Twenty-three New England players born in 2004 have committed to a college hockey program, as of August 19 when this story went to press.
While many of the region’s top '04s are off the market, there are some very talented players in the birth year who remain without a college logo next to their name on their respective line charts. Not surprisingly, many of the uncommitted players are far better than some of the players in the birth year who have previously committed.
Players develop at different trajectories. Some players who were once highly regarded have regressed while some late bloomers have continued developing and gotten better.
Led by four defensemen, here is my look at the top-10 uncommitted '04s in New England.
1. Sean Keohane
Dexter Southfield/Cape Cod Whalers 18-U, 11/4/04, D, left shot, 6-3/165
Keohane, a late '04, is a perfect example of a player who keeps getting better. The Milton, Mass., native received very little ice time as a freshman in 2019-20 at Dexter Southfield. In limited scrimmages, he jumped up into a top-four role as a sophomore in 2020-21. He also shined with the Cape Cod Whalers 16-U. Keohane checks boxes for size, range, and athleticism. He’s not going to wow you every shift with a skill play, but he has the capability of improvising and creating offense from the backend. There’s a lot of pro upside with Keohane, whose father is a Providence alum. Just about every school in New England should be interested in the big lefty.
2. CJ Foley
Thayer/CC Whalers 18-U, 2/11/04, D, right shot, 5-10/160
I had previously ranked Foley as the top uncommitted '04 in Massachusetts. His slip to the second spot has less to do with him than Keohane’s meteoric rise to the top. From Hanover, Mass., Foley’s skating, activation into the offense, and compete level are all very good. He’s versatile and does whatever it takes to win games. In a more structured environment, his lack of defensive hockey sense sometimes gets exposed. As he improves his play on that side of the puck, there will be more firm believers in Foley. Regardless, he’s a Hockey East or Ivy League caliber player, likely after a few years of junior hockey.
3. Chris Romaine
Milton/CC Whalers 18-U, 2/21/04, D, right shot, 5-10/150
I’ve liked Romaine ever since he played as an eighth-grader at BC High. He showed well last year with the Cape Cod Whalers and he’s had a strong summer in my limited viewings. Romaine doesn’t have great size, but his footwork, skating, and breakout ability are all positive attributes. His first touches are smart and effective while he keeps his head up and looks to jumpstart the transition. Romaine, from Milton, Mass., is another player who will need junior seasoning, but he’s absolutely a Hockey East or ECAC Hockey talent. A good student, Ivies are in play as are a couple of top Hockey East programs.
4. Brian Grant
Nobles/CC Whalers 18-U, 3/18/04, right shot, 6-0/161
Grant is another player coming into his own. The Mansfield, Mass., native came back to Nobles prior to the start of the 2020-21 season after spending one academic year at Deerfield. The good-sized righty skates well, gets a shot off with some zip and can defend his ranginess. There are two areas of his game that he can clean up. He needs to limit turnovers and be more consistent. Regardless, Grant seems destined to play for an Ivy League school. It’s not likely to be Harvard, but any of the other Ivies are certainly in play.
5. Andrew Garzone
Deerfield/CC Whalers 18-U, 5/30/04, RW, right shot, 5-11/160
Garzone is an athletic, 200-foot player with size and physicality who has taken major steps over the past year. I had always liked his hockey sense and habits away from the puck. He has good size and strength, but his offensive skill set has gotten better. The Dover, Mass., native had a solid fall for the Cape Cod Whalers, getting better with every viewing. In the spring and summer, he continued taking steps in the right direction. He projects as a middle-six forward who can play center or wing. He’ll be a north-south power forward who competes at both ends of the ice. His dad played at Colgate and that could certainly be a destination as associate head coach Dana Borges and assistant coach Andy Boschetto are rapidly improving the program’s future on the recruiting trail. There will certainly be local schools interested in Garzone, as well.
6. Donovan Frias
St. George’s/Boston Imperials 18-U, 11/9/04, LW, left shot, 6-3/194
Frias is a big power forward whose game has improved drastically over the past year. A few years ago, he showed some signs of being a lanky winger who could protect pucks, drive the net, and bring it physically. He’s continued having that in his repertoire while adding a little more dynamic element to his skating and shot. He had a solid year last season, split between the Imperials and Junior Bruins. This summer, he’s been very good at numerous showcases. Expect him to continue generating Division 1 buzz throughout the fall and winter seasons.
7. Jordin Palmer
Avon Old Farms/River Rats 18-U, 1/6/04, D, left shot, 6-0/160
Palmer was somewhat of a hidden gem due to playing for Seacoast Performance Academy, but that is no longer the case after a solid year at Avon Old Farms and a summer that included a trip to USA Hockey Select 17s in Buffalo. The Auburn, N.H., native has good size, skates well with nice edge work, and can bring a calming presence. He’s not overly flashy, but he stays poised and does a good job breaking pucks out. He has some jam to his game when he’s defending and retrieving pucks. There will be several Hockey East and ECAC Hockey programs watching him this fall and winter.
8. Ollie Chessler
Rivers/Junior Eagles 18-U, 7/9/04, D, left shot, 5-11/165
Chessler, from Weston, Mass., has very good feet that make him a coveted recruit by numerous schools in the region. He’s a little undersized, but his skating stands out immediately. It allows him to break pucks out of the zone and activate as a second wave of attack offensively. His hockey sense isn’t irredeemable, but it’s an area of his game that could use some improvement as he develops in his final year of prep before going to junior hockey. In the end, Chessler will likely find a home at Holy Cross, Dartmouth, St. Lawrence, Colgate, Brown, Princeton or Yale.
9. Peter Lukas Klemm
Long Island Gulls 18-U, 4/20/04, D, right shot, 6-0/194
Klemm logged a ton of minutes for the North Jersey Avalanche last winter and should continue being a workhorse on the Gulls’ 18-U team in 2021-22. Klemm has good size and thinks the game at an above-average level. He’s reliable and combines a physical presence in the defensive end with a solid offensive skill set in the attacking zone. The one area of his game that is holding him back right now is his heavy boots. The Ridgefield, Conn., native will likely land at a school in ECAC Hockey or Hockey East.
10. Ben Muthersbaugh
New Hampshire Junior Monarchs, 2/15/04, LW, left shot, 5-11/180
Muthersbaugh likely is jumping to junior hockey too quickly after starting out at Tilton. If he can overcome that hurdle, he’ll continue to be on the radar of Division 1 programs throughout the region. He skates a little hunched over, but he gets around adequately. His shot is his best asset. He’ll shoot it from anywhere and he can do it with accuracy and zip. The Guilford, N.H., native also brings a physical element to the ice. In the end, it wouldn’t surprise me to see Muthersbaugh end up at Maine, New Hampshire, Merrimack or a school in ECAC Hockey or Atlantic Hockey.
Honorable mention: Forwards Mason Kesselring (Cushing/Central Mass. Penguins 18-U), Matthew Kursonis (St. George’s/Boston Imperials 18-U), Jackson Kyrkostas (Kimball Union/Islanders HC), Ronan O’Donnell (Belmont Hill/EC Wizards 18-U), James Shannon (Brunswick/Mid Fairfield 18-U), Austin Tasca (Nobles/Cape Cod Whalers 18-U) and goaltenders Brendan Holahan (Brunswick/Mid Fairfield 18-U), Jackson Irving (Cushing/Central Mass. Penguins 18-U) and Beau Lane (Boston Advantage 18-U)
