WOONSOCKET, R.I. — Players from the 18-U, 16-U and 15 Only teams at Mount Saint Charles took to the ice on Wednesday and Thursday to showcase their skills in front of scouts at Addelard Arena, the school’s on-campus facility.
Players were broken into four teams with coaches from the program along with a few guests stepping behind the bench. Rod Braceful (U.S. NTDP), Mike Levine (Vegas Golden Knights), Tom O’Connor (Seattle Kraken) and Dave Peters (Columbus Blue Jackets) were among the dignitaries.
Scouts from the Boston Bruins, Buffalo Sabres and Toronto Maple Leafs also were in attendance. General managers, coaches and scouts from several USHL teams as well as numerous NHLPA agents also were at the games.
Below is a look at the standout performers from the four games played at Mount Saint Charles on Wednesday and Thursday. Players are broken down by 18-U, 16-U and 15 Only. The first three players from each team are numbered and ranked. After that, notable players are listed in alphabetical order with an evaluation and projection of their play.
18-U
1. Nate Benoit
11/26/02, D, left shot, 6-1/185
NCAA commit: North Dakota
Benoit was the best 2021 NHL draft prospect in the series of scrimmages. The Bow, N.H., native got the job done at both ends of the ice. He made numerous good breakout passes to jumpstart the transition. On the offensive blue line, he can walk the point, get shots through and find open wings. Away from the puck, he delivered the biggest hit of the two days. He stepped up in the neutral zone and crushed a forward coming up ice with a clean hit. I’d expect him to be taken somewhere in the fifth or sixth round of the 2021 NHL draft.
2. Owen McLaughlin
3/25/03, C, left shot, 5-11/165
NCAA commit: Penn State
McLaughlin was particularly good in Wednesday’s scrimmage. He had the puck on his stick a lot and made plays. His hands and agility allow him to make plays in traffic and in small areas. His goal came from redirecting a shot from the right point. McLaughlin projects to be a good junior and college player but will need to become heavier on pucks and play more between the circles in order to truly take that next step in his game.
3. Jayden Sison
1/27/03, RW, right shot, 5-10/165
Sison is a smart, 200-foot forward who sees the ice well. He had a couple of assists and a goal during the two scrimmages. He goes to the dirty areas, whether it be in the corners to retrieve loose pucks and set up teammates or the front of the net, where he scored a tip-in goal. He’s not the flashiest player with his skill-set and skating, but he gets the job done. A couple of Hockey East and ECAC Hockey schools have interest in the Paoli, Pa., native.
Zachary Aben
12/12/03, C, left shot, 5-10/180
Aben is a smart centerman who skates well and is coming on strong as a late ’03. He has above-average hockey sense and could get a Division 1 deal if he plays a couple of years of junior hockey.
Sterling Cooke
2/7/03, LW, left shot, 5-11/180
Cooke is a fun player to watch as he’s gritty and keeps his feet moving each shift. He provides a boost of energy, especially on the forecheck. From Fox Point, Wis., he does a good job of hunting pucks and crashing the net. If there’s an area of his game that needs improvement, it’s his stick.
Grayden Daul
1/31/03, D, right shot, 6-0/180
NCAA commit: Wisconsin
Daul is in his first season at Mount Saint Charles after coming up through the Chicago Mission organization. He committed to Wisconsin a couple of years ago.
Tommy Heaney
2/2/03, G, catches left, 6-1/170
It’s hard to pay attention to goalies in scrimmages, but Heaney always has piqued my interest, dating back to when he played for the New Jersey Colonials. He has good size, athleticism and compete.
Sixten Jennersjo
4/18/03, LW, left shot, 5-10/171
Jennersjo was noticeable on the cycle down low as he made a couple of good passes to set up scoring chances for his teammates. He’s likely a fringe Division 1 or Division 3 player.
Will Lawrence
9/23/03, RW, right shot, 5-10/160
This was my best viewing to date of Lawrence, who I saw quite a bit previously with the New Jersey Rockets. His speed consistently was a factor. He was able to beat defenders wide and get in quickly on the forecheck. He set up a goal by blowing down the right wing and feeding the off-wing crashing the far post.
