CROMWELL, Conn. — Players competing in The War at the Well AAA Invite took over the Champions Skating Center over the weekend.
The event was well-run by Nick Skerlick and his crew. There were some very good players in attendance, especially given the fact that the Chi-Town Shuffle also was going on last weekend just outside of Chicago. The games were all under one roof at one of the two sheets inside the Champions Skating Center. The referees let the kids play and did a great job, especially considering many of them hadn’t officiated a game in four months.
Glazing Dynamics won the ’06 division. The team was made up mostly of players from Valley Forge Minutemen along with a few from New York Saints and Syracuse Stars. Glazing Dynamics defeated Boston Hockey Club Black in the semifinals before downing Boston Hockey Club Gold in the final by a score of 3-0.
In the ’07 division, Roc City Red came out victorious. There was little doubt that Matt Dibble’s squad was the top team in the tournament, regardless of birth year. He put together a terrific team of ’07s who undoubtedly will be hotly pursued by college coaches in the coming years. Several NHLPA agents already were showing interest in many of the players on Roc City Red.
Below are the players who stood out from each division. Games were going on at both rinks simultaneously, so I didn’t see all the action, but I did my best to watch every team at least once. Please note, not all rosters were filled out or entirely accurate, so some players are missing heights, weights or date of birth. For the ’07 division, players are listed in alphabetical order.
’06 Forwards
Joey Macrina
#14 Glazing Dynamics, Valley Forge Minutemen, 1/1/06, right shot
Macrina is a really good player who plays the game the right way. He’s a gifted offensive player who skates well and has terrific hands. He hunts pucks and goes to the scoring areas, despite being overmatched by bigger defenders most of the time. He’s smart and was on the right side of the puck. He scored a lot of goals and dished out a few helpers.
Jack Sadowski
#19 Mass. 67’s, Junior Eagles, 1/1/06, left shot, 5-9/140
Sadowski is another smart, all-around hockey player. He’s an elite playmaker who displayed his vision multiple times this weekend. He did a good job away from the puck, being on the right side of the play and forcing some turnovers. He did a nice job moving without the puck to get open. He drove the net and produced a lot.
Gavin Cornforth
#77 Mass. 67’s, Junior Eagles, 12/15/06, right shot, 5-8/135
Cornforth is a big-time power forward with skill. He has a hard shot and just enough finesse to deke around opposing defenders. He’s a goal scorer who looks to shoot it.
Matthew Frost
#29 Glazing Dynamics, Team Maryland, 9/1/06, left shot
Frost is a power forward who plays a hard, north-south game. His skating is better than I initially thought and he shoots the puck hard. He was dominant at times in one of his team’s games Friday.
Jared Rothman
#7 Glazing Dynamics, New York Saints, 9/21/06, right shot
Rothman is a forward who can change the tone of a game in the blink of an eye. He might not always be consistently noticeable, but then he’ll score or set up a couple of goals in consecutive shifts as he did in a game Saturday morning. His goal scoring is noticeable a lot, but he made some great passes here as well.
Liam Storch
#20 Coaches Choice Black, Little Caesars, 1/20/06, right shot, 5-4/110
Storch was one of the best players here. He’s crafty, skates well, and can stickhandle in a phone booth. He goes to the greasy areas and backchecks with a purpose.
Tommy Holtby
#14 Coaches Choice Black, Buffalo Junior Sabres, 4/21/06, right shot, 5-11/175
Holtby is a good-sized forward who was strong on his skates and could shoot the puck hard.
Drew DellaSalla
#9 Mass. 67’s, Mid Fairfield, 5/8/06, left shot, 5-7/120
DellaSalla is a tall forward who skates well and has length to make some plays. He had a couple of assists during my viewings.
Walker Bright
#61 Power Play, Mid Fairfield, 6/3/06, right shot, 5-9/140
Bright is a cerebral forward who has a positive impact on both ends of the ice. He’s quick and creates chances. He scored a nice backhand goal. He recovers pucks and does a good job in his own end.
