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Mon. 9/21/15

Late Summer Notes

Here are our notes, drawn mainly from the Tier I Labor Day Tournament at the New England Sports Center in Marlborough, on U18 and U16 players who caught our eye – mostly for the better.

We have chosen forty U18s and forty U16s to comment on. We’ve seen a lot of teams in the early going, some more than others. And there are many teams we have yet to see. Needless to say, at the Labor Day Tournament, it’s impossible to see everyone – or even come close.

Players are arranged in alphabetical order.


U18:

Bailey Aust, ’97 G, 6-0/165, #35 Northern Cyclones U18 – Colorado native was outstanding in the first couple of periods vs. the Conn. River Hawks, facing a ton of rubber. Was hung out to dry in the third. Showed good rebound control, reaction time, and lateral mobility.

Matt Barnaby Jr., ’98 F, 5-11/140, Buffalo Regals U18 (Avon Old Farms) – Works hard; plays an honest game. Is calm under pressure and plays at a high-tempo. A natural center, he won’t beat you with speed but he has a sense of the game, creates offense, and can distribute in tight areas.

Michael Bermingham, ’99 D, 5-7/180, #10 Little Bruins U18 (BB&N) – Small defenseman with good hands. He’s young, so if he grows he could be a borderline D-I prospect. More likely a very good NESCAC player.

Tim Birarelli, ’97 G, 6-1/175, #1 Neponset Valley River Rats U18 (Loomis) – One of the very best prep goaltenders last year. Don’t see that changing. Good lateral movement, and tough to beat on second chances.

Tyler Carangelo, ’97 F, 6-0/170, #11Yale U18 National (Avon Old Farms) – Will be a senior this year and could make for a strong second-line center for the Winged Beavers. Has plenty of skill, but could add a little grit to his game.

Matt Cousino, late ’97 D, 6-0/180, #4 Yale U18 National (Canterbury) – Vermont native has become bigger and stronger as he’s moved from Rice Prep to the Wolf Pack U18 full season and, now, to Canterbury. Will open some eyes.

Azan Dorsett, late ’98 D, 5-9/155, Buffalo Regals U18 – A rather intriguing player, Dorsett, a right-shot D from Texas, is a terrific skater and a skilled power play QB who likes having the puck on his stick, and is more than willing to lead or join the rush, though he does tends to hold onto the puck too long. He’s a classic high risk/high reward type. Right now, Dorsett is a defensive liability but, if he learns the game, could morph into a D-I defenseman. His skating ability is undeniable.

Sage Englund, ’97 F, 6-2/180, #21 Boston Jr. Rangers U18 – He’s tall, skates well, and has some skill. He’s superb in open ice but struggles with physical play. From Scottsdale, Arizona.

McKay Flanagan, ’97 D, 6-1/208, #4 Mid-Fairfield U18 (Gunnery) – Hits very hard. Can be high-risk with the puck, as he turns it over a bit much. But we’ve also seen games where he is extremely sound defensively. If he can do that consistently, the senior from Ridgefield, Conn. will draw increased interest from D-I schools.

Max Fuld, ’97 D/F, 6-1/187, #11 Mid-Fairfield U18 (Brunswick) – Underrated. Does a lot of things well. Not flashy. Just does what he needs to do, and does it consistently. Good D-I prospect.

Andrew Hadley, ’97 F, 6-2/220, #16 Little Bruins U18 (Deerfield) – Big, strong power forward who needs to get faster. He appears to be carrying too much weight. Was injured a lot at Deerfield last season. Had a really good Beantown in August.

Patrick Harper, ’98 F, 5-8/155, #7 Neponset Valley River Rats U18 (Avon Old Farms) – Best player in the tournament and, with linemates Jamie Armstrong (Avon/NU) and Ben Taylor (Tabor/Brown) giving him room to operate, centered the best line in the tournament.

