Some of the best newcomers to prep school hockey this winter will be from the ’03 class.
It’s a big year for the birth year as USA Hockey NTDP will be picking their 2019-20 U-17 team and the USHL, OHL and QMJHL drafts will be selecting players from within the age group.
Last season, two ‘02s from prep school hockey were selected for the 2018-19 USA Hockey NTDP U-17 team. Center Matt Beniers and goaltender Drew Commesso left Milton Academy and St. Sebastian’s, respectively, for Plymouth, Mich.
The ’03 newcomers join a few players from their age group who already played prep school hockey last winter, including Brunswick’s Paul Davey and Ryan St. Louis, Dexter’s Patrick Morrissey, and St. Mark’s’ Jackson Cuotu.
Prep Hockey’s Top Newcomers: The ‘03s
1. Jack Hughes
St. Sebastian’s, Fr., C, Left Shot, 5-10/140
NCAA Commit: Northeastern
The Westwood, Mass., native is one of the most skilled forwards in the country among this age group. Hughes has good hands, is slick, and elusive. He’s shifty and can create time and space for his linemates as well as finish. He’s the younger brother of New York Rangers draft pick and fellow Northeastern commit Riley Hughes, formerly of St. Sebastian’s and currently with the Victoria Grizzlies in the BCHL. His father, Kent Hughes, is a former collegiate player at Middlebury and now a well-known NHLPA agent with Quartexx Management.
2. Tyler Boucher
Avon Old Farms, So., RW, Right Shot, 6-0/180
NCAA Commit: Boston University
Boucher is a power forward who plays a physical game from the wing. His ability to play the body and dominate the game below the dots is the reason he’s committed to the Terriers. He has good size and skates well, which allows him to hunt pucks and drive the net. He’s still rounding out his game some, but he has a ton of potential. Prior to joining the Winged Beavers, he played for Virtua. He’s the son of former Mount St. Charles and NHL goaltender Brian Boucher, who is now an analyst on NBC Sports.
3. John (J.P.) Turner
Avon Old Farms, So., RW, Right Shot, 6-1/160
Turner put up huge numbers at Falmouth High School and also played for the Boston Jr. Terriers before making the move to prep. He’s an explosive offensive player with good size. He’s strong on his skates and tough to knock off pucks. He made some great scoring plays while playing for the Neponset Valley River Rats 16-U team this fall. Several Hockey East programs are in hot pursuit of Turner.
4. Tim Delay
St. Sebastian’s, Fr., RW, Right Shot, 5-11/160
NCAA Commit: Boston College
Delay is a speedster who is one of the best pure skaters in this age group. He’s still finding a scoring rhythm on a more consistent basis, but he will get plenty of chances due to being able to separate from opposing defensemen. He played for the Boston Jr. Eagles growing up. His father, Mike Delay, played college hockey at BC.
5. Will Elias
St. Sebastian’s, Fr., D, Right Shot, 5-10/150
Elias is one of the more underrated players in this age group as he’s just a steady, two-way defenseman. He has a good stick, gaps well, skates well, and can move pucks up ice with good, smart breakout passes. He spent the fall season playing for the Boston Jr. Eagles 16-U. He’ll earn a Division I commitment eventually.
6. Drew Tsakounis
Avon Old Farms, So., D, Left Shot, 5-10/160
NCAA Commit: Penn State
Tsakounis, from Arlington, Va., has long been considered one of the best puck-moving, offensive defensemen in this age group. He’s on the smaller side, but he does a great job on retrievals with a shoulder-check and a quick dink pass. He’s also shifty and smart enough to avoid oncoming forecheckers. He spent the past couple of seasons with the New Jersey Colonials.
7. Brendan Gorman
St. Sebastian’s, So., RW, Right Shot, 5-10/140
The Arlington, Mass., native is a good skater and can finish. He hunts pucks and isn’t afraid to go into the dirty areas. He’ll fight for loose pucks in the corners and he’ll go to the net. He should get even better as he continues to fill out his frame. Brendan’s brother, Liam Gorman, is a Pittsburgh Penguins prospect, Boston University commit, and a teammate with the Arrows. His father, Sean Gorman, played at Princeton from 1987-1991 and was a draft pick of the Boston Bruins. Brendan will follow in the footsteps of his brother and father as Division I players.
8. Aiden Lyons
Nobles, Fr., D, Left Shot, 5-9/155
Lyons has a lot of skill and should be a puck-moving and offensive weapon for Brian Day’s club. He can make some really good plays in transit and in the attacking zone from the point. His overall hockey sense is getting better and he’s undeniably a Division I player down the road.
9. Jack Musa
Trinity-Pawling, Fr., C, Left Shot, 5-5/135
Musa, from Florida, is a small forward who plays with an edge. He’s quick and he’ll track down pucks to find open teammates or go to the goal for scoring chances. He’s joining his older brother, ’00 Joey Musa, a Dartmouth commit, at T-P. His father, Joe Musa, played minor pro hockey after competing collegiately at Westfield State.
10. Cully Wilson
Dexter, Fr., C, Left Shot, 5-11/180
The Hingham, Mass., native spent some time with Boston Advantage and Boston Jr. Eagles while playing youth hockey. He’s not as dynamic as some of the forwards listed above, but he’s skilled and has good size. He’ll provide some secondary scoring on one of Dexter’s bottom six lines.
11. Connor Chalmers
Kimball Union, Fr., D, Right Shot, 5-9/160
From Windham, N.H., Chalmers is a mobile, puck-moving defenseman with terrific feet. He had a good USA Hockey Select 15s and played well again at the Beantown Summer Classic. Chalmers spent the fall season with NEFPHL/Top Gun 15 Pure.
