EXETER, N.H. — The Sixty Development Camp brought 102 players born in 2006 and 2007 to the Rinks at Exeter from June 25-28.
Camp organizer Paul Dovich did a great job of putting on the four-day event. In addition to the four games each player competed in, there were practices, positional practices, off-ice testing and a seminar.
Northeastern University associate head coach Jerry Keefe and USA Hockey NTDP assistant director of player personnel Rod Braceful ran the practices with assistance from several NHL scouts and skills coaches and college coaches. Mike Levine (Vegas Golden Knights), Paul Pearl (Boston University), Brendan Buckley (Boston College), Dan Jewell (Merrimack), Adam Nicholas (Toronto Maple Leafs), David Lassonde (Dartmouth) and Nate Bostic (Boston Imperials) were among those who offered their guidance and expertise to the campers.
I took in the action, including on Saturday when I hopped behind one of the benches for all three games. There were a lot of good players at the camp. Here are 48 of them who stood out:
2006 forwards
Jared Rothman
#10 Bulldogs, New York Saints, F, right shot
I’ve watched Rothman a few times now between last summer’s Crimson Combine and here. He scores every time I see him. He has good speed, can protect pucks, finish, and make some plays.
Ben Nakata
#15 Bulldogs, Boston Advantage, F, left shot
I like Nakata a lot. As of right now, he’s probably not in the elite portion of this age group locally, but he’s close and certainly at the top of that next group. He’s smart, skates well, and makes plays. For a youngster, he does a lot of little things and plays a mature game away from the puck.
Ty Kelley
#11 Panthers, East Coast Militia, F, left shot
Kelley was probably the fastest player here and was one of the most productive players. He could zip up and down the ice and create offense by separating from opposing players.
Cam Cooke
#13 Knights, Minuteman Flames, F, right shot
Cooke is a big power forward who shoots it extremely hard. He can protect pucks and plays well physically. His skating is an area that could use improvement.
Matthew Frost
#14 Bulldogs, Team Maryland, F, left shot
Frost is a big kid who skates well and could blossom into a power forward.
Walker Bright
#16 Panthers, Mid Fairfield, F, right shot
Bright had the puck on his stick a lot over the weekend. He made plays and scored at least one goal. I think he could turn into a smart, 200-foot center.
Kolin Sison
#12 Rebels, Boston Advantage, F, right shot
Sison is a small water-bug type forward. He’s quick and he can produce, but he’ll have to put on some muscle as he climbs the ladder in order to not get knocked down as easily.
Ethan Frank
#11 Titans, L.A. Jr. Kings, F, right shot
Frank is fast and forces turnovers. He created a couple of turnovers on Friday and converted one into a goal for himself.
Nate Brissette
#16 Rebels, Middlesex Icemen, F, left shot
Brissette had a nice weekend with several points. He’s quick and makes plays.
Allen Fang
#10 Rebels, North Jersey Avalanche, F, right shot
Fang is a big power forward who can go to the net and shoot it hard.
Drew Dellasalla
#13 Bulldogs, Mid Fairfield, F, left shot
Dellasalla is a converted defenseman who skates well, has some skill, and plays with confidence.
Michael Minchello
#9 Titans, Junior Eagles, F, right shot
Minchello has skill and can finish but needs to be more consistent, as there is plenty of potential.
Kaelan Chudzinski
#12 Knights, Junior Eagles, F, right shot
Chudzinski is a big, athletic winger who I believe will develop into a solid middle-six right wing. He’s still learning the game, but he’s already playing with far more assertiveness than last summer at this same event.
Ryan Shea
#16 Knights, Boston Advantage, F, left shot
Shea is a small, quick forward who found the back of the net and made some nifty plays.
Dennis Davidson
#12 Titans, Minuteman Flames, F, right shot
Davidson was around the puck a lot and looked to have some offensive abilities.
Evan Jones
#16 Titans, New York Saints, F, right shot
I really liked Jones’ compete level. He had a couple of noticeable backchecks and found the back of the net once in my viewings.
Oliver Morris
#11 Rebels, Anaheim Jr. Ducks, F, right shot
Morris had a goal during my viewings and showed good hands and shooting ability a couple of other times over the weekend.
Aidan Burwell
#13 Panthers, Seacoast Spartans, F, right shot
Burwell has good size and can shoot the puck hard and with accuracy.
Aidan Westphalen
#14 Panthers, Connecticut Junior Whalers, F, right shot
Westphalen has good size and used it to his advantage. There’s potential with his ability to drive the net.
Aiden Dovich
#9 Rebels, Seacoast Spartans, F, left shot
Dovich seemed to get better and more comfortable as the weekend went along. With his size, there’s some potential upside.
2006 defensemen
Owen Keefe
#4 Bulldogs, Junior Eagles, D, left shot
Keefe is a rink rat who plays a mature game. He skates well, has skill with the puck, and plays with some jam. He’s hard to play against and isn’t afraid to mix it up some with stick work or throwing his body around.
