There are quite a few 2002-born prospects who could have monster years and successful careers in prep school hockey over the next couple of seasons.
This group includes former star midget players as well as kids who are making the jump from the MIAA to prep school. Top ’02 newcomers in prep school this season hail from the United States, as far away as Colorado and Georgia, three different Canadian provinces, and Russia.
There are some familiar names in this group as well: players with fathers who have scored some big goals in college hockey championship games to players with fathers who played for a long time in the NHL.
Fourteen of these ’02 rookies have already committed to play Division I college hockey while more will certainly follow. Here’s a look at the top ’02s entering prep school hockey this winter:
1. Matt Coronato
Salisbury, Jr., RW, Right Shot, 5-10/170
NCAA Commit: Harvard
Coronato comes to prep after spending time with the Long Island Gulls and New Jersey Colonials. He’s a facilitator whose skill and hockey sense allows him to make plays to find open teammates. He could have a really successful prep career.
2. Riley Duran
Lawrence, So., C, Right Shot, 6-1/185
NCAA Commit: Providence
Duran has really popped over the past year while going from Woburn High School to Malden Catholic. He’s now repeating his sophomore year with the Spartans. He’s a power forward who plays a heavy, north-south game. He has a good shot and is continuing to evolve as a player. Duran, whose dad played college hockey at Plattsburgh State and is now the head coach at Woburn, is a prospect with a ton of upside.
3. David Sacco
Lawrence, So., C, Right Shot, 6-0/185
NCAA Commit: New Hampshire
The Middleton, Mass., native is repeating his sophomore year at Lawrence after playing two seasons for St. John’s Prep. Sacco is a tall, athletic center with an explosive stride and a hard shot. He loves to play physically, and when he’s on his game, he can be really good. He had a great end to the fall split season with Cape Cod Whalers 16-U. David’s father, also David Sacco, played at BU and his uncle, Joe Sacco, did too and is now the assistant coach for the Boston Bruins.
4. Michael Cameron
Salisbury, Jr., C, Left Shot, 5-9/170
NCAA Commit: Rensselaer
Cameron, from Berwyn, Pa., played previously for the Philadelphia Jr. Flyers and North Jersey Avalanche. He’s a smart, skilled center who does a great job hunting pucks and making plays. He’s cerebral and a terrific commit for the Engineers.
5. Bryce Montgomery
Cushing, So., D, Right Shot, 6-3/200
NCAA Commit: Providence
Montgomery had a breakout performance at the USA Hockey Select 16 Player Development Camp in July, which earned him several scholarship offers. He ended up choosing the Friars. He’s a big, shutdown defender with good athleticism. He played previously for Team Maryland, but spent the fall split season with the Eastern Mass Senators.
6. Bayard Hall
Salisbury, Jr., D, Right Shot, 6-1/175
NCAA Commit: Brown
The Oldwick, N.J., native is one of the more improved players in the region over the past year. He’s always been a steady defenseman, but he’s added an explosive element to his game and can contribute to the offense with a hard shot from the point and good, smart passes in transition. After playing previously for Delbarton and North Jersey Avalanche, he played the fall with Yale Midget Hockey 16-U.
7. Lucas Mercuri
Salisbury, Jr., RW, Right Shot, 6-3/200
NCAA Commit: Vermont
Mercuri came down to prep this fall and earned a commitment to UVM while skating for Yale Midget Hockey 16-U. The Quebec native is a big winger who can protect pucks with his length. He does a good job below the circles, whether it’s winning pucks by being heavy or going to the net and scoring goals.
8. Jacob Quillan
Salisbury, Jr., C, Left Shot, 5-11/170
NCAA Commit: Quinnipiac
Quillan, a Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, native is a skilled center who skates well. He has good hands and can finish. Quillan, who played for Yale Midget Hockey 16-U, will be a nice add for Andrew Will’s team.