Ryan O’Connell
10/23/03, RW, left shot, 5-10/175
O’Connell potted a goal in Wednesday’s action. He has good size, protects pucks and got some chances. He’s another late ’03 to keep an eye on, most likely after he spends another season at Mount and then maybe earns his keep in the NCDC or NAHL.
Tyler Ribera
1/7/03, LW, right shot, 6-4/190
Ribera is a power forward who has the size, and his skating is continuing to get better. He scored a goal. The one area of his game that could use work is his hockey sense.
Michael Woll
4/4/03, C, left shot, 6-4/205
Woll is trending upward as a power forward with size and a physical presence. His skating is getting better and he’s around the puck more than he’s ever been in the past. Woll shoots it with zip and scored a goal.
16-U
1. Thomas Trunda
10/15/04, LW, left shot, 5-9/150
Trunda, a late ’04 from Prague, Czech Republic, stole the show. He was the best player on the ice. Trunda scored a hat trick in Wednesday’s game. His stick and hockey sense are elite. He was around the puck a lot and backchecked with a purpose. Once he adds some muscle, he’ll be even better. As it stands, he’s an elite hockey player and one of the best ’04s I’ve seen to date.
2. Ben Robertson
9/18/04, D, left shot, 5-10/165
Robertson is a poised, two-way defenseman. In the defensive zone, he plays with jam and is in position to get into shooting and passing lanes. Despite not being the biggest defender, he wins a lot of loose-puck battles and plays with some physicality. The Potomac Falls, Va., native retrieves pucks and knows where to go with it. Robertson is getting significant interest from Hockey East and ECAC Hockey schools.
3. Seth Constance
10/26/04, D, right shot, 6-1/170
Constance always has shown potential as a big defender, but I think he’s starting to get better under the guidance of 16-U head coach Devin Rask. I really liked what I saw here with his stick, skating and vision. He made some plays in transition and set up some chances in the attacking zone. The Northville, Mich., native didn’t shy away from contact and being physical.
Hudson Blue
7/27/04, RW, right shot, 5-10/175
I like Blue’s tenacity. He’s always around the puck and buzzing out there.
Frank D’Ancona
6/2/04, C, left shot, 5-9/165
D’Ancona is a small, skilled forward who had an assist. From Mount Vernon, N.H., he seems to find the scoresheet, despite always being doubted for his lack of size.
Ian Duffy
4/24/04, LW, left shot, 6-1/180
Duffy is a power forward who came to Mount after spending time at Shattuck-St. Mary’s. He had an assist and skated well.
Perry Gaudreau
9/22/04, LW, right shot, 6-1/170
Gaudreau is a power forward who can score goals by shooting it hard and hanging around the net. He seems to know where to go to find pucks. I think his skating already has improved some, but it will need to continue getting better in order for him to progress.
Rhett Kodsi
6/9/04, D, right shot, 5-11/170
Kodsi looks much improved from when I saw him over the summer and at the beginning of this season. He benefited from being paired with Robertson, but I liked what I saw. He just needs to simplify his game and be strong. His hockey sense is an area of his game that he can work on.
Matt Lewis
3/16/04, C, right shot, 5-10/175
Lewis is around the puck a lot and gets the most out of his ability. His skating is above average and he’s strong on pucks.
Cam O’Neill
1/24/04, RW, right shot, 5-11/170
O’Neill has pedigree with two brothers who have gotten to Division 1. He’s a kid who plays above his skill-set in terms of hunting pucks and doing the little things to win games. He was the right wing on the line with Trunda.
Joe Peters
3/19/04, D, left shot, 6-2/210
Peters is a big rig who needs to learn his identity as a defensive defenseman. The St. Louis native needs to use his size and strength physically, keep things simple, not overhandle the puck and work on his hockey IQ. If he can do that, there is some upside as a shutdown guy in a five or six role.
Nick Rooney
1/22/04, LW, left shot, 5-8/150
Rooney is a smaller forward with skill. He didn’t get much going here and has struggled a little offensively this fall. There’s no doubt he has the skill to produce eventually, but he can work on getting stronger and playing between the circles.
