HUDSON, N.H. — Some good 2005-born prospects took to the ice at the Northern Cyclones Showcase over the weekend.
With COVID-19 restrictions in place in Massachusetts, several of the region’s 15 Pure teams headed up to Northern Cyclones Arena just over the border in New Hampshire. The Neponset Valley River Rats, Northern Cyclones Prep Split and Boston Hockey Academy were notable teams in the age division. The River Rats were the only team to finish the weekend with a perfect record at this age level.
Next weekend will be easier to view with most of the region’s top teams at the Yale Junior Bulldogs Jamboree in Connecticut. Hopefully Massachusetts will ease restrictions soon as the state’s rinks such as New England Sports Center are more conducive to hosting large showcases.
Below is a look at some of the standouts, in alphabetical order and broken down by position, from the 15 Pure Division at the Northern Cyclones Showcase:
Forwards
Eli Chilicki
Northern Cyclones Split, 7/25/05, C, left shot, 5-9/140
Chilicki is a player who keeps getting better with each viewing. He skates well and has good vision. The North Berwick, Maine, native should be high on the priority list for prep schools looking to add a good young forward for the 2021-22 season.
Tanner Duncan
Boston Hockey Academy, 7/17/05, C, left shot, 5-4/120
Duncan is a small forward who can be shifty and make plays. He had an assist in Sunday’s loss to the River Rats. The Ridgefield, Conn., native played for Mount Saint Charles 14-U last season.
Andrew Gibbons
River Rats, 6/2/05, RW, right shot, 5-9/180
Gibbons had a pair of goals Friday night then an assist on Sunday. He has a hard shot and is heavy on pucks. He’s able to cycle pucks down low and maintain possession. He’s set to join his brother at St. Mark’s this upcoming season.
Ryan Kane
River Rats, 5/28/05, LW, left shot, 6-0/160
Kane is a bull out there. He plays hard and is versatile, including taking a few shifts on defense. He had a productive weekend with a goal and two assists. Kane, a sophomore at Weymouth High School, will be playing his second season of varsity this winter for the Rebels.
Ronan Locke
Boston Hockey Academy, 4/23/05, LW, left shot, 5-10/140
Locke has been a pleasant surprise for his team after coming over from Swampscott (Mass.) High School. He had a good freshman season for the Big Blue, but his skating has been better than I expected. While he didn’t find the scoresheet in games I saw, he displayed some skill.
Jackson Powers
Northern Cyclones Split, 4/30/05, C, left shot
Powers was solid this weekend. He’s smart, gritty and plays hard each shift. He’ll be back for his second season of varsity hockey with Woburn (Mass.) High School this upcoming season.
Cam Russo
River Rats, 1/3/05, RW, right shot, 6-0/160
Russo checks boxes for size and skill. He scored a goal in Sunday morning’s game. In terms of offensive capabilities, he’s a top-five forward in Massachusetts at this age group. He’s transferring from St. John’s Prep to Governor’s Academy.
Joey Zheng
River Rats, 9/8/05, RW, right shot, 5-10/150
Zheng had an assist in each of his team’s games, but then scored four points in a call-up with the River Rats’ 16-U team. The Phillips Andover sophomore has elite speed, which will carry him far. His skill and hockey sense also are above average. He doesn’t just fly around with his speed. He plays with a purpose and is around the puck a lot. In terms of college prospect, there wasn’t a better one in this age group over the weekend. He’s already generating interest from a couple of Ivy League schools.
Defensemen
Matt Cataldo
River Rats, 5/19/05, D, left shot, 5-11/180
Cataldo did a good job on defense, stepping back to fill a void on the blue line due to prep school lockdowns. He kept things simple, had a good stick and played with jam. He’s at St. Sebastian’s.
Aiden Farro
Boston Hockey Academy, 3/7/05, D, left shot, 6-2/155
Farro is a good-sized defender who makes a smart first pass, skates well and has some skill. He comes to Matignon from Atlanta.
Charlie Leverone
River Rats, 2/18/05, D, left shot, 6-2/200
Leverone, who will be trying out for the varsity team at St. Sebastian’s, is a big, strong defenseman. He scored two goals on the weekend, including one while playing up with the River Rats’ 16-U team.
Colin Pickett
Northern Cyclones Split, 8/25/05, D, left shot, 5-9/160
Pickett, a sophomore at Lowell (Mass.) High School, had a goal in one of the games over the weekend. He’s an offensive-minded blueliner with above-average mobility and skill.
Goaltenders
Pelle Russo
River Rats, 3/9/05, G, catches left, 6-0/160
Russo didn’t allow a goal on the weekend as he played three of the four halves for the River Rats. He made some key saves in Friday’s shutout win over East Coast Militia.
