From the onset of the season, the Cape Cod Whalers looked like the team to beat in Massachusetts Hockey’s 16U Division this fall.
The Whalers, coached by Bob Beniers, Mike Moore, Jim Duran and Rick Coan, had a deep team with all ‘02s. In mainly convincing fashion, the Whalers proved their dominance this past weekend by winning the Massachusetts Hockey 16-U Tournament at the New England Sports Center in Marlboro. With the win, the Whalers have earned a bid to compete at USA Hockey Nationals in Grand Rapids, Mich., April 3-8, 2019.
There was a lot of good hockey being played at the 16-U level. The River Rats put on a valiant effort, downing the Junior Eagles in the semifinals to advance to the final. The other semifinalist was the East Coast Wizards. The four quarterfinalists were the Junior Bruins, Springfield Rifles, Islanders HC, and Eastern Mass Senators.
Massachusetts Hockey 16U Tier 1 Championship: Top Prospects
Jack Hughes
#4 Jr. Eagles, St. Sebastian’s, 11/2/03, Center, Left Shot
NCAA Commit: Northeastern
The Westwood, Mass., native was the most skilled player of anyone skating at Marlboro over the course of the weekend. He scored a great goal in one game when he came into the zone, stopped, scooted away from a defenseman, and rocketed a wrist shot into the top corner. His stick is elite and he has the skating, edge work and agility to protect pucks and create chances.
Riley Duran
#13 CC Whalers, Lawrence, 1/25/02, Center, Right Shot
NCAA Commit: Providence
The Woburn, Mass., native has elevated his game in a major way over the past year. He’s a great athlete with good north-south skating. He made a powerful drive into the zone before dishing it off to a defenseman who had joined the rush for a goal. He made a good cross-ice pass for an easy scoring opportunity. He’s going to be a very good middle six center for the Friars and has the inside track to be the second New Englander taken in the 2020 NHL Draft.
David Sacco
#16 CC Whalers, Lawrence, 1/3/02, Center, Right Shot
NCAA Commit: New Hampshire
This was the best viewing to date of Sacco, who is transferring from St. John’s Prep to Lawrence. He’s an explosive skater with a hard, heavy shot. He plays through people and can be a menacing two-way forward when he’s on his game. He was a threat with the puck on his stick and scored a couple of nice goals. He was really, really good in Sunday morning’s semifinal win.
Ian Moore
#2 CC Whalers, St. Mark’s, 1/4/02, Defense, Right Shot
Moore continues to make huge strides over the past year. He skates well, activates into the offense, and has skill with the puck on his stick. He’s being pursued by several Ivies, but his stock continues to soar. He’s a potential NHL player down the road.
J.P. Turner
#24 River Rats, Avon Old Farms, 1/31/03, Center, Right Shot
Turner was really, really good this weekend. He scored a highlight reel goal in each of the three games this observer saw the River Rats play. He’s an explosive skater who is hard to knock off his feet. He can drive the net and rip shots. He’s starting to generate significant interest from Hockey East schools. He’s making the move from Falmouth High School to AOF for this season.
Sasha Teleguine
#13 Jr. Eagles, Thayer, 9/17/02, Left Wing, Left Shot
NCAA Commit: Northeastern
Teleguine was his usual self here, generating a ton of chances with his elite skating ability. He’s got an explosive stride that allows him to generate time and space.
James Tepper
#15 CC Whalers, Proctor, 2/20/02, Right Wing, Right Shot
This was a really good weekend for the Shrewsbury, Mass., native who is transferring from MIAA to prep for this season. He projects as a second- or third-line winger who can score. He has a good shot and isn’t afraid to throw his weight around. He delivered a few big hits and he’s always a force disrupting the opposition’s breakout.
Patrick Morrissey
#5 River Rats, Dexter, 1/7/03, Defense, Right Shot
Morrissey is the best ’03 defenseman from New England. He’s still not close to filling out his frame, meaning he’ll continue to get better once he bulks up. His vision and hockey sense allow him to be a threat moving pucks north. He’s a smooth skater who will be transferring from Roxbury Latin to Dexter.
Jason Siedem
#10 River Rats, Avon Old Farms, 10/17/02, Center, Right Shot
Siedem, a former BC commit, returned from injury here. He’s a skilled player who was very good in his team’s win over the Jr. Eagles. He scored a really pretty goal after side-stepping a defenseman. He also made a nice pass for an assist on another goal.
