It's a big year for the 2007-born players. A lot of these prospects are coming off their first seasons with new teams. Some took time to adjust while others dove right in and were top catalysts for their squad.
All will be looked upon to make big jumps over the course of the next year. A great performance this weekend at the Mass. Hockey Festival would go a long way in raising their profile.
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While there are lots of great players at this event, these 17 players have a high chance of standing out. That doesn't mean these are the 17 best — there are way too many good players at this event to pick the best going into it.
Nevertheless, here are 17 players to keep an eye on at the festival.
Cam Caron
New Hampton, 6/21/2007, C, left shot, 6-3/180Â
Caron was a force in prep hockey this season, leading the region in freshman scoring with 18 goals and 47 points. His two-way abilities as a center, along with his frame, helped him get picked by the Muskegon Lumberjacks in the fourth round (51st overall) of the USHL Phase 1 Draft last week. I'm intrigued to see how much he stands out at the festival.
Nick D'Olympio
Catholic Memorial, 6/8/2007, RW, right shot, 5-7/134Â
Catholic Memorial had a fair number of interesting prospects this winter, and D'Olympio was one of them. The freshman posted eight goals and 15 points. He played with a ton of confidence for a freshman in the MIAA and exhibited that when driving the play and gaining the offensive blue line. He has nice hands and good speed, too.
Joe Feinberg
BC High, 1/10/2007, RW, right shot, 5-7/160
Feinberg had a solid season in his second year at BC High this winter. He has good speed and is creative offensively. He has a knack for the net and can earn himself time and space on scoring chances.
THE OTHER BIRTH YEARS: 15 players to watch from the '06s | 9 players to watch from the '08s
Shayne Gould
BK Selects 15U, 4/7/2007, D, left shot, 5-7/126Â
Gould isn't the biggest player on the ice, but he skates well and can operate as a one-man breakout. His ability to elude pressure and make plays happen with the puck on his stick helped him go in the third round of the USHL Phase 1 Draft to the Chicago Steel. He's a strong prospect with high-end talent.
Evan Jones
Arlington High, 2/9/2007, D, left shot, 5-8/165Â
Speaking of players who are great at breaking the puck out of their own zone, there's Jones. The freshman showcased a ton of poise in the MIAA this winter, consistently making the smart play with the puck and always seeming to have the confidence to do so. He's a smooth skater and his hockey IQ helps him sense pressure from forecheckers.
Dylan Krayer
Mount Saint Charles 15O, 3/12/2007, RW, right shot, 5-8/145Â
Krayer posted 29 goals and 78 points in 63 games for Mount Saint Charles' 15O squad. The right wing has no issue with physical play and will battle for interior ice. He was selected in the 10th round (145th overall) by the Tri-City Storm in last week's USHL Phase 1 Draft.
Joe Marchi
Catholic Memorial, 10/30/2007, RW, right shot, 5-7/154Â
Marchi seemed to always stand out for Catholic Memorial this winter. Even though he was only a freshman, the right wing's shiftiness and offensive instincts are strong. He gains zones well and can create offense from anywhere in the opposing zone. He's great below the goal line as well.
Jack McDonough
Boston Advantage, 2/2/2007, LW, left shot, 5-11/169Â
McDonough spent the winter seeing time between the Boston Advantage's 16U and 18U teams. He's a good skater and was recently selected in the ninth round (123rd overall) of the USHL Phase 1 Draft by Sioux City. I'm interested in just how much he stands out among players his own age.
Freddy Meyer
Rivers, 10/16/2007, F, left shot, 5-9/150Â
I was impressed with Meyer's play in prep hockey this winter. Despite being an eighth grader, he played with confidence on a young Rivers team coached by the elder Freddy Meyer, his father who also played in the NHL. Meyer, who's the son of He didn't shy away from going to interior ice and worked hard to create offense. Because of his skill, he's an early breakout candidate for next winter. A strong showing this weekend will raise his profile even more.
Michael Munroe
Avon Old Farms, 7/6/2007, FWD, left shot, 5-9/165Â
Fresh off winning an Elite 8 title with Avon Old Farms, Munroe was recently selected in the sixth round (87th overall) of the USHL Phase 1 Draft by the Youngstown Phantoms. He plays with an edge and is never afraid to mix it up and get to the high-danger areas in the offensive zone. He had seven goals and 14 points with Avon Old Farms this season. His role will almost certainly be elevated next season.
Evan Nee
St. Mark's, 8/12/2007, FWD, left shot, 5-10/165Â
Nee posted a solid freshman campaign, scoring eight goals and 14 points as a depth scorer for St. Mark's. He plays with a high amount of skill and compete. Typically, that's a good mix of ingredients. Like Munroe and Meyer, he's also a candidate to have a breakout season in 2023-24.
Anthony Palmer
St. Mary's High, 10/28/2007, G, catches left, 5-8/140Â
Palmer is a highly-regarded goalie in the region for good reason. He tracks shots from the point well and he's really quick. He was relied upon a lot this season at St. Mary's. The job description will stay the same when he transitions to Avon Old Farms next fall.
REFLECTION TIME: Advice to future USHL prospects from former prep hockey players
Anthony Pellitteri
Catholic Memorial, 5/2/2007, D, right shot, 5-10/208Â
Pellitteri is one of the least flashy players I've seen, but he gets the job done and that's what matters most. He's a strong puck-moving defenseman who never seems to panic on breakouts and driving play in transition.
Nick Ritchie
Pope Francis, 1/1/2006, G, catches left, 5-7/140Â
Ritchie burst onto the scene in the MIAA Division 1 state tournament. He didn't blink on the biggest stages. He shut out No. 1 St. John's Prep in the semifinal game at Tsongas Center. In the final at TD Garden, he led his team to a 3-2 win over Xaverian, narrowly winning the goalie matchup against Cole Pouliot-Porter. Ritchie is small but he's quick and has proven he can make the big save. It will be interesting to see how much he improved this season when he takes on just his own age group this weekend.
Tyler Russo
Cushing, 3/19/2007, D, left shot, 6-0/172Â
In his first year of prep hockey, Russo turned into a solid, two-way defenseman. He can move the puck well and create offense while also shutting down opposing players in his own zone. With Ryan Philbrick (Concord, N.H.) and Zach Rizzo gone, Cushing head coach Paul Pearl will rely on Russo a lot next season. He was taken in the third round (33rd overall) of the USHL Phase 1 Draft by the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders.
CJ Watroba
Pope Francis, 2/2/2007, LW, left shot, 5-11/168Â
Watroba was a huge part of why Pope Francis won the MIAA Division 1 state title in March. He posted a team-high 22 goals to go along with 37 points. He has no issue creating offense for both himself and his linemates and carries a lot of offensive confidence. One area of his game that improved a lot this season was his play in his own zone.
PREP TO THE USHL: Inside the journey that isn't always easy
Patrick Woods
Belmont Hill, 7/5/2007, FWD, right shot, 6-1/170
Back on Feb. 27 in a story about Belmont Hill's 6-2 win over Dexter Southfield, colleague Jeff Cox wrote "Woods has been below the radar through the years, whether it be with the Islanders Hockey Club or Junior Eagles." Well, Woods was below my radar when I wrote about 11 New England forwards to watch entering the 2023 USHL Phase 1 Draft and didn't include him. He was selected in the seventh round (104th overall) by Cedar Rapids. This may come as a shock to some, but I'm not perfect and I don't know how I left him off. Next thing I know he'll score 20 goals this weekend right in my face.
