After featuring the 18-U goaltenders who have been on top of their game in fall hockey, New England Hockey Journal turns the spotlight to defensemen in the late 2003 and 2004 birth years. The players on this list represent New England natives and non-natives playing in the region.
This ranking is based on live viewings and we’ve prioritized players who are tracking as potential NHL draft picks in 2022. The league’s annual player lottery will happen in Montreal July 6-7. The event will be the first in-person/live draft since 2019, with 2020 and 2021 NHL Entry Draft’s happening virtually.
While the players here are ranked with an eye to pro hockey and longer-term projection, we will continue to watch, as many teams and players as the fall schedule wraps up and we transition to winter.