Joseph Delaurentis
#11 Elite Hockey Group, Westchester Express, 1/1/01, right shot
Delaurentis is a big, strong power forward with finesse to his game. He showed off his skill a couple of times in Friday night’s game before eventually tying it late. He’s hard to knock off pucks and has the hands to get on the scoresheet. He has room to grow, too, as he played AA hockey last season.
Cayne Leive
#9 Boston HC Black, Maine Wild, 6/18/06, left shot
Leive is a power forward who shoots it hard. He had a really nice weekend here as one of the standouts for his team.
Ty Kelly
#41 Mass. 67’s, Junior Eagles, 2/21/06, left shot, 5-9/140
Kelly’s best asset is his speed. He can fly around the sheet and has the speed to beat opposing defenders.
Tyler Kedzo
#9 Coaches Choice Black, Anaheim Junior Ducks, 4/25/06, left shot, 5-10/150
Kedzo is a dual citizen with a lot of skill. He can put the puck in the back of the net and dish it out. His hands and agility shined through in small areas.
Cannon Gough
#11 Coaches Choice Black, Little Caesars, 3/8/06, right shot, 5-9/140
Gough had a quick release on his shot that led to at least one goal over the course of the weekend.
Matty Gilmore
#19 Glazing Dynamics, Syracuse Nationals, 1/1/06, right shot
Gilmore is quick, had the puck on his stick a lot, and created offense on the rush.
Troy Hayes
#53 Boston HC Gold, Minuteman Flames, 1/5/06, left shot
Hayes is still a little raw, but he’s a good-sized winger with potential as a power forward. He’s good below the dots and had an impact on a lot of shifts.
Kolin Sisson
#86 Boston HC Gold, Mount Saint Charles, right shot
Sisson is small and sometimes struggles to go into the tough areas of the ice, but he has the puck a good amount and has the skill to push possession.
Michael Agafonov
#9 Northstar, Long Island Royals, 4/22/06, left shot, 6-0/140
Agafonov looks to be a potential power forward with his size. He showed a couple flashes of explosiveness and an ability to drive the net and protect pucks.
Dennis Davidson
#19 Boston HC Gold, Minuteman Flames, 5/15/06, right shot
Davidson created offense on the rush, protected pucks and made a couple of nice passes.
Aidan Westphalen
#12 Coaches Choice Black, Boston Advantage, 1/19/06, right shot, 6-0/150
Westphalen scored a really nice goal in the first game, showing off his hands. Overall, he’s a big power forward who moves well for his size.
Aidan Burwell
#35 Boston HC Black, Seacoast Spartans, 4/29/06, right shot
Burwell is a power forward who is heavy on pucks. He can shoot it with deception and looks to be a goal scorer.
Teddy MacAusland
#2 Mass. 67’s, Minuteman Flames, 1/1/06, right shot, 5-5/130
MacAusland is a small, water-bug-type forward who can buzz around and make some plays.
Ben Wilmott
#92 Roc City Red, North Jersey Avalanche, 8/30/06, left shot, 5-3/110
Wilmott made a couple of plays on the rush and did a good job securing zone entry and cycling it down low. He scored a couple of goals here.
Michael Minchello
#88 Mass. 67’s, Junior Eagles, 1/1/06, right shot, 5-10/147
Minchello has some flash and skill to his game but could work on his vision as he continues to develop.
Cole Mollica
#51 Boston HC Black, Connecticut Huskies, 1/1/06, left shot
Mollica is a good skater who was able to create offense on the rush a few times. He did a good job of protecting pucks and establishing possession for his team.
Michael Schmelzer
#91 Roc City Red, North Jersey Avalanche, 7/8/06, right shot, 5-7/125
Schmelzer is a strong power forward who protects pucks.
Nathan Stromecki
#98 Boston HC Gold, Buffalo Junior Sabres, 1/1/06, left shot
Stromecki has good size. He’s a strong power forward who was able to make time and space for his linemates.
Kevin Walton
#10 Glazing Dynamics, Valley Forge Minutemen, 12/1/06, left shot
Walton keeps his feet moving and he buzzes all over the ice. It helped him draw a penalty and he played with an edge while showing some skill.
