One of the most interesting storylines in prep hockey every year is the breakout players.
There are players who come into every season with high expectations. Cushing stars Landan Resendes (Marlborough, Mass.), Ethan Gardula (Princeton, Mass.), Ryan Philbrick (Concord, N.H.) and Zach Rizzo are great examples. They entered this season as the subjects of our November/December prep school magazine cover feature. All four are having terrific seasons for head coach Paul Pearl’s team, but none are really breaking out since the expectations were already there. They’re just fulfilling (and exceeding) them.
But there are other players around the region who went from having solid seasons last year to becoming top-tier players for their teams. That’s what this story is all about.
I picked nine forwards, five defensemen and two goalies. All had to be somewhere in prep hockey last season. Of course, there are many other great breakout players aside from these 16 names. These 16 have just stood out a lot so far.
Let’s dive in.
FORWARDS
Matt Cataldo
St. Sebastian’s, 5/19/2005, C, left shot, 6-0/194
Last year, Matt’s older brother Mike played a big role for St. Sebastian’s, while his younger brother was a sophomore with nine points in 24 games. Mike graduated and head coach Sean McCann moved Matt up to center the top line. Matt has been a force, leading his team in goals (15) and points (32). He’s heavy on pucks and is great at getting to the dirty areas. If St. Sebastian’s is to make a run in the playoffs, Matt will be a huge reason why.
Eli Chilicki
Berwick, 7/25/2005, LW, left shot, 5-10/170
When then-sophomore forward Justin Massa went down early last season with an injury, Chilicki, also a sophomore, stepped up and showed promise as a force up front. Then he suffered an upper-body injury in the Brooks-Pingree Holiday Tournament and his season was done. This season, as a junior, there have been no such setbacks and Chilicki returned to form — he’s tied for second in the region with 36 points. The center has done it with a rotating cast of wings on both sides of him. He’s a terrific lacrosse player, but this season has shown he’s worthy of college hockey attention, according to head coach Lem Randall. He’s also a high-achieving student.
Dennis Davidson
Nobles, 5/15/2006, C, right shot, 5-9/155
While Nobles doesn’t really have a big star up front as it does in net with Thatcher Bernstein, Davidson has put himself on the map as a sophomore with his ability to create scoring chances and finish goals. As a freshman, the Newton, Mass., native had four goals and eight points in 23 games. This season, however, he leads his team in goals (12) and is tied for the lead in points with 24. On his right has been Ted MacAusland (Westwood, Mass.) and on his left has been Ethan Cox (Westborough, Mass.). All three have been offensive catalysts for a Nobles team that is 16-2-2. As an ‘06, it will be interesting to see where Davidson lands in the college hockey world.
BIG WIN: Standout from Nobles' thrilling OT win over Tabor
Christian Day
New Hampton, 5/26/2004, RW, right shot, 5-8/159
New Hampton’s four-leading scorers from last season (Evan Moore, Alex Moeller, Jake Terra and Dave Helledy) all graduated. Head coach Connor Gorman’s team was in need of someone to step up and Day was one to answer the call. In his second year at New Hampton, Day is playing with confidence he didn’t have last year, as he leads his team in points with 31. That’s a considerable jump from last year when he had one goal and nine points in 31 games. He recently signed a tender with the EHL’s New Hampshire Avalanche and will most likely play Division 3 college hockey.
Gio DiGiulian
Kent, 9/25/2005, C, right shot, 6-0/160
While DiGiulian had started to see his stock rise prior to this season, it’s still been a mighty improvement over last year. There was nothing wrong with DiGiulian’s performance last season — nine goals and 14 points in 27 games as a sophomore on a very good Kent squad. But the South Burlington, Vt., native is leading the charge for the Lions this winter, with his team-high 15 goals and 25 points in 19 games. His great play this season helped secure his commitment to Cornell on Jan. 24.
Mikka Kelechian
Milton Academy, 9/24/2004, C, right shot, 5-9/170
Milton fell on some tough times last season with injuries and losing one-goal games, as the Mustangs finished 9-10-1. Things have gone much differently this year, and Kelechian is a big reason why. The I’ll Bizard, Quebec, native saw a large jump in production from 0.80 points per game last year to 1.44 this year, leading the team with 26 points. His speed helps him create and finish chances. His good play and great character have earned him lots of attention from NESCAC schools.
Ben Merrill
St. Sebastian’s, 11/4/2005, RW, right shot, 6-3/185
Last year as a freshman, the '05 notched two goals and three points in 21 games and was low on the Arrows depth chart. It’s been very different this season, as the sophomore ranks fourth on his team in points with 20. He’s been a key cog on the second line, jumping out with his ability to put himself in the right spot to score goals.
BEST OF THE BEST: Top performers from the first two months of the season
Tom Molson
Deerfield, 1/5/2005, C, left shot, 5-8/154
As a sophomore, Molson was fine, posting two goals and 13 points in 24 games for the 2021-22 Deerfield team, who lost eight more games than it won. In the offseason, however, Molson put a big emphasis on becoming a better two-way forward and playing better away from the puck. The move paid off. Not only has he become a better defensive forward, according to head coach Tim McVaugh, but as Deerfield’s first-line center this year, his 30 points have him right outside the top 10 in the region. Molson is receiving Division 1 college interest but is being patient, according to McVaugh.
