There were several really good prospects among the freshmen and eighth-graders who skated for a Massachusetts high school hockey team this season.
With the way the development model is in Massachusetts right now, many of the best underclassmen in high school hockey leave before becoming seniors. For this reason, many of the best prospects in school hockey inevitably are the freshmen and eighth-graders.
Pope Francis freshman right wing Ryan Leonard recently was named New England Hockey Journal’s Rookie of the Year for MIAA. The Amherst, Mass., native leads off our list of the top 41 freshmen and eighth-grade prospects in the Massachusetts high school hockey circuit.
Note that for these rankings, projecting a prospect’s future potential was a high factor, as opposed to NEHJ’s All-Rookie Team, which was more indicative of how the player performed this winter. As always, only players I saw live and in person are listed below.
MIAA’s top freshmen and eighth-graders
Forwards
1. Ryan Leonard
Pope Francis, 1/21/05, RW, right shot, 5-9/160
Leonard was the best prospect I saw in the MIAA this winter — and it wasn’t close. A pure goal scorer, he finished the season with 24 goals and seven assists. The Amherst, Mass., native put on quite a show in his team’s first Super 8 game, scoring a hat trick and adding two helpers. Leonard sees the ice incredibly well and is heavy on pucks, especially for a player his age.
2. Cam Russo
St. John’s Prep, 1/3/05, C, right shot, 5-10/140
Russo didn’t see a lot of time, playing on the fourth line during even strength and getting the occasional power-play look. Besides Leonard, he’s unquestionably the most skilled young player in high school hockey. He skates well and can make things happen with the puck on his stick. As he rounds out and completes his game away from the puck, his stock will continue to soar. Next season, Russo is making the jump to prep, where he’ll play for Brian McGuirk at Governor’s.
3. Jackson Powers
Woburn, 4/30/05, C, left shot, 5-8/140
Powers is a versatile player who can play any position on the sheet. He’s on the smaller side, but he plays hard and goes to battle against older players without fear. He wins a lot of draws and makes good passes. He’s smart and should continue getting better as he gets older.
4. Michael Nigro
Winchester, 3/22/05, C, left shot, 5-8/135
Nigro is a smart, two-way center who played point on the power play for the Sachems. He has the ability to slow the game down and his vision is an asset.
5. Ryan Flaherty
BC High, 4/25/05, C, right shot, 5-9/135
Flaherty started the season on the third line but worked his way up to the second line. He skates well, brought it physically in all three zones, and chipped in offensively. Flaherty finished the season with a goal and seven assists. He projects as a middle-six center who can kill penalties and provide a spark.
6. Pavit Mehra
Hopkinton, 7/16/04, C/RW, right shot, 5-9/130
Mehra is a quick, skilled top-line player for the Hillers. He’s on the smaller side, but he plays in all situations, can zip around opposing defenders, and make plays. Pound for pound, he gets the most out of his physical tools, as he never stops moving his feet.
7. Brady Bullock
St. Mary’s, 2/25/05, LW, left shot, 5-7/145
Bullock is a goal scorer who gets to the net and isn’t afraid to mix it up. He plays with an edge and his finishing ability is backed up by his team-leading 13 goals.
8. Evan Pennucci
Reading, 10/24/04, RW, right shot, 5-9/150
Pennucci had a really good freshman season playing on the top line for the Rockets. He played in all situations and scored a really nice shorthanded goal in one game I saw. He has a second gear and has some length to shoot it hard.
9. Cullen Emery
Austin Prep, 8/1/05, C, right shot, 5-7/170
The eighth-grader is a smart, 200-foot center. He’s physically mature and able to win a decent amount of puck battles for a player of his age. He controlled the puck a lot and is an above-average skater.
10. Ryan Shaw
Pope Francis, 1/9/05, LW, left shot, 5-9/140
Shaw was overlooked at times, due to playing with Leonard, but he’s a solid prospect in his own right. He’s a good skater who was around the puck a lot. He finished the season with nine goals and 14 assists.