Shane Tronoski
#88 Glazing Dynamics, Valley Forge Minutemen, 6/1/06, right shot
Tronoski is a hard, north-south player who is hard to knock off his pucks with his low center of gravity and overall strength.
Pat Brace
#22 Glazing Dynamics, Valley Forge Minutemen, 1/1/06, right shot
Brace has some jump to his step and was impactful on both ends. The play I remembered most for him this past weekend started in the defensive zone. He had a good stick on the backcheck then turned it into a shorthanded score.
Liam Jackson
#23 Coaches Choice New York, Mercer Chiefs, 6/3/06, left shot, 5-7/135
Jackson is on the smaller side, but he’s quick and crafty. He moved well without the puck to get open and his hands allowed him to deke a few defenders to get open looks.
Josh Itri
#7 Boston HC Gold, River Rats, 1/4/06, right shot
Itri is a good-sized winger who protects pucks, shoots it hard and can score.
Jake Pomichter
#14 Northstar, Mid Fairfield, 6/6/06, left shot, 5-10/155
Pomichter has the size and strength to become a power forward prospect but needs to improve his vision in order to make that next step.
Ronnie Hill
#51 Boston HC Gold, Islanders HC, 1/1/06, left shot
Hill is a physically mature, power forward who was around the play and can score goals.
Jack Ferrentino
#91 Elite Hockey Group, Westchester Express, 1/1/06, right shot
Ferrentino is a big forward who was noticeable a few times.
Michael Sandruck
#16 Coaches Choice Black, Bishop Kearney, 2/25/06, right shot
Sandruck is a power forward who protects pucks.
Hayden Campbell
#32 Roc City Red, Philadelphia Junior Flyers, 5/26/06, right shot, 6-0/155
Campbell shoots it hard and has some potential as a power forward.
Kelly McMahon
#28 Roc City Red, New Hampshire Junior Monarchs, 2/7/06, left shot, 5-7/125
McMahon is a 200-foot center who is strong and heavy on pucks. I noticed him a few times over the course of the weekend.
Blake Baksay
#18 Roc City Red, Connecticut Junior Whalers, 1/17/06, right shot, 5-4/115
I gave Baksay a couple of plusses over the courses of the weekend. I want to see him again, but his skating was a positive.
’06 Defensemen
Brandt Dubey
#18 Coaches Choice Black, Buffalo Junior Sabres, 2/12/06, left shot, 6-0/145
Dubey is a really good prospect with size, skating and puck moving capabilities. He is poised and skates with his head up, looking to push the pace in transition.
Cole Longacre
#34 Glazing Dynamics, Valley Forge Minutemen, 5/1/06, left shot
Longacre is a poised, puck-moving defenseman with size and strength. He shoots it hard from the point and made some nice plays to jumpstart the transition. His vision and hockey sense were positives. He just went through a little growth spurt so his first couple steps were awkward, but I still think he’s got a ton of upside.
Liam O’Keefe
#4 Mass. 67’s, Dexter Southfield, 1/1/06, left shot, 6-0/150
O’Keefe is a solid two-way defenseman with size. His skating and ability to move pucks are both better than he’s given credit for. He got a couple of shots through from the point and is able to defend with his length and good stick.
Logan Fessenden
#77 Power Play, TRC Wolfpack, 3/30/06, left shot, 6-2/185
Fessenden is a tall defender who can skate well. He has that intimidation effect on opposing forwards. He’s got a lot of upside.
Alexander Bales
#23 Coaches Choice Black, Buffalo Junior Sabres, 7/6/06, left shot, 5-8/140
Bales is a solid two-way defenseman who skates well. He also levied a few big hip checks on his opponents.
Colton Whitfield
#17 Boston HC Gold, Providence HC, 1/1/06, left shot
Whitfield is a defenseman with upside. He has a hard shot and a good frame to build upon. He scored a goal from the point and was noticeable a lot.
