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
