1. Christian LeSueur (R, #9 White, CT) -- LeSueur plays on the U16 Mid-Fairfield team that went to the Tier 1 Nationals this past weekend and is their top forward. He has decent size for his age (5’9”), smooth hands, plenty of speed, and processes the game a step faster than everyone else. More impressive is the fact that although he was the top forward here, he didn’t rest on his skill to get the job done: he was among the hardest working and most competitive players in the entire festival. In 24 games this season, he posted a 6-9-15 line at Brunswick as a freshman.

2. Alexander Mella (L, #15 Red, CT) -- Mella, although a Stamford, Connecticut native, plays on the Shattuck St. Mary’s U14 team that just won the Tier 1 National Championship this past weekend in Green Bay. Mella has a great burst of speed, strong but smooth hands and a quick release on his snap shot. At Shattuck, he notched 59 points in 46 games.

3. Riley Prattson (R, #10 Green, CT) – Prattson, from Tolland, Conn., plays his high school hockey for Brian Foley at Springfield Cathedral, where he was a top forward – 16-30-46 in 25 gp – for one of the top high school teams in the Commonwealth. Prattson, who is 5’8”, was the fastest skater at this age group and played with heart and grit. He has a great snap shot and elusive stickhandling skills that make him a constant scoring threat either off the rush or out of the corners.

4. Tao Ishizuka (L, #16 White, RI) -- A talented forward from the Providence Capitals, Ishizuka has a good set of hands, and a mature sense of the game. He is a fluid skater, and especially quick in tight spaces. Has an accurate, controlled shot.

5. Matthew Fawcett (L, #8 White, RI) -- Another product of the Providence Capitals U14 squad, Fawcett was hot and cold this weekend. In the first viewing he was quiet – he made a few nice plays in the offensive zone, but didn’t stand out much. In our second viewing he was the best player on the ice, better then both LeSueur and Ishizuka, ranked #1 and #4 respectively. Fawcett is a highly skilled, creative, puck possession player who has the hands and vision to create offense for his teammates. Can finish, too.

6. Andrew Ide (R, #9 Red, RI) -- Ide has a great first step and another gear that only a few players at this level can reach. He was great along the wall and possesses a quick stick.

7. John Peloso (R, #15 Green, VT) -- Peloso is a good-sized kid with soft hands and deceptive speed. We first recognized him at the College Cup. Since then, he has grown and, while he has lost a little explosiveness, he is a more complete player.

8. Connor Beatty (R, #17 White, NH) – Beatty, coming off his freshman season at Concord High School in New Hampshire, is quick and shifty, has an explosive first step and good special awareness on the ice. His hands are improving and he created a lot of offense over the weekend.

9. Patrick Creamer (R, #17 Red, RI) -- Creamer had a great goal against the Blue team and has good size and skill. He is a shoot-first type player who projects to be a power forward at the next level, similar to his older brother, Matt, who played for Selects Academy’s U16 Team this season.  The Creamer brothers are the sons of Bishop Hendricken head coach Jim Creamer.

10. Alexander Steeves (L, #16 White, NH) -- Steeves, the younger brother to Jr. Monarchs and Select 17 forward Matthew Steeves, has, like his brother, size and playmaking ability. He has a soft pair of hands and made some excellent passes both through the neutral zone on the breakout, and out of the corner in the offensive zone. Steeves can make an effortless saucer pass and has a high level of hockey sense and vision.

11. Bryson Bartell (R, #15 Blue, NH) – Bartell is a good-sized forward whose powerful stride enables him to fight through checks. He has good hands, especially in tight areas, and is comfortable holding onto the puck through the neutral zone.

12. Corson Sundquist (L, #15 Gold, CT) – The younger brother of Selects Academy U16 forward Connor Sundquist is a talent in his own right. He has great hands and skates with poise and confidence, especially in pressure situations. He values the puck and is purposeful with it.

13. Connor Dow (R, #10 White, VT) -- It’s a shame to have Dow this low on the list but it’s where he belongs after a lazy performance here. Dow has impressive size and strength, is a fairly smooth skater, and has a good stick and high-level shooting ability. When his feet are moving he is one of the most physically dominant players in the group but he stands around a lot watching the play. Huge upside, but we need to see a lot more effort.

14. Thomas Samuelsen (R, #8 Red, VT) -- Samuelsen is an intriguing prospect. He has good hands, is creative with the puck, and possesses above-average speed. He helped lead CVU to a Vermont State Championship title and, as a freshman, was one of their leading scorers.

15. James Varin (#14 Gold, RI) -- Varin played for Smithfield HS in Rhode Island this past season, scoring a goal against Bishop Hendricken in the first round of the playoffs. He’s a gifted skater, handles the puck well, and made some nice passes that showed both his hockey sense and vision.

16. William Christensen (L, #8 Gold, CT) -- Christensen is a true speedster in every sense of the word -- he’s quick, agile, and light on his skates. He plays for the Mid- Fairfield team that played in the Tier 1 Nationals and was a top six forward for them. Was not as active in the offensive zone as we would have liked, but with his speed he could go a long way as he grows and develops the other areas of his game.

17. Zachary Pellegrino (L, #12 Blue, CT) – The captain of the Connecticut Wolfpack ’99 team is a pure goal scorer. However, he was not himself this past weekend. His feet were stationary and he wasn’t the strong two-way player we are accustomed to seeing. Headed to Avon in the fall.

18. Sam Milnes (R, #8 Green, RI) -- A freshman at Bishop Hendricken, Milnes is a raw prospect with great potential. He has some height and is still growing into his frame but he skates well, has a long extended stride, and is improving his edge work. His hands are deceptive and he plays the full length of the ice.

19. Grey Owens (L, #16 Green, CT) -- Owens plays for the talented Mid-Fairfield U16s, along with LeSueur, Christensen and others on this list. And he was noticeable this weekend with his stickhandling ability and creativity. He made some defensemen look foolish. The best part of his performance here was his ability to find open ice and use it to create offense. The 5’11” Owens has size but lacks top end speed. Played as a freshman at Brunswick this season. Versatile, he can also move back to the blue line.

20. Jonathan Courchesne (L, #16 Red, VT) -- A product of the Green Mountain Glades, Courchesne showed a fast, fluid stride this weekend and a hard shot. We liked his compete level in all three zones.

21. Ethan DeStefani (R, #12 Gold, NH) -- A long and tall forward with good mobility for his size and real upside once he fills out. He’s still weak on his edges and while his hands are fairly soft, he didn’t do much with the puck here.

22. Cooper May (R, #8 Blue, ME) -- The top forward on this ranking from the state of Maine, May is smooth and fast. He tends to slow down a little when carrying the puck, but in time he could be a good college prospect.

23. Ryan King (L, #10 Blue, RI) -- King impressed us at the East Coast Prep Cup in October and was one of the better players here, though it wasn’t his personal best. He has grown a few inches and uses his body well, especially on the forecheck. King is a smooth skater once his feet get going, and we feel he has a lot of upside.

24. Drew Eid (L, #17 Green, ME) -- A freshman for Gorham HS this past season, Eid has good speed and acceleration. He will need to improve his play with the puck in order to move up the list. 

Defensemen:

1. Reilly Walsh (R, #3 Gold, NH) -- In a talented group of defensemen in this age group, Walsh stands above the rest. A polished skater with great anticipation and hockey sense in the defensive zone, Walsh is able to pick off a lot of passes and keep players away from the net. He is at his best with the puck on his stick and projects to be a PP defenseman at the next level. He recorded a 7-20-27 line in 31 games as a ’99 freshman in prep hockey, playing for his father, Mike, at Proctor Academy.

2. Phillip Kemp (R, #4 Red, CT) -- It is hard to say that a 15-year-old has NHL upside but in Kemp’s case it’s undeniable. He has great size (6’2”), strength, and a frame that he could add to. He skates really well, smooth in and out of transitions and fluid through the hips. He is strong on his edges and accelerates well for his size. His game has really matured over the past year playing with Mid-Fairfield and as a freshman at the Brunswick School, as he makes better decisions with the puck and knows when to step up on incoming forwards and when to back off.

3. Thomas Craft (R, #6 Gold, CT) -- Craft is tall, physically mature, and at times looked like a man among boys. His skating is OK but will need improvement before going on to play in college. He handles the puck pretty well and is a monster on the blue line. He uses his reach well without getting out of position and he doesn’t hit for the sake of hitting but, rather, times it well in order to make the hit to get the puck. Craft played with Kemp at Mid-Fairfield and the two have the most upside in this group due to their size and raw ability.

4. Nolan Lavallee (L, #6 Green, NH) -- Lavallee is a good-sized, mobile defenseman who exhibited poise with the puck on his stick. A confident skater, he showed a level of hockey sense and patience that allowed him to stand out here. His skating ability and hands allow him to escape from pressure situations with the puck, and he delivers firm, crisp passes. At times, he was the best player on the ice and has considerable upside. Played last season for St. Thomas Aquinas HS (Dover, NH). 