Cole Bartnick
#2 Coaches Choice Black, Little Caesars, 6/7/06, left shot, 5-11/160
Bartnick is a smooth-skating defender who made a couple of really nice looks on the breakout and on attacking zone sequences while patrolling the point.
Brady Flynn
#63 Mass. 67’s, Junior Eagles, 1/1/06, left shot, 5-11/145
Flynn is a mobile, offensive defenseman with a good shot. He’s athletic and looks to be getting better with each viewing.
Jack Montaldo
#43 Boston HC Gold, Long Island Royals, 6/1/06, right shot
Montaldo is a good-sized defender with mobility. He skates well, has a good reach to defend the rush and can transition from defense to offense.
Chris Reiniger
#33 Glazing Dynamics, Team Maryland, 3/1/06, right shot
Reiniger stood out more this weekend than he did the previous one in Exeter at the Eastern Exposure Hockey Group All-Star Weekend. He’s on the smaller side, but he’s mobile and made a couple good breakouts.
Bode Peterson
#6 Glazing Dynamics, Valley Forge Minutemen, 6/1/06, right shot
Peterson has above-average vision and had a few plus plays during the games I watched here.
Charlie Windwer
#18 Northstar, Mid Fairfield, 1/18/06, right shot, 5-6/130
I’ve liked Windwer in all my viewings of him this summer. This weekend he stayed true to form, delivering a couple big hip checks and playing well at both ends. He’s an efficient defender who stays in his lane and doesn’t make too many mistakes.
Mason Montagna
#37 Roc City Red, Syracuse Nationals, 5/19/06, left shot, 5-8/130
Montagna looks to have some potential as a mobile, offensive defenseman.
Blake Stant
#16 Northstar, Mid Fairfield, 4/7/06, left shot, 5-8/140
Stant is a confident defender with good size. He did a good job holding the blue line and he has a good stick defensively.
Noah Jettelson
#17 Northstar, Mid Fairfield, 3/13/06, right shot, 5-7/135
Jettelson has good length and uses his stick to defend well.
Ken Leary
#3 Coaches Choice Black, River Rats, 4/3/06, right shot, 5-11/160
Leary has good size and mobility.
Kenny Barber
#33 Roc City Red, Philadelphia Junior Flyers, 1/2/06, right shot, 6-0/185
Barber is a big, strong defenseman.
Jake Pellicane
#11 Boston HC Gold, Long Island Royals, 7/13/06, right shot
Pellicane is a big defensive defenseman.
Elliott Groenewold
#24 Boston HC Gold, Top Gun, 2/4/06, left shot
Groenewold is a defender who I’ve noticed a couple of times with Top Gun. He was solid here. While he might be a little raw, I think he’ll get better and better over the coming years.
’06 Goaltenders
Ryder Shea
#30 Boston HC Gold, Minuteman Flames, 5/4/06
Shea is one of the top goaltenders in this age group. He has good size, moves well and has solid fundamentals. He squares up to shooters and cuts down on their angles. He was a big reason the team had such a successful weekend.
Ryan Harris
#30 Coaches Choice Black, Mount Saint Charles, 1/17/06, 5-10/165
Harris has good size, moves well laterally and made some key saves.
Patrick Morgan
#39 Roc City Red, Syracuse Nationals, 7/16/06, 5-8/140
Morgan is a good goaltender who I noted for eating pucks and not allowing too many rebounds.
Keagin Wilson
#16 Mass. 67’s, Bay State Breakers, 1/1/06, 5-4/105
Wilson is a smaller goaltender, but he’s got quick reflexes and made some key saves in Friday night’s game.
Brendan Carberry
#74 Mass. 67’s, Junior Eagles, 2/6/07, 6-0/150
Carberry always has been well regarded in this age group. He’s a goaltender with good size and lateral movement. He flops a little too much at times.
Ethan Ramonetti
#30 Northstar, Long Island Royals, 5/2/06, 5-8/135
Ramonetti had to stand on his head in his team’s game Friday morning against Glazing Dynamics. He made a couple of very notable saves in that game.
