MILTON, Mass. — Aside from Hotchkiss being in the third-place game, the Flood-Marr wasn't full of upsets like the other prep tournaments. Kimball Union and Salisbury in the final would've been the popular prediction before the weekend, so it was no surprise the two battled in the championship, with KUA coming out on top, 5-2.
The biggest storyline of the weekend was the number of strong standouts — both committed and uncommitted — who had really strong showings.
There are three uncommitted players in particular who I would expect to get heightened levels of interest from colleges after their showings this weekend.
Let's dive into the standouts from the Flood-Marr Tournament.
Committed players
Sam LeDrew
Kimball Union, 3/19/2005, F, right shot, 6-1/175
NCAA: St. LawrenceÂ
In the championship game, LeDrew was the most noticeable player on the ice. His playmaking and finishing abilities were on display throughout the tournament. He finished with an incredible five goals and 11 points in four games. While he's committed to St. Lawrence, it's clear he's going to be someone USHL teams target in the spring.
Grayden Robertson-Palmer
Phillips Andover, 8/29/2007, F, left shot, 5-10/181
NCAA: DartmouthÂ
Robertson-Palmer is Andover's best player. When he was on the ice at the Flood-Marr, he was often the obvious top skater, too. Against Salisbury, he had a number of scoring chances that he earned be it through driving play, skating around defenders or getting to interior ice on his own. He only posted one goal in the tournament, but his impact was still heavily felt. Dartmouth snagged a good one.
Jack Sadowski
Kimball Union, 7/29/2006, F, left shot, 5-11/180
NCAA: New HampshireÂ
Sadowski won Flood-Marr MVP after scoring four goals and nine points in the four games. His most notable outing came in the championship when he matched LeDrew with five points. Sadowski's offensive IQ and shot are his best attributes and will lead to him producing boatloads of points this winter.
Uncommitted
Anthony Biakabutuka
Salisbury, 6/20/2006, D, left shot, 6-3/194Â
One of the biggest takeaways I had from the Flood-Marr: How is Biakabutuka still uncommitted? The two-way force was exactly that this weekend, doing a good job of shutting down opposing forwards in his own end and putting up points at the other. Down three goals to Nobles in the third period, Biakabutuka dished out an assist on Nolan Hens' goal and scored to tie the game, 3-3, late. He assisted on Jared Rothman's goal in OT, too. It was a great weekend for the Longueuil, Quebec, native, who brought his best with a number of colleges in attendance.
Nick Brandano
Milton Academy, 4/24/2006, D, right shot, 5-9/170Â
In his first big prep event since moving from St. John's Prep to Milton, Brandano showed well. He showcased great puck-moving abilities in the offensive zone and has tremendous patience with the puck. He moved along the blue line so well that he created lanes to get pucks to the net. His fleet feet helped him avoid pressure and find open ice, too, often opening up passing lanes.
Tommy Coccaro
Westminster, 4/10/2007, F, right shot, 5-8/161Â
Westminster had a rough showing at the Flood-Marr. Coccaro, however, did not. He played both down the middle and on the right wing, playing alongside UNH commit George McCaffrey (Ridgefield, Conn.) and junior Derek Rhodes (Ludlow, Mass.). Coccaro is small, but his skill and shiftiness allowed him to evade defenders and create offense. He has great hands and has no hesitations about getting to interior ice.
Connor Davis
Salisbury, 11/9/2006, F, right shot, 6-1/174Â
Davis was one of the most impactful players in the Flood-Marr. He played with such a high level of speed and compete, which led to him getting numerous scoring opportunities. That's exactly how he scored the game-tying tally in the championship, as he sped through the neutral zone and into the offensive zone and ripped a goal. Davis should have Division 1 interest.
Joe Feinberg
Milton Academy, 1/10/2007, F, right shot, 5-10/175Â
Feinberg played up with senior center Will Cannata (Milton, Mass.) on the top line. The former BC High product plays on the edge and isn't shy about getting to the front of the net. He's especially strong in the cycle game, as he has patience when looking for a pass.
Billy MacAusland
Nobles, 8/4/2007, F, left shot, 5-10/160Â
The younger MacAusland has had a great start to his season and that continued in the Flood-Marr. He has a high hockey IQ and a strong shot. His ability to read opposing breakouts was solid and he's a key offensive piece for head coach Brian Day. He finished the weekend with two goals and three points, but produced many more scoring chances.
Teddy MacAusland
Nobles, 1/13/2006, F, right shot, 5-9/165Â
The older MacAusland has tremendous vision, and that was evident at the Flood-Marr. His ability to find and create passing lanes to hit linemates Dennis Davidson and Kyle O'Leary is incredibly impressive. He's picked up where he left off last season, potting seven goals and totaling 12 points in eight games.
Blake McMeniman
Kimball Union, 2/28/2007, G, catches left, 5-8/150Â
Prior to this year, the Flood-Marr Tournament featured goalies having coming out parties. Last season it was Milton's Sam Caulfield; the year before was Nobles' Thatcher Bernstein. McMeniman was this year's goalie of the tournament, leading KUA to wins over Westminster, Hotchkiss and Salisbury. In the championship, the Revere, Mass., native made some key saves to halt a comeback by the Crimson Knights.
Tom Molson
Deerfield, 1/5/2005, F, left shot, 5-9/155Â
While Molson is on the smaller side, I'm still shocked a Division 1 program hasn't jumped at the chance to grab him. His playmaking abilities and overall skill are impressive. Even being a smaller player, he's able to avoid big hits and come out of the corner with the puck. He finished the Flood-Marr with three goals and seven points, bringing his total to 16 on the season.
Kyle Murray-Smith
Kimball Union, 1/18/2005, F, left shot, 6-5/255Â
Murray-Smith is one of the most intriguing prospects in the region. Even at 6-foot-5, he has good hands and can help generate chances for his lines. At the Flood-Marr, he played a much tougher game than I've seen out of him before. He used his speed and size to wreak havoc on the forecheck, as well as finishing hits. The big word with the South Stafford, Vt., native is raw.
Andrew O'Sullivan
Kimball Union, 8/15/2006, D, right shot, 5-11/180Â
O'Sullivan falls in the same category as Biakabutuka and Molson: How are these guys not committed yet? O'Sullivan's good skating and even better puck-movement abilities were on display this weekend. Time and time again, he was able to drive play for Kimball Union and with the puck in the offensive zone, his quick feet allowed him to find open passing lanes. O'Sullivan put up one goal and four assists at the Flood-Marr, bringing his point total to 20 in 12 games this season.