5. Chase Vaillancourt  (L, #2 Red, NH) -- Vaillancourt came out of nowhere this weekend and had a strong performance. He is a big, tall defender who skates well with and without the puck and has decent hands. Vaillancourt makes an accurate first pass getting it out of his own end and is athletic and tough on the offensive blue line. He looked like he gained confidence as the weeked progressed. Plays for Bedford HS in New Hampshire.

6. Zachary Zangre (R, #7 Red, CT) -- At 5’11”, Zangre is a good-sized defenseman at this level and has a low center and powerful stride to match it. He has spent the last two years with the Connecticut Wolfpack (AYHL) and has shown a great deal of improvement. He has ideal athleticism for a defenseman, and smooth hands. It is difficult to get the puck away from Zangre as he uses his body well to protect it. His shot was OK, but he needs more power.

7. Luke Pepin (L, #4 Green, NH) -- Pepin is a smooth-skating, puck-moving defenseman who reads the ice really well both as a puck carrier and as a defender surveying the attack. He was a key contributor as a freshman at St. Thomas Aquinas this season.

8. Jared Zeichick  (R, #4 White, NH) -- A former NH Avalanche player, Zeichick had a good showing here. He is mobile, plays a physical style, and makes clean, crisp passes. He always had his head up looking for his forwards to get open. They did not do powerplays in this camp, but we feel that if they did, Zeichick would have excelled.

9. Corey Doney (L, #3 Green, VT) -- The Green Mountain Glades product is a good skating defender who plays with a bit of an edge. He has great speed and likes to rush the puck, and he has some offensive ability.

10. Kyle Miller (L, #2 Blue, CT) -- A member of the Connecticut Wolfpack, Miller is a strong skater with a balanced, powerful stride making him tough to slow down as he comes through the neutral zone. He’s also a tough defender in the corner as he has both the strength and agility to stay with his man.

11. Cameron Boudreau  (#5 Blue, NH) -- A quick, agile defender who is excellent on the breakout -- his quick turns along the boards and in the corners gave him separation from forecheckers and more time to make good passes up ice.

12. Patrick Burkinshaw (R, #5 Green, CT) -- The Mid-Fairfield prospect has size and powerful shot that we noticed both in warm ups and in the game. He is a solid, stay-at-home defender who you have to really watch to appreciate.

 
Goaltenders:

 1. Shane Conlon (#1 White, RI) -- The St. George’s goalie was the youngest at his position to see any action this past year, let alone play nearly half the games. He ended the season with an .885 save percentage. Considering the team went 4-18-1, those are impressive numbers, especially considering his age. Conlon is small but he is quick and agile pouncing loose pucks in front.

2. Tyler Haywood (#1 Red, CT) – Haywood, who played for the Nationals-bound Mid- Fairfield squad, had a shutout in the game we watched. He plays his angles well and isn’t afraid to get out of his crease and challenge the shooter.  Showed a good glove and quick reaction time.

3.  Max Daly (#1 Green, NH) -- The New Hampshire native moves well and never seemed to get rattled – he showed a lot of poise. We only got to see him once but he had a shutout and made a lot of saves. He was especially good on low shots.

4. Derek Fournier (#1 Blue, ME) -- Played for the Maine Freeze team that went to the Tier II nationals. He was good here and made some excellent saves, including a 2-on-1 bid where he slid post to post to make a sprawling glove save. Finds the puck through traffic well, and has good control of his rebounds.

1. Jamie Armstrong (L, #9 White, Bishop Hendricken, RI) -- A strong skater with good size and skill who plays the game with an edge -- he was constantly involved in scrums after the whistle. Armstrong, a sophomore at Bishop Hendricken this season, has good hands and is strong on his stick, difficult to knock off the puck and even more challenging to stop in mid-ice as he possesses surprising quickness. Armstrong, who was an NTDP camp invite, has elite shooting ability especially in his wrister and snap shot. He is slated to go to Avon Old Farms in the fall, where he should be able to make the transition to prep hockey immediately as he possesses the size, speed, and skill you look for in an elite D-I prospect. He does tend to overhandle the puck and exposes it more than he should trying to make the cute moves instead of protecting it and driving the net. Of course, there’s a lot of that in an event like this. Armstrong is the son of Bill Armstrong, former Providence Bruins coach and current St. Louis Blues director of amateur scouting.

2. Eric Esposito (R, #11 White, Loomis-Chaffee, CT) -- Esposito is a tenacious forward who wins battles to the puck with his speed, quickness, and toughness. The gritty forward, a late ’98 freshman, can play the role as the pest without the puck, but once he gets a hold of it he is deceptively dynamic. He has quick hands, mature instincts, and quick, agile feet. He is very effective out of the corner and in small spaces. He will need to get stronger and find that next gear that his older brother, Alex, has. But he was a consistent playmaker throughout the weekend.  It didn’t hurt that he was on a line with Armstrong and Shayne Simpson, the best New England Select Festival line we have seen in quite a while.

3. Patrick Harper (L, #12 Red, NJ Rockets, CT) -- Small, dynamic forward is a smart, crafty player who seems to be one step beyond everyone else mentally. His hockey sense is advanced and at Hooksett he stuck to the perimeter game and waited for passing lanes to open up. Harper has a hard shot and incredibly soft hands. Size is a concern at the next level because he is not only short, but thin.

4. Matt Gosiewski (L, #14 Gold, Millbrook School, CT) -- The big power forward, a freshman at the Millbrook School, stood out from the drop of the puck due to his 6’3”, 200 lb. frame and smooth stride. The upside is obvious to all who watch, but his productivity lags. At times, he carried the puck end to end and used his size and strength to overpower his opponents. However, at other times he was unnoticeable just floating around the ice without a purpose. Has a lot of tools, but needs to put it all together. Had a 5-8-13 campaign in 33 games for Millbrook this season.

5. Dakota Mulcay (L, #15 Red, Cushing, NH) – Mulcay, a freshman at Cushing, was not featured much in the Penguins’ offensive attack this season, but we expect he will make a jump next season. He has the tools, as he is 6’1”, 175 lbs. with a frame he can grow into. He is a smooth, gifted skater with speed and lateral mobility and he has soft hands. He is a little light on his skates and will need to add strength and balance to be a top six guy at Cushing, and we’d like to see him get more aggressive on the forecheck and in the dirty areas.

6.  Jack Badini (L, #8 Blue, LI Gulls 16U, CT) -- Badini is a gifted skater, with speed, quickness, agility and an explosive first step. He was the best natural skater in the group, and would probably be much higher on the list but, since he did not play in the entire event (he was preparing for the Nationals in Green Bay), it’s hard to definitively place him against a handful of players who were there all weekend. He was, however, the Blue team’s best player. He competes, uses his low center of gravity to win battles along the wall, protects the puck in open ice, and escapes well from pressure. His hands could improve but they are quick and shifty. What we like best is his focus and attentiveness in all three zones, not just skating hard but skating with a purpose, finding his man, picking up sticks, and playing on the defensive side of the puck.

7. Ty Turgeon (R, #11 Gold, St. Thomas Aquinas, NH) -- Turgeon had a strong high school season with St. Thomas, where he helped lead the team to a 16-2-1 regular season record as a sophomore. He is small, but quick on his skates and plays the game at a high pace. He is hard to handle in open ice because of his shiftiness, which incorporates a lot of head fakes and nifty stickhandling that he performs at high speed. He has a low center and strong legs so he is tough to knock off the puck. He will be heading to prep school next season.

8. Shayne Simpson (L, #12 White, Portsmouth Abbey, RI) -- Simpson put up big numbers in his freshman season at Portsmouth Abbey, sporting a 14-13-27 line in 18 games. Despite his impressive stats he received little to no attention this year as Portsmouth Abbey historically hasn’t had many prospects and do not play in the big tournaments. Simpson shined in this event however, showing he is a smooth, effortless skater who is strong on his skates, has another gear, and employs a selfless style of play. He gets down on a knee to block a shot, makes passes, and does a lot of little things away from the puck to give himself, and his teammates, time and space to make plays. He’s a player worth keeping an eye on over the next couple of years.

9. Colin Slyne (L, #14 Grey, Brunswick School, CT) -- We first noticed Slyne at the USPHL Showcase where he was playing split season on the Connecticut Yankees U16s as well as at Brunswick during the regular season. He had a 5-8-13 line in 26 games for Brunswick, and at 5’10” and 160 lbs., has decent size for his age. A sophomore, Slyne is a finesse player who handles the puck well in traffic and had one of the best shots here. His snap shot is powerful and quick off the stick. A good player to keep an eye on as he grows into his body and becomes a more complete player.

10. Jacob Cavalloro (R, #9 Blue, Cranston West HS, RI) -- Cavalloro was the fastest player in this age group. He has tremendous speed and explosiveness and when he has the puck on his stick and drives wide he is tough to handle. The knock on him is his size -- he’s short, thin, and doesn’t have an elite skill set. His hands are serviceable, though not special, and his shot is pretty weak. However, with his speed, high energy, and no-quit approach to the game he could go far.

