The start of the 2019-20 prep hockey season means a lot of things, and one of them is the end of an era. There will never be another player born in the 20th century playing prep school hockey.
The elders in prep hockey this season are the ‘00s. While many of their peers are already playing college hockey, there are a couple of players in the birth year who will undoubtedly play Division I while a few others are solid Division III prospects.
The top ’00 in prep hockey this season is no surprise. Providence College commit and Edmonton Oilers draft pick Tomas Mazura headlines the group of ‘00s playing prep hockey in 2019-20.
Here’s a look at the top 17 forwards, six defensemen, and two goaltenders among the 2000 birth year still playing prep school hockey:
Forwards
1. Tomas Mazura
Kimball Union, 9/23/00, C, left shot, 6-3/190
NCAA commit: Providence
NHL Draft: Edmonton Oilers (2019, 6th round, 162nd overall)
Only one player, Alex Jefferies, had more points than Mazura did last season. The Sezemice, Czech Republic, native earned a commit to Providence and heard his name called at the draft. The lanky center with tremendous vision has come a long way since playing on the junior varsity team during his first year at KUA. He had a solid fall that included scoring a goal and adding two assists in four games with the USHL’s Omaha Lancers.
2. Sullivan Mack
Kimball Union, 7/5/00, RW, left shot, 6-0/180
Mack, who played right wing on Mazura’s line all of last seasons is a glue type of player who does a lot of the dirty work. He’s quick, goes to the greasy areas, and will likely have a big season this winter.
3. Tim Manning
Holderness, 10/12/00, LW, left shot, 5-9/165
Manning led the Bulls in scoring as the team advanced to the Piatelli/Simmons Small School championship game. From Concord, Ohio, he had 20 goals and 31 assists in 29 games played last year. He has some NAHL experience with the Maine Nordiques.
4. Tyler Bourque
Pomfret, 11/16/00, C, right shot, 5-11/175
Bourque had a breakout season in 2018-19, more than doubling his production from the previous year. The North Scituate, R.I., native had 20 goals and 14 assists in 30 games. He had a solid fall with the Rhode Island Hitmen.
5. Jason Kleinhans
Kent, 10/4/00, RW, right shot, 5-10/170
Kleinhans improved his production by 12 points in 2018-19. The Herndon, Va., native had eight goals and 13 assists in 24 games for the Lions, champions of the Martin/Earl Large School Tournament. With four key forwards gone from last year’s team, he’ll get more ice time. He was solid for the Springfield Rifles Showcase team this fall.
6. Brendan Driscoll
Pingree, 8/25/00, C/LW, left shot, 5-9/170
Driscoll put up 20 goals and 28 assists in 30 games for the Highlanders last season. The Middleton, Mass., native and his brother, ’02 Ian Driscoll, should highlight the offense in 2019-20 under first year head coach Dan Gordon.
7. Max Pineo
Tilton, 8/7/00, RW, right shot, 5-10/170
Pineo, from North Reading, Mass., had 17 goals and 12 assists in 23 games last season for Austin Prep, his fourth and final year in the MIAA. He had a strong fall on the NEFPHL 19-U team, showing off his scoring touch.
8. Jon Tavella
Tilton, 11/17/00, RW, right shot, 5-8/170
Tavella was a three-year standout at Pope Francis. Last season, while playing on the top line, he did a great job of hunting pucks. He’s tenacious on the forecheck and recovers pucks to keep possession. He was instrumental on the penalty kill and his overall compete level was off the charts.
9. James Cates
Tilton, 7/8/00, C, right shot, 5-11/185
NCAA commit: Williams College
Cates served as captain as a junior in 2018-19 and is already committed to playing Division III hockey at Williams. A good playmaker, he had nine goals and 26 assists last season as the team won the Piatelli/Simmons Small School championship.
10. Max Cocchi
Tilton, 10/3/00, RW, right shot, 5-7/155
Cocchi was a teammate of Tavella’s with the Cardinals. Both will be bringing their talents to Brooks McQuade’s team. Cocchi is a good playmaker and should bring some skill to the Rams lineup.
