FOXBORO, Mass. — Goodbye, summer. Hello, fall.
The River Rats Jamboree began Sunday and ran through Tuesday. Locally, the jamboree is the start of the fall hockey slate in the run-up to prep and high school seasons beginning in late November.
Games were played across 11 (yes, eleven) rinks. Countless teams took part.
I went to Foxboro Sports Center to watch some of the top 16U teams in the region begin their season. I was fortunate enough to catch at least one game from each of the following teams:
- Boston Jr. Eagles
- East Coast Militia
- Long Island Gulls
- Lovell Academy
- Mid Fairfield Rangers
- Neponset Valley River Rats
- Nor'Easter Storm
- Yale Jr. Bulldogs
For the first time this fall, let's dive into the top forwards from the event. A separate story will be done on defensemen and goalies.
Nico Ciardiello
Mid Fairfield 16U, 11/10/2008, F, right shot, 5-11/175
Hometown: Guilford, Conn.Â
Ciardiello was able to drive play well and showcased great vision. Against Lovell Academy on Tuesday, he showed great patience with the puck when he toe-dragged around a defender, got to the slot and ripped a clean shot off. He also protected pucks well, especially to aid in the cycle game. While Mid Fairfield lost to Lovell, Ciardiello's squad controlled possession for almost the entire second half. He was a big reason why.
Liam Donnelly
Nor'Easter Storm 16U, 5/29/2008, F, left shot, 6-0/200
Hometown: Ringwood, N.J.Â
Donnelly was a forward college coaches had circled coming into this weekend after his strong showing at USA Hockey's Select 16 Camp with one goal and eight points in five games. I caught his team's 3-0 win against the Militia on Monday. Donnelly's frame allows him to play with power. He has a heavy shot, as was evident when he got the puck in the slot and ripped one past the goalie's ear, off the crossbar and high into the air. He's able to drive play, although he stick-handled into danger a few times. He projects to be a difference-maker at Avon Old Farms this winter.
Nathan Dono
East Coast Militia 16U, 4/17/2008, F, right shot, 5-9/155
Hometown: Sturbridge, Mass.Â
Dono, who plays for Auburn in the MIAA, had a great showing against the Long Island Gulls on Tuesday. He showcased a high level of intelligence and patience when the puck was on his stick, never rushing to get rid of it, but instead looking for open teammates and passing lanes. He was poised in his routes on the forecheck and in the offensive zone, anticipating breakouts well.
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Ty Higginbothom
Nor'Easter Storm 16U, 4/23/2008, F, right shot, 5-9/180
Hometown: Contoocook, N.H.Â
Higginbothom, who will play for Hotchkiss this winter, showcased nice hands and an ability to stick-handle to space. I also liked his skating, as he was consistently low to the ice and able to get to optimal positions. He played for Cardigan-Mountain and the Minuteman Flames last season.
Jacob Jett
Nor'Easter Storm 16U, 1/15/2008, F, left shot, 5-10/160
Hometown: Summit, N.J.Â
In my viewing of Nor'Easter on Monday, Jett had two goals against the Militia. The first was early in the game on the power play when he outmuscled opposing defenders to get to the puck and knock it in. He scored a beauty in the second half when he curled and dragged around a defender for a shot that slipped past the goalie. Jett will be an impact player for Avon Old Farms this winter.
Cam MacPherson
Neponset Valley River Rats 16U, 6/19/2008, F, left shot, 5-8/155
Hometown: Hopkinton, Mass.Â
MacPherson started the fall session off with a bang, posting four goals and five points in three games. In Monday's matchup with the Boston Jr. Eagles, he put himself in a great position to pick off an opposing breakout, which led to him scoring on a shot that went low blocker. As was evident last winter when he notched 30 points in 29 games for St. Mark's, MacPherson always finds ways to produce.
Bexultan Makysh
Boston Hockey Academy 16U, 5/24/2008, F, left shot, 5-10/160
Hometown: Astana, KazakhstanÂ
Makysh had a fantastic release. Against the Yale Jr. Bulldogs on Monday night, he opened the scoring early, with a seeing-eye shot over the blocker of the netminder. Moments later, he led a 2-on-1, faking pass the whole time before depositing a quick, hard snapshot for a goal. Makysh also drove play with ease, using his dynamic skating to get up ice and push the pace. He's a sure-fire Division 1 prospect.
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Matthew Portz
Long Island Gulls 16U, 8/24/2008, F, right shot, 5-7/145
Hometown: Massapequa, N.Y.Â
I watched Portz score two beautiful goals on Tuesday. The first featured him getting a pass, dangling around a defender and putting it over the goalie. The second was him finding a soft spot in the slot and getting a perfect pass to one-time into the back of the net. I liked his compete when killing penalties. He was all over opposing defensemen at the point, forcing turnovers.
Stevie Rousell
Neponset Valley River Rats 16U, 3/25/2008, F, right shot, 5-9/157
Hometown: Norwood, Mass.Â
It was a great weekend for Rousell. In Tuesday's game against the Yale Jr. Bulldogs, he scored an outstanding goal in the first half, entering the offensive zone with possession, zipped past a defender and had a nice upstairs finish. Rousell has the speed, shot and skill. This season will be all about putting it together for Rousell, who will be big for Rivers this winter. A three-point weekend is a great start.
Will Schlechtweg
Yale Jr. Bulldogs 16U, 4/16/2008, F, left shot, 6-1/165
Hometown: Goshen, N.Y.Â
The two goals I saw Schlechtweg score weren't anything off the charts — one was a tap-in in front against Boston Hockey Academy, while the other was finishing a 2-on-1 against the River Rats. But it was how hard Schlechtweg worked to put himself in those positions that was impressive. He showcased great hands and was able to drive play well. His vision, both in transition in the neutral zone and in the offensive zone, was high-end. He will be a big player for Kent this winter.
Egor Shilov
Long Island Gulls 16U, 4/30/2008, F, left shot, 6-1/163
Hometown: Tyumen, RussiaÂ
Shilov had a lot of hype around him this weekend after he was selected No. 4 by the Green Bay Gamblers in the USHL Phase 1 Draft earlier this year. What stood out most were his hands and his patience with the puck. He looked effortless in his ability to stickhandle through the opposition, especially in the offensive zone. He would often circle the zone, looking for a passing lane or a route to the net.
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Aleksei Zhukov
Long Island Gulls 16U, 4/18/2008, F, right shot, 5-11/145
Hometown: Yekaterinburg, RussiaÂ
In my viewing of Zhukov on Tuesday against the Militia, he protected the puck well behind the opposing net and made a sweet feed to Portz for a goal. Zhukov was able to drive play well and use his hands and frame to keep away from opposing defenders. He also made a heads-up play late in the game when he forced a turnover at the blue line, entered the zone, drew a defender to him and dropped it to Shilov for a scoring chance.