11. Wyatt Glass
Duxbury, 2/10/05, LW, left shot, 5-9/145
Glass doesn’t have gifted hands or the ability to contribute a lot offensively, but he’s the type of player who helps you win hockey games. He skates well, has good athleticism, and is reliable in his own zone. He plays the game hard and keeps his feet moving.
12. Ty Wood
Austin Prep, 11/3/05, C, left shot, 5-11/175
Wood is a big, heavy center who looks physically mature for his age. He’s rugged, tough to knock off pucks, and had a hard shot.
11. Max Tong
Winchester, 9/13/05, RW, right shot, 5-10/132
Tong was on the first-line wing for much of the season. He’s quick, has the puck on his stick a lot, and can make plays.
12. Kai Roberto
Masconomet, 9/23/04, LW, left shot, 5-6/120
Roberto is on the smaller side and will need to bulk up, but he has some skill and agility to make plays in small areas. He knew what to do with the puck when he had time and space. He finished the season with four goals and 10 assists.
13. Brett Stone
Woburn, 2/1/05, LW, left shot, 5-6/125
Stone was on the left wing on the second line in the couple of games I saw. He’s a smaller player who took some time to adjust to the older competition.
14. Connor Jalbert
Marblehead, 4/11/05, LW, left shot, 5-5/130
Jalbert has good hands, which allows him to make some nifty passes. He also can finish. He’ll get better as he grows and gets older.
15. Brendan Janis
Burlington, 4/11/05, LW, left shot, 5-10/140
Janis is a player who I think deserved more ice time than he got this winter. He’s a solid-looking prospect who will be watched as he gets older.
16. Aidan Brazel
Hingham, 11/20/03, RW, right shot, 6-2/175
Brazel is an older freshman with good size. He played on the top line for the Harbormen and showed an ability to blossom into a power forward. He skates fairly well and is around the play a lot.
17. Ryan Shimelman
Framingham, 2/9/05, LW, right shot, 5-10/150
Shimelman played his off-wing on the second line for the Flyers. He got a ton of ice time as coach Will Ortiz ran just two lines in almost all games. He finished the season with five goals.
18. Damon Myers
St. John’s Shrewsbury, 3/28/05, LW, left shot, 5-5/120
Myers didn’t get a lot of ice time, but he’s a good skater who plays responsibly when he’s out there. He should get an increased role in 2020-21 with a lot of seniors graduating.
19. Sean Gray
Central Catholic, 2/9/05, RW, left shot,
Gray played his off-wing, but was on the first line for the Raiders. He skates well and is a player who should continue to produce more as he gets older.
20. Nolan Leonard
Braintree, 5/12/04, RW, right shot, 5-8/140
Leonard had four goals and nine assists while playing a prominent role for the Wamps. He plays hard, sees the ice well for this level, and is around the puck a lot.
21. Danny Storella
Stoneham, 1/1/05, RW, right shot
Storella is a good skater with some skill. In a couple of viewings, he was a player I noticed, despite the competition not being great.
22. Josh Iby
Pope Francis, 12/22/04, RW, right shot, 6-0/175
Iby had two goals and eight assists while playing primarily on the third line, but also seeing some time on the second line.
23. Colin Pickett
Lowell, 8/25/05, LW, left shot
Pickett played some forward for the Red Raiders but has been a defenseman for most of his playing career. He sees the ice well and was able to make plays to the tune of scoring a point per game as a freshman.
24. Eli Cardosi
Shrewsbury, 10/17/04, C/RW, right shot, 5-11/160
Cardosi has the potential to play in all situations as he’s heavy on pucks and does a good job below the dots. He finished the high school season with six goals and four assists.
25. Matt Elwell
Wakefield, 1/1/05, RW, right shot
I saw Wakefield a few times in Middlesex League games. The Warriors were improved and Elwell had some skill and showed some flashes.
26. Drew Thibodeau
Austin Prep, 12/29/03, RW, right shot, 5-6/130
Thibodeau is another youngster who got into the lineup at Austin Prep this winter. He had two goals and two assists while playing wing on one of the team’s middle-six lines.
