A couple of former MIAA standouts are among this year’s top ‘01s to be making their debuts on the prep school hockey circuit.
In addition, a couple of former midget hockey players will be top newcomers in prep school hockey, including one who played for the Dallas Stars 16-U last season.
In New England Hockey Journal’s top 20 newcomers among the ‘01s, there are seven players committed to a Division I college. Four are headed to four different Hockey East schools while three are slated to play for three separate programs in Atlantic Hockey.
With the ’01 class, prep school coaches are expecting more of an immediate contribution as opposed to the ‘02s and ‘03s who might take a bit longer to transition to the pace of prep hockey.
1. Alex Jefferies
Gunnery, Jr., LW, Right Shot, 6-0/190
NCAA Commit: Merrimack
The Lunenburg, Mass., native spent the past two seasons with the Middlesex Islanders 16-U. Jefferies is a power forward who can explode to the net and get plenty of chances. He’s heavy on pucks and has a hard shot that comes off his stick with zip. He was with Yale Midget Hockey 18-U this fall. A late ’01, he’ll be a prospect for the 2020 NHL Draft.
2. Brian Carrabes
Kimball Union, Jr., RW, Right Shot, 5-8/170
NCAA Commit: Boston University
The North Andover, Mass., native is best known for his speed and ability to score goals on the rush. His skating allows him to create time and space which he uses to get his shot off quickly. He’s making the jump to prep after two seasons at St. John’s Prep. He played for the GBL Bruins during the fall split season.
3. Alex Laferriere
Kent, Jr., RW, Right Shot, 5-10/160
NCAA Commit: Army
Laferriere is a late ’01 who has taken a huge step over the past year. He buzzes all over the ice and can score. His hands are good and he has skill. He’ll be a very good player for Brian Riley’s program at Army. He played the past few seasons with the North Jersey Avalanche.
4. Michael Posma
Kent, Jr., C, Left Shot, 6-0/170
NCAA Commit: Air Force
Posma is a big power forward who plays well below the dots. He’ll win puck battles behind the net and he’ll drive the net where he tends to have a lot of success. He’s another good recruit for one of the service academies. Posma is another product of the North Jersey Avalanche.
5. Justin Hryckowian
Salisbury, Sr., LW, Left Shot, 5-9/190
NCAA Commit: Northeastern
Hryckowian played previously with Lac St-Louis, a perennially strong youth organization in Quebec. He has great hands and is a skilled playmaker. He’s heavy on pucks and can shoot it with zip. Hryckowian played the fall season with Rochester Coalition 18-U.
6. Nick Cafarelli
Cushing, Jr., C, Right Shot, 5-10/180
Cafarelli was one of the top players in this age group for the past two years in the MIAA with Austin Prep. His game has taken off this summer and fall. He had good viewings at the BU Prep Showcase and with the Eastern Mass Senators in the fall split season.
7. Tabor Heaslip
Avon Old Farms, Jr., LW, Left Shot, 5-9/160
Heaslip played the past couple of seasons for the Dallas Stars youth organization. He doesn’t have a ton of skill, but he’ll be a fan favorite. He works hard and brings energy every shift, plays the body, and he engages in his own end. Heaslip spent the fall playing for Mid-Fairfield 18-U.
8. Marcus Joughin
New Hampton, Jr., C, Left Shot, 5-10/175
Joughin played last season with the Middlesex Islanders 16-U after coming down from his native Ontario. He’s not the fastest player, but he’s smart and knows where to go to find pucks. He reads plays well and can find open teammates with his poise and vision. Joughin played for Northern Cyclones Prep 18-U.
9. Mikey Adamson
Dexter, Jr., D, Left Shot, 5-9/170
Adamson is an undersized defenseman who will get some power play time for Dexter this winter. He does a good job getting shots through from the point and he can skate it up ice when he has to. He also isn’t afraid to bring the physical toughness, despite going up against bigger forwards on most nights. Adamson played for Neponset Valley River Rats 18-U this fall.
10. Kyle Chauvette
Loomis-Chaffee, So., G, Catches Left, 5-10/150
NCAA Commit: Holy Cross
Chauvette, from Goffstown, N.H., played previously with the New Hampshire Junior Monarchs 16-U. He’s on the smaller side, but he does a good job stopping pucks and will be solid at the prep level. He played for USA Hockey at the 2017 U-17 Five Nations Tournament. He was solid all fall for Yale Midget Hockey 18-U.
11. Tristan Fasig
Taft, Jr., C, Left Shot, 6-2/160
Fasig comes over to prep after spending last season with the PAL Islanders. He’s shot up some and has added an element to his game. He can dominate a game below the dots by using his size and strength to win puck battles and his vision to find open teammates.
12. Teddy Griffin
Kimball Union, Jr., D, Left Shot, 5-11/180
Griffin played at Duxbury High School, but his game has taken off. He should be a very good prep player over the next two years under Tim Whitehead. He plays bigger than he is and can be a two-way defender.
13. Connor Lovett
Lawrence, Jr., RW, Right Shot, 5-11/185
Lovett keeps his feet moving, is quick, and plays with energy. He comes to the Spartans after spending the past few seasons with the Boston Junior Bruins.
14. Zachary Paputsakis
Kimball Union, Jr., G, Catches Left, 6-3/190
Paputsakis has some potential as a top goaltender on the prep circuit given his size. He’s technically sound and has good experience playing north of the border in his native Ontario.
15. John Gelatt
Trinity-Pawling, Jr., LW, Left Shot, 5-11/200
The Middletown, N.J., native comes to the prep circuit after playing for the New Jersey Colonials and Mercer Chiefs. He’s a rugged forward who skates and plays the game the right way. He’ll provide some secondary scoring on one of T-P’s middle lines.
16. Max Bogdanovich
Cushing, Sr., LW, Left Shot, 6-3/235
NCAA Commit: Maine
The Scarborough, Maine, native has been committed to the Black Bears for a few years now. He’s been a big, physical specimen who can win puck battles and get off a hard shot. He’ll take some time adjusting to the faster pace of prep hockey when going up against some of the top teams.
17. Brandon Milberg
Lawrence, Jr., G, Catches Left, 6-0/165
The Thornhill, Ontario, native will split time with Ian Graiff, the Spartans’ top returning goaltender. He has decent size and will push for the starting job. Milberg was one of the goaltenders for Neponset Valley River Rats 18-U this fall.
18. Connor Blanchard
Dexter, So., RW, Right Shot, 5-9/175
Blanchard was a star for Waltham High School last season. He was a major reason the Hawks enjoyed one of their best seasons in recent memory, advancing to the MIAA Super 8. Blanchard is on the smaller side, but he has some skill and he can skate well enough at this level.
19. Tim Kippenberger
Cushing, Jr., D, Right Shot, 6-0/180
The Wilmington, Mass., native comes over to Cushing after spending the past couple of seasons in the Boston Junior Bruins organization. He’s a two-way defenseman who plays with an edge. He’s strong and isn’t afraid to throw his weight around. He spent the fall season playing for the Eastern Mass. Senators 18-U.
20. Nicholas Haas
Salisbury, Jr., G, Catches Left, 6-3/185
Haas is a big goaltender who spent the past two seasons with the Buffalo Regals 16-U. He covers a lot of net, but has a tendency to go down too early at times. He’ll split time with ’00 senior Jared Levine, who is in his second season with the Crimson Knights.