11. Tate Singleton (L, #10 Green, Lebanon HS, NH) -- Singleton is an under-the-radar prospect who really emerged through the weekend. He is a little guy who has great speed and playmaking ability. He plays at a high pace and makes quick turns and juke moves in the corner to create separation from his opponents. Word is that he will be attending prep school next season, which will help in the young speedster’s development.

12. Ryan Keeland (R, #15 Gold, Champlain Valley Union HS, VT) -- Keeland was a Team New England selection last summer and had a strong showing. He is coming off a state championship victory in Vermont High School hockey and will look to play prep hockey next season. He is small but quick and has excellent hockey sense. He finds his teammates -- and gets the puck to them. Keeland is the type of player who will have a 2:1 assist to goal ratio and make everyone he plays with better. Once he gets the puck on his stick he is pretty dynamic. We liked his play at both ends of the ice. Older brother, Patrick, played at Pomfret this past season.

13. Alec Robitaille (L, #9 Grey, Trinity HS, NH) – Robitaille, an intriguing prospect who plays the game with a lot of pace, has grown a few inches in the past year and is still growing into his frame. His hands are quick and he has north-south speed. He can expose the puck too much at times instead of going wide and beating the defense with his speed and size. He is tough, which he displayed finishing checks on the forecheck as well as  making some open-ice hits. We’d like to see the same level of intensity in his own end.

14. Brendan Cordeiro (L, #8 Gold, La Salle HS, RI) -- Cordeiro creates offense for his linemates. He is cool under pressure, has poise carrying the puck through traffic, has good hands and some speed. We saw Team Gold play twice and in the first game Cordeiro was the best player on the ice, but in the second game he tailed off. He’s a dynamic playmaker who needs to develop consistency in his game.

15. Robert Murray IV (R, #8 White, Yarmouth HS, ME) -- Murray could have gone unnoticed after playing on an ultra-talented Team White that featured three of the top eight forwards in the tournament. On just about any other team, he would have been a top player. He has quick hands on the draw and wins a lot of faceoffs as a result. He is a strong skater who is hard to knock off the puck and has decent hands. He was not dynamic enough to be a top player here but his skating makes him worth following.

16. Joseph Silva (R, #10 White, NH Jr. Monarchs 16U, NH) -- Silva is a beautiful skater -- smooth, fast, with an explosive step and lateral agility. He is a crafty playmaker who is patient with the puck on the perimeter, though he does not possess the hands to make the plays he wants to make. For a smaller guy, he won a lot of battles in the corners with a strong stick and quick turns to escape from defenders.

17. Jacob Verreault (L, #15 Blue, Casco Bay 16U, ME) -- Verreault is a quick, shifty forward who has good speed up-ice and is light on his skates. He is very creative when he has the puck on his stick, which creates a lot of offense in venues like this. His hands are not particularly soft but he can get around people with his speed, quickness and awareness.

18. William Steele (L, #14 White, Selects Academy 16U, VT) – Steele is a solid young prospect with speed and quickness. What we like most about him is his tenacity and toughness for a little guy -- he forechecks at top speed and competes hard in all three zones. He did not do as much with the puck as we expected, however. He’ll play for the Selects 16U team next season.

19. Christopher Wright (R, #11 Green, RI Hitmen 18U, RI) -- Wright has good speed but even more hustle and grit. The feisty forward doesn’t have a great set of mitts but he competes at both ends, finishes his checks, and doesn’t stop moving his feet until the whistle blows. He is not just an energy guy -- he made a lot of plays by going wide on the D and passing to the slot. A solid all-around player.

20. Adam Usinger (R, #8 Red, St. Joseph HS, CT) -- Smooth skater with some speed and agility. Showed another gear when rushing the puck up ice. He was unable to do much in the way of production and hence the lower rank, but there is some raw ability here.

21. Brandon Mitchell (L, #17 Gray, Bishop Hendricken, RI) Mitchell has a combination of size and skill, a tall frame with pretty good hands, and passing ability. He does not drive the net or play tough enough to be a power forward, and is not skilled enough to be a finesse forward, Once he figures out his identity and adds some muscle he could be a nice college prospect.

22. Robert Goggin (R, #9 Green, Connecticut Oilers 16U, CT) -- Goggin was noticeable almost every shift due to his effort and hustle. He’s a hound on the puck, plays the full length of the ice, forechecks hard, finishes his check and drives the net with authority. At 6’1” he has a great frame to grow into and could develop into a power forward at the next level.

23. Thomas Dale (R, #17 Blue, Connecticut Oilers 16U, CT) -- A former Mid-Fairfield Bantam, Dale has improved his skills over the past year. He is a crafty forward who creates a lot of plays when his feet are moving, which doesn’t always happen. Dale is tall and has good hockey instincts, but will need to do more in the offensive zone and physically assert himself along the boards where he lost a lot of 1-on-1 battles.

24. Adam Peck (R, #11 Blue, Selects Academy 16U, VT) -- Peck is a confident player, which is clear in the way he plays the game, often trying to do too much. He has a lot of different skills that he brings to the table but is very raw and hasn’t yet put all those tools together. He is strong on his skates, has good size, decent hands, a hard snap shot, and speed and range for his size. If he puts it all together, he could be a very good player.

Defensemen:

1. Dennis Cesana  (R, #2 Gray, Kimball Union, RI) -- A smooth-skating, offensive-minded defenseman, Cesana is a great skater who is quick on his feet, moves well laterally, and has flat-line speed. He can transition from forward to backward effortlessly and while he is not physically developed yet, he does a lot with his stick and body positioning to be an effective defenseman. His hands are smooth and he has poise and confidence carrying the puck up-ice, with his head up looking for an opening. He comes off a strong sophomore year at KUA where he logged a lot of ice time playing alongside Ben Finkelstein and recording a 3-10-13 line in 37 games. He could be a little feistier in the corners and does not have a great shot from the blue line, but he is an obvious D-I prospect.

2. Jake Gresh  (R, #4 Gray, Avon Old Farms, CT) -- Gresh is like Cesana, but not as skilled. Avon sophomore has similar skating ability with a smooth stride, quick feet, and an explosive first few steps. He does a better job of not exposing the puck in vulnerable areas and uses his feet to get up ice instead of relying on his hands. He made some nice stops on 1-on-1s and, while he’s undersized and a bit thin, he throws his weight around just enough to slow down the opponents. At times, Gresh needs to look to make a pass instead of skating it up-ice, but overall he had a very strong showing here. He will need to fill out and grow to be a D-I player but he is certainly on the radar. Can play forward, too. Had a 5-4-9 line in 29 games for the Winged Beavers.

3. Lucas Niezelski (R, #7 Red, Junior Bruins 16U, CT) – Niezelski, who had a 5-13-18 line in 30 games, has decent size at 5’11”, moves well, and plays the game with the right amount of passion and composure. Niezelski was one of the more intriguing prospects in his age group here because he could be a meat-and-potatoes type of defenseman at the next level, a power play contributor, or a solid mobile, puck-moving defender. Time will tell. He has D-I potential and should improve a lot over the next season as his weight catches up to his height. He has a good set of hands and his head is always up when skating with the puck. 

4. Matthew Fuller (L, #4 Gray, Brewster Academy, NH) -- Fuller is a smart, good-sized defender who is tough to get around. He makes good decisions with the puck and while he isn’t overly flashy, he is a strong skater with a low center who can play the full surface area. Here, he did a lot of the little things well -- blocking shots, picking up sticks, and moving bodies in front of the net. He has a hit-first mentality when the puck is loose in front of his goalie, and he is aggressive but not reckless in his own end. He has a powerful slap shot from the point and with a year under his belt he should be able to take his game to another level this season at Brewster.

5. Brendan Casey (R, #3 Red, Junior Bruins U16, CT) -- Casey is a big, mobile, puck-moving defenseman who doesn’t shine in one particular area but does everything well. He makes a good first pass breaking it out of his head, is a strong presence on the offensive blue line, and knows when to pinch and when to back out of the zone. Most of all he plays the body well. Very solid overall.

6. Adam Karashik (R, Gold #6, Connecticut Oilers U16, CT) -- A smooth-skating, offensive defenseman who likes to join the rush. He is a little trigger-happy at this point and rushed the puck when a pass would have been the better play, but he can really skate. If he grows and improves his focus in the defensive end, he’ll be a D1 player.

7. Benjamin Antonucci (L, Cardigan Mountain School, NH) -- Antonucci has the size and strength to physically dominate his opponents at this level and he does -- in small doses -- but for long stretches he is unnoticeable. As a prospect he has a great frame, a hard shot and a powerful stride, although he needs improvement in his quickness and edgework. When he is playing a physical, hard-nosed game he is very effective but he wasn’t consistent in that department. One to keep an eye on.