Jacob Rothman
Frederick Gunn, 4/22/2005, C, right shot, 5-10/165
Rothman was near the bottom of the forward depth chart at Frederick Gunn last season and didn’t notch a single point. But rather than transferring for his junior year, Rothman stayed to play for head coach Craig Badger’s team and now, through his offensive game based around his great vision and hands, he’s at the top of the depth chart. He centers the top line alongside two other breakout candidates: wings Alex LoGuercio and Mark Pizzo. LoGuercio, a transfer from Andover, is tied with Rotham for the team lead in points with 24. Pizzo provides the aggression to gain space for his two linemates. While there’s nothing set yet, Badger believes Rothman and LoGuercio are sure-fire candidates to play Division 1 college hockey.
DEFENSE
Calvin Beard
St. Mark’s, 10/4/2005, D, right shot, 6-0/185
Beard, a junior, has stepped up mightily on St. Mark’s back end. The defenseman is great at executing smooth breakouts and not panicking with the puck. His puck-moving skills have him ranked first on the team in assists with 19. He leads all defensemen in the region in both points per game (1.25) and points (24). He’s currently talking to Atlantic Hockey schools.
Mason Chen
Milton Academy, 5/31/2004, D, left shot, 5-11/174
Last year was Chen’s first full season in quite a while. The Toronto, Ontario, native missed bits and pieces of the previous three seasons due to a broken wrist and the COVID-19 pandemic. He was solid, playing with NHL Draft pick Chris Romaine (Boston, Mass.) for a fair amount of the season and posting four assists in 20 games.
“You could see there was a little bit more there,” head coach Paul Cannata said of Chen.
COACHING CHANGES: Milton's Paul Cannata to retire at the end of the season
Cannata was right. Chen’s taken a big step, playing top minutes and ranking third on his team in points with 21. He’s averaging a point per game, which ranks inside the top 10 of all defensemen in the region. His great play has generated interest from NESCAC schools.
Ben Cook
Deerfield, 1/31/2005, D, right shot, 6-1/187
Deerfield had high expectations for Cook last year, but he needed shoulder surgery and missed most of the season. Fortunately for Cook, things have gone differently in his junior year. He’s been a two-way force for Deerfield, running the power play and playing valuable five-on-five minutes and on the penalty kill. According to McVaugh, he’s the most physical defenseman he’s coached in the last 10 years. Along with all of this, Cook is averaging almost a point per game with 16 in 18. There’s college interest in Cook, but he’s still proving himself to coaches after last year’s injury.
Mick Frechette
Dexter, 10/27/2003, D, left shot, 6-1/205
It’s impossible not to notice Frechette on the ice. A leader for Dexter, the puck is either always on his stick or he’s battling to regain control of it. His compete level is one of the highest I’ve seen in prep hockey this year. The stats have backed up Frechette’s terrific play this season, as he ranks second among defenders with eight goals. He’s also a great lacrosse player, but he’s hoping to play college hockey. He’s talked with Hockey East, Ivy League and Atlantic Hockey schools.
Zach Walsh
Millbrook, 2/15/2005, D, right shot, 6-0/181
While Millbrook has been snakebitten with injuries and sickness this season, a massive bright spot has been Walsh on defense, as he’s come to the forefront. As a senior, Walsh has 10 goals and 23 points in 19 games, which is the second-most among all defensemen in the region. It’s also a big improvement from his six points last season. While he was still effective last year, this year has seen him take an even bigger jump, as he eats heavy minutes and runs the power play. His stick, good hands and hockey IQ stand out, according to Millbrook head coach Vincent Sorriento. Walsh has had conversations with ECAC schools.
GOALIES
Sam Caulfield
Milton, 8/29/06, G, catches left, 6-1/181
Caulfield is a bit of an exception to the idea of a breakout player. To be on this list, the player had to be in prep hockey last season. Caulfield was on Belmont Hill’s junior varsity team last season.
Since his transfer to Milton Academy, Caulfield has shined, posting a region-best .960 save percentage and a 1.40 GAA, which is good for third in New England. He won the Flood-Marr MVP trophy and is the biggest reason why Milton is in a good spot for the Elite 8. In net, his biggest strength is his athleticism.
Beau Lane
Thayer, 6/16/2004, G, catches left, 6-3/165
Lane’s 3.34 goals-against average and .896 save percentage last season weren’t spectacular, but the expectation for a young Thayer team with a new head coach in David Hymovitz was that the goalie, a senior, was going to need to be the backbone.
LATEST RANKINGS: Belmont Hill and Brunswick join the top 10
He has done that and more. Lane has played in every game for Thayer, amassing an outstanding 1.94 GAA and .941 save percentage, which is good for fourth in the region. While the wins haven’t always been there, Lane led Thayer to play the role of spoiler in victories over Dexter Southfield, Cushing and Tabor.
