With the 2018-19 Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association high school hockey season over, it’s time to look at the top 100 players in the Bay State circuit.
New England Hockey Journal has begun unveiling the top 100 players who played high school hockey this winter. Last week, we profiled the top 13 freshmen and top 32 sophomores in the state’s high school hockey circuit.
Over the course of the three-month season, there were 24 juniors who stood out as being worthy of recognition. Many of these players will move on to prep school or return to their high school team to be leaders next season.
With the current climate of youth hockey in Massachusetts, several players who would have been in this class have already moved on. However, there are a couple of players at the top of these rankings that are deserving of notoriety.
Massachusetts high school hockey's top juniors
1. Dhillon Wilde
St. John’s Shrewsbury, 7/10/02, LW, Right Shot, 5-11/154
Wilde plays his off wing. He’s really fast, can hunt down pucks, and make plays. He’s a complete player who sees the ice well. If he makes the move to junior or prep hockey after graduating, he could become a legit Division I prospect.
2. John Hagan
Canton, 9/7/01, RW, Left Shot, 5-11/170
Hagan is a solid all-around athlete who is also a key contributor on the Canton football team. While he didn’t put up as many points as his senior linemate, Ryan Nolte, he’s a very complete player who could make a great addition for a prep school. He skates well and has skill. He had a huge game in the team’s 6-2 win over Tewksbury in the MIAA Division 2 Championship Game.
3. Ryan O’Halloran
Burlington, 5/4/02, LW, Left Shot, 5-10/160
O’Halloran is an athletic, playmaker who excels in three sports at Burlington. He potted 11 goals and added 31 helpers while leading the Red Devils in scoring. He’s a very good hockey player who would probably garner more attention from college recruiters if he focused on one sport. Kudos to him and Hagan for being multi-sport athletes.
4. Thomas Milne
Arlington Catholic, 6/2/01, C, Left Shot, 5-11/145
Milne scored 19 goals for the Cougars this winter while using his speed to beat defenders wide and create on the rush. At this level, his speed is a game changer. In a game against Austin Prep in December, he was clearly the best player on the ice and scored a really nice goal by just exploding down the left wing and blowing past defenders before unleashing a shot that beat the goaltender.
5. Drew Malatesta
Arlington, 6/14/01, C, Left Shot, 5-11/170
Malatesta was the best player for the Spy Ponders that were once again one of the most impressive public school teams in the state. He’s a good skater and is able to generate offense by keeping his feet moving and hunting pucks.
6. Anthony Messuri
Arlington, 7/24/01, LW, Left Shot, 5-10/155
Messuri, the son of Arlington coach John Messuri, is quick, crafty, and plays with an edge.
7. Will Cohen
Austin Prep, 5/23/02, D, Right Shot, 5-11/155
Cohen is a good two-way defenseman at the MIAA level. He gaps well and has a goods tick and can make good outlet passes. He has an above average shot, but he needs to improve his compete level and continue to put on weight in order to take the next step.
8. Matty Ryan
Xaverian, 4/29/01, RW, Right Shot, 6-1/185
Ryan put up 18 goals and 24 assists while playing on one of the top producing lines in high school hockey. He has good size and did a good job of getting to scoring areas. He’s able to protect pucks with his size and strength.
9. Ryan Pomposelli
Xaverian, 6/5/01, LW, Left Shot, 5-11/190
Pomposelli is a big winger who can power his way to the net. He has a hard shot and played a key role in the Hawks advancing deep into the Super 8.
10. Matty Myers
St. John’s Shrewsbury, 2/19/02, C, Left Shot, 5-11/165
Myers centered the Pioneers’ top line with Wilde on the left wing. He’s also a good skater and can produce offensively. He had 13 goals and 10 assists this past winter.
11. Matthew Gallagher
Reading, 1/1/02, D, Left Shot, 5-11/145
Gallagher is a smart, puck-moving defenseman who logs a ton of minutes for Mark Doherty’s Rockets. He skates well and has a good stick.
12. Nick Champani
Falmouth, 12/18/01, C, Left Shot
Champani posted 20 goals and 13 assists while leading the Clippers in scoring. He made the leap to prep school, but opted to return to Falmouth to be closer to home. He’s a good player that Division III college coaches should keep close tabs on.
13. Will Trischitta
Framingham, 1/1/02, LW, Left Shot
Trischitta scored 12 goals and 13 assists this winter while playing on one of the better lines in the state. He worked hard and kept his feet moving in a few games this observer saw down the stretch.
14. Chris Lavoie
Canton, 1/1/01, C, Left Shot, 5-9/150
Lavoie was a tremendous secondary scoring option for Canton coach Brian Shuman. He potted 15 goals and had 12 assists on the season. While not producing in the championship game at the TD Garden, his skating stood out while skating on the third line.
15. Patrick Moran
St. John’s Prep, 3/5/02, C, Left Shot, 6-2/225
Moran centered St. John’s Prep’s top line this winter and served as the team’s captain. He’s a solid all-around player for the high school level and should be watched closely for prep schools looking for a PG player for the year after next.
16. Sean Barbera
Reading, 1/1/02, LW, Left Shot
Barbera is a heavy, north-south power forward who occupies the left wing on Reading’s top line. He has a good shot and can protect pucks at this level.
17. Michael Martignetti
Winchester, 3/13/02, D, Left Shot, 5-10/155
Martignetti had three goals and five assists while getting a lot of power play minutes. He looked to have some potential to be a nice prep player or Division III prospect in the few tournament games this observer saw.
18. James Demeo
Bedford, 10/4/01, C, Left Shot
DeMeo put up huge numbers for the Bucs, a team that lost in the Division 3 North Quarterfinals. This observer didn’t see Bedford, but a few opposing coaches spoke very highly of his game.
19. Zach Smith
Masconomet, 4/17/02, D, Left Shot, 5-11/150
Smith is a solid puck-moving defenseman who shined this fall for the Islanders HC split-season team. He put up 19 assists while adding two goals this winter for a Masco team that knocked off a couple Division 1 foes before losing in the quarterfinals of the Division 2 North Tournament.
20. Ian Worthley
Bishop Fenwick, 1/1/02, C, Right Shot
Worthley was his team’s only double-digit goal scorer. Bishop Fenwick had a really solid season under Jim Quinlan, who led Saugus to many successful seasons in the 2000s. The Crusaders knocked off Reading in the first round before narrowly falling to eventual Division 1 North champion Winchester in a shootout in the quarterfinals.
21. Friend Weiler
Duxbury, 1/1/02, C, Right Shot
Weiler scored all three goals in the team’s championship game victory over Winchester. The Dragons captured the Division 1 State Championship after falling short in the Super 8 play-in game.
22. Brian Craven
Catholic Memorial, 3/7/02, D, Left Shot, 6-2/175
Craven has good size and can play solidly both ways at this level. He had four goals and four assists and reportedly has some prep interest.
23. Sam Hutchinson
Boston Latin, 5/14/02, LW, Left Shot, 6-2/177
Hutchinson scored 23 goals and 16 assists while leading the Wolf Pack in scoring. The team fell just short in the Division 2 North Final against Tewksbury. Boston Latin was the only team to not lose to Canton, salvaging a 2-2 tie.
24. Tim Doyle
Marshfield, 10/12/01, RW, Right Shot
Doyle had eight goals and nine assists while playing an integral part in the Rams’ solid season. The team earned an invite into the Super 8 play-in game. Dan Connolly’s team won that, but fell short against BC High and Framingham.