8. Colin O'Connor (L, Notre Dame-West Haven, CT) -- Connor is coming off an all-state selection in Connecticut high school hockey and is a cousin to Joe O’Connor, the UVM committed defender at Westminster and Owen Powers the Holy Cross committed forward at Choate. He has good size, a heavy shot, and a lot of zip to his passes. He needs to become more agile – he showed heavy feet at times -- but once he gets going he has good north-south speed. 

9. Jack Boisvert  (L, #3 Blue, Mount St. Charles, RI) -- Boisvert had a great end-to-end rush that showed his offensive capabilities, fluid stride, and transitional speed. We know the skill is there but he didn’t skate with a lot of confidence and rarely hit that next gear he has. Quick and athletic, Boisvert had a few pass breakups in the defensive end but he hesitates down low, causing several scoring opportunities for the other team. He has skill, so we’ll be keeping our eyes on him.

10. Owen MacIntyre (R, #6 White, St. Paul’s, NH) -- MacIntyre didn’t see a ton of ice this season as a freshman defenseman at St. Paul’s. A late ’98 from Londonderry, NH, he’s improving and becoming more reliable in his end. He has mobility and makes a hard pass out of his end, but can be still on the offensive blue line and doesn’t accelerate well. A work in progress, but he has the potential to be a top four guy on the St. Paul’s blue line.

11. Alex Ring (R, #4 Green, Salem HS, NH) -- Ring was an honorable mention all-state defenseman in New Hampshire D-I high school hockey as a sophomore. He has a good quick shot, skates pretty well, and is athletic on the blue line, keeping pucks in the zone and finding shooting and passing lanes.

12. Nick Demers (L, #4 Blue, North Yarmouth Academy, ME) -- A big strong meat-and-potatoes type of defenseman who can really pack a punch when he throws his body around. Has a heavy shot from the blue line – he was the top-scoring D-man at NYA as a sophomore -- and has great size and strength in front of the net. He will need to become more athletic and agile on his skates as they tend to be heavy. Demers struggled against the smaller, faster forwards.

Goaltenders:

1. Nick Sorgio (#30 Red, Salisbury, CT) -- Sorgio played the role of backup this season for the one-loss Salisbury team, but, even as a ’98, he could have been a starter on most other teams in prep hockey. He posted a .924 save percentage, stopping 73 of 79 shots. At 6’2”, 185 lbs., he has the height, and athleticism. Controlled his rebounds well, and was, hands-down, the best goalie here.

2. Colin Seeley (#30 White, St. Georges, NH) -- Seeley did not put up big numbers this past season at St. Georges where, as a sophomore, he faced 418 shots and had a pedestrian .873 save percentage. He is only 5’8” but he’s quick, athletic, and moves well side-to-side. He played really well this weekend against kids his own age and made some highlight reel saves, showing off his quick glove and mobility. Not a ton of upside due to his size, but he stood on his head for stretches this weekend.

3. Nicholas Moore (#30 Blue, Selects Academy 16U, ME) – Moore played for the U16 American team at Selects Academy this past season and looked good here this weekend. He has some size, moves well in the net, and showed quick reflexes. He does tend to go down easily, but he did make a lot of pad saves and didn’t get torched up high in the games we watched.

4. Drew Speckman (#1 Green, Shattuck-St. Mary’s 16U, CT) -- Speckman played for the U16 Shattuck-St. Mary’s team, serving as backup to one of the top goalies in the country in Minnesota recruit Ryan Edquist. In 25 games played at Shattuck, Speckman had a 3.02 GAA and .871 save percentage. We think he has some potential because he has decent size, good lateral quickness, and composure in net. However, his confidence appeared shaky and he didn’t have great control over his rebounds. He also struggled covering the puck in scrums in front of the net. We’ll take a wait-and-see approach.

Forwards:

1. Taggart Corriveau (R, Teal #11, Westminster, 6-1/166) -- Corriveau is coming off a strong sophomore season, leading Westminster with an 18-12-30 line in 26 contests. Corriveau has great length, slick hands, and elite hockey sense. His poise carrying the puck and ability to read the goalie made him a scoring threat every time he entered the zone. What makes him an interesting prospect to us is that his skills, combined with his size, gives him a diversity that allows him to fill varied roles at the next level. Here he was a skill player, but he has the frame to be a power forward and the hands and vision to be a power play guy. A St. Lawrence recruit. 

2. Devin Moore (R, White #12, Phillips Exeter, 5-6/140) -- Moore may not have the upside of some of the others listed here due to his lack of size, but the sophomore from Hampstead, NH was the most exciting player to watch over the weekend. He has a great burst of speed, quickness in tight spaces, and an ability to slow the game down and make plays. His shot is not great but it’s enough to score goals and he makes quick decisions with the puck, dishing accurate, crisp passes to his linemates. He is dynamic with the puck on his stick – shifty and feisty. Overall, his hockey IQ, hands, and creativity make him a D-I prospect.

3. Jake Pappalardo (R, Gold #14, Proctor Academy, N/A) -- Pappalardo is coming off a stellar year at Proctor Academy where he led the team in scoring as a sophomore with a 15-24-39 line in 29 games. Pappalardo has speed and explosiveness, smooth hands, and a quick release. His feet are always moving and his hands are good. He likes to shoot from in close and rarely let it go from outside of 10 feet. He will need to continue to physically mature but we liked his energy and compete level here, where he mixed it up more in the corners than he did at the Beantown.

4. Matthew Steeves (R, White #17, NH Jr. Monarchs U16, 6-0/182) – Steeves, the Monarchs U16s leading scorer with 20 goals and 12 assists in 30 games, has upside with his size and skating ability, but it was his craftiness around the net and his shooting ability that really caught our eyes. He uses his size well to protect the puck, and uses his long reach in the defensive end to break up passes and block shooting/passing lanes. Once his feet get going he has deceptive speed through the neutral zone and can drive the net playing a power forward style, or he uses has skill to curl back and find the open man. He prefers going to the net! He was physical when called upon but we would like to see more. He also needs to improve on his explosiveness and agility, but he is well on his way to a D-I roster spot.

5. Lucas Michaud (R, Gold #12, Berwick, 5-11/185) -- Michaud is physically gifted with a strong, powerful stride and a low center of gravity. The junior from South Portland, Maine has a great shot and -- more importantly -- he shoots to score. He has nice mitts and was most effective along the boards and around the net where his strength and skill were too much for the defense to handle. His passing has matured over the years and he has deceptively smooth hands. He led Berwick in points this year with a 22-18-40 line in 26 games. Committed to Maine for the fall of ‘15.

6. Tyler Augustinsen (R, Teal #9, Selects Academy U16, 5-11/180) – Augustinsen is strong, but also has soft, agile hands. A strong, balanced skater who carries the puck well without losing much speed, he plays a north-south style but is a little too cute with the puck to label him as a power forward. The play here was back-and-forth and not very physical, but when Tyler hit someone he made it stick. He needs to improve his acceleration and play without the puck, but he’s a D-I prospect.

7. William Somers (L, Blue #14, Hotchkiss, 6-4/215) -- Somers was one of the most talked-about players at the Beantown Classic, with opinions running the gamut. Some believe he could be a pro someday while others feel he is just a big body. The truth lies somewhere in the middle as he does have an NHL body -- and skates well for his size -- but his productivity is not there yet, scoring only 6 goals and 7 assists in 26 games. The sophomore from New Canaan, Conn. could have physically dominated his opponents here in Hooksett if he played with an edge and used his size and speed to drive the net, win battles along the boards, and anchor down in front of the net. He was hot and cold throughout the weekend, showing occasional flashes of elite upside but at other times looking uninterested. Will need to improve his compete level and physical play in order to be worthy of any draft talk.

8. Matthew Creamer (R, #9 Gold, Selects Academy U16, 6-2/185) -- Creamer entered the tournament after a strong season with Selects Academy in which he scored 23 goals and added 14 assists for 37 points in 29 games. He projects to be a power forward at the next level with his size and strength. He has poise carrying the puck, a blistering hard snap shot, and toughness in the dirty areas. We would have liked to see him throw his body around more this weekend and play with more pace and speed -- his stride is still short and choppy -- but the D-I upside is undeniable.

9. Connor Sundquist (R, #16 Blue, Selects Academy U16, 6-0/165) -- Sundquist is still growing into his body and may at first glance look a tad uncoordinated. However, he has deceptive stickhandling ability and hockey sense. He has a good stride and plenty of speed but will need to get grittier and more physically assertive, especially along the boards, to realize his potential.

10. Avery Steele (L, #15 Blue, Selects Academy U16, 5-8/160) -- Steele had a great showing at last year’s festival and this year was no different. He is a small but compact skater who flourishes off the transition and has quick hands and a powerful, quick release on his shot. He took some shifts off – very unlike him -- and could have been more competitive in his own end.

11. Henry Marshall (L, #11 Red, Choate, 6-0/167) -- Marshall is a raw forward who, over the past year, has lengthened his stride and become a more complete player. He has a great frame and could easily put on 10-15 lbs without losing a step. Marshall, a sophomore this past season, had a 6-4-10 line in 28 games and while we would like to see him be more active around the net, he has a quiet ice presence, and a high level of awareness. Marshall is still an under-the-radar player but we expect a breakout season next year. D-I is not out of the question.