’07 Forwards
Egan Beveridge
#49 Roc City Red, Islanders HC, right shot
Beveridge is a throwback as he’s a two-way forward who plays extremely hard. He delivered several bone-crushing hits, but he’s also very good with the puck on his stick. He’s gritty, protects pucks and shoots it hard. Beveridge is able to control possession below the dots.
Tommy Bleyl
#61 Roc City Red, Mid Fairfield, right shot
Bleyl is a smaller forward with good hand-eye coordination and agility to spin out of trouble.
Cameron Caron
#11 Coaches Choice North, Minuteman Flames, left shot
Caron was a player I noticed a lot in my one viewing of Coaches Choice North. He was around the puck a lot.
Tommy Coccaro
#4 Roc City Red, Mid Fairfield, right shot
Coccaro is a small, skilled winger who isn’t afraid to go into the greasy areas to fight for loose pucks. His agility allows him to spin out of trouble and keep pucks away from defensemen in small areas.
Alex Donovan
#18 Roc City Red, Mid Fairfield, right shot
Donovan is a tall power forward who made a lot of good plays in attacking-zone situations. He was able to cycle pucks and maintain possession with his length and vision.
Billy MacAusland
#7 Roc City Red, Junior Eagles, left shot
MacAusland was very productive this weekend. He’s quick, crafty and skilled. He scored a lot of goals and set up some other ones with his good hands and awareness of the ice.
Alex Mimaud
#93 Northstar, Valley Forge Minutemen, left shot
Mimaud was the best offensive player for his team this weekend. He scored a couple of goals and showed some skill and skating ability.
Jake Tavares
#13 Roc City Red, Junior Eagles, right shot
Tavares is a player who continues to grow on me. He has good size and produced here this weekend.
CJ Watroba
#16 Coaches Choice North, Minuteman Flames, left shot
Watroba skates well, has a hard shot, and keeps his feet moving.
Nic Whitehead
#11 Roc City Red, Mid Fairfield, left shot
Whitehead was the best player here, regardless of birth year. He’s an elite skater and his vision allows him to make a ton of great passes that lead to high-quality scoring chances for his linemates. His compete level is strong and was noticeable on a few backchecks where he broke up plays going the other way. This was the third weekend in a row where he’s been a clear standout.
’07 Defensemen
Jackson Accardi
#18 Northstar, Philadelphia Junior Flyers, left shot
Accardi is a big defender with strength. He jumped into the offense once, too, scoring a goal on a power move on a breakaway after stealing a puck in the neutral zone.
Anthony Bongo
#45 Roc City Red, Mid Fairfield, right shot
Bongo is a stay-at-home defenseman who plays hard and is able to defend the rush well. He skates well and is smart and efficient.
Nicholas Evans
#28 Roc City Red, Islanders HC, right shot
Evans isn’t overly flashy, but he’s skilled, does a good job pinching at the offensive blue line, and has good skating ability. His defensive stick also was noted a few times.
Shayne Gould
#60 Roc City Red, Islanders HC, left shot
Gould is a small, puck-moving defenseman with skill and mobility. He skates really well, which allows him to sidestep oncoming forecheckers and keep plays alive. He’s a lot of fun to watch.
Brendan Sanchez
#8 Coaches Choice North, Minuteman Flames, right shot
Sanchez has good size and strength and is a solid defender.
Dom Somma
#28 Northstar, Connecticut Junior Whalers, right shot
Somma is a big defensive defensemen. He shoots it hard, but he had a couple of nice hits to break up plays.
’07 Goaltenders
Ryan Cameron
#31 Roc City Red, Valley Forge Minutemen
Cameron wasn’t tested a lot because of how good the team in front of him was, but he made a couple of nice saves over the course of the weekend. His reflexes were quick.
Kiernan Robinson
#30 Coaches Choice North, P.A.L. Islanders
Robinson is a smaller goaltender, but he has quick reflexes.
Troy Wright
#1 Northstar, Washington Little Capitals
Wright is a good-sized goaltender who stood on his head and kept his team in the game against Roc City Red.
