BOSTON — The 2018 BU Prep Showcase took place the last three days at Walter Brown Arena, the home of the women's hockey program at Boston University.
While the disparity in talent was large because NCAA rules prohibiting college programs from being selective in who they invite, plenty of elite players were still on hand. There were several ‘03s and ‘04s who will surely blossom into household names in Division 1 hockey.
There was a myriad of NCAA coaches present, with most Hockey East schools represented throughout the event.
The only committed player on hand was Avon Old Farms forward Tyler Boucher, an '03 forward from New Jersey who is heading to BU. He’s a terrific talent and a potential U.S. National Team Development Program player for the 2019-20 season.
Here is a look at the top prospects at the 2018 BU Prep Showcase, broken down by birth year and ranging from '01s to '04s.
2004s
Rutger McGroarty
#11 Gold, Honeybaked, 3/30/04, Forward, Left Shot
McGroarty is a stellar forward prospect who has made the transition from Nebraska to Detroit, where he now plays for Honeybaked. His skating, hands, vision, and desire to play hard all stood out. He consistently made plays, including a beautiful goal Tuesday, when he pulled the puck back and roofed a wrist shot right under the bar.
Charlie Leddy
#6 Orange, Mid-Fairfield, 1/11/04, Defense, Right Shot
Leddy is arguably the top defensive prospect in New England, hailing from Fairfield, Conn. He is already receiving significant interest from at least two big-time Hockey East programs. He’s tall, lanky and smooth. He gets shots through and on net from the point, plus makes good, quick decisions on his breakout passes.
Ryan Conmy
#8 Gray, Buffalo Jr. Sabres, 10/23/04, Forward, Right Shot
Conmy is a little on the smaller side and is a late ’04, but his skill set was hard to miss. He’s quick, crafty and can stickhandle in tight areas.
Thomas Budnick
#3 White, Honeybaked, 2/14/04, Defense, Left Shot
Budnick is a smooth-skating, two-way defenseman. He likes to jump up into the rush and keep pucks in the zone by pinching. He has a good shot from the point and makes good outlet passes, all while maintaining poise.
Patrick Geary
#4 Orange, Buffalo Jr. Sabres, 1/1/04, Defense, Left Shot
Geary is another member of a very good Jr. Sabres team at this age level. He has good vision as a quarterback on the power play and skates well. He made one terrific look to the backdoor for a good chance.
Andon Cerbone
#9 Black, Mid-Fairfield, 4/13/04, Forward, Left Shot
Cerbone is another smaller forward who is quick, crafty and skilled. He made a terrific pass for an assist on a goal scored by teammate Alex Mozian.
2003s
Zachary Bolduc
#9 White, CMI U18, 2/24/03, Forward, Left Shot
The Becancour, Quebec, native is a superb talent who will certainly be a high pick in next year’s QMJHL Draft. He’s a good skater who is slippery and can generate time and space. He can separate from defenders and finish his own chances. He recovers pucks and he has a second gear. He was absolutely terrific.
Patrick Morrissey
#7 Green, Dexter, 1/7/03, Defense, Right Shot
Morrissey’s skating allows him to be a dependable, two-way defenseman. His gaps are good and he can make plays in transition. He has a good stick defensively, but can also quickly close on opposing forwards. He’ll be even better once he fills out. With his advisor being Pete Fish, look for the Terriers to be a likely landing spot.
Paul Davey
#10 White, Mid-Fairfield, 1/11/03, Forward, Left Shot
Davey has the size and physical tools to be an effective player below the dots. He can make plays and finish, which he did here. Once he learns to play with a little more urgency, his ceiling could be even higher.
Ryan Ufko
#7 Red, North Jersey Avs, 5/7/03, Defense, Right Shot
Ufko is puck-moving defender who makes the simple, smart play almost all the time. He’s rarely going to make the flashy, highlight-reel play, but he’ll get pucks going north. He has confidence in his skating to maintain tight gaps and defend well with his feet and pokechecks.
Olen Zellweger
#7 White, OHA Edmonton, 10/9/03, Defense, Left Shot
Zellweger is a smaller, offensive defenseman who skates well and moves the puck swiftly. He’s eager to jump into the rush and join the attack. He has a good stick and mobility in all facets of the game.
Will Elias
#4 Blue, St. Sebastian’s, 1/28/03, Defense, Right Shot
The Southboro, Mass., native is one of the top three defensemen in this age group among prospects from the Bay State. He’s not going to blow an observer away at a first viewing, but he’s steady and reliable. He’s a good skater who can move pucks north, all while defending well in his own zone and on the rush.
Guillaume Richard
#7 Gray, CMI U16, 2/10/03, Defense, Left Shot
A Quebec native, Richard has great feet, keeps his head up, and defends with his feet. He projects to be a fairly high pick in the 2019 QMJHL draft.
