Yale Midget Hockey won the New England District 16-U Tier 1 Tournament this past weekend at the New England Sports Center in Marlboro, Mass.
The team, coached by Jon Bellonio, Steve Novodor and Rob Gagnon, was one of the best split-season teams in the region from the very outset of the season. Not only was the team talented, there was a ton of depth for this veteran-laden group. Nine players have already committed to Division I college hockey programs and a few more will follow. All rostered players were born in 2002, which helps when going up against some teams that have 2003-born players sprinkled in.
Yale’s top competition in the tournament was Selects Academy and Mid Fairfield. Both teams were also talented, but didn’t have the same depth. Mid Fairfield was without its coach and one of its top players, both of whom had good excuses to be elsewhere. Marty St. Louis was in Toronto being inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame and son, Ryan, was there to watch and share in the celebration.
It was a terrific showcase of the region’s talent, and as said previously, New England District should be applauded for moving its event to Marlboro so coaches and scouts could watch both district tournaments under one roof. It had previously been played at Berkshire’s beautiful, two-rink facility.
It’s impossible to see every second of every game in a format like this weekend, but below are some standouts from the weekend.
New England District 16-U Tier 1 Tournament: Top Prospects
Matthew Coronato
#14 Yale, Salisbury, 11/14/02, Right Wing, Right Shot
NCAA Commit: Harvard
Coronato is a special talent. The New York, N.Y., native was really good here, leading the offensive charge for the top team at the New England District Tournament. He’s a play-maker who facilitates offense with his vision and skating. He can create time and space for his linemates with hockey sense and skill. He’ll be a great addition to the Sarum Knights this winter after playing last season at St. Anthony’s and with the Long Island Gulls.
Jack Williams
#15 Selects Academy, 3/2/02, Right Wing, Right Shot
NCAA Commit: Northeastern
Williams isn’t flashy, but he’s a hard, north-south power forward with a heavy shot. He’s hard to knock off pucks and does have that extra gear to power his way past defenders. He plays a little bigger than his size would indicate. He’s a top-five New England prospect for the 2020 NHL Draft.
Christian Jimenez
#5 Yale, Taft, 3/15/02, Defense, Left Shot
NCAA Commit: Harvard
Jimenez is a smart, puck-moving, offensive defenseman who loves to jump into the rush. He seemingly has the puck on his stick almost every shift. He’s moving pucks north and he can rip shots while walking the blue line and side-stepping forecheckers.
Anthony Cipollone
#12 Yale, Loomis Chaffee, 5/14/02, Center, Left Shot
NCAA Commit: Vermont
The Purchase, N.Y., native had a huge weekend. He’s a smaller forward who skates really well and hunts pucks. On multiple occasions, he was the first player in on the forecheck. He won the puck back for his team and got it to an open teammate. His skill allows him to maneuver in tight spaces, making plays to find teammates after getting away from defenders. He made numerous great passes from the walls and below the goal line that led to prime scoring chances. This observer has sometimes failed to see what a good player he is, but no longer.
Tyler Boucher
#19 Mid Fairfield, Avon Old Farms, 1/10/03, Right Wing, Right Shot
NCAA Commit: Boston University
Boucher plays the game the right way. He has size and skates well. He forechecks hard and hits everything that moves. He has a hard shot and plays well below the dots. Once the game becomes more structured and he continues filling out, he’ll be even more of a force. He’s a great player for BU.
Paul Davey
#9 Mid Fairfield, Brunswick, 1/11/03, Center, Right Shot
NCAA Commit: Boston College
Davey has the most skill of any player on Mid Fairfield. He’s got the size and length to protect pucks and either find open teammates or rip shots from the slot. He’s good below the dots and uses his strength well.
Dawson Stairs
#8 Selects Academy, 1/25/02, Center, Left Shot
Stairs is hard to knock off pucks and is physically mature. He’s explosive and can hunt pucks. Unfortunately for college coaches in this area, he’s already signed in the QMJHL.
Dane Dowiak
#16 Yale, Kent, 3/27/02, Center, Left Shot
NCAA Commit: Penn State
Dowiak is a well-rounded, cerebral player with some skill. He skates well and is slick. He’s making the move to Kent after coming up through the Pittsburgh Penguins Elite youth organization.