Tucker Hartmann
#18 River Rats, St. Mark’s, 4/4/02, Defense, Right Shot
Hartmann is getting Division I looks from some ECAC Hockey schools, but he’s still wildly underrated. He’s a really good two-way defenseman. He’s athletic and can play with an edge. He has some skill, can join the rush and shoot the puck. He makes some really good looks to facilitate the breakout and start the transition from defense to offense. He’s poised with the puck on his stick. He’ll be a really good get for whatever school can land him.
Owen Fowler
#16 River Rats, Governor’s, 6/4/02, Left Wing, Left Shot
NCAA Commit: UMass Lowell
Fowler had a couple of solid games here, but his best showing was in the team’s semifinal win over the Jr. Eagles. He’s a hard-working, north-south winger. He’s heavy on pucks and wins battles to get pucks to his teammates. He can score, too, by going to the dirty areas and bulling his way to open space.
Philip Tresca
#7 Jr. Eagles, Rivers, 4/10/02, Right Wing, Right Shot
NCAA Commit: Yale
Tresca’s emergence has been one of the most pleasant surprises of the fall season. Always skilled, the Newton, Mass., native has taken his game to the next level over the course of the last few months. He has good hands and he can make plays with the puck on his stick.
Chris Delaney
#88 Junior Bruins, 9/25/04, Left Wing, Left Shot
Delaney is an ’04 playing up a level. He’s on the smaller side, but he’s elusive and has a ton of skill. He’s by far his team’s best offensive threat. He was really good in the team’s win Friday night.
Nolan Hayes
#20 Jr. Eagles, Thayer, 8/14/02, Defense, Right Shot
Hayes has great vision and skill with the puck on his stick. He can make plays to push the pace in transition and he isn’t afraid to jump up into the offense.
Jarod Crespo
#6 River Rats, Salisbury, 4/30/02, Defense, Right Shot
NCAA Commit: Penn State
Crespo is an offensive-defenseman who likes to jump into the rush. He scored a nice goal after pinching in and finding space for a wrist shot over the goaltender’s glove.
Lukas Gustafsson
#13 Eastern Mass Senators, Cushing, 1/1/02, Defense, Left Shot
From Alpharetta, Ga., he’s the son of Marcus Gustafsson, who scored the game-winning goal for the University of Maine in the 1999 NCAA Championship game. Lukas is a steady, two-way defender with good feet. He can walk the blue line and he has a good pivot. He activates and he’s smart. He’s not going to be making risky plays with the puck.
Jake Hewitt
#11 Eastern Mass Senators, Cushing, 7/5/02, Center, Right Shot
This was a really good showing for Hewitt. He scored a couple of nice goals and created offense on the rush. He’s smart and has good vision. He skates well and has a good stick while back-checking. He’ll get more of a role in his second season at Cushing.
Dhillon Wilde
#7 River Rats, St. John’s Shrewsbury, 7/10/02, Right Wing, Right Shot
Wilde is an underrated talent who should get a ton of prep interest for 2019-20. He’s very fast and can hunt down pucks. He’s a playmaker. He did a good job of feeding his linemate, Turner.
Joseph Kramer
#3 CC Whalers, BC High, 8/8/02, Right Wing, Right Shot
Kramer had a good weekend and is always working hard. He scored a nice breakaway goal after picking off an opposing defender at the blue line while back-checking. His compete on the penalty kill was noted a few times.
Cody Sealey
#6 CC Whalers, Cushing, 11/2/02, Defense, Right Shot
Sealey sometimes goes under the radar because he’s not the flashiest player, but he was good this weekend. He jumped into the offense a few times and has good skill with the puck on his stick. He can certainly play in college as a bottom pairing, offensive-defenseman.
Ryan McGuire
#8 EC Wizards, Belmont Hill, 7/27/02, Center, Right Shot
McGuire isn’t the most gifted offensive player, but he’s a good skater who plays a complete, 200-foot game. He wins face-offs, back-checks, and plays well without the puck. His offensive game is scoring rebound goals and making good looks. He’s not the type of forward who can wow someone with toe-drags and other slick maneuvers. He’s a Division I player under the right fit as a bottom-six center who is reliable in his own zone and kills penalties.
Nolan Joyce
#11 Jr. Eagles, St. Sebastian’s, 9/25/03, Defense, Right Shot
Joyce sometimes gets overshadowed by some of the elite ‘03s from this region, but he was solid this weekend. He has a good stick, defends with his feet and stick, gaps well, and displayed confidence with the puck on his stick.