David Jankowski, ’97 F, 6-1/173, #13 Mid-Fairfield U18 (Salisbury) – He’s a skilled playmaker, and smart. He has some speed, though he’s not a fluid skater. However, when we see him we always find ourselves wanting a little more. It doesn’t all add up – at least not yet. He’s a little too perimeter. Perhaps at Salisbury it will all come together. He’ll be closely watched.

Evan Johnson, ’97 F, 5-11/165, #5 Connecticut Riverhawks U18 (Gunnery) – Californian has a powerful motor. Uses his speed well. Hard on the puck. Fits the Gunnery mold, but is a little bigger. Was consistently noticeable, but he was also playing against slightly weaker opponents. Look forward to seeing him some more.

Jordan Kaplan, ’97 F, 5-10/167, #14 Mid-Fairfield U18 (Salisbury) – Good skater with skill finds ways to score. Has played well all summer.

Adam Karashik, ’98 D, 5-11/180, #16 Neponset Valley River Rats U18 (Avon Old Farms) – Skates well. Was very good blocking shots, and good on the PK. Skates himself into bad areas at times, though that’s correctable if he applies himself. UConn recruit played for Connecticut Oilers last season.

Troy Kobryn, ’99 G, 6-0/180, #1 Frozen Tide Green U18 (Delbarton) – Has steadily grown since we first saw him a couple of years back. Makes himself big, challenges shooters. His lower body is explosive, he gets his pads down quickly, and protects against the back-door pass well. Posted a .921 GAA as a sophomore.

Kyle Koopman, ’98 D, 5-11/181, #5 Mid-Fairfield U18 (Berkshire) – Last year, he forced pucks and got beaten on the rush. He’s getting better, though. He keeps the play in front of him. He could be a reliable depth guy at a D-I school. We’ll know more as the season goes along, but he played well here. Plays in the shadow of his twin brother, Matt, but is also carving out his own identity.

Matthew Ladd, ’98 G, 6-3/194, #31 Buffalo Regals U18 (Avon Old Farms) – He’s big at 6’3”, and makes himself even bigger by playing at the top of the crease. Ladd is precise and calm in his movements, and controls rebounds well. Gave up six goals to the Cape Cod Whalers but he was peppered, and came up with quality saves. Fall ’18 Niagara recruit.

Dom Malatesta, ’99 F, 5-10/170, #25 Boston Jr. Rangers U18 – ’99-born forward is playing up with the U18s. A skilled playmaker who competes in all three zones. Younger brother of ‘96 D Zach Malatesta (Moncton Wildcats).

Brian Matthews, ’98 D, 6-1/190, #4 Cape Cod Whalers U18 (Belmont Hill) – Matthews is controlling the game the way he did a couple of years ago when he was playing as an underager at the U16 level. Has good escape moves, and made some nice stretch passes. Yale recruit is very cool and calm under pressure, and looks thicker and stronger.

Bryan McGrath, ’98 G, 5-11/170, #35 Little Bruins U18 (Roxbury Latin) – Plays at the top of his crease and is very athletic. Doesn’t get a lot of attention, but he could be one of the better goalies in prep hockey this year.

Ben Mirageas, ’99 D, 6-0/175, #6 Neponset Valley River Rats U18 (Avon Old Farms) – Looks like he will have a break-out year. Mirageas, a Providence recruit, is a terrific skater with good lower-body strength. His decision-making is good, he’s playing it smarter than last year, and there’s real zip to his passes. Didn’t do quite what we expected last winter, but he was a young player in his first year at boarding school. Good pro prospect for the 2017 draft.

RJ Murphy, late ’98 F, 6-2/185, #9 Cape Cod Whalers U18 (St. Sebastian’s) – A beautiful skater with a strong lower body, Murphy floats around and can jump into the play when the opportunity presents itself. However, he could create more opportunities for himself – and his linemates -- by stopping on pucks more. There’s a little too much looping. If he adds a little grittiness and is able to make more plays, he could position himself well for the 2017 draft. He’s following his father’s – and his coach’s -- footsteps and will be attending Harvard.

