Every year, prep coaches hope their first-year players can come in and make an impact alongside the returning players.
There were quite a few first-year prep players who were massive for their teams this season. Some were key cogs while others provided significant depth.
A lot of these players will be projected to make significant impacts in 2023-24.
Let's dive in.
FORWARDS
Blake Burke
Westminster, 5/18/06, C/LW, left shot, 6-0/175Â
Burke arrived at Westminster from Mid Fairfield and took some time to adjust to prep hockey, moving around the top nine. But once he settled in after the holiday tournaments, he thrived, posting 14 goals and 30 points in 26 games. He mainly played the left wing alongside Ryan Shaw (East Longmeadow, Mass.) and Brian Judge. Burke has a good frame and is a great skater. According to head coach Tim Joncas, his next step will be improving his ability to get between the dots and generate even more chances. Burke has received interest from ECAC and Atlantic Hockey schools, per Joncas.
Cam Caron
New Hampton, 6/21/07, C, left shot, 6-2/185Â
New Hampton head coach Connor Gorman knew Caron would produce in his first year in prep hockey after coming over from Dracut/Tyngsboro High School. He had no idea Caron, a freshman, would put up the kind of numbers he did: 18 goals and 47 points in 34 games, centering the top line and bolstering his stock as a 200-foot player. His hockey IQ was one of the biggest reasons Caron burst onto the scene and led all freshmen in points.
Sam Ciappa
Canterbury, 12/9/05, RW, right shot, 5-8/140Â
Ciappa's speed and quickness were his biggest assets when he first took the ice for Canterbury this past winter. Ciappa played on the first line with captains Jed Brazo and Jake Kloss and the production was consistent — Ciappa potted 23 goals and finished the season second on the team in points with 43. He was on both the first power play and penalty kill units. It's a big summer coming up for Ciappa, who will be a junior next season, as colleges start to inquire about him. His next big step will be stepping into a leadership role, according to head coach Paddy McCarthy.
Jaden Davis
Berkshire, 7/15/04, FWD, left shot, 5-8/141Â
Davis arrived at Berkshire from Lac St-Louis Lions in Quebec. The senior ended the season as Berkshire's leading scorer with 13 goals and 34 points in 29 games.
Mark Evangelous
Worcester Academy, 2/10/04, C, left shot, 5-7/160Â
After playing at Marlborough High School, Evangelous made the move to Worcester Academy and immediately was head coach Bob Lavin's first-line center. He adapted to prep hockey quickly, using his speed and competitiveness to play in all situations and match up well against the opposition's top lines. He ranked second on his team in points with 43, right behind Connor Dozois (Grafton, Mass.) who led the region with 30 goals in 38 games.
PLAYOFF TIME: Top performers from the NEPSAC playoffs
Sam LeDrew
Kimball Union, 3/19/05, RW, right shot, 6-1/161Â
LeDrew was a vital piece of head coach Tim Whitehead's top line, playing on the right side of Jackson Kyrkostas (Windham, N.H.) and Jack Sadowski (who we'll get to in a bit). LeDrew finished the season with 17 goals and 39 points, as he shot the puck a lot and helped set his linemates up for goals. He played with a lot of speed this year. His biggest challenge next year will be becoming more of a 200-foot force. There has been interest from Division 1 colleges, according to Whitehead.
Jack Sadowski
Kimball Union, 7/29/06, LW, left shot, 6-0/180
NCAA: New HampshireÂ
Sadowski already has a college logo next to his name, and rightfully so. The former Arlington High School standout popped in his first year under Whitehead, leading the team with 24 goals and ranking second in points (42). His hockey sense helped him find open space in the offensive zone and he was a vital net-front presence. Like LeDrew, he'll be a huge piece for Kimball Union next season.
HOW IT HAPPENED: Avon wins Elite 8 | Taft wins Large School | Lawrence Academy wins Small School
Justin Tavares
Deerfield, 3/5/06, C/LW, left shot, 5-9/146Â
Tavares was used as his team's second-line center at times. When the injury bug hit, he moved up to left wing on the first line with Tom Molson as his center. No matter where he was, Tavares produced, finishing the year with 14 goals and 33 points in 26 games, ranking second on the team. He found his way to Deerfield because up in Mississauga, Ontario, he would've been forced to pick one of hockey or lacrosse.
