It’s the time of year that all Maine high school hockey players have circled on their calendars. Maine’s best are driven to represent their towns on the big stage yet again. On the flip side, they might be powering a program on the rise.
Either way, it’s a new start. A clean sheet of ice, if you will.
Many of these teams are composed of players from bordering towns and different schools. But the bond they develop on the ice while competing for one common goal is what makes Maine high school hockey so special.
And whether it is a rising senior on the heels of a 40-point campaign as a senior or a sophomore who made a lasting impression as a freshman, these 13 players check all the boxes and will be exciting to watch around the rinks in Maine this winter.
There are certainly a plethora of other players who have established themselves as proven commodities on their respective teams — and a handful of student-athletes who will break out this season — but these players have already caught the attention of the competitive field.
Colby Carnes | Sr., D, Cheverus/Yarmouth
Perhaps the best two-way blueliner in the league last season, Carnes was a force at both ends of the ice for Cheverus/Yarmouth. He amassed 15-15-30 and is a pugnacious defender with a deep offensive toolbox. Carnes should bode well with new competition as Cheverus/Yarmouth makes the jump to Class A.
Cooper Clark | Sr., F, Cony/Monmouth/Erskine/Mt. Blue/Hall-Dale/Maranacook/Spruce Mt./Winthrop
Clark was the second-leading scorer in the state last season with a staggering 33 goals and 21 assists for 54 points. He more than doubled his 25-point season as a sophomore and will be one of the top talents to watch this winter.
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Cale Hanson | Sr., F, Falmouth
The junior assistant captain posted 12-12-24 a year ago to lead Falmouth in scoring in its run to the semifinals. Hanson will carry the same load this season and is one of the more exciting talents to watch.
Nick Harmon | Sr., F, Scarborough
The talented junior led the team in scoring last winter and is expected to take another sizeable leap this year as Scarborough looks to build upon its 9-9-0 campaign. Harmon totaled 6-10-16 in 18 games.
Aizyk Laliberte | Sr., F, Lewiston
Laliberte turned heads last season for Lewiston with an explosive 29-13-42 campaign and is poised to take another big leap in 2025-26. The sniper has experience showing out on the big stage. In 2024, he recorded a hat trick in the Class A title game to push Lewiston to a championship as a sophomore.
Brody Miller| Jr., D, Hampden Academy
Netting four goals and eight assists for 12 points as a sophomore, Miller is a strong player with advanced puck-moving abilities and is a threat in the offensive zone with the puck on his stick. He is expected to log a significant amount of minutes on the blue line for a Hampden Academy team freshly removed from a 9-6-1 season that yielded a trip to the Class B North semifinals.
Jokubas Mostavicius | Sr., F, Lake Region/Fryeburg Academy/Oxford Hills
A senior winger, Mostavicius put up big numbers last season as a junior. Totaling 12-11-23 in 18 games, Mostavicius has a strong 6-foot-4 frame on the wing and controls the puck well. Mostavicius has a cannon of a shot and is a smart player who can play both sides of the ice on special teams.
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Josh Neal | Sr., F, York/Biddeford/Old Orchard Beach
Neal netted 8-12-20 and was one of York’s primary contributors in a 13-6-0 season in Class B. Neal is feisty in the offensive zone and has developed a strong defensive game. Head coach Peter Douris said he is a natural leader.
Richie Pocius | Sr., G, Kennebunk/Wells
Pocius was one of the best goaltenders in Maine last season and will be an important piece of Kennebunk/Wells this winter on the heels of the program’s most successful season in 10 years. Leading his team to a 13-4-1 record in the regular season and an eventual defeat in the Class B South semifinals, Pocius started every game and coupled a 1.99 goals against average with a 0.938 save percentage.
Jake Skillings | Sr., F, Thornton Academy
Skillings was all over the ice for Thornton Academy last winter en route to the team’s state championship. He filled the net on 21 occasions and totaled 40 points. He’ll make a dangerous duo with fellow senior forward Trent Lesieur (17-24-41).
Gunner Truman| Jr., F, Lake Region/Fryeburg Academy/Oxford Hills
Truman recorded an 11-19-30 stat line as a sophomore and will be a candidate to explode this winter as a junior. Truman is fast and commits to a 200-foot game.
Levi Wagner | Sr., F, Gorham/Massabesic
Wagner was at the nucleus of Gorham’s 13-8 season that produced an appearance in the regional final against Cheverus/Yarmouth. Recording 12-9-21 in 21 games, Wagner will also be tasked with leading the influx of talent from Massabesic in the newly minted Co-op.
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Hakon Yeo | Sr., F, Cheverus/Yarmouth
Yeo was one of the top finishers in Class B last year, dominating with 14-11-25 in 21 games to lead Cheverus/Yarmouth to its second consecutive state crown. Crafty with the puck on his stick, Yeo has a knack for creating space for himself and will backbone Cheverus/Yarmouth this season in its promotion to Class A.
