The boys hockey All-NEPSAC selections came out on Friday, and they looked a whole lot different.
Instead of being divided into East and West schools, the NEPSAC opted to divide it into Elite 8, Large School and Small School sections.
More players got All-NEPSAC and honorable mentions than before. There are fewer snubs, and more players got the recognition they deserved.
Admittedly, it's harder to poke holes in.
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Another thing the NEPSAC did differently: They named a Player of the Year. Avon Old Farms goalie and Tufts commit Anthony Palmer (Lynnfield, Mass.) won that after leading his team to an Elite 8 title.
I'm only going to list the All-NEPSAC winners. You can see the full list of honorable mentions here.
Let's go through each section and react to it.
Elite 8
- Avon Old Farms: Nico Ciardiello, F
- Avon Old Farms: Anthony Palmer, G
- Avon Old Farms: Max Yakub, D
- Belmont Hill: Matt Carolan, F
- Belmont Hill: Evan Jones, D
- Dexter Southfield: Myles Brosnan, D
- Kimball Union: Anthony Leech, D
- Kimball Union: Josh Phillips, F
- Salisbury: Jordan Rittenberg, G
- Salisbury: Luke Walkauskas, F
- St. Mark's: Will Manchuso, F
- St. Mark's: Evan Nee, F
- St. Mark's: Caiden Pellegrino, F
- St. Sebastian's: Jack Queally, F
- St. Sebastian's: Tommy Saulnier, G
- Hotchkiss: Jake Harrison, F
- Hotchkiss: Aidan Patton, F
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TakeawaysÂ
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- The glaring omission here is Hotchkiss goalie Neilan Johnson. The Northeastern commit ranked second in the region in goals-against average (1.79) and third in save percentage (.940). The 2026 NHL Draft prospect was the biggest reason why Hotchkiss got the No. 5 seed in the Elite 8 and made it to the semifinals.
- Two other players I probably would've had on mine: Belmont Hill forward Patrick Woods (Charlestown, Mass.) and Salisbury forward Greyson Espenshade. Woods led his team with 39 points, while Espenshade, a Yale commit, posted 19 goals and 38 points. At least Woods was an honorable mention, while I'm surprised Espenshade wasn't.
- Another player I'm surprised wasn't at least an honorable mention: Kimball Union senior goalie Cam Ingram. He stepped in early when Luca Campo went down and posted a 2.05 GAA and a .920 save percentage. Ingram also earned a 28-save shutout against Salisbury in the Elite 8 quarterfinals.
- I agree with Brosnan as Dexter's lone representative. With his 51 points, which led all defensemen, he rose above a crowded and stacked lineup. I wouldn't have been opposed to forwards JP Messuri (Arlington, Mass.) or Noah Survilas (Winthrop, Mass.) getting honorable mentions, though.
- Can't argue with Ciardiello, Palmer and Yakub — those three were vital throughout the season, but especially in the Elite 8 tournament.
- That St. Mark's trio, man. Pellegrino: 75 points. Nee: 60 points. Manchuo: 32 goals and 59 points. They found a way to exceed sky-high expectations and turn in three dominant seasons.
Large School
- Austin Prep: Liam Conley, F
- Brunswick: Keegan Kazan, F
- Brunswick: Ben Lombardi, F
- Brunswick: Mason St. Louis, F
- Choate: Easton Kinsler, F
- Choate: Greg Najda, F
- Cushing: Axel Favreau, F
- Cushing: Sebastian Mogull, F
- Cushing: Mason Raycroft, G
- Deerfield: Matteo Alvarez, F
- Deerfield: Elliot Lennon, G
- Loomis Chaffee: Logan Ferrara, F
- Phillips Andover: Edouard Lord, G
- Phillips Andover: David O'Neill, F
- Phillips Exeter: Noah Poinsett-Yoshida, F
- St. Paul's: Mitch Smith, F
- St. Paul's: Blake Truchon, G
- Tabor: Vinnie D'Urso, G
- Tabor: Ethan Travis, F
- Thayer: Brian McFadden, D
- Thayer: Tyler Moschella, G
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TakeawaysÂ
- The glaring omission here is Williston Northampton goalie Kamden Jackson, who wasn't even an honorable mention. He had the top save percentage (.945) in the region, while ranking fourth in GAA (1.88) among goalies with at least 1,000 minutes played. While Williston didn't make the Large School tournament, Jackson was the reason why they were over .500.
- Obviously, most of the All-NEPSAC selections made the playoffs, but Nobles forward Billy MacAusland (Westwood, Mass.), with his 45 points on a nine-win team, would've made sense as a selection instead of an honorable mention. The Brown commit was one of the region's best players.
- A similar thing can be said about Kent's Jack Broderick. The Cornell commit scored 17 goals and tallied 44 points in 25 games. He was an honorable mention, but his high-end play would've made sense as an All-NEPSAC selection. I'm also surprised fellow Kent forward Lucas Husted-Edwards wasn't an honorable mention with his 17 goals and 38 points in 24 games.
- Three forwards who I would've probably at least made honorable mentions: Trinity-Pawling's Andrew Migliore, Taft's JT Rothstein and Austin Prep's Ryan Mogielnicki (Hudson, N.H.). Migliore had 45 points on a six-win team, Rothstein notched 35 points in 24 games and Mogielnicki scored 29 times and tallied 48 points.
- A defenseman I would've made an honorable mention: Milton's Justin Garvey, who had 25 points in 29 games.
Small School
- Berkshire: Matt Lacombe, F
- Berkshire: James McMurray, F
- Canterbury: Tommy Browne, D
- Canterbury: Cody Hew, G
- Groton: Elliot Wood, F
- Holderness: Michael Delaney, F
- Holderness: Viktor Samal, F
- Holderness; Jack Welby, F
- Millbrook: Sam Gero, F
- New Hampton: Johnny Niemela, F
- New Hampton: Sam Zygulski, G
- Pingree: Max Levine-Stein, G
- Pomfret: Rich Cavanagh, F
- Pomfret: Ian Sherman, D
- St. George's: Max Donatelli, F
- Rivers: Carter Felt, F
- Rivers: Jonathan Rivard, F
- Winchendon: Cooper Ludwar, F
- Winchendon: Charlie Puglisi, F
- Winchendon: Jackson Smail, F
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Takeaways:Â
- My one addition to the All-NEPSACs would be Governor's goalie Timmy Heaslip. His 2.14 GAA and .923 save percentage both ranked top 10 among goalies with at least 1,000 minutes played. The 6-foot-3 junior had a fantastic season, and he wasn't even an honorable mention.
- Some forwards I would've given honorable mentions: St. George's Aiden Ferreira (Warwick, R.I.) and Cam Daigle (East Greenwich, R.I.), Proctor's Luke Long (Braintree, Mass.) and Groton's Nate Moons. Ferreira (36 points) and Daigle (33) both averaged over 1.30 points per game. Long led Proctor with 18 goals and 40 points, while Moons led Groton with 39 points in 27 games.
- A goalie I would've given at least an honorable mention spot to: Berkshire's Alex Kim. He quietly led all goalies in GAA (1.62). The Leonia, Mass., native should have a strong senior season next winter.
- This group has some big producers. Puglisi led the region in points with 76. Smail had 30 goals. Donatelli put up 50 points as the guy at St. George's. Browne led all defensemen in goals with 18.
