the scoring areas and is heavy on pucks.
Zachary Wagnon
#24 Red, NJ Devils, Right Shot
Wagnon played well on Sunday and used his speed to create offense on the rush. Wagnon also plays for Christian Brothers Academy.
Billy Sancibrian
#9 White, VT Flames, Left Shot
Sancibrian is a good skater who had the puck on his stick a lot. He makes plays and can set up offense on the rush as well as in zone situations.
Antoine Julien
#7 White, Seminaire St. Joseph, Left Shot
Julien unleashed a couple of really hard shots, had a good stick, and was around the puck a lot.
Brock James
#16 White, Berwick, Right Shot
James made a couple plays and was around the puck a lot. If his skating can keep improving, he should continue to have success at the prep level.
Liam Evarts
#26 Red, VT Flames, Left Shot
Evarts is a big winger who has some potential. He’s moving on from the Vermont Flames and will be heading to Mount Saint Charles.
Laurent Trepanier
#11 White, Seacoast Academy, Left Shot
Trepanier plays with an edge and was consistently in on the forecheck.
Christian Day
#19 Red, Rice Prep, Right Shot
Day is on the smaller side, but he was quick. Player to keep an eye on to see if he develops an ability to penetrate opposing defenses.
‘04 Defensemen
Jack Henry
#10 White, Syracuse Nationals, Right Shot
Henry is a good-sized defender who showed an ability to play both ways. He has the reach and strength to defend and he jumped into the rush a few times. He’ll be making the move to Rochester Coalition for next season.
Isaac Menard
#8 White, Seminaire St. Joseph, Left Shot
Menard has good feet and was very mobile.
Jordan Palmer
#94 White, Seacoast Academy, Left Shot
Palmer is a big, strong defenseman with a hard shot and ability to play with a physical presence.
Liam Chapman
#77 Red, Seacoast Academy, Left Shot
Chapman has good size and plays a solid, two-way game with a physically mature presence. He can step into the offense and has the size and reach to defend.
Will Kroeger
#27 Red, Highland Park, Right Shot
Kroeger had a couple of good retrievals and made some nice clears on the penalty kill.
Anson Parker
#17 Red, Eaglebrook, Left Shot
Parker is a smaller defenseman with good mobility.
Dom Tallone
#28 Red, Islanders HC, Left Shot
Tallone is a small defender who is a good skater. His style of play might be better suited for converting to forward.
‘04 Goaltender
David Mallio
#31 Red, East Coast Militia, Catches Left
It’s tough to gauge a goaltender in a setting like this, but Mallio has good size for his age and covers a lot of the net. He’s a goaltender that should be on the radar for prep coaches.
