There were talented players across the Division 3 landscape in the MIAA hockey circuit during the 2022-23 season.
Unlike in Division 4, this division featured more parity as the No. 11 seed, Nashoba, ended up winning the title at TD Garden.
Division 3 had a number of talented seniors who stayed, played four seasons, and still earned an opportunity to play junior hockey after graduation. There was also a young underclassman who dominated the division, in terms of individual talent.
Below is a look at the Player of the Year, Freshman of the Year, Coach of the Year, and First and Second All-MIAA Teams for Division 3.
Player of the Year
Logan Poulin
Nauset, 7/21/06, C, left shot, 5-9/160
Poulin, a sophomore who spent his youth hockey days with the Boston Advantage, was a dynamic scoring threat for the Warriors. Poulin scored 25 goals and had 18 assists in 20 games for former Vermont and NHL forward Connor Brickley’s team. Poulin is somewhat undersized, but his skill, skating, agility, and offensive vision were all elite for this level. His 43 points were 19 more than his nearest teammate.
Freshman of the Year
Michael Taylor
Triton, 3/1/07, D, right shot, 5-9/150
Taylor was the best freshman I saw all season in Division 3. The smooth-skating defenseman did a good job on shoulder checks while retrieving pucks. He had a good shot, skated well, and brought it physically at times. He’s raw, but there is potential for him to blossom into a very good high school hockey player. He had nine goals and six assists for the Vikings.
Coach of the Year
Matthew Biggs
Nashoba
Biggs led his team to the state championship from the No. 11 seed. En route to the title, the Wolves upset No. 3 Medfield and No. 1 Scituate. Also the varsity lacrosse coach at Nashoba, Biggs was able to get his team to play its best hockey at the right time.
First Team
Logan Poulin
Nauset, 7/21/06, C, left shot, 5-9/160
Joseph Quinn
Nashoba, 1/1/05, C, right shot, 6-0/172
Quinn was the top scorer on his state championship team. In 25 games, he scored 21 goals and had 20 assists. Seven of those goals were game-winners, including the overtime tally in the final against Scituate at TD Garden. A big, athletic, two-way center, he won draws, protected pucks, and played a power forward style. Quinn is slated to play for the Connecticut Junior Rangers in the USPHL NCDC in 2023-24.
Kevin Arthur
Medfield, 1/1/04, C, left shot, 6-0/175
Arthur was one of the most dominant goal-scorers in the state this season. The senior tallied 25 goals and nine assists in 23 games for the Warriors. A good-sized forward, he had a heavy shot and did a good job of protecting pucks and getting to scoring areas. He played mostly center but showed some versatility to play wing, too, according to his coach, Bill Ladd. Warmer climates await him, as he’ll be heading to Clemson University in South Carolina in August.
Dillan Lowe
Nashoba, 4/8/05, D, left shot, 5-11/174
Lowe logged a ton of minutes for the state champions, playing in all situations. The former Providence Hockey Club defenseman was slick and smooth when retrieving pucks, pushing the pace up ice and getting pucks north. In both of my live viewings of Nashoba, Lowe was a dominant force who made a number of positive plays. He had six goals and 22 assists while leading the team in blocked shots with 38. While Lowe is certainly well known for his puck-moving capabilities, his coach emphasized that his defensive play was imperative to the team having a low goals-against average. Lowe will spend the 2023-24 season with the EHL’s Worcester Junior Railers.
Drew Damiani
Lynnfield, 3/5/05, D, right shot, 5-9/155
Damiani wrapped up his terrific high school hockey career with 11 goals and 18 assists. The offensive defenseman did a good job of stretching the ice on breakouts and was no stranger to jumping into the rush. He quarterbacked the power play for the Pioneers while showing off his strong vision while walking the point.
Wesley Rollins
Triton, 1/1/05, G, catches left, 6-1/200
Rollins posted six shutouts this season, including one in a big postseason victory over defending champion Hanover. A four-year starter for head coach Ryan Sheehan’s Vikings, Rollins is a little undersized, but he’s got quick reflexes, a good glove and an ability to compete in the crease.
Second Team
Jack Carpenter
Lynnfield, 3/31/06, LW, left shot, 5-9/170
Carpenter came back to his hometown high school after starting his career at St. Mary’s. He scored nearly a goal per game, tallying 18 in 23. He added 11 assists for head coach Jon Gardner’s team. In both of my live viewings of the Pioneers, he showed off his skill. He has a good stick and has above-average offensive instincts for this level.
CHAMPS:Â Pope Francis wins D1Â |Â Canton wins D2Â |Â Nashoba wins D3Â |Â Norwell wins D4
Teagan Pratt
Scituate, 7/26/05, RW, right shot, 5-8/165
Pratt led Scituate’s offense with a dynamic 15 goals and 18 assists. The senior captain was the driver of the top line while powering his team to the top seed in the state tournament. Pratt has good skating and finishing ability for this level.
Brady Leonard
Essex Tech, 10/28/06, C, left shot, 5-9/158
Leonard scored 21 goals with 24 assists for 45 points in 23 games for head coach Mark Leonard’s Hawks after tallying 12 goals and nine assists as a freshman. The Peabody, Mass., native has good hands, which allows him to have pinpoint accuracy on his shots. He has a quick stick on draws, winning a majority of them. His vision is also a strong point.
Luc Masse
Marlboro, 4/15/06, D, right shot, 5-10/155
Masse, a junior captain, was one of the top scorers on the Panthers. While Marlboro didn’t make it as far as it did in 2021-22, it was another successful campaign for Masse and his teammates. He has upside with his size, skating and skill. He’s a solid two-way defenseman who should be on the radars of local junior teams after the 2023-24 season.
Jack Dickie
Watertown, 1/1/05, D, left shot, 5-9/140
Dickie is a mobile, offensive defenseman who was one of the most productive players for a Watertown team that made the jump from Division 4 to Division 3 this winter. Dickie has good gaps and can defend with his feet. The senior captain was a solid performer for the Raiders, a program that lost in the Division 4 state championship game in 2021-22.
MIAA: Division 4 All-MIAA Teams and Awards
Nate Freelove
Dracut, 11/26/06, D, right shot, 5-8/135
Freelove has come a long way over the past 18 months. While he doesn’t have a wow factor when watching him, he’s good at everything and showed an ability to play forward or defense during his two years at the MIAA level. In 2022-23, he scored 12 goals and 17 assists in 22 games. As far as his future plans, Freelove is mulling his options among a few prep schools for 2023-24.
Michael Taylor
Triton, 3/1/07, D, right shot, 5-9/150
See the capsule above on Taylor, who's also our Rookie of the Year.
