WOONSOCKET, R.I. – The six members of the Prep Hockey Conference got together for a three-day showcase with seven of the nine games taking place at Adelard Arena on the campus of Mount Saint Charles.
In addition to the hosts, the other five schools in the Prep Hockey Conference are South Kent, Northwood, Culver, Shattuck-St. Mary’s and St. Andrew’s College. It’s a competitive league with six quality programs, all boasting good players. The league drew a large contingent of NHL and junior scouts, college coaches and agents.
While a number of the top players in the league are already committed to Division 1 colleges, each of the six teams presented notable uncommitted prospects.
Below is a look at 13 uncommitted players who caught my eye on Monday in a chilly Adelard Arena. The list is based on Monday’s action and is not necessarily indicative of the best 13 uncommitted prospects among the six teams.
Connor Arsenault
St. Andrew’s, 3/1/06, C, left shot, 6-1/205
Arsenault wasn’t the most well-known '06 on St. Andrew’s coming into Monday’s game, but he left perhaps the best impression. He had good size, skated well, and played a mature game. Based just on watching him in this game, it was hard to believe he was an '06. From Rothesay, New Brunswick, he’s a player worthy of being recruited by a number of Hockey East and ECAC Hockey schools, among others nationally.
Dean Letourneau
St. Andrew’s, 2/21/06, C, right shot, 6-5/190
Letourneau is being recruited heavily by a handful of prominent Hockey East, ECAC Hockey and Big Ten schools. From Arnprior, Ontario, he’s tall, lanky, skates well for his size, and has a ton of upside. He wasn’t necessarily the best player in Monday’s game, but he was probably the most intriguing. He made a couple of nice plays, including one slip pass on zone entry.
Jack Pechar
South Kent, 3/20/05, RW, right shot, 6-1/185
Pechar scored a goal Monday, and that came on the heels of him recording a hat trick in Sunday’s game. The Niskayuna, N.Y., native has a good shot and a knack for the net. He seems to put himself in good positions to score. His skating has improved since I first noticed him early last season. He’s gotten some interest from ECAC Hockey and Hockey East schools previously and should continue generating buzz among college recruiters.
Sam Crane
Shattuck-St. Mary’s, 6/30/05, RW, right shot, 5-10/174
Crane has been good in several viewings of Shattuck-St. Mary’s this season. He had two assists on Monday and showed creativity and vision with the puck on his stick. He was on the right side of the puck a few times and made a number of smart hockey plays. From Aurora, Ill., he showed well in front of a number of college coaches at this event.
Chris Reiniger
South Kent, 3/27/06, D, right shot, 5-8/157
Reiniger is typically on South Kent’s 16U team, but he played up on Monday. The Crofton, Md., native is on the smaller side, but he’s mobile and skates well. He showed confidence and an ability to make plays with the puck on his stick. He did a good job of getting pucks through from the point. His small stature might be a concern for some Division 1 recruiters and his ceiling is up for debate. However, he looks every bit of a Division 1 offensive, puck-moving defenseman to me.
Richard Baran
South Kent, 10/24/05, D, left shot, 6-1/165
Baran is a late '05 who is continuing to grow on me the more I watch him and his team play this fall. From Bratislava, Slovakia, he had good size, mobility and skating ability. He showed an ability to sidestep forecheckers on breakouts. He moved well with his head up and made a number of smart plays with the puck on his stick.
GOING TO THE SHOW: Top NHL Draft prospects at the Prep Hockey Conference
Matej Teply
South Kent, 3/2/05, D, left shot, 6-0/178
Teply’s skating has stood out a number of times over the last 12 months, but I was impressed with his toughness and willingness to take hits to make a play on retrievals and breakouts. His puck touches and hockey sense aren’t necessarily bad, but they’re areas of his game he can work on in order to become an even better player. From Stamford, Conn., there isn’t an '05 uncommitted defenseman from New England who should be held in higher regard among college programs.
Sebastien Brockman
Shattuck-St. Mary’s, 4/8/04, LW, left shot, 6-6/205
Brockman is a giant winger who draws attention right away when watching games. He skated well for his size and showed a few flashes on Monday, including a third period rush and drive up the middle for a scoring chance. The El Segundo, Calif., native is an intriguing prospect, if he can ever put it all together.
Connor Gengle
Mount Saint Charles, 12/16/05, D, left shot, 5-9/152
Gengle is a late '05 from Grand Rapids, Mich., who played the previous three seasons for Compuware. He’s on the smaller side, but there are a few things to like about his game. He’s solid at both ends of the ice and competes hard. His skating is a valuable asset and he makes smart, simple and efficient decisions. He and teammate Alex Bosland are the top two blue liners on this rendition of Mount.
Jake Gutwirth
Mount Saint Charles, 7/15/05, LW, left shot, 5-8/165
Gutwirth scored his team’s first goal Monday, waiting out the goaltender and slipping a puck just inside the post after he and a teammate’s forecheck forced a turnover. The Brooklyn, N.Y., native is on the smaller side, but he brings a lot of intangibles. He might not be a Hockey East player, but Atlantic Hockey and ECAC Hockey schools should be considering him. He’s gritty, plays hard and is a leader by example.
Henry Thornton
Northwood, 2/23/05, D, left shot, 5-10/149
Thornton is an offensive, puck-moving defenseman who I first noticed a few years ago with the Philadelphia Junior Flyers. The West Chester, Pa., native is on the smaller side, but he gets shots through from the point and can jump-start the transition with his breakout passes. His one assist Monday came via a shot from the point that was redirected for a goal. NAHL and NCDC teams should consider him for 2023-24.
WORLD JUNIOR 'A' CHALLENGE: 6 players with New England ties selected for U.S. team
Jacob Padgett
Culver, 6/4/04, RW, left shot, 5-11/165
Padgett is a player I’ve seen before, but never took notice of until Monday. He scored two goals by hanging around the net front. Listed on the line chart as the team’s first-line right wing, he certainly is taking a step from previous seasons at Culver. From Anchorage, Alaska, he could potentially play some form of junior hockey in 2023-24.
Cole Bauman
Northwood, 6/26/04, RW, right shot, 5-10/155
Bauman isn’t usually in the top three forward group for Mark Morris’ team, but he scored a goal Monday to tie the game and force overtime. He kept possession, wheeling around the zone before a turnaround wrister beat the goaltender above his blocker. He’s an above-average skater and showed a good stick. He’s a long way away from college, but could get to the Division 3 level after two years of junior hockey.