Tues. 9/29/15

NHL Central Scouting Preliminary List

This morning, NHL Central Scouting issued its Preliminary Players to Watch List for the 2016 NHL Draft.

Click below for the printable PDF version.

By the way, in 2016 the NHL Draft Lottery will have a new format. Previously, the lottery was used to determine which team gets the #1 overall pick. Now, the lottery will be expanded to determine which teams pick in the top three slots. (To be technical, there will be three separate lotteries, and no longer will the team with the worst regular season record be assured of, at worst, the #2 overall draft pick.)

The 2016 NHL Draft will be held Fri.-Sat. June 24-25 at the First Niagara Center in Buffalo, NY.

NHL Central Scouting Preliminary Players to Watch List, Sept. 29, 2015

Tues. 9/29/15

All-American Prospects Game

USHR was at the fourth annual All-American Prospects Game last Thursday in Buffalo.

The game, in which Team Plante edged Team Roenick 6-4 on a powerplay goal by defenseman Luke McInnis and a subsequent Kieffer Bellows empty-netter, was a tepid affair played out in front of a sparse crowd -- mostly family, friends, and NHL scouts -- at the cavernous First Niagara Center (capacity: 19,070). The fans looked like a handful of BBs in a boxcar.

Missing, of course, was Auston Matthews, who is playing pro in Zurich, so that high-profile hier-to-Jack-Eichel aspect was lacking.

The game, heavily promoted by USA Hockey, was sloppy at the start with numerous turnovers and forced passes. Eventually, things settled into an up-and-down, wide-open game with a few shifts of momentum. Hitting was practically non-existent. It was, in short, a friendly.

It seems to us that this game could be of greater use to scouts and players alike if it were folded into the Select 17 Festival in early summer and/or the Junior Team Evaluation Camp in Lake Placid, NY, held the first week in August. What we saw on Thursday was summer hockey, so why not play it in the summer, and save all the scouts and players the hassle of traveling great distances to see sixty minutes of lackluster hockey when the regular season -- and games played in anger -- are right around the corner?

This game could be so much more. And we have an idea or two.

As most readers know, NTDP players do not take part in the Select 17 Camp. And 18 of the 42 players at the All-American Prospects Game were NTDP players. Basically, the Ann Arbor kids get an automatic entry -- and it showed at times. Of the remaining 24 players in Buffalo, nine didn't take part in any USA Hockey summer events, and 15 took part in the Select 17 Camp. From that, ten were selected for the Hlinka Tournament in mid-August.

Why not return NTDP players to the Select 17 camp, expand that camp to allow late birthdates, and let NHL scouts in attendance pick two all-star teams? This would be the carrot that could bring some glamour back to the 17 camp. The teams that the scouts select could then make their way to Lake Placid and, after a mini-camp, play a best two-of-three series.

The Hlinka Tournament could continue under the current format -- i.e. no NTDP players allowed. But the team that goes over will have been chosen under -- and hardened by -- the crucible of a tougher selection process.

Just an idea.

Here, then, are ten players we liked at the game in Buffalo.

1. Luke Kunin, RC, 6-0/195, University of Wisconsin -- Kunin was on his game from the get-go, scoring on a short-side snipe off a 2-on-1 with linemate Matt Tkachuk. The Chesterfield, Missouri native showed speed, and played with pace. He made good decisions on the rush, and it seemed he was a creating scoring chances nearly every shift. Also had a goal and an assist 10 seconds apart late in the second to put his team, which had given up two straight goals, back into the lead. The Wisconsin freshman's play here was a hopeful sign for beleaguered Badgers' faithful.

