Three teams from New England will be trophy hunting just outside of Dallas later this week at the 2021 USA Hockey 14-U National Championship.
Boston Junior Eagles, Minuteman Flames and Mount Saint Charles, the three teams representing the New England region, will look to be the first local outlet to be crowned national champion at the 14-U level since Mid Fairfield did so in 2007.
The USA Hockey 14-U National Championship has been dominated by teams from the Midwest since then, with Honeybaked winning three times. Little Caesars and Compuware each have come away victorious twice in that span, including the last two contested championships. Shattuck-St. Mary’s also has won twice during that stretch.
The 2021 USA Hockey 14-U National Championship is expected to come down to a battle between Shattuck-St. Mary’s and Bishop Kearney. The two teams met in February at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, Mich. Shattuck came away with two wins by scores of 4-3 and 8-3.
Having seen both teams live, as well as a few other teams in the field, it’s clear that the two are a step above the rest of the competition. That’s not to say that another team can’t get hot at the right time and overtake them.
Shattuck, a prep school in Faribault, Minn., is 41-1-2 on the season. The Sabres’ only loss came in September when they were upended, 8-5, by the Minnesota Blades. Four New England natives skate for Shattuck, including leading scorer Cole Eiserman. The Newburyport, Mass., native has 77 goals and 45 assists for 122 points in 42 games. Forwards Jack Galanek (Hopkinton, Mass.) and Will Belle (Marlboro, Mass.) and defenseman Spencer Morrow (Darien, Conn.) are the other local players for Shattuck.
The other top offensive threat on Shattuck is Mack Celebrini, a Vancouver native who has 44 goals and 73 assists in 42 games. One of the team’s top two defensemen has a connection to the Boston area. Will Skahan’s father, Sean, is strength and conditioning coach for the NHL’s Minnesota Wild. However, he grew up in Quincy, Mass., and attended UMass Boston. He also worked in a similar capacity at Boston University during the 2015-16 season. Shattuck’s other top defensive prospect is Drake Murray, who previously played for the Los Angeles Junior Kings.
Bishop Kearney has two local players: goaltender Patrick Curtatone (Somerville, Mass.) and forward James Chase (Willston, Vt.). The first-year academy team based in Rochester, N.Y., is led by Christian Humphreys. The Pittsburgh native has 45 goals and 66 assists for 111 points in 42 games. He has 53 more points than the team’s second leading scorer. The other prospect colleges will be honing in on over the next year or so is defenseman Mitch Kneidel, a lefty from Columbus, Ohio.
Boston Junior Eagles
The Junior Eagles are the third-ranked team in the field, according to MyHockeyRankings, the formula used by USA Hockey to award at-large bids. The Junior Eagles have a star-studded roster that includes some players with hockey lineage.
The team’s top forwards are Jack Sadowski (Arlington, Mass), Gavin Cornforth (Milton, Mass.) and Nate Porter (Hingham, Mass.). Sadowski’s father, John, played at New Hampshire and is one of the team’s coaches. Cornforth’s dad, Mark, played at Merrimack before having a cup of coffee with the Bruins. The team’s other scoring threats are Michael Minchello (Hingham, Mass.), T.J. Iginla (Boston), Ty Kelly (Quincy, Mass.) and Teddy Stiga (Sudbury, Mass.). Iginla’s father is Hockey Hall of Famer Jarome, who also serves as a coach for the team.
The top two defensemen are Owen Keefe (Saugus, Mass.) and Liam O’Keeffe (Boston). Keefe’s father, Jerry, is a former star at Providence and the current associate head coach of Northeastern. O’Keeffe played significant minutes this winter as a freshman at Dexter Southfield.
Thatcher Bernstein (Brookline, Mass.) is the team’s top goaltender. He saw some action as a freshman at Nobles. The other goaltender, Brendan Carberry (Lakeville, Mass.), is no slouch.
The Eagles have the horses to score goals, but depth on the blue line and overall team defense will be the areas that need to be shored up, if the team is to upset Shattuck or Bishop Kearney.
Mount Saint Charles
Mount Saint Charles, a second-year 14-U program in Woonsocket, R.I., is coached by Frank O’Connor and John O’Connor. The duo have done a terrific job in recruiting some top players from within and outside the region.
The team’s top player is forward James Haggens, a slick, skilled center from Hauppauge, N.Y. In 19 games, he has 20 goals and 22 assists. His linemates, Jackson Delleo (Franklin, Mass.) and J.J. Monteiro (Hudson, Mass.) provide size and strength to the top line. Kolin Sisson (Cumberland, R.I.), Tyler Wood and Sacha Boisvert bring the secondary scoring.
The defense is led by Will Felicio, a mobile, two-way threat from Holden, Mass. He has two goals and 19 assists for 21 points in 19 games. Jack Montaldo and JJ Benz are the other top blueliners.
Starting goaltender Jack Parsons, an Ithaca, N.Y., native, is capable of stealing games. He doesn’t usually face much rubber, but he’ll be counted upon to do so in the Lone Star State.
Minuteman Flames
The Minuteman Flames, coached by NHLPA agent Jerry Buckley, have a few very good players up front. However, the Flames will go as far as star goaltender Ryder Shea will take them.
Shea, a big prototypical modern-era goaltender, hails from Framingham, Mass. He’s the best goaltender I’ve seen at this birth year and he could be a huge difference maker for the Flames.
Up front, Cameron Cooke is the big offensive threat. A power forward from Pelham, N.H., Cooke split time this winter between the Flames and the Junior Bruins 16-U. With his size and physical tools, there is considerable upside. Troy Hayes (Windham, N.H.) is another big power forward with potential. Teddy MacAusland (Westwood, Mass.) and Dennis Davidson (Newton, Mass.) are two smaller forwards who use their skill and quickness to create offense. Kaelan Chudzinski (Needham, Mass.), Danny Buckley (Warwick, R.I) and Drew Carr are other forwards who bring intangibles to the table.
On defense, Aidan Colleary (Dorchester, Mass.) is a small, mobile blueliner who can break pucks out and push the pace. Joe Mense, from Port Jefferson Station, N.Y., isn’t flashy, but he’s strong and steady, rarely making mistakes.
A national champion will be crowned on May 3. It likely will be Shattuck St. Mary’s or Bishop Kearney, but all three local teams have a shot to at least make things interesting.
