15 takeaways from boys All-NEPSAC selections

The NEPSAC boys hockey season has been over for almost a month now. First, there were new champions crowned. Avon Old Farms took the Elite 8 title, while Taft snagged the Large School and Lawrence Academy won the Small School championship. Now it's time to break the season down. The conference released its list of...

This article is only available to paid subscribers.

Subscribe Now

Already a subscriber? .

Now it's time to break the season down.

The conference released its list of All-NEPSAC selections for the East and West while handing out a slew of honorable mentions. These were picked by coaches sending in submissions and then coaches voting on their region. Coaches could not vote for their own players.

This is far from the only story we'll have breaking down the 2022-23 boys prep season. Along with the standout first-year players that we already featured, New England Hockey Journal will have a lot more in the coming weeks.

- ADVERTISEMENT -

Let's take a look at, and react to, who made it.

East

Forwards

Sebbie Johnson, St. Mark's, sr.
Landan Resendes, Cushing, jr.
Ethan Gardula, Cushing, sr.
Ronan O'Donnell, Belmont Hill, sr.
Jackson Kyrkostas, Kimball Union, sr.
Jacob Pohl, Milton, sr.

Defense

Sean Keohane, Dexter, sr.
Ryan Philbrick, Cushing, sr.
Matthew Biotti, Belmont Hill, sr.
Mason Chen, Milton, sr.

Goalies

Thatcher Bernstein, Nobles, soph.
Sam Caulfield, Milton, soph.

Takeaways

- ADVERTISEMENT -

1. My first reaction when I saw this list: I was a little surprised St. Mark's forward Richard Gallant (Concord, Mass.) didn't make it. Then I thought about it and it made some sense. Despite averaging almost two points per game over 17 games, he was missed time to injuries for portions of the season. Others deserved it more. But then I was really surprised when I saw he didn't get an honorable mention. Johnson, the St. Mark's forward who made it, was extremely deserving. He posted 50 points in 29 games and stepped up when Gallant went down.

2. Milton deserves the three spots it got here. When Mikka Kelechian went down with an injury, Pohl increased his output even more, finishing the season with a team-high 18 goals and 39 points. His speed helped him create a ton of chances. Chen ranked second on his team in points (31) and fourth among defensemen in the region. His ability to thrive in every situation for head coach Paul Cannata was a huge advantage. But the big reason why Milton earned the No. 3 seed in the Elite 8 Tournament was Caulfield in net. He finished the season tied for the best save percentage (.948) in New England.

3. Keohane's number didn't pop the way onlookers thought it would (4-12—16) and the feeling from scouts was that his stock dropped for the NHL Draft in June. That doesn't mean he didn't prove himself to be a really solid two-way defender with his skating and elite shot. Coaches factored that in when giving him a spot on the East Team.

4. No surprise to see three from Cushing. Resendes and Gardula both eclipsed 50 points and were catalysts in getting the Penguins to the Elite 8 championship game. Philbrick, a UNH commit, posted a nice season with 23 points and established himself as a stable presence on defense.

5. One could make the case that there's no more naturally talented goalie in prep hockey than Bernstein. But two other goaltending candidates for that spot were Beau Lane (Pembroke, Mass.) and Cooper Rautenstrauch. Lane posted a 2.09 goals-against average and a .936 save percentage for a very young Thayer team. Rautenstrauch had a great team in front of him but was a reliable presence in net with his 1.71 GAA and a .927 save percentage.

- ADVERTISEMENT -

6. If they picked an MVP as they did on the girls side, Kyrkostas would have a strong case for it. He led the region in points with 58 and was the main reason why head coach Tim Whitehead's team secured the No. 8 spot in the Elite 8. He drove play and was one of prep hockey's most effective and dynamic players this season. Resendes and Caulfield would be the other MVP candidates.

BEST OF THE BEST: Top performers from the 2022-23 season

7. The big snub on defense was Calvin Beard (Southborough, Mass.) of St. Mark's. He ranked second in the region in points (33) among defensemen and made a strong impact at both ends of the ice.

8. Two other defensemen who had strong cases for spots were Dexter's Mick Frechette (Weston, Mass.) and Belmont Hill's Lenny Greenberg. Frechette, who committed to Boston University earlier in March, had 11 goals and 25 points, second on his team. He was a wrecking ball when he was on the ice. Greenberg had 12 goals and 27 points for Belmont Hill. A Sacred Heart commit, Greenberg was an offensive dynamo whenever he jumped over the boards and his feet hit the ice.

West

Forwards

Alex LoGuercio, Frederick Gunn, jr.
Joe Connor, Avon Old Farms, sr.
Gio DiGiulian, Kent, jr.
Jed Brazo, Canterbury, sr.
Ryan Shaw, Westminster, jr.
Jackson Holl, Taft, sr.

Defense

Christian Wood, Frederick Gunn, sr.
Zach Walsh, Millbrook, jr.
Alex Bales, Kent, jr.
Alex Zakrzewski, Salisbury, sr.

Goalies

Stephen Peck, Avon Old Farms, sr.
Rudy Guimond, Taft, sr.

Takeaways

1. Drew DellaSalla is the glaring snub here. The Harvard commit isn't just not included in the All-NEPSAC West Team, but he's not even an honorable mention. He finished with 13 goals and 44 points over 31 games. He was a massive reason why Brunswick advanced to the second round of the Elite 8 Tournament. DellaSalla not being anywhere on here is stunning.

2. No one should be shocked by the two goalies picked. Both Peck and Guimond had dazzling seasons. Peck led the region in GAA (1.26) and was tied with Caulfield for the lead in save percentage (.948). He also led the Winged Beavers to an Elite 8 championship. Guimond was arguably the best goalie in prep this season. He faced a ton of rubber and still posted a great 2.34 GAA and a .943 save percentage, leading Taft to the Large School championship.

3. If they picked MVP, Guimond would be the favorite. It's hard to imagine anyone else beating him out. He was as stellar as it gets for head coach Ryan Shannon.

4. It can't be overstated just how important Shaw was to Westminster's success. His 18 goals and 45 points powered head coach Tim Joncas' team into the No. 7 seed in the Elite 8. In that 6-4 win over Belmont Hill in the regular season finale, the game that got Westminster into the Elite 8, Shaw brought his best, scoring a goal and two assists. That was the norm all season from the East Longmeadow, Mass., native.

5. Walsh led all defensemen across New England in points with 35. While Millbrook didn't contend for a spot in the postseason, that shouldn't diminish the play of Walsh, who played big minutes for head coach Vincent Sorriento's team this winter and played in all situations.

6. Like Millbrook, Canterbury had a sub-.500 record. That didn't stop Brazo from being Canterbury's best player and one of the top forwards in New England. The '03 notched 27 goals and 56 points. He earned that spot on the West Team.

THE BEGINNING: 16 standout first-year players in boys prep hockey

7. Frederick Gunn and Kent were the two schools to get two skaters. LoGuercio was one of the best goal scorers in the region with his 28, ranking second only to Worcester Academy's Connor Dozois (Grafton, Mass.). It only made sense that LoGuercio had two goals in the Small School championship game. Wood, an '04, was a leader on defense for Frederick Gunn, finishing with five goals and 27 points. DiGuilian was a breakout star for Kent, as the Cornell commit potted 17 goals and 29 points in 23 games. Bales dealt with injuries throughout the season but was impactful when he was on the ice. The Providence commit had four goals and 13 points in 14 games.