Davis Burnside
#9 Green, Chicago Mission, 9/22/03, Forward, Right Shot
Burnside has always been one of the top players in his age group, and was again solid here. He’s rugged and can penetrate into the slot and impact the offense in the dirty areas.
2002s
Philippe Jacques
#10 Orange, Séminaire St-Francois Blizzard, 10/29/02, Forward, Left Shot
Jacques, from Quebec, was very good here. He’s big and can skate. He’s a power forward who bulled his way into the scoring areas and finished. He also made a couple of nice dishes to open teammates. As a late ’02 with his size and skill set, the upside seems to be substantial.
David Sacco
#16 Gray, Lawrence Academy, 1/1/02, Forward, Right Shot
Sacco was injured during USA Hockey Select 16s and fought through it, but ultimately missed some time. At the BU Prep Showcase, he showed why he’s trending upward.
He’s big, skates well, and loves to play physically. He’s not afraid to rub a guy off and start moving the puck towards the attacking goal. While he’s more of a middle-six power forward, he scored a goal Tuesday afternoon that highlighted his hands and skill set. He drove the net and tucked a backhand through the five-hole. He has interest from several Hockey East schools and has the lineage at BU.
Luke Antonacci
#2 Orange, ISS Kings, 11/26/02, Defense, Right Shot
Antonacci is a smaller defenseman who uses his brain and skating ability to move pucks north. His mobility is noticeable right away. He sometimes has a tendency to be a little reckless with the puck, but he’s a promising prospect.
Owen Stammer
#16 Orange, College Charles-Lemoy, 3/23/02, Forward, Right Shot
Stemmer, from Longueuil, Quebec, shined through here as a forward with good skill. He had nice hands, scoring a beauty of a goal that he lifted into the top corner will little space, all from a bad angle.
Joaquim Lemay
#4 Green, CMI U18, 7/28/02, Defense, Left Shot
Lemay is a puck-moving defenseman who liked to push the pace with breakout passes into the neutral zone. He had a good stick and made smart, quick decisions when in possession of the puck.
Gabe Dombrowski
#11 White, ISS Kings, 1/22/02, Forward, Right Shot
Dombrowski’s skating still needs some work, but there's a lot to like about his game. He’s heavy on pucks and does a good job below the dots. He’s gets ample shots on net and is in constant pursuit when not in possession. He wins battles for loose pucks and is quick to find an open linemate.
Isaac MacLeod
#13 Green, Toronto Jr. Canadians, 4/4/02, Forward, Right Shot
MacLeod has really good hands and made some slick plays, including an eye-raising goal and a saucer pass for an assist on an odd-man rush. His skating will need to improve in order to continue climbing the ladder.
Aydin Parekh
#5 Red, Toronto Jr. Canadians, 1/5/02, Defense, Right Shot
Parekh is a small, offensive defenseman who can finish when he joins the rush. He did a nice job of finding lanes when moving the puck up ice in transition.
Drew Holt
#11 Blue, Eden Prairie, 7/10/02, Forward, Right Shot
Holt showed that he has the finishing ability necessary to get noticed and make some headway on the recruiting front. He’s still a little ways away, but he has potential.
2001s
Justin Hryckowian
#11 Green, Lac St-Louis Lions, 2/23/01, Forward, Left Shot
From Quebec, Hryckowian used his size and strength to bull his way to loose pucks and drive the net. He’s not the best skater, but he makes up for it with his hockey sense.
Tucker McIntosh
#6 Green, Upper Canada College, 5/20/01, Defenseman, Left Shot
McIntosh exuded poise with the puck on his stick, whether it be breaking pucks out of his own zone or making plays from the point in the attacking zone. He had good size and liked to jump into the rush.
Brian Carrabes
#10 Red, Kimball Union, 1/1/01, Forward, Left Shot
Carrabes didn’t make national camp, but he earned some interest from Hockey East programs with his play down the stretch for St. John’s Prep. He’ll be at Kimball Union come the fall. He’s a fast, explosive skater with above-average skill. He still needs to improve his vision, but Tim Whitehead could be the man to get that out of him at the prep level.
Nick Cafarelli
#9 Red, Austin Prep, 12/31/01, Forward, Right Shot
Cafarelli, who's making the move to Cushing, showed something extra that this viewer hasn't seen in quite some time. He used his skating ability to get into scoring areas and finish chances. He’s a smart player who knows where to go to impact the offense.
John Riggins
#15 Green, Lawrence Academy, 10/28/01, Forward, Right Shot
Riggins is on the smaller side. While his upside might not be as high as others here, he was fun to watch. He competes and is quick and skilled enough to produce.