Drake Murray
#2 Knights, L.A. Jr. Kings, D, right shot
Murray is a big, dominant offensive defenseman who likes to jump into the rush. He was dynamic at times and scored a couple of goals. There is a lot of potential, especially with his size.
Andrew Check
#6 Titans, New Jersey Colonials, D, right shot
Check doesn’t jump right off the page at some observers, but I really like how he plays. He’s got a really good stick, gaps well, and defends the rush with ease. Check is athletic and skates well enough that I could see him being a solid shutdown defender for years to come.
Will Felicio
#2 Rebels, Junior Eagles, D, left shot
Felicio is a skilled, swift-skating, puck-moving defenseman. He made a couple of nice looks while rushing the puck up ice and while patrolling the point during attacking-zone situations. He got banged up Friday so might not have been at his best the rest of the weekend, but he was still at the top of the group.
Kiernan Poulin
#3 Titans, Boston Advantage, D, right shot
Poulin is an undersized defenseman with good mobility and vision to push pucks north. He has the potential to be a breakout machine and power-play quarterback.
Logan Fessenden
#2 Panthers, Anaheim Junior Ducks, D, left shot
Fessenden is a big, pro-style defenseman who made some smart plays. He had a great stretch pass that led to a goal and made a couple of nice chips off the wall to get pucks out of his own zone.
Teddy Stiga
#7 Panthers, Islanders HC, D, left shot
Stiga has been a forward in all of my previous viewings. There were times this weekend where he played more like a forward. He had a couple of breakaways and found the back of the net and dished out some helpers. His skating and footwork is at the top of the class. If he can figure out when to pick and choose his spots, he’ll be an effective offensive defenseman.
Liam O’Keefe
#4 Gators, Junior Eagles, D, left shot
O’Keefe isn’t flashy, but I like his game. He keeps it simple, has good size, and is solid in all three zones.
Andrew O’Sullivan
#2 Bulldogs, Anaheim Junior Ducks, D, right shot
O’Sullivan is a mobile defenseman who plays a smart, efficient game.
JJ Benz
#6 Knights, Philadelphia Junior Flyers, D, right shot
Benz has good size and brought it physically at times.
Cam Wolf
#5 Knights, Seacoast Spartans, D, left shot
Wolf was poised with the puck, mobile, and had a good stick.
Charlie Windwer
#5 Gators, Mid Fairfield, D, right shot
Windwer used his feet to defend well. He made one nice hip check during a game I saw.
Cooper Cleaves
#4 Titans, Mid Fairfield, D, right shot
Cleaves is a big, rugged two-way defenseman who shoots it hard and has some skill.
Tory Pitner
#3 Rebels, L.A. Jr. Kings, D, right shot
Pitner’s size and physical tools are intriguing.
Michael Hussey
#4 Panthers, Bay State Breakers, D, left shot
Hussey was a solid two-way defenseman who made a couple of noticeable plays on each side of the puck.
Nic Brandano
#6 Gators, Boston Americans, D, right shot
Brandano is a physically mature, athletic defender who had speed to join the rush a few times.
2006 goaltenders
Evan Zhang
#1 Titans, Junior Eagles, G, catches left
Zhang was the best goalie here. He’s fundamentally sound and makes some nice saves with his quick reflexes.
Maksim Johns
#30 Panthers, Belle Tire, G, catches left
I liked how Johns was on top of his crease challenging shooters. He was quick and made some key saves.
Ajay White
#30 Bulldogs, Philadelphia Junior Flyers, G, catches left
White was impressive and looks to have some potential.
Keagin Wilson
#1 Rebels, Bay State Breakers, G, catches left
Wilson is small, but he eats pucks and makes a lot of saves.
2007s
Nic Whitehead
#14 Rebels, Long Island Gulls, F, left shot
Whitehead was the best forward here, regardless of birth year. He has really good speed and created a lot of offense. He made a couple of really nice passes to set up goals and also finished. He easily could separate from opposing defensemen.
Egan Beveridge
#8 Rebels, Islanders HC, F, right shot
Beveridge is a good skater who can zip around the ice. He’s a player who I think could be really good in a couple of years.
Will Belle
#8 Knights, Islanders HC, F, right shot
Belle is a big power forward who controls pucks and has a strong stick. He produced a decent amount and was a force a lot.
Teddy Mutryn
#8 Bulldogs, Boston Advantage, F, right shot
Mutryn is good down low and has good size. He didn’t get involved in the offense as much as the top three ’07s I mentioned, but he has some potential.
Jake Tavares
#8 Panthers, Junior Eagles, F, right shot
Tavares has some skill and can score goals with his good hands.
Liam Gore
#15 Panthers, Junior Eagles, F, left shot
Gore had a highlight-reel goal that showed off his slick hands.
Tyler Russo
#2 Titans, Islanders HC, D, left shot
Russo has the makings of a skilled, puck-moving defenseman with above average mobility.
