It's a big year for the '08s. The first step of that was this past weekend at the Mass. Hockey boys festival.
From Friday to Sunday, players battled for spots in the Final 40, which were just announced. Players now turn their attention to making it to USA Hockey's Select 17 Camp, which is big. There, colleges get a great glimpse of prospects taking on other top players in their age group. It's also the first time the next NHL Draft class is scouted.
I caught the '08s on Sunday morning, getting to see every team once. Some top '08s aren't in this story, and it doesn't mean they had bad weekends — it just means they weren't standouts when I saw them on Sunday.
Let's dive in.
Thomas Broderick
Dexter Southfield, 1/21/2008, D, left shot, 6-0/200
Hometown: Norwood, Mass.Â
Broderick can always be counted on for at least two big, open-ice hits every game, and he delivered those on Sunday. He played a simple game, with smart, quick passes to transition his team up ice. He defended his own blue line well, too. On one sequence, he got the puck in the neutral zone on the power play. He evaded a forechecker and entered the offensive zone, where he protected the puck and held onto it until he found an open teammate for a scoring chance.
Gavin Callahan
Mount St. Charles, 4/12/2008, D, left shot, 6-1/181
Hometown: Lexington, Mass.Â
Callahan's puck handling and decision-making always impress me, and that was the case again on Sunday. At the opposing blue line, he used deception and fakes to get defenders to bite so he could take open ice in the opposite direction. In his own zone, he maintained good gaps, had a great stick and wasn't afraid to block shots. He's one of the better two-way defenders among '08s in Massachusetts.
MOVING TO COLLEGE: How many players from the Mass. Hockey Festival eventually play college hockey? Â
James Curtatone
Lovell Academy, 3/21/2008, F, left shot, 5-10/161
Hometown: Somerville, Mass.Â
Curtatone showcased a nice hockey IQ on Sunday. Late in the second half, he made a good read to pick off a pass in his own zone before taking it for a breakaway and getting a prime scoring chance. Earlier in the game, he showed great vision when he found Ben Short (Lunenburg, Mass.) across the offensive zone at the far post for a scoring chance.
Michael Federico
Thayer, 7/1/2008, F, left shot, 5-10/172
Hometown: Hanover, Mass.Â
Federico's patience and poise with the puck were impressive. He was never in a rush to get rid of the puck, but he was always on the lookout for passing lanes. He assisted on one of Will Manchuso's (Concord, Mass.) three goals when he got the puck from Manchuso on a 2-on-0 and gave it back at the perfect time. Federico also hit a teammate with a behind-the-back pass from the side of the net to a better scoring area. He also made a nice read on an opposing zone exit that resulted in a breakaway.
Chase Field
Lawrence Academy, 3/1/2008, F, left shot, 5-9/151
Hometown: Barnstable, Mass.Â
Field notched a goal on Sunday when he tipped a shot by Braden Short (Yarmouth Port, Mass.) and it was topped, but Field put the rebound in. Field's speed did him wonders, as he consistently drove play and was able to make defenders drift back to account for it. Side note: I will never get over him being the same name as where the Arizona Diamondbacks play.
Phin Howard
St. Mark's, 1/30/2008, D, right shot, 5-10/160
Hometown: Newton, Mass.Â
Howard's footwork and skating were superb on Sunday. On one breakout, he had the puck next to his team's net and sidestepped a forechecker and calmly continued skating the puck up ice. He was stout defensively, too. As David Bosco (Winchester, Mass.) bore down on him in a 1-on-1, Howard kept his stick on his and knocked the puck away. Later, Howard and Matthew Krayer (Concord, Mass.) raced for a puck. Howard used his body to fend off Krayer, win the loose puck and execute a breakout.
Will Manchuso
St. Mark's, 1/8/2008, F, left shot, 6-0/185
Hometown: Concord, Mass.Â
Sunday was the best I've ever seen Manchuso, as he tallied a hat trick before the first half was over. His first goal was a quick, accurate shot off the rush, the second was on a 2-on-0 and the third was a rebound in front. But the biggest thing with Manchuso was just how much of a dominant force he was. He's a powerful skater, and it showed on Sunday. Early in the second half, he drew a penalty with his speed. He's a name NHL scouts should come to know next season.
2010 STANDOUTS: 14 standout forwards from the first weekend of Mass. Hockey boys festival | 5 standout defenders
Brian McFadden
Thayer, 1/8/2008, D, right shot, 6-5/181
Hometown: Holbrook, Mass.Â
Speaking of NHL scouts, I think many will be watching McFadden this coming winter. His offensive abilities for a 6-foot-5 defenseman are outstanding, as was evident on an assist he notched at the end of Sunday's first half. McFadden rushed the puck and got inside, but took it back to the perimeter for more space. He took it around the net and found Braden Short (Yarmouth Port, Mass.) for an easy goal. McFadden regularly executed breakouts by himself, even with forecheckers coming from multiple angles. On one play, the big man even did a spin move to get out of danger.
Owen McHale
Dexter Southfield, 2/17/2008, F, left shot, 6-2/190
Hometown: Charlestown, Mass.Â
McHale had the lone goal in Sunday's game, when he converted on a Miles Mireault (Topsfield, Mass.) rebound. McHale was impossible to miss throughout the game as he put pressure on defenders who had the puck and always finished checks. In the first half, he drew a penalty with his speed. He was stout along the walls, winning his puck battles and using his frame to help him.
JP Messuri
Arlington High, 6/19/2008, F, left shot, 5-5/152
Hometown: Arlington, Mass.Â
Messuri had his usual high compete on Sunday. In the second half, he broke up a play in the neutral zone and took it the other way for a 2-on-1. He passed it back to the trailer, making it a 3-on-1, which was a heads-up, high IQ play. I'm always impressed at how Messuri protects pucks, especially in corners.
Nolan Nassar
Governor's Academy, 4/18/2008, D, right shot, 6-2/175
Hometown: North Andover, Mass.Â
While I didn't see the '08s on Friday and Saturday, I was surprised Nassar didn't at least move on to the Final 40. He maintained good gaps off the rush on Sunday, intelligently positioning his stick to break up plays. On one rush by Patrick Semanchick (Lexington, Mass.), Nassar played it perfectly, eventually knocking him down and moving the puck up ice. Nassar doesn't have the quickest feet, but his size helps him make up for it.
David O'Brien
Long Island Gulls, 3/29/2008, D, left shot, 5-7/150
Hometown: Weymouth, Mass.Â
O'Brien was outstanding on Sunday. His great skating allowed him to join the offensive rush with ease. On one play, he had the puck at the opposing blue line and, with limited room, was able to curl away from the defender back towards the blue line, but stayed in the zone and eventually got a shot off. His defense was solid, too. Late in Sunday's second half, he got under Noah Survilas (Winthrop, Mass.) and broke up his rush, grabbing the puck and sending it the other way.
FINAL 40: Check out the rosters for next weekend
Brady Sloper
Belmont Hill, 5/21/2008, D, right shot, 6-2/198
Hometown: North Andover, Mass.Â
Sloper was responsible and creative with the puck on Sunday. On one sequence at the opposing blue line, he flipped the puck to the middle of the ice away from a defender and got a shot off. When there was pressure on him in his own zone, he turned up the wall to elude pressure and execute the zone exit. He also picked the right times to step up in the neutral zone to break up plays.