Billy Norcross
#16 Eastern Mass Senators, Cushing, 4/3/03, Center, Right Shot
Norcross is a 200-foot player who is heavy on pucks. His skating is decent, and he is hard to knock off pucks, especially below the dots.
Alexander Ramsayz
#35 CC Whalers, Berwick, 4/14/02, Goaltender, Catches Left
Ramsay was solid, particularly in his team’s win over the River Rats in the championship game. He has decent size, moves well, and can make some saves with his athleticism.
Ryan MacDermott
#19 Jr. Eagles, St. Sebastian’s, 1/27/02, Defense, Right Shot
MacDermott skates well and has good size which he uses to play physically and limit opponents’ time and space in his own zone.
Kyle Furey
#17 CC Whalers, Lawrence, 2/5/02, Defense, Right Shot
Furey is making the move to Lawrence after playing previously for Malden Catholic. He’s an offensive-minded defenseman who moves the puck well on the breakout.
Vincent Gould
#10 EC Wizards, Dexter, 2/11/03, Right Wing, Right Shot
Gould’s skating catches up to him at times. It’s an area that he’ll have to get better at over the next few years. With his size, he’s a player who can be effective below the dots, and he just scores.
John Louder
#71 River Rats, Avon Old Farms, 3/20/02, Right Wing, Right Shot
Louder didn’t get a lot of ice time last winter at AOF, but he should get a bigger role this winter. He’s a power forward who will drive the net to open up space for his linemates. He did just that on one of Siedem’s goals, drawing the defenders and goaltenders his way.
Josh Schonland
#9 Junior Bruins, 3/21/03, Center, Right Shot
Schonland is from Nashville, Tenn., and he’s in his first season up here with the Junior Bruins. A center, he has good agility and is a finisher.
Matthew Myers
#61 River Rats, St. John’s Shrewsbury, 2/19/02, Left Wing, Left Shot
Myers isn’t as dynamic as his linemates, Turner and Wilde, but he’s a good skater who can chip in offensively. He uses his speed to go north and south. Along with Wilde, the duo should make two-thirds of one of the best lines in MIAA this winter.
Griffen Tominez
#11 Springfield Rifles, Millbrook, 1/23/02, Forward, Right Shot
Tominez can score with his energy and also uses his compete level and work ethic to be a solid player in his own zone, especially on the penalty kill. He plays the game the right way.
Rio Kauffman
#1 Eastern Mass Senators, Cushing, 1/21/02, Goaltender, Catches Left
Kauffman is a good-sized goaltender who comes to Cushing from Colorado. He’ll probably get a few games this season as he serves as backup for Union commit Joe Sharib.
Jonathan Carafotes
#29 River Rats, Brooks, 1/10/02, Goaltender, Catches Left
Carafotes had a couple of solid games here. He was very good in the early going against the Jr. Eagles, keeping the game knotted at one until his team pulled away.
Will Killoran
#2 EC Wizards, Belmont Hill, 1/30/03, Defense, Right Shot
Killoran got a little varsity experience at Belmont Hill last winter. He should get a little more ice time this winter. He has size and athleticism to be a solid, shutdown defender at the prep level when given the opportunity.
Edward Baliotti
#31 EC Wizards, Berkshire, 2/7/02, Goaltender, Catches Left
Baliotti, who will be at Berkshire for his first season of prep, has good size and was sharp in his team’s game against the Eastern Mass Senators.
Tommy Goguen
#14 EC Wizards, Belmont Hill, 1/1/03, Defense, Right Shot
Goguen is a well-rounded athlete who plays forward at times. He has good size, has length, and can play with a physical presence. He’ll need to continue to improve his skating to make the next step in his game.
Jaiden Moriello
#8 Junior Bruins, 5/4/03, Right Wing, Right Shot
Moriello is sometimes knocked for his skating, but it’s getting better. Most importantly, he’s a competitor with size. He’ll be a really good two-way forward for whichever prep school lands him.
Andrew Rodriguez
#1 Springfield Rifles, Northfield Mount Hermon, 3/7/02, Goaltender, Catches Left
Rodriguez, who has a chance to earn a lot of ice time this winter at NMH, isn’t the most technical goaltender, but he makes saves. He had a couple of good outings here before the wheels fell off against the River Rats.
