Jack Sadowski (Arlington, Mass.) and Sam LeDrew were instrumental in guiding Kimball Union to an Elite 8 title last year. So, too, was goalie Blake McMeniman (Revere, Mass.). The year before, Joe Connor (Amherst, N.H.) brought his best in leading Avon Old Farms to an Elite 8 championship.
Who will be the heroes this season?
Fortunately for us onlookers, many of the best players in the region will be battling for the Elite 8.
This field is wide open. There isn't a favorite in this group, which means multiple players could step up and lead their teams to Elite 8 glory.
Let's dive in.
Deerfield: Elliot Lennon
A great goalie can make up for any shortcoming in a sprint to a championship. And while Deerfield doesn't really have any holes, Lennon can steal games. The 6-foot-3, 180-pound junior ranks fourth in save percentage (.926) and fifth in goals-against average (2.03) among goalies who've played over 1,000 minutes. He's been dynamite during his team's 13-game winning streak and if Deerfield is to win it all, you can be sure Lennon will be outstanding.
Or maybe it'll be: Justin Tavares
Deerfield is fortunate to have depth scoring. But the Big Green are also fortunate to have a go-to scorer — and that's Tavares. The senior has 16 goals and 42 points this season and always finds ways to produce. He's been a top performer for Deerfield for the last three seasons, so going out a champion would be the cherry on top of a fantastic prep career.
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St. Mark's: Justin BriseBois
The biggest reason why St. Mark's wasn't just an Elite 8 team but a top Elite 8 team was BriseBois' play. The 6-foot-1, 170-pound netminder came up time and again this season, leading all goalies who played at least 1,000 minutes with a 1.73 GAA and a .938 save percentage. Even in losses to Cushing and Rivers down the stretch, BriseBois still kept his team in it. If the Lions go all the way, BriseBois' fingerprints will be all over it.
Or maybe it'll be: Evan Nee
The biggest reason St. Mark's lost to Rivers, 4-2, on Feb. 19 was because Nee was ejected for a misconduct shortly into the game. He has been vital to the Lions' scoring, notching a team-high 23 goals and 51 points in 29 games. He can play physical on the wing, while driving play and creating offense both in transition and on the cycle.
Dexter Southfield: Rian Chudzinski
Dexter's path to an Elite 8 title revolves around outscoring other teams because their offense is that good. At the heart of that offense is Chudzinski. The Boston University commit has been one of the best players all season with 21 goals and 46 points. He plays with power, drives play and is almost always the most talented player on the ice. Chudzinski taking over three games and guiding Dexter to a title isn't hard to imagine.
Or maybe it'll be: Myles Brosnan
Brosnan has been one of the top defensemen in prep this season with his eight goals and 30 points. But it will be his two-way abilities that will help Dexter the most over this next week. His clean breakouts and ability to jumpstart the offense from the back will be huge. He will also likely be tasked with tough matchups in his own zone, which he's proven he can handle.
Cushing: Max Dineen
The Penguins have an outstanding array of talent on defense and in net. Dineen has mostly been the go-to scorer up front. The senior leads the team with 23 goals and 52 points. He plays with such a high compete and his shot is quick, hard and accurate. The Brentwood, N.H., native was on last year's team that fell just short to Kimball Union in the Elite 8 final. You can be sure he will be a huge factor for Cushing if it's to go to its third straight Elite 8 championship.
Or maybe it'll be: Cushing's defense
There are so many good players back there (Arizona State commit Ryland Randle, Michigan State commit Tommy Bleyl, Minnesota State commit Tyler Russo, St. Lawrence commit Kristopher Richards and Oliver Svoboda) who can do so many different things. Randle provides offense, Bleyl is a two-way dynamo, Russo and Richards are physical, shutdown guys and Svoboda is the future for Cushing. Russo captains this Cushing team and was on the team that lost in 2023 and 2024. His motivation is going to be sky high this week.
ROUTE TO A TITLE: The path for every Large School team | The path for every Small School team
Brunswick: Joe Salandra
This is a pretty easy decision. Salandra is a candidate for Player of the Year in prep and has been dominant this season. The Harvard commit has the most points in the region with 70 and has 37 goals. He can immediately take over a game and has a wicked shot. He's a great skater and plays bigger than he is. When this time of year rolls around, you want a star like Salandra on your side.
Or maybe it'll be: Dylan Lee-Stack
Lee-Stack opened the season red hot and when the Bruins were flying high early, he was at his best. He struggled in the second half and is coming off two games he'd probably rather forget against Taft (six goals on 37 shots) and Trinity-Pawling (five goals on 21 shots). His numbers are still strong with a 2.58 GAA and a .907 save percentage. So, why is he here? Because of what he can be. If he reverts to that, Brunswick could easily be crowned the victors.
Salisbury: Ryan Hedley and Connor Davis
Don't force me to pick one. While Salisbury's offense has struggled this season, Hedley and Davis were always at the front of the pack producing. Hedley leads the team in goals with 21 goals and 48 points, while Davis, a Northeastern commit, has 20 goals and 42 points. These two will have to be firing on all cylinders if Salisbury is going to return to Elite 8 glory. There's no reason to think they can't.
Or maybe it'll be: Steven Luciano
Salisbury had quite a few low-scoring battles this season, so Luciano is used to playing under legitimate pressure to be perfect. He's had a strong senior year with a 2.27 GAA and a .916 save percentage. The Crimson Knights are well-coached under Andrew Will, so their structure is typically very good. If Salisbury gets the combination of structured defense and great goaltending from Luciano, it's going to be a tough team to stop.
Rivers: Carter Meyer
Like Salandra, Meyer has arguably been the best player in prep. He has the most high-end potential of any player in prep. An '09, he leads the region in goals (40) and points per game (2.62). With his skill, shot and IQ, he can slow a game down and take it over. He's dangerous every time he hits the ice. His line with Finn Sears (Medford, Mass.) and Sam Pandolfo (Winchester, Mass.) is a pain to stop because even if a team shuts them down one shift, they can hop right back over the boards and score on their next one. If Rivers wins the Elite 8 after being a No. 7 seed, you can bet Meyer will be a top contributor in all three games.
Or maybe it'll be: Justin Graf
It would be easy to go Sears or Pandolfo here but that line rides as one. If a team finds a way to successfully shut that line down, Graf's importance will become even larger. The Merrimack commit ranks second on the team in points with 54 and first in the region with 42 assists. Graf has a lot of speed and elite vision. If a team tasks their top defensive pair against the Meyer line, Graf should be able to win the secondary matchup.
Nobles: Billy MacAusland or Kyle O'Leary
Just like with Salisbury, I'm not picking one over the other — they're riding as one. MacAusland fourth in the region in points with 61, while O'Leary is fifth with 59. The duo control the game when they're on the ice with linemate Ethan Cox, who has 37 points in 26 games. MacAusland uses his speed and vision to create offense, while O'Leary, a Yale commit, dominates with power. They are consistently the best players on the ice. If Nobles pulls off an upset of Deerfield and goes on to win the whole thing, these two will likely be the major reason why.
FULL PREVIEW: How each team looks heading into the Elite 8
Or maybe it'll be: Justin Lee
This is a lot to ask of a freshman '09 goalie, but Lee has proven he can handle it. The Newton, Mass., native stepped in and has been phenomenal with a 2.58 GAA and a .911 save percentage. He can go up against top teams and make a high volume of saves. If Nobles is to go on a run, there's no doubt Lee will need to be at a level even better than his best.