12. Conor Callaghan
Avon Old Farms, So., G, Catches Left, 6-0/160
The Upper Saddle River, N.J., native played the past two seasons with Mid-Fairfield and will be eased into prep hockey as the backup to Providence commit Alex Aslanidis. He doesn’t have great size for a prototypical modern era goaltender, but he’s really good. He’s technically sound, moves well, and competes.
13. Michael Cataldo
St. Sebastian’s, Fr., RW, Right Shot, 5-10/157
Cataldo spent the fall season with the Neponset Valley River Rats 15 Pure. He’s a good skater, has a good frame, and can finish. He’ll be a Division I player down the line, but will be somewhat of an afterthought for a very deep Sebs team in 2018-19.
14. Nick Roukounakis
Thayer, Fr., LW, Left Shot, 6-0/200
Another former Boston Jr. Eagle, Roukounakis has good size and strength as a power forward. He’s physically mature for his age and is able to get to the net, win puck battles, and play a heavy game. He has a hard shot and should score some goals for the Tigers this winter.
15. Nolan Joyce
St. Sebastian’s, Fr., D, Right Shot, 5-9/153
Joyce is a skilled, puck-moving defenseman who makes good plays to break pucks out of his own zone. He has a good stick and had a good fall season playing for the Boston Jr. Eagles. His father, John Joyce, starred at Boston College from 1990-1994.
16. Vincent Gould
Dexter, So., RW, Right Shot, 6-2/200
The Wellesley, Mass., native grew up playing for the Boston Jr. Terriers. He’s a tall, power forward who plays well below the dots and seems to just finish, despite his skating holding him back at times.
17. Greyson Pane
Westminster, Fr., G, Catches Left, 6-3/171
The Boxford, Mass., native might not get much ice time this winter in back of ’00 senior Ian Shane, but he’s the best goaltending prospect on Westy. He has good size, moves well in the crease, and is strong technically. He spent the fall season playing for Yale Midget Hockey 15 Pure.
18. Michael Salandra
Brunswick, So., F, RW, Right Shot, 5-5/130
The Armonk, N.Y., native is on the smaller side, but he’s quick and crafty. He came up through the Mid-Fairfield system.
19. Chase Ramsay
Avon Old Farms, So., D, Right Shot, 6-0/180
Ramsay is a tall, lanky, two-way defenseman who spent the majority of his youth hockey with Mid-Fairfield. He has a good stick, gaps well, and can make a good first pass.
20. Nick Donaldson
Berkshire, Fr., D, Right Shot, 5-11/195
Donaldson is another former Mid Fairfield player who competes with an edge. He was a physical force this fall and made some big hits while playing for Mid Fairfield 16-U. He’ll likely get top four minutes on the Berkshire blue line in back of Cade Alami and Aidan Metcalfe.
21. Anthony Cafarelli
Cushing, So., F, Left Shot, 5-8/158
The Middleton, Mass., native played last season with Austin Prep. He has a solid offensive skill set and will be joining the Penguins alongside his older brother, ’01 Nick Cafarelli, who also played previously for the Cougars in the MIAA.
22. Drew Blackwell
Belmont Hill, Fr., LW, Left Shot, 5-9/150
Blackwell had an impressive showing at Massachusetts Hockey’s CCM High Performance Festival and has looked sharp in a few exhibitions this fall.
23. Griffin Hatley
Kimball Union, Fr., F, Right Shot, 5-11/175
Hatley played for the Carolina Jr. Hurricanes Bantam Major team last season. He’s a goal scorer who does a good job getting into the slot. He’ll be eased into prep hockey with a solid group of older forwards ahead of him on Tim Whitehead’s team.
24. Joe Freeman
Middlesex, Fr., D, Right Shot, 5-11/150
Freeman is a rugged defenseman who is hard to knock off pucks. He likes to make plays to push the pace and get pucks moving north.
25. Dom Murphy
St. Mark’s, Fr., F, Right Shot, 5-11/170
Murphy is a solid, middle six forward who can score. He spent the last couple of seasons playing split season hockey for the Neponset Valley River Rats.
26. Jayden Grier
St. Sebastian’s, Fr., LW, Left Shot, 5-10/160
Grier is a good all-around, multi-sport athlete who competes hard and is heavy on pucks. He played previously with the Boston Jr. Terriers. Jayden’s father, Mike Grier, is a former star at Boston University and in the NHL and is currently an assistant coach with the New Jersey Devils.
27. Thomas Goguen
Belmont Hill, Fr., D, Right Shot, 6-1/150
Goguen is a big, athletic defenseman with some potential. His skating still needs work, but he has some physical tools that make him an intriguing prospect. He spent the fall season playing for the East Coast Wizards 16-U.
28. Tyler Rubin
Belmont Hill, Fr., D, Left Shot, 5-9/140
Rubin is a defenseman who has looked solid in a couple of scrimmages for Jeremiah McCarthy’s team.
29. Eamon Connaughton
St. Mark’s, Fr., C, Left Shot, 5-10/155
Connaughton played the past few seasons with the San Diego Jr. Gulls program. He had a couple of assists at USA Hockey Select 15s and will provide some depth up front for Carl Corazzini’s Lions.
30. Rhys Jones
New Hampton, Fr., F/D, Right Shot, 5-9/170
The Meriden, N.H., native is a versatile player who can play both forward and defense. He also had a solid showing at USA Hockey Select 15s.
Editor's note: Thayer has not released their roster so the following player was inadvertently left off the list.
C.J. Monturio
Thayer, So., F, Right Shot, 5-10/170
Monturio is making the move to prep school after playing his freshman season at Xaverian. He's a hard-working forward whose skill set has improved. He had a very good fall season with the Cape Cod Whalers 15 Pure team, including a standout performance at the Massachusetts District Tournament earlier this month.