12. Hunter Luhmann (R, #10 Red, Proctor, 5-11/196) -- Luhmann had a nice bounce back after the Beantown, showing another gear here while continuing to impress with his soft hands, speed, and playmaking ability. The Proctor junior can play a skill game with just about anyone here but what differentiates him is his strength and balance along the boards. He was tough to knock off the puck here.

13. Trevor Mallett (R, #15 Green, New Hampton, 5-9/155) -- A goal scorer, he lit the lamp 21 times in 33 games for New Hampton this season. The sophomore from York, Maine is not going to torch you with speed but he’s quick, shifty, and able to maneuver around defenseman. He scored two goals in the game we watched and always seemed to have the puck on his stick. He made a strong case this weekend that he is worthy of more college attention.

14. Bradley Potter (L, #16 Red, North Yarmouth Academy, 5-11/160) -- Potter had a productive junior year at NYA, finishing with an 18-23-41 in 26 games. Has a good frame, skates hard, and was always around the puck. He scored a nice goal against the Gold team demonstrating his scoring touch, quick hands and hustle.

15. Cole Anderson (R, #8 White, New Hampton, 5-7/140) -- Anderson, who is from Hooksett, where the tournament was played, had a great weekend. Sophomore is on the small side and struggles in battles along the boards but he is headsy, plays the game with passion and energy, and scored a lot of goals. At New Hampton he had a 13-10-23 line in 33 games as a sophomore.

16. Sullivan Haggerty (#9 Red, Stowe HS, N/A) – Haggerty, coming off a DII state championship at Stowe HS in Vermont, was this year’s “where did he come from?” player. He has added a few inches since last year and looks to be a more complete player. He has a long stride, and is a crafty playmaker with surprisingly good hands and hockey sense. Haggerty has more upside than several ranked forwards we have ranked above him, but he’s still pretty slight and needs to grow into his body.

17. Derek Britner (L, #10 Teal, Proctor Academy, 5-10/180) -- The Proctor junior averaged a point per game with a 14-14-31 line in 31 games. He is an excellent skater who pushes the pace and plays well with and without the puck. His skill set is a little limited compared to others on this list, but his speed and agility make up for it.

18. Samuel Nestor (F, #11 Blue, Taft, 5-6/140) -- This small Taft product has a great set of hands, decent feet, and plays a perimeter, cerebral style. He had a 5-9-14 line in 25 games as a sophomore and should be a leader for the Rhinos next season. What we liked most about Nestor’s play was his improved hockey sense and instinctual playmaking ability. A sophomore from Burlington, Vt., Nestor does not have preconceived moves or dekes, he just reacts to the stick placement, footing, or body positioning of the opposing player and makes quick decisions accordingly.

19. Anthony Vincent (R, #17 Red, Salisbury, 5-6/135) – Vincent, a sophomore from Wilton, Conn., is a small, crafty forward with great hands and creativity. This past season he played on a Salisbury team that had only one loss, so his playing time and point production were low, but he showed this weekend he has the hockey IQ and skill to contribute more on next year’s squad.

20. Shayne Plummer (L, #14 Red, NH Jr. Monarchs U16, 5-11/160) -- Plummer is a tall, thin prospect with speed and athleticism. He isn’t flashy and doesn’t have golden hands but he makes the simple pass, shoots the puck when he was a lane, and doesn’t mind mixing it up. He will need to get stronger and more dynamic with the puck. Had 13-7-20 line in 30 games with the Monarchs.

21. Dakota Pidgeon (F, #14 White, St. Thomas Aquinas, N/A) -- Pidgeon is a small, compact skater who is smooth in everything he does. His feet are always moving, and he’s quick and agile, especially in the corners. He made a lot of plays in the game we saw both in transition, from out of the corner, and behind the net.

22. Brian Silard (L, #11 Green, Greenwich HS, 5-10/175) -- Silard is an old-school player who is not looking to make pretty plays. In stead, he gets his nose in there, finishes checks, block shots, and is feisty along the boards and in front of the net. He scored a great goal from in-tight, roofing it on the goalie. Has the skill and grit to be a key contributor at the next level. In 25 games with the U16 Connecticut Oilers he had a 16-16-32 line – good for second on the team.

23. Reilly Miller (R, #16 Green, Bishop Hendricken, N/A) – Miller skates well for his size, is strong on his skates, and distributes the puck well. He made quick, direct passes hitting his teammates in stride through the neutral zone, and also used the boards well, putting the puck in space for his linemates to get to. Made everyone around him better. Big frame and skating ability make the sophomore a D-I prospect.

Defensemen:

1. Spenser Young (R, #6 Gold, Exeter, 5-10/167) – Young was our MVP for the weekend. As we have written before, the sophomore is an elite skater with the ability to handle and distribute the puck as well as any defenseman in prep hockey. He has great escapability due to his fluid stride, agile feet, and crafty stick work. A premiere offensive defenseman, Young may lack size and strength but makes up for it with body positioning, stick work, and properly playing his angles. He can get to full speed in a few strides and his lateral movement and acceleration make him difficult to get around. He transitions seamlessly from forward to backward and has the athleticism to attack oncoming forwards instead of just keeping them wide. He picked his battles this weekend and didn’t try and pinch too much or overhandle as he has a tendency to do. He still needs to improve his strength and toughness in the dirty areas but this Providence College recruit is a model PP defenseman.

2. McKay Flanagan (R, #5 Green, Connecticut Oilers (EHL), 6-2/205) -- Considered to be one of the premier uncommitted defenseman in the northeast, Flanagan continues to live up to the hype after being one of the youngest players in the EHL this past season. He plays the game like a man: he is big, strong and physical. He made some big hits both in the open ice and on the boards. He cuts off the angle and then is quick enough and powerful enough to transition from backwards to forward or even sideways and drive his body through his opponents. He doesn’t extend his hands or bring his arms up when initiating contact and does a nice job of getting low and driving through the player. On the offensive side of the puck he is steady, possesses good, patient hands and makes accurate passes up-ice with touch and vision. We only saw him shoot it once in the game we saw but he had plenty of gas behind it.  The only negative in his game right now is that he doesn’t have that next gear and he’s also a bit stiff and doesn’t fully extend his stride. Will have his choice as to where he wants to play college.

3. Connor Dahlman (R, #4 Green, Gunnery, 5-10/185) --Dahlman played on a deep Gunnery team that reached the prep championship title game, and though he had a quiet sophomore season, the late ’97, a sophomore from Stamford, Conn. was one of the dominant players here. He has good feet -- agile and smooth – and he always had his head up-ice, moving the puck as well as any defenseman here. His poise and skating ability allows him to buy time and space and also opens up a lot of passing lanes. Unlike most players his age that hesitate when a forward gets open,Dahlman zipped his passes. We did not see him shoot the puck but, defensively, he blocked several shots and was responsible in his own end. He is physical when needed but doesn’t gethimself out of position and over-extend.A sure-fire D-I prospect.

4. Ben Finkelstein (R, #2 Blue, KUA, 5-9/170) -- A controversial prospect who scouts were in constant debate over. Some feel he is a high-end D-I power play defenseman while others think he is more concerned about how he looks on the ice than how he plays. In our opinion, Finkelstein is a highly-skilled, offensive-minded defenseman with silky smooth hands and elite ability to see the ice and make the pass. The issue is that he rarely makes the simple pass and loves trying to stretch the ice and connect on a 30-footer. He has a great shot from the point both in his release and velocity which made him the highest scoring defenseman on KUA with a 7-18-25 line in 37 games as a sophomore. Our criticism is his defensive zone game -- he doesn’t mix it up much in the tough ice, lacks size, and watches the play instead of having an active stick and his head on a swivel. A late ’97 sophomore from South Burlington, we feel he has D-I potential as a highly-skilled offensive defenseman, especially for a team looking for a power play defenseman.

5. Kevin O'Leary (R, #6 White, Westminster, 6-2/172) -- O’Leary is a tall, somewhat lanky defenseman who showed very well in Hooksett. He is a bit under the radar due to the more-heralded players at Westy this past season but when playing with kids his own age he shines. A sophomore from New Canaan, Conn., O’Leary is a good skater, has a long reach, and isn’t afraid to stand someone up at the blue line. His puck skills are a bit raw and it takes him too long to get his shot off from the point but he is still growing into his frame.

6. William Carrabino (Red #2, Noble & Greenough, 6-0/205) -- Carrabino is a big, strong mobile defenseman who made some plays this weekend. A junior at Nobles, he can be a little stationary at times and watch the play instead of getting engaged in it. He is a good skater who is strong on his skates, is positionally sound, and has good size, so there’s upside to his game.