2. Matt Tkachuk, LW, 6-1/196, London Knights (OHL) -- Played the wing on Kunin's line and the two, who were born six days apart in December 1997 and came up together in the St. Louis AAA Blues youth organization before moving on to the NTDP together, were a potent duo with a terrific feel for where each was on the ice. Tkachuk really came alive in the second period. Scored a goal from his knees to tie the game up at 3-3. Used his body well to protect pucks. Got more comfortable attacking traffic and driving to the net. Plays a smart game, and competes in all three zones. Potential high first round prospect.

3. Charlie McAvoy, RD, 6-0/211, Boston University -- Had a turnover -- only partly his fault -- that led to Kunin's goal 10 seconds in, but then settled in nicely. The Long Island native, also a 12/97 birthdate, is smooth, poised, and sees the ice well. Will hold on to the puck to make a play. Great first passes -- everything is tape-to-tape -- but can also get up in the play when the situation calls for it. Set up Luke McInnis for the game-winner with a nice cross-ice pass. Has the ability to slow the game down around him. Never panics. Is currently a freshman at BU.

4. Chad Krys, LD, 5-11/184, US Under-18 Team -- As always, his skating -- Krys has a long, smooth stride -- is terrific, and the foundation upon which his game is built. The ice just opens up for him when the puck is on his stick. And it was on his stick a lot. Krys is made for the modern NHL. Every team in today's NHL is looking for a puck-moving defenseman and, given that there are so few with his skills, we expect Krys will go high in the first round. A son of former BU defenseman Mark Krys, the Connecticut native will be at BU in the fall of '16.

5. Logan Brown, LC, 6-6/223, Windsor Spitfires (OHL) -- This camp was noteworty for the size of the players. Of the 42 players, 33 were 6'0" or bigger. Sometimes, as in the case of the 6'6" Brown, much bigger. The power forward, who centered a line with Max Jones and Willie Knierim on the wings, is faster than he looks, and has considerable skill for his size. Showed strong finishing ability down the weak-side seam on his team's go-ahead goal in the second period. Has a hard one-timer. Brown could go in top half of first round.

6. Max Jones, LW, 6-2/205, London Knights (OHL) -- Played on a line with Brown and Knierim and showed finishing ability, scoring two goals. Power forward, who has deceptive speed, was physically involved, at least relative to the tenor of the game. Drew the penalty that led to his team's game-winning goal, as Riley Tufte pulled him down in front of the net. His second goal, which tied the game at 4-4 in the third, was on a wide-angle shot that snuck between goalie Stephen Dillon and the post. Jones is the son of former Michigan Wolverine and NHLer Brad Jones, and is a potential high first round prospect.

7. Willie Knierim, RW, 6-3/213, Dubuque (USHL) -- Made a beautiful pass on one of Brown's two goals, finding him with a backhand pass for a backhand tap-in at the far post. Found ways to put his linemates in favorable scoring position. Patient with the puck. Above average skater. Good vision and understanding of where to put the puck. In short, he made plays, and raised his draft stock. From the Chicago Mission organization; now in his second year with Dubuque (USHL).

8. Alex DeBrincat, RW, 5-7/161, Erie Otters (OHL) -- Michigan native, who played for Victory Honda, spent a year at Lake Forest Academy (MPHL) before Sherry Bassin urged him to turn major junior -- he'd been passed over twice in the OHL draft -- with the Erie Otters. There, the former UMass commit played on a line with Connor McDavid and wound up the season with 104 points and the OHL Rookie of the Year Award. Here in Buffalo, he was the smallest player in the game by several inches. But he's a nifty player with excellent stick skills. Protects the puck well. Forechecks hard. Is slippery and quick. And he sees the ice. DeBrincat got better as the game moved along.

9. Kieffer Bellows, LW, 6-1/195, US Under-18 Team -- The only goal he scored here was a short-handed empty-netter late in the contest, but he's a scorer. Has a heavy, accurate shot. Got comfortable as the game moved along and started working well below the hash marks with his linemate, Alex DeBrincat. Bellows helped lead Edina to the Class AA Minnesota  State High School championship as a 10th grader before moving on to the USHL, where last season with Sioux Falls he scored 33 goals, which is a basketful for a 16-year-old in that league. Was named USHL Rookie of the Year and has now moved on to the US Under-18 team for his senior season. Bellows, the son of long-time NHLer and 1982 first round pick Brian Bellows, has a chance to be a first rounder himself. Will be at BU in the fall of '16.

