This will be an interesting opening to college recruitment.
For starters, there are high-end players that colleges are already recruiting hard. There is a slew of forwards who are pretty easily projectable as impact college hockey players. On defense, there is quite a bit of size, which has become all the rage for defensemen these days.
However, this recruiting cycle will be most interesting because of what happened last year: the CHL ruling.
With CHL players now eligible to play NCAA Division 1 hockey, there will likely be heavy implications on recruiting.
Will programs send out fewer offers? Will they wait for many of these players to develop further, pitting them against current CHL players?
And on the other side of it, will recruits be more hesitant to commit somewhere because of how many CHL players that school is taking in?
Time will tell.
Here are the top first-year eligible forwards to watch come Aug. 1, which is when rising juniors in high school can accept an offer. A separate story will be run on defensemen and goalies.
Carter Meyer
U.S. NTDP U-17, 4/10/2009, F, left shot, 6-0/161
Hometown: Winchester, Mass.
Meyer, a freshman last year, is accelerating and working towards becoming a junior, which makes him eligible to commit on or after Aug. 1. Meyer was the best player at U.S. NTDP Evaluation Camp in March and projects as a lottery pick come the 2027 NHL Draft. The favorite in the clubhouse for the Winchester, Mass., native is undoubtedly Boston University. His father, Rivers head coach and former NHL defenseman Freddy Meyer, played at BU.
Finn Sears
U.S. NTDP U-17, 5/4/2009, F, left shot, 6-0/165
Hometown: Medford, Mass.
Sears, also a freshman last year, is also accelerating to become a junior, so he will be eligible to commit in this class. For a long time, the assumption was Sears would stay with his friends and go to Boston University, and that still could happen. But Boston College is in the mix for the 6-foot-1, 175-pound left wing. He will likely take his time to make his decision.
Rocco Pelosi
U.S. NTDP U17, 1/28/09, F, left shot, 5-10/165
Hometown: Sewell, N.J.
Pelosi has been one of the top ‘09s in the United States for quite some time. At 5-foot-10 and 165 pounds, he can play center and wing. He is a strong playmaker and can be trusted in all situations. He also has a big leadership component to his game. He is undoubtedly someone Beanpot schools will try and snag. Watch for Boston College here.
Sam Pandolfo
U.S. NTDP U-17, 7/2/2009, F, left shot, 6-4/180
Hometown: Winchester, Mass.
Pandolfo, a Rivers freshman last season like Meyer and Sears, is accelerating and working towards becoming a junior this summer. There isn’t much to say or debate here: the 6-foot-4, 180-pound forward has expressed his desire to go to BU in multiple interviews with us. His father is BU bench boss Jay Pandolfo. Need I say more?
David Bosco
Belmont Hill, 2/8/2008, F, right shot, 6-0/170
Hometown: Winchester, Mass.
An early ‘08, Bosco would’ve been a top commit in last year’s class. But Bosco is just becoming a junior, and his stock is still very high. He’s a high-level playmaker and shooter who can play the middle, but has mainly played the wing at Belmont Hill. Bosco is slated to play for the USHL's Cedar Rapids RoughRiders this coming season. At 6 feet and 170 pounds, Bosco feels like a great candidate for a Beanpot school.
Noah Survilas
Dexter Southfield, 12/27/2008, F, right shot, 5-11/170
Hometown: Winthrop, Mass.
As a 5-foot-11, 170-pound right wing, Survilas has the makings of a Division 1, top-six contributor. He had 30 points as a freshman at Dexter, and upped it to 40 this past winter as a sophomore. He’s a very-late ‘08, who continues to show high-end offensive potential. Survilas is a Beanpot player through and through.
SELECT 17 CAMP: 17 uncommitted standout forwards | 12 uncommitted standout defenders
Braiden Scuderi
Cedar Rapids RoughRiders, 3/31/2009, F, right shot, 5-7/170
Hometown: Haddon Heights, N.J.