7. Trevor Cosgrove (L,#3 Red, Exeter, 5-11/170) – Cosgrove appears to get better every time we see him. The sophomore had a good finish to the year at Exeter, caught our eye a few weeks ago at the Beantown Classic and continued his strong play here at the Select Festival. He is tall and uses his stick well to break up passes and disrupt the attack. He moves well for his size, is fairly agile, and makes the simple play. Will need to fill out and get grittier to garner D-I attention but he’s well on his way.

8. Brendan Killoy (#2 Teal, Fairfield Prep, N/A) -- Great size and skating ability made him immediately noticeable. Killoy, a junior at Hendricken, is aggressive but does not play himself out of position. He can handle the puck and had several end-to-end rushes throughout the weekend. His stride is long and he’s surprisingly light on his skates despite the big frame. His shot from the point is not a rocket but he gets it off quickly and keeps it down. An under-the-radar prospect to keep an eye on. Headed to Avon in the fall.

9. Matthew Cousino (L, #3 White, Rice Prep, 6-0/155) -- Cousino is a highly athletic, instinctual defenseman with great upside. A smooth skater who has a versatile skill set, Cousino was hot and cold this weekend. He is a little weak and needs to get tougher and work on his shot from the point. However, the foundation is there for him to grow into his body and be a force on the blue line.

10. Peter Christie (L, #2 White, Exeter, 5-11/173) -- Christie is a great complement to Spenser Young, his defense partner at Exeter, because he is a reliable, smart defenseman who does all the little things well. A sophomore who has logged a lot of minutes the past two seasons at Exeter, Christie isn’t the flashiest guy on the ice, yet he gets the job done time after time. Had a solid showing here, shutting down some high-skill forwards and keeping the play to the outside. He’s physical when he needs to be, and plays within himself. He’s a player you really need to watch a lot to appreciate.

1. David Cotton, LC, Cushing, 6-2/185, ’97 -- Cotton, who committed to BC in January, was the best of the Pre-Draft division here. Sophomore has great size, but has yet to fill out. He has soft hands, exceptional vision, and made some quick passes up-ice as well as accurate no-look passes right in the offensive zone. He was dominant at the faceoff circle and effectively used his reach and body positioning to protect the puck. His skating is good for his size and will continue to develop as he grows into his body.  His rookie season at Cushing was impressive -- he led the team in points with a 19-32-51 line in 32 contests, making him the highest-scoring sophomore in prep hockey. We felt the Texas native, who is slated to return to Cushing in the fall for his junior year, had the highest ceiling of anyone in the entire tournament (including the Draft Division).

2. Lincoln Griffin, RW, Thayer, 5-11/165, ’97 -- Griffin was fun to watch, he has an explosive first step, plays the game with a lot of grit and passion, is crafty, and knows how to score. He’s coming off a highly productive junior season at Thayer, where he recorded a 23-32-55 line in 25 games. Here, he made plays every shift, and competed in all three zones. He is small but physical and once he adds more meat to his frame he will be more effective along the boards. Walpole, Mass. native does all the little things well – blocks shots, finishes checks, stops on the puck, keeps his head up when carrying the puck, and shoots to score. He’s committed to Northeastern for ’16. Drafted by Dubuque in the USHL.

3. Luke Stevens, LW, Nobles, 6-4/190, ’97 – The son of former NHLer Kevin Stevens has great upside – he has size, soft hands, and makes quick and crisp tape-to-tape passes. His vision is advanced – he showed an ability to pick apart the defense and move to space to deliver timely, smart passes. If his skating continues to develop and he puts on more muscle and grows into his huge frame, we feel he could be an early round NHL draft pick. He had 15 goals this season as a sophomore on a deep Nobles team so we know he can shoot the puck but he did not let it go very often this weekend. He needs to make quicker decisions with the puck and use his size more to create time and space for himself. Duxbury, Mass. native is uncommitted now, but probably won’t be for long.

4. Jeremy Descheneaux, LC, Stanstead, 6-2/190, ’98 -- The youngest player on this year’s Stanstead Prep team, Descheneaux, a sophomore, ended the season fifth in points with a 9-9-18 line in 39 games. He is a tall, smooth-skating center who competes at both ends and is tough to stop when he’s carrying the puck. He has smooth hands to match his feet and makes quick jukes to get past the defense. He had a highlight reel play where he sped past two forwards in the neutral zone, deked the defenseman, and cut to the net where he worked the goalie left to right and then buried it. His acceleration could improve as is typical of many of the bigger players at this age, and he could be more physically imposing on the forecheck. Overall, we think he is a definite D-I prospect with NHL upside.

5. Johnny DeRoche, LW/LC, Boston Jr. Bruins, 5-6/135, ’98 -- The Quinnipiac recruit is small but can fly. He has exceptional speed and quickness, agile hands, and can weave through and around opponents. The little guy was buzzing all weekend, constantly keeping his feet moving. He has an idea as to what he’s going to do before the puck is on his stick. He has a quick, potent shot. This past season with the U16 Jr. Bruins, DeRoche tallied 31 goals and 39 assists for 70 points in only 30 games. He will need to grow and be more responsible in his own end, but he was an exciting player to watch here.

6. Charlie Davis, RC, Boston Advantage, 5-11/185, ’97 -- This was a coming out party for Davis, who made plays all over the ice. He is a strong and powerful skater with a good burst and a low center. He has slick hands, maneuvers his way through traffic, and is not afraid to get nasty in the dirty areas. His vision and passing ability are only average at this time but his skill set is high-end. He can shoot the puck, but prefers to get in close and deke the goaltender. This past season he played on the Boston Advantage U16 team and had a pedestrian 9-7-16 line in 26 games. We expect those numbers to improve.

7. Patrick Shea, RC, Marshfield HS, 5-11/180, ’97 -- Shea is strong two-way forward who is defensively responsible but also offensively capable. He averaged more than two points per game this past season as a junior at Marshfield HS and has a well-developed sense of the game as well as the vision to make plays. Shea was quiet for long stretches here, but the Maine commit has a quick release and a versatile skill set that will enable him to fit any role at Maine. Son of NHL scout and former BC forward Neil Shea, and younger brother of Quebec Remparts F Brandon Shea. 

8. Eric Esposito, RW, Loomis-Chaffee, 5-10/168, ’98 – Esposito plays a similar style to his brother – and Loomis teammate – Alex Esposito, who recently committed to UVM. He is fast and gritty, loves to throw his body around and battle along the boards and in front of the net. He is a crafty playmaker and may have even better hands than his older brother. He is slight and will need to add strength before making a bigger impact at prep level but he has D-I upside. Coming off his freshman year at prep school, where he had a 5-6-11 line in 28 games. He was able to rise above the competition the Beantown; we expect a breakout year next season.

9. Jacob Marrello, LW, Albany Academy, 5-9/160, ’97 -- Marrello is a crafty, skilled forward with a high hockey IQ and an equally high compete level. He is on the smaller side, but he has quick hands, passes the puck with accuracy and zip, and sees the ice well. He works hard in all three zones and posted an 11-21-32 line in 29 games at Albany, where he is a junior. Also plays for the U16 Long Island Gulls. Look for him at Salisbury or Gunnery.

10. Ryan Finnegan, RW, Skipjacks, 5-6/130, ’97 -- The 130 lb. Quinnipiac commit draws comparisons to Yale commit Henry Hart who was a PG at Exeter this past season. Finnegan is small but highly skilled, poised with the puck, possesses elite vision and playmaking ability. He led his team in points at the U16 level with a 30-36-66 line in 30 games. He will need to grow to be effective at the next level but the foundation is there for him to develop into an excellent college player.

11. Liam Murphy, LC/LW, Avon, 6-1/210, ’98 -- With his size and skill, Murphy has the talent to be ranked much higher then we had him at the Beantown, but he was quiet for much of the tournament and did not assert himself in the physical matchups. He has great size, soft hands and elusiveness to go with a hard snap shot. He can get tunnel vision at times but for the most part is a talented power forward with great upside. Expected more out of him at this level after a solid sophomore campaign at Avon where he recorded a 7-14-21 line in 25 games. A Killingworth, Conn. native, he is committed to UConn for ’16.

12. Jake Pappalardo, RW, Proctor, 5-11/185, ’97 – Pappalardo has great speed and acceleration and was flying throughout the tournament. The sophomore from Salem, NH led a young, talented Proctor team in points this season with a 15-24-39 line in 29 games.  He needs to add strength and balance as he was knocked off the puck too often but he is a dangerous player in transition, has a quick wrister and snap shot, and has decent stickhandling ability. He can push the pace and forechecks hard but needs to finish his checks and be more physical. Overall, he has D-I upside and had a good showing here.

13. Ty Amonte, LW/LC, Thayer, 5-8/160, ’98 -- The son of former NHLer Tony Amonte, who coaches him at Thayer, is a legit D-I prospect in his own right. The youngster averaged a point per game as a sophomore this past season with an 8-19-27 line. Amonte plays the game the right way, competes in all three zones, finishes checks, block shots, is effective in all situations and has deceptive skill. He takes on the style of an energy guy but he has a scoring touch and a good stick.

