While many casual observers of the sport might assume the schedule is winding down for the off-season, the next month will be a busy one for college hockey and prep school coaches and junior and NHL scouts in the New England region.
Recruiting season never ends, and that is particularly true in hockey, despite recent legislation put forth by the NCAA to curb recruiting of younger players.
This weekend kicks off the first big event that will take place in and around the New England region over the course of the next month.
Matt Miles’ Eastern Exposure Hockey Group is hosting an All-Star weekend from the players who participated in last November’s Eastern Exposure Cup.
There are two teams of ‘04s as well as four teams of ‘05s participating in practices, off-ice informational sessions, and games over the course of Saturday and Sunday. The event is held at Fidelity Bank Worcester Ice Center in Worcester, Mass.
Click here for a list of the Eastern Exposure Cup All-Star rosters.
Click here for the Eastern Exposure Cup All-Star schedule.
The ’05 group is especially strong and should be considered a can’t miss event for any prep school coach. NHL agents and advisors will likely be out in full force as well, looking to secure their next generation of clients.
The following week, the World Selects Invite, hosted annually by Legacy Global Sports, returns to Voorhees, N.J., a suburb of Philadelphia. It’s one of the best events on the scouting calendar as top talent from all across the globe is assembled in one location. This year’s event is geared towards ‘04s, but there will also be some teams of ‘03s back from last year’s tournament.
Then, the madness really picks up in Massachusetts. Three events are on tap for the weekend of May 10-12. Most importantly, Massachusetts Hockey is hosting its CCM High Performance Festival. Eighty of the top ‘02s, ‘03s, and ‘04s in the state will be at the New England Sports Center in Marlboro, Mass., looking to secure a spot in the Mass. Hockey Final 40, which will determine who advances to USA Hockey’s Player Development Camps later this summer in Amherst, N.Y.
Also on the agenda for May 10-12 is the Battle of Boston Spring Tier 1 at the Rodman Arena in Walpole, Mass., and the Chowder Cup Pre-Draft Showcase, held largely at the Foxboro Sports Center in Foxboro, Mass.
The following weekend, May 18-19, the Mass. Hockey Final 40 takes place with players vying for the coveted spots at USA Hockey Player Development Camps.
Also in May is the 2019 USHL Draft and the NHL Scouting Combine in Buffalo, N.Y.
With contact with prospective student-athletes now prohibited until Jan. 1 of the prospect’s sophomore year, it will be interesting to watch how that changes the habits of college coaches.
Earlier this month, many top programs spent as much time at USA Hockey 14-U Nationals as they did at USA Hockey 15 Only Nationals and USA Hockey 16-U Nationals.
Tournament organizers can email jcox@hockeyjournal.com with events that need to be on the mind of New England Hockey Journal this summer.