9. Cole Vallese
Salisbury, Jr., LW, Left Shot, 5-8/140
NCAA Commit: Providence
Vallese is a fast winger who will get in on the forecheck and can create offense on the rush. His speed allows him to win races to loose pucks and separate from defensemen. He had a good fall season with Yale Midget Hockey 16-U.
10. Lukas Gustafsson
Cushing, So., D, Left Shot, 5-9/165
Gustafsson, hailing from Alpharetta, Ga., is a smart, two-way defenseman. He’s on the smaller side, but he plays the game well in all three zones. He’s confident, gaps well, and can defend with his feet. He’ll make smart outlet passes on his first touch. Gustafsson spent the fall playing for the Eastern Mass Senators. His father, Marcus Gustafsson, might be a familiar name to Hockey East fans. He scored the game-winning goal in overtime of the 1999 NCAA Championship against UNH.
11. James Tepper
Proctor, Jr., RW, Right Shot, 6-0/165
Tepper comes to the prep school hockey circuit after playing two seasons for Shrewsbury High School where he had the game-winning goal in the 2018 MIAA State Championship game at the TD Garden. He’s a wing who will throw his weight around and get in quickly on the forecheck. Tepper, who played for Cape Cod Whalers 16-U this fall, plays hard and can shoot it. His father, Steve Tepper, played college hockey at Maine before a brief minor pro career.
12. Dane Dowiak
Kent, Jr., C, Left Shot, 5-10/175
NCAA Commit: Penn State
Dowiak played the past few seasons for the Pittsburgh Penguins Elite youth organization. He’s a smart player who can skate well enough to hunt pucks in all three zones. He’ll be a nice second line center for the Lions. Dowiak played the fall for Yale Midget Hockey 16-U.
12. Jarod Crespo
Salisbury, Jr., D, Right Shot, 6-0/195
NCAA Commit: Penn State
Crespo is an offensive-minded defenseman who came up through the North Jersey Avalanche organization. He committed to the Nittany Lions as a bantam and will get some power play time for the Crimson Knights. Crespo spent the fall with Neponset Valley River Rats 16-U.
13. Timur Alishlalov
Avon Old Farms, So., RW, Right Shot, 5-9/161
The Moskva, Russia, native is a skilled, play-making forward, despite being undersized. Alishlalov, who played this fall for Neponset Valley River Rats 16-U, can scoot, avoid opposing defenders, and finish as well. Timur is the younger brother of UConn recruit and Westy defenseman Malik Alishlalov.
14. Ben Ritter
Loomis-Chaffee, Jr., D, Left Shot, 5-8/146
NCAA Commit: Dartmouth
Ritter, who spent the fall playing for Yale Midget Hockey 16-U, just committed to Dartmouth earlier this week. He is a smart, poised puck-moving defenseman. He gaps well and defends with his feet and a good stick. He’s not flashy, but he’s effective. The Pittsford, N.Y., native played for Rochester Coalition 15 Pure last season.
15. Owen Fowler
Governor’s, So., LW, Left Shot, 5-10/180
NCAA Commit: UMass Lowell
The Tewksbury, Mass., native played for Kim Brandvold at Central Catholic last winter before jumping onto the radar with a strong showing at Massachusetts Hockey’s CCM High Performance Festival in May. He’s not the most skilled player, but he’s hard to knock off his skates and heavy on pucks. He wins a lot of battles and finishes at the net. He spent the fall season with Neponset Valley River Rats 16-U.
16. Isaac MacLeod
New Hampton, Jr., RW, Right Shot, 5-10/175
The Caledonia, Ontario, native is a skilled winger who can finish. He has good hands, but his skating might take some time to adjust to the prep level. MacLeod played a few games for the Boston Jr. Eagles 16-U this fall while also playing for the Northern Cyclones 16-U S/S Prep team.
17. Kyle Neudorf
Millbrook, Jr., C, Right Shot, 6-1/190
Neudorf is a goal scorer with a hard shot. He competes hard, goes to the dirty areas and uses his quick stick to win puck battles. He could blossom into a power forward at the prep level and possibly earn a Division I offer.