14. Christopher Smith, LC, Stanstead, 5-9/165, ’97 -- Junior from St. Bruno, Quebec is coming off a great year at Stanstead where he led a deep team in points with a 19-13-32 line in 34 games. Has speed, agility, and great awareness. Plays the game with a lot of pace and makes quick decisions while his feet are moving. Carries the puck without slowing down. Has good hands, an accurate shot, and is defensively and fundamentally sound. At his size he will need to be more dynamic with the puck to be a definite D-I prospect but we feel he has all the tools to get there.

15. Patrick Harper, LW, NJ Rockets U18, 5-8/140, ’98 -- Harper has shown time and time again that he is one of the premier ’98s in New England, but he did not have his best showing here. He has slick hands, a scorer’s mentality and creativity that you can’t teach. He is fluid in space and quick and agile in tight spaces. His awareness and playmaking ability is outstanding. He will need to grow and add strength and add another gear to be effective at the next level but he will be a D-I player in time. Will be playing in prep school in the fall.

16. Logan Drevitch, LW/LC, Bandits U16, 5-9/145, ’98 -- Drevitch made a name for himself last year at the National Select 15 Festival where he had a 5-4-9 line in five games. He has speed, great hands, poise, and confidence carrying the puck. Seems to find open ice consistently. Has quick feet and an ability to move vertically or laterally to get around his opponents. His overall hockey sense and decision-making is good. He will need to bulk up a little bit and get stronger on his skates as he got bounced around a little here. He has the potential to be ranked higher than where we have him, but he was hot and cold here and took some shifts off. His older brother, Tyler, is a Merrimack commit -- and it won’t be long before a school scoops up Logan as well.

17. Devin Moore, LW, Exeter, 5-7/140, ’97 -- Don’t be fooled by the size, because this little guy can play. Formerly at Pinkerton HS, Moore was a sophomore at Exeter this season and didn’t get the PP minutes needed to put up big numbers, but he still had a 4-12-16 line in 31 games and was a top six forward on a team that had great talent upfront. Look for him to be a go-to guy next season, and to get D-I consideration despite his size. He was quick and crafty this weekend, showing explosiveness on his skates and patience carrying the puck.  He was not completely on his game here, and didn’t have the extra gear we saw in the prep playoffs, but overall he was solid.

18. RJ Murphy, LC/LW, St. Sebastian’s, 6-3/170, ’98 – Murphy, a late ’98 from Needham, is a project at 6-3 and only 170 pounds but he showed flashes of greatness here. The son of former Harvard forward John Murphy played valuable minutes as a freshman at St. Seb’s and will only get better as he grows into his body and improves his skating ability. Has a good stick, competes in the corners, and is responsible in his own end. His ceiling is high.

19. Michael Brown, RW/RC, Groton, 6-2/180, ’97 – From Worcester, Mass., Brown arrived at Groton this season, where he played alongside Ace Cowans, producing a 23-26-49 line in 27 games as a sophomore. Brown is a big, tall power forward who hasn’t filled out yet. He has a strong shot and good touch in close and pretty soft hands overall. At this point in his career he plays the role of the finisher more then playmaker but once his skating improves he will have more weapons at his disposal. Needs to improve his footwork by lengthening his stride and becoming more agile on his feet.

20. Trevor Turnbull, RW/RC, Milton Academy, 5-9/168, ’97 -- The undersized Turnbull is strong and balanced on his skates, has speed, and plays an up-tempo style. He forechecks hard, backchecks with a purpose, and is aggressive to the net. He has a nice hard shot and, as a sophomore, led Milton in scoring this past season with a 13-16-29 line in 24 games. D-I is not out of the question for the native of Westchester County.

21. Derek Osik, RC/RW, St. Mark’s, 5-11/160, ’98 -- Osik is similar to Moore in that his prep stats from this past season do not tell the full story as he recorded a modest 4-3-7 line in 28 games. Sophomore from Shrewsbury, Mass. showed a great burst of speed and was always involved in the play, either forechecking hard and causing turnovers or skating the puck through the neutral zone. His hands are strong and he catches passes in stride without hesitation. He needs to get stronger and be more productive in the scoring department, but he definitely put himself on the map here.

22. Jack Bliss, LC, Cardigan Mountain, 6-0/160, ’98 -- The younger brother of NTDP defenseman Ryan Bliss, Jack has plenty of talent in his own right. He has a big frame into which he will grow over the next few years. He handles the puck well and has decent speed once he gets going. He scored a great goal in the first game here, going 1-on-1 on the goalie, and scoring on a nice deke. Has a high ceiling and a good overall skill set. Is rumored to be headed to St. Paul’s, where his brother Ryan started out.

23. George Sennott, LW, Kimball Union, 5-5/130, ’97 – Sennott, a sophomore who arrived at KUA from Austin Prep, had a quiet year for the Wildcats, playing on the third and fourth units. Here, though, playing within his age group, he came out of his shell and showed what we had seen at Austin Prep. Sennott has great speed and acceleration and can hit top speed in a few strides, thus making him a threat in the transition game. His confidence grew through the tournament and you could see him skating with the puck more and trying to make some plays. Next year at KUA he will play a more significant role and should flourish.

24. Andrew Hadley, LW/LC, Deerfield, 6-2/215, ’97 -- Hadley came out of nowhere at the Beantown after a 4-4-8 line at Deerfield in 25 games. Sophomore from Hopkinton, NH struggled with consistency but at times he was the most dominant player on the ice. He has size and strength, a long and powerful stride, and a heavy shot. He could be an ideal power forward at the prep level with above-average speed, especially considering his size. He needs to increase his compete level on a consistent basis and improve his play without the puck but he has potential.

25. Will Somers, LW, Hotchkiss, 6-4/215, ’97 -- The good news is the fact that he is 6’4”; the bad news is that he was playing with kids whose average size was probably under 5’10” – and he was not productive. Sophomore from New Canaan, Conn. has a long stride, albeit an awkward one, and is a little uncoordinated. He has deceptively quick hands. The issue in his game is that he has heavy feet and doesn’t play with a lot of jam. The upside is his giant frame, strength and his touch in front of the net. Posted a 6-7-13 line in 26 games at Hotchkiss. Has D-I upside if he can make the necessary improvements to his game.

26. Matthew Koopman, LW, Marblehead HS, 5-9/158, ’98 -- Coming out of high school and playing with prep and midget players took a little adjusting to, but as the tournament moved on he got more and more comfortable. A smooth-skating forward with an extra gear, the sophomore is athletic, instinctual, and made plays at both ends of the ice. He is undersized and not dynamic enough to be a sure fire D-I prospect but it’s certainly not out of the question. Will be at Berkshire in the fall.

27. Jason O’Neill, LC, Skipjacks, 5-11/160, ’97 -- O’Neill is a skilled forward who has good size and a fluid stride. His older brother, Colin, is committed to UMass-Lowell and there is no reason why Jason couldn’t do the same. Like many players here, he is thin and lacks physical maturity, but over the next few years could develop into an excellent player. His hands are slick and smooth -- and he shoots to score. This past season he recorded a 28-33-61 line in 30 games at the U16 level.

28. Michael Novello, RW/RC, Hill School, 5-9/175, ’97 -- Novello played to his strengths at the Beantown. He is strong, plays two-way hockey, and shoots with authority. Kennett Square, PA native very rarely just throws the puck on net. When he shoots the puck, he is looking to score goals. He has a good stick and a low center that makes it tough to knock him off the puck. As a sophomore, led the Hill School in points with an 11-22-33 line in 28 games.

29. Hunter Luhmann, RW, Proctor, 5-11/196, ’97 – Luhmann, a junior, had a strong season this year at Proctor, posting 20 goals. He is strong on his skates, has soft mitts, and deceptive speed. However, he did not play to his strengths at this tournament and seemed to be a step behind, which is uncharacteristic. As he enters his fourth and final season at Proctor the career 100-point mark should be well within his grasp.

30. Thomas Keane, RC, Team Illinois, 6-2/180, ’97 -- Keane is an intriguing prospect as he has size and skates well enough, has solid hands, and really bears down in the corners and along the boards. Won a lot of 1-on-1 battles. He lacks aggressiveness and hunger in front of the net and lacks productivity at this stage in his career, but there’s a good foundation for his becoming a solid power forward at the next level.

Defensemen:

1. McKay Flanagan, RD, Connecticut Oilers (EHL), 6-1/190, ’97 -- Flanagan had a strong showing at the Beantown. He has a rare combination of size, speed, and skill. He was physical, but did not overcommit and take himself out of the play. He made great decisions with the puck and won nearly every battle along the boards. When gains possession in his end he doesn’t just throw it around the boards. Instead, with his head up, he takes a few strides and makes hard, accurate passes up ice. He has a big shot from the blue line and while he isn’t known for stickhandling, he is effortless distributing the puck on the powerplay. There are no obvious holes in his game and he was the toughest player to get around all tournament. Flanagan projects to be a great college player and should get NHL attention next year. Was selected in the 2013 USHL Futures Draft by Cedar Rapids.