Aidan Cobb
#9 Yale, Kent, 3/5/02, Left Wing, Left Shot
Cobb is a player whose game has really taken off lately. He was always considered a good player, going back to his bantam days with Westchester Express. He scored a beauty of a goal on Saturday, sniping one from the circle after getting a pass from the wall. He was slippery and elusive, getting some clean looks on goal.
Jacob Quillan
#20 Yale, Salisbury, 2/2/02, Left Wing, Left Shot
NCAA Commit: Quinnipiac
The Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, native is coming down to Salisbury after playing in the Maritimes previously. He’s a smaller forward who is quick and shifty. He can juke defenders and give the puck off to open teammates.
Alexander Rohlf
#30 Yale, Brunswick, 5/1/02, Goaltender, Catches Left
Rohlf is a real competitor in net. He lacks the size, as of now, of a prototypical modern era goaltender, but he has quick reflexes and he squares up to shooters well. He was really good in the championship game win over Selects Academy.
Bayard Hall
#4 Yale, Salisbury, 8/16/02, Defense, Right Shot
NCAA Commit: Brown
Hall was always a solid and steady defender with Delbarton, but he’s elevated his game this fall. He’s getting a little bigger and his feet are getting better. He’s still smooth and reliable in his own zone.
Matthew McGroarty
#13 Mid Fairfield, Brunswick, 1/30/02, Right Wing, Right Shot
McGroarty is a fun player to watch. He’s not quite as skilled as some of his teammates on Mid Fairfield, but he’s gritty and he skates well. He plays a 200-foot game and recovers pucks in all three zones. He’s a competitor and a player that does the little things to win games while still possessing the skill to chip in offensively.
Senna Peeters
#22 Selects Academy, 6/14/02, Right Wing, Right Shot
Peeters, from Belgium, has some skill and skates well. He’s not in the same category as Selects Academy’s elite players, but he’s a solid prospect in his own right.
Ben Ritter
#8 Yale, Loomis-Chaffee, 1/31/02, Defense, Left Shot
Ritter comes to Loomis after playing last season for Chris Collins’ Rochester Coalition 15-U squad. He’s an undersized defenseman with a brain to move the puck up ice. He exudes poise, and while not dynamic, he is an effective puck transporter.
Cole Vallese
#24 Yale, Loomis-Chaffee, 2/15/02, Left Wing, Left Shot
NCAA Commit: Providence
Vallese plays the game with a lot of pace. He knows one speed. He goes hard on the forecheck and uses his skating ability to recover pucks and make plays.
Jack Musa
#6 Mid Fairfield, Trinity-Pawling, 7/22/03, Left Wing, Left Shot
Musa was moved from his natural position at times this weekend due to the team having a shortened bench. When he’s at left wing, he can fly around the ice and get to loose pucks. He creates offense and plays with an edge, especially for a smaller forward.
Lucas Mercuri
#23 Yale, Salisbury, 3/7/02, Forward, Right Shot
NCAA Commit: Vermont
From Quebec, his skating is just average, but his size and strength is what makes his game tick. He protects pucks and can bull the net and win battles below the dots.
Cam Grillo
#2 Mid Fairfield, Trinity-Pawling, 2/6/02, Defense, Left Shot
Grillo is still a work in progress, but he was solid here in games. He’s physical and has length to defend while also being able to move the puck out of his own zone with sharp, crisp passes. He’s still raw, but he has the potential to be a Division I player.
Nick Donaldson
#7 Mid Fairfield, Berkshire, 1/3/03, Defense, Right Shot
Donaldson has decent size, and he loves to play physically. He made a couple of big hits here, and he does a nice job of playing well in his own zone. He’s a new addition at Berkshire after coming up through Mid Fairfield’s youth system.
Zack Tonelli
#19 Yale, Taft, 2/14/02, Right Wing, Right Shot
Tonelli is the son of former New York Islanders great John Tonelli and the younger brother of Brown commit Jordan Tonelli, a ’00 with the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders. Zack is a different player than his older brother. He’s a little smaller, but has more quickness and skill. He competes with some grit and should be a fun player to watch this winter at Taft.