27. Ronan Locke
Swampscott, 4/23/05, C, left shot, 5-8/135
Locke skates well and has solid hockey sense. He had five goals and 12 assists to finish third among forwards on the Big Blue. The top two were seniors. He’ll be counted on even more next season.
28. Jimmy Fallon
Milton, 3/19/04, C, left shot, 5-8/170
Fallon is hard to knock off pucks and willing to go to the greasy areas. He finished the season with 10 goals, second most on the Wildcats.
29. Robbie Granara
Reading, 1/1/05, LW, left shot, 5-10/140
Granara didn’t see a lot of ice time, but when he did, he made it count. He skates well and looks to have some potential with his above-average hands.
Defensemen
1. Jonathan Lanza
Winthrop, 3/10/05, D, right shot, 5-11/155
Lanza is a big, physically imposing defender for this level, even as a freshman. He was involved in the play a lot, whether it was the puck on his stick or bringing it physically in his own zone. He has a hard shot and can hit opposing players with his toughness.
2. Jack Farrell
Austin Prep, 6/10/04, D, left shot, 5-8/145
It’s sometimes easy to forget that Farrell is just a freshman. He played for the Cougars’ varsity team last year as an eighth-grader and was solid again this season. He’s not flashy, but he’s solid physically in his own zone. He keeps it simple and doesn’t overhandle the puck.
3. Will Brophy
St. John’s Shrewsbury, 1/1/04, D, right shot, 6-3/175
Brophy is a big, lanky defenseman with a ton of upside. I liked his play for the Pioneers down the stretch and in the playoffs. He’s rangy and has length. The future is bright for the defenseman from Worcester.
4. Harrison Kinne
St. Mary’s, 6/12/05, D, right shot, 5-11/180
Kinne logged a ton of minutes as an eighth-grader for the Spartans. He’s similar to his older brother, Davis Kinne, a well-known name for those who follow the MIAA circuit. He might even be a little bit lighter on his feet and he can see the ice well. His ability to move pucks north and walk the blue line were notable.
5. Matt Cox
BC High, 2/1/05, D, left shot, 6-1/190
Cox has good size and his first step is solid for a big guy. He didn’t get a ton of ice time in his first season at BC High, but there certainly are some intriguing aspects to his game.
6. Drew Damiani
Lynnfield, 3/3/05, D, right shot, 5-8/145
Damiani needs to improve his skating, but he’s going to make a good prep player someday due to his ability to move pucks north and contribute offensively. He was the top player for the Pioneers as a freshman.
7. Cam Caponigro
Newburyport, 1/23/05, D, right shot, 5-8/130
Caponigro is a little on the smaller side, but he’s mobile and has the ability to make plays with the puck on his stick.
9. Matt Hanscom
Pope Francis, 1/25/05, D, right shot, 6-0/165
Hanscom had five assists as he played on one of the bottom-two pairings for the Cardinals. He’s a young blueliner with good size and some potential as a shutdown defenseman.
8. Jack Turowsky
Pope Francis, 10/15/04, D, right shot, 5-11/155
Turowsky had eight assists on the season as he stepped in and contributed for the MIAA Super 8 co-champs.
Goaltenders
1. Thomas Kiesewetter
BC High, 1/2/05, G, catches left, 6-5/180
Kiesewetter took the starting job from a junior after a few games and ran with it. He’s still raw, but the big goaltender has some serious upside. He’s not in the same league as Mid Fairfield’s Ryan Sanborn, but after that, he’s in the discussion for next best ’05 goaltender in New England.
2. Jack Russo
Swampscott, 12/19/04, G, catches left
Russo is an athletic goaltender with quick reflexes who kept the Big Blue in plenty of games, including during their tournament run.
3. Wes Rollins
Triton, 1/1/05, G, catches left, 5-8/130
Outside of a rough outing in the Division 2 North final, Rollins was solid throughout Triton’s tournament run. He’s a little on the smaller side, but he did a good job for the Vikings.