18. Cam Lowe
Pomfret, So., RW, Right Shot, 5-9/155
Lowe played previously with Boston Advantage and Boston Jr. Bruins. He’s on the smaller side, but he skates well and has good hockey sense. He can make plays, but he’ll be a reliable forward in all three zones for the Griffins. Lowe was with the Neponset Valley River Rats 16-U this fall.
19. Dave Andreychuk
Gunnery, Jr., C, Left Shot, 6-0/170
Andreychuk is heavy on pucks and has a hard shot. He played previously for the New Jersey Devils youth organization and starred at Chatham High School last winter. His father, also Dave Andreychuk, played in over 1,800 NHL games with the Buffalo Sabres, Toronto Maple Leafs, New Jersey Devils and Tampa Bay Lightning.
20. Nikita Kovalev
Taft, Jr, LW, Left Shot, 5-10/150
Kovalev makes the move to prep school after playing at Greenwich High School and for Mid-Fairfield and Westchester Express previously. He’s a little raw, but he’s strong on his skates and is getting better. He’ll likely land a spot on the second or third line wing for the Rhinos. He’s the son of former NHL star Alexei Kovalev.
21. Dean Bauchiero
Salisbury, So., RW, Left Shot, 6-3/210
Bauchiero provides size and strength to win puck battles and create time and space for his more skilled linemates. He’s very effective on the forecheck and below dots by disrupting the opposition’s flow. He’s heavy on pucks and did a good job hitting open teammates for scoring chances this fall while playing for Mid-Fairfield 16-U.
22. Aden Hotchkiss
Gunnery, So., C, Right Shot, 6-0/185
NCAA Commit: Sacred Heart
Hotchkiss has good size and is physically mature. While not the most skilled player, he will fill his role as a center who can create space for his linemates. He previously played for Westchester Express and Xavier High School. Hotchkiss spent the fall season with Yale 16-U.
23. Kyle Furey
Lawrence, So., D, Right Shot, 5-10/140
The Marblehead, Mass., native is a puck-moving defenseman who spent the past two seasons with perennial MIAA powerhouse Malden Catholic. He has his head up and is always looking to push the pace in transition.
24. Coleman Nee
Rivers, So., C, Left Shot, 5-9/160
Nee is a good skater who centered one of the top lines in the MIAA last winter while playing for Dan Shine at Arlington Catholic. He’s making the move to prep for this winter where he’ll likely center the second or third line for the Red Wings.
25. Rio Kauffman
Cushing, So., G, Catches Left, 6-1/160
Kauffman comes to Ashburnham by way of the Colorado Thunderbirds 16-U. He’s a big goaltender who spent the fall season with Eastern Mass Senators 16-U. Kauffman, from Glenwood Springs, Colo., will serve as the backup to senior Joe Sharib, a Union commit.
26. Jack Marottolo
Berkshire, So., C, Right Shot, 5-9/175
Marottolo played at North Haven High School in Connecticut last winter. He’s a smart, hard-working center who will do a good job in the bottom six role for Dan Driscoll’s Bears. He’s the son of Sacred Heart coach C.J. Marottolo.
27. Griffin Tominez
Millbrook, So., LW, Left Shot, 5-10/185
Tominez is a hard-working, bottom six forward who can be relied upon on the penalty killing situations. He had a good fall playing for the Springfield Rifles 16-U.
28. Michael Hauswirth
Belmont Hill, So., G, Catches Left, 5-11/160
Hauswirth is making the move to prep hockey after playing at Rhode Island High School power Mount Saint Charles last season. He’ll get a chance to get plenty of ice time with Yale commit Connor Hopkins heading up to the BCHL for his senior season.
29. Bauer Swift
Choate, So., D, Right Shot, 5-9/140
From West Hartford, Conn., Swift previously played for the Connecticut Wolf Pack organization. He’s a smooth-skating, puck-moving defenseman who will be a nice addition for the Wild Boars. He played for the Springfield Rifles 16-U during the fall season.