Jason Stefanek
8/20/04, C, right shot, 5-11/160
Stefanek had a goal and an assist centering Trunda’s line. From Yorba Linda, Calif., he plays bigger than he’s listed on the line chart. He goes to the net and plays between the circles. Down the road, he’s a middle-six center for a Division 1 team.
Peter Sterling
11/16/04, G, catches left, 6-5/175
Sterling has been lauded for his upsize for a year or so now. He’s huge and looks the part in the crease. Wednesday was my best viewing of him to date. He made the saves he was supposed to make, didn’t allow rebounds, and looked focused throughout the proceeding.
15 Only
1. Chris Pelosi
3/6/05, C, left shot, 6-0/160
Pelosi was the best ’05 on the ice over the two days by a long shot. The Sewell, N.J., native is a power forward who works hard and gets the most out of his ability. He had a couple of assists and chipped in a goal. Pelosi drives the net in the attacking zone and engages defensively on the backcheck. I’m not sure if he’ll make the NTDP, but he’s a lock to be in the mix at the evaluation camp.
2. Christian Venticinque
7/15/05, RW, left shot, 5-11/160
Venticinque had a goal and an assist and was around the puck a lot. He’s heavy on pucks and uses his size and strength to gain positioning in the slot and goal mouth. The Long Island, N.Y., native is a goal scorer who should keep getting better, especially as he improves his foot speed.
3. Teddy Merrill
5/8/05, RW, right shot, 5-10/156
I didn’t have Merrill marked down for any goals, but I love his compete. He probably projects as a bottom-six winger who can chip in offensively from time to time. He won a lot of races to loose pucks and won battles once he got there.
Tanner Adams
9/2/05, C, right shot, 5-10/155
NCAA commit: Providence
Adams is a smart player who had a goal and an assist over the weekend. I have high expectations for Adams, a player who I’ve always liked. I didn’t think this was his best viewing. The Northport, N.Y., native should still be getting consideration for a spot at the NTDP Evaluation Camp.
Anthony Cardilli
10/13/05, LW, left shot, 6-2/160
Cardilli is a big winger with some potential. He hadn’t really produced much in the team’s games to date, but he scored twice and added an assist here. From Chicago, Cardilli is a player to keep an eye on to see how he develops.
Alexios Georgaklis
1/1/05, LW, left shot, 6-3/175
Georgaklis had a huge couple of days, scoring a couple of goals and adding a few helpers. He’s a power forward with size. He hung around the net and created time and space for his linemates.
Jake Gutwirth
5/29/05, C, left shot, 5-6/140
Gutwirth had a goal Wednesday. From Brooklyn, N.Y., he’s quick and crafty. He and his linemate, Patrick Murphy, were two of the top three players on last year’s 14-U team at Mount.
Michael Hagens
2/18/05, RW, left shot, 5-7/135
Hagens had an assist in Wednesday’s scrimmage. From Hauppauge, N.Y., he’s quick and skilled with a little bit of craftiness to his game. His younger brother, James, is one of the most skilled ’06 forwards in the country.
Patrick Murphy
12/1/05, RW, right shot, 5-11/170
Murphy is a late ’05 with athleticism. He skates well and has good foot speed. From North Kingston, R.I., he has above-average skill as well. He has plenty of time, but he just needs to become more of a complete player. If he does that, he has the physical tools to get to Division 1.
Zephyr Tangri
1/12/05, D, left shot, 6-2/180
Tangri, who previously played for the Los Angeles Junior Kings, is a big defender with upside in his own zone. His footwork has improved some from when I saw him as a Bantam, but as with most big defenders, it can continue to get better. His instincts with the puck are typically strong.
Maddox Tulacro
6/27/05, D, right shot, 6-2/180
Tulacro, from Ashton, Md., is a good-sized, mobile defender. His skating and skill allows him to impact the game with the puck on his stick. If he can move the puck faster, be heavier and improve in his own end, his upside will continue to increase.
