WOBURN, Mass. — From Friday to Sunday, Arlington boys coach John Messuri hosted many of the top MIAA boys for games, practices and seminars.
The season is still a few months away, but it gave players a chance to get back into the swing of things as fall hockey quickly approaches.
The event also gave local prep coaches a chance to check out potential recruits.
I caught all six teams on Friday. The games also gave me a chance to see which players may be ready to break out this winter.
When I was at this event last year, I wrote extensively about defensemen being way too jumpy with the puck. Chipping pucks off the glass and out, dumping pucks in and just getting rid of the puck to get rid of it at a showcase is crazy.
There wasn't a lot of that this time around. I was actually more impressed by the defensemen this year than the forwards — and there were some very good forwards. Various defenders rushed pucks and took their time on breakouts to make a proper read and deliver a solid first pass. Sure, there were some turnovers. But at least they were trying to make plays.
Let's dive in.
Daniel Antonellis
Catholic Memorial, 2008, F, right shot, 5-8/165
I'm sure Messuri was looking for a way to change Antonellis' hometown to Arlington on Friday, as his chemistry with Nolan Russell was terrific. He always seemed to find Russell around the net for scoring chances and goals. Antonellis was rewarded with a goal of his own when Russell sifted a beautiful pass to him on a 2-on-1, and the CM forward displayed a great finish.
Jayson Avery
St. Mary’s, 2007, D, right shot, 6-3/180
Big, right-shot defensemen are always in demand, and Avery fits that bill. He laid a big hit in open ice on Friday. Throughout the game, he showed himself to be a stable, reliable force on the back end. He made smart, simple puck plays, too.
James Baker
Catholic Memorial, 8/24/2007, D, right shot, 6-2/170
I was thoroughly impressed with Baker on Friday. The CM defenseman, who tallied an assist on the Division 1 title-winning goal in March, maintained good gaps in the neutral zone and showcased a good stick when breaking up plays. In the offensive zone, he showcased a quick, hard shot that he was able to sift through from the point.
Tyler Bourgea
Tewksbury, 2007, F, right shot, 6-0/170
This wasn't much of a surprise, as Bourgea has been a pain for opposing teams for a while. Bourgea created a lot of offense. But he also didn't hesitate to be a power forward despite it being summer hockey. The Tewksbury standout finished hits, forechecked hard and supported plays well as the third forward high in the zone.
Johnny Connelly
Belmont, 2009, D, left shot, 6-0/160
Connelly showed himself as a reliable puck-mover on Friday. He made smart decisions with pucks on breakouts, in the neutral zone and in the offensive zone. He also picked his spots well to join the offense.
Stephen Constantine
Arlington Catholic, 2007, F, right shot, 5-11/180
Constantine's high compete was on full display. He didn't get knocked off pucks and created offense by driving to the middle of the ice. That helped him drive play, as he drew defenders towards him. He was rewarded with a nice goal on a one-timer from a pass off the stick of Arlington Catholic teammate Tyler Heldenbergh. Constantine played like someone who should be a top player in the MIAA this winter.
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William Doucette
Canton High, 2007, D, left shot, 5-8/150
I've been critical of many MIAA defensemen not being patient with the puck. Doucette doesn't have that problem. The Canton defenseman used his fleet feet and edgework to elude pressure, especially on breakouts, and find passing lanes. He defended his own zone well, too. On opposing rushes, he kept good gaps and picked the right time to use his stick to break up plays.
Chris Giacchetto
Stoneham, 2007, D, left shot, 5-11/165
It felt like Giacchetto was always rushing the puck on Friday. On one rush, he dangled through two defenders and hit the crossbar. He was patient with pucks, especially at the point, getting to space and finding a shooting lane. His offensive upside is high.
JR Goldstein
St. John's Prep, 8/28/2007, D, left shot, 5-9/150
Goldstein was one of the better defenders in the MIAA last season, so it wasn't a huge shock to see him as one of the top players at this event. He had no issue holding onto pucks for an extra second, and he had a good sense of how much pressure was on him, which led to him skating to space.
Christian Hinkle
Catholic Memorial, 2007, F, left shot, 5-9/155
Last time I saw Hinkle play, he re-directed a pass from Baker to Tommy Hurst for the game-winning goal in the Division 1 final. Hinkle scored two goals on Friday. The first came from a shot in the slot. The second was a thing of beauty, as he poked it through a defender to high-danger ice and backhanded it past Bourne High School goalie Jackson Palmborg.
Jake Mulkern
Xaverian, 3/31/2009, F, right shot, 5-6/140
What stood out most with Mulkern were his hands. Despite being undersized, the Xaverian forward was able to navigate through the offensive zone and around defenders to find open passing lanes. He was rewarded with a goal in Friday's game, when he tipped a shot in front of the net.
Axel Osborn
Winchester, 2008, D, right shot, 6-3/170
Osborn really stood out on Friday. The first thing: his skating. Osborn isn't just a good skater for someone who's 6-foot-3 — he's a great skater. He put opposing players on their heels as he flew up ice with the puck on his multiple rushes. He also showcased great hands on those rushes, finding ways to put pucks around defenders. In his own zone, he avoided forechecking pressure to make smart breakouts.
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Nolan Russell
Arlington, 2007, F, left shot, 5-9/160
By far the best player in all three games. He posted a hat trick in the first half of Friday's game, with the first goal coming less than one minute into the matchup. His second goal was a beauty, as he got a nice pass from Antonellis, toe-dragged around a defender and backhanded one past the netminder. He scored on a backhander for the hat trick later in the half, this time dangling two defenders. He was dominant, and I have no doubt that will continue into the winter.