11. Tae Lee
Tilton, 4/19/00, RW, right shot, 6-0/180
Lee, from South Korea, is in his fourth season at Tilton. He’s quick, makes good passes, and will go to the net.
12. John McElaney
Dexter, 9/7/00, RW, right shot, 5-10/175
McElaney has good size and was a first line player sans time he missed with injury in 2018-19. He’ll bring a veteran presence to a Dexter team that has a lot of talented young guys in prominent roles.
Henry Molson
Taft, 11/7/00, C, left shot, 6-1/201
NCAA commit: Colby
Molson is a big forward in his second season with the Rhinos. From Quebec, he had seven goals and five assists last season for Ryan Shannon's team. He's related to the Molson family that owns the Montreal Canadiens.
14. Johnny Baker
Tilton, 10/29/00, RW, right shot, 5-11/170
Baker scored 41 goals in 22 MIAA games with Newton South last season. He was scheduled to do a PG year at Hoosac, but opted to transfer to Tilton following a mid-season coaching change at the former school.
15. Kyle Tomaso
Pomfret, 12/31/00, RW, right shot, 6-1/180
Tomaso has good size and does a good job of using it to protect pucks before finding open teammates for scoring chances. He can shoot it hard when he does get it off, but his skating is an area that could use improvement.
16. Alex Robert
Deerfield, 9/12/00, C, left shot, 5-11/175
Robert repeated his junior season at Deerfield last year after three monster years at Lewiston High School in Maine. He finished his first prep campaign with five goals and 15 assists in 27 games.
17. Jacob Monroe
Westminster, 10/27/00, C/RW, left shot, 5-10/159
Monroe has been a top six winger for the past few years. With a couple of key departures, he’ll be relied on more heavily. He had five goals and 15 assists in 20 games played last season.
Defensemen
1. Jagger Benson
Tilton, 10/23/00, D, right shot, 6-2/165
NCAA commit: Vermont
Benson, hailing from Lynnfield, Mass., is a smooth-skating, puck-moving defenseman. Coming from an athletic family, he has a lot of the physical tools to be an offensive defenseman. His hockey sense is an area of his game that needs improvement before getting to Division I.
2. Jack Simon
Phillips Exeter, 12/7/00, D, left shot, 6-0/175
Simon, a PG for the Big Red, was a four-year standout at Arlington High School. He’s rugged and able to move pucks up ice and jump into the offensive attack. He’ll need to be tougher and be more willing to go into the dirty areas to have the same impact in prep.
3. Max Cassella
Milton, 10/30/00, D, right shot, 6-1/175
Cassella is a solid defensive defenseman who saw an uptick in his production this fall with Boston Bulldogs 18-U. From Madison, N.J., he’ll be a veteran on a Milton blue line that should be better this winter.
4. Ned Blanchard
Westminster, 9/5/00, D, right shot, 5-11/175
Blanchard is a small, puck-moving defenseman who should log a lot of minutes for the Martlets. A prep veteran, he saw his offensive production more than double last season.
5. Jack Hughes
Dexter, 6/11/00, D, right shot, 5-9/170
Hughes came to Dexter prior to last season and stepped right into the lineup and was more than adequate. Prior to that, he was a standout for Wellesley High.
6. Ray Galasso
Phillips Andover, 3/22/00, D, right shot, 6-0/175
Galasso is a good-sized defender who brings three years of experience at Central Catholic and one prep season with the Big Blue. He’ll serve as a captain for Phillips Andover.
Goaltenders
1. Andrew Shearson
Pomfret, 8/27/00, G, catches left, 6-1/175
Shearson had a terrific fall playing for the Rhode Island Hitmen in the Beast Series Showcase Division. The Chicago, Ill., native, a PG for the Griffins, has good size and reportedly was very good in the team’s exhibition games.
2. Ryan Welch
Phillips Exeter, 10/4/00, G, catches left, 6-0/170
Welch, from Swampscott, Mass., is a veteran of prep hockey, now in his fourth year starting for Dana Barbin’s Big Red. He’s not overly big, but he’s quick, athletic and has good reflexes. He should be on the radar of some NESCAC programs.
