WOBURN, Mass. — The Massachusetts High School Hockey Showcase was held Friday through Sunday at O’Brien Rink in Woburn.
Six teams full of MIAA players took to the ice over the three days for games and practices. Arlington bench boss John Messuri, who was recently on the RinkWise podcast, ran the event.
We already did a story on the standout forwards from the showcase. Click or tap here to read that.
Before we get into the standout defensemen and goalies, there was one thing I saw quite a bit of this past weekend. It's something I've seen a lot in the past with MIAA defensemen — an inability to settle down with the puck.
Rimming it around the boards. Going off the glass and out. Firing the puck in any direction just to get it out of the defensive zone. These are all things that should only be done when protecting a lead late in a game or at the 45-second mark of being hemmed in the defensive zone — not at a showcase.
It's become a trend with MIAA defensemen, and it isn't even their fault. They're often coached to get the puck out of the zone at all cost. It's not every team and it certainly isn't every defensemen, but it's prevalent and, in my opinion, a big reason for bad hockey. It kills creativity and confidence.
I'm not just saying all of this as an onlooker — I have firsthand experience with this.
Is every defensemen going to be Arlington's Evan Jones, who recently committed to Dartmouth? Absolutely not. But having patience with the puck after retrieving it and a desire to make a good, first pass to jumpstart a breakout shouldn't be too much to ask. There would be more mistakes at the beginning of the season, but there would be less in the end as players learn from them.
Younger defensemen would also develop into better upperclassmen. Telling a first-year varsity sophomore to just get rid of the puck when he has it in his own zone may help prevent goals in the short-term, but it will prohibit his ability to do anything useful with a puck as a junior and senior.
Anyways, let's dive into these five defensive standouts from this past weekend.
Kurt Beck
Arlington High, 2009, D, left shot, 6-1/170
Hometown: Arlington, Mass.
Beck is an extremely intriguing prospect. An '09 defenseman with size, Beck has good hands and makes smart breakout passes. His ability to elude pressure behind his own net was impressive, keeping his head up and finding open wingers up ice. In the offensive zone on Friday, he got a shot off from the point that snuck past the goalie just enough for Armen Vartanian to knock in for a goal. While defending, Beck had a good stick and wasn't shy about using his body to separate opposing players from the puck. He's fresh off making USA Hockey's Select 15 Camp in July.
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Charles Demeo
Bedford High/East Coast Wizards, 2007, D, left shot, 5-8/170
Hometown: Bedford, Mass.
Demeo impressed as a mobile, puck-moving defenseman. He showcased a great stick on Thursday, especially when defending forwards in his zone. In one sequence, he shadowed an opposing forward in the corner, used his stick to free the puck, grabbed it, and navigated past two other forwards to make a strong outlet pass. He consistently made smart decisions with the puck.
Drew Karlovits
BC High, 8/26/2008, G, catches left, 5-10/140
Hometown: Cohasset, Mass.
I only saw Karlovits play one half (it was on Thursday), but he was sensational in those 25 minutes. He made some big saves while there was chaos around his net. He got out to the top of his crease fast and was able to readjust to different angles. He also showcased good rebound control on shots from out high. Against Navy, he robbed a chance from Brayden McKenna. I know it was a small sample size, but BC High has an intriguing goalie prospect in Karlovits.
Bobby Nigro
Arlington High, 2007, D, left shot
Hometown: Arlington, Mass.
What stood out most with Nigro was his stick in his own zone. On Sunday, he handled Team South Central well, keeping its best forwards to the outside of the zone with his good stick positioning. He also made smart passes up ice to forwards. A senior, Nigro will be important for Arlington on defense this winter.
UP FRONT: 12 standout forwards from the Mass. High School Hockey Showcase
Michael Taylor
Triton High/Seacoast Performance Academy U18, 2008, D, right shot, 5-11/165
Hometown: Salisbury, Mass.
Taylor showed himself to be very patient with the puck, which is a big advantage for MIAA defensemen. He scored in Thursday's game, rushing it, cutting to the slot and firing a shot past the goalie's blocker. He rifled a shot off the post later in the game as well. His skating and puck-moving abilities helped him stand out quite a bit.