Scuderi is from Haddon Heights, N.J., but played the last two seasons at Mount St. Charles in Woonsocket, R.I. At 5-foot-7 and 170 pounds, Scuderi tried out for next season’s NTDP squad. While he didn’t make it, he was tendered by the USHL’s Cedar Rapids. He has a high offensive ceiling with top-end skill and confidence.
Stephen Cover
Madison Capitols, 4/19/2009, F, right shot, 5-11/174
Hometown: Harrisburg, Pa.
Like Scuderi, Cover isn’t from New England, but played the last two seasons at Mount St. Charles, notching over 100 points in both his 14U and 15O seasons. At 5-foot-11 and 174 pounds, Cover is a great complementary right wing to a play-driving, speedy center. He was tendered by the USHL’s Madison Capitols in the spring.
Ryan Kaczynski
Soo Greyhounds, 7/8/2009, F, left shot, 6-0/170
Hometown: Norwalk, Conn.
Kaczynski posted another phenomenal season for Mid Fairfield, scoring 57 goals and tallying 118 points in 60 games at the 15O level. Like a lot of the players at the top of this story, his offensive upside is high-end, especially since he’s a 6-foot-2, 183-pound left wing. He will play for the OHL’s Soo Greyhounds next season. He led all players at USA Hockey’s Select 16 Camp in points with 10 and somehow didn’t make the U.S. Four Nations team.
Caiden Pellegrino
St. Mark’s, 2/10/2009, F, left shot, 5-8/146
Hometown: Uxbridge, Mass.
If a Division 1 program is looking for a playmaking center with a soft touch on passes, Pellegrino is the guy. Even at 5-foot-9 and 161 pounds, Pellegrino thrived against older competition in prep this past season, posting 11 goals and 41 points. He was tied for second in points at Select 16 Camp with nine and somehow didn’t even make the All-Star game.
Will Manchuso
St. Mark’s, 1/8/2008, F, left shot, 6-0/175
Hometown: Concord, Mass.
Manchuso has greatly improved his stock over the last year. He had 12 goals and 37 points in 30 games for St. Mark’s. Earlier this month, he broke out for four goals and nine points in six games at Select 17 Camp. The Stow, Mass., native is a phenomenal skater with a pro shot and can drive offense whenever he wants to. He makes a lot of sense for an Ivy League school.
Joe Covelluzzi
Cushing, 1/15/2009, F, right shot, 5-8/160
Hometown: Wakefield, Mass.
Covelluzzi broke out in his first prep season, tallying 18 goals and 31 points in 25 games for Cushing. Even after missing some of the Penguins’ final games due to injury, he still ranked second on the team in points. He was tied for fifth in points at Select 16 Camp with seven and didn’t even make the All-Star game. He makes a lot of sense for a non-Beanpot Hockey East school.
Paulo Gualberto Jr.
Mount St. Charles, 4/9/2009, F, left shot, 5-10/170
Hometown: Barnstable, Mass.
Gualberto Jr. had more than 100 points in his 14U and 15O seasons at Mount St. Charles. While he was snubbed from NTDP Evaluation Camp, he was a high pick in both the QMJHL Draft (third round to Halifax) and the USHL Phase 1 Draft (fifth round to Sioux City). The 5-foot-10, 170-pound center could play in either spot next season.
SELECT 15 CAMP: 21 standout forwards | 11 standout defenders
Chase Warsofsky
Cushing, 6/19/2009, F, left shot, 5-9/160
Hometown: Northboro, Mass.
Warsofsky has high upside given his speed, skill and ability to drive play as a center. After missing some time early in the season, Warsofsky settled in as a key cog for the Penguins in their path to winning the Elite 8. He posted nice results at Select 16 Camp with a goal and four points in five games.
Declan Wotton
Seacoast Performance Academy, 5/16/2009, F, left shot, 6-1/201
Hometown: Windsor, Maine
Wotton is fresh off two strong seasons at SPA at the 14U and 15O levels. He also just scored three goals in five games at Select 16 Camp. The Windsor, Maine native’s size at 6-foot-1 and 201 pounds is intriguing for a winger. Consistency will be key as Wotton takes the next steps in his career. He was a first-round pick by the New Hampshire Mountain Kings in the NAHL Draft, a fourth-round pick by Baie-Comeau in the QMJHL Draft and a ninth-round pick by Fargo in the USHL Phase 1 Draft.