Derek Tremblay
Taft, 2/18/05, LW, left shot, 5-10/170Â
Tremblay made his way to Taft from Academie-St. Louis and made a consistent impact throughout the season, finishing with 12 goals and 35 points in 22 games. He began the season on the second line but moved up to the left side of J.J. Lemieux and Jackson Holl (Avon, Conn.). That trio was a huge reason Taft finished the season as the Large School champion. Tremblay impressed with his ability to make plays at high speeds. According to head coach Ryan Shannon, roughly half a dozen Division 1 schools have expressed interest in him, as he's also a strong student.
DEFENSEMEN
Dante Ersoni
North Yarmouth Academy, 6/23/05, D, left shot, 6-1/175Â
Ersoni came to NYA from Kuper Academy in Canada. He proved himself as a two-way force for head coach Mike Warde, ranking fifth in the region in points among defensemen with 30, averaging just under a point per game. As the season rolled on, Ersoni got free rein to take chances because of his good skating, vision and passing, according to Warde.
Lenny Greenberg
Belmont Hill, 3/7/05, D, right shot, 6-0/174
NCAA: Sacred HeartÂ
When I met with Belmont Hill head coach Brian Phinney before the start of the season, one name he told me to keep an eye on was Greenberg — a new defenseman from El Segundo, Calif., who had high offensive capabilities. Well, it was hard to not keep an eye on Greenberg, as his dynamic play on Belmont Hill's back end always stood out. He finished the year with 12 goals and 27 points in 30 games, playing a large role on the power play.
Caeden Herrington
Holderness, 1/26/06, D, right shot, 6-1/165
NCAA: VermontÂ
Herrington's first week in prep hockey set the tone for his season. On Tuesday, Nov. 29, he committed to the University of Vermont. One day later, he scored the eventual game-winner against Hebron on the "Michigan". He went on to post five goals and 21 points in 29 games, helping Holderness score the No. 2 seed in the Small School Tournament. His two-way abilities, along with his skating, stood out.
Andrew O'Sullivan
Kimball Union, 8/15/06, D, right shot, 5-11/165
While O'Sullivan isn't committed anywhere yet, Whitehead has been getting a lot of calls from Division 1 college hockey coaches. It makes sense when you look at the body of work O'Sullivan put forth this season. Along with his five goals and 26 points in 34 games, his defensive abilities improved a lot and his play with the puck got even better. His decision-making got better, too. He did all of that with an injured shoulder, which he had surgery on when the season ended.
Jake Stevens
Canterbury, 10/20/05, D, right shot, 5-10/165Â
As a junior, Stevens stepped into Canterbury and made an impact right away. His skating and vision helped him get seven goals and 32 points in 29 games, which ranked third in the region. He played on the top power play and killed penalties on that top unit as well. He also consistently played against the opposition's top lines. His next step will be putting on more muscle and stepping into a leadership role for his senior year. He does have Division 1 interest from colleges, such as Princeton, according to McCarthy. The goal is to land a commitment with an Ivy.
GOALIES
Stephen Peck
Avon Old Farms, 1/18/05, G, catches left, 6-2/170Â
Peck came to Avon Old Farms from the North Jersey Avalanche. He was tasked with replacing longtime goalie Connor Callaghan, which was no easy task, but Peck guided the Winged Beavers to an Elite 8 championship. He posted a sensational night in the final against Cushing, making 44 stops. His numbers were stunning — a 1.26 goals-against average (best in the region) and a .948 save percentage (tied for the best in the region). Peck has interest from Division 1 colleges.
BEST OF THE SEASON: Top performers from the 2022-23 seasonÂ
Ethan Ramonetti
Groton, 5/2/06, G, catches left, 5-9/150Â
While Groton didn't have the greatest season, Ramonetti impressed in net. As an '06, the junior posted a 2.41 GAA and a .935 save percentage while facing a ton of shots — 811 to be exact. Ramonetti made over 30 saves in 18 of his games this season, including a 55-save performance against St. Mark's on Feb. 3. He will certainly be a top goalie to watch next season.