10. Tim Gettinger, LW, 6-5/216, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL) -- Gettinger, who scored on a deflection of a Michael Campoli point shot midway through the first period to give his team a 2-1 lead, has come a long way in the past year in terms of his overall agility. A power forward whose older brother played at Mercyhurst, Gettinger jumped from the Cleveland Barons U16s to the Soo Greyhounds and surprised some by putting up 25 points as a rookie, despite sitting out occasionally as as healthy scratch. Needs to keep working on his skating.

Thurs. 9/24/15

East-West Invitational Review

The inaugural East-West Invitational, hosted by the Springfield Rifles, was held last weekend at the UMass-Amherst’s Mullins Center.

There were eight teams in each division (U18 & U16). Due to time restraints we were only able to see the U18 division, which was won by the Buffalo Regals.

The most skilled team we saw was the York Region Saints U18, which is not surprising, considering all 16 players are from St. Andrew’s College. As far as U18 teams go, they were young, with eight ‘99s, six ‘98s, and just two ‘97s. Conversely, the Junior Bruins (Fall), whom they had to play on Saturday, had twelve ‘96s on the roster. Strength, naturally, was an issue in that one.

Here, arranged by team, are 16 guys who we stood out for us:

Regan Kimens, ’99 F, 6-0/175, #27 York Region Saints U18 (St. Andrew’s College) – Vaughn, Ontario native is shifty, and likes having the puck on his stick. A playmaker who can also really shoot it, Kimens doesn’t mind navigating through heavy traffic. A good skater with the puck, he’s good-sized already but looks like he has room to grow. If he fills out, he could really pop. Played last year for the Toronto Titans (GTHL). Legit D-I prospect.

Alex MacDonald, ’97 F, 5-9/150, #18 York Region Saints U18 (St. Andrew’s College) – Bedford, Nova Scotia native was third-leading scorer at St. Andrew’s last season (23-37-60 in 52 gp). Has oodles of skill. Always has puck on his stick, and made a lot of great plays. He’s more quick than fast, and he’s very tough to contain. His lateral skating is a plus, as is his escapability. Power play could revolve around him. Was consistently noticeable, and has D-I skill but, at 150 lbs., he may not be dynamic enough. At the very least he could be a terrific NESCAC player.

Morgan Barron, late ’98 F, 6-2/182, #16 York Region Saints U18 (St. Andrew’s College) – Halifax, Nova Scotia native is a north-south winger, a catch-it-and-shoot-it type. He hides his release well and the puck just jumps off his stick. A power forward in the making, he could add more physicality to his game by getting in quicker on the forecheck and trying to force turnovers, etc. Played last year for the Newbridge Academy Gladiators (Nova Scotia Midget Major).

Kody Clark, late ’99 F, 5-11/175, #14 York Region Saints U18 (St. Andrew’s College) – Clark, a shifty, wiry forward with good hands and lateral ability, played last season for the Toronto Marlies. Scored a really nice backhand goal here, carrying the puck across the top of the crease on his forehand and then turning to his backhand to tuck it under the crossbar. Doesn’t yet have the leg strength to show off speed vs. older kids. Intriguing D-I prospect.

Mitchell Martan, ’98 F, 5-8/187, #7 York Region Saints U18 (St. Andrew’s College) – A returnee from last year’s St. Andrew’s team, Martan is short but built like a Mack truck. He’s calm with the puck – very poised – and can slow the play down in the offensive zone. Looks to make plays, either driving to the net or distributing the puck. Might be the most offensively skilled player on the team. In 51 games last season, had a 15-24-40 line.