Isaac Davis
Northstar Christian Academy, 1/27/2009, F, left shot, 6-0/161
Hometown: Rockland, Mass.
Davis is a smooth-skating, play-driving forward who can put defenders on their heels quickly. He has good size at 6 feet and 161 pounds, and was fantastic for Northstar Christian Academy’s 16U team this past winter, scoring 21 goals and tallying 57 points in 46 games.
Owen McHale
Dexter Southfield, 2/17/2008, F, left shot, 6-2/190
Hometown: Charlestown, Mass.
McHale has something most of these other players in this story don’t have: a mean streak. McHale will gladly get under the opponents’ skin and add a layer of toughness to the lineup. He’s also proven he can produce, posting 19 points in 28 games in Dexter’s top nine this past season. He’s a pain to play against, and that should translate at any level. He boosted his stock at Select 17 Camp with six points in six games. Given his unique skill set, expect a Beanpot school here.
Andrew Martin
Brooks, 8/16/2008, F, left shot, 6-2/187
Hometown: Wakefield, Mass.Â
Martin seems to be hitting his stride at the perfect time. Despite just three goals and 12 points in 25 games for Brooks this past winter, Martin had a great Mass. Hockey Festival and followed that up with three goals and six points in six games at Select 17 Camp. He has size and projects as a strong get for a non-Beanpot Hockey East school or an ECAC program.
NTDP forecast: 10 prospects from Select 15 Camp who could be on the NTDP track
Tommy Wilkinson
Thayer, 9/9/2008, F, right shot, 6-1/165
Hometown: Duxbury, Mass.
Wilkinson’s stock rose quite a bit over the last season, as the speedy, shifty right winger was a lethal point-getter for Thayer. He made his first Select 17 Camp this summer. Wilkinson is trending up and would be a nice get for a non-Beanpot Hockey East school or an ECAC program.
JP Messuri
Dexter Southfield, 6/19/2008, F, left shot, 5-5/152
Hometown: Arlington, Mass.
Messuri is undersized at 5-foot-5, but his compete and hockey sense project him as someone who can be a culture-setter and play anywhere inside a lineup at higher levels. The fiery center is making the move from Arlington (Mass.) High to Dexter Southfield this season.
Ethan Travis
Tabor, 4/22/2008, F, left shot, 5-10/170
Hometown: Narragansett, R.I.
In his first season, Travis broke out for 19 goals and 39 points in 26 games. The 5-foot-10, 170-pound forward made Select 17 Camp from the New England District, which was the third time he made a USA Hockey Select Camp. He would be a fantastic get for a non-Beanpot Hockey East school or an ECAC program.
Ty Hymovitz
Thayer, 2/13/2008, F, right shot, 6-1/185
Hometown: Needham, Mass.
At 6-foot-1 and 185 pounds, Hymovitz projects as a reliable, 200-foot center at higher levels. He had nice production this past winter with Thayer, totaling 12 goals and 25 points in 29 games. But he’ll be relied upon to be a center who takes important draws and plays in all situations. He would make a lot of sense for an ECAC school.
READ MORE: How will the CHL ruling impact Aug. 1 recruiting?Â
Spencer Thornborough
Governor’s Academy, 6/22/2008, F, left shot, 6-0/180
Hometown: Boxford, Mass.
Just one year after being invited to try out for the NTDP Evaluation Camp for ‘08s, Thornborough didn’t make Select 17 Camp out of the Mass. Hockey Festival in May. He responded by scoring three goals and tallying five points in six games as an at-large bid at Select 17s. Thornborough posted 20 points in 16 games before going down with an injury during the prep season. When he’s at his best, the 6-foot, 174-pound left winger can create off the rush and play anywhere in a lineup with power.