2. Connor Moore, RD, Brooks School, 5-10/165,’97 – Moore, a sophomore from the Atlanta, Georgia suburbs, is one of the best young prospects in prep hockey, as is multi-dimensional. He has good feet, plays his angles well, and has the anticipation required to break up passes and get in shooting lanes. Moore plays a tough game in the corners and on the boards, and picks up sticks and moves bodies in front of his goal. With the puck on his stick, he is a fluid skater with poise and confidence. He has smooth hands, and makes great outlet passes. On the powerplay, he shoots the puck through traffic and finds the open man. The only knock on him is his size, but he has all the tools to be an impact player at Boston College.

3. John Marino, RD, South Shore Kings (USPHL), 6-2/175,’97 -- The recent Yale commit was the youngest player in the USPHL Premier Division this season and posted a 6-11-17 line in 34 games. His coach, Scott Harlow, says Marino has more upside than anyone he has coached -- and that is saying something. Marino has great instincts, sees the ice well, and has a gifted set of hands. He can move the puck effortlessly up the ice and plays a tough defensive style when he doesn’t have the puck. His skating is one of the areas he needs to improve on, as well as adding muscle to his frame, but he has all the tools.

4. Luke McInnis, LD, Hingham HS, 5-10/165, ’98 – McInnis’s best attribute is his skating ability, as he has excellent speed and great change of direction. Several fast forwards tried to get around him here using speed to the outside, but not one that we saw was successful. McInnis also has calmness and poise, and is able to slow the game down, let it develop in front of him, and then make decisions based on what the defense is giving him. His hockey IQ at this age is high-end and he values the puck, rarely just throwing it up the boards. The son of former NHLer Marty McInnis, a current sophomore, was invited to try out on the USNTDP team.

5. Brandon Crawley, LD, Selects Academy, 6-1/195, ’97 -- Crawley had an excellent tournament, showing off his size, skill, and strong defensive zone play. He is known as a mobile defenseman with good stick skills but we were equally impressed with his defensive game. He contains high-motor forwards with his body positioning and skating ability, and he plays a physical game against the power forwards. Crawley makes a nice first pass and keeps his feet moving while looking down-ice for passing lanes. He stops on the puck, competes in 1-on-1 battles and always comes out with the biscuit. A very good D-I prospect, he will not stay uncommitted for long.

6. Jack Moran, LD, Winchendon, 6-4/210, ’98 – Moran, with his superb size and skill, may just have as much upside as any defenseman in this age group. The freshman from North Reading, Mass. is not only tall, but strong and physically mature -- especially considering his age. He is raw at this point, makes sporadic decisions, and struggles with his timing, especially when he’s carrying the puck and either moves it too quickly before the play has developed or over-handles it and misses the play. He has good jump, a long and fairly fluid stride for his size, and plenty of jam in the dirty areas. Moran plays tough, in-your-face defense and demonstrates a natural willingness to join the rush and skate with the puck. He is poised and confident skating through the neutral zone, and has a good slap shot. Overall, Moran is a high-end prospect who needs to improve his agility and hockey sense to maximize his vast potential.

7. Gregory Krisberg, LD, Kent, 5-10/170, ’97 – At Kent, Krisberg, a sophomore from Chappaqua, NY, was the top-scoring defenseman on a very deep defensive corps, averaging over a point per game with an 8-18-26 line in 25 games. Krisberg shined at Beantown. Playing with kids his own age, he demonstrated excellent control of the puck and all-around offensive skills. He is smart, and picks his spots well. Defensively, he lacks size but makes up for it by picking up sticks and applying timely contact on players in front of the net. Krisberg is poised carrying the puck in high traffic areas and excels on the breakout. He can take one or two quick strides and deliver accurate passes to his winger or center. At times he forced passes, looking to make homerun plays, but he has the vision and can jump into the attack at will. He will need to get stronger and be more physically imposing in order to get more attention from scouts, but he is a D-I caliber player.

8. Dennis Cesana, RD, Kimball Union, 5-8/165, ’98 -- The sophomore from North Providence, RI showed at the Beantown – all season, actually – that he belongs in any discussion of the top young players in the region. A gifted skater with speed, quickness, and agility, Cesana is able to buy himself time and space by skating towards the open ice, where few players here were able to catch him. His decision-making is quick but not flawless, as he had a few turnovers caused by trying to do too much. The Hillside School product has smooth hands and keeps his eyes down ice -- a good approach for a ’98 who lacks size. He is still raw in the defensive zone and can get drawn out of position chasing the puck carrier.

9. Eric Jeremiah, RD, St. Sebastian’s, 5-9/170, ’98 -- Jeremiah saw a lot of ice time for the Arrows this year and was their most dynamic defenseman as a freshman with a 4-12-16 line in 26 contests. He’s undersized and doesn’t have the speed of players like Cesana but his poise and puck-handling skills are outstanding for his age, and on the power play he is as good as any of the players rated above him.  He is smart in his defensive end and plays within himself, not throwing his body around against much bigger opponents or trying to move them out in front. Instead, he picks up sticks, or utilizes a quick poke check or strong stick check. He overcomes his size discrepancy with a high compete level and hockey IQ. A D-I  power play defenseman when all is said and done.

10. Andrew Petrillo, RD, Delbarton, 5-11/170, ’98 -- The young mobile defenseman from Delbarton put himself on the map here with his skating and quick stick. As a sophomore he recorded a 3-13-16 line in 28 contests, seeing time on the PP, PK and even strength. He’s on the slight side and is unable to win physical battles but he uses his quickness and agility to get free and escape from pressure. In the open ice his speed and lateral movement make him elusive and tough to hit. He needs to improve his shot, his strength, and his willingness to mix it up. Overall, though, he has a great skill set.

11. Giacomo Messina, LD, St. Paul’s, 6-1/190, ’97 -- Messina is an old-school defenseman who challenges the shooter by driving right through them, finishes checks, blocks shots, gets low and drives forwards out from in front, and is rugged in the corners. The sophomore from Laval, Quebec has size, strength, and, while he is a physical presence, he can also handle the puck and make crisp passes on the breakout. In the offensive zone, Messina makes smart decisions concerning when to pinch. He also shoots the puck hard. Would be a safe pick for a college looking for a stay-at-home, tough defenseman.

12. Patrick O’Leary, LD, Boston Advantage, 6-1/170, ’97 -- O’Leary has a great frame that he will grow into over the next few years. His stride is fluid and powerful and he has good overall speed. On the defensive end, he uses his long reach and body positioning to disrupt shooters and has an active stick that blocks passing lanes. He makes the smart, simple play and values the puck. He needs to improve his acceleration and lower body strength, but he will be a force in the years to come.

13. Peter Christie, LD, Exeter, 6-0/178, ’97 -- Christie has been on the radar for quite some time, playing a prominent role on the Exeter blue line with Spencer Young since he was a freshman. The sophomore from Durham, NH has improved his skating as well as his stickhandling. He’s always had good size and, at the Beantown, showed that he has grown into this frame and taken on a more physical style of play. For Exeter, he was a reliable defender, one who takes care of the puck and plays a smart, heads-up game.

14. Harrison Markell, RD, Middlesex School, 6-0/195, ’97 – Markell, a junior, has size and the ability to play with power or with finesse. He makes a great first pass, can escape from pressure with his feet, and rarely exposes the puck. He is a strong presence along the wall and in scrums in front, but stays low when initiating contact which gives him the edge in most situations. Not a finished product, but there is upside here.

15. Trevor Cosgrove, LD, Exeter, 6-1/175, ’97 – Cosgrove, the son of the Exeter soccer coach, has come a long way over the past year, moving from a solid player to a legit college hockey prospect. A sophomore, he is tall and thin, moves well and makes swift passes both out of his end and in the neutral zone. Once he fills out and lengthens his stride he will move up this list.

16. Zach Mirageas, RD, Governor’s, 5-9/165, ’97 -- The undersized defenseman has great wheels and can kick it up a gear when required. The junior from Newburyport, Mass. led a struggling Governor’s team in points as a defenseman with a 4-9-13 line in 26 games. Here, he made some nice passes. We should also mention that he is an excellent backwards skater.  

17. Cooper Jones, RD, Bandits U16, 5-7/155, ’98 -- Jones is an offensive-minded defenseman who sees the ice well and has a good burst of speed. His skating was a question mark, but it has come a long way. He is athletic and processes the game quickly.

18. Billy Carrabino, LD, Nobles, 6-2/205, ’97 -- This was a wasted opportunity for Carrabino who physically looked like a man among boys, but was unnoticeable for most of the tournament. The big, talented junior defenseman who recorded a 9-9-18 line in 28 games for Nobles should have taken over at this level. Instead, he sat back and never quite got involved in the action. He has good hands, a bomb of a shot, moves very well of his size and is physically imposing, but here he mishandled the puck, rarely engaged in physical play and we didn’t see him let his shot go. He’s an obvious D-I talent who we expected would have been among the top five or ten players on this list.