Satchel Clendenin, ’97 F, 6-1/180, #8 Springfield Rifles U18 (Kent) – Was the Rifles’ best player on Saturday, a big powerful kid who made plays every shift. Forced turnovers on the wall, made quick outlet passes, got into position on 2-on-1’s to receive passes. Showed a good release on shots. Bethesda, Maryland native has some D-I potential. He’s versatile and could fit a variety of roles. In 21 games at Kent last year, Clendenin had a 7-10-17 line.

Thomas Dale, ’98 F, 5-10/175, #9 Springfield Rifles U18 (Deerfield) – Has good hands and plenty of shiftiness. If he could add a burst of speed he’d be a Matt Koopman type and everyone would be noticing him. He does keep his feet moving, though, and he thinks the game well. Darien, Conn. native is Deerfield’s leading returning scorer. Very strong NESCAC candidate.

Justin Marler, late ’97 D, 6-2/215, #15 Springfield Rifles U18 (Deerfield) – Naples, Florida native is a late ’97 who’s a junior at Deerfield. We didn’t notice him much last year, but we did here. He’s smart, steady, and big. Moves well enough for his size, and is good positionally. Interesting. Need to see him more. Was 3-4-7 in 26 games last season.

Peter Housakos, late ’96 D, 6-3/180, #8 Junior Bruins Fall U18 (St. Mark’s) – From a college standpoint, the 6’3” defender was clearly the best player on the Junior Bruins. He showed composure. His passes were on the money. He made plays. And he was physical when he needed to be, playing the body to win puck battles. His skating is OK, hardly graceful, but not choppy either. Montreal, Quebec native had a 14-22-36 line in 29 games for St. Mark’s last season.

Colin Stevens, ’97 D, 5-10/178, #5 Junior Bruins Fall U18 (Brooks) – Was consistently noticeable. A fast skater, he can create separation on retrievals when he swings the net, making it touch for forecheckers to get an angle on him. Given his size, the Concord, NH native is probably more of a D-III prospect. Had a 4-13-17 line in 30 games at Brooks last season.

Eric Butte, ’97 F, 6-1/175, #18 Junior Bruins Fall U18 (Belmont Hill) – We didn’t notice him that much at Belmont Hill last season, but Butte can shoot it and he has speed. He was really flying, showing an extra gear. Not overly dynamic. Good NESCAC candidate. In 32 games, he was 5-13-18 as a junior last year.

Marshall Rifai, ’98 D, 6-1/180, #6 Connecticut Wolf Pack U18 (Hotchkiss)  -- Rifai, a Harvard recruit and a Montreal native who is coming to Hotchkiss from Lac St-Louis, is quick and fast. Has a real burst of speed that allows him to get to loose pucks easily. He showed toughness, but a smart toughness in that his hits were in the service of making plays. Has good power play potential at the next level. Candidate for next summer’s NHL draft.

James Callahan, ’97 D, 6-3/180, #2 Connecticut Wolf Pack U18 (Salisbury) – Quinnipiac recruit has pro size and frame, but to play at that level his skating will have to come up another notch (both UMass rinks are Olympic size, as is the rink at Salisbury). Callahan, who played for the Jersey Hitmen U18s last season, only had a 1-7-8 scoring line, a little surprising because he has a powerful shot, which we saw earlier in the fall at the Early Bird Tournament at Merrimack. Callahan’s a right-shot D, which are always needed, and was consistently noticeable. Will be a big contributor at Salisbury.

Azan Dorsett, ’98 D, 5-9/155, #3 Buffalo Regals U18 – We wrote about Dorsett last week, mainly because he skates so well. Despite that, he’s not a D-I prospect now because of the double whammy: he’s small and his hockey sense isn’t there yet. Native of McKinney, Texas, has tools, though, so we’ll keep tabs on him. At the very least, he will make for a good D-III college prospect.

