BOSTON — From Sunday through Tuesday, Harvard's College Hockey Experience took over the Bright-Landry Hockey Center.
Over the three days, players from around the world were treated to full days of practices in the mornings, seminars in the late morning and early afternoons, and games in the afternoon and early evening.
It was run by Harvard men's assistant coach James Marcou. Various college and prep coaches took part in the camp, including Babson's Jamie Rice, Williams' Bill Kangas, Boston College's Brent Darnell, Northeastern's Mike Levine, Colby's Blaise MacDonald, Dartmouth's Jason Tapp, Wesleyan's Chris Potter, Merrimack's Dan Jewell, Cushing's Ryan Bourque, Bowdoin's Ben Guite, Providence's Ron Rolston, Brown's Jason Smith, Boston University's Joe Pereira, New Hampshire's Glenn Stewart and Sacred Heart's Scott McDougall.
I saw every team at least once over the three days. A separate story will be done on defenders.
Let's dive into the uncommitted standout forwards.
Dylan Chery
Team 2/Taft, 2/29/2008, F, left shot, 6-1/179Â
Chery showcased a strong shot. He was able to get it off quickly, like when he had a 2-on-1 in the third period against Team 10. He entered over the offensive blue line and got a hard, fast shot off that surprised the goalie, producing a big rebound that his teammate hit the post with. Chery also had a goal in that game when he came into the slot to capitalize on a turnover and fired a slapper in for a tally. I also liked his hands, his compete and his ability to get to interior ice.
Luca Coschignano
Team 6/PAL Jr. Islanders 15U, 1/1/2008, F, right shot, 5-9/155Â
Coschignano was always involved when I watched him play Team 5. On Matthew Regan's goal at the end of the second period, it was Coschignano's heads-up pass that got the play started. In the third period, Coschignano sped down the wing and sniped one over the goalie's glove.
BEANTOWN CLASSIC: 10 standout forwards | 8 standout defenders
Brendan Finley
Team 4/Chicago Mission, 7/21/2008, F, right shot, 5-8/150Â
Finley played on a line with JT Rothstein and the two were highly effective. Finley's speed and hands made him a force on the right wing. He was able to force turnovers of opposing players to kick start the rush the other way. When in the offensive zone, he made smart reads and passes to get to high-danger area and have sustained zone time. Finley had a heads-up play on a breakaway against Team 7. He was stopped on the first shot but rather than skate by the net, he stopped in front and stuffed in the rebound.
Austin Groves
Team 7/North Jersey Avalanche 15O, 5/21/2008, F, left shotÂ
My first thought when I watched Groves play: he looks, skates and plays like Mid Fairfield and Westminster forward George McCaffrey (Ridgefield, Conn.), who is a UNH commit. He drove play and was able to generate speed with the puck on his stick. His head was up, constantly surveying the ice for passing lanes. Groves was able to support the play well and reload when possession changed. He also had a quick, effective snapshot.
Ayden Heron
Team 8/PAL Jr. Islanders 16U, 6/8/2007, F, right shot, 5-10/154Â
Against Team 3, Heron was highly effective. He scored in regulation, backhanding a shot from the side of the net that snuck past the goalie. After a late comeback by his team, Heron won the game in a shootout giving Team 8 a 7-6 victory. Heron consistently gained offensive zone entries throughout the game.
Mason Kim
Team 4/Mississauga Chargers, 1/18/2007, F, right shot, 5-6/132Â
Kim was consistently able to use his speed to put himself in good offensive situations. He scored against Team 7 by rushing into the offensive zone and dishing it off to Finley. Kim then darted for the front of the net where he tipped a pass from Finley into the back of the net. Kim also protected pucks well when he had control in the offensive corners and was able to facilitate.
RECRUITING: Providence scores big '07 commits
Giovanni LaRusso
Team 5/Canterbury, 6/5/2007, F, left shot, 6-1/181Â
LaRusso's size helped him throughout the camp. He battled hard along the walls in puck battles. His size and compete aided him in knocking other players off of the puck. He wasn't afraid of contact when taking the puck hard to the net. Against Team 6, he generated speed quickly off the rush and had a nice backhand finish past the goalie. Canterbury is set to have some turnover at the top of the roster. LaRusso looks poised to step into that vacuum.
Iain Olsen
Team 3/Kimball Union, 3/7/2006, F, left shot, 6-1/181Â
Olsen plays at such a high pace and with power. In Sunday's matchup with Team 8, he scored 29 seconds in by using his speed to advance a 2-on-1. Later in the first period, he flew down the left side of the ice, stickhandled around a laid-out defender and sniped one over the goalie's glove. He drove play so much that he had multiple chances throughout the game, generating off the rush. Olsen will be counted on to take a big step forward as a senior at Kimball Union this coming season.
Rowen Sang
Team 10/Oakville Rangers, 3/3/2008, F, left shot, 6-1/157Â
Sang played like a Division 1 prospect. He used his size, compete and skating to get to high-danger areas. In the second period of his game against Team 2, he got loose in the front of the net and outmuscled defenders to get to two rebounds. Later in the period, he came down the slot and scored on a heavy shot into the top corner. He consistently took smart routes in the offensive zone, often drawing attention and then dishing out to players who were open.
Richard Shin
Team 1/Kent, 1/17/2008, F, right shot
The name of the game for Shin was his skating. His ability to play at high speeds and sift through neutral zone and offensive zone coverages was impressive. On his offensive reads, both forechecking and with the puck on his stick, he made intelligent decisions. A good example of his abilities was in the third period of his game against Team 5. He got the puck up at the point, dangled through two opposing players, took another couple of steps and took a hard, low shot off the goalie's pad, producing a big rebound.
THE FUTURE: What's next for Cushing? Ryan Bourque lays out his vision
JT Rothstein
Team 4/Taft, 1/19/2008, F, left shot, 5-9/154Â
Rothstein was the best forward at the camp. His combination of speed, hands and IQ set him apart. Against Team 7, he had a great sequence when he came off the half wall, cut middle, navigated through defenders and sniped a quick shot over the goalie's glove. He scored on a spin-o-rama backhander over the goalie's blocker against Team 3 on Tuesday. Even when he wasn't scoring, his ability to make plays in tight and his vision in the offensive zone made him so effective. He's a player to watch for a Division 1 commitment come Aug. 1.
Andrew Waugh
Team 3/Belmont Hill, 3/31/2006, F, right shot, 5-11/185
Waugh had quite the start to his time at the camp. In Sunday's matchup with Team 8, he notched a hat trick, as well as an assist. His first goal came off a snipe from the high slot, while the other two were all about him going hard to the net and gaining position. He tipped one off a shot from a Brady Sloper shot. On the other, he fought hard to the net to tap it in. His presence was felt everywhere, such as when he laid out a defender with the puck at the defensive blue line and started a rush the other way that led to him drawing a penalty. Waugh, a rising senior, will be relied on quite a bit at Belmont Hill this winter.