Matt Barnaby Jr., ’98 F, 5-11/140, #9 Buffalo Regals U18 (Avon Old Farms) – Looks to jump into the offensive zone. Makes plays. Only 140 pounds, but he’ll grow. A player to keep close tabs on.

Matt Ladd, ’98 G, 6-3/194, #31 Buffalo Regals U18 (Avon Old Farms) – Ladd was outstanding. Allowed only two goals in four games here, and one of those was a shot deflected by his own d-man. Could be a difference-maker for the Winged Beavers this winter. Has the frame NHL teams are looking for.

Thurs. 9/24/15- updated 5:08 pm

Welcome U18s and U16s!

This fall, as you may have noticed, we have added U18 and U16 coverage to the U.S. Hockey Report.

Specifically, we’re now offering dedicated pages to many of the top Tier I programs in the New England area. Many have signed on, and there are more to come.

This new feature of USHR was a rather last-minute decision. We decided to do it in August, which meant we had to scramble to build it and test it.

We’re happy to say that everything is working seamlessly and teams have really responded well, though we do understand that we have a way to go in terms of getting all of the strongest programs on board. We realize the fall season is short, so the next week or so is big for us.

As for the programs that are already on board, we feel that, as coaches become increasingly familiarized with the system, more full box scores will be entered and the statistics pages will start to fill out more.

When that time comes, we’ll be able to integrate players’ fall records with their prep records, thus affording a complete historical picture.

We also hope to start offering composite schedules for each weekend’s action soon, picking out the top games for the weekend to come, and perhaps picking out top players and performances of the week before. After that, who knows? We’re  open to suggestions. We’d really like your feedback on this. And that includes any questions you may have.

Finally, we understand that entering rosters, schedules, and box scores is work for the coaches. We hope they find the process easy and enjoyable. Their efforts are – and will be – appreciated by many in the hockey community.

Our goal is to make USHR the go-to site for the U18s and U16s in the region. After all, we are already covering many of these players at the prep level. Why not pull it all together under one umbrella?

Here are the teams we have in the system as of now:

U18:
Neponset Valley River Rats (schedule, roster, and box scores)
Boston Junior Rangers (schedule and roster)
Cape Cod Whalers (schedule and roster)
NH Avalanche (schedule, roster, and box scores)
Springfield Rifles (schedule and roster)
New England Nordiques (schedule, roster, and box scores)
Connecticut Wolf Pack (schedule and roster)
Selects Academy at South Kent (schedule, roster, and box scores)
Cheshire Academy Elite (schedule and roster)

U16:
Cape Cod Whalers (schedule and roster)
NH Avalanche (schedule and roster)
Springfield Rifles (schedule, roster, and box scores)
Selects Academy at South Kent (schedule and roster)
Neponset Valley River Rats (schedule, roster, and box scores)
Cheshire Academy Elite (schedule only)
Boch Blazers (roster only)

Note:
The above lists were updated as of 5:00 pm Thursday, so there may be new additions. We will be noting updates.

Wed. 9/23/15

Schedules for Yale, AYHL Showcases

There are a pair of showcases on the weekend of Fri.-Sun. Oct. 2nd through 4th. They are 90 miles apart, just off Interstate 91.

-- The Yale U18 and U16s will be hosting a two-day jamboree on Saturday and Sunday at Yale and Wesleyan Universities, with the bulk of the schedule at Yale's Ingalls Rink.

At the U18 level, the teams are: Yale (National), Yale (American), Selects Academy, Mid-Fairfield, North Jersey Avalanche, Neponset River Rats, Springfield Rifles, NH Avalanche, Northern Cyclones, and the Connecticut Rangers.

At the U16 level: Yale, Neponset River Rats, Springfield Rifles, Selects Academy (National), Selects Academy (American), NH Avalanche, and the Northern Cyclones.

Here is the schedule:

Yale Jamboree


-- Up the road at UMass's Mullins Center, the Atlantic Metro Hockey League (AYHL) will be holding its showcase from Friday through Sunday.

The league will have all hands on deck --  twelve U18 teams and all fifteen U16.

Here is the schedule:

AYHL Showcase at UMass

Notes:

-- The AYHL will be holding its all-star games -- 18U,16U, and 14U -- on Sat. Feb. 6th at Quinnipiac University.

-- The Met League (MJHL) will be holding two showcases, one on Columbus Day weekend and one on Presidents' Day weekend. The league's all-star games will be held on Mon. Feb. 15th. 

Wed. 9/23/15

USHL 23-Man Protected and Affiliate Lists

The USHL has released the 23-man protected lists for the 2015-16 season, which gets underway this Friday night, Sept. 25th.

Also included are each of the 17 teams' affiliate lists.

There are 260 NCAA-committed players in the USHL this season, and 20 NHL draft picks.

The following is a PDF document.

USHL 23-Man Protected and Affiliate Lists

Mon. 9/14/15--updated Wed. 9/16

U18/U16 East-West Invitational Schedule & Rosters

The Springfield Rifles will be hosting the East-West Invitational, to be held Friday-Sunday, September 18-20 at UMass (both Mullins Center and the adjoining practice rink).

Eight teams will be there at the U18 level: Boston Jr. Rangers, Buffalo Regals, Connecticut Wolf Pack, Junior Bruins Fall, NH Avalanche, North Stars, Springfield Rifles, and the York Region Saints.

The U16 level will also feature eight teams: Buffalo Regals, Connecticut Wolf Pack, Connecticut Chiefs, NH Avalanche, NJ Colonials, North Stars, Springfield Rifles, and Top Gun.

East-West Invitational Schedule

East-West Invitational Program Book

Fri. 9/11/15

East Coast Elite League Showcase Schedule & Rosters

The East Coast Elite League is holding a showcase at Rodman Arena (formerly Iorio Arena) in Walpole, Mass this weekend, Sept. 11-13th. The ECEL, a showcase league, includes full-season 16U and 18U teams from across North America such as Hill Academy, the Colorado RoughRiders, New Hampshire Monarchs, Elite Hockey Academy, Boston Bandits, Buffalo Red Raiders, Iowa AAA Elite, and the Connecticut Wolf Pack.

This weekend represents the first official opportunity to see the two squads from the new Elite Hockey Program at Cheshire Academy.

The program director, and also the president of the Connecticut Wolfpack, is Peter Alden. Director of Hockey is John Toffey, who had great success as an assistant hockey coach and head baseball coach at the Salisbury School.

Toffey will be the head coach of the U16 Team and Jamie Bird, who has coached the Buffalo Junior Sabres U18 team for the last few years, will be behind the bench with the Academy’s U18 team.  

ECEL U16 & U18 Showcase Program Book

Thurs. 9/3/15

Neponset Valley River Rats Jamboree

USHR traveled to Foxboro, Mass. on Monday and Tuesday to take in Neponset Valley River Rats Jamboree.  The rink was packed with D-I and D-III coaches. There were 15 U18 teams, six U16 teams, and three U14 teams.  Some teams played two games while other played three, and with such a small window of time, and varying degrees of talent, it was tough to catch every team as much as we would have liked. But that’s OK, it’s the start of the season, and players are just getting their legs under them. Over the coming months we look forward to seeing how everything shakes out.

Wed. 9/2/15

New England Tier I Labor Day Rosters & Schedules

The New England Tier I Labor Day Tournament gets underway Friday afternoon and runs through Monday at the New England Sports Center in Marlborough as well as a number of other rinks in the area.

Below, we have a couple links that will help you out.

The first link is to the official program book. It's a PDF file and it's quite long -- 112 pages, to be precise.

New England Tier I Labor Day Program Book

The second link, an Excel file, is a master schedule, arranged by age group and division. 

New England Tier I Labor Day Master Schedule

Here is a link to the official tournament website, which has driving directions to all the rinks and other useful information.

www.tier1faceoff